Gaining and Losing You
A/N: Okay, here is the next chapter of the story...this one is the final chapter of the actual Battle ;)
As for the poll: I'm going to close it. A lot of people liked my original idea of it being a trilogy. So, I'm going to give you a SNEAK PEAK of the sequel at the end of the chapter ;) The sequel will start at fourth year, which means this story's coming to a close...
Yet another pen name change...Poseidon's Slytherclaw Erudite! (I'm indecisive okay?!)
I hope you enjoy this next chapter of 'Love and Hate's Daughter!' :)
Previously in 'Love and Hate's Daughter':
I scowl at Clarisse. Maybe if she had not been so stubborn and fought with us, Silena would be alive. Maybe if she could have listened to Silena's pleas, Silena would be alive.
Silena wouldn't be lying here—dead.
I'd still have my best friend.
I lose my temper. I snarl at Clarisse. "YOU!" I shriek at her. "THIS IS ALL YOUR BLOODY FAULT!" I drew my knife. She was going to pay.
Lina POV
"You think I wanted her to die?" Clarisse's voice was at a low whisper, in contrast to my shrill shriek.
I ponder this. "No, but—for the gods' sake, she pretended to be you!" I snarl.
"The difference between you and Silena is that she doesn't jump to conclusions. She had logic. You don't." She spits at me.
"Well—you—you put people's heads in toilets!" I retort back, pointing at her.
She ignored my statement. "If anything, it was your fault because the reason Silena stayed the spy and believed it was her fault is because Luke would tell you and face it, you would believe him!" She snarls back.
We end up charging each other, before Percy pulls me back and Chris Rodriguez pulls Clarisse back.
"Listen, I know you both were very close to Silena." Annabeth says. "But really. Silena gave her life for us. We have to honor her. It is not your fault, Clarisse. It is not your fault either, Lina. This is not honoring her. She wouldn't want you two fighting. Save your energy for the enemy, and honor her by fighting the enemy, not each other."
Clarisse and I look at each other and nod.
"She was a hero," I sniff.
"And Kronos is going to pay." We say in unison.
Everyone backs up at our intimidating glares.
"I'm glad we're not Kronos," I hear Percy mutter to Annabeth, who shudders.
Clarisse drove her chariot straight into the Titan Army.
Without a second thought, I ran straight into the Army, knowing that I could probably die any second, screaming, "YOU ALL WILL PAY! THIS IS FOR SILENA!" slashing and burning as many monsters as possible. It seemed as if all the strength I had at the beginning of the Battle came surging back.
"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON SLAYER!" I hear Clarisse yell. I look towards her and I can see that she had a red glow around her.
"The blessing of Ares," Thalia says. "I've never seen it before in person."
"I will kill you ALL! Where is Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward! What's the matter, Titan Lord? BRING IT ON!" Clarisse yells.
Slowly, the enemy falls back behind a dracaenae shield wall.
"Lina," Annabeth says. She grabs my arm. Blood was seeping out of one of the many wounds. "Look at this! You can't go on like this any longer! You're going to get yourself killed!"
"I have to. For Silena." I say numbly.
Percy grabs my arm. "You need to at least get this fixed up, Beauty Queen. You push yourself way too hard."
"Is Silena really gone?" My voice cracks.
Annabeth puts an arm around me. "I'm really sorry, Lina."
I pull away her arm. "No, no, it's alright...I just need some space." I stride towards Olympus, wincing at the wounds on my arm.
I find Anne propped up against the tree, talking to Kayla, the daughter of Apollo I left her with. She looked fully healed. Anne looks up at me. "Is it true?" She says. "About Silena?"
I nod, tears coming down. "She died a hero."
"Oh, dear." Kayla says, looking at my arm wound. She pulls out a kit and wraps my arm up in a sling. "These wounds will have to heal with time, stitches won't help this time."
I sit for a while, talking to both girls until Thalia came running in, she was heading towards the palace. I put out an arm to stop her. "What's wrong?"
"The enemy, it's advancing," Thalia says, her face paled. "And Kronos is leading them." She runs to the palace.
"I—I have to go back down there." I say.
Both girls glare in Thalia's direction, before turning to me. "You can't go back out there," Kayla says.
Anne hesitates. "At least...not without me, you're not facing Kronos alone, especially, not while he has a host body of someone you've had history with."
"Anne, you know how I feel about placing you back in the Battle," I start.
