Better Angels

by Bootzie2

Victoria Carstairs. Nephilim, demigod, and controller of all four elements. Victoria will turn into her worst nightmare and her friends and family will have to make the ultimate decision. Along with the most powerful immortals of all time, angels, and the combined forces of the Greek and Roman camps these heroes will be in the battle of a lifetime.

1. Prologue

Though these characters and places may not be of my own imagination the story is.

I was inspired to write Better Angels because it is the title of a poem that a friend wrote that assured us that we can overcome even the most difficult of hardships.

Better Angels

by

Hannah Terjeson

The darkness used to call me it's own

I used to walk this earth alone

I used to wait in these long shadows

To see what came after when the world fell.

I fell with it

But I am not afraid anymore

And I am not alone

They told us we were Angels

Better than we used to be

Hold our heads high and wait

for our time.

We are all Angels

Better than we used to be.

"Does this darkness have a name? This cruelty, This hatred,How did it find us? Did it steal into our lives or did we seek it out and embrace it? What happened to us that we now send our children into the world like we send young men to war, hoping for their safe return, but knowing that some would be lost along the way. When did we lose our way? Consumed by the shadows. Swallowed whole by the darkness. Does this darkness have a name? Is it your name?" Lucas Scott from One Tree Hill Episode With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We slept.

Prelude

Unknown

It's been been more than a year since the defeat of the Titans and Valentine. The Nephilim, demigods, and the world are in for a fight unlike they could have ever imagined. The year is now 2008 and our heroes have begun their separate battles against evil. Little do they know that these two evils shall become one. Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern (Sebastian) had awaken Gaea and joined forces with her and together they will bring hell to Earth. Our heroes will join forces with beings much older than they can imagine, but younger than Gaea. Together can they take on the armies of hell? Can Heaven overcome Hell? A Hell much different than the one they fought before.

Prologue

Ariel

The silence is overwhelming as you wait to be called in. As you wait for the end of something so terrifying that you find that you yourself cannot face it. The end is not what you think it is. It is not death. It is not a never ending night that is utterly and completely black, and it is not the blackness of nothingness. It is something that is much worse. It was dark, cold, and filled with a foul smell that I could not identify. Hell is strange. Most humans would expect fiery pits and a little man with a pitch fork. The fiery pits are true, but hell is not just fire. It is the end.

I don't belong in Hell or The End. Whichever you would like to call it. Then End is simply more suiting for me. As I was saying I don't belong here at all. Get it humans. I am not Death, Satan, or the Grim Reaper though it may sound like it now. I'm Ariel. The Lion of God, Commander of the Avenging Angels, as well as an Archangel. Then I was appointed as the angel of music after Lucifer fell and recently the Angel of Death. Okay don't run off and scream in terror. Yes I am the Angel of Death, but no I do not wait by your bedside for you to die. All right maybe I sometimes do, but that's not the point. I don't kill people I merely take the dearly departed souls to be judged. No matter how I put it you're still going to freak out.

Our former Angel of Death Azrael was cast out to the end for conspiring with the former prince of angels (Lucifer) so they could overthrow God, again. He is now an angel turned demon, and he was my best friend. I almost took the fall for him. All evidence pointed towards me, but Azrael was still inside there somewhere. With the belt of truth he could not lie. Azrael confessed everything. My honor was restored and he was gone. Someone had to be appointed Angel of Death. Azrael once described it as a curse. An Angel does not belong in The End, there are things down there that play with your mind. They will twist and contort you into something evil and grotesque. That's what happened to Azrael and to all other Angels of Death before him. That is what would happen to me. I was the friend of a monster and therefore just as responsible as he was for the conspiring. Though I wasn't stripped of my rank of status I was given the title Angel of Death. DO NOT TRUST US. WE WILL COME FOR YOU. DO NOT TRUST US. WE WILL TURN ON YOU. DO NOT TRUST US. WE WILL END YOU!

WELCOME TO YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!

GOOD LUCK FACING YOUR FEARS!

"The Angel of Death had turned on us once again!" Michael shouted as he pounded his fist on the table sending particles of stone flying into the air and causing Raphael to flinch. "Normally this kind of evil takes years to form. It has only been six months and already she is already foaming at the mouth." Michael collapsed into his marble throne. Silence met his angry outburst as the other archangels sought an answer.

