(Y/N)'s POV

They were waiting on me the second I stepped out of the throne room, proud of myself for what I had achieved, I must say that it put a bit of a dampener on my moment of triumph to see them.

The Fates were waiting for me, I sighed, I guess Nyx was the death of me after all. As the string was pulled I felt tense, and despite their rough treatment of me over the years, I felt like showing some appreciation. I was in a good mood after all.

I wondered what they were doing here, but as the throne room doors closed, the wounds I still had hurt once more, and I understood, after all these years, the gods had finally decided to give me the punishment I had waited for.

But I wasn't ready, not even close, there was still a list of things I wanted to do before I was gone, so as the scissors were raised to the thread, once again, I blocked them. One final time defying fate.

As they cut into my hand, just barely nicking the skin, "I'm not saying I won't go, I know I have to, but there are so many things I need to do, I need to say my goodbyes and I know it's asking for a lot, but can you just let me see it first? Please."

They looked unsure, this was the first time ever I had seen them stumped,  but as one pulled the string taught, I flinched, knowing I'd pushed my luck with fate far too many times, "For them. For her?" I pleaded. Until I felt their grip on me.

With that, the three of them all walked up to me and planted kisses of my left cheek, right cheek and forehead respectfully, I opened my eye to see that they had pulled me down to allow them to do so.

A rush of heat fell into my body and the sensation I felt was like I had been shocked by lightning. My wounds healed, my eye opened, I felt strong enough to walk out of here on my own two feet again, and I understood what it meant, I only had a short amount of time left, and it was best I used it wisely.

They shared a glance, and then a smile, nodding one time in unison, but their eyes felt to a mark, on my wrist where my father had once grabbed me, I understood it's significance now, I was marked for death.

My father had warned me that evil and dangerous spirits would have hunted down Bianca for cheating death, I was a fool if I didn't understand that the same applied for me, they were coming, and they would never stop until I was gone from this world

I pulled all three of them into one big hug, smiling as I did, "Thank you for..." I was unable to find the right words, "...Letting me live before I die." I said, walking to the elevator. Knowing there was one thing that had always been at the top of my list.

Percy's POV

Nobody steals my pegasus. Not even Rachel. I wasn't sure if I was more angry or amazed or worried. "What was she thinking?" Annabeth said as we ran for the river. Unfortunately, I had a pretty good idea, and it filled me with dread.

With the help of rainbow and some Hippocampi, we managed to make it back in record time, but as we arrived I was certain that Blackjack had beaten us here. Argus waited for us on the shore, arms crossed. Furious. "Is she here?" I asked. He nodded grimly.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth said. Argus shook his head. We followed him up the trail. It was surreal being back at camp, because everything looked so peaceful: no burning buildings, no wounded fighters.

The cabins were bright in the sunshine, and the fields glittered with dew. But the place was mostly empty. Up at the Big House, something was definitely wrong. Green light was shooting out all the windows, just like I'd seen in my dream about May Castellan.

Mist—the magical kind—swirled around the yard. Chiron lay on a horse-size stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of satyrs standing around him. Rachel Elizabeth Dare stood at the bottom of the porch steps.

Her arms were raised like she was waiting for someone inside the house to throw her a ball. "What's she doing?" Annabeth demanded. "How did she get past the barriers?" "She flew," one of the satyrs said, looking accusingly at Blackjack.

"Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries." "Rachel!" I called, but the satyrs stopped me when I tried to go any closer. "Percy, don't," Chiron warned. He winced as he tried to move.

His left arm was in a sling, his two back legs were in splints, and his head was wrapped in bandages. "You can't interrupt." "I thought you explained things to her!" "I did. And I invited her here." I stared at him in disbelief.

"You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said—" "I know what I said, Percy. But I was wrong. Rachel had a vision about the curse of Hades. She believes it may be lifted now. She convinced me she deserves a chance."

"And if the curse isn't lifted? If Hades hasn't gotten to that yet, she'll go crazy!" The Mist swirled around Rachel. She shivered like she was going into shock. "Hey!" I shouted. "Stop!" I ran toward her, ignoring the satyrs.

I got within ten feet and hit something like an invisible beach ball. I bounced back and landed in the grass. Rachel opened her eyes and turned. She looked like she was sleepwalking—like she could see me, but only in a dream.

"It's all right." Her voice sounded far away. "This is why I've come." "You'll be destroyed!" She shook her head. "This is where I belong, Percy. I finally understand why." It sounded too much like what May Castellan had said.

