The Demigod Diaries

Chapter 15- After the Afterlife

"All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea- whether it is to sail, or to watch it- we are going back from whence we came." -John F. Kennedy

•Stella Maris•

It felt as if the weight of the entire world -universe even- was crushing my very existence. In a way, I hoped it would, so Connor would not trade his life for my own.

"No, I won't let him." I could barely hear the words that spilled out of my mouth. My ears were roaring like a spaceship as it takes off, and my voice was faint and unfamiliar.

"That's not exactly your choice to make."

My head whipped around so fast at the sound, I would've gotten whiplash if I weren't a ghost. My eyes dropped to the bottom of the tree to see a face that I would've given anything to see again before this conversation, but now all I could think was how much I wanted it gone, as far away as possible. The thick underworld air cast an eerie gray glow on his face, making him look no less beautiful. As a child, I always wished for a prince charming to come and save my life. I never expected it to end up this way; where I was already dead and my not-so-prince-but-very-charming- was willing to do a trade on life itself.

"Connor-" I wanted to tell him the number one reason why he shouldn't do this, but somehow I knew his number one reason would be better than mine. So I let my words die in my throat, just like he would die- voluntarily.

"Don't try to talk me out of this, Stella. I've made up my mind and I'm not going to change it." He gave me a hard warning look, then turned to Death. "Shall we?"

I wish I could say the resubmission back into the real world was easy, but truth was; it felt like hell. Not the waking up on the bank of the Styx part-that had felt like taking a breath of fresh air after living in a dank cave-but the feeling that came after it. Cold, hard, heart-wrenching reality of taking Stoll's life, and knowing that I didn't try as best as I could have to stop it. And now he was gone, and I was here, and I had the worst feeling that neither of us would have the mental stability to find each other once we both ended up in the Underworld. And that hurt.

Despite my empty heart, I knew Connor had switched with me for a good reason, so I intended to fulfill it with flying colors just to uphold his honor. I peeled myself off the bank of the River Styx, and hiked to the familiar stone steps Nico and I had descended before. Easy is the descent, I remembered glumly. But I fumbled up them anyway, and stumbled into a near dark Central Park. How long had I been in the Underworld? There were a couple things I knew I should've asked Connor before he sent me back.

I wandered around Central Park until I found a nice looking elderly couple and decided to ask them the date and time. The old man gave me a strange look through his thick brimmed glasses when I asked the date and responded with a need to sit down. June 5th. I'd been dead for almost two weeks. Who knew what had happened between that time. Had something bad happened to Percy and the rest of the seven? Connor did look pretty shaken up, but who wouldn't when they're about to willingly give up their life for someone who never really wanted theirs?

It was getting late in the park, and I had no money for a cab or a bus, so I decided to wait until the morning to sort things out. You'd think you would feel quite rested after being dead for nearly two weeks, but I was exhausted. Apparently coming back from the dead didn't leave as you were when you died, it left you a lot worse. And that was something I could not afford, since trekking across Tarturas had already left me drained. I dropped my weak body onto a park bench and drifted off immediately.

• • • •

"Stella, how nice to see you on the other side again." A cold voice snaked its way through my head, sending shivers down my spine. Very few people had the nerve to interrupt my dreams, and unfortunately, this voice I recognized.

"Gaea. What do you want?"

"I want to make a deal with you, a treaty."

"You're kidding me. First, you stab me in the head, and now that I'm back in the game you want to make a treaty?"

"Things are different now, I've seen things." The way her stone voice deepened when she said it made me wonder.

"What things?"

Images bubbled into existence across my mind. A vast, rolling land made of bones; human bones, animal bones, monster bones, massive bones that I guessed we're those of the giants, silvery, strong Titan bones, golden Godly bones, and on top lay a stone skeleton. Gaea. Blood and Ichor ran through the hills, the sky was drained of color. It was worse than looking at Hell, I was looking at the end of the World's existence. New images of a great war flashed across my vision, demigods fighting demigods, monsters, gods raging wars on each other, titans picking sides, giants obliterating everything in their paths. And then I saw the Gaea, fully awake, the world destroying itself, and then her fall. And then the gruesome desolation.

"A great darkness is coming, daughter of the sea. A darkness even I can not control. We will end ourselves and let this darkness in if we do not do something about it."

"How... This is lies, stop putting things in my head. I will never help you."

"This isn't about the gods' little rivalries anymore!" Gaea's voice boomed through my head, urgent and frustrated. "This is about the end of time. I would not show you images of myself dying if I was not sincere because I do not intend on dying. But I will wake, and if you intend on defeating me then, completely, this is what will come of your success. You are fighting a pointless war, little demigod. This is check-mate, side with me or end yourselves. Without the earth, we will all die out."

"Then stay asleep, I can not stop this war that you created yourself."

"And neither can I. I am waking Stella Maris, and I can not prevent that. If you help me stop this terrible end, you will be a hero. The gods are built on the belief of the earth and the sky, and to take away the foundation of it all is to destroy it. Side with me, lead with me."

I don't know what it was, the horrible images of the end of the world, or the fact that she was right about it all that led me to my conclusion. We were at a check-mate, a stand-still, and I knew that it had to be stopped as well. "Fine, I'll help you. Only if I'm leading this with you, though. And first, I need to visit Camp Half-Blood. I've been dead two weeks and I think it would help if I knew what was going on."

• • • • •

Yes, the update took four months, and yes I'll be updating more often. My great apologiezez for the wait, and the fact that this chapter actually happened because (not so spoiler) Stella is second in command with Gaea?!? Yes, it's really happening. But I hope y'all at least slightly liked the chapter other than the alliance! Questions, comments, and concerns are greatly appreciated the the little comment box below so go for it and tell me what you think is going to happen, or what you would like to see! Thanks for reading, next update will be soon!(: