It had been a very long time since I hadn't been able to use my sword.

My knuckles were already bleeding, a black eye already forming from a stray hit that I hadn't ducked, and yet all I was trying to do was frantically watch Hector scramble up the rock wall like a spider and jam his daggers into an overhanging ledge. I had no idea what he was trying to accomplish, but I hoped through whatever it was, he'd be okay. I turned to the next mortal and broke his nose, sending him sprawling on the ground.

As I looked around, I observed that many Camp kids had brought along hammers, clubs, and whips with which the roped the mortals up and hog tied them, throwing them off to the side before engaging with another. Archer had begun to swing his bow upside their heads while Aquila's nunchucks worked just fine, but the celestial bronze spikes had no effect.

I ducked, and then used the shoulders of my opponent to flip through the air over his head and chop down onto his shoulder blades as I spun to the ground behind him. I panted, wiping blood and sweat from my brow. Prometheus was far off, impossible to get to through this raging hoard. Except for Hector, who continued to stab his celestial bronze blades into the rock, his brown curls flying over his eyes, which was beginning to rumble. Prometheus was glancing behind him, a pained expression on his regal features, and not noticing Hector ahead and above him. My eyes widened. Oh Hades no.

With a final 'crack!' the rock seemed to fall in slow motion just as Prometheus moved past it. He looked up with a cry as it fell to him, throwing his arms over his head. Hector clung to the stone desperately, and when the dust cleared, Prometheus was spread eagled and moaning on his stomach, trapped under the boulder. Hector jumped down, pushing brown locks from his face as he leaned down and pried the vial from the titan's fingers.

I could only watch as he jogged over to join the fray, straight to me. My gods. My boyfriend had just trapped a titan using two daggers and a rock. I could hear the freaking wedding bells.

The sounds of battle faded slowly as he strode up to me, grinning. He slid the vial into my hand. "I believe this is yours, m'lady."

"That it is," I breathed, stuffing it into my pocket, but not taking my eyes from his. Before I did something too dramatic, I grabbed him and kissed him before getting back to work.

I signaled to Percy over the heads of snarling mortals that we had what we needed. Hector appeared beside me and smashed his fist into someone that had been coming at me from the right, but as I turned to thank him, several more bruised and bloodied mortals clawed towards me, and when Hector stopped them, they snatched him up instead, holding his arms, kneeing his stomach.

"No!" I shouted in a rusty, strangled voice as I ran to him. They dragged him to the highest point of the battleground, drawing one of his long daggers slowly from its sheath and turning it to catch the dim light from the sea's surface.

The sounds of the fight were slowly ending as well as the mortals lay unconscious at the hands of the demigods, who were ragged and worn, turning their attention to the sight of my Hector being held up with his own dagger at his throat.

I heard Percy breathe out a prayer as I scrambled up to where they held Hector, followed closely by Archer and Aquila.

"One more step and get covered with his blood," the mortal snarled us, moving backward.

We obliged, stopping in our tracks. "Give me the elixir," the mortal said.

Hector shook his head very fast.

I stared, slowly sliding the vial from my pocket.

"Gods, no, Clio!" Hector yelled out, beads of dark blood starting to trickle down his neck, past his strong collarbone. "Not after everything-"

They clapped a hand over his mouth. Archer stared at me. Aquila stared at the vial. I stared at the knife threatening the life of my best friend. With his big blue eyes and grin and strong, warm hands. And I knew what I had to do.

I walked forward. "Um, Clio?" Percy said nervously from behind Aquila and Archer.

"It'll be okay," I said, almost in a dreamlike state to avoid thinking too much. My shaking and blood-splattered hand held out the vial to the mortal. He relaxed, lowering the dagger from Hector, his eyes locked onto the golden liquid. I breathed. The dagger lowered to his side and his hand reached for the glass container that caused all of this trouble.

I closed my eyes. I opened them. I gazed into the terrified blue of Hector's. And that's when I shoved the vial instead into Hector's hand and pushed him to the ground. He gasped and fell while I did what I could to move away from the mortal before me. But as I knew all along, I wouldn't be fast enough.

I barely heard the outraged cry of the man as Hector's dagger sunk into my chest.

My name was screamed as I fell, running feet rushing at the mortal to tackle him.

I forgot how much dying hurt.

My vision was beginning to spot and shake. I saw Archer and Aquila hurry to me, Hector crawl to my side and grapple for my hand.

I heard the word 'no' repeated so many times. Felt their tears cooling my face.

I coughed, feeling blood trickle from my mouth. Punctured lungs.

It was Hector's hands that tried to shove ambrosia in my mouth, pour nectar on my wounds, though I knew it would do no good.

"Please, Clio, Clio please." Hector's face against mine. Archer's desperate attempts at healing chants through sobs.

But it was Aquila with whom I locked eyes. I knew I could count on her to have her head on straight. To know that it was all no use.

She knew. And she slipped a bag of drachmas into my hand, holding it closed. "To pay Charon," she whispered.

My body grew numb as tried to open my eyes. Hector was pure white and shaking, but his eyes retained their blue. I touched his face. Smiled. "Look at me," I whispered, feeling more blood slide down from my lips.

"Clio…" he said, pressing his forehead to mine.

Nothing needed to be said. I didn't close my eyes. I spiraled out, breathed out, went out, falling into blue. Then to black.

Don't kill me.

Seriously, I have a chapter and an Epilogue left; don't give up now!

Um, so yeah. Comments would be great, and... reviewers...

The Invisible Pretender: I hope this one isn't so bad... hehe... he... not funny, I know.

ME: That's fine! I'm glad you liked it! And when I read that last part, I fell backwards onto the couch with my feet in the air like a dead cat and made strange dying fish noises. THANK YOU!

WingDawn: Well, here's the beginning of the end... Thank you! Hehe, yeah...

Love you, don't hate me,

~LoneStorm