I had to stop her, but I couldn't even get to my feet. The house rumbled. The door flew open and green light poured out. I recognized the warm musty smell of snakes. Mist curled into a hundred smoky serpents, slithering up the porch columns, curling around the house.

Then the Oracle appeared in the doorway. The withered mummy shuffled forward in her rainbow dress. She looked even worse than usual, which is saying a lot. Her hair was falling out in clumps. Her leathery skin was cracking like the seat of a worn-out bus.

Her glassy eyes stared blankly into space, but I got the creepiest feeling she was being drawn straight toward Rachel. Rachel held out her arms. She didn't look scared. "You've waited too long," Rachel said. "But I'm here now."

The sun blazed more brightly. A man appeared above the porch, floating in the air—a blond dude in a white toga, with sunglasses and a cocky smile. "Apollo," I said. He winked at me but held up his finger to his lips.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he said. "You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?" Rachel nodded. "It's my destiny." "Do you accept the risks?" "I do." "Then proceed," the god said. Rachel closed her eyes.

"I accept this role. I pledge myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I open my eyes to the future and embrace the past. I accept the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate." I didn't know where she was getting the words, but they flowed out of her as the Mist thickened.

A green column of smoke, like a huge python, uncoiled from the mummy's mouth and slithered down the stairs, curling affectionately around Rachel's feet. The Oracle's mummy crumbled, falling away until it was nothing but a pile of dust in an old tie-dyed dress.

"Awww man...who beat me to it?" (Y/N) asked, we all jumped, only to become more shocked when we saw him holding an unlit torch and some gasoline. Looking utterly disappointed with himself. Not even fazed by the gravity of the situation.

Mist enveloped Rachel in a column. For a moment I couldn't see her at all. Then the smoke cleared. Rachel collapsed and curled into the fetal position. Annabeth, (Y/N), Nico, and I rushed forward, but Apollo said, "Stop! This is the most delicate part."

"What's going on?" I demanded. "What do you mean?" Apollo studied Rachel with concern. "Either the spirit takes hold, or it doesn't." "And if it doesn't?" Annabeth asked. "Five syllables," Apollo said, counting them on his fingers. "That would be real bad."

Despite Apollo's warning, I ran forward and knelt over Rachel. The smell of the attic was gone. The Mist sank into the ground and the green light faded. But Rachel was still pale. She was barely breathing.

"Safe!" (Y/N) said like an umpire. I turned too him, "Safe? Safe! How is she-" Then her eyes fluttered open. She focused on me with difficulty. "Percy." "Are you okay?" She tried to sit up. "Ow." She pressed her hands to her temples.

"Rachel," Nico said, "your life aura almost faded completely. I could see you dying." "I'm all right," she murmured. "Please, help me up. The visions—they're a little disorienting." "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked.

Apollo drifted down from the porch. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi." "You're kidding," Annabeth said. Rachel managed a weak smile. "It's a little surprising to me too, but this is my fate. I saw it when I was in New York. I know why I was born with true sight. I was meant to become the Oracle."

I blinked. "You mean you can tell the future now?" "Not all the time," she said. "But there are visions, images, words in my mind. When someone asks me a question, I . . . Oh no—" "It's starting," Apollo announced.

Rachel doubled over like someone had punched her. Then she stood up straight and her eyes glowed serpent green. When she spoke, her voice sounded tripled—like three Rachels were talking at once:

"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire, the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death." At the last word, Rachel collapsed. Nico and I caught her and helped her to the porch. Her skin was feverish.

"I'm all right," she said, her voice returning to normal. "What was that?" I asked. She shook her head, confused. "What was what?" "I believe," Apollo said, "that we just heard the next Great Prophecy." "What does it mean?" I demanded.

Rachel frowned. "I don't even remember what I said." "No," Apollo mused. "The spirit will only speak through you occasionally. The rest of the time, our Rachel will be much as she's always been. There's no point in grilling her, even if she has just issued the next big prediction for the future of the world."

"What?" I said. "But—" "Percy," Apollo said, "I wouldn't worry too much. The last Great Prophecy about you took almost seventy years to complete. This one may not even happen in your lifetime." (Y/N) scoffed, "Ain't that the truth."

I thought about the lines Rachel had spoken in that creepy voice: about storm and fire and the Doors of Death. "Maybe," I said, "but it didn't sound so good." "No," said Apollo cheerfully. "It certainly didn't. She's going to make a wonderful Oracle!"

