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Chapter Seventeen

Leo could see the worry and fear in Calypso’s eyes, which quickly turned to anger.

“Calypso?” he croaked. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Calypso’s body shook, her fists curled into balls, and her teeth seemed to be trying to grind themselves to dust.

“Calypso?” Leo tried again. Her head snapped towards him, which startled Leo. Her face softened and she smiled, stroking his cheek.

“It’s nothing, Leo, everything is fine,” she lied straight through her teeth.

“No, that’s not true,” Leo said straining to sit up, his strength wavering with every second. “I—I know something is . . . is wrong,” Leo stammered as Calypso gently pushed him back down.

“Shh, Leo. It’ll be alright. Just go back to sleep. I’ll wake you in a little bit,” she cooed. Leo shook his head.

“I’m afraid I might never wake up,” he whispered, his eyes drooping, shining tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. Calypso bit her lip, trying to hold back her own tears.

“Leo, I think . . . I think Zylon is still alive,” she told him, her voice shaking, scared of what she was about to say Leo’s reaction to it. His head snapped up.

“But . . . but I shoved him off a cliff. He should be dead,” he said. Calypso cringed. “No one can survive that!”

“No one else could be here, on the island,” she said.

“What’s wrong, you still haven’t told me what’s wrong,” he said, laying his hand on hers. She clasped her hand over his, staring down at it.

“The vial . . . it isn’t here. I turned away from it for just one second. Zylon must have taken it. The gods gave you the Moly Plant, they wouldn’t take away the cure. The only other option is—”

“Zylon,” Leo growled. Anger bubbled through his veins. He was so close to be alive and able to be with Calypso forever, and Zylon took that away, again.

He used all the energy he had in him to push himself half way up onto his feet.

“Leo!” Calypso exclaimed, trying to push him back down.

“I’m going to kill him! This time for sure! I going to murder him and take that vial. And not even you are going stop me,” Leo warned, not even looking at her. Calypso was quiet for a second, before throwing Leo’s arm over her shoulders, and putting her arm around his waist. He scowled.

“You’re not going anywhere . . . not without me,” Calypso said stubbornly, grunting under Leo’s weight. A painful smirk spread across Leo’s face. Leo and Calypso hobbled out of the cave, Leo stumbling, but Calypso determined to keep him on his feet.

“We’ll make it,” she whispered to him every now and again. He would just nod and limp on, wincing in utter pain. “You’re okay.”

They had gotten only about one-hundred yards from the cave when Leo collapsed. Calypso gasped, but knew immediately why he had. Putrid pus oozed from the wound in his shoulder. His legs, arms, neck, and face were swelling like crazy. She put her hand on his face. It was sweaty.

“Hey, hey, Leo, come on, look at me. Leo, you’ll be alright. I’ll get you that vial, I promise, just, just stay with me, okay? Stay with me!” Calypso pleaded. Leo’s eyes were closing, small, painful breaths emitted from his mouth, and his pulse was slowing down.

“Calypso,” he muttered. His life was slowly draining out of him, rapidly.

“No, no, Leo, please, don’t go, not yet. Please, not yet!” Calypso was on her knees, one hand grasping onto Leo’s hand, and the other hand rubbing his cheek. Leo was fighting so hard to keep awake, but with every second, it got harder and harder.

“Please,” her voice cracked, and her heart broke. All her emotions were spilled into that one word. It was that one word (plus the few tears that trickled down her face) that made Leo cling onto his life even harder.

“I . . . I . . . I lov—”

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the gods’ favourite couple. I hear you’re all over the news,” a menacing voice laughed from behind. Calypso jumped up, spinning around on her heel.

“Babe, you look as beautiful as ever,” Zylon sighed, but Calypso’s eyes were on the small vial filled with a dark purpley-blue liquid. Zylon frowned, looked at the vial, back and Calypso, then smiled. He had ugly cuts on his face, and he walked just a fraction of a step closer with a slight limp.

“Ah,” Zylon laughed, shaking the bottle, “you need this to save your dear old Fireboy.” Calypso tore her gaze from the vial, and turned to Zylon, her eyes so narrow, it seemed like she was shooting daggers at Zylon.

She lunged for the vial, but Zylon stepped to the side, whistling and shaking the bottle.

“Tsk, tsk, love, you’ll have to be faster than that,” he mocked. She reached for it again, but missed. Leo laid on the ground silently rooting for her, and praying that she would be safe.

“Give it to me, Zylon,” Calypso ordered, holding her hand out.

“Why? Why should I? This . . . this . . . this low lifed demi-god stole you from me! Your heart was mine,” he growled. Calypso was silent. Leo slowly began to get worried, until she spat back her response.

“My heart was never yours. I was never yours. I do not belong to people, I am not a thing. Leo treats me like a person, not a toy. You would only take me to play with, then throw me away when you’re done. Leo wouldn’t. He’d care for me, love me, treat me correctly. I was never yours.”