She stands up. Her green eyes burn with a rage I only know too well, from myself, however, totally unlike her character. "Exactly. Like. Yourself." She snarls. "How do you think I felt while you turned up here half dead and then went straight back into Battle? I'm. Going."
I rose. "Alright then." I eye the daughter of Apollo. "Kayla, we'll be back hopefully."
Anne and I reach just in time, to see Chiron and Luke giving each other a stare-down.
"That is Kronos," Anne says, as if reading my mind, while glaring at the Titan Lord. I was suddenly glad to have her with me.
Kronos had knocked aside Chiron's weapon and was about to attack one of us, when his scythe was suddenly frozen. Kronos looks around until his eyes land on Anne. "It was you," he growls at her.
I couldn't help but beam with pride at what Anne had done before pulling her behind me. "Don't you even think about it," I snarl, sending a fireball straight at him.
But Kronos smirked as he held his frozen scythe right in the direction of my fireball, which melted it.
Screaming in frustration that I ruined what could have been a victory, I charged Kronos, as did Annabeth.
"WHAT THE HADES HAPPENED TO YOU LUKE!" I scream as I fight Kronos.
"To think that I—I thought..." Annabeth was yelling.
He seemed to be fighting about how easy to go with me. It gave me hope; hope that Luke Castellan was fighting back. I aim fireball after fireball, and even tried to slash at him with my knife.
The Kronos part of him gained strength and he pushes me away, causing me to lie down flat on the floor.
"Lin-Bean!" Anne screams as she kneels down by me. I groan as I grab my bad arm and shoulder. "Your face!" I do notice that my face also had a gash.
"I can see why Luke wanted you two alive," He regarded me and Annabeth. "Unfortunately, that isn't possible."
Kronos goes over to where I am lying and raises his scythe. I raise my hands in a weak defense, but I had nothing. My energy was gone, and so were my powers. I tried to reach for my knife with my good arm, but it was too far. Even with all the Campers in defense mode, Kronos was going to win over bleeding, half dead, Lina Quimby.
Soon to be full dead.
I hear Percy call tentatively, "Mrs. O' Leary?" A giant dog and a boy, I think it was Nico Di Angelo, come barreling in, distracting Kronos. Anne and Annabeth take this advantage to pull me away from Kronos' sight.
I could barely stand, let alone fight. "It's okay, Lina," Thalia says after a couple minutes of helping me up. "We'll get you out of here. You've done way more than enough. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and I, we—we have to get Kronos."
I look up at Thalia and grit my teeth. "One. Last. Triumph. I'm coming with you."
"So am I," Anne says firmly.
Thalia looks at us. "Are you guys sure?" She asks, concerned, "Lina?"
We nod.
Thalia sighs. "Let's go, then." We do our best to catch up to the other three. The connection between Olympus and America was dissolving. "Oh, gods," Thalia says. "I hate heights. She grabs both Anne and I and jumps.
"Brick by brick! That was my promise; tear it down BRICK BY BRICK!" I hear Kronos roar.
I see a temple explode.
"That was for Artemis," Thalia grumbles. "He'll pay for that."
"Look out!" I hear Grover yelp. We all look up to find a twenty foot tall scowling Hera topple over on us, but Thalia shoved us all from behind and we landed away from danger.
I groan as I am again lying face down. Anne and Annabeth help me up.
"Thalia!" Grover cries.
When the dust clears, we find her alive, which was a relief. But her legs were pinned under the statue.
We try to pull her out, but it's not working.
"I survive all those battles, and get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!" Thalia growls.
"It's Hera," Annabeth says in outrage. "She's had it in for me all year. Her statue would have killed us."
She grimaces. "Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine! Go!"
'We'll be back," Percy says.
"I'm not going anywhere," Thalia groans.
Percy sprints towards the palace, Annabeth and Grover close behind. Anne and I caught up as best as we could, but neither of us were much in shape for running.
"Finally!" Kronos bellows. "The Olympian Council, so proud and mighty—which seat of power shall I destroy first?"
"My lord," his servant demigod warns when he sees us. Kronos turns around and smiles with Luke's face.
I make a sound of distress.
Kronos, not Luke.
Kronos, not Luke.
Kronos, not Luke.
"Shall I destroy you first, Jackson?" Kronos asks. "Is that the choice you'll make? Fight me instead of bowing down? These prophecies never end well, you know."