(Y/N)'s POV

"What happened on Olympus?" Annabeth asked, keen to change the subject from Rachel. A painful thought struck me, I was going to have to leave her one day. One day soon. I wasn't ready to face it yet, so I changed the subject.

I looked to Rachel "You really don't like her huh? I'd pay to see that catfight." She rolled her eyes,  "I'm a demigod." I nodded, "Yeah, but Rachel's from Brooklyn, she's probably pretty scrappy."

Annabeth turned her nose up at me, forgetting all about Olympus, "I doubt it, she's not from actual Brooklyn, she's a rich girl." "I've fought more rich girls then I'd like to admit Annabeth, and they don't play."

I kissed her on the cheek, looking over at Nico, who looked like he was one good "Boo!" away from having a nervous breakdown, and was looking dead at me, no pun intended, silently shaking his head. "Give me a sec." I told Annabeth.

Nico ran. Like he didn't want to face me, but I chased after him, "You're never outrunning me Di Angelo, I've got stamina for days." I lied, so he disappeared, in a desperate tear at the shadows around him.

A minute or two later, I found him, curled up in a ball somewhere in the forest, where it was darkest. "You ignored my first lesson." I teased. "We always head to the dark when we are afraid, it's instinctual." He repeated.

For the first time since I took him under my wing, I think Nico di Angelo was finally showing his age, he was a scared kid who didn't want to lose anyone again. Who hated the feeling of being alone.

Fortunately for him, I was an expert on the subject, and reassured him that he wasn't ever truly alone, even if it felt like it, and the lessons Bianca and I taught him would take him far, and make sure we lived on through him.

"You're going to grow so much, you'll get so strong that those old training sessions will seem like a distant memory. Nico, you are going to go so far. I can feel it." "What if I mess it all up?" He asked.

"Then congratulations Nico, you're a demigod, or worse, a teenager." I ruffled his hair. "Listen kid. I know you're confused right now, I know you're hurting, and I know you think you're going to be alone, I thought that way too, but look at me now."

"But I'm not-" "-The same as everyone else? Yes, you are, you're just to afraid to believe it. But out there." I pointed back to camp, and the world as a whole, "There are people that will love you no matter what or who you are. You just have to find them."

"I'm not ready...I'm not ready to lose you too." "Nico, you're a son of Hades, for you, I ain't going nowhere. And you're so much more prepared to face the world alone then you think, you know how I know that?" I asked, he shook his head, "You had an awesome teacher."

He nodded, "Yeah, Minos w...as pretty cool." I smirked, "You little punk." He laughed, tears running down my shirt as we hugged. As one final thing before I left him to his own devices, I extended my hand for a fist bump, "You got this kid." He bumped fists with me and said "You're dam right I do."

The rest of the day was as strange as the beginning. Campers trickled in from New York by car, pegasus, and chariot. The wounded were cared for. The dead were given proper funeral rites at the campfire.

Silena's shroud was hot pink, but embroidered with an electric spear. The Ares and Aphrodite cabins both claimed her as a hero, and we all lit the shroud together. No one mentioned the word spy. That secret burned to ashes as the designer perfume smoke drifted into the sky.

Even Ethan Nakamura was given a shroud—black silk with a logo of swords crossed under a set of scales. As his shroud went up in flames, I was glad he knew that his sacrifice meant something, and I hoped he was praised as a hero before I followed in his footsteps.

He'd paid a lot more than an eye, but the minor gods would finally get the respect they deserved. Dinner at the pavilion was low-key. The only highlight was Juniper the tree nymph, who screamed, "Grover!" and gave her boyfriend a flying tackle hug, making everybody cheer.

They went down to the beach to take a moonlit walk, and I was happy for them, though the scene reminded me of Silena and Beckendorf, which made me sad. Mrs. O'Leary romped around happily, eating everybody's table scraps.

Nico sat at the main table with Chiron and Mr. D, and nobody seemed to think this was out of place. He looked like he had been crying, though I couldn't blame him, I knew things would be hard for him in the next few years, as he figured himself out, and realized how much the world had changed, but I was proud he was here at least.

Everybody was patting Nico on the back, complimenting him on his fighting. Even the Ares kids seemed to think he was pretty cool. Hey, he shows up with an army of undead warriors to save the day, and suddenly he's everybody's best friend. I do it and I'm a freak and a monster...typical.

