Hey guys! I'm a bit sad to say this, but the next chapter will be the last :( (unless you guys want an epilogue)
Thanks so much for all of your amazing support these past couple of weeks, don't forget to vote and comment!
I've attached the video of Last Hope by Paramore (LIVE) to this chapter because I think it's more beautiful than the recorded song, I hope it fits well with the chapter for you all xo
10+ votes would be awesome for the final chapter!
xo - Andrea
Chapter 34.
Ashlyn's P.O.V.
It's over.
It's finally over.
Every last one of them, scattered around the clearing, slowly being covered by the falling snow.
I let my bow drape by my side and walk across the clearing, taking in Tauren's fallen figure as she lays motionless on the ground.
The seven gods we took on are dead.
Tiger and Venus have been captured.
Macy has been decapitated.
But I still feel empty.
I thought something would happen now. That the stone figures in the city would come back to life, that my friends would suddenly heal, that my stomach would stop aching, that this would all just stop.
But it hasn't.
We stand in the snow, broken, lifeless, confused.
What do we do now? How do we return the Cobalt Isles to its pervious state?
How do I get my best friend back?
The answer is simple, realistic; We don't.
This isn't a fairy tale, and there isn't a happy ending for us, clearly.
"For some reason, I thought my dress would magically repair itself." Laura mutters, staring down at her torn white gown.
Georgie nods in agreement, clutching her shoulder in agony.
"I thought my arm would heal. I think my shoulder is dislocated."
I look up at the night sky and feel a tear escape the corner of my eye.
"What do we do now?"
Asthore comes to stand beside me, gently wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
"We should be thankful that we're all still alive."
"Not all of us." I respond, "Not Amber."
Some gods we turned out to be. At this moment, I feel more human than ever, fragile and broken both physically and mentally.
I turn towards the rest of the group, as Damian and Selina come into view.
"I know you didn't mean to do it, but that arrow wound hurts like hell." She tells me, from her position in her boyfriend's arms.
Suddenly, Georgie lets out a sharp gasp as Andrew's eyes roll back.
Something's happening to him, Apollo's oracular nature has finally returned.
'Go to the temple'.
That's all he says.
Then, my step-brothers' eyes refocus and he shrugs a little.
"That's all I got."
We all stare at him, surprised by his momentary vision.
"Well, I guess that's all we can do at this point." Laura sighs.
"Where's Amber?" I ask, looking to Emma and Georgie.
Georgie winces a little as she holds her shoulder, Luca notices this and walks over to her.
"Funny Andrew said we should go to the temple, that's where we left Amber. It was the Temple of Athena, we thought she'd be safe there." She explains.
I nod, "Good thinking."
"I'm going to need to relocate your shoulder, Georgie." Luca sighs, grabbing Georgie's shoulder and popping her humerus back into it's socket before she can protest.
"OW!" She shouts, looking a little faint. "Please never do that again!"
Luca keeps Georgie from falling and smiles at her, "I hope I never have to."
"Let's get going then." Callia shouts from up ahead, "I want this mess to be finished."
We all make our way out of the clearing, leaving seven bodies buried under the snow as it tumbles down around us.
~~~
The temple is covered in snow when we arrive, draped in a blanket of soft white, the flakes sparkling when the moonlight brushes over them.
Asthore pushes open the gate and the twelve of us trek through the snow. Damian is still carrying Selina and Luca is helping Georgie keep her balance. I'm still clutching my stomach.
"You alright?" Andrew asks as he falls into stride beside me.
I nod gingerly, "I think so. But after everything we're been through tonight, I doubt any of us are alright in the slightest."
He sighs, "I know. I don't know if I want to go into that wretched temple."
"Why not?" I ask, as we approach the sprawling staircase.
"I just don't want to see her again, it'll hurt too much." He answers, his voice cracking a bit as his emotions take their hold.
"You're strong, Andrew. You can do this."
If he can do it, I can do it.
We've all got to face this head on. We need to stand in that temple, in the place this whole mess began, and finally face the consequences.
This whole journey hasn't been easy, but it's been life changing. No matter how this ends, I know I've made lifelong friends.
Earlier this year, I would happily had said I hated Selina's guts, or thought Laura was the school gossip. But now I know that Laura is one of the wisest girls I've ever met, and Selina is stronger than she gives herself credit for. I always used to think Luca was a player, but I've seen more sides to him recently, and now I think he's a lot more caring and genuine than I ever thought.
We've all changed over the past few months, there's no question about that.
But was it for the better? Absolutely.
Despite this night of destruction, despite all the blood spilled, despite the horror inflicted upon our town...
There's a silver lining.
Twelve students from different cliques have come together as one.
