So, Chapter 25. Don't worry, it's not the last chapter even though it's titled It Ends. There's going to be 30 chapters, possibly 29, the last one being an epilogue. So, enjoy this chapter!

The battle didn't last longer than a few minutes, mainly because of the island collapsing behind us. But let me tell you about the fight first.

After Jessica took my Jason line everything happened so quickly I barely kept up with it: and I'm a demigod with ADHD.

The first thing that happened was the earthborn attacking the lay – whatever they're called. Then those two-headed men came at us along with the Cyclopes. This time they had no orders to capture, just kill.

I whipped out one of my swords, my blade clashing with one of the two headed men's swords. I knew how to use a sword from the war with the Roman's but I was far from good. Thankfully so were these guys, so we were evenly matched.

Unfortunately they didn't play fair, kicking at me and fighting in a completely unorthodox style. I struggled to gain the upper hand as three more of them ran at me. I growled and as he pulled his sword up to swing I threw mine at him in complete frustration.

He looked down at the sword sticking out of his chest in surprise, his sword held out like he was waiting for someone to pitch him a ball.

"Just die already!" I yelled, completely frustrated. I ripped his sword out of his heads and swung a hommer, taking his heads right of his shoulder.

"Home run!" I cheered, spinning and swinging my sword at the first two-headed man to reach me. He went from two heads to no heads.

"You're a dork!" Jessica called to me, stabbing a Cyclopes in the chest.

I winked at her as I attacked another man, I swung downwards at him but he dodged and the blade hit the ground, snapping in two. I starred at the handle. "Junk."

The man ran at me and was about to impale me when I panicked and threw the handle at him and hit him between the eyes on his right head, stunning him for a second and allowing me to tackle him. I took one of my daggers and cut his heads off, I figured that was the best way to kill these creatures.

I got up and was immediately smacked in the arm by a cub and sent tumbling, my dagger falling out of my hand. I looked up and saw a Cyclopes grinning down at me. I reached out for my dagger as it grabbed me, cutting me off from my other weapons and pinning my good arm. I felt metal under my fingers as I was lifted into the air and I grabbed it, not caring that the blade was digging into my palm. I reared up and stabbed the Cyclopes in its eye, realising that this was the broken blade of the two-headed guys sword.

The Cyclopes dropped me and I landed rolling, although it unfortunately didn't disintegrate like I had hoped. My had was bleeding pretty badly so I used my left hand to pull out a throwing knife, changing my aim and throwing it at an Earthborn about to throw rocks at Raymond.

I jumped out of the way of the Cyclopes randomly swung club and I heard it hit one of the Cannibals, crushing it's skull. I left the Cyclopes alone to kill it's brethren and I attacked some Cannibals instead, slicing through them with my dagger and throwing knives. I felt elated, thinking we had a chance of winning this.

Naturally that's when everything started going wrong.

I heard a crunch and Jessica screamed. I spun and saw her rolling on the ground, the Cyclopes I had stabbed in the eye cheering and heading after her, smashing it's club on the ground. Jessica got up and stabbed a two-headed man but ended up getting back-handed by the last surviving earthborn and sent flying into the water in the bay.

She didn't resurface.

"Jessica!" I screamed, fighting my way towards her. But Raymond was two steps ahead of me. He was by the water, he put his sword away and dove in after her, leaving me on my own to fight a dozen enemies.

Now I know what you're probably wondering; how long did you last? Well, I would've died – or gotten seriously injured – ten seconds into the fight if the island didn't collapse.

It started out okay. I attacked the monsters like I never had before, furious that they had hurt my friends. It was my fault really, I should have killed that Cyclopes. Speaking of that Cyclopes, I had just taken off three of an Earthborn's arms when I was smacked in the back by a club, falling forwards and impaling the Earthborn. It turned into clay and I spun onto my back, seeing the Cyclopes grinning triumphantly and raising the club for the kill. I was about to move when two of the two-headed men pinned me down. One held my arms above my head and the other grabbed my legs and they were strong. No amount of struggling could get me free.

I was sure I was dead, but then the ground shook and the Cyclopes staggered, bringing down its club on the ground next to me – and leaving quite a huge dent. The monsters started roaring in anger, starring out over the bay. I tried to use that moment to break free but they tightened their grip on me.

"Spill her blood." One of the men rasped. "Wake the Earth Mother!"

Another walked towards me with a sword and I struggled, starring at them in fear. My mind went blank, no tricks and no magic could save me now.

Where were Raymond and Jessica? Where was Daniel?