Slowly, the dinner crowd trickled away. Some went to the campfire for a sing-along. Others went to bed. I thought it would be my last night after all, so I decided to enjoy it, and watch the peaceful scenes of my home.

Until I understood something, the date. I couldn't die today at least, it wasn't my day to ruin. I went to Annabeth to remind her, but as always, she was about fourteen steps ahead of me, or at least as many steps as it took to bake a cupcake the size of a brick.

Percy's POV

I sat at the Poseidon table by myself and watched the moonlight on Long Island Sound. I could see Grover and Juniper at the beach, holding hands and talking. It was peaceful. "Hey." Annabeth slid next to me on the bench.

(Y/N) slid in the other side of me, his arm wrapping around me like it always did, that sly smile on his face, I was worried about a prank, until they both said "Happy birthday." He pointed to Annabeth. She was holding a huge misshapen cupcake with blue icing. I stared at her. "What?"

"It's August 18th," she said. "Your birthday, right?" I was stunned. It hadn't even occurred to me, but she was right. I had turned sixteen this morning— the same morning I'd made the choice to give Luke the knife.

The prophecy had come true right on schedule, and I hadn't even thought about the fact that it was my birthday. "Make a wish," she said. "Did you bake this yourself?" I asked. "Tyson helped." "That explains why it looks like a chocolate brick," I said. "With extra blue cement." Annabeth laughed.

"Sorry gills, we couldn't find any presents better then the offer of becoming a god, so we decided we'd just double down...next year." He looked worried about something, and I was too, "If I live that long." He smiled and reassured me I had a few years ahead of me to enjoy. "Make a wish." He urged.

I thought for a second, then blew out the candle. We cut it into thirds and shared, eating with our fingers. Annabeth sat next to me, and we watched the ocean. Crickets and monsters were making noise in the woods, but otherwise it was quiet.

"You saved the world," she said. "We saved the world." "And Rachel is the new Oracle, which means she won't be dating anybody." (Y/N) put his hand on my shoulder, "That's rough buddy." I shrugged. "But y'know... there's a girl about...a lot of miles...that way."

He pointed up at the stars, it took me a while to understand. He was pointing at the constellation Artemis made for Zoe. I turned to him, "You're kidding." "I never kid about love." "Love?" I said in shock. He giggled, Annabeth sighed, "You're real slow sometimes Seaweed Brain."

I looked over and saw that she was trying not to smile. "You're laughing at me," I complained. "I am not!" As the two of them laughed, and we were sat in a peaceful moment. I could've stayed that way forever, except a voice behind us growled, "Well, it's about time he got the hint!"

Suddenly the pavilion was filled with torchlight and campers. Clarisse led the way as the eavesdroppers charged (Y/N) laughed maniacally until he and Annabeth were scooped up too. "Clarisse this wasn't part of the deal!" He shouted.

She grinned at him and said, "Oh, I know." As they hoisted us all onto their shoulders. "Oh, come on!" I complained. "Is there no privacy?" "The lovebirds need to cool off! And you, lord of the bathroom, need to go dunk your head" Clarisse said with glee.

"The canoe lake!" Connor Stoll shouted. With a huge cheer, they carried us down the hill, "You better not!" (Y/N) yelled, only to be drowned out by laughter. Annabeth was laughing, and I couldn't help laughing too, even though my face was completely red. We kept complaining right up to the moment they dumped us in the water.

I didn't expect to live through that day, but I was so busy laughing and enjoying myself, I forgot to care about my time limit, I forgot to say goodbye. As my head hit the pillow that day, I was filled with regret, knowing I missed my chance.

You can imagine my surprise that I woke up the next day, and the next. Even as I lost at a special game of capture the flag, even as I got the final bead on my necklace, even as Annabeth kicked my butt on the climbing wall, I was surprised I was getting any of this.

Camp went late that summer. It lasted two more weeks, right up to the start of a new school year, and I have to admit they were the best two weeks of my life. Of course, Annabeth would kill me if I said anything different, but there was a lot of other great stuff going on too.

Grover had taken over the satyr seekers and was sending them out across the world to find unclaimed half-bloods. So far, the gods had kept their promise. New demigods were popping up all over the place—not just in America, but in a lot of other countries as well.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and day by day, hour by hour, I felt the time for me to go coming. I mean, I kept busy of course, and definitely ticked off the Olympians a little more before my time was up.

