Chapter 20: Faded

"What is it that you fear about yourself so much, that you'd rather become a monster than become who you are?'

-From a Friend

AN: Hey Guys! Your girl is back from the deadddd! And better news, inspiration finally hit her upside the headddd! Way to goooo! Let's give it up for another chapter guys! Wohoo!

-05-23-18—09-26-

Right.

Left.

Strike.

Parry.

Dodge.

Roll.

Strike.

Strike.

Block.

Step Back.

Annabeth stepped back once more trying to catch her breath. Luke wasn't around so she was stuck with Ethan as her training partner.

At least it was a fair fight. She could beat Ethan at this.

She crouched in defensive position.

"Again."

Strike.

Block.

Kick.

Push.

Swing.

Pin him down.

She pointed her stick at Ethan's throat, pinning him down by sheer force of her body making it harder for him to breathe as she was practically sitting on his ribcage.

"Wrong move. You should've locked your foot to the ground after I kicked you."

He grinned. Annabeth stiffened as she felt his stick poke her at the small of her back.

"And you should've disarmed me first."

She cursed. In real combat, they could've taken each other's life in the exact same time. Her slitting his throat, and him skewering her spine.

And guess who'll die in much more agony.

Annabeth stood up, leaving Ethan on the floor. "Fine. Draw. I'll meet you at strategic planning in two hours."

He shrugged. "Fine by me." Pausing, he cocked his head sideways, his iron eyepatch glinting, "You're going to wait for your brother?"

She paused at the doorway of the training room.

"No."

Luke wouldn't understand

"I want to be alone."

And I want time to examine my memories.

She remembered a park

The trees swaying softly, the leaves falling down like small butterflies.

She remembered the feel of the grass beneath her, the steady lapping of the lake, blown by the playful wind.

She remembered not being alone.

She remembered bringing the whole galaxy down to earth.

Annabeth opened her eyes and sighed tiredly.

Her life used to be so simple.

Until six months ago.

It used to be just her and Luke after their parents abandoned them. She'd clung to her brother, the only one she relied on her whole life. They lived on the streets, avoiding danger and foster homes, believing that they would only separate them. They lived like that for a while, relying on themselves until Luke discovered his magic, and not long after, Annabeth harnessed hers.

Then Kronos found them, offered them shelter, a home. People like themselves. Everything was finally turning alright.

Until one day six months ago she messed up.

And the most frustrating thing?

She couldn't remember it.

She knew she had gone on a solo mission. Stealth and Spying. Scout, retrieve information, report immediately. But she messed up. She had been gone for a month, everyone told her so, and that the other stars who were hell bent on destroying them, had captured her and tortured her.

And then when they found her, she couldn't remember a thing.

She knew they were lying.

All these memories they were pleasant, serene, she had felt safe there. She felt free.

But everyone kept telling her their version of the truth.

Captured

Tortured

Information

Half-Dead

Rescue

Home

No, she wasn't. She wasn't home.

It didn't feel right.

Everything around her felt like a lie.

Nico walked around the hangar door, steering clear of its path as he walked in the abandoned warehouse. He didn't want to be there in case it suddenly decided it wanted to sandwich him beneath the concrete.

This was hopeless. The Titans never left anything behind, not a shred of magic, not a shadow of a person. Unfortunately for him, they were quick, stealthy, and they paid extreme attention to detail. There wasn't a single evidence linking them to this place, except for the faint waft of miniscule magic that seemed to beckon to him as he was walking down by the street.

Nico shook his head. Maybe he was so desperate for clues that he was making up things that weren't even there. He turned around, heading for the hangar door.

It was then that the Fates decided to bless him with that immortal knowledge they've been hogging.

A sliver of hair lay on the ground, merely a strand, undetectable to human eyes.

But Nico wasn't human.

And he knew that the person this strand belonged to wasn't human at all. It was the source of that faint, almost non-existing spark of magic that caught his attention.

He stooped low and picked it up, examining the blond strand, willing it recreate the exact moment it had been separated from its owner.

The strand seemed to shiver as small, but distinguishable dark shadows raced up its length and forced it to flow towards the room. Nico looked up.

There was a car parked in the middle of the warehouse.

A dark haired person climbed out the driver's seat and opened the back door, reaching for something-or someone inside.

He then moved, frustrated. He turned around, exposing his eyepatch, and hollered for someone.

Nico started. It was Ethan.

He snarled when he saw who approached them.

Luke.

They argued for a second, Luke giving in as he reached inside and reemerged, carrying someone.

Annabeth.

Nico sucked in a breath, hoping she wasn't dead, before remembering that this was just a memory, an astral projection created by his own magic. This already happened months ago.

They were too late.

Luke began walking towards the door that probably lead to the inner chambers when Annabeth opened her eyes.

And struck hard.

She elbowed Luke between the ribs and rolled out of his arms the minute he doubled over, immediately bolting for the open door.

Nico knew she wouldn't make it the moment he saw Luke lift his head.

Luke's eyes were glowing, and faster than Annabeth could comprehend, he appeared in front of her and knocked her out.

She fell inside the circle of Luke's arms the exact same time a strand of hair fell out of Luke's head and drifted to the floor.

The air shimmered, the image before Nico dissolving away in the mist.

He stood up and opened his palm, looking at the strand in his hand.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fist. The shadows complied to his request, swarming to him, cascading towards his hand.

When he opened his eyes, he was clutching a scroll tucked in his hand.

Nico grinned as he unfurled the paper.

It was a map.

And there, in Queens, somewhere in Bayside, was a glowing gold-blue dot.

Nico Di Angelo had found them.

AN: And that's about it! Don't worry guys, I still plan on continuing this, no matter how long it will take. I'm just very very bad at juggling all things that doesn't involve my academic performance. A lot of Netflix wathching doesn't help too. HAHAHA. But don't worry, you can expect the next chapter soon. Please review, favorite or follow! Thank you so much to all you guys who are still with meee! Love you lotss!