School starts monday, after that point I wont be sure when the next update will be. Regardless, I am thankful of the impressive number of reviews recently. Over this holiday, I feel that we acomplished alot. The next and final chapters will need to be carefully written and make sure they tie up the end perfectly. Which will of course will take time. Anyways, let us begin.

Jay:

Over the fext few days. I had met with the fellow commanders to review strategies and placements of the freshly minted army. There were many familiar faces there, including Chiron, Pan, and many others. the result, was a tightly packed and sealed perimeter of stone and bronze and flesh. the ultimate area of protection was the throne room. it was the HQ. The plan was basic; hold them back until they push us back and kill every last man, beast, or creature. The armies of mortals however, were not heard from. Judging by what Darkness had done to the world, it wasn't much of a surprise.

I arose from what may be my final sleep. It was still early. The sun had not risen, and the night sky was dark and starless. The only form of light came from a waning moon, approaching a new phase. It was like the light of the world had been drained away. It felt so more than just in the sky. I felt it in my gut. There was little to be happy for these days. There was a stale smell of fear in the air. A smell, unfortunately, I was familiar with.

I decided to go for a walk in my courtyard. The sound of the trickling water soothed my nerves. It also made me want to go to the bathroom. But as I turned the corner towards the desired lavatory, \i bumped into someone I was not expecting at this hour.

Archie. He was leaning against the marble fence and staring into the mind was somewhere else. I recalled many years ago when we still all lived together, I went to tell Archie to get the shower before Neil did when i found him sitting in the middle of his room, looking out the window in the same, expressionless face. He hadn't changed that much at all. He was still the energetic teenager I remembered, he just got older.

"When do you think they will be here?" Archie asked, keeeping his same expression, not moving his head.

"They could be anytime between now and midnight." I replied.

"Theresa would have known." Archie muttered, "Times like these, I miss her."

"No kidding." I said as I joined him in staring into the mountains. The conversation went quiet. What would usually appear awkward felt peaceful between us. I guess when you know someone your whole life, it doesnt matter.

"I'm ready to die, you know." He said. The words had taken me by surprise.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked curiously. "You still have your family here. Your wife, your kids, well, besides Ashlynn of course."

"I'm not sure if Ashlynn is even alive anymore. But if she is, it is sure as hell safer than here." his gaze turned to me. "We cannot win this Jay. It is but hopeless."

"The goal isn't to win here Archie. The goal is to hold them back and give Herry enough time."

"Jay, herry could be dead for all we know." Archies voice began to raise. His temper was beginning to break. Unfortunately, so was mine.

"He's not dead. he's alive, I know it."

"How? You havent heard from him or spoke from him in gods know how long. 90 percent of the world is like a nuclear wasteland and you expect me to beleive that he is still alive, one of the 0.1 percent of life on earth?"

"Yes. I do want you to beleive in it. Because if you don't what else is there to beleive in?" The voices were rising between us now.

"I gave up believing in anything a long time ago Jay. Just because you have some false sense of hope doesnt mean I have to follow it!"

"Then what will you do Archie?" I bellowed, "You have a family! Is that not something worth fighting for? You dont even know what it's like to truly lose someone do you."

"Shut up." He said quietly. I continued.

"If you cannot find the will to defend your own family, what then. You will lose them Archie, and I warn you that it will-"

My words were stopped as he punched me right in the chin. I stumbled back, stunned. I looked at his eyes, they were full of many emotions, regret, anger, pain. The shock of the fact that he had hit me was having us breath deeply. Archie sniffled.

"Dont give me that." He said,his eyes were tearing up. "We both know the feeling of losing someone close, or have you forgotten?"

As if he was manipulating my thoughts, the memory appeared. Fighting Cronus, losing Herry. The emotions that were felt that night felt like they were bursting into reality. However, when I came back to see Archies face, those emotions were upon him. We were both still breathing deeply. Silence overcame us.

"I'm sorry." said Archie, "I dont know what came over me."

"No, I'm sorry Archie." i replied. 'You were right. I had forgotten. Forgotten that you guys suffered as much as i have. Forgotten who really won the war of New Olympia. It was not just you or me. It was all of us. Together, we won. Even if we weren't all there in the end. And even now, theyre with us. Theresa and Herry. They await us in Elysium fields." I paused for a moment. "But Archie, if you dont beleive in something,then they will have died in vain. If you don't beleive in fighting for something, we might as well have let Cronus win in the first place. That 0.1 percent, that can recover, archie. Let us give it that chance. Let your children have that chance." The silence filled the courtyard. the sun was above the mountains now and the light rays of warmth were felt on the goosebumps on our arms.

"I see them in my dreams, Jay." He mumbled, looking up at me. "They call for me, the say "welcome home". I feel that, even if all falls here, we will find our way home." His eyes found that ferocious confidence that I hadn't seen in him for years. "You're right jay. he is alive, and she is with him. My heart tells me so." A smile formed from cheek to cheek,

"There may be hope after all."