Like I said, I had a list. I did a lot of stuff that week, hunted down Glaucus and turned him into kelp, burned down a fishing surplus store. Found a new home for some undead kittens, reburied a toothless dragon...and that was just naming a few things. But I really knew my time was up during the last night of camp—the bead ceremony to be exact.

The Hephaestus cabin had designed the bead this year. It showed the Empire State Building, and etched in tiny Greek letters, spiralling around the image, were the names of all the heroes who had died defending Olympus.

There were too many names, but I was proud to wear the bead. I put it on my camp necklace. As I ran my fingers across it, I knew that tomorrow, I would have to say my goodbyes forever. No more time left, and you know me, I procrastinate with stuff like this. I had considered so many ways of doing this, constructed intricate plans to avoid confrontation.

It ranged from a lot of things, just going into the woods and pretending a monster got me, drowning in the canoe like, using the Lethe to make them all forget me, but in the end, I just sat at the top of half blood hill, looking down at them all, so early that the busses were just arriving.

It was silly, even as I had everything packed, ready to be just a distant memory to everyone I loved in a few years, I still had to sit here and admire the place before I left, it turned out that was a very good decision.

The morning after the last night of camp was as I expected it to be, utter chaos. But before I left to never return, I still reflected on everything I'd miss, I stared at the line of new cabins under construction.

The U-shape would soon be a complete rectangle, and the demigods had really taken to the new task with gusto. Nico had some undead builders working on the Hades cabin. Even though he was still the only kid in it, it was going to look pretty cool.

Solid obsidian walls with a skull over the door and torches that burned with green fire twenty-four hours a day. Next to that were the cabins of Iris, Nemesis, Hecate, and several others I didn't recognize.

They kept adding new ones to the blueprints every day. It was going so well, Annabeth and Chiron were talking about adding an entirely new wing of cabins just so they could have enough room. The Hermes cabin was a lot less crowded now, because most of the unclaimed kids had received signs from their godly parents.

It happened almost every night, and every night more demigods straggled over the property line with the satyr guides, usually with some nasty monsters pursuing them, but almost all of them made it through.

I watched as Tyson led a group of Cyclops builders. They were hoisting huge stones in place for the Hecate cabin, and I knew it was a delicate job. Each stone was engraved with magical writing, and if they dropped one, it would either explode or turn everyone within half a mile into a tree.

I smiled at the under-construction cabin for Thanatos, pitch black of course, because I'm pretty sure we were legally obligated to use it, made of the rocks from the banks of all five rivers of the underworld, imported at a hefty fee by Ate, now she could help out.

As I looked up, seeing wings pass through the sky, and the pure elation of her face as she used them It dawned on me that maybe some sacrifices were worth making, and maybe no matter how much we loved something, letting it go was sometimes the best thing we can do.

I hadn't seen my perfect future, I never would, and I made a lot of mistakes to get here and it wasn't a perfect road. But I was happy with where I was, even if this wasn't my perfect future, it seemed pretty perfect to me. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.

I turned to leave the camp forever, and to  finally open those gates to meet my mother, but a voice pulled me back. "And so our game comes to a close once more." She said.

I turned my head to see Zoe leaning on the opposite side of the same tree. She stepped around it to greet me, "Yeah." I said, trying not to break down. "Guess you win."

"If this is victory old friend, then I shall have no part in it." She sighed, "You get to stay here with them, and live, if that's not winning, I don't know what is." I said as my wounds began to ache like old battle-scars.

"If you want my advice dear friend, do not leave without making your feelings known" There was a sadness to her voice, I knew how she must feel about my course of action. "That pain in not new to me, and I would wish it on no-one, especially not those you love and cherish."

"But if it wasn't for me, none of this would have to happen, if I had just-" She wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into her as some form of support, though I could tell she was still uncomfortable with it.

"If not for you, I would not be here, if not for you, many more may have shared in your cruel fate, surely that is something you can hold with you, a mark of pride. So do not fear, my friend. A paradise awaits you. Unending and indescribable."

Tears rolled down my face, I couldn't bring myself to wipe them away, because I felt them, I felt their warmth and their emotion, and it made me feel alive again, if just for a moment, "But that's the thing Zoe...I don't want paradise...I want this..."

I watched the camp, I knew I never wanted Elysium, I never cared about it, I wanted my mom back, but just so I could show her. Show her my friends, as I looked down on them. Only really able to appreciate that now that I had lost my chance to.

