Chapter 10: Hunter
I must have puked at least four times last night. My chest hurt, my lungs felt scratchy and everything felt sore and feverish. The tables turned from me taking care of Annabeth, to her watching over me.
As I lay in a feverish ball, my Wise Girl stroked my hair and told me stories about the gods before they started the Capitol. Grand stories, of cities and taxi cabs, and of a place called "Long Island" in New York. But, that was many years ago, and things could never go back.
Annabeth had healed quickly after the Nefertum's Balm did it's magic, she insisted on giving some to me, but I knew it wouldn't work. Khione had said that it would take godly food, ambrosia and nectar, things only the richest in the Capitol like the gods themseleves may have.
This morning, I'd found enough will inside of me to stumble to my feet.
"Percy, please stay here," Annabeth begged tugging on my hand and motioning for me to lie down again.
I sighed, turned to face her as best as I could. "Annabeth, I can't. I'm only here to protect you. That means I have to beat up the bad guys so you can go home." I dug my hand into my pocket and clumsily brought out my pen. Annabeth looked at me with those big gray eyes of hers, pleading like a baby owl.
I gently pried my hand out of hers. "Look, when I come back we can go hunting just like in faction 7. Maybe some squirrel or automaton bird," I joked a bit uneasily.
"If you come back," Annabeth muttered under her breath before turning away and sitting down on the small bed proportions we had laid out.
"I'll come back." I promised, giving her one last meaningful look and then stepping out of the cave.
The sunlight almost blinded me, I raised a hand to cover my face. The scenery was different, my sense opened up almost immediately, causing me to stumble backwards and slam into the cave wall.
"Percy!" Annabeth yelled in a questioning voice from inside the cave.
Water. My thoughts came alive until I was almost a gleeful mess, clambering about and knocking into trees.
"I'm f-fine..." I stammered as I raced into the trees, calling over my shoulder. I followed my radar, ran- no dashed, through the forests and trees. Water.
And then, there it was a shimmering river. A gigantic bathtub of a lake shining in the sun. I reached out a longing hand, almost feeling as if I could just collapse into it. It may not heal my poisining, but it would definately help.
"Going somewhere?" A voice spat behind me. I whipped around eyes darting frantically.
Thank the gods, it was Leo. The fire wielder from faction something. I watched his eyes as he circled someone else- he wasn't talking to me. The unfortunate person on the other side growled inhumanely.
I did the smart thing- I ducked behind a boulder, obviously none of them had spotted me.
"You know I could slice you like a bug. Tell me 'Leo'," Khione purred. "Do you enjoy ice poison tipped daggers hurtling towards you as if in a snow storm, reasy to pierce your vulnerable skin?"
"Only if you like heat waves engulfing your body into a searing hot flame." Was the sarcastic response.
Almost reminds me, of me. I thought to myself as they started to hurtle ice knives and fire balls at one another. I winced when Khione nearly dodged a flaming ball, it hit her side just barely grazing it, leaving a red gooey mess. Leo staggered once when the Ice goddesses dagger struck his leg, causing him to kneel over and pause for a moment.
"Take notes," Khione hisses at Leo then lifts her arms up to the sky. "'ουρανός!'"
Sky, I quickly translated in my mind. Oh gods she was going to hammer Leo with all she's got. If he's going to die, it should be by me. I thought to myself. (Reference to Peeta in The Hunger Games.)
"Water!" I brought out the water from the river and pointed at Khione and made a fist like gesture. The water copied my giant blue water hand and slammed on top of Khione. She screamed in mostly surprise and anger, tumbling backwards and knocking her head against a tree.
Leo and I however, where perfectly dry. Leo looked up and clambered to his feet. "Thanks man." He panted. He ignited a little fire in his left palm and hurled it at Khiones unconscious figure.
"Well," Leo tucked his hands into his overall pockets. "This is awkward. I...I should go."
Something told me that the son if Vulcan meant "I should kill you," but I let it go.
"Yeah." I nodded dumbly. "Uh bye. Later..." I let my voice trail off and turned to sprint back into the woods. Gods see him later? What if there wasn't a later for him? Or...me?
Stop worrying about yourself. It's Annabeth who a supposed to make it out.
"Couldn't help yourself could you Jackson."
I whirled around to find Jason advancing towards me with a sword in his hand.
"I will NEVER forgive you for killing her," Blonde superman swore as he switched sword hands. "You worked with that Asian boy. Frank!" He spits.
"Look, Grace I know we aren't on the greatest terms but I didn't kill her. She attacked me and Frank helped defend. I'm sorry your girlfriend is gone. Really, I am."
"Beauty Queen..." Jason mutters mostly under his breath. "I can't be a pawn of the gods. It's been... To long. I can't keep playing their game...Jackson." The taller boys head snaps up from looking at the ground.
"I'm going to kill you and everyone else. I'm going to win for Piper."