Lover's Leap:
Standing at the Cliffs' Edge
~Wondering: 'Should I Jump?'~
Seven times Luke let go and one time he fell.
I: Run Away
Luke packs his bag,
Taking care to grab everything he might require.
His MP3 player, of course.
(Along with some spare cash and a picture he drew years ago.)
Slowly, he pulls the faded paper from his jacket folds and (stares) at it,
Then he folds it up again and places it by his w/i/n/d/o/w sill.
He'll leave it there.
(As a sign that he once lived here.)
He leaves his blue and white room [behind] with;
1One1
…Simple…
/Click\ of a door.
(And almost falls down the steps in an effort to escape.)
He promises his Mom to come home for lunch,
He (almost) feels bad that he won't see her again;
He 'shoves' the feeling away.
He has resolved to run.
(Anything that tries to stop him from doing so is a danger.)
He can't stay.
But as his Mom bustles around the kitchen with a friendly smile,
As if she hadn't been:
::Screaming::
About the future only the night before.
(He can't help but think that she might get worse without him being around.)
That's a scary thought,
Luke can't ;;imagine;; his Mom any worse.
Luke has to go.
(Before she drives him as insane as she is.)
She sees him to the porch,
Joking and giggling like any (normal) person.
Only Luke knows what she becomes behind [closed] doors.
They hug:
He tells her that he loves her for possibly the 1first1 time in his life.
It's sad, the 1first1 time he says:
'I love you, Mom'
Is the day he leaves
Luke had never really felt the need to say it before then,
She had never really been a Mom.
(Not someone to go to after a nightmare.)
However,
Luke holds her *tightly* until she prises him from her and tells him that:
She'll
See
Him
Soon
A lump forms in his throat, and he blinks back ',tears',
"Mom… Mom I-"
He begins, but is interrupted,
By a s{w}i{r}l{i}n{g} green mist that spews from her mouth.
Glowing eyes that have haunted him his whole life.
Rasping voice that means 'hide'.
She ((begs)) him not to go:
With warnings of his future
(And that was what did it.)
With terror pulling at his heart,
Luke pulls himself free of her ))grasp(( and runs.
He doesn't look [back].
He can't let himself do so.
…If he did…
And watched his Mom fall to the ground…
Sobbing…
His resolve might weaken.
(He might go back.)
He can't go back,
Ever.
Luke doesn't notice that he's ',crying',
Not until he can taste salt and his face his raw and red;
[He's done it]
He's severed ties with the woman who made his :::life:::
Hell
For
Years.
(But even as he knows he should feel triumphant, there's an ache in his heart.)
If he's run away for good…
?Then why does he feel so bad?
II: Winged-Foot Messenger
Luke tears a scrap of crumpled paper to shreds.
It's almost pitiful,
But it's not.
"Tears"
',drizzle',
Down his cheeks
In s-h-o-r-t fat lumps of water
That quickly forms ~rivers~
And then, it's like he's become a /waterfall\\
(Like that one he once saw on TV.)
Water pouring from brimming lids in great ~waves~ of salty sea
(Rip. Rrrip.)
Luke doesn't know how many times he can rip the paper up;
He doesn't know how long it will be before he can stop ',crying',
All he knows is that:
He
Can't
Stop.
(Rip. Rrrip)
He
Physically
Cannot
Stop:
Destroying the paper,
Stem the "tears",
Fight himself.
And it makes him feel weak.
Feeling weak makes him feel !angry!.
!Anger! is good;
He can deal with !anger!;
Only problem was that Luke was dealing with his !anger!.
(Rip. Rrrip.)
He pauses to wipe his eyes,
A (young) girl with dark brown eyes
And )smile( creases
Glances at him from around her parent.
The queue is moving s-l-o-w-l-y
She tilts her head to one side curiously.
Luke ^scowls^ at her
!Angrily!;
He doesn't want sympathy,
He doesn't want her to look at him.
He just wants to be left alone.
(Is that really too much to ask?)
He's about to start tearing again,
When he realises that he's run out of paper.
He glares at the pile of s/h/r/e/d/d/e/d paper in his hand,
Willing it to burn up.
He doesn't blink,
Focusing all his energy at the paper.
It doesn't work.
Luke throws the remains of his letter as f.a.r as he can,
The white strips fly into the air in a w,h,o,o,s,h.