We might not get along perfectly, but we're a family, a perfectly dysfunctional team of unruly gods, but we have each-others backs.
And we love each other. No matter what.
I take a deep breath and squeeze my step-brothers' hand, as we all mount the final step and enter the temple.
Only to discover we're not alone.
A figure stands on the edge of the large raised platform at the far end of the temple. The platform where a giant statue of Athena used to sit.
Amber?
As I get closer, I realise this is not the case. It's a girl, but her hair is too long, she's slightly too tall...and she's dressed entirely in white.
And when she gets close enough, two large tawny wings emerge from her back.
"Victoria?!" Laura gasps, as the girl leaps down from the podium and lands a few meters away from us.
Oh my gosh, it is! Tori Addison, one of Laura's closest friends.
But what is she doing here? And why does she have giant wings?
She smiles at the twelve of us, not a sickly smile like Raven gave me when she finally died, but a sweet one, a hopeful one.
"You finally came. You got my message then?" She asks.
Andrew nods, "Well, I got something."
"At least it worked. At least it's all over now." She replies, her wings tucking in behind her as she walks forward.
"Tori, who are you?" Georgie asks.
Tori curtseys sweetly for us all.
"I am Nike. The goddess of victory."
My eyes widen. Of course, it all makes sense that she'd be here, with Athena, who she was always on the battle grounds with.
"So..." Marco starts, his tone slightly cynical, "Are you here to congratulate us on how we've destroyed the town and the lives of some of our classmates?"
Tori shakes her head, "Of course not. I'm here to help you finish this."
"Really, this can all be over?" Emma asks, looking relieved at even the thought of returning to normality.
"It can be. But it's not as simple as closing your eyes and wishing for everything to return to normal." She responds.
Selina sighs, "Why can't it be that simple? For once?!"
"Amber has already sacrificed herself for us." I tell Tori, "Why isn't that enough? I don't care how long it takes for my wounds to heal, I just want everyone in the town to return to normal, and I want them to forget this whole night ever happened. I want Macy back and I want the rest of my classmates back!"
"She's right. Even though they tried to kill us...and succeeded with Amber, I wouldn't wish death upon them." Andrew adds.
Tori nods, "I understand. I just needed to hear you say it. And I know about Amber, her body is on the base where Athena's statue once stood."
I focus on the platform and make out the faint silhouette of Amber's body lying on the cold stone.
"What must we do then?" Lyke asks.
"You must leave a piece of yourself, of your immortal self, on the base. In a few minutes, the light of the moon will spill through the cracks of this temple, and then, hopefully something will happen." Tori explains.
"I wish there was a one hundred percent guarantee with this." Marco mutters.
I don't care if there's even a ten percent chance of this working.
I want this to be done.
So, I stride over to the base and place my bow and arrows down against the cold stone. Before climbing up onto the large expanse and walking over to sit beside Amber's body.
"What are you doing?" Tori asks me.
"I want to be with my best friend, one last time." I tell her, "I was with her when this started, and I'll be with her when it ends."
Lyke places his duffle bag and trainers beside my bow, before coming to join me.
"This is how it should end." He says to me, "With us all together."
One by one the rest of our peers leave part of themselves on the large plinth, before sitting with us and Ambers' body.
Marco places his beanie, Georgie places a flower, Emma takes the prom ticket from the pocket on her dress and burns it in her hand, before resting it beside these items.
Luca sets down his sword, Asthore sets down his triton and Damian sets down his axe.
Callia tears off the arm of her dress and shocks it with a bolt of lightning. Selina, Laura and Andrew each place a lock of hair on the base, since their powers are that of the mind.
To complete the array of objects, Tori pulls out a feather and set it down.
I notice something missing from the collection and look at Amber's pale neck to find her necklace still clasped around it.
I keep my hands steady and carefully remove the necklace from her, adding the final piece to our set.
Then, we wait.
We sit in the dark, waiting for the moonlight to illuminate what is left of us.
Bloody, beaten, battered. Our bodies aching and our clothes torn.
Waiting for it all to end.
"What will happen to us if this works?" Andrew asks Tori.
She looks at him, sighing, "I don't know."
The moonlight streams into the temple, splashing against the plinth, bathing us all in a milky white light.
Andrew holds me close, protecting me in this moment of uncertainty.
We remain still for a few long seconds.
Then, something inside of me...
Suddenly implodes.
.
.
.
Everything is white.
~~~~~
A/N
Only one more chapter to go... :(
10+ votes for the final chapter please! I hope you've all enjoyed this journey so far.
Here are some questions for you...
1 - Would you like an epilogue?
2 - Have you created a character for my upcoming novel yet?
3 - How do you picture the characters of this novel? Are there any celebrities/models you think of when imagining the characters as you read?
xo - Andrea