A/N This is the final part (probably) of this fanfic. I can't believe the end came so quickly. Hopefully, nobody will predict the ending for this story, because I felt so genius when I came up with it. Enjoy!
Austin's POV
"I don't like Jasmine very much, not going to lie," Nico muttered. "Why do we have to suddenly defend her? I mean, she's pretty fierce by herself. Will said it himself."
Will nudged his boyfriend. "Neeks, we have to save her. She doesn't know what she's up against. Austin, what's going on with her end?"
I shrugged. "She must've not had enough time to type it out. I have her location on Life360, though. We can track her."
"What is 'Life360'?" Percy asked.
"It's an app she suggested to me," Austin mumbled. "That's beside the point. Nico, will you please shadow-travel us there?"
"Where is she?" Nico sighed.
"The Pumpkin patch," I smiled weakly.
"Why in the world would she be there?" Nico scowled. "It's not even Halloween yet."
"Isn't that place all the way across town from her?" Will raised an eyebrow.
I nodded. "I don't know why she's there, either. We'll have to trust the process. When one of us calls, we have to answer."
"I'll get us there," Nico decided. "But, for the record, she is not 'one of us'."
Nico used all his strength to teleport halfway across the country, back to the place I'd just gotten used to.
"Back in Nebraska," Percy mumbled. "I didn't think I'd be coming back here."
"Let's go find her," Will commanded, dragging along the unconscious Nico Di Angelo while still maintaining a steady pace.
We walked into the Pumpkin Patch, passing by the entrance. People were flooding out of the area in record time, trying to desperately get to their cars without being demolished by whatever laid ahead.
I took a deep breath before heading into the action. I wasn't one of the good Apollo kids when it came to fighting and defense. I was the music guy. But I'd do anything to help Jasmine.
Vigorous loud stomping rang through my ears while we tried to spot her. I looked in every direction, eventually locking eyes with the girl. Her shirt was slightly torn near her thighs, and blood was seeping down her face out of her eyes.
"Jasmine?" I whisper-yelled to her.
She waved us over, hiding behind an enormous mound of pumpkins in the shape of a mountain.
"Care to explain?" Will asked her.
"I'm sorry you had to come all the way out here," Jasmine apologized. "There's something huge here. I can't even explain it. My eyes were leaking blood after a nightmare-ish awakening earlier. I can't explain it."
"Try," Percy suggested.
"It was like a God was there," Jasmine explained. "I felt this overwhelming presence of someone trying to kill me. It was a huge aura, as if I were a war criminal."
"Ares." We all said that at the same time. There was no doubt Ares was hunting Jasmine down for some reason.
"The God of War," She muttered. "Figures. Just my luck. The God of War wants to kill me."
"Good for you," Nico scowled quietly.
Will nudged him again. "How can we help?"
Jasmine shrugged. "Knock the sense into him, I guess?"
The mound of pumpkins they were hiding behind collapsed as a force was thrown against it. Jasmine went flying off to the side, a bruise now forming on her cheek. She stared wide-eyed up at Ares, the menacing figure above her.
"Well, if it isn't you," Ares sneered loudly. "I don't like you, and I never have."
Jasmine didn't respond.
"What do you have with her?" I asked boldly. "Why are you trying to kill her?"
Ares locked eyes with me, turning his grimacing glare over to me. I gulped upon first sight of it. "Why do you think, son of Apollo?"
"She knows too much, right?" Nico shouted at him.
"That's correct," Ares agreed. "She's a mortal related to none of us. She even did your jobs for you. That won't do."
"Why not?" Will called out, his voice cracking. "You're going to kill her because of that?"
Ares smirked maliciously. "Why wouldn't I, demigod? Say goodbye to your friend. Nobody can beat me, not even Perseus."
"I did when I was twelve," Percy triggered protectively. "Jasmine can beat you."
"Percy-" Jasmine cried out. "No, I can't."
She rose her hand up, showing only four fingers. "I lost one," She whimpered. "Ares cut it off. I can't win."
We all stared at her in shock. "He--what?" Nico was even confused. "No way. You totally showed your strength against those bullies."
"They were human, Nico!" Jasmine spouted. "I beat them because they were human! Ares is not only a God but the God of literal fighting!"
"Jasmine-" I mumbled.
Jasmine stood up from the ground, walking closer to me. She pulled me close, her lips grazing over mine. They were pressed against mine in an instant, but it ended just after it began. Her lips were warm and my face turned bright red.
"Always wanted to do that," She smiled, facing Ares. "Bring it on, Ares. It can't get much worse than this."
Ares only grinned wider. "You must have a death wish."
I looked away just in time, because Jasmine screamed bloody murder shortly after I closed my eyes. When my eyes opened again, Jasmine's dead body laid in front of us, Ares already gone.
Blood was pouring out of the stab wound in her stomach. You could see the life slowly dying in her eyes as her heartbeat slowed down miraculously.
I fell to my knees and cried, grasping onto her cold, dead hand.
"Austin-" Will hugged me, crying as well.
I couldn't bear the sight of her being dead. She had so much life ahead of her. What would her parents think? What would they say? I'd killed their daughter.
"Austin, we have to get back," Nico said, no longer half-asleep. "I have enough strength. Who knows who Ares will kill next."
"We have to bring her body back to Camp," Percy decided. "She died trying to help us. It would only be fair."
Will and Percy picked up Jasmine's lifeless body in their arms while Nico shadow-traveled us back to Camp. When we arrived, all the noise stopped.
"Austin?" Kayla asked, facing both Will and I. "What happened? You guys don't cry very often."
Her eyes fell on Jasmine's dead body, her eyes widening. "Your friend. That's J-Jasmine, right?"
We nodded solemnly. "Ares killed her," Percy choked on his tears.
The Ares kids looked ashamed of what their father had done. "He murdered that teenage girl?" Clarisse asked.
I nodded. "He killed her."
We held Jasmine's funeral a few days after that. Nobody really came, except for the Apollo kids and Ares Kids, and obviously us four.
The Ares cabin personally created her shroud to burn at the small funeral. Chiron burnt it himself, since we were too sad to do so ourselves.
"We will always honor her in our memories," Chiron said sadly. "I didn't know her personally, but I know she was a brave soul. At least she got the mission done."
"I'll never forget you, Jasmine," I cried into my hands. "Don't forget. I--I love you."