One year later, I knew what was going to happen.
Today is the day. Send your last goodbyes.
I had to mail out tons of packages and notes to everyone that was important, as well as a couple of others. Of course, the monsters invading Manhattan didn't help the convenience of it all. In fact, I got a not from my old friend that morning: I have not forgotten.
Cheery.
It was so weird for me to know that I would die today. After all the near death and death experiences in my life, it just seemed anticlimactic. I wouldn't live to see tomorrow. It was my last day and I had to make the most of it.
I started with a nice walk with Ashley, which is always a great way to spend time together. Of course, we also had to kill a lot of the monsters on the way, but it was still fun. After that, I scouted the areas that specifically contained the best foods of the best restaurants. I was even caught by the Stolls.
"You usually never steal like the rest of us. What's gotten into you?"
"Just a little something about the apocalypse makes me feel edgy." They didn't give it a second thought.
It ended with another visit to my mother. Not much to say about that.
Finally, I felt someone behind me. I turned to find Silena. "Hey, what's up?"
"It's Ash. She's been taken and the troops say they want you. They knew you by name."
"Fine." There wasn't a point to asking how she got the information, it was clear how. But, I still had that feeling in my chest.
This is it. The end. The final stand. This will be how you die: saving your loved ones.
The scene was honestly so predictable that it should have been put in a movie. The army was in front of camp, holding Ashley down with a knife to her throat, boasting about their accomplishments and requesting I come out.
When I got there, I just wanted to cut to the chase. "Ok. Here's the thing: That is not how you treat girls."
Everyone in the vicinity seemed incredibly confused.
"Hey. It can't be that hard to understand. Anyways, you and the entirety of the armies of Kronos will leave her untouched and unharmed, protected by the magical borders of Camp Half Blood dictated by the Fleece over there. You will not hurt her, take her away, or harm her in any way. In return, you get to kill me. River Styx?"
The leader, what appeared to be a massive orc, slowly nodded, confused, and shook my outstretched hand.
"We have a pact. Let her go."
She ran up to me, slapping me in the face. "Brandon, you idiot, that is the stupidest thing you have ever done."
"What about that time I ate those twelve packs of Oreos because you said I couldn't handle it?"
"This is serious."
"I know." I put my hand on her shoulder. "I know what I promised. It was the only deal they would accept. Trust me."
"I won't be able to see you again."
"It's ok. You'll find someone else."
She started to choke up. "Not someone like you." She pulled me into a tight hug and I swore that some of the monsters even sobbed.
The orc opened his mouth, but I pointed to her and mouthed Let her have it, before giving him a thumbs up. After these last few minutes, he was still dumbfounded by me.
"Go on. You need to get to protection. They've been held to the River Styx. Once I'm dead, no one will be able to touch you. You're our secret weapon. I trust you."
I shoved her into the border. She attempted to run out, but a couple of camper managed to hold her back.
The orc finally managed to show emotion. He smiled, showing his disgusting teeth. "Now, you'll be comin' with us."
To respond, I drove a sword into his chest.
Monsters are never prepared for the unexpected, especially when a kid half your size kills you, takes your weapon, and proceeds to talk to their army.
"Well? I said you could kill me. So who'll be the challenger?"
At that moment, I realized that we were not in a movie, as every single troop simultaneously rushed at me rather than staying neat and orderly and facing me one on one, making the whole situation a lot harder.
"Are you ready, Callum?"
I have been ready since the dawn of time.
________________________________________________________________________________
Thousands of bodies. Not even an exaggeration. Thousands, all floating on top of one another.
And he still stood there, his shirt torn, granted, but nothing injured. More seemed to crawl over to him and he wasted no time in hacking them all down.
"He's a machine." said one camper.
"Wow." said another.
"You dated this boy?" said another one.
I managed a nod, still not taking my eyes off of him. He must have known that today was his last day on Earth. I remembered back to our walk. He had smiled the whole time, not caring much about anything. He had wanted to make that as special as he could. For me.
It took Kronos himself to kill him. He walked up in Luke's body and froze time. That was the only way to kill him. Three quick stabs to the chest and he was gone. Lost in a sea of bodies and powder, which gradually drifted away.
Once Kronos had left, I ran through the barrier, sobbing as I found his corpse. He had had the courtesy to smile one last time for me when he died.
If anything, that broke my heart even more.
This was how his story ended. A hero who escaped Death multiple times, but who couldn't run forever, in the end.
I took him back with me. We needed a proper burial for the Son of Hermes.