KATE

I walked into my room and sat on the bed. I couldn't believe that Luke and Todd had made it out of Tartarus. When they pushed me through the opening and it closed, I thought they were dead. Or at least stuck forever. They were the only things that had kept me sane during my time down there.

I looked around the room, noticing its small details for the first time. Funny how impending death made you notice more about life. The room was painted with murals on the walls. But they weren't just murals, they were memories. They were images of my time on Olympus. Me sparring with Ares for my first time, I won but Ares would claim that he let me. Another was Athena homeschooling me, she insisted that I get an education even if I was an all powerful demigod. Hecate teaching me magic. Hestia teaching me how to cook. Apollo and me riding horses on the beach. Apollo proposing then trying to insist that it was a joke. My dad reading me a bedtime story on my first night in his palace.

And my favorite image, a view of my tenth birthday party. Dionysus had planned it but had to be reminded several times by various gods that the party was for a ten year old who couldn't drink. Somehow he had managed to sneak in a wine fountain and had gotten drunk halfway through. Apollo had helped me draw on his face.

Even though I loved it with the other demigods, I missed living there. Olympus was my home. And now, I might never see it again. I was truly grateful that Apollo had visited me and taken a trip to the cafe. He always knew how to cheer me up. The god had had a crush on me since I was twelve. He was always hitting on me since then and Aphrodite wouldn't leave him or me alone about it.

The ceiling in the room was a moving sky. It showed the sky that was right outside. Right now the stars were appearing and the moon was almost full. The floor was a deep gray carpet. My eyes traveled to my nightstand. There were three small wrapped gifts sitting under a salt lamp. One had wrappings with suns on it, the other had moons, and the third was bright solid pink. I had ideas of who they were from.

I picked up the pink one and read the tag. For the future Mrs. Apollo, From The Best Goddess Ever, Aphrodite. She had written it in pink pen and it was fancy cursive. I smiled, sure she was conceded, but she was still family. I opened the package and inside was a pink ribbon that shimmered pink, and a note. It said, Dearest Kate, I know what you are planning to do, and may I just say that I just love the drama it will bring, but I'm not fond of the idea of never seeing you again. I know it must happen. So to help you I had Hecate put a spell on this ribbon. Sadly she used a dreadful brown colored liquid, but she guarantied it would work. Anyway, tie it around that bomb of yours and it will compress into it so you can use it like those silver bracelets. Good luck. As a goddess, I've seen many people die and fail, but your death, will be the worst thing I have ever experienced. With love, Aphrodite.

I felt tears welling up. That letter was the most unselfish act that Aphrodite has ever done. And she did it for me. I reached over the side of the bed to the floor where the bag sat with the bomb. I pulled out the weapon and tied the ribbon around it. The bomb suppressed into the ribbon and I tied it around my wrist. Then I was able to summon the bomb just like I would with my sword.

After I was done trying out the gift, I picked up the next one. It was the one with moons. I didn't need to read the tag to know that it was from Artemis. I opened it and inside was a small vial of silver simmering liquid and another note. Kate, you could have been the best hunter I have ever had, but you chose the life that was best for you. That doesn't mean that you can't change your mind. I respect that you will fulfil this plan that you have made to protect your friends. From the moment I started to train you I knew you were capable of great things. But honestly I never expected this. I had hoped that you would have a great life, and possibly become a goddess yourself. Sadly that appears to not be true. So I have included something that will help you in your time of need. Drink the liquid in the vial before you start the fight. It will give you enough strength to do what you want to more than anything, protect your new family. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope to see you again, Artemis.

I picked up the vial and set it on my nightstand. Artemis and her brother were my closest friends on Olympus. She was always there for me, and I for her. And from her letter, she still is. The last gift was from Apollo. Unlike the others, it didn't have a tag. I tore off the wrappings and under them was a velvet box. I opened the box and caught the note as it fell out. I looked in the case and there was a gold chain that held a gold ring encrusted with diamonds set in a pattern to spell out, The Love of my Life. It was the ring that he had proposed to me with so many years ago. I turned to the note. My Love. From the moment I met you, I knew you were special. When you were younger, I was your friend. But when you got older I fell for you, hard. As a god I have had many loves and many relationships. But none of those girls even came close to you. I had my faults, I will admit, but i would spend time with you and you would make them go away. My heart melts when you laugh and when you cry the sun itself grows dimmer. I know that you don't want a relationship with me, but I couldn't stop trying even if I wanted to. I've known about this prophecy for a while before my Oracle delivered it, but I never wanted to believe that it would end this way. I could never face the idea of something happening to you. But for you, I will face it bravely. You told me once before that if you passed before your prime, that you wouldn't want anyone to mourn you. Honestly, I don't think I can do that, but I will try. I loved every second I spent with you and my only regret it that I didn't get more time. No matter what happens I will always love you. You will always be the light in my life, Apollo.