"The evil in that place is growing stronger everyday as more people turn away," Seraphiel sighed her blues eyes were dead and appeared exhausted.

"Ariel is strong. Maybe she can fight it off," Raphael suggested. Raphael was Ariel and Michael's brother. He would not accept that she was going dark side.

"You know she can't Raphael. The End has poisonous influences that no angel can hope to fight off. There is no hope for her. Ariel is already lost to us," Michael replied softly.

"So now we've lost one of our strongest fighters and the Commander of the Avenging Angels?"

"I'm afraid so."

"This is hopeless," Raphael moaned with his head in his hands. "Evil is spreading too fast. What I don't get is how they are gaining control so easily. This was supposed to be the age of rebirth. The flood was supposed to take care of everything. Same with the death of the Son. I don't understand."

"Don't you see! This is the end! The End is taking everything that we have ever worked on. How I do not know. But there must be some way to stop them!" Jophiel burst out. The Archangel had been quiet throughout the whole meeting. He had been closer to Ariel than anyone else.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Seraphiel asked.

"Not nothing. We can hope and pray." Michael replied collapsing into his seat.

"What about the Nephilim? Could we reach out to them? It's their job to know what happens in the Shadow World. Would they know what's been happening?" Raphael suggested.

"Many of the Nephilim don't believe that they descended from us anymore," Jophiel sighed. "We can't put our faith in them."

"But some of them have seen Raziel. They have seen the angel that created them. How can they refuse to believe?"

"You would have us put our faith in some Shadowhunters that aren't even adults yet Raphael?" Raphael raised his head to meet Jophiel's burning gaze. "We can't trust them. What have they ever done for us?"

"That is enough Jophiel!" Michael shouted as he stood from his seat. Jophiel shrunk back. "We will send word to the Nephilim. Though I highly doubt that they will be much of a help. We don't even know how they are faring in their war with the demons. All that we know is that the shield surrounding Earth in breaking. There is not much hope for them. But as Raphael said maybe they will know something. Let's not get our hopes up though; we may have to fight this battle on our own."

Death and blood are all I see as the shell I inhabit wanders around Hell. There is nothing worse than being trapped in a body that in no longer in your own control. As the darkness has penetrated my body it will also penetrate my mind. Ouriel is using he newfound powers to change former angels. I am now a fallen angel. He wants me for himself. I can feel him probe my mind looking for a hint of my still being there. He always finds me. The feeling is slippery and seductive. Though I will never give in until I am no longer in control of myself. They know I'm in here. They know I still cling to my body. Ouriel won't stop torturing me until I no longer exist. Until I am nothing except a monster that he can control. I...

Feel...

Him...

He's...

Here...

I know you're in there Ariel! I will find you!

I will not give up Ouriel!

Everything went dark.

"The Clave is corrupt! Don't you understand that Alec? Maybe not all, but most. They've been corrupt for years, but no one has realized it. There are power hungry Shadowhunters out there. They will do anything to get power. Even if it means turning on their own like Valentine and Sebastian." Jace cautiously rubbed the place over his heart where the mark that Sebastian used to control him. Alec just stared defiantly back at Jace. While Alec's blue eyes showed a calmness not normal for his age Jace's eyes flared with anger. The two were parabati. Blood brothers. They were "family". Even that didn't keep them from going at each other's throats, ever since Alec had almost got himself murdered by the newly turned vampire Maureen. Alec had been hoping to get information out of his former boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, Camille, the head of the vampire clan in Brooklyn.

"Will you two quit it!" Victoria Carstairs shouted from the darkest corner of the library. She had been a ward of the Institutes for quite a while and was like family to them all. She was still recovering from the recent demon poison that had been in her veins which caused sensitivity to light. "You have been going at this for hours. Why not let Maryse take care? Why must we worry about it? In case you haven't realized we all almost died within the past two months, and others were under the influence of the most vindictive man in the whole entire world! Could we please just give it a rest?" Victoria brought her hands to her temples and slowly began to massage them.

"Vic you don't have to be in here," Alec said gently.

"Well I can't exactly be anywhere else. Currently I can't sleep. I can't eat without puking it back up, and all my senses have been heightened. So whether or not I was on the opposite side of the Institute I would still have to listen to you two go at it. So why not be in here where I can give you my two cents?'

"Are you sure we don't need to send for Brother Zachariah?" Jace asked.