They hang in mid-air for a 1second1,
Like a
Freeze-frame,
Before falling like *snow*,
To the ground
The girl
In the queue
Watches
He stares around him at the +streaks+ of white.
He won't cry again.
He
Won't.
(But he does.)
It might /wash/ away;
Everything he ever felt for Hermes.
The }winged-foot{ messenger guy.
Who couldn't be bothered.
Never had bothered.
Never would bother.
(Luke didn't care.)
(Or not for long, anyway.)
III: Friends
"That's so cool!"
(It's really not.)
"I can't believe it…"
(You'd better start.)
"Liar!"
(He wishes.)
"You're insane!"
(Maybe…)
"So, you're telling me your dad actually is Hermes; the Greek God.
The freaky people who occasionally try to kill us are monsters from ancient Greek Myths; like Gorgons?
But I can't see them because of something called Mist?
Is that it?"
(?Someone who gets it?)
"I think you need a friend."
"I need a friend so badly right now."
(And, boy doesn't he!)
?Or doesn't he?
Myles is everything he could wish for.
He understands.
Doesn't push
/but is always there/
He accepts Luke.
(Jokes around and hides his stuff, but still accepts.)
Which is m/o/r/e than Luke could have hoped for.
Maybe his life doesn't suck so much?
Jinx
(Forgot to touch wood.)
"Why are you giving me an eraser?"
"It's a sword. It'll keep you safe."
(Liar.)
The *sword-eraser* fails.
It doesn't keep him safe.
Myles is dead.
(?)
It's not true.
It can't be true.
(But it is.)
His body,
b-r-o-k-e-n
B'L,E'E,D'I,N'G
(Luke realises.)
Demigods can't have friends.
Because it always ends badly.
…Luke doesn't want to be %hurt% again…
So he remains alone.
(For a while)
IV: Family
His Mom was scary,
His Dad didn't give a *rat's fart*,
His Godly relatives loved to make life hard,
His mortal relatives thought he was d/e/a/d
(A pretty sucky family)
Until…
Her
Thalia
Thalia Grace
Thals
Lia
Sparky
Bolt
Lightning
'Shut-up-you-insufferable-daughter-of-Zeus-before-I-stick-your-head-on-a-spike'
His Best Friend
(Forever)
And sometimes…
Sometimes; maybe, something more?
(Or was that wish-full thinking?)
She was like a sister,
[And Mom,]
[And brother]
And friend
And everything he had never had.
(As he was everything she hadn't known she wanted.)
Him
Luke
Luke Castellan
Lucky
Luke-y
Thief
Speedy
Jonathon
[Don't even ask]
'Don't-you-dare-you-idiot-of-a-son-of-Hermes-or-I-will-eletrocute-you'
Her Best Friend
(For always)
And 1once1…
She thought maybe…
Just, maybe…
[It wasn't to be]
They became family.
;;Hesitantly;;
S-l-o-w-l-y,
But,
S.u.r.e.l.y
They both = reach = out,
And catch each other.
{Heal} each other.
Then both of them think:
'Maybe it isn't so impossible after all'
(Jinx)
They meet Annabeth
In an \alley/
And become a 3three3.
Perfect.
Mommy, Daddy and baby
Thalia, Luke and Annabeth
She learns to fight, fast
They learn about kids, together
She learns about the world
They learn about innocence
'Yeah'
They say
'We're a family.'
And they are
A dysfunctional,
Crazy,
Upside-down
Family
(But aren't those the best kind?)
Next comes Grover
A (temporary) addition
They don't plan on it
But he /folds/ into their make-shift family
Perfectly
He tells them of a place
Where 'kids like them' are safe
'It's a Camp where demigods like you are trained'
?More demigods?
'I can get you there in five days'
5
Sounds too good to be true
'Are you in?'
Does the question need answering?
They get ready
(Luke can almost hear the monsters behind them)
They'll meet more people like them
Family
(Maybe it didn't suck so much.)
Luke watches in horror
A s/t/r/u/g/g/l/i/n/g, crying kid in 1one1 arm
A f-a-i-n-t-i-n-g satyr in the other
With a yell
(Or a scream)
Luke raises his weapon and )(runs)(
Nobody can catch him
(Spoke too soon)
A body /slams\ into him
Arms grip around his body
Constraining him
'You can't do anything.'
The voice whispers
'No one can.'
Luke screams properly that time
Thalia
((nononononono))
?What was she doing?