I let the tears fall. I always knew that he had feeling for me but I never expected this. More than anything right now I wanted him here so I could kiss his stupid face. I looked back at the ring on the chain. I pulled it out of the box and clipped the clasp around my neck and tucked the ring inside my shirt. Up until now, I was at peace with my future, but now, more than anything, I wanted to live. I wanted a way out of the death part of the prophecy. But there was no way. So instead, I was scared. I had no idea what death would cause. Would it hurt? What would happen if it was slow? Gods I hope it's not slow. And Percy. I was his only sibling. We weren't like the others cabins at Camp Half-Blood. Cabin three only had two campers. Me and Percy. What would he do? Sure he had survived fine without me for years. But that was when he had no idea I existed, he had nothing to worry about. His fatal flaw was loyalty. He felt that towards me, I knew that. I just hoped that my death would not hurt him. I hope that his friends could help him through it.

Suddenly I felt very tired. We would get to the ruins tomorrow I needed rest. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

~~~~~~~~~~

A knock on the door woke me. "Kate? We're almost there." The sad voice of Will woke me. I got up and opened the door.

"Thanks Will." I forced a smile. He smiled back and turned to leave.

I retreated back and changed quickly. I made sure I wore the ribbon and necklace from last night and I slid the vial into my pocket. I left and joined the others on the deck. I could see the smoke on the horizon. There ruins were close. They have been smoldering ever since that day. "Leo, anchor it here." I called to him. He nodded and the ship began to descend.

"Why is it smoking?" Percy asked.

"They're burning something, probably." Annabeth answered.

"No." I said. "It's been burning for years." I told them.

"What happened there?" Hazel asked.

"The monsters that attacked the town burned it with greek fire. The fire never extinguished. I don't know why. Zeus told me that he would never let any weather or natural forces touch the place as a tribute to my family." I answered.

"So that means..." Annabeth began.

"It's the same as when I left." I finished.

The ship landed and Leo turned off the engines. We got off and started walking towards the smoke. I turned and took one last look at the ship. My only way out. "It's not too late to leave." Nico said behind me.

I turned to look at him and said, "Yeah, it is."

He nodded and turned towards the group. I followed. The group walked in front of me and I almost smiled. Percy held Annabeth's waist, Jason held Piper's hand with Leo trotting alongside cracking jokes. On the other side of Percy and Annabeth, Will and Nico had took each others hands trying to avoid the proud looks of Jason. As I watched Frank gave Hazel a peek on the cheek and mumbled something in her ear.

They were all so comfortable together. But they've all seen the end of the world before. And they survived it. I guess I'm not so lucky.

I was walking next to Percy, who still had his arm wrapped around Annabeth. "How long?" He asked.

"We're here." I answered. There were bushes and trees in front of up. I walked ahead and pushed them aside and stepped through the leaves. They followed and I heard Annabeth gasp.

"I expected it to be destroyed but not this." She said.

I looked at the demigods behind me and most of them were appalled by the sight. Hazel looked like she would be sick. I turned back to look at the ruins that remained of my childhood home. The last place that had seen my innocents.

Some of the houses had been turned to ash. Some were partly collapsed. But the ones that still stood were the worst to look at. The first house I remembered. Mrs. Grayson, a small old lady with three cats used to live there. The house looked undamaged but Mrs. Grayson and her cats were nailed to the posts of the porch. Their bodies still rotting and dripping.

The monsters who attacked this town had searched for us after we left for hours. But when they knew we were gone, they went into each house in turn and drug out the people who lived there. Some of the people they ate. Those were the lucky ones. The others ended up like Mrs. Grayson.

All the houses that still stood had the bodies of mortals suspended from the outside. The bodies were slightly shredded and some hung in pieces. We walked through the cracked and burned street towards the sound of monsters.

Some of the others were trying not to look at the bodies. Nothing had changed here because of an enchantment that the gods had placed as a tribute. We kept walking and I heard Hazel gag. I looked and saw what she had. One of the houses we stood in front of had belonged to a young couple. The woman and husband had a baby. They were both hanging like to others along with the baby but the woman was pregnant when the monsters attacked. They had ripped out the unborn child and mutilated it. It was a gruesome sight.

We kept walking and we passed my old house. I stopped in front of it and I could tell that Percy figured it out. My old marine animal bike still sat on the front porch. Annabeth put a hand on my shoulder in comfort. We kept walking. About three houses up from my house I cut across the street. They looked at me confused as I kneaded next to the body of a girl about my age.

Tears dripped on the ground below me. It was Hope. The scene was how I remembered. Her hair and clothes were matted with blood. There was a thin layer of dust from the hellhound still covering her.

"Her sister." I heard Percy tell them.

Hope's eyes stared unseeing. I closed them and stood. "I'll see you soon." I whispered and continued with the others.

We walked for several more minutes until we reached what used to be the town square. "Kate Catcher." A voice boomed. I looked up.

"Acmal." I spat. He stood about ten yards away. Behind him was a small army of monsters. Enough to kill ten demigods.

"So nice to see you. I had hoped you wouldn't come but I guess you're too stubborn." He said and the army surged forward. I drew the vial from Artemis and drank the contents. We attacked the oncoming army and i made my way to Acmal.

~~~~~~~

Ohhhh, another cliff hanger. What will happen? Will anyone else die? For that i have one clue: Muahahahahahahah!!!

Until next time, never let Smelly Gabe take your money!! :)