No Way Out
Annabeth didn't hesitate.
"I'll do it," she said, taking a step forward without hesitation.
"What? No, wait," Percy said, grabbing her arm before she could move.
"Whoever sits there won't be able to leave. It's obvious what we have to do," Annabeth said, turning to look at him.
"I know. That's why I said wait," Percy replied.
"This isn't like the Chimera, seaweed brain. I'm not going to be left behind while you two face the danger and almost die. I'm part of this mission too," Annabeth said, looking straight into his eyes. It was clear what happened with Echidna had gotten to her more than she let on, especially being pushed aside to just look for a chimney while Harry and Percy risked their lives fighting something that almost killed them.
"Maybe we can just leave the shield. It's not like we have to finish this. We could just try to get out of this town on foot," Percy said quickly, trying to find another option.
"You heard Harry. And just like him, I think the same… Ares trapped us here because he wants us to complete this. And if we don't, he'll definitely get in our way. He's a god. You really think we could handle that?" she said, her tone firm, but grounded in reality.
"This isn't your mission," Percy said, more serious now.
"What?" Annabeth frowned.
"Think about it. You're the one Harry chose to come with us. Your mission is his mission; getting to the Underworld with him. My partner is Grover. And if something is blocking my path, then I'm the one who should deal with it. Not you," he said. His voice was firm, but the concern in his eyes was clear.
Annabeth opened her mouth, then closed it again, unable to respond. Percy wasn't wrong. The four of them were traveling together, but they were still dealing with two different quests. It was just luck they overlapped.
"The Oracle chose you. How are you supposed to complete your quest if you stay here?" she said.
Percy gave her a small, calmer smile.
"Grover has a better chance if you and Harry are with him," he said with complete confidence. "You two are better than me. Smarter. You plan everything out. All I can offer is brute strength. So if anyone can handle two quests at once… it's you. And you know it. Believe me, I'd love to find another way… but if I have to stay here so you can move forward…"
Percy fell silent.
He didn't take his eyes off the throne.
"There isn't one."
Annabeth stared at him, unable to find any reason to stop him. Her eyes filled with emotion, a tear threatening to fall.
Percy smiled again, then reached behind his neck and took off the necklace he was wearing. A sword-shaped pendant hung from it, faintly glowing as he removed it, and he handed it to Annabeth.
"All my swords are in there. Harry will know how to use them. He's not as good as I am, but he trained with me growing up, so he'll manage." Percy looked at the necklace for a moment before Annabeth took it. "And… promise me something. Keep an eye on Harry. When we're apart… he gets lonely easily. And sometimes he gets reckless. A little stupid too, since he doesn't have to think all the time about how to keep me out of trouble. It's actually kind of funny to watch him at Hogwarts. If Hermione wasn't there to keep an eye on him, he'd probably get into more trouble than I do. He's really into that 'big brother' role… even though we're only a few days apart. But don't tell him I said that. I'm supposed to be the older one," Percy added with a soft laugh, even as tears started slipping down his face.
"Tell him to say hi to Mom and Aunt Mor for me. Tell them I love them… though they probably already know. And when cousin Dred gets out, tell him to train more or I'm still calling him pig Potter," he added, his voice tightening slightly. "And that… I'm really happy he's my brother."
Meanwhile, Annabeth nodded, unable to hold back her tears any longer.
"And also—"
"Don't worry. I'll tell cousin Dred myself," Annabeth said, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Thanks… though I was actually going to say that once you finish your quests, you could come back and try to get me out," Percy said, a hint of nervousness showing on his face, like he already knew that might not be possible.
Annabeth fell silent for a moment.
"You don't have to say it," she replied, making it clear that was the first thing she would do.
Percy looked at her with a soft smile, his green eyes shining faintly with tears.
"You know… I never really gave you a proper greeting, like a knight should, the first time we met at camp," he said, taking a couple of steps back until he was almost touching the throne behind him, still looking straight at her.
That confused Annabeth for a moment.
Percy placed a hand over his chest and gave a slight bow, a charming smile on his face without breaking eye contact. It was so soft and genuine that Annabeth had never seen him like that before, his manners perfectly refined.
"My lady… it's a pleasure to meet you," he said, recalling his training with Arthur and Luther flawlessly.
For a moment, Annabeth found herself slightly mesmerized by his smile as he straightened up again, still smiling, before sitting down on the throne.
The moment he did, strange sounds echoed from within it, like hidden mechanisms activating.
"More comfortable than I expected," Percy said calmly, as Annabeth suddenly saw parts of his body beginning to be covered by golden gears, which latched onto him, turning him into gold.
"This is a bad idea, get up," she said immediately, rushing forward with urgency.
"Percy, get up. I'm serious," she insisted, trying to pull him away, but he didn't move at all, his expression still calm. The gold was spreading too fast.
"Relax…" he said softly. "I'm fine."
The golden gears continued covering more and more of his body, leaving only his face for a moment, though that too was slowly being consumed as he kept his eyes on her.
"I'm fine. Finish the mission. I believe in you—"
Before he could finish, his face was completely covered, turning him entirely into solid gold. The last of the gears disappeared across his forehead, leaving him as a statue from head to toe, seated on the golden throne.
Annabeth froze. Her gray eyes filled with tears she couldn't stop.
Then a sudden noise snapped her out of it, making her turn just in time to see Ares' shield fall to the ground from the statue behind Percy.
Annabeth wiped her tears with her sleeve and approached the shield, but barely looked at it. Instead, she moved behind the throne and began scanning every inch of the Greek inscriptions carved into it, along with those covering the floor, the walls, and even the statue itself.
As she did, Percy's pendant slipped from her pocket, catching her attention.
"The sword…" she murmured, remembering how Percy always spoke about his blades, especially the one his aunt Mor had given him; a weapon that was said to be able to cut anything, as long as the wielder truly willed it, something extremely difficult to achieve.
She quickly picked up the pendant and tried to remember how Percy used it. She placed her index finger over the circle surrounding the central sword, and it glowed faintly at her touch, the symbol shifting slightly as her finger moved along it.
Her eyes widened as she understood.
She moved through the swords until she found the one she was looking for, then pressed directly on its center.
At once, a silver blade shot out of the pendant and into her hands.
The moment she saw it, she knew it was the right one. Annabeth found it beautiful; its bright silver color, its material unlike anything she had ever seen, as if the magic within it was so powerful it felt almost sacred. It had no exaggerated decorations, no unnecessary details; it was simple, almost like a European-style sword.
And yet… she couldn't take her eyes off its edge.
She shook her head slightly, forcing herself to focus, and took position behind the throne, studying its structure for a moment.
"I'm not leaving you here," she whispered.
"Aah!" she shouted, swinging the sword with all her strength.
But the blade bounced off the solid throne, the impact vibrating through her arms and into her bones, nearly forcing her to drop it.
Not even a mark was left.
Annabeth rubbed her hand briefly, then took the same stance again.
"Haa!" she shouted once more, striking with everything she had. The impact echoed again, the force traveling straight into her wrists, making her lose her grip as the sword fell to the ground.
She clutched her wrists in pain, but still walked back to the sword and picked it up again.
She prepared for a third strike—
But suddenly, a sound echoed.
A panel above her opened, and a man stepped out, first revealing what looked like a cane, which made a sharp sound with every step he took.
Annabeth turned toward him.