𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐄

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

One day, I'll watch as you're leaving
And life will lose all its meaning

𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐, taylor swift

They finally stopped in a room full of waterfalls. The floor was one big pit, ringed by a slippery stone walkway. Around them, on all four walls, water tumbled from huge pipes. The water spilled down into the pit, and even when Percy shined a light, they couldn't see the bottom.

Briares slumped against the wall. He scooped up water in a dozen hands and washed his face. "This pit goes straight to Tartarus," he murmured. "I should jump in and save you trouble."

"Yea, maybe you should," Selene scoffed. "Whiny bitch."

"Don't talk that way," Annabeth shot her a glare, then patted his shoulder. "You can come back to camp with us. You can help us prepare. You know more about fighting Titans than anybody."

"I have nothing to offer," Briares said. "I have lost everything."

"What about your brothers?" Tyson asked. "The other two must stand tall as mountains! We can take you to them."

Briares's expression morphed to something even sadder: his grieving face. "They are no more. They faded."

The waterfalls thundered. Tyson stared into the pit and blinked tears out of his eye.

"What exactly do you mean, they faded?" Percy asked. "I thought monsters were immortal, like the gods."

"Percy," Selene said weakly, "even immortality has limits."

Grover nodded. "Sometimes... sometimes monsters get forgotten and they lose their will to stay immortal."

Looking at Grover's face, Selene wondered if he was thinking of Pan. She thought of what her old-self had told her, that immortals envy humans because they have nothing to look forward to. She'd never thought about it too much, but now, looking at Briares, she realized how terrible it would be to be so old—thousands and thousands of years old—and totally alone.

For the first time, she thought of how will her life be in a few years, the prospect of outliving everyone she cares for. In Briares, she saw a glimpse of herself, and it scared her so much.

"I must go," Briares said.

Briares hung his head. "I cannot, Cyclops."

"You are strong."

"Not anymore." Briares rose.

"Hey," Selene grabbed one of his arms and pulled him aside, where the roar of the water would hide our words. "Briares, we need you. In case you haven't noticed, I saved you first, and now, after so much time, it is finally your turn to pay me back. Besides, Tyson believes in you too. He risked his life for you."

Selene told him about everything—Luke's invasion plan, the Labyrinth entrance at camp, Daedalus's workshop, Kronos's golden coffin, her memories being wiped away.