A Daughter’s Sorrow

Five

Poseidon stepped around the fallen debris in his throne room, making his way to his daughter's bedroom. If the cause of this had not been her nightmares, the Sea God would have been proud of her strength

Finally at her door, he knocked and was answered with a groggy 'come in.' He smiled and opened the door. Poseidon entered but, he was confused at what he saw. There were only three on the bed...not four, "Where's Perci?"

Aphrodite looked around tiredly. Persephone, worried and Amphitrite started to panic.

"Maybe she needed to go to the bathroom?" Dite mumbled.

But the Queen of the Underworld looked unconvinced, "No. I can't sense her emotions or aura."

"Then where would she be?!" Amphitrite began to cry. The other two goddesses tried to comfort the Queen but she was inconsolable. Poseidon was not at all shocked when her anguish turned to anger, "Someone has taken Perci! We need to find her! Now!!"

:3

When Poseidon and Aphrodite strode into Olympus, their godly family were already arguing with each other. He could hear Hera and Ares arguing with Athena and Dionysus over whether his daughter should become a goddess or not.

"She had done more than enough to prove herself. She is more than worthy of becoming one of us." Hera demanded.

"Persephone Jackson should remain at Camp Half Blood to protect the children still alive. Become a camp leader and train them so they can learn to fight." Athena countered.

"I agree with Athena. I do however think Penelope Jackels should at least be made immortal instead of a goddess."

Then Ares said the most smartest thing that made the gods look at him weirdly, "If she becomes a goddess, her fighting techniques and battle prowess would help us in any future war."

Even Athena was shocked.

Poseidon and Aphrodite stood near the centre of the room, watching the fight between them all, unnoticed.

"I think Persephone would do well as a Hunter. She is a warrior and with the war over, she will not know what to do with herself. With me, Persephone will continue doing what she was trained to do. The Hunt will help keep the girl distracted and hopefully forget the war over time, or at least suppress it. And the Hunter's immortality would keep her prepared for anything that is to come."

Zeus and Apollo nodded, agreeing with Artemis.

"I think she just needs a healthy dose of cereal." All the gods glared at Demeter.

They then finally noticed the two standing near the centre of the room. Innocently, Hestia tilted her head, "Where is Perci?"

Poseidon shook his head, "I don't know. I went to collect her from her room, but she was gone. Even with three goddesses present. Either Perci was taken or she just disappeared."

Everyone looked at Hera, who held her hands up in submission, "Don't look at me, I didn't take her. I got enough crap from last time. I don't know where she is."

Silence engulfed the room.

:3

It had been five weeks.

Perci knew this because the Aurai always answered any and every question she asked. The nymphs did everything for her and although she felt uncomfortable with it, they would always deny her help. The young woman was safe to say the least.

She was no longer looking over her shoulder and preparing for anything that attacked her. But she was a little... bored.

The Heroine then felt the air warm up and on instinct, shut her eyes. Perci saw the flash of light behind her lids.

"Sweet child you can open your eyes now." Hestia's voice instantly made the ravenette smile, she opened her eyes and rushed to the goddess.

She was caught and they hugged each other tightly. The Lady of the Hearth could see the changes in Perci. She was smiling wider and she could feel the spark of content in the girl's heart.

"How are you, Perci?"

"I'm better Hestia. Better than I thought I would be. But I will admit...I am a little lonely."

The goddess gave her a small smile, then said, "I think I can help you there."

There was a sudden knock on the door. Perci looked to the sound and when she turned back to Hestia, the goddess was gone. She hated it when they did that.

Frowning a little, she moved down the hallway towards the door. Before she could open it, the Aurai breezed past her and tutted, Aah. Aah. Aah.

The door opened and there stood nine, beautiful women.

The tallest one smiled at Perci and curtsied, "Good Morning, Lady Persephone, Saviour of Olympus and Princess of the Seas. My name is Calliope. And we are the Crystal Gems."

Clio snorted and smacked her up the back of the head. Perci laughed softly.

Euterpe sighed, "We're the Muses, dear girl."

:3

Perci was trapped in a shroud of smoke. She coughed and waved a hand in front of her face, "Hello?" The girl called out.

She was answered by incoherent whispers. Perci strained to understand them, but she couldn't.

In the distance, the sea green eyed girl spotted a tall figure coming towards her.

"Hey! Can you tell me where I am?"

"You should already know Kelp Head."

Shock rocked through to her body. Thalia.

With her leather jacket, combat boots and the blue streak in her spiky black hair. The Hunter's blue eyes were electrified with pain and sorrow.

"Tha-" The daughter of Zeus shoved a dagger into her stomach, making her gasp painfully.

Perci coughed, blood staining her lips and gripped her belly. Tears fell down her face as the red began to stain her orange shirt, "-lia..."

Perci blinked and her cousin was gone. So was the cut, but the pain in her stomach lingered.

The ravenette turned at the tap on her shoulder. And there was Jason.

He shoved his hand into Perci's chest and ripped out her heart. Her sea green eyes widened and she collapsed onto her back with a grunt. Again she blinked and he was gone.

But the pain wasn’t.

"Perci!"

The girl spun around looking for Piper. But she couldn't find her. Until a dagger was shoved into her back. Perci's eyes rolled up into the back of her skull and fell forward, crying out in pain.

She turned over and Piper was gone. And the knife.

Breathing heavily, Perci stood, "Stop! Please! Stop!!" The Daughter of Poseidon begged, choking on a sob.

A whirling sound got her attention.

Scared, the young woman looked to the sound, only for an axe to be embedded into her head, knocking her down again.

Tears continued to fall as Perci looked up to see Hazel standing over her, with a blank face. The axe was gone as soon as she closed her eyes. Still on her back, Perci began to feel a sharp burn in her chest. Her breaths turned into pants.

She shrieked, her vision blurry and only just able to see Frank, who then disintegrated into ash. The burning sensation in her heart dulled only slightly.

Then there was Reyna. The dead praetor walked straight up to her dragged her nails down Perci’s front. She let out an agonized scream and looked down at her ruined shirt to see claw marks ripped her skin from her collarbone to her belly button. The wound vanished in an instant and her shirt perfect. But that pain stayed.

There was a flash of fire behind Perci. She spun around and a knife was slashed through her neck. Leo looked deep into her eyes, his own blank and lifeless.

Holding her severed throat, Perci fell to knees. Her dead friends were killing her. Over and over again. Torturing her.

"Please stop! Please! I'm sorry!! Just stop..." Perci's pained shouts turned to pleading whispers.

Leo vanished. The cut and blood gone.

Will and Nico were then in front of her. Nico kicked her in the stomach onto her back, before they both fell to their hands and knees.

Perci watched, horrified as they morphed into hellhounds. She tried to run, she did. But they caught her and started to rip and tear her apart. Perci just couldn't stop screaming.

She couldn't. It hurt so badly.

Then they were gone.

All of them.

The Daughter of Poseidon stood, knowing who was next. Unlike everyone else, her steps echoed in the smoke surrounding the demigoddess.

Her best friend stood in front of her. Her blonde hair was oily, her face pale and her grey eyes dull, "Please Annabeth. Don't do this. Please..."

Tears began to fall from her face again and her bottom lip quivered. Her Wise Girl's hand shot out and gripped Perci's neck, before muttering, "You deserve this."

And ripped out her throat.