Late update...Can't help it, I was SO busy...and tired...

Jason POV

Father was mad again. He just wouldn't accept the fact that he was the one that lost us the children of the Big Three~excluding me. Percy was gone, Nico was gone...

Thalia was gone.

Why couldn't he just accept the blame? He obviously knew it was his fault, but he seemed reluctant to believe it. It was as if the thoughts weren't able to penetrate through his thick head. Whenever we tried to convince him to try to help, (believe me, it got so bad we had to beg Athena for help...), he would laugh hysterically, then just snort and wave it off. Everyone was rather poignant, and did not have the will follow his ridiculous ordains. Who would follow his "Just forget about Jackson, Di Angelo, and Grace," or "this isn't my fault! I can show you the truth." No one had the aspiration that the banished three would every be seen again, but I couldn't blame them. In the beginning, I had been disgusted with Percy as well. He was a spy for Kronos, at least I thought so. Now the remaining of the Seven just spent their time gloomily and miserably counting all the good times they had with Percy on their bunk, replaying every memory. You could say we were depressed, or crazy, anyhow. I'd just lay on my bunk, staring at the ceiling, trying to take myself back into the old times. Then the gold would burn out my eyes, and I would go outside and sit with the strawberry plants, the soft breeze blowing across my face and rustling my blonde hair. The melody of the dancing leaves would drive me to sleep, then wake me up right before curfew. Yeah, I think I haven't had dinner since...last Tuesday. Yet I'm not hungry. I rarely saw Annabeth, too. The last time I saw her, she had a tattered T-shirt on, her blonde curls frazzled, and a sorrowful look on her face. Think she had gone to the beach. No surprise. I had to go into the forest once just to get the burning sensation out of my eyes because I was thinking of Thalia too much. Her face came swooping in my vision, too many sweet memories unsettling my heart. I would then slowly drink in all the past pictures of her. Loneliness in my refill, I would sit back on my bunk, nursing a cup of strong coffee. Leo had been the weirdest. I had actually seen him reading books, tons and tons, when I walked in one day to ask him an important question that I had had on my mind for days, weighing my senses down. When I had asked him why he had suddenly started he was reading, he had grumbled, "Well, my name basically means 'I read' in Spanish..." I knew that wasn't the real meaning, but I needed to drop it~both of us needed it. The humor that supposedly existed in him was gone. They were whipped away in the polar winds of ourselves. But I think the one that been hardest hit was Hazel. I only saw her the day of the meeting, and that was it. Now I can't even say 'according to Nico' because he was gone too, lost in the thunder and lightning. One of the Hermes siblings told me they had peeked in and saw her sobbing into her pillow, still wearing the same clothes that she had worn for the meeting. Frank...well, Frank...was somewhere back in California...and no one has seen him on the east coast since. Pipes just...disappeared into the cabin and never came back out. I heard the Aphrodite siblings whisper around that Pipes had built a little room in the corner for herself 'to mope in' and viciously roared at anyone at the door. I figured she needed some time, so I left her alone.

There was a bitter, icy blanket of silence around the camp as I walked out to the forest to try to clear the cobwebs of the lost ones out of my head. Everyone solemnly did their business, then went back in. There was no more capture the flag, no more activities. We were on our own. The meals were served and all, but no one could except the fact that great heroes were lost because of their childish thoughts. No one bothered to have fun. Why have fun when the heroes could be halfway down the highway to hell?

The viridescent leaves were colored a ghostly brown in the autumn air. Nothing seemed to have a will to live. Leaves cackled and screeched from every trembling tree, and crispy golden leaves lay stony on the icy ground. As I walked further in, the world seemed to spin a complete circle. Flashes of bittersweet memories entered and exited my vision. Honey color blended in, until slowly, I was back at my cabin. I slowly extracted my hands from my pocket to open the cabin door. I kept my head down as a slurred leap was executed before I collapsed on my bunk. I stared at the ceiling. Soon, the darkness yanked me in and I was fast asleep.

We had the burning of their shrouds today.

Even if they were still alive, who knew? They most probably and undoubtedly wouldn't forgive us. I certainly wouldn't. I smiled rancorously as a blue shroud was taken out~not just any blue. It was a sparking blue, brighter than any sky, twinkling. It seemed like silk was woven in.

My eyes closed.

It was the blue that I saw everyday in the mirror...and Thalia's eyes.

It had a circle with a plant-like object embroidered delicately in black in the center of the fabric. The symbol stood for strength. Yeah, if Thalia was anything other than a great sister, she was strong. Not only physically; she refused to listen to the fact the Percy was a spy (not), and strongly ignored the fact everyone wanted to slam into her. Yet she was gone anyway. What have the Fates done?

It was amazing how Percy's shroud mirrored the sea.

Everything was same~the turquoise, the ripples, the waves, the foam, the spray...nothing was out of place. It was as if the ocean had painted itself on this as a gift to Olympus's possibly greatest hero. The same exact glimmer existed in Percy's eyes. It was as if the moon had come down and shone on the silk, for gods, it looked so natural.

The depths of darkness in Nico's fabric yanked me down and suffocated me. It was like no light was ever even seen on the isolated puff of smoke. It felt like I was going swimming. Then suddenly I couldn't reach the sunlit surface because something kept me down. It took me lower, lower, lower, till I was suspended in an everlasting cloud of black. I struggled and struggled, till all the air in my lungs was used up, and everything was lost.

It held mystery, and its solemn, dark meaning led me to anything but happiness. Was this how he felt everyday?