?What was he doing?
Thalia's face flashes in his head:
'You owe me one.'
'No Thalia, anything but this.'
'Take Annabeth, I'll be right behind you.'
(Liar)
Luke sobs v.i.o.l.e.n.t.l.y
,,Drops,, to the ground
Rolls out of the guys grip
'Hey!'
Sprints back down the hill
'THALIA!'
(Please, Zeus, no)
She stood II motionless II
An –arrow through her chest
'NOOO!'
Luke was definitely ',crying', now
Thalia turned her head towards him
Eyes warm
They flash with:
Pain
Sorrow
And something else…
(Something he can't quite place…)
Then she drops to her knees
Luke runs forwards
And is shoved back
A blue force-field is :b:l:o:c:k:i:n:g: him
He watches
As a 1single1 vine warps its way around Thalia
It starts at her ankle
(((Binding and twirling)))
All the way to her shoulders
Other's join in
W/e\a/v\i/n\g between each other
}Sprouting{ off from her shoulders
Thalia is forced to her feet by the plants
(Maybe they want to help)
They pause
…
And then conceal her completely
Thalia has gone
Vanished
Disappeared
#Turned into a tree#
A pine tree
(Family defiantly sucks.)
V: Camp
Camp Half-Blood.
Even the name makes him sort-of-kinda-maybe smile,
(He hasn't smiled properly for weeks)
It's a place for people like him&&&Annabeth
(she never made up the hill)
Don't think about that.
He has friends,
And food,
And shelter,
And… well… a home.
(He never thought he'd get those things again)
He finds his talent fast
Sword fighting
Something brave and heroic.
(Something he failed to teach his friend)
Don't think about that.
He works his way ^up^ the /ranks\.
Until he's right at the top
And can't get any higher.
The he gets a quest.
(?Yay?)
He should be excited!
Happy!
Joyful!
But Luke only feels [fear]
[Pain]
He must collect one of Hera's Golden Apples
(Easy, right?)
(Wrong.)
He fails
(again)
Don't think about that.
He failed.
Failed.
Failed.
He's a failure.
No wonder his father doesn't care about him.
Don't think about that.
Then, The Voice speaks.
Tantalizingly
It's right,
Luke thinks.
(But is it?)
Don't think about that.
So
Luke
Doesn't.
(It has to be right)
The Gods are bad
Evil
Destroyers
(They killed Her)
VI: Him
Luke reached out towards the [box]
The inscribed words made him s*h*u*d*d*e*r
Kronos: Lord of Time
Kronos, the Titan
Leader of the Titans
((Encased)) in his body
The …thought… made his knees go w-e-a-k
It was shameful
Downgrading
Terrifying
And Luke wanted out
"Hello, Luke"
A "cold" voice called
He !started!
Nobody else moved
The Voice spoke only to him
"I see you're having second thoughts?"
Yes,
Thought Luke
"No,"
He said aloud
He knew which answer would get him killed
(Well, both would eventually; he supposed)
Luke began to speak
{Doubts} echoed in his head
His face remained a :::mask:::
This was it;
He supposed,
The End
Termination
Fin
Luke grimaced,
His story didn't have a 'happy ending'
He wouldn't be the 1first1 'bad guy' to not
Get the girl
&&And&&
Win the war
(Luke hated doing things second)
Wait
…
?What was he thinking?
He was doubting Lord Kronos
Agreeing that the side he was fighting for - would lose -
The realisation struck him
Like a /l/i/g/h/t/n/i/n/g/ bolt
(And Luke knew what they felt like)
"I am Luke Castellan and the Gods drove me to this"
He finished
This was it
He had realised he was on the 'wrong side'
Just
In
Time
To do absolutely nothing;
Attempt to destroy the people he had just deemed 'right'
"Tut tut, Luke"
Kronos' voice u(t(t(e(r(e(d
{Inside his head now}
Luke felt a film seep over him
Like honey
Oozing and leaching
Until
His
Body
Was
Covered
Luke felt his lips pull into a )smile(
He couldn't help it
"We've been having some traitorous thoughts"
Luke saw the world change colour
A [golden] tint on everything
Then it began to ~spin~
"Nighty-night, Luke-y boy"
And then Luke felt himself t.u.m.b.l.e into an a/b/y/s/s.