"So many questions I never answered, even after all this time, so many things I never got to do, it seems like I'm missing out on so much...hell, I never even got to go to college." She rested her head on me sadly.

"Yes, I'm afraid the biggest fear most people have regarding death, is not being able to live. I understand, but think to yourself, without everything you have done for this world. Would it have been worth shedding tears for? Would a future worth living for have come to pass if you hadn't been willing to die for it?"

I had probably said it as thousand times, and I was willing to repeat it a thousand more if I could just stay here a second longer, I would have given anything for it. "It's not fair." She nodded, "I know...but ask yourself this. Was it worth it?"

I looked over camp half blood, feeling myself slip into the hands of death as I had way back when, and the same feeling arose in me, now it was rebuilt, with houses for every god, it was even more beautiful then I gave it credit for. "Yeah, worth every second."

I pulled her into a tight hug, "He never deserved you. Always remember that. And for the love of the gods Zoe, learn how to drive." She chuckled, "Well, I no longer have the time I would like to master the skill, but I shall do my best." I smiled, "Sounds like fun. Goodbye Zoe." "Goodbye (Y/N), it has been my honor."

I looked at the people below and caught a glimpse of a figure approaching us, in the sea of orange, a nostalgic set of characteristics stood out to me, with a soul brighter than most, "Black hair...green eyes..." I trudged down to meet him.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked, I shook my head, "Nothing man, just...got smoke in my eyes." He shrugged, I quickly closed the distance between us and pulled him into a hug, I could tell he was shocked.

He almost pulled away, fearing my embrace, but once he realized that no pain was coming to him, he quickly melted into the hug, thinking that the curse of Achilles was protecting him no doubt. Once I pulled away after a few seconds longer then normal, it hit me that I might never see him again.

"Uhhh...what's the occasion?" I thought of an answer that wouldn't give away what was about to happen. "I've just always wanted to do that, and I realized I'd never properly apologized for freaking out on you about the master bolt quest, or thanked you for asking me to join you for your first capture the flag, it meant a lot to me."

Now Percy wasn't normally the brightest of people, especially when it came to things like this, but over the years, I understood that he was an expert at picking up on certain things about his friends. Many expressions crossed his face.

He knew something was wrong, or at the very least, something was up. He went to voice his concerns but I cut him off. "She's up there waiting. I think she'd had quite enough waiting. And Percy, I know you're a good guy, but still, whatever ends up happening, don't hurt her. She doesn't deserve that."

He seemed confused, until I shoved him away and he caught glimpse of Zoe. Once he had finally caught my meaning, "Wait, you think-" "Percy, I know these things. Now go on gills. Go play the hero, like your hero once did. And remember, you're in your element."

I passed a lot of people on my walk. Clarisse was sparring with her siblings until Chris came and got her and the two left for a walk together, the Stolls were currently trying to glue one of the newly claimed children of Iris's feet together as he sat on a bench.

I even caught glimpse of Lou Ellen, nose deep in a magic book, I almost went over to her, but someone else caught my eye first. "Hey Juniper. Is Grover around?" She nodded proudly. "He's at a council meeting, isn't it exciting!" "Very."

I did walk down to say my goodbyes to him, but as I did, he was in the middle of a passionate speech about the will of Pan, and he looked so confident, standing proudly, not like the meek satyr I had met before. I left him to it, trusting that he would be okay. "Proud of you G-Man."

Someone else caught my eye as I turned away though. Mr D to be precise, sitting at his seat of the council. He gave me a tired smile, like he was happy to be rid of me, and raised his diet Pepsi to me, a final cheers. I slowly nodded my head, and bowed out.

Chiron was the next person for me to pester. As I always had, I practically kicked open his door, "Surprised you aren't at the council meeting Chiron." He looked up at me with a warm smile. "Too much paperwork to do for that I'm afraid. What can I do for you (Y/N)? How are you?"

"Back still aches, but I'll get over it." I thought about what to say, but couldn't think of anything. "Don't know...just wanted to see you I guess." He had a confused smile on his face, as he signed papers, I went over to his record collection and-

"Don't touch anything." He said without looking up. I laughed. "Chiron. You know I love you right? Not in a weird like...Europa way. Just...you're the best teacher I've ever had. I don't think I'd be here without you."

"Sorry, no offense, but you know what I mean right?" He nodded, "I think so yes." I nodded, "Good." I found an old camera in his desk, and looked at all the pictures he had on his wall, getting an idea.