"Luke would fight with a sword, but I suppose you don't have his skill," Percy says.
I smirk.
Kronos sneers before his weapon turns into Luke's sword, Backbiter.
I sneer before speaking up, "Luke was a hero and a great guy." I snarl. "Then you came along, and ruined him. You filled his head with fake promises so he turned to your side. Then you did the one thing that will lead to his death. You took his body. For this you will pay."
"Lina," Annabeth and Percy warn. "Not the time."
Kronos laughs. "You're very brave, Alina, or perhaps very foolish. What can a puny, insolent, injured girl like you, do to me?"
For a second, I heard Luke's voice, "Keep...her...alive." But Kronos flexes his body forcefully, as if forcing his body to obey.
"You see!" I say joyfully. "He's fighting you! Luke's fighting! Luke, can you hear me? It's me, Lina!"
Anne looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Silence, girl!" Kronos snarls. He comes at Percy. "No!" I scream. But luckily, Hephaestus's electricity defense mode, brought Kronos down on his knees.
"Luke, listen!" Annabeth says.
"Please!" I join in.
But Kronos flicks his hand and sends us backward, into Athena's throne and to the floor, where I was lying face down.
Grover was trying to make his way over to us, while playing reed pipes, causing vines to wrap around Kronos.
When he reaches us, he helps us up and gives us ambrosia. Grover also makes sure to give Anne some of the ambrosia as well.
"STOP!" Annabeth's voice came out of nowhere. "Luke," she says. "I understand, you have to trust me." Kronos slashed with backbiter, but Annabeth somehow caught his sword hilt.
Kronos roars in outrage. "You girls are delusional! Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away once I assume my true form!"
"Your mother, she saw your fate." Annabeth grunts.
"Service to Kronos, this is my fate." The Titan roars.
"No!" I shriek rather impulsively, trying to slash Kronos.
"That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!" Annabeth says.
"I will crush both of you!" Kronos bellows.
"You won't crush us, Luke," I say hollowly. "You said we were a family. You promised us."
"LIES!" Kronos pushes into our weapons, and then ends up striking our faces.
"Family, Luke." We say in unison. "You promised."
He gasps like he couldn't get air. "Annabeth...Lina...You're bleeding..."
"Luke, yes! It's us...it's us!" I say.
Annabeth tries to raise her dagger but it clattered to the floor. Percy picks up her dagger and knocks Luke's sword out of his hand.
"Don't touch them," he says.
"Wait!" I exclaim. "Don't kill him!"
"Jackson..." Kronos's voice growls. His body was turning gold.
"He's changing," this was Luke's voice. "Help, he's...he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please—"
"NO!" Kronos bellows. He looked for his sword, but it was too far way.
"I get it." Anne's voice came from nowhere. "Percy...you have to give him the dagger. Luke's the hero. He'll stop Kronos from rising, and destroying us all."
Annabeth nods, "Hero...cursed blade..."
"Please," Luke groans. "No time."
I felt like I was the only one that was out of the loop. I probably was. Wait one second...
A hero's soul cursed blade shall reap.
"NO!" I shriek. "Don't give him the dagger, Percy!"
Percy gives him the dagger. "No, wait, Luke, please, there must be another way!" I cry out. "Anne, why would you even suggest that?! Percy, why'd you give him the dagger?!" I glare at them.
Grover yelps. "Percy? Are you...um..."
But all I could do is helplessly watch as Luke grasps the dagger, unstraps his armor, and stabs a small piece of skin under his left arm.
Luke howls in pain, a forceful aura surrounding him, making me close my eyes.
When I open them, Luke was sprawled at the Hearth, around him, a blackened circle of ash.
Luke's entire left side was bloody. His eyes were blue, not gold. He was Luke Castellan, not Kronos.
"Good...blade," He croaks.
Grover helps Annabeth and I limp forward toward him. My lip was trembling, and tears were spilling over in my eyes.
Luke gazes at Annabeth. "You knew. I almost killed you," He gazes at me, "both of you." He turns back to Annabeth, "but you knew..."
"Shh," Annabeth's voice trembles. "You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."
"Think...rebirth. Try for three times, Isles of the Blest." Luke croaks.
"You'll definitely get that opportunity, Luke...I have faith." I assure him, but he completely ignored my comment, which stung...and turned to Annabeth.
"Did you," he coughs. "Did you love me?"
