Of Demigods and Wizards

In Which This Story Comes to an End

The California Condors took off high into the sky with the demigods, spellcaster, satyr, and Cyclops on their backs. The birds were heading back to New York.

(Cue the song Resurrection from the game Shadow of the Colossus)

Jacquelyn clutched to the neck of the bird she was riding as Hermione clung to her. She looked down and saw Ron, who was laying in the claws of another bird. He was unconscious.

"RONALD!!!" She screamed in horror as she saw him.

Percy also gasped in horror as he saw his non-Cyclops brother lying in the claws of the condor. The birds flew on, as if they were guided by the wind itself. Within a few moments, everyone found themselves staring at the skyscrapers in New York. The condors landed on top of the Empire State Building and the kids jumped off the birds. The birds then flew away as the kids regrouped.

Jacquelyn rushed to Ron's side and stared at him. She said, "He was stabbed by a scorpion-wasp. I bet that this was the same monster that killed my siblings."

"It was," said Annabeth. "The monster was going to kill me, but Ron saved my life. I was prepared to die, and I should have died a long time ago, when you were out camping with your family. Once again, I put myself in danger, and one who saved me is now dead."

"Ron's not dead," said Grover. The others stared at him. "He's been poisoned, but he's certainly not dead."

"We need to get back to Camp Half-Blood quickly," said Clarisse. "Only Chiron can heal this type of injury."

This time, no one argued with Clarisse as they boarded a bus bound for the camp. The bus was filled with passengers who were heading for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When the bus left the stop near the camp, Chiron noticed the kids and rushed to them.

He said, "You kids are lucky you got here in time; most people who are stung by scorpion-wasps usually die within a few hours. Now, let's get that poor boy to the Apollo cabin and then you kids will provide Mr. D and myself an explanation as to why you left the camp."

-----

A few hours later, in Mr. D's office, Chiron said, "I can't believe that boy; I'm going to have a stern word with him when he comes back. I don't understand how he could do something like this."

"Kronos made him do it," said Jacquelyn.

"And everything falls back to Kronos," said Dionysus. "How could we have been so blind?"

"And I know Luke isn't to blame for the incident with the Hermaphrodite," said Jacquelyn. Everyone stared at her. "It was my fault; I should have known that what I did would destroy the wizarding world. I was too blind to see beyond my own lustful desires. Also, the death of the Weasley family was the result of my...dalliance with the Hermaphrodite, which Luke had no hand in. That is all."

She walked away from the office, but Hermione came to her, saying, "Why did you lie to them?"

"It was my fault, and you know it, Hermione," said Jacquelyn. "Now I alone must pay the price for my wicked deeds, as you must pay the price for your part in this charade."

"I knew that my time was up when Luke captured me," said Hermione, "yet once again, I'm still here. I wonder why."

"Maybe God is keeping you alive for a reason," said Magnus as he joined them.

"Who knows?" said Jacquelyn. They all stood at the tree that defined the premature end of their childhood and the beginning of the complicated road to growing up. Had they stared at the tree for but a second, they would have noticed that the tree had three pairs of eyes staring at them from the roots of the tree.