"SAY CHEESE!" I said, jumping on his desk, smiling at the camera and taking a picture of the two of us, me grinning like an idiot. Him worriedly trying to catch some of the paperwork I sent flying as I landed on his desk. I pinned the photo up before he could react and went on my merry way.

Just because I was willing to say goodbye, didn't mean I was good at them. And I knew the next would be the worst. As I saw her, ordering around the others as they rebuilt the camp, every step felt like a mile.

This. This was why I left it so late, this was why I could face the others, but not her. The mere thought of the pain she had to go through because of me was too much, I could never bring myself to do it to her, or so I thought.

But even still, I mustered my courage, knowing, like my choice with the gods, if I didn't do it now, I would regret it forever, and if I was going to die today, if I was going to leave my loved ones behind, it would be without regrets.

So I took her to a secluded place, where I knew we wouldn't be overheard or interrupted. At first she smiled, "Where are you taking me?" She asked, giggling and laughing. I had felt my heart break before, but nothing like this. That pain was nothing.

She saw my face, and her smile faltered, she asked me again, "(Y/N). where are you taking me?" She asked with a little panic and concern in her voice. We stopped at Zeus's fist. I gritted my teeth and got ready to follow through with the first true Lemnian deed of my life.

It was a pain not even my father could prepare me for. My whole body ached, not with pain, but longing, longing for a life I knew I'd never have.  I decided in that moment, that our children would have definitely had her eyes.

I wanted to go to war with the world, I wanted to drink the Lethe dry, anything but this. As my eye began to sting with pain, I knew that as much as I loved it, Annabeth being so smart was a huge pain in my neck.

"You said it was nothing to worry about!" She snapped, slamming her fist against my chest. Finally, I forced myself to speak, "These were their terms for peace." "Then we aren't having peace!" She countered.

I laughed,  I probably shouldn't have, but I did, that was such a demigod answer. 'Don't like something? Fight it.' "We can stop this, you saved us from Typhon. That has to count for-" She turned away, I caught her wrist.

"Don't blondie-" "Don't you blondie me! We still haven't...gone on a real date, we haven't looked at schools together or bought a house or-" It was at that point I realized that I wasn't the only one looking to the future.

I pulled her into me, "I know Annabeth, I know, but this has to happen, think of how many people could die if it doesn't?" "I DON'T CARE" She screamed.  "Neither do I" I said, wiping the first tear from her face.

"I would have burned the world for you." I said, "But I can't, this is bigger then you or me now. We can't stop it, it wouldn't be right." She began to sob and I felt my throat dry up. "But-" She spluttered.

I just shook my head, unable to form the right words. "You saved me, so many times you saved me. You gave me a love I thought I wasn't worthy to have for so long, you changed everything about me. I never thought...I never even considered being able to love someone like I love you. If my younger self could have met you, he'd have fallen in love all over again."

"As long as the world turns, as long as Atlas holds up the sky and the moon chases the sun, I will always love you. You will always have my heart." "No, no no...please don't do this to me." She said, giving me a horrid sense of Déjà vu once more and making this harder for me then lifting the sky.

"You can find love again, I know you can." I said, trying to remain calm, so I could even talk, but as we spoke, I felt weaker and weaker. Not like I was dying, like I was losing the hope I had left. "N...Never!"

"Annabeth you are the smartest, strongest, most determined person I've ever met. You are the most amazing, beautiful and fantastic woman I ever spoke to and every second I spent with you was a privilege."

"It wasn't enough time!" She said it so defiantly it just made me love her more, not for her devotion, but her fierceness, like she was shouting a battle cry. The same passion she had for architecture, the same passion that made her willing to fight for anything she cared for.

"Annabeth, if there is a person on this planet that can love you a fraction of the amount I do, then I know you are in good hands. And I want you to know. That without you, I wouldn't have made it this far, you were more than just my love, my home, my heart."

I forced her to look at me in the eyes, she tried to stop me, as if when we locked eyes there was nothing she could do or say to stop me, "Annabeth Chase. You were everything to me." I took of my camp half blood necklace and put it around her neck. A small keepsake.

"Never, ever forget that. And do one more thing for me okay?" "Anything." She said, clearly heartbroken. "Make sure you dance in the rain for me?"

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, then one final one to her lips, wishing in that moment that time would never pass us by, that it could last forever, and the bitter cold of the embrace ending, knowing it's warmth wasn't something I'd ever feel again.