"No!" I yelled, struggling violently. "Let me go!"

The man lifted the sword up high, ready to impale me like it was a spear and I realised that it was my sword, the one my mom had given me.

"Thanks a lot mom." I muttered.

He brought the sword down, aiming for my heart. I screamed and twisted violently in their grip, jerking my body to the side. By some miracle I managed to break free, but I was too slow.

My sword impaled me, going straight through my shoulder and into the ground below me, pinning me to the spot. I screamed in agony, tears filling my eyes. But it was worse than the physical pain, the wound was starting to smoke and I remembered my early days at camp, trying to heal a stab victim. The blade had eaten away at their soul until they died, it hadn't been fast, or pretty.

And now I was going to die like that, if I didn't die today.

Blood spilled out of my wound, soaking the ground beneath me. But it was obvious that it wasn't going to wake the Gaea, nothing was happening. Daniel must have done something at the cave to stop Gaea and destroy what was in there. But where was he?

"Useless Demigod." The man rasped above me. "To weak to wake the earth mother." He turned to look at the two cannibals that remained and he nodded at them, which was weird because he had two heads.

They started to build a fire while I tried to think of ways to free myself. They had let go of me, probably because I was stuck to the ground, literally.

I reached over and grabbed the sword, trying to yank it out but the blade only sliced open my palm, and the handle was too far up there to reach, unless I sat up. Which I couldn't do because I was impaled.

They actually got a good bonfire going. They cannibals walked over to me, ripping my sword from my shoulder and tossing it to the side, I bit my lip to keep in my cry of pain but I bit a little too hard and made myself bleed.

They grabbed me and despite how much I struggled it was pointless. They tied me to a tree trunk and held me over the fire. I felt the heat sear my face and I began to panic, thinking of the empousi and their fire hair.

My blood sizzled when it touched the fire and I honestly thought I was going to die of a heart attack instead of burning to death.

Then I was drenched with water, the fire sizzling out and grey smoke rising from it and making me cough. They dropped the tree and I fell into the embers, gasping in pain for multiple reasons, to many to list.

I felt the ropes get cut and then the tree was rolled off of me, I was rolled over and I saw Jessica above me, smiling and soaking wet.

"We did it." She said. "We won."

I laughed weakly and smiled, Raymond came over, looking as good as new, but his clothes were shredded and he looked exhausted.

"Took you long enough." I said with a tiny grin. "I was starting to get nervous."

"Duty called." Raymond said, collapsing beside me. "But we did it. It's over."

I sat up and looked around. "What do you mean? The Island and that creature, we have to stop it."

"The island collapsed." Raymond said. "I don't know what happened but it collapsed into the bay, there's nothing left. Whatever was on that island . . . is dead."

I didn't understand at first, I knew Raymond was talking about the monster but he made it sound like more than that had died.

And then I remembered.

And then I cursed myself for sending him out there in the first place. And then I started to cry silently. "Are you sure he's dead?" I whispered.

Raymond shrugged helplessly. "He hasn't come back." He said softly, his voice thick from forcing back tears and filled with guilt. "I sent him out there." He whispered. "I sent him to die."

"No." Jessica said. "It wasn't your fault."

"She's right." I said softly. "It's mine. I sent him to the boat, your idea made sense, but it was me that suggested it. Me. I killed him."

"No." Jessica said. "It's none of your faults. You want to blame someone? Blame Gaea, or blame the gods for sending us in the first place." I looked up, surprised at the amount of anger in her voice. Jessica stood up, clenching her fists and started screaming at the sky.

"It's your fault!" She screamed. "I'm sick of fighting your battles for you! I'm sick of dying for you! I'm tired of it! Fight your own battles for once! Do something to help your kids for once! Do something!"

Then she collapsed, sobbing.

Raymond walked over to her, hugging her and soothing her. I sat up, my entire body aching. I took off my bracelet and rummaged through my bag for the ambrosia, nectar and bandages. I ate a little ambrosia and trickled some nectar on my wound before grabbing the bandages, wondering how I was supposed to wrap it myself.

I stared over the water at the fog and back at Raymond. I swallowed and said. "Can you . . . can you find his body at least?"

Raymond looked over at me. "You want to bury him? I think the water burial is fitting, him being a – a descendant of Poseidon and all."

"He needs a drachma to get into the Underworld. And besides, this is the land beyond the gods." I said. "Poseidon has no power here."