"I'm fine," she growled. "Get on with your bickering. I'm just going to stay in this nice musty corner." Victoria slowly pulled off her black sunglasses to reveal eyes that were severely dilated with silver iris' that gleamed in the darkness. Though no one could see them since she was in that dusty corner of the Library.

"Vic the reason why it is our concern is because the whole Sebastian problem directly influences us all. He has a creepy thing for you and Clary," Jace continued. Clary who had been silent throughout the whole meeting flinched as she remembered the hunger in Sebastian's eyes as he stared her. What was even worse was that Sebastian was Clary's full-blooded brother. Victoria didn't react. "Maryse can't protect us right now because she is dealing with the Consul. Even the Consul knows that the Clave is corrupt and she is trying to do something about it, but what they are not going to do is give the Institute extra security. The Consul would be wise not to trust basically anyone right now; in addition there is demon activity every. They are finding a way through the defenses that once protected this dimension the Clave knows that they need every single Shadowhunter available so that they can be sent out at a moment's notice to protect the mundies."

"I just am not willing to believe that this has happened to us. That the people we once trusted have turned on us. What is happening to this world?" Alec placed his head in his hands. A sure sign of defeat.

"Zeus we must go to their aid! Without us they will all die! And the world will once again fall to the giants!" Artemis argued with her father. As goddess of the hunt and the leader of a demigod pact called the Hunters, Artemis was eager to aid those who followed her.

"She is right father," Apollo, Artemis' twin brother, stood up from his throne on Mount Olympus, "They have aided us countless of times. Died for us. Why can we not protect our children?"

"Because," the lord of the sky growled, "I need time to think. In case you haven't noticed my wife went behind our backs to trade two of our most valuable leaders in Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter." Hera flinched beside her husband. It was true that she erased Jason Grace's and Percy Jackson's memories, but she had thought it for the best so that the prophecy would be fulfilled.

"Well it is time we helped! You open those gates now or I swear there will be hell to pay father," Artemis threatened with steel in her eyes.

"Very well," Zeus caved, "but this time it is different something stronger is at work. We all will most likely die once and for all. Are you all ready to accept the risks that come with opening this door so that we made aid our children?" All of the gods that were present gave a silent nod. "So be it."

There had been no word from those on the Argo II since the seven demigods had warned Chiron of the attack that would be coming from the Roman demigods. Chiron we beginning to worry, but it was time look every inch of the leader that he was so that the Camp Counselors meeting could go on. He eased his horse body into his magical wheelchair and pushed himself to the meeting room where a Ping-Pong table served as their round table. When this camp had first started there would only have been twelve others present to represent the twelve Olympians; now there was twenty present. Eight new cabins were added after the Second Olympian Ware. Luke Castellan, former counselor of the Hermes Cabin, had betrayed the gods and his family. In his last few minutes as Kronos began to take over his body did he find the error in his ways and killed himself. His last request was made to Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, that no half-bloods would remain unclaimed and not have a cabin to go to. This was still a work-in-progress, which would have to be stopped so that they could all prepare for battle. Chiron did a quick headcount; only seventeen of the twenty were present. Chiron knew that two were with Argos II, but where was the third?

"Will?" Chiron asked. Will Solace, the counselor of the Apollo cabin, quickly came to attention. "Have you seen Victoria?"

"I haven't seen her all week Chiron. She said that she had a few things to take care of in Brooklyn. I thought she would have told you." Will answered.

"Well, I did know, but she said she would be back by now."

"I don't know then. She told me not to call," Will sighed. Victoria kept few secrets, but when she did it was for the sake of everyone. Chiron knew that these secrets tended to put a strain on Will and Victoria's relationship.

"I'll give her a call later. She ought to be here right now." Chiron quickly wheeled to the head of the pool table next to Victoria's empty chair and Thalia, who was Artemis' second-in-command as well as the counselor for the Artemis' cabin. "I am afraid I have grave news. Percy and Annabeth have recently notified me that the Romans intend to attack this camp very soon. It seems as though Leo made them pretty angry when he fired upon them with Argos II's cannon, but he was also possessed by an Eidolon. Which caused him to do these things." A panicked look passed over all the counselors faces. They knew that they did not stand a chance; Camp Jupiter was twice the size of Camp Half-Blood. They didn't stand a chance. "Please don't panic. Percy also said that Reyna the leader of the Romans will do everything in her power to slow the attack. She doesn't want any more blood to be shed, but Octavian their "prophet" pushes her to move forward. She can only buy us a few days, and Percy had no idea when they will get here."