VII: Her
Luke hangs onto Her
(His old friend)
The Him&Her&Annabeth of older,
Better
Times
He loses himself
In memories
Of
Them
"Come on Luke, lets' go and kill some monsters!"
"All teenage boys love their inner Superman!"
Blue eyes flashing
Lips quirking
Black hair spiked up in a wind-blown Mohican
Pearly teeth gritted in unwilling pain
(Or a smile)
Thick lashes
A dusting of freckles
Pale skin with scattered scars
(And possibly the ugliest shield of all time)
Everything that made Her:
Thalia Grace
(Daughter of Zeus)
He knew Her like the
Back
Of
His
Hand
(Or better, hands change over time and She never did)
From Her sleeping habits
To Her fear of heights
To Her love of cheese burgers
"We're friends forever, right?"
"Yeah, forever and always."
(Luke used to hate liars)
((And hypocrites))
Everything was
Perfect
(For a short time)
Then She got turned into a tree
(A pine tree)
/I\
/\\
/\\\
/With fir\
/And seeds\
/And branches\
/\\\\\\\\\\
I Oh, I
And She protected the Camp She had never reached
(The Camp that effectively killed Her)
Because She was dead
Dead
Dead
(As a doornail)
"She's not dead"
Said the old centaur
"Trees are alive"
Said a green nymph
"She's asleep, healing"
Which of course: helped so much
(Not)
"She's NOT dead! She can't be!"
"Of course she's not dead Annie, trees are alive! Thalia's just… sleeping"
Luke convinced the little girl
It worked
Annabeth could sleep soundly once more
Luke only wished his
Insomnia
Could *vanish* just as fast
With only a few reassuring words
'Thalia's not dead'
Luke told himself
Over
&And&
Over
'Thalia's not dead'
He didn't really believe it though
If She were alive, She wouldn't be hiding out in a tree
But something
Inside
Of him
Wouldn't let him give up on Her
Wouldn't let him say She wasn't coming back
[EVER]
(Maybe part of him had known Thalia Grace couldn't have been defeated by some vines)
So Luke visited the tree every day
Sometimes only for a minute
-Pressing- his hand to the #truck#
Hoping for a slight pressure
Squeezing back
A sign that She was still there
Other times he would sit there for hours
Talking
About his day
About the campers
About Annabeth
About him
Or sometimes he would remain
Silent
And absorb the sense of strength that always came from being around Her
However faint
(It would always be there)
Unless, of course, someone were to {poison} Her tree
As he .:kneels:. there
With a d/a/g/g/e/r in 1one1 hand
A [vial] of gorgon blood in the other
A sick feeling ^rises^
From the pit of his stomach
?How can he do this?
A voice screams:
"STOP IT!"
Luke stops
Hardly daring to breathe
Because
For a second
He could have sworn
That
He had heard
Thalia Grace
He willed Her to talk again
But another voice did so
The Voice
Speaks to him
From some shadowed corner of his mind
"Do it, Luke."
The blade presses to the bark
He begs for Her voice to break through the quiet
But nothing comes
Then,
"Do it, Luke. Now!"
He \stabs/ down
There's a c-r-a-c-k-i-n-g noise
He pours the vial's contents into the fissure
A ',tear', trickling down his cheek
A branch creaks
Needles fall
They turn yellow
Luke turns around
And
II Walks II
Away
?
(Like the bad guy he is)
He fought Her
He fought Her
He fought Her
He can't believe it
They had battled
In armour
With weapons
And the intention of killing one another
She had tried to kill him
(And that was what hurt the most)
She hadn't let him explain
Hadn't joined the cause he had started for Her
He had been certain She would
Understand
Appreciate
Join
But she hadn't
Then
She
Joined the Hunters
'The Immortal girls'
(Who she said she'd would never join)
'The Eternal Virgins'
Who, had forsaken all love
In return for endless –hunting
With the Goddess Artemis
(Another Olympian who didn't try to save Her)
Whom She had forgiven
For never helping
For never listening
And for, oh,
Letting Her die?
(Or not, as it had turned out)
Luke didn't (?) understand (?)
But then again,
Thalia had always been a *better person*
Always would be
Forever
(Literally)
Thalia was beyond him
From then on
They were enemies
And he wouldn't spare a 2second2 thought
(2nd)
For the
#Death# of
Thalia Grace
(Daughter of Zeus)
"Kill everyone"
The golden-eyed boy said.
"Everyone?"
