The Titan's Daughter | complete

23. Ahomana Finally Gets Claimed

I rolled away from the Lion and stopped as it spun around to face me.

It's mouth. It's mouth isn't iron.

I made a wild attempt at its muzzle. The Lion pounced forwards and smacked me out of the air and I hit the ground for the third time in the last hour.

But this time, the Lion had its paw on my chest.

It's head loomed over me. And then it plunged downwards.

It happened in slow motion.

I heard a faint scream, before someone leaped past and hit the side of the Lion's head. The Lion was pulled off course from eating me, and it stumbled sideways, its paw lifting off me. The Nemean Lion had quick reflexes, though. It spun its head around and locked its jaws around the person who had saved my life.

But I had quick reflexes too. I rolled into and standing position and threw my sword like a spear.

I don't quite know how it missed my saviour and lodged itself deep in the Lion's throat, but the Nemean Lion began to disintegrate. It sort of shrunk and disintegrated at the same time.

Soon, all that was left was a bloody scene, my sword, and a normal sized lion skin.

I rushed to the demigod's side saw his face.

My heart stopped. I froze. My fingers shook. I stumbled backwards.

"No." I muttered, "No no no."

I heard Dallas scream. I saw in blurred vision as she ran to the demigod's side and rocked on her knees.

The demigod who had saved me was the unclaimed hero, Ahomana Kahue.

His body was blood soaked. I saw gruesome wounds down both sides where the Lion's teeth had sunk into his flesh. I could barely recognise his face under the splatters of red. But his eyes were open. His chest rose quickly, as if he couldn't get enough air.

"Ambrosia!" Dallas screamed.

I didn't move. We both knew it was too late. His eyes

"It's okay, Dallas." Ahomana spluttered.

"No, no, it's not." She cried.

"It's okay." He coughed, and a blood trickled out of his mouth.

"Mana no, I don't want you to go."

"It's okay. I made a friend while I was in the Underworld. I'll go see her again." His face contorted in pain.

"Mana, tell us a story." I said slowly. I knelt by his head.

"Hmm." He mumbled, "I had a father once."

"Tell us about him." Dallas hiccuped.

"He was amazing. The best I could ever ask for. He taught me how to fish and taught me all the old, traditional ways of doing things, so they wouldn't die." Mana closed his eyes and a true smile spread across his bloody face, "One day he went out to fish, and I stayed home with my kupunawahine, my grandma. A storm came up. Kupunawahine told me stories and entertained me. But I saw her looking out the windows. I saw the storm. I never saw my father again."

"He sounds like an amazing man, you're lucky to have had him." Dallas sniffled.

"Hmm, maybe I'll see him?" He let out a little breath of air, "Someone tell my kupunawahine what happened, will you? I ran away when I heard about Camp. She doesn't know where I am."

"I will." I vowed.

"I'll see you again." His chest rose and fell for the last time, his smile still on his tattooed face.

And then the area above his head lit up with a pale yellow light. I looked up and a smile spread across my features. Mana had finally been claimed.

A swirling yellow lion lit up our faces.

I looked up to the stars above. "Thank you, Hera."