"So we prepare for war," Clarisse La Rue, counselor of the Ares cabin, suggested.

"Yes Clarisse that is exactly what we will do."

"How long will this go on Chiron? It has been battle after battle these past six years. When will it end?" asked Lou Ellen, counselor for the Hecate cabin.

"I wish I knew Lou. I wish I knew. Please pass this onto all your cabin mates. We are preparing for battle, and this time we will not be fighting monsters, titans, or giants. We will be fighting people who are just like us, but they are much more committed. They will not hesitate to kill you; we will not hesitate to kill them either so that we can protect our home that many of us have given our lives to defend. It saddens me to know that this is what we have come to, but we have no choice. You are dismissed. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss our plan of action." Chiron quickly wheeled away even as his students shouted after him wanting more details on Argo II's adventures and on how they were going to take care of the Roman threat. As much as Chiron wanted to give them an answer; he could not. What he needed to do was to get in touch with Victoria. Only Chiron knew what she really was. A daughter of Poseidon and of the Nephilim. She had been trained in the ways of the immortals so that she could harness her aura. She was stronger than anyone knew.

Chiron rolled up to the Big House's landline and quickly dialed Victoria's number hoping she would pick up.

Victoria quickly pulled her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans and rushed out of the library when she saw the Big House's name pop up on the screen. All four Shadowhunters stared after her, but then went on squabbling.

"Hello," Victoria wheezed into the phone.

"Victoria?"

"Hey Chiron," she gave a wobbly smile knowing that her voice sounded scratchy and weak.

"I know that you needed to take care of some things in Brooklyn, but we need you back at camp now. The Romans plan on attacking us soon." Victoria swore under her breath.

"I can't come back yet. Currently I'm recovering from poisoning that almost killed me. I'm not quite out of the woods yet." Victoria let out a wet cough that tasted of blood. She quickly brought her left hand to her mouth only to find it scarlet with blood. "Chiron," another cough. This time the blood came pouring out of her mouth and she became dizzy. Her knees gave out beneath her and she dropped her cell phone which gave a big resounding crack that echoed throughout the stone hallway. Another cough. More blood. Victoria could hear Chiron's panicked voice on the phone before it died. Alec threw the doors to the library.

"Victoria!" Alec ran to her side his blue eyes searching her green ones. Alec took a sharp breath. The whites of her eyes were black with blood which slowly began to drip down her face, and her iris' were a gleaming silver. The blood continued to pour from her mouth as she whispered to him. Then she blacked out.

Magnus Bane had just gotten out of the shower when his phone. He quickly wrapped a towel around his naked waist and lazily grabbed the phone. "This is the most wondrous Magnus Bane how may I help your wretched mortal soul?"

"That is a lovely way to answer a phone Magnus," replied the caller. Magnus' cheery disposition cooled.

"What do you want Alexander Lightwood?" He asked.

"It's Victoria she's taken a turn for the worse," Alec sounded worried on the other end. Magnus felt something pull at his heart.

"What has that got to do with me? Seeing as we broke up I no longer have to help you with you petty Nephilim problems. Call in one of your Silent Brothers I am sure that they can help you." Magnus went to hang up.

"No," Alec shouted, "Victoria said that the Silent Brothers can't help her; she said only you can. She said that without your help she would die. She said that it was just like what some guy named James Carstairs had except much worse." Magnus was silent on the other end. "Magnus?"

"I'll be there a.s.a.p.," and with that Magnus hung up leaving Alec speechless on the other end. Magnus quickly put on regular jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't bother to try to look like his normal flamboyant self. He left his penthouse without a smidge of makeup on and with his hair still wet and wild. This is something that Magnus never does.

There was a loud series of knocks on the Institutes doors. Jace jumped up from his seat and opened them for Magnus. Without a word Jace took off running toward the infirmary with Magnus right behind. The tension in Jace's shoulders and the set of his jawline made Magnus even more worried. How bad could it be? He remembered when another young Herondale had begged Magnus to help him and the women he loved find a cure for his parabati's sickness. James Carstairs was dying. In the end Magnus had not found it all. No one had. Magnus did not know what Victoria expected him to do for her. She knew that he didn't know what to do. Magnus had no idea how to help the one of the only surviving Carstairs. If there would only be one Carstairs left... Two. One, and she was only fourteen and grieving.. If Victoria died, so did the only person that really understood him.