The boy in an eye-patch questioned,
Already drawing his sword
"Everyone"
A pause
…
And then a different tone of voice
Desperate
Pleading
Trapped
"Spare Her. Please"
Ethan cast his gaze suspiciously
"Who?"
The boy seemed thrown.
"NOBODY!"
He boomed
Then,
"The Hunter with the silver circlet and punk clothes"
He dragged at his throat
"Don't let anyone touch Her"
The titan regained control
"Kill everyone."
"Of course, Lord"
Ethan replied,
He looked back at the Titan leader
His eyes were blue
Focused
Frantic
The eyes of Luke Castellan
(The lost boy)
Ethan nodded once
They could spare the girl.
Gold c.l.o.u.d.e.d over blue once more
"This is my body now."
Kronos whispered
"You'll do as I command, now let go."
Let
Go
He made it sound so e-a-s-y
Luke wanted to ((shout));
To scream;
To let all his {bottled} feelings and declarations out
"Let go"
The Voice said again
And Luke d/i/d
Lover's Leap:
Luke opened his eyes. He was sitting, on the dirt, feet hanging over the precipice of a rock face. The stones beneath him shifted uncomfortably as he stared around him at his surroundings. Where was he? Luke didn't recognize his surroundings immediately, and then as the picturesque scene around him came into focus he breathed out.
He was at a Lover's Leap.
How fitting, he thought dryly rubbing his fingers over a sharp jut. To be brought here. Luke stopped as the crunching of foot-steps sounded from behind him. He knew who it was; who it would always be.
"Hello, Thalia," he said quietly, peering over the edge of the cliff. He couldn't see where it ended, just that it went down a long, long way and that he could see clouds drifting beneath him, hanging like fog. She took her time to answer, settling comfortably by his side, just as he took his time to look around.
"Hello, Luke," he forced himself to turn his gaze from the fluctuating vapours and drag it to the girl by his side. Their eyes met, strength flooded through Luke as he drank in the vital feeling of having Thalia by his side once more. For a long while, they just stared, gazes locked and then she broke away to glance around. She brushed her hair away from her eyes, Luke noticed she wasn't wearing a circlet in her hair and felt his heart leap in his chest. She looked younger too, like she had when it had been just her and him. Lithe frame and wild eyes, but a slightly youthful expression and a crooked smile, Luke watched her intently as a puzzled dip between her eyebrows caused her blue eyes to flash. She looked back at him. "Where are we?" she asked. Luke wanted to wrap his arms around her, but locked them to his sides; if this was a dream, he wanted it to last forever.
"I'm not exactly sure," he chose his words carefully. "A Lover's Leap of some kind." Thalia's expression became one of unwilling understanding as she sighed.
"How fitting," she half chuckled.
Wind began to rustle, blowing leaves from some trees that Luke hadn't notice before towards them. Luke waited for the cold taps of decaying leaves to brush against his skin, but none came. He looked down; his body had become a blurred mass of colour, like a child's charcoal drawing. He looked to Thalia and saw that the same thing had happened to her, with a faded outline that let her almost blend in with the surroundings and blue feral eyes that shone brighter. "What's happening?" He asked, not able to panic in the presence of a calm Thalia after so long. She studied him through crayoned lashes.
"We're not actually here," she paused, catching a leaf in her hand, bringing it back into focus. "Or, maybe we are. You," she pointed at him, letting the sprig fly away, and swirl in the currents of wind like a lost dancer, "Are physically in Manhattan, with Kronos controlling your body." Luke gulped, now the dream would end, Thalia would hate him again and he would return to the nightmare of his life, right where it had finished, with Ethan realising wrong from right. Thalia continued, without even a snide comment. "However, you're mentally here, with me. And me? I'm here because you brought me to you," she lowered her gaze. "I'm not the real Thalia Grace," she explained. "Just your version of Thalia, that's why I look so young; because that's the age I was when we were together." She smiled at him, her sketchy figure slanting and a wispy sunrise beginning to appear. "You look younger too, Luke," her voice changed to the softer tone that had once been reserved for only him and that he had imagined her using again and again, but never thought he'd actually hear again.
"How so?" he questioned, throat dry and voice catching. Thalia brought her palm towards his face, and brushed his cheek left gently.
"You don't have a scar," was the simple answer he received. Luke smiled genuinely down at Thalia; her hand cupped his cheek, pale skin against tan, and she rested it there for a long moment in which Luke forgot to breathe.