Surprisingly, Zylon looked hurt. Leo found enough strength to sit up on his elbows, though he shook terribly. Zylon’s head snapped towards Leo, who glared at him.

“You—” he started, but then laughed.

“What?” Calypso asked. He pointed at Leo.

“You’ll be stuck here forever, my dear! He’s too far gone! You’ll never save him!” Zylon boomed in laughter. Calypso rushed to Leo’s side, skinning her knees as she slid next him. Leo had fallen back over, his eyes were rolling to the back of his head. Sweat poured from every part of his body, and the white, sticky liquid still oozed from his shoulders.

Calypso put her hands on his face, trying to lift up his head.

“No, no. Stay with me. ZYLON!” She shrieked. She looked back at the sadistic demi-god, tears pouring from her eyes.

“Please, I’ll . . . I’ll do anything. Just save him,” she pleaded, her hand still resting on Leo’s slowly beating heart. Zylon stopped laughing, and squatted in front of her. With the vial in one hand, he wiped away her tears with his thumb. His hands were cold, and full of hate, unlike Leo’s, which were always warm.

“Oh, Calypso, I could treat you so well. But it’s too late now. You’ve obviously chosen him,” he said, stood and walked away.

“Zylon! Zylon! Please! Come back!” Calypso called after him, standing up again.

Meanwhile, Leo slipped in and out of consciousness, getting small snippets of their conversations. He tried to reach up to grab Calypso’s hand, but he was too weak. He tried to call out her name, but his voice wouldn’t work. That’s when Leo remembered the dream he had one night after the war back at Camp. He was dying on the ground, barely able to see, with Calypso standing over him, screaming.  He couldn’t speak or move. And it scared him. Now, he knew exactly what it was.

Zylon was pleased with her pleas. He smirked and turned around.

“Anything? You’d do anything?” He asked. Calypso nodded. He grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him. Calypso became afraid.

Leo turned his head, but could not hear anything, and his vision was getting blurrier and blurrier. He became angry, thinking Calypso had been playing him. But then cursed himself for thinking that. She wouldn’t ever do that to him. He tried to focus all his energy on hearing, but it was very difficult.

“If . . . save . . . or . . . he’ll . . . you’ll . . . see . . . ” Zylon said.

“I . . . anything . . . Leo . . . please . . . save,” Calypso whispered. Leo shook his head. He didn’t want to see or hear anymore. He closed his eyes and backed out.

Zylon and Calypso had been having a very detailed talk about what Zylon would make her do to save Leo. Calypso would just nod and say ‘I’ll do anything.’ Zylon’s smirk was unwavering.

“First, I want the biggest kiss you could give me,” Zylon said, chuckling to himself. Calypso bit her lip and looked at Leo, who was so close to death, she had seconds left. She closed her eyes and slowly leaned in. She could feel Zylon’s lips touch hers, just before someone grabbed her hair and pushed her to the ground. She let out a yelp in surprise.

She looked up and Zylon, sneering, and his hand on her head and her arm on her body, pinning her to the ground. She struggled against his grip.

“Like you said, you could never love me,” he hissed. He pounded her head into the ground. She screamed.

“Stop moving!” he shouted at her. Tears streamed down her face. Her eyes locked on the vial which sat behind Zylon.

“Look at me,” he yelled. Her eyes met his and she glared at him.

“Who are you?” she snapped. Zylon was taken aback.

“What?”

“Who are you to tell me what to do? I am the daughter of a titan. Demi-gods run and hide at the sight of my father. Why not me? Why don’t you run and hide and cower in the shadow of your goddess mother. You will obey me,” Calypso boomed. Zylon was suddenly frightened of her sudden emotions. Of course, Calypso was faking it all, just to scare him. Luckily, it was working. He let go of her head, and she stood up, towering over him. She stared coldly into his fearful eyes for a long time. In a flash, Calypso pulled her arm back and socked him in the windpipe. He dropped like a rock.

She froze for a second, before she heard Leo’s shallow breath soften rapidly. She scrambled for the vial then back over to Leo.

“Leo, hey, I've got it. I’ve got it. I can save you. Open your mouth,” she said. But Leo could no longer hear her. She began to get scared. She opened his mouth, refusing to let him be dead. She plugged his nose and shoved the liquid down his throat. She made sure he swallowed it.

For a second nothing happened. Calypso covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. She tucked her legs into her chest and turned away from Leo, unable to stand the sight of his unmoving body. She put her head in her legs and wrapped her arms around herself and cried.

Once again, she was alone, so alone.

“Calypso?” a voice croaked.

Calypso prayed to all the gods she liked that it was Leo’s voice as she slowly lifted her head and turned in the direction of the voice.

Written by Volleyballstar11 and AgelessQuest

Edited by Volleyballstar11