My cold, dead heart, which was once filled with nothing but hatred and loneliness was filled with so much joy every time I saw her, every time I thought of her, and I could never love her more, or thank her enough for that.

It meant that it shattered every moment I was apart from her, I tried to make it quick, but that made it just as difficult as a drawn out goodbye, the separation alone was too much. I was in the underworld before I was in a state that registered time passing.

I stood at the doors of Elysium, hoping that passing through them would make the pain go away, like all the myths said, though at the level I felt it. I found that to be highly unlikely. Makaria found me waiting outside, and with her gentle voice asked me a simple question.

"Are you ready?" I smiled at her. "Not quite" I said, turning my head to Hades castle, back the way we had come. "One last thing to do."

Hades didn't expect to find me here I'm sure, his guards were swarming the castle, convinced that I was biding my time for an attack, so when he found me throwing a ball to Cerberus, he was clearly perplexed, I didn't let him speak.

I passed him the ball and turned towards him, "Once I'm past those gates, you're not going to let me come back, are you?" He paused for a second, throwing the ball to his pet, and said "No." "Then I hope you don't mind that I got a few more games in, I mean, I'm a ghost now, what can I do to you?"

"Frustrate me apparently." He sighed. "You know (Y/N) (L/N), if not just because of the annoyance you became that I regretted what happened to your mother. Even when I thought it was just, I regretted it-" "Spare me." I cut in, but he kept talking.

"I had convinced myself it was necessary, you and I are alike you see,-" "Because we fight for our family...how original." "No, because we lost ones we loved, and with all our power, even if we forsook ourselves or others, we would have done anything to protect what we loved from ever being taken from us again."

"When I looked at the boy that I had to take the life of, to protect my children. I felt nothing. Because I saw myself. Alone, isolated by the very strength that the fates deemed to give. I thought we were both heartless, both self serving, both dwelling with our hatred and our malice."

"I wanted to kill you, not just to protect my family, but because you were everything I hated about myself, every flaw I found in you was one that dwelled in my own heart, and I hated you for it."

"You and I have had this conversation many times godling. And each time, I had always felt...justified, for we were the same, and does one animal feel pity for another? No. So I was content with myself. I could live with myself."

"Until, you jumped in the way of death to save my Nico, that was the moment in my whole existence that I felt most alone, I was wrong, we were not the same. That moment alone was what made me realize that...I was wrong about it all."

"We are not the same, at least not as you have grown. You are not the monster that I first thought. So I say this now (Y/N), I am sorry for my part in taking your mother, Truthfully, I swear that on the Styx."

"Gee thanks." I glared, but turning, I found him with his head down, bowing to me for forgiveness. "Any punishment that you see fit to give, I shall accept. Like my brothers and sisters before me."

"Ok." I said, pulling out my knife, I stabbed him in the arms, the forearms to be exact, and pulled something out of my shadow. A metallic dust, the remains of the blades made for my trials. And I forced it into his body, into his blood.

He collapsed, in too much pain to scream, unable to handle all five of the rivers in his system at once without the bracers to mitigate the effects. "You said you regret the pain you caused." "Now, you will live with that pain, every second, of every day, forever. I hope it was worth it."

I threw the ball the Cerberus one final time, stepped over the crumpled form of Hades and made my way back to the gates. I barely remembered stepping through them. Passing on wasn't what I had expected.

When it did come, it was something I never would have guessed. It was peaceful. And as my father led me to the gates once more, despite knowing what I was leaving behind, and the pain that would follow my death, I didn't feel sad about it.

You see, we all have trials we have to overcome, each of them feeling like a different river of pain, a different flavour of sorrow, but at the end of it all I came to realize something. Just because something hurts doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile.

Losing the thing we love might hurt us, it might feel like it was killing us, but if I had learnt anything from my time as a camper it was that pain makes you strong, hope makes you brave, and family makes you powerful.

All in needed to do in the end was find the people that were worth dying for, and fight for a world that I wanted to live for, it just took me some time, and the words of an old friend, to figure it out.

My great trials weren't just things like killing a hundred monsters, or holding up the sky, or even getting my mother back, they were to live through it all, and make sure we got something worthwhile in the end of it.

A lot of people made it to Elysium today. And as the scent of May Castellon's cookies hit my nose, and I heard friendly and familiar voices beckoning me, I felt content with what my life had come to, and that my trials were over for good. That I could rest.