Part 1 Here! / Part 2 Here! /Part 3 Here! / Part 4 Here! / Part 5 Here! / Part 6 Here! / Part 7 Here! * Usually, whether...

Part 1 Here! / Part 2 Here! /Part 3 Here! / Part 4 Here! / Part 5 Here! / Part 6 Here! / Part 7 Here! <This is Part 8!>

* Usually, whether you’re in a fantasy or realistic world, when you have to battle an opponent you can pick up on their emotions and thoughts.

* Most people don’t realize physics prowess is only 50% of the battle, the other 50% is strategy.

* The thing about fighting monsters, especially ambiguous monsters that don’t have a lot of documentation like an Arae, for example, is that there’s no tactic to fight them.

* So your only option is brute force.

* ‘It’s too bad that doesn’t seem to work either though.’

* Luke, ever the heroic type, gets in between you and this lithe monster, striking it with his sword, only for it to pass through, like it waved through black mist.

* You feel claws dig into your shoulder as you scream in reflex.

* Your ADHD takes over, like everything is happening in slow motion. The way Clarisse raises her spear, Annabeth’s eyes flickering around the cabin until she spots the emergency stop chain, and the way Luke analyzes the train windows.

* ‘This is going to end with us owing Amtrak about $200K in property damages.’

* There’s not much you can do, even if your whip worked on this monster you're lousy at using it at best, so you do the only thing you can think of:

* You press your hand into the monster’s chest and whisper: “Despair”

* Letting the metaphorical box within you that you've kept under lock and key within you creek open just the slightest bit.

* ‘Please let this work.’

* You’re not sure what god to thank, but the Arae shrieks in pain, doubling back enough for you to get out of their grasp, just in time for Luke to use his sword to slice the metal train, and for Clarisse to break the large panoramic window.

* You land on the ground with a hard ‘thump’, rolling down the hill, you wait in silence, the group letting out a collective sigh when the Arae doesn’t chase you.

* You stand up, dusting yourself off, and watching the train disappear into the distance.

* “What the hell was wrong with that thing?” Luke grumbles.

* ‘We are demi-gods, though we seem like the box car children at this point.’

* “I know what you mean, I’ve never seen an aggressive Arae before.” Clarisse grumbles in agreement.

* “Usually they just float around.” Luke nods.

* “It was leaving us alone,” Annabeth adds. “It was only looking for (Y/N).”

* Their gazes immediately shift to you.

* “What sense does that make, Hades is their dad.”

* ‘Not really, but I agree, he wouldn’t send monsters after me.’

* “Hades isn’t the only god out there capable of sending monsters.” This earns you stunned silence and the situation begins to sink in.

* ‘Dionysus did say that Posiedon was having to placate him up there, I guess he’s doing a shitty job.’

* “Now what?” You ask, the woods stretch on for miles around you.

* “The next stop is in Charlotte, and there’s a ten hour hault where we’re supposed to switch trains.

* “We can walk and catch the next one.” Luke nods.

* “Let’s hope there’s no Arae’s on that one.” Clarisse grumbles.

* You walk until the sun begins to set,settling into a small clearing for the night, deciding to sleep in watches. You stifle a yawn as Luke settles in beside you, his back against the tree.

* “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” You ask, and he shrugs.

* “I don’t feel sleepy.”

* ‘Fine, I guess we’ll just sit in silence then’

* “Are you thinking of going back home after the summer?” He asks, breaking the silence.

* ‘You mean if we survive this week?’

* You haven’t thought of anything beyond your next action. For the first time, you can say you’ve genuinely been living in the present.

* If all of this goes according to plan you’ll be back home in your cushy penthouse apartment, sleeping in your own bed, never having to experience something like this.

* But worst case—

* “I might get dragged into the Underworld.”

* You Mom isn’t around anymore, and you’ve never met your maternal grandparents so you imagine they aren’t a part of the picture. And if your dad isn’t around you imagine custody falls to good old Hades and Persephone.

* ‘Well there’s Maki too, but I don’t know, she’s so flakey maybe the underworld is safer for everyone involved.’

* Luke flinches at the mention, his face as pale as freshly fallen snow.

* “D-don’t worry, that won’t happen.” He stutters, his hand fumbling over your own, giving it a firm squeeze.

* ‘Somehow I feel like he has the wrong idea.’

* You don’t say anything though, the warmth after not having your father’s constant doting hugs and pats feels nice.

* “What about you?” You try to turn the conversation away from you, and Luke hesitates.

* “My Mom…isn’t capable of taking care of herself, let alone me.” He goes on to tell you about his mom, how she’s getting mental help at an institution now but that staying out to try and protect him wasn’t the right move. And his jerk of a dad only made things worse.

* “He drove her to it really, either with his negligence or lies—no matter what he does I’ll always blame him for it.”

* “So that’s my sob story.” He says with a shrug, he’s being so open and vulnerable with you. You turn your palm over and give his hand a squeeze.

* “Sometimes the gods can be jerks.” He looks at you wide eyed, it’s impetuous to say it aloud, especially when you’re sure you’re being watched, but Luke’s laugh reassures you.

* “Yeah, they can be.”

* You’re not sure when you fall asleep, just when you awake morning golden hour light fills your eyes, and there’s an ache in your neck.

* Your nose twitches as a thin, straw like material brushes against your nose.

* ‘It’s softer than straw.’

* Only when the fuzzy haze of sleep lifts do you realize that it’s not particularly soft grass, it’s hair, Luke Castellan’s hair to be precise.

* You gaze lifts to be met with a sleeping Luke Castellan, your drool covering his entire shoulder. You jerk away quickly, face feeling hot.

* ‘This is so embarrassing, I can’t believe I drooled all over his shoulder!’ There’s a literal spit stain over his shoulder.

* When you turn you’re met with a pouting Annabeth and a smirking Clarisse.

* You’re thankful they don’t say anything past their expressions when Luke begins to stir awake.

* “We should start walking.”

* The thing about North Carolina is that there isn’t anything there, it’s a rural area, with wide green fields for as far as you can see.

* You cross into the suburbs, and then the city, feeling positively miserable by the time you make it into the train.

* You fall into a heap when you get to your compartment, too exhausted to think about showering.

* “Let’s never do that again.” you sigh, receiving three disgruntled grumbles of agreement in response.

* You feel your eyes droop close.

* Black stretches for as far as you can see, dots of silver glimmering somewhere in the distance.You’re free falling, wind brushing against your face and body until you land on something. You rub your head, wobbly as you turn over, only to look into two star speckled black eyes.

* You want to scream, to say something, but the words get caught in your throat.

* “The boy has done well.” An ancient voice whispers, lips spreading apart to reveal a row of glimmering teeth. You’re lifted in the air by your shoulder, pinched between too thick fingers.

* Awakening just before you’re about to be swallowed whole.

* You wake up gasping for air, your hand clutching your chest. Your eyes sweep the compartment, Annabeth leaning against a sleeping Luke, Clarisse with her arms crossed as she snores lightly, fields of green falling past from the window.

* “That can’t have been good.”

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this part! As always if you like the series drop a like or a comment, they make my day! And if you want to be added to the tag list please comment on this post (The most recent post)

#percy jackson #percy jackson x reader #lore olympus x reader #hades x reader #zagreus x reader #luke castellan x reader #percy jackson x y/n #percy jackson imagine #lore olympus imagine #hades x y/n #waking up in percy jackson #waking up in pjo #waking up in olympus