I had known that Annabeth had a crush on Luke when I was ten and she was twelve, but she'd gotten over it...and now I had to get her and Percy together.
"There was a time I thought, well I thought..." She gazes at Percy, and Percy was gazing at her. Anne and I exchange an 'aww' sort of look.
"You were like a brother to me, Luke." She says softly. "But I didn't love you."
Luke then turns to me. "Lina..." He looks at my face. "I'm so sorry for what I put you through..."
"No, no, Luke, don't apologize to me." My lip was trembling and my voice cracking. "I'm just happy you came back to your old self, Kronos was a bastard for what he did to you, and...and...now you're dying. I...I know it was to stop Kronos, but I just got you back and now you're dying! I've gained you and lost you, it's not fair; it's just not fair!" I stomp my foot childishly at the last sentence and was openly sobbing. "Curse you Fates," I mutter under my breath.
Luke reaches up and cups my cheek. "Lina...I know it isn't. I'm sorry. Look at me. I'm so proud of how far you've come since that day I saved you from the Lastrogonyian Giant. And I know you'll go even farther. You've had a hard life, but it will get better, I promise. Make me proud, Lina-Flower, like you always have, even if I didn't show it; and know that I will always be watching over you in my afterlife."
He winces in pain. Luke hadn't called me Lina-Flower, his pet name for me, since before the solstice.
"My last note to you...is that, none of this is your fault. None, I didn't mean anything I said to you last summer. Don't you dare go blaming yourself, alright, Lina-Flower?"
I nod; tears spill down.
"We can get ambrosia," Grover says. "We can—"
"Grover," Luke gulps. "You are the bravest satyr I have ever known. But no. There's no healing..." He coughs.
Luke then grips Percy's sleeve, "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it...Don't let it happen again."
"I won't." Percy says. "I promise."
Luke nods, and his hand went slack.
The gods arrived a few minutes later in battle armor, expecting a battle.
What they found instead was Annabeth, Grover, Percy, Anne, and I standing over the body of Luke Castellan.
"Percy," Poseidon calls, his voice filled with awe. "What's going on?"
"We need a shroud," Percy says, as I start breaking down over Luke's body, Anne trying to comfort me. "A shroud for the son of Hermes."
The war may be over, but I had lost two people that I loved.
The pain didn't feel like it was about to go away anytime soon.
A/N: So that was the chapter. Poor Lina :( Anyways, RIP Luke Castellan :( I feel like a murderer, taking away everyone Lina loves :( But really, the only person I technically murdered is Lacy...you can blame Rick Riordan for Silena and Luke...I always felt sympathy for Luke, he's such a misunderstood character. So is Draco. I don't get why people hate the two of them so much, they were just...wrongly guided...next chapter is Aphrodite's reward for Lina...you'll have to see what it is ;)
Sequel Sneak Peak:
Title: Struggles of a Fire User
Sneak Peak (Sneak Peak takes place in FIFTH YEAR):
"I don't think you're Gryffindor-biased, you're Potter-biased. Potter's precious girl, oh how he's so protective of you." He taunts. "I don't get what's so special about St. Potter anyway. Why is it that your little demigod friends came all the way to Hogwarts to protect him?"
I glare. "You don't know what we've faced, Draco; you don't want to." I snarl right in his face. "It'll make you go straight to your daddy. And how do you know that Annabeth, Thalia, and Percy are demigods?"
He snorts. "Oh please, Lina. You mention them all the time. Any good friend of yours could tell exactly who they are." I gape at him. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone who they are."
"We're not good friends, slick git." I spit at him.
"Please don't tell me we're back to square one." He says.
I roll my eyes at him. "It depends. Sometimes you can be nice. Sometimes I want to throw you into Tartarus. More so the latter. Old habits die hard...Draco." My eyes harden.
He starts to walk away, but not before saying, "I'd keep a close eye on your boyfriend. He seems to be attracted to the Cho Chang girl. Wouldn't want your heart broken, would you Lina? Especially while you're on a mission to make two worlds collide, hmm?" Draco smirks at my confused face before sauntering off to Divination.
I head to Ancient Runes...slick git. Harry got over Cho last year.
A/N: You can get A LOT of information of what happens just by the exchange between Lina and Draco in fifth year ;) You, the observers, will have to guess what it is about...hoped you liked the chapter and my sneak peak ;)
Please R&R :)
-Ana