Jace and Magnus reached the sterile infirmary. Everything was white except for the bed that Victoria laid on. The once pristine white sheets were now covered in scarlet blood. Victoria was still with eyes wide and mouth open. Every once in a while a shiver would pass over her body. Magnus rushed over to her side and gently laid his hand on her forehead only to quickly bring it away as if he had been burned. Victoria had a raging fever. Slowly her eyes moved toward Magnus and she gave a weak smile as she tried to blood spurt out of her mouth onto Magnus' shirt.

"Oh Victoria, what happened to you?" Magnus slowly got on to his knees and brushed her strawberry blonde hair away from her face. Another shiver. Maybe more of a seizure. Her sickness had progressed faster than Jem's had, but she had different blood in her system. Half-god, part-angel, and a good amount of human blood in there. This was different than James' sickness although the same Magnus was not sure how he could help, but Victoria seemed certain that he could help. Magnus muttered a quick spell over her that would allow her lungs to be clear for only a few minutes.

"Victoria," Magnus whispered to her in Ancient Greek, "can you hear me?"

"Yes," she whispered. Her voice cracked. "Magnus. Help me." The poor girl was frightened, but this fear was not one that he had ever seen in Victoria. She had always been the strong one. Never showing too much emotion; should she ever be hurt again.

"My dear, what do you expect me to do? You know that I know not what the cure is," Magnus cried in sloppy Ancient Greek. Victoria had just taught it to him, but Magnus knew that Victoria would not want the other's to know what they were saying to each other. She snatched Magnus' hand that was now at his side and squeezed it.

"Thing is Magnus I believe in you." Another weak smile. "You would figure something out if I had not thought of something first." Another cough. More blood. Her body went rigid. His spell was wearing off.

"Victoria? What is it?" He shouted at the sick girl switching to English. She stared at him with glassy green eyes.

"Time...," she gasped. "Travel." Her hand went slack.

"Victoria?" Magnus shook Victoria. There was no response, only the faint rise of her chest as she breathed in and out.

"What did she meant 'time travel'?" Isabelle asked quietly. Magnus lifted his gold cat-like eyes to her chocolate brown ones. There was an ache in Magnus' core as he glanced around the room at all the weary Shadowhunters. They were all so young, and had seen so much death. How could they lose yet another loved one? Though Victoria may not be family by blood, the Lightwoods, the Herondale, the Fairchilds, and the Carstairs had always been connected somehow.

"She meant exactly that young Miss Lightwood," Magnus stood up slowly like an old man.

"But there is no such magic," Jace put in. They were all too worried about Victoria to even care that they had been speaking in a different language.

"Maybe not to the Nephilim, but there are some who harness its ability. The ability to control time takes practice. Years of it. This form of magic is not one that..." Magnus cut himself off. Victoria would not want that. "If Victoria has not told you I suspect that she would not wish me to either." No reaction. They like William Solace were used to secrets kept by one of their dearest friends.

"Why would she suggest it then? I mean are you one of the few that you spoke of?" This time it was Clarissa. Though Clary had not known Victoria very long she knew how worried Jace was, but she herself had grown to think of Victoria as a sister.

Magnus grew tired of all the questions. "Could you just trust me and Victoria," he growled at them. The ferocity in his eyes made all the Nephilim take a step back, but it quickly turned to despair and fear. For once he was not a warlock. Magnus was just a young man grieving for a friend and trying to save her life. They did not know what this girl goes through every day to keep them safe. Her family. The world safe. Just had almost given her life up for them on more than one occasion, and very well might lose her life this time. Magnus was the one that she came to in times of trouble. It was either him, Nicholas, or Chiron. The only ones she truly trusted with her secrets. He stroked his jaw silently in thought with his eyes narrowed. "I apologize for my outburst, but now I need to talk to Clarissa. Privately." Jace glanced at the girl he loved as she gave a small nod.

"What about Vi-" Alec started.

"She'll be fine with me," Magnus replied not looking in Alec's direction. He only had eyes for the blood that began to drip out of Victoria's mouth. This bothered him. What made this so much worse? In the past week Victoria had declined faster than James ever had or would have had he not been on the drug that prolonged his life, but killed him at the same time. Magnus gently lifted her eyelid and revealed what he had most feared. Already her pupils were silver, and silver slowly streaked her red hair, and her skin was becoming more and more white, and that was difficult to do. Would she become his own version of Snow White?

