Travis Stoll was dead, and there was absolutely nothing Connor could do about it.

It happened like this:

We were all in the battle arena, learning a new disarming maneuver from Percy, when we all heard a loud scream come from across camp. I pushed through the crowd, even though I stood in the front of everyone because Percy was going to try the move on me next. I was being trailed by most of the Hermes cabin, the Ares cabin, and the Demeter cabin, including Percy, Annabeth, and Nico. Nico just shadow traveled and was already at the scene of the crime. Connor Stoll pushed through the crowd like his best friend was dying; it was worse than that. After stopping at the rim of the woods, in front of Zeus' fist, we saw the scene of the crime. Travis Stoll laid back against the rock, barely breathing, an arrow stabbed through the bottom of his left shoulder.

"Travis!" Connor cried, running towards his brother, but was stopped dead in his tracks by Nico, who appeared in front of him.

"No… We've gotta bring him to the infirmary." He pushed Connor out of the way as several Apollo campers picked the limp Travis into their arms, and hustled through the woods with lightning speed, with Percy, and Annabeth following.

"CAMPERS! Back to your activities!" Nico shouted to the campers, which were crying or looking terribly depressed, especially the Hermes campers. They all hustled off, as Connor sat on the ground, his head in his hands, bawling his eyes out.

"Connor, go to the infirmary. He doesn't have much longer." Nico looked concerned for the Hermes boy, who stood up shakily. Nico only knew that Travis had no more time because he could see his life fading.

"Hermes, help him… Please." Was all he prayed until he darted through the woods to go see his brother.

"What happened, Nico?" I asked with pain in my heart, my eyes watering, and my lips quivering.

"Katie died. He wanted to die with her. It's as simple as that. That's why I plan to never fall in love." He sighed. "They'll make Elysium…"

"He tried to shove an arrow through his heart." I said the obvious and Nico looked surprised.

"Yeah. I'm surprised you caught that."

"It's pretty easy to figure out, Ghosty."

"He only has ten minutes and he's dead… Must be so happy." He mumbled hopelessly.

"Can't you do something? You are the son of Hades!" I thought aloud and he looked kind of pissed.

"I've tried. Hades doesn't take souls. He protects them… It's the fates who decide, and if you're lucky, Thanatos will take your soul…"

"Opposed to whom?"

"The Keres. The sisters of disease and slaughter." He said this a bit happily, like he was delighted to see some of this happen.

"Who took your sister then?" I retorted coldly and a death glare was sent towards me.

"She was taken by our father." He shot at me with a "I'm-going-to-kill-you" expression glued to his face.

"I'm sorry, that was rude… I didn't mean to…" I whispered, trying to take back what I said, but I couldn't.

"He's almost gone. Go see your brother; Izzy." Nico ignored my comment.

Yes, I will admit to the fact that Travis Stoll is my (half) brother. The only reason I refused to go see him before is because, well, I couldn't bear to see his life lost. He had so much to life for, even if others thought he was a crazy kleptomaniac. Travis was so much deeper than that; he had the smarts, the guts, and the wits to do whatever he pleased. He couldn't die just yet, but he was going to. Just because Katie Gardner gotten killed by a surprise hellhound attack.

"Gods, please don't take him now…" I prayed quietly as I dashed through the thick woods to go find my brother and make sure he would live. I finally made it to the infirmary which was surrounded by campers who were crying, leaning on each other, or standing there was hopelessness. I pushed the campers out of the way, running up to the building, turned the doorknob slowly and walked it to see something I wish would get out of my mind.

I saw two things and two things only; Connor leaning beside his brother, telling him all the good things that they did together. "The time we gave that apple to the Aphrodite girls, saying the prettiest? Or the Ares cabin when we…." His voice was trying hopeless along with his expression, but I could see him trying to stay strong for Travis. The only other thing I could see was a silver arrow covered in red liquid that glistened in the sunlight that flooded in. It was as if the room disappeared and it was just Connor, Travis, and I, and that stupid arrow and bed.

"Travis…" I whispered, rushing over to him after he coughed weakly.

"H-he-ey Iz." He choked and I grinned as best as I could.

"You stupid, stupid Hermes boy. Anything for that girl." I chided him quietly, as I knelt at his bedside.

"Anything." He coughed; he was getting worse. Ten minutes, Nico had said. It's been seven. I couldn't tell him that.

"What does it feel like?" I blurted after my ADHDness kicked in and that stupid question came out.

"It feels like you're just losing grip on something… Like monkey bars." He let out a chuckle that brought me back to so many good memories with him.

"Connor, remember… Keep pranking," cough, "for me… And keep up the Ares' Annoyance Club….." cough, "And Iz, don't f-f-org-get… You can d-do anything." Travis never spoke again.

Connor fell to his brother's side, sobbing, and I did the same. Soon enough, there was a flash of light, and a sandy haired man was behind us.

"Dad…" I croaked as I looked at him with puffy eyes.

"Travis Stoll, you were the smartest son…" He mumbled, walking towards the now lifeless body. He kissed the boy's forehead, muttering an incantation, a final goodbye.

That night, when we were putting my brother in his shroud, we found something in his hand that made me cry my eyes out. In his hand were three things:

Tell Travis I love him. Tell him he was my everything and that he deserves the best girl there is. Tell him I'll be waiting for him in Elysium. Tell him he can't give up. Tell him that he needs to move on and that I'm gone. Tell him that he can be whatever he wants. Tell him that he can't forget the promise. Tell him this for me, please, Marie. Please.

The second thing in his hand was a picture of Katie in her garden, overalls covered in dirt, her light brown hair blowing crazily in the wind, her dark brown eyes determined.

The last thing was the one that me really cry. In his hand was a sapling from a maple tree; Katie's favorite plant.