"You're here," Luke said quietly.
"I've always been here," Thalia replied quietly. "In here," she touched his forehead, "and in here," she pressed her hand to his chest, and to Luke it felt as if she was actually touching his heart. They sat like that for a while, drking in each other's presence. "So," Thalia's voice sounded strange after the long pause. "What are you going to do now?" she wasn't accusing or angry, just curious and Luke felt his heart swell.
"What do you mean: do?" Luke wished she would go back to just talking and letting him sit there, at peace. Thalia shot him a look that he hadn't seen for years. It made his cracked lips smile; it was good to see it again.
"I mean," Thalia's voice crackled with the energy and intensity that no one else's possessed. "What are you going to do about stopping that evil Titan Lord that's inhabiting your body and attempting to destroy the world as we know it, for a cause that we both agree is wrong?" She stopped to inhale and in the absence of words attempted to slam her fist onto the ground to push her point. However, her hand simply vanished through the earth and her whole arm became a ghostly spectre. "Damn, that's going to get old!" she cussed and Luke felt his old-style smirk creep its way onto his features. "Are you laughing at me?" Thalia pointed her finger challengingly at him, sparks flying off the end and singeing his eyebrows. Luke couldn't help it, he laughed and fell silent; then, Thalia chuckled once. They caught each other's eyes, and before he knew it, they were hugging.
"I've missed you, Thals," Luke said once they broke apart, the air between them officially cleared.
"I wish I could say the same, Jonathon," Luke grimaced at his nickname. "Really, that still gets to you?" Thalia asked incredulously and then shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry, anyway; I would say that I've missed you too, but I've been stuck in your head."
"Whaaat?" Luke dragged out the syllable as he shook his head.
"I'm the little voice in your head that kept shouting 'NO!' Your conscience, sense of right, decency-"
"Alright, alright!" Luke interrupted. "I get it!" Thalia gazed at him expectantly. "Okay, fine; I don't get it. How were you in my head again?" Thalia opened her mouth to reply, probably with a cutting joke at his expense; when suddenly the cliffs vanished, so did Thalia. Luke looked around, everything was hazy and fuzzy, like he was watching an old video tape or through some dirty window.
"I WILL CRUSH YOU CHILD!" The voice blew Luke off his feet… or it would have, if Luke had any feet to speak of, but everything below his chest had vanished and maybe even above that too, but Luke could see to tell. Vaguely, Luke recognized Annabeth, standing limply before him. Percy and Grover filtered in the corner of his eye and the destroyed Olympian throne room made him step (float?) back in shock.
"LUKE!" Thalia was sitting next to him again, shaking his shoulders roughly. "We don't have much time," she spoke urgently and quickly, barely pausing to respire. "Kronos is getting ready to change. It's going to kill you, Luke. He's going to kill everyone!" She leant forwards, "He's going to kill me; the real me, Hunter me." Luke licked his parched lips, about to start scuffing his boot on the rocks that appeared beneath him again, before remembering that it would past straight through.
"Are you Thalia Grace?" he asked. She locked gazes with him again.
"Possibly," she offered, Luke nodded. And nodded again, fixing a determined expression to his face. That was all he needed. "You know what you'll have to do?" Thalia asked, she faded in and out of his vision, letting disturbingly opaque rays of the still-rising sun. Luke nodded.
"Yeah," They stood up awkwardly. Thalia put out her hand, Luke took it and they shook firmly, and then embraced. Thalia turned, and then swivelled back around.
"I'll wait." She floundered, then back-tracked. "I mean- Only if you want me to…" Luke put one finger to her lips and held out his right hand.
"Come with me?" the question was filled with insecurity and hope, more fragile than a butterfly's wing. Thalia smiled and grasped his hand firmly.
"I thought you would never ask,"
Luke's hand was grasped around a knife, no a dagger: Annabeth's dagger. Without even thinking, Luke plunged it into his mortal point, under his left arm. Pain was immediate and overwhelming. It scorched every inch of him until Luke was certain he had been sent to the pits of Tartarus and everything was already over. And then, he could see again. Annabeth, Percy and Grover were kneeling by his body. Worry was glazing their eyes as his old friends tried to reassure him. It was all Luke could do not to laugh. Thalia stood in the background sketchy and pale, but vitally there.