Raymond nodded and stood up, walking into the bay and diving in. Jessica walked over and we bandaged each other's wounds, she was concerned about my shoulder wound but I was more concerned about what was taking Raymond so long. Sea monster? Was his body buried under ruble? The suspense was killing me.

"We have to get you back to camp." Jessica mussed. "ASAP, an Apollo camper might be able to – to . . ." Her voice broke.

"Jess." I said softly, making her look at me. "To be taken and locked in a cage –"

She cut me off, wiping away her tears. "Never to return until the lands golden age. I know, okay! Do you think that makes me feel better? Knowing you'll be taken away? When the hell is the golden age anyways? It could be a hundred years for all you know!"

My eyes watered. "I know." I whispered. "I just . . . that last line gives me hope. It says I'll return. I'm clinging onto it, it's my lifeline."

Jessica sobbed and then I was engulfed in a hug. I started to cry to, sobbing into her shoulder. I felt my combat suit dissolve, leaving me in the torn dress and Daniel's jacket.

Daniel . . .

I cried harder, vowing that I'd never take off his jacket, that I'd keep it to remember him.

We sat together, facing the water without saying a word as we waited. Jessica chewed on her nails anxiously and I twirled a lock of hair between my fingers. It seemed like forever when we saw it.

A boat.

I stood and Jessica squinted, frowning. I didn't bother to make a comment, my gaze on the people in the boat. Raymond and Daniel. I held my breath as they got closer, Daniel was slumped in the boat, and I wasn't sure if he was moving.

The moment the boat touched the dock I ran forwards, pulling Daniel out of the boat.

"Ow." He muttered.

"You're alive." I whispered, tears of relief spilling down my face. I laughed, and I didn't care how hysterical I sounded, we were all alive and I was happy. I hugged him tightly, laying across his chest and burying my face in the crook of his neck, laughing and crying at the same time. Raymond and Jessica joined in and we dogpiled Daniel. When we were done I got out my camera and we all posed, using the last of the film to portray our grubby, soaked and bandaged selves. But we were all smiling, all happy that we were alive.

We fled the dock when we heard sirens coming our way and I couldn't help but wonder why they didn't come sooner. I mean, we made quite the mess and noise.

We went into the woods, making a small fire to warm up and exchanging stories. I patched up Daniel's shoulder as best as I could, but I wasn't a child of Apollo, or even a doctor. It was dislocated and his collar bone was broken.

We bugged Daniel for his story first, listening in awe as he described the girl – Hazel – sacrificing herself to stop Gaea. Wow.

I snuck a glance at Raymond, he was chewing his lip, and I could tell he was pondering my words from earlier, realising the sense.

"Giants." Jessica said bluntly. "She was raising Giants."

"At least it wasn't Titans." I offered hopefully, internally begging for that to be good news.

"I've never heard myths on Giants." She mused.

"Maybe they're a new breed?" Daniel said.

"No." Raymond said, thinking hard. "No, I don't think so. She was raising him back, like he had died before. We should warn the gods when we get back. It's not going to happen for a while thankfully, that girl bought us time to prepare."

"She's a hero." I murmured. "I hope she's in Elysium."

Raymond nodded, bowing his head.

"Let's stay here tonight." Jessica offered. "We can't go back with all these injuries."

"I'll buy us some clean clothes, or non-ripped." Raymond said and I handed him the last of the money Harry had given me. He headed off and Jessica checked my stab wound.

It was only a matter of time until my soul was eaten away and I wanted to spend that time happy. So I got out the photos and made Jessica and Daniel help me choose who got what picture. Daniel took the last one we took, stating we could keep the other grubby picture of us. Jessica snatched up the kitten one and I claimed the one of me, Raymond and Jessica beaten up and dirty and the ones of me posing in front of their sleeping bodies. Jessica demanded I shred hers but her charmspeak doesn't really work on magic's daughter.

Raymond came back and we all changed; I got a light grey cotton dress and I put Daniel's coat over it, refusing to give it back. Jessica got a simple white dress that went to her knees with short sleeves. Raymond got a clean cotton shirt and brown slacks with suspenders while Daniel changed out of his oil stained clothes into brown slacks and a black cotton shirt, but without any suspenders because of his shoulder.

We divided the photos evenly and Raymond offered to take first watch, I had the last watch, so I curled up on the cold ground and I slept.

Let me tell you, that was the best sleep I've had since I figured out I was a demigod.

So, Chapter 25, their quest is finally over. Hazel died just like in the book and they're all still alive. Now it's just the journey home and waiting to see if Dianna's strong enough to heal the stab wound. :) I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in 4 days!