This is the only time I'll do a disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians but Atlanta Hunter is mine.
As I said on '28 days 13 hours and 45 minutes' (which is rated M for anyone who wants to read that) I wasn't going to upload this or even write this but due to some pursuasion from my friends and OcToPiRsQuIsHy its here so, read on.
...blood was pounding in my ears as Percy handed me the knife. Fighting off every thought and urge inside of me to lunge forward and attack him but instead undid the clasp of my armour. I let the blade balance itself in my hand. I took one last look at her lifeless body lying where he'd...I'd, thrown her. 'I'm sorry Atlanta, I really am...' I hesitated before deciding fully on my choice. 'Well this is it...goodbye, girl...it was fun while it lasted...'
I looked away and plunged the dagger into my arm, my only weak spot. It wasn't much but it hurt like Hades. I let a cry escape my throat as my body was overwrought with fire. He was yelling too, at my choice and at the knowledge that he was defeated. I mentally laughed before my legs gave in and the ground rushed up towards me...
There was just darkness. It swam in front of my eyes. I blinked and tried vainly to keep my eyes open. I had to; I was finally free. Free. My mind was finally free. My mind was finally free of him. If I was strong enough I would have laughed. If she was here I would have kissed her and hugged her and never let her go. But I wasn't and she couldn't.
I was a bloody mess. I knew there was no saving me now, I knew that right when I had the blade in my hand, and maybe I knew that right when I first left camp, just not the way I imagined it now.
The words that came out of mouth weren't thought through, just words of a dead man. I said stupid things about stuff that never mattered, like if Annabeth ever loved me. The answer didn't affect me; I already knew it. Just because I hadn't thought any of it through doesn't mean that I didn't mean it.
I took control of my mind one last time before talking specifically to Percy: "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it...don't let it happen again..." He nodded. My voice faded into nothing. I smiled one last time before I breathed one last breath...
Annabeth was crying and Percy was trying to comfort her. I hadn't realised it before but they were going to be a couple and a sweet one at that; at least someone was going to be able to look after her now I was gone.
Grover just stood there, tears in his eyes. He'd always been a bit of a weird satyr but then he was Grover. I'm glad I actually told him what I thought of him: that he was the best satyr in the world. He was never upset and always upbeat about everything. You could always count on him.
It was just those three in the throne room, discounting Atlanta. Thalia wasn't there either. I'd vaguely over heard that she was outside, trapped under a statue. She'd taken this the hardest. I mean, it can't get worse than dying, being resurrected, being used as a pawn in a much larger plot than she thought then not being there to see a lifelong friend die. I'd make it up to her, somehow. She was with the hunters now; I wouldn't be allowed any contact even if I was still alive.
I hadn't noticed that the Gods had returned to their place of power or that Hermes had lifted my body off the floor and into his arms. I looked round trying to take all the activity in before something caused me to look back over to her. No one had really noticed that she was there after I stole the 'spotlight'. I didn't need the attention, she did. If someone didn't notice soon then she'd be joining me. I couldn't, wouldn't, let that happen. I'd controlled and taken so much out of life, I just couldn't end it as well. She deserved to live on without me. One day we'd meet again, just not today.
She coughed again, not the same as before though. This one contained blood. I'd really done it this time, I'd really hurt her this time. I had no medical knowledge but I knew that coughing up blood is not a good thing. I wanted more than anything to go over to her to hold her and tell her everything will be alright. I just couldn't though. I closed my eyes, I couldn't take it anymore.
When I opened them, Artemis was doing exactly what I had wanted to do: hold her close and let instincts take over. I felt, well, kinda jealous. She could do everything I wanted and I couldn't. I'm dead. Wow that sounded surreal. Atlanta violently coughed again, sending beads of blood down her shirt. Her eyelids parted slighted and her green eyes, once vibrant and sparkling, were now dull and full of death. She looked at me. I looked at her. Her pale lips parted slightly, as if she was trying to tell me something. I shook my head; she needed all the strength she had to pull through. She took now notice and swallowed.
Everything seemed to slow down. Everyone apart from us moved in slow motion and they made no sound. It was just me and her at that moment. It was so quiet I could her heart beat, incredibly slow, and her breathing, shallow and rasping; she needed medical attention, fast. In her weakened state I could barely hear her words over her breathing. "I love you Luke..." The whole thing went downhill quickly after that. The world sped up and she totally collapsed into her mother's arms. I lunged forward, forgetting that there was nothing I could do. A hand grasped my wrist and I turned round to face the owner: Thanatos. I looked back to her and Artemis. The latter was yelling at her twin to do something to save her. She was in safe hands. I looked back to Thanatos. I let my arm go limp. "I'm ready..."