"All right then," Alec said quietly. Magnus jumped. He'd forgotten that Alec had been standing there. He left the infirmary leaving Magnus alone with two red-headed females.

"Magnus?" Clary asked cautiously.

"Miss Morgenstern... Fairchild... Fray? Clarissa there is no need to speak to me as if you are approaching a wild animal. I am not wounded. I am merely upset by the fact that your brother has done this to her, and that if she dies I will lose one of my dearest friends. She knows me better than Alec, and has known me much longer than you all have. So Clarissa even though I may appear to be fragile now, I have to be strong. I have to be strong for her just as she has been for me. You have my word Clarissa that I will save her even if I die trying. I will save her just as she has saved me from myself so many times." Clary was taken aback by Magnus' show of emotion and care. She had always associated him with being carefree and not really caring about anything and anyone besides Alec.

"And I will help you help her," Clary replied softly. "But how can I help, Magnus? What can I do?"

"Clarissa. Do you still underestimate yourself? You have no idea how powerful you are. Unlike Jace you may not have the physical traits of the angel, but you do have the art. You can create runes. This is why I need your help." Clary's eyes widened. "With the ability of time travel it takes a very powerful aura-"

"Aura?"

"That will take too long to explain. Basically to be able to control time it takes a massive amount of energy. So when one person, that person being me, does this form of magic their aura is massively depleted. This magic can only be done once year and the portal can only stay open for a few minutes. What I need you to do it to make a ruin that will keep the portal open as long as possible." Clary remained calm throughout this conversation. While she wasn't entirely sure how to create this rune she would try.

"I will try Magnus." Magnus nodded and left the room swiftly leaving Victoria in the hands of Clarissa.

"Fleming's bookstore. How may I help you?" A man in about his fifties answered the phone in his and his wife's bookstore in San Francisco.

"Is this Nicholas Flamel?" A young man inquired on the other end of the line. The man brought the phone away from his ear and looked at the area code of which the call came from. Brooklyn, New York. That's where Victoria lives.

"To whom am I speaking?" The man asked.

The young man let out a sigh of relief. "My name is Magnus Bane." Nicholas almost dropped the phone. He knew that Victoria would never have Bane contact him unless it was an emergency.

"What's wrong with her?" Nicholas asked. Perenelle's, Nick's wife, head snapped to attention her black her charging with white electricity. The minute she heard the panic in her husband's voice she felt that same panic. Nick's face turned ashen, and his whole body began to shake. "I-I understand. We'll be on the next flight out. And Bane take good care of her." Nicholas hung up the phone.

Perenelle stood up and laid a gentle hand upon his trembling shoulder. "Sweetheart what is it?"

"Victoria, she- she's been poisoned. The Shadowhunters have done everything they possibly can, but there is demon blood running through her veins." Perenelle took in a sharp breath.

"That will kill her Nicholas. She cannot die!" Perenelle cried. Victoria had become the daughter that she never had. They were family. "How can we help?"

"Bane says that time travel may be able to help, but he needs more than one person. He can't do it by himself. He says in needs Josh and Sophie."

Perenelle nodded in understanding. "They would do it for her."

"Yes. Yes they would." Nicholas picked up the phone again to call one of the most powerful people in the whole world.

In this world I wander there is only pain and suffering. Even in my own mind, but my mind no longer inhabits my body. My spirit merely wanders the dream world, but there is no one here. How can this be? Do mundanes no longer dream?

"Help me," someone whispers from the darkness. I jump.

"Who's there?" I ask.

"My name is Victoria Carstairs." The name sounded familiar, but I could not place it. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ariel." There was a pause before the girl answered.

"The Angel of Music?" Not many were familiar with my name unless they were Nephilim.

"Yes, I believe you call it, but not many know my name unless they are Nephilim. Are you?" Another pause.

"Yes," Victoria gave a wet cough. "Should there not be others here too?" I looked around the darkness; seeing nothing but tendrils of smoke. When I had traveled here before it was always full of dreams. What had happened?

"There should be, but something has happened."

"Do you know?"

"No I do not." She gave another cough. "But normally people are not aware when they are here. How are you?"

"Maybe because I'm not dreaming, but dying. Are you dying?"

"Only my spirit is here child. Only my spirit." Victoria was gone.

