How You Changed Me (Demigods In High School AU)

Chapter 43 || The Arai

ANNABETH CHASE

They came like a flock of ravens, but... ravens that looked like Furies.

"Percy Jackson... Annabeth Chase..." they hissed.

"Sup?" Percy asked, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

"Curses... Curses..."

"Uhm... the only cursed one here is you, so you guys should probably go have your witch tea over in that meadow where no one could find you because you'd be soaring off the cliff and you'd die," Percy shot back.

The... things all stared at Percy before doing one simultaneous eye roll.

"We are the arai... servants of Night!"

"Interesting band name..." Percy said as we took a step back. "Mind if I... catch your number later? I need new musi--"

"You have done evil to monsters!" the arai hissed in unison, "And you will pay!"

"So... cash or credit?" Percy asked, reaching into his pocket to see if he had any loose pocket change.

The arai stopped, rolling their eyes again before charging into battle. Annabeth had her dagger ready as Percy had Riptide out, and they clashed with sparks flying everywhere.

"Percy don't kill--" Annabeth started but he had already sliced through one.

She froze, not caring about the nasty slash the arai had now dealt to her on my leg. Percy had arrows sticking out from his chest, leaking blood all over the floor. He stumbled backwards, hand over his wound.

"Geryon..." he whispered, "This is how I killed Geryon!"

"Curses... Curses..." the arai hissed.

"OW!" Annabeth yelled as an arai bit her.

She kicked it in the stomach, not wanting to kill it, but eventually, she knew she'd have to.

"Well... we have no choice!" Percy yelled to her as if voicing her thoughts, "We have to kill these... things before they kill us!"

So he slashed through another one, letting out a hiss in pain as a gash opened up in his midsection. Then, he paused after he killed another one.

"Uh... an eye twitch?" he frowned, "What the f**k is that?"

He slashed through another one, freezing again before his eyes widened, his hands over his crotch.

"I'd rather have the eye twitch... this twitch feels weirder," he gagged before slicing through another one. "AH! AH! AH! OKAY THAT HURTS!"

Annabeth slashed through one, being... surrounded. She immediately couldn't see.

"PERCY!" she screamed, "PERCY I CAN'T SEE!"

The curse of Polythemus...

She hurriedly slashed wildly before she hit something. But then... Annabeth felt lonely.

"Percy!" she called out, "Percy... why'd you leave me?!"

"Annabeth!" she could hear a voice and someone pulled her back before she could tumble over a ledge that she didn't see.

Finally, a thud and cackling.

"Gorgon's blood... YES!"

They all cackled as the flapping of wings was heard and Annabeth stumbled to the floor, feeling around until she could feel the body of Percy, who was laying on the floor.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked.

No response, just a gurgle. Panic filled her chest and the loneliness crept back.

"Why'd you leave me?" she asked, crying.

"I'm right here!" Percy's voice was faint.

PERCY JACKSON

Percy got up, ignoring the excruciating pain from the gorgon's blood as he stumbled over to where Annabeth was. He managed to pin her to the floor, screaming from the pain. But he knew he couldn't do this forever. Percy had to find help for her, if not for himself, because he was dying. And he knew it. Old Phineas couldn't wait, could he? He grabbed her arm, slinging it across his body, ignoring the pain and the black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

His microwaved tongue felt like blood was seeping from it. Or maybe he was drooling because his whole body screamed 'sleep'. Finally, he collapsed in a swamp. Annabeth got up, stepping on him by accident, breaking one of his ribs.

"AH!" Percy screamed in agony.

"Percy?" she asked, reaching blindly in the air.

Then he heard a roar and saw a weird drakon in Percy's darkening vision. Then, he saw a huge giant come over, almost stepping on Annabeth. He killed the drakon before looking at Percy, then back to Annabeth.

"Demigods?" he asked before Percy blacked out, most likely joining the underworld.

ANNABETH CHASE

She couldn't see, and all she could feel was loneliness. Then, Annabeth felt someone grab her and she kicked relentlessly. Finally, her vision cleared.

"Percy?" she gasped, looking around.

Annabeth wasn't on the cliff. She was in a hut. Small, but cozy. Bone pots and different bowls... but it was still the most homey place she'd seen since coming down here. Her heart froze when she saw Percy on the floor, steam rolling off of his skin and blood spewing out of multiple wounds. His eyelids were closed and there was a giant hovering above him.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" she screamed, launching herself at him only to trip out of an agonizing pain in her body.

"Relax, demigod," the giant said in a rather soothing voice, "He is safe."

"Then what happened to him?" Annabeth demanded.

"Rather feisty, aren't you?" the giant rolled his eyes, "Fine. He is dying of gorgon's blood. I assume you saw the arai?"

She blinked, surprised, before confirming his answer with a nod.

"My name is Damasen," he said, stirring a broth in a large skull, "I am a peaceful giant... sentenced down to Tartarus. The most I can do for you is cure your little friend here, and send you on your way with some supplies. That's it."

"Nothing else?" Annabeth spluttered like an idiot, "Aren't you gonna come with us? Help us?"

"I cannot do that, young one. I am cursed to stay at this swamp. You will find the Doors of Death if you move straight ahead. Follow the River of Misery, but be warned. Along the way, there are monsters swarming that area like a highway. My brothers still seek vengeance for what happened in the Second Giant War. They will take any chance to kill you. Nyx herself is there, too, so try to avoid her."

Before she could say anything, Damasen had already spooned a large amount of soup into the bowl, crushing up a few leaves in his mouth before stirring the broth.

"What is that?" Annabeth asked.

"His medicine," he grumbled, pouring it into Percy's mouth.

Percy gagged at each sip, but Damasen gently forced it down his throat. Annabeth tried to get up to move towards Percy, who was smiling in his sleep, but she fell face first onto the floor.

"Rest," Damasen said, picking her up in his hand and putting Annabeth down next to Percy, "You'll be fine."

So she slept. In a giant's tent. And Annabeth didn't know if he was good or not.