"We gather here to mourn for our lost heroes, Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, and Thalia Grace," Chiron started his dour speech. "We all bow our heads to the gods to beg for forgiveness for our stupidity, our childish decisions, and our horrifying acts to our beloved. We hope they have a better time wherever they are, and hope they forgive us. They were great characters, but now all that remains of them is emptiness. Perseus Jackson was a hero. He brought us liberty once more from the upcoming storm of the war against Titans. He was one of a kind. No one would believe his fatal flaw was loyalty during those times. He stuck with us the whole time, and fought bravely. Never in a thousand years have I seen someone like him. He flooded our life into us again in the most dire times, and was a great man. He endured the ordeal in Tartarus, never once looking back. He fulfilled every promise once sworn. He got us out of the second war with a possible weary heart, but I feel that he was a bird with happiness poured in at every direction. (I'm listening to "Maple Leaf" by Jay Chou right now...it's pretty much the right lyrics and melody for right now...) He never once was what I thought he was. I was so wrong to judge him that way, and I'm truly sorry, Perseus." He took that time to blink away upcoming tears, and willed away his life's winter. He took a deep breath. "Nico di Angelo was a brave, kind little boy. He may not have fit in, but in the end, he was a hero. Not much can be said about him, because too much cannot be described in words. He may not have touched as many hearts as dear Perseus has, but in this moment, I feel every single one of you recognize who he is inside. We will never forget his help in the war against the Titans, and the courage leading them to the other side of the Doors of Death without comfort must have been a fire blazing steadily inside," he finished the acknowledgement about my little cousin who I had almost never met. Then it came. "Thalia Grace was one of a kind. She was a courageous, strong female, whose inside was bombs of strength. She was a great hunter, and I cannot forget the smile on her face when she first came to camp. No one will ever be able to forget the valuable lessons all of them taught us when they came. Wherever you are, may the gods be with you."

I wasn't angry at the short description of Thalia, because honestly, I wouldn't have been able to even describe her that much. She was just...my sister. My hero. Even if I could say something about her, it would just be the same thing that he said. I hadn't even been with her that long...

That's when I finally saw Annabeth again.

Her hair was all snared, and a wool sweater I had seen Percy wear many time had been neatly kept and put on delicately. Her eyes were red and swollen, (that's what happens to me when I cry; it gets swollen and red.) and the tips of her mouth were still pulled down. Her nose was also crimson; probably from blowing her nose. A pair of blood-soaked jeans (that had aroused lots of whispering) were on, with the words I AM PERCY printed on in sharpie. Sniffing, she made her way up to the front. A tattered piece of paper, thrown on the ground, which I picked up, was Percy's eulogy. I guess she decided she knew everything by heart and was going to go without it. I understood. When I heard of the news, I just made up everything in my head, because I knew them well. It would seem like a dishonor if we didn't know our own sister.

Taking a deep breath, ending it with a quavering exhale, she looked everyone straight in the eye, then began.

"P-Percy..." A tear leaked out of her eye. She smeared it on her cheek, took another deep breath, then stared at her hand. "Percy was a-a great boyfriend, and a great partner. H-He was my everyday life and I loved him so dearly. I-I was so foolish to fall into the traps," she growled the next part, "Of Samuel Adam. I-I was so..." She took a change in course. "Percy was a great hero...and I still love him! Yet my only excuse was that He had tricked us..."

"That isn't an excuse; it's a fact," I muttered. Around me, people nodded. Annabeth, who had heard it, crumpled down.

"He-He saved my life and all I did was betray him!" she cried.

"I know," I answered, feeling stupid.

"He did great things and was caring," she quickly ended it, not knowing how to describe the next part.

When everyone had done their speeches, it was finally my turn.

"I first want to talk about my sister, Thalia Grace," I started, beating myself not to cry. "I don't know how to describe it, but she was an awesome sister who I looked up to and followed. I wanted to someday be like her and be that strong. I knew she had a fear of heights, but still, I felt that as siblings, it didn't matter what we were afraid of. All that mattered was what we were. Our structure. Just imagine the fear as a scratch. A building with a little nick won't collapse, would it? A little fear wouldn't bring you down, would it? Plus, a fear is equal to another fear. Like, I used to have a fear of staplers. But I got over it. She got over it, too. But in my eyes, she was almost a god. She led my path, even though I almost never saw her. Once I met her, it was a vampire with a wound. Once my lips were latched on, I couldn't let go. Whenever I felt I couldn't do something, the thought of her gave me a fresh start. Of course, you too, Pipes," I reassured Piper. A vague smile played on her lips. "Although she couldn't be my everyday life in actuality, she was there the whole time. In here." I patted my chest. "She carried me on, and I want to thank her for that, even though she may not be here anymore. She was true strength." I fingered my glasses in my jean pocket. I moved on to Percy.

"Percy was a great partner. I still remember all the times we got mixed up who was leader, and all the times we worked up the partnership. His humor never really got to me, but believe me, now I feel like all is understood. I won't forget his habit of eating blue food," everyone chuckled. "and won't forget his undying flaw, loyalty. I don't even understand why loyalty is a flaw~more like a component, a defense. We were so stupid to think that he betrayed us~how could we forget? A guy like him would never betray us. I hope, man, that he comes back. That way I can properly apologize." I really do hope that he comes back. If he doesn't come back...but for now, I'll talk about Nico.

"Nico was the little brother I never had. Sure, at the beginning, I hated him for his unexpected visits, and wanted to strangle him with a cow bell, but now, he feels close. I never really understood him, but now I know how he feels. Most likely lost, isolated, and bunches of scattered emotions. I don't know him much, but after the war, he was family. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived relationship. He's gone, and I wish to express regret."

With that, the shrouds were burned, one by one. I watched the sparks fly high, an wondered if someday, they would be back.

I stared at my outstretched hands and revised my eulogy.

Finally done! Happy short weekend!