Luke held back tears as he watched the dying breathes of his old love.
"Don't go, please don't go." Luke told her, trying desperately to hold back the tears.
The girl, Evaline, smiled brokenly up at Luke. She was the same age-14- as he was but so much more mature and experienced. She would have looked as if Luke had woken her up from a mid-afternoon nap-if one could ignore the bloody, gaping hole in Evaline's stomach and chest.
"It's my fate." Evaline croaked.
She coughed sharply into her pale white fist. Luke stared at the blood that began to stain her hand. Behind him, Thalia sniffled and held the sobbing Annebeth.
"Ambrosia…nectar." Thalia murmured and Luke nodded.
Evaline smiled widely to them.
"Thanks you guys. It's been great, here." Evaline told them, "I'll see you guys in a long time. It's not forever."
This made Luke start to cry too. In a way, it was like forever. Or maybe it would even be soon until they saw Evaline again. She had always been their protector. Nothing could defeat the brave Daughter of Hecate. Evaline had never lost a battle. But today she had. Guilt flooded through Luke. Evaline was dying because he hadn't listened to her. She had told him and Thalia to take Annebeth and retreat. But he hadn't. Instead, Luke had given Annebeth to Thalia and ran back into the battle. A Hellhound had cornered him. Evaline saw this and when she turned to help him, left herself vulnerable to the Minotaur. It had charged and gored Evaline with it's horns, bashing her against a tree. Thalia and Luke distracted it and killed it before it could kill Evaline. But they had been too late.
Luke looked back down at Evaline. She reached up shakily to rest her hand against Luke's cheek. Luke covered her bloodied hand with his own.
"Don't cry." Evaline murmured to him, then added singing light, "Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket. Save them for a time when your really gonna need 'em."
Luke smiled through his tears and asked, "That song again?"
Evaline smiled back and answered, "You know it."
She coughed violently, even more blood this time. Luke's tears sped up as Evaline shuddered. She looked up at him sadly.
"How'd that song go again?" Luke asked her.
"Like this." Evaline murmured to him before beginning to sing,
"If I die young, bury me in satin, Lay me down on a, bed of roses, Sink me in the river, at dawn, Send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh, uh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother, She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and, Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no, Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time
If I die young, bury me in satin, Lay me down on a, bed of roses, Sink me in the river, at dawn, Send me away with the words of a love song
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time
And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom, I'm as green as the ring on my little, cold finger, I've never known the lovin' of a man, But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand, there's a boy here in town says he'll, love my forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by the sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done
A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar, They're worth so much more after I'm a goner, and maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin', Funny when your dead how people start listenin'
If I die young, bury me in satin, lay me down on a, bed of roses, sink me in the river, at dawn, send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh (uh, oh), The ballad of a dove (uh, oh), Go with peace and love, gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket, save them for a time when your really gonna need them, oh
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls…"
Evaline finished quietly. Somewhere in the middle of the song, Luke and Thalia had joined in. Annebeth watched Evaline with large, wary eyes. Evaline smiled back at Luke and Thalia.
"You remembered." She murmured.
"How could we not?" Thalia asked, half smiling, "You sung that everyday for a month. We thought you wanted to die."
Evaline grinned and told her, "It's been the favorite song of a friend. Emily."
She looked at Luke and Thalia. She had told them about her good friend, Emily. A cough brought her out of her thoughts.
"She was a great, great warrior." Evaline told them, "As are you three. You must go to Camp Half-Blood."
Luke started to protest, but Evaline covered his mouth with her hand.
"You must. It's not safe out here. You are one of the Elites. Monsters will be attracted to you three times as much as if you weren't one."
"So they're real?" Annebeth piped up from Thalia's lap.
Evaline smiled at her as she answered, "Yes. They are. You, Annebeth, are an Elite. Luke and Thalia are Elites too. So am I. There is a whole society of them."
Annebeth nodded, watching her carefully still.
"Are you gonna die?" She asked innocently, holding back tears.
"Yes, yes I am." Evaline told her, "But I will try for rebirth."
"And you're sure you'll make it to Elysium?" Luke asked her.
Evaline nodded slowly and with a smile, told them, "All of the Elites do."
Evaline winced sharply and took a shaky breath. Luke, Thalia, and Annebeth froze in fear. Evaline closed her eyes quietly, then opened them again. Her eyes were full of pain and sadness, with just a terrified hint of fear.
"It's time." She told them quietly, her hand slipping from Luke's cheek.
"Please don't leave me." Luke whispered.
Evaline looked up at him lovingly and murmured back, "I don't want to. The Fates are calling me."
Luke took Evaline's hands in his own. Thalia held Annebeth close as she started to cry again.
"I'll miss you." Luke whispered to Evaline.
Evaline answered, her eyes already closed, "I will miss you to with all my heart. Take care of Thalia and Annebeth."
"I will." Luke promised her.
Evaline nodded and sighed. Her motions stilled, then finally stopped. Silently, tears streamed down Luke's cheeks and fell softly onto Evaline's golden blond hair. Soon, Evaline's hands grew cold in Luke's grasp. Slowly, Luke stood up and turned from Evaline's body.
Thalia and Annebeth looked up at him, sniffling. Luke wiped his eyes as he looked down at them.
"Will you two make camp?" Luke asked them, "I want to bury her."
Thalia nodded and stood up, pulling Annebeth with her. Luke watched them go until they disappeared between the trees. Luke then turned back to Evaline's body. He then got to work digging a hole for her. At last, he was done. Gently, Luke lifted Evaline's light body from the ground. Her golden felt like silk against Luke's bare arm. Luke reached the hole and set her down softly in her ground.
With one last look, Luke filled in the hole. With one last set of tears, Luke turned away from the only person he had ever truly loved. Loneliness descended onto Luke as he walked back. There, a surprise waited.
"Who's he?" Luke asked.
The newcomer looked up. His curly brown hair fell back from his face.
"My name's Grover," He told Luke, "And I'm a satyr. I'm here to lead you to Camp Half-Blood."