Luke held up a hand for Annabeth, his little sister, to take. She did so, and in that moment he felt her forgive him, she had forgiven him. Even though he had done unjustifiably awful things to her, when he knew that she would always believe in him. He had used her, so many times, but now; like this as he felt life slipping away, Luke felt the bond between them surge back, linking him to the little girl he and Thalia had found in an alley so many years ago. Luke squeezed her hand, letting her know that he was there, again; after all long years of not. He had apologized, kind of; he had said all he could. Luke looked back at Thalia who had drifted closer. He parted his lips, trying to force out the words, but they got jammed in his throat. He wanted to say something tactful, explanative, something that would sweep her off her feet (although Thalia was floating several metres above the ground, like a punk angle). However, Luke being Luke gave up after almost splitting his head in two with effort, he would go for it.
"Did you- Did you love me?" Luke's heart stopped for a second and jerked. Annabeth was saying something, but all Luke could see was Thalia. She smiled slowly, nodded her head once and held out her hand to him. Luke nodded bravely, she did. Or at least, this Thalia did; his Thalia did. That was all that mattered now. Luke wished he could grab her hand and never let go, follow her wherever she took him, because she had forgiven him too; but there was a couple more things he had left to right yet. Grover spoke quietly, desperately. Luke was reminded of a time when he was part of a different group of four, running up a hill with monsters chasing after them at frightening speeds and with only one purpose.
"-ambrosia," the satyr was saying hopefully. Luke's heart lifted again, Grover had forgiven him too, but at the same time a cold feeling was beginning to encase his heart, like a block of ice. A sudden image of a girl in a bandana, grasping a spear and frozen solid came to mind. "We can-" Luke admired the satyr even as he interrupted. There was no going back now, he was already slipping.
Luke was back by the cliff; wind was rushing past him, blowing his hair around his face. Thalia was standing next to him again, their hands still intertwined. Together, they took another step towards the very brink of the bluff. A couple of pebbles scattered and dropped from the overhang, through the grey clouds like fallen birds. He looked down at his Thalia again, she looked up at him, they smiled bravely and Luke imagined the strength it must have taken Thalia to stand there, unwavering beside him when he knew her fear of heights should have rendered her terrified. Then they were back, with pain overwhelming him and Thalia holding out her hand. Luke turned to Percy, the silent boy who had braved so much, and gripped his sleeve. His skin felt freezing, like ice; but it was Percy who flinched away, as though he had been burnt. Luke wished he could apologize, secure the forgiveness from Percy as he had from everyone else. But weakness had caught up and it was all he could do to spit out his last request. Percy had every right to ignore it, to turn away from the person who had tried to kill him so many times. But, just like everyone else, Percy nodded and gripped his arm.
"I promise," the words echoed around the room; or maybe just inside Luke's head, Percy had forgiven him. He could leave now. Luke looked at Thalia once again, nodded and reached out. He felt himself wriggle free from the dead-weight of his body and the sensation of liberty overtook him for a second. Then Thalia took his hand and they were gone again, leaving behind the mess Luke had created and the world from which they came.
"Should I jump?" Luke wondered aloud. He looked to his companion who shrugged.
"It doesn't matter, we're going anyway." She sounded excited and nervous at once. Luke tipped one foot over the edge experimentally. "Although," she continued, "if this is your last moment, you might as well have some fun." They grinned at each other and leapt from the cliff, hand-in-hand. There was a loud thunder clap and a bright strike of lightning. As they began to fall, slower than Luke had imagined, Luke drew Thalia closer to him, wrapping his arms around her. She twisted her arms around his neck, crooking her neck back to stare up at him. They stayed like that for a long time, falling and staring. I wonder when we'll reach the bottom, Luke thought; we can't be far off now. He looked back at the dark-hair girl in his arms, if this is my last moment… and then he kissed her. They twined together and held onto each other tightly, as if each of them were expecting the other to disappear, as events had always played out for them. The Fates, however, left the daughter of Zeus and son of Hermes alone, the prophecy was finished, the eight defining moments of Luke Castellan's unfortunate life was over, they had no more business with the two.
So as Luke and Thalia fell and fell and fell, they kissed, not needing air, or food, drink. All they needed was each other and that was all they would ever need. Such is the story of Lover's Leap, where the fall never ends and love never dies.
You're all I'm reaching for
It's already over
All I'm reaching for
It's already over now
I'd give it all to you
I offer up my soul
It's already over, already over now
RED
Already Over