Tears of Time (What If)

This episode is written by Storm_wolf01. (What if Annabeth was left to die under the Titan's Curse?) 

Featuring:
Percy Jackson

Annabeth Chase

Thalia Grace

Bianca Di Angelo

Nico Di Angelo

Zoe Nightshade

Luke Castellan

Story:
Percy was racing against time to save Annabeth. But what if he was too late? What if Annabeth, brave daughter of Athena, died from failing to free herself from the Titan's curse and from lifting the sky? This very plot will be presented in this episode, The Tears of Time, and where darkness falls upon Percy's world.

The Turning of Events
On the top of Mount Tamalpais, Annabeth tried to breathe as she lifted the sky on her arms. She was pale and cold as a dead body, and she wished that she had been just that.The pain was so hard to endure.

She had survived a good few days and the sky became heavier and heavier still. The General and Luke had set her up in a trap. She couldn't believe Luke would do this to her. He had been such a good friend.....

Then she remembered that that was never true.

Annabeth let out another shaky breath and knelt against the ground. Her strength was running out. Where are her saviors? Percy? Where are her friends? A tear streaked her cheek. She gulped and her legs trembled.

The sky looked ready to collapse.

"How is our mortal guest?" The bass-like voice of the General she recognized. After then, she saw through spots of red, a familiar male figure.

Luke.

He emerged from the shadows and ran to Annabeth. He knelt beside her shivering form then looked back at the wall of shadows. "She's fading. We must hurry."

Annabeth gnashed her teeth. Hypocrite, she thought.

The deep voice gave a loud chuckle. Then a large, meaty hand thrust someone forward into the dim light of the mountain, and Annabeth's eyes widened a little, for it was Artemis, but she was bound in chains and terribly wounded and frail.

"You heard the boy." Said the man in the darkness, a trace of a growl in his voice. "Decide!"

Annabeth could faintly see the goddess's eyes look angry. Then she stared straight at Annabeth and saw concern in her eyes. Then she cast an outrage look at the boy and the unseen man.

"How dare you torture a maiden like this!" She boomed.

"She will die soon." Luke spoke gravely. "You can save her."

Annabeth made a weak sound of protest. But Artemis bit her lip and gave a heavy breath. "Free my hands."

Luke brought out his sword, the sword Annabeth had come to know from Percy he had named Backbiter. It was a terrifying weapon, a weapon that can pierce through godlings and mortals' skin alike.

He made an expert strike and broke the goddess's cuffs.

Artemis ran to Annabeth and took the burden from her shoulders. A weak bliss ran on Annabeth's veins as she collapsed on the ground, quivering. Artemis staggered from the sky, trying to support its weight.

The man in the shadows chuckled again. "You are as predictable as you are easy to beat, Artemis."

"You surprised me." The goddess said, straining under the burden. "It will not happen again."

"Indeed it will not," the man said. "Now you are out of the way for good! I knew you could not resist helping a young maiden. That is, after all, your specialty, my dear."

Artemis moaned. "You know nothing of mercy, you swine."

"On that," the man said, licking his lips, "we can agree. Luke, you may kill the girl now."

"No!" Artemis screamed and struggled.

Luke became still. Annabeth groaned and shifted her position on the earth slightly.

"She--- she may yet be useful to us, sir. Further bait."

The General snarled fiercely. "Bah! You truly believe that?"

Luke nodded. "Yes, General. They will come for her, I'm sure."

The man considered. "Then the dracaenae can guard her here. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until the winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of all mortals will be meaningless."

Luke gathered up Annabeth's listless body and carried her away from the goddess to the underground dungeons.

"You will never find the monster you seek." Artemis moaned. "Your plan will fail."

"How little you know, my young goddess," the General said. "Even know, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is.....challenging."

The man laughed so loud that the rocks seem to crumble.