40

                                    

                                          
"Alright, kid, you ready to land?" Zephyros asked as paused in midair. The wind whipped around me as I looked down at the abandoned factory. I could just barely make out a few figures that I hoped were my friends. 
                          
I nodded as I stared in concentration at the ground. "Yeah, I think so. Just fly me down here." 
                          
Zephyros apparently had other plans as he suddenly released me and I started tumbling down through the sky, my heart racing. 
                          
Before I could hit the bottom I felt that there was water nearby, so with all the energy I had left, I summoned it and created a mini funnel of water, allowing me to slowly descend down. 
                          
After silently cursing Zephyros and brushing myself off, I looked at the battle around me. 
                          
I had been right. My friends were all still fighting the spiders, but it looked like they were winning. 
                          
The water splashed down around me and knocked out several nearby spiders and sent them down the road. 
                          
"Percy?! I thought you'd abandoned us!" Frank yelled over the whipping of water. Both Frank and Hazel were still defending themselves against spiders. 
                          
I shook my head as we fought off more spiders. "I...I did, but don't worry, I'm back now. Where is everyone?" 
                          
Hazel squinted at the building as several spiders crawled up her legs. He shoved them off and stomped on them. "They all infiltrated inside and left us out here to defend. Will was out here, too, but he's attending to Leo inside..." 
                          
"Leo's hurt?" I questioned. 
                          
"Somewhat. He was flaming some spiders when they took him over and attacked him like crazy. I think he'll be fine, though," Frank responded. "Head inside, we've got this!" 
                          
As more spiders crawled up Frank, he simply transformed into a hawk and flew through the air. The spiders all fell off of him and he cawed in joy. 
                          
I rushed inside the abandoned warehouse where it seemed to be going well. There weren't many spiders left, and the ones that remained were getting killed by Nico and Calypso. 
                          
Leo and Reyna were propped up against a wall and Will was attending to their wounds. 
                          
Leo was covered in red spider bites. Any spare bit of skin that was showing was entirely covered. He was swollen and covered in webs, but when he saw me he grinned and waved while wincing.  
                          
"Percy?" Reyna asked hoarsely. I headed over to her and crouched besides her. 
                          
Reyna looked a little better from when I had first seen her. Her skin had gained some color back and her eyes seemed more alive. 
                          
"Reyna, it's not true. Arachne tricked you...Annabeth's alive," I replied. "Where is she? Have you guys found Arachne or Annabeth yet?" 
                          
"No need to." 
                          
I turned around to see a giant half spider half woman come spinning down from the ceiling with her webbing. 
                          
Her face was pale snd full of resentment. Her hair was matted and full of webs, along with her hands. Her spider legs were huge and skittering fast. 
                          
"Where's Annabeth?!" I demanded as I rushed at Arachne, Riptide already in my hands. But before I could reach Arachne someone grabbed me from the behind and pulled me backwards. 
                          
It had been Hazel, who had rushed inside along with Frank. Her hands were shaking as she helped me back up. "I'm so sorry about that, but we need to go at her together—!" 
                          
Then, Nico rushed at Arachne in a fit of fury and attempted to stab at her with his blade. Arachne nearly laughed as she quickly slung her webbing at him. He quickly shadowtraveled and the webbing trap landed forcefully on the floor. 
                          
"Ahh, children of Hades are tricky," she commented. "But not impossible. Who wants to go next, huh? I have webs to spare!" 
                          
She narrowed in on Calypso, who stood behind her trembling. Leo screamed as he attempted to stand up. 
                          
As he stumbled backwards I placed Annabeth's cap of invisibility, which was in my pocket still, on my head and charged at Arachne. 
                          
I sliced one of her giant legs off, which caused her to scream in agony. The leg fell to the ground and instantly turned into monster dust. 
                          
"Perseus Jackson! I can tell that is you! Reveal yourself!" she screamed as she turned away from Calypso, who was sat with her face pressed into her knees. 
                          
My friends came rushing to my aid, but several more spiders oozed out of the walls and started attacking. These ones where bigger than the last and more powerful, it seemed. 
                          
I dodged one of her attacks and went for another strike at one of her legs, which was unsuccessful. 
                          
"You can't get away from me that easily!" she screeched. "I know you're here!" 
                          
Then she swung a spider web my way. I quickly ducked, but it knocked the Yankees cap straight off of my head. My bag fell off of me and spilled all the contents. I tried to reach for it, but there was no use. 
                          
Arachne laughed as she neared me. I'd tripped and fallen to the ground, so she was able to look over me and grin tauntingly. 
                          
I closed my eyes as I thought of Annabeth. She was still alive. If I died, I was doing it for her, and that was all that mattered. If I died here, she could have a chance to live. My friends would be able to take Arachne and find Annabeth. 
                          
But as I prepared myself for death, nothing happened. Then I felt tons of dust fall over me. I opened my eyes and half expected to see Zephyros again. 
                          
Instead stood Annabeth, wielding her signature knife that must've fallen out of the bag with the rest of the stuff when I'd been knocked over. 
                          
Her face was pale and she looked sickly, but she radiated renewed energy. Her hair was pulled back and her face was full of dirt and blood, but she was prettier than she'd ever been. 
                          
She smiled weakly at me as she helped me up, tears streaming down her face. I instantly pulled her closer to me and didn't let go. 
                          
Sounds of crashed and dust surrounded us as we held on tight to each other, neither of us willing to let go. 
                          
Although we were in a battle, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that we were alive and, more importantly, together again. And in that moment, I knew I wasn't going to let her go.