Chiron had received a call from Magnus Bane detailing Victoria's condition. Chiron would give anything to be able to help the girl now, but there was nothing he could do. He also had two-hundred other campers to think about. William would want to know, but with this battle coming they will need every medic that they have. He needs to know. Chiron rolled himself to the intercom that reached the whole camp. "William Solace to the Big House please. It's urgent." It was a few minutes before Will burst through the door with his medic bag still in his hands.

"Is- is it about Victoria?" He gasped for air. Chiron nodded slowly and gestured for the young man to take a seat on the sofa.

"William, Victoria is very sick. She was poisoned with something that there is no cure to or none that anyone knows of. She does not have very much time, but the people that she is with are taking very good care of her and are doing everything in their power to save her from this sickness. But without this cure she will die." Chiron let his words sink in. Will doubled over and put his head in his hands. The boy loved this girl just as she did him. He could not lose her.

"Chiron I have to go to her. I won't let her die alone," he whispered.

"Will, she won't be alone. She is with friends." But Will was persistent.

"I can help her!" He shouted. How quickly despair can turn to anger and then back to despair.

"She would want you to stay here so that you could help with the injured when this battle occurs. She would not forgive you if you let a single camper die that could have been helped had you been here. You have to trust me on this Will. You would not want to see her the way she is now. Just hold onto the memories that you have of her now and pray."

"I have to go!"

"William! Victoria would not want it," Chiron replied calmly. Will just stood up from the sofa and walked out of the Big House slamming the door shut behind him causing Chiron to flinch. Teenagers these days had tempers that could match the gods, and that was very hard to do. Chiron returned to his office to continue going over the maps of the camp so that at their war council later this evening there may be some sort of plan ready.

After hours of reviewing the campers suggestions for defense there came a knock at his door. Chiron rubbed his eyes before allowing the visitor to enter. A man entered wearing purple running shorts and a leopard spotted Hawaiian shirt. The visitor had a rather youthful face though you could not tell from the strained expression on his face that caused his normally ruddy cheeks to not have any color. This man had also not touched a goblet of wine in months and the roundness of his face had been lost. Dionysus was no longer the same god that he once was. The normally carefree god now looked as though he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders and looked more like a god than a friend.

"Dionysus?" Chiron was shocked that the wine god was here. Zeus had closed off Olympus how was it that he was here. "How are you back?"

"Zeus has opened the gates of Olympus once more after many months of arguing on all of our parts," Dionysus slowly pushed his hands through his curly black hair and sat down one of the leather chairs that was across from Chiron. "I'm afraid that I come bearing bad news regarding the campers on Argos II." Dionysus paused taking a deep breath before explaining the events that had unfolded after they had lost contact. "They freed Nico, but at the cost of Perseus and Annabeth. Annabeth had one of Arachne's webs caught around her foot and she was pulled into Tartarus. Mr. Jackson caught her hand, but was also pulled in. They fell into Tartarus Chiron and will have to fight their way through every single monster that they have ever slain to get to the Doors of Death. They will most likely not make it out alive, but I put my faith into them when they were children. They are capable of so much more now than they ever were then, and now they have something to fight for. They will fight for each other so that one day they can grow old and have two point five children. They said these things as they fell, Chiron."

Chiron felt cold to the core. Three of his camper's lives were hanging in the balance and there was nothing he could do. The life of the demigod was never and easy one, but lately it seemed that there was just death upon death upon death. Almost all of the camp counselors were replaced in the middle of the Titan War last summer. Like his campers Chiron was getting tired of the fighting he remembered a time when there was peace and that his campers didn't have to worry about another approaching battle.

"How'd you know?" He asked quietly.

"We've been watching their progress and aiding them in whatever way possible. It was Mr. Jackson's and Miss Chase's fate that caused the anger that was inside all of us to boil to the surface. We're back to help. Though I'm not sure what big of a help we will be now. I will do whatever I can to protect these campers. I swear." Chiron nodded.

"The war council meeting in a few minutes. Would you care to join?"

"I would love to," Dionysus sighed and walked around Chiron's desk and pushed him to the deck where Chiron got out of his chair and was his centaur self again. Slowly one white leg appeared at a time revealing the body of a white stallion. "I'd never thought I'd say this, but I've missed this place, my friend." With that the pair headed toward the amphitheater. For once this war council would not only be between the counselors, but between all the campers.