Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 13: A Sacrifice

I taste something I have not tasted in years. One of the best dishes I had in my life. Stifado with mashed potatoes. Mother would always make it for my birthday. It wasn't really suited for the summer months, but I always ate it with pleasure. Alexandra said it was made according to the recipe of her mother, who came to America from Greece. I never met my grandmother, but I was always glad that she made the recipe. The taste slowly fades, like I finished the meal.

"Thank you, mother. That was amazing as always..." I mumble out. "I'm not that old, Creepy Girl," Thalia says with a chuckle. I open my eyes as I smile. Thalia has some kind of square food in her hand, while my head rest on the legs of Annabeth. She looks down at me with great worry, but that soon morphed into great relief.

"A-are you alright, Aileen?" Annabeth asks hesitantly. "I feel great. Energized, like I could-" I was cut off by Annabeth. "Don't ever do that again! You hear me, you stupid, stupid woman?!" she practically yells at me. I blink at her, speechless for a moment. "Y-yes, M-madame!"

"Good. I never want to be that worried about one stupid girl that thinks she can do everything! I lost brain cells by worrying over you! You better take responsibility," she huffs out. "Annabeth, I think she got it..." Thalia says to calm her down.

"I hope so! Did you?!" She asks me. "Yes! Etched into my skull!" I quickly answer. She takes a deep calming breath. "Good. Good. I'll get some water for you," she says as she leaves the room, letting my head rest on a pillow instead of her legs.

"By the Gods, that was scary," I say as a shudder goes through me. "Well, you deserve it by what you made us go through. After your little stunt, you were out of it for four days," she explains. "Gods... four days."

"Yup. Only woke up a bit on the third day. But still completely out of it. You recovered when I fed you a bit of ambrosia that Grover found," she continues to explain. "It tasted like the Stifado my mother used to make..."

"It will taste like the dish you enjoy eating the most," she says as she looks at Annabeth that enters the small bedroom with a glass of water. "Thank you, Annabeth. I am so sorry for worrying you," I say. Annabeth sighs deeply. "Just... don't do it again unless you're sure that you're not going to pass out," she says, handing me the glass. "I promise."

"Where's Luke and Grover?" I ask as I drink from the cup. Thalia sighs. "On the lookout for monsters. We keep running into them... In any case, Grover finally found his sense of direction again. We'll be at the camp soon," Thalia explains. I frown a bit as I hear it. Somehow, Thalia knows something about why we keep running into monsters. At least it will be over tomorrow.

"Feel well enough to walk?" Annabeth asks. I take a breath. "I guess we'll find out..." I say and push myself off the ground. My head still pounds, but only faintly. I hardly feel anything wrong anymore.

"That stuff works good. I feel almost as good as new," I say to them. Annabeth sighs again in relief. "Thank the Gods, we'll make sure your weapons are ready for tomorrow, Aileen. We have seen some crazy things while you were out. Like a cyclops..." she says, a shudder goes through her as she mentions the cyclops.

"Wow... I missed a lot. I will be ready, but... I don't think I can make a lot of monsters fear me again. Unless I want my brain to really split into two," I explained as I rub my temple a little.

"It will be a few hours till we leave. You should rest as much as possible," Annabeth says. Her gaze barely leaving me for some reason. "Anyway, glad to have you back Creepy Girl," Thalia says, pats me a bit on the shoulder, and leaves the room.

"Aileen? Can I ask you something?" Annabeth asks when Thalia has left the room. "Of course, what is it?"

"D-did you hear what I said? Before you fell unconscious?" She asks with the slightest stutter. "No, but I did see you talking to me. What did you say?" She seems very disappointed and slightly relieved? "Get some rest, Aileen. I'll wake you when we will leave," she says and walks out. I sigh as I see her leave and get ready to sleep.

We soon found our way on the road again. Thalia keeps eyeing Luke for some reason, while Annabeth keeps eyeing me. When we arrive, I will ask her. If she finds it hard to do it, then I will try.

"Thalia, I am wondering about something. Did you hear what Annabeth said when I fell unconscious?" Thalia looks briefly away from Luke towards me. A small smirk on her face. "I did."

"What did she say? She won't say it to me," I ask as I look at Annabeth. Annabeth quickly focused on something else when she sees me looking at her. "It's for her to say, Aileen. Not me, but you won't be disappointed," she explains. I sigh deeply. It seems I am correct. "We're almost there! Just over the hill," Grover announces.

"Finally, I can't-" Thalia says before we hear the marching of a large host behind us. We turn to look at what it is. "Holy moly... That's a goddamn army. It's huge! A-and what is that flying in the air?" I say with a wavering voice. "T-the kindly ones..." Grover says in fear, "We got to run!"

"We won't make it with them after us. They'll kill us before we reach Camp..." Thalia says. Her face slowly looking over us. Determination, focus, and more swimming in her face. It's as if she is looking at us for one last time.

Thalia takes a deep breath. "Get to camp! I'll hold them off for as long as I can," she says. My eyes grow wide from sheer shock. "Thalia... you'll die!"

"Then best live your life to the fullest," she says, electricity arcing around her whole body. Her Medusa shield and spear out. "Now! Go!"

Annabeth grabs me. "Aileen, come on," she says. Her voice contains her own emotional cocktail about what's going to happen. Annabeth does not agree with Thalia, but even she knows that Thalia won't waver from her decision. "It's been an honor, Thalia, Daughter of Zeus. I am glad to have known you."

Thalia smiles at me. "I'm glad I met you too, Creepy Girl. Make her happy," she says, and starts to charge at the monsters. Thalia is a great fighter, many will die at the end of her spear. But the sheer numbers will be her undoing. Even I know that. I turn to the others, and we sprint to the camp.

"We'll be safe in the camp. They can't come inside," Grover says as he runs with us. He seems utterly defeated by the fact he had to leave Thalia behind. "I am sorry for failing," he says softly.

"It's not your fault, Grover. She chose to do it. We can only honor her by making it to Camp and keep living," Annabeth says. As we come near the border, we turn to the battle that is raging on top of the hill. Sparks fly, thunderous sounds are heard. Monsters are being slain by the dozens. But eventually we see Thalia being overwhelmed. A sacrifice. One that feels heavy on the heart.

In a sour mood, we enter Camp Half-Blood.