AN: So this is the end of the first of five parts. I hope you liked it and I will start posting the second part as soon as I can. I don't think any of them will ever see this but I'd like to thank Rick Riorden for writing the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and say that I own nothing of it. Secondly I'd like to thank the people from for giving me the characters and ideas to write this story.

Chapter 30: Say goodbye

Two weeks later

I stood on half-blood hill overlooking the valley in which lay camp half-blood. Not far from me stood a pine tree guarded by a full grown dragon. On the tree hung the golden fleece, the magical power that kept camp safe. Looking down I could see camp half-blood. The cabins, the beach, the big house. It hadn't changed at all. I had, people had but camp half-blood was a force that wouldn't change. It would always be a place to call home, a safe haven for demigods. I had only been at camp for a few months and a lot of that time I spend in a cage. But camp had become home like. After the five of us returned home we were saluted as heroes. At camp they never knew that Maximus had joined the enemy or that Samael was Darius Nikolas in truth. It was better to hide these things. We never found out Samael's real name but in the end he chose the right path. That's the story we told anyway. Luke told me how we got back to camp once I came to my senses. With Alex and Hectar he had contacted camp through Iris messaging. Luke had covered up Samael's face and made sure no one but him, Alex and Hectar got to see it. I was surprised that dumb and dumber were able to keep their mouths shut but no one knew yet. No one but Ashlyn. When they told me I said she deserved to know and they all agreed. She couldn't believe it at first but she didn't really have a choice in the end. It was the truth, no matter how hard you try you can't deny the truth.

Lucio's death was something that hit camp hard. Both the children of Hypnos died in such short time. Lucio was given his final rites in the amphitheatre at camp. Everyone was there. No one had gotten to see his body. The state of it still haunted my memories. Lucio didn't deserve that. But I couldn't turn back what happened. Lucio would be remembered a hero and he would probably be allowed to enter Elysium. That was what I had to hope for anyway. I wondered if he had forgiven me in the end. I doubted it. He followed me in that final battle but did he truly trust me? I would never know. I had meddled with the dead and it hadn't given me much but trouble. It was better to let Lucio's spirit rest and get my answer once I passed on.

As I made my way down the hill I saw two people sitting at the base of it. There was a girl with red hair, and a boy with wild brown hair. I could only see their backs making it impossible for me to see who they were. I walked past them with my hands in my jumper pockets. I tried to walk casually but I always found that hard to do so when I came from uphill. Once I was at a distance I looked back as my curiosity won. At the base of the hill sat Colin Price with a girl who I guessed was Summer Rhodes, his ex-girlfriend (I didn't know yet that I could leave ex out of it.) He looked very different than before. He had washed up, cut his hair and seemed less wild like. More importantly, he smiled. I could look at him without feeling any sort of hatred. The truth was, I felt happier than before. People were calling me a hero and a saviour but all I had seen as a result of my quest was death. This was the first thing I had seen that had changed. Colin's curse was broken when Phthonos was send to Tartarus. Dean was dead, Lucio was dead, but Colin had been revived. I smiled as he turned his head towards me. Only now he noticed me. When he saw me he nodded, a silent thanks. I grinned, shook my head to the girl sitting next to him and gave him the thumbs up. She was a pretty girl and from the stories I heard she cared about him a lot. He needed to make a move. He laughed and turned back to the girl. I walked on with a smile on my face knowing I had done some good.

The backpack I carried wasn't very heavy, it only had the essentials. I never needed more. Most of my life I had less than the essential so having that was a big step for me. I had some places to go though, first place was the Erebus cabin. The last week I had still spent in the Hermes cabin as everyone there insisted. I spend the entire week telling stories and stuff to the unclaimed. It felt so weird. We were all treated like celebrities and we all handled it differently. Alex and Hectar loved the attention. They acted like they were the greatest heroes of the world and exaggerated the truth many times. Although they had impressed me a great deal. They never said a thing about Dean or Maximus' betrayal. And in a way they deserved the attention. They had been real heroes. They weren't the ones that defeated Phthonos, in the end it was Dean who did that. But they had fought till the end, that was what I called heroic. Luke was very relaxed and pretty much stayed the same when we returned. He spend his time in the forges making weapons for everyone who needed them. I remembered not long after I regained my consciousness we walked down the hill and groups of demigods ran towards us. The first one there were Grace and Maria. Grace was jumping around happy that we were all all right. Maria jumped Luke and wouldn't let go of him for ten minutes. Or at least that's what it seemed like, my head was still fuzzy. She looked at me and smiled. Her thanks for keeping Luke safe. She never actually used those words but that's what I figured it meant. After that they had little time for the two of them. We got welcomed by campers and then got lectured by Chiron. He wasn't very happy with any of us leaving but he did congratulate us in the end. Maximus and I reacted very differently. We didn't really like any of the attention. And Maximus was the lucky one (if you can call it that.) Because of what happened he had spend the last weeks in the infirmary and everyone was kept out. I on the other hand was in the centre of attention. I dealt with it at first but truth was it was part of the reason why I had that backpack.

The Erebus cabin was pure darkness. I had never seen anything like that. It was solid shadow. It was black but kind of cloudy as if it wasn't really there but when you put your hand against it you could feel a wall, sort of. It was a weird thing, I guess you have to be a child of Erebus to actually understand it. Inside there were eight bunks and if I had to believe Erebus they were never all taken. There was a sink right to the left with a mirror but other than that the cabin was empty. Nothing but the essentials. I walked further into the cabin, this was where I belonged. I believe that any other would have felt uncomfortable with that idea but not me. I liked it. I never had the feeling of belonging but this cabin gave me just that. It was a weird feeling, something I thought I would never have but now I did.

"Feeling right at home?" A man said behind me. I recognized his voice. I wasn't shocked, of course my father would come here. I wondered what he wanted. I had completed my quest, what else did he want me to do? He had admitted that he doubted that I could defeat Phthonos but I had. In my opinion he owed me an engraved apology.

"I guess, it's very cosy." I said sarcastically. It was an empty cabin. Although I didn't mind that. I just wanted to spite my dad in order to play the rebellious teenager. Me being a bastard towards my dad was the only regular teenage stuff that I did. Of course with my dad it was dumber than if your dad was Muhammad Ali.

"It's not very home like I know. But neither of us know a true home. I don't appear like a hobo because I like it. Truth is I wouldn't mind a nice Italian suit but it's not something that fits me." Erebus said. "The darkness has no real home. It exist everywhere like a man of the road. So that's what I appear as. Who knows more of the darkness than those who live in it?" I had never figured Erebus for a wise man, but apparently my first impression had been wrong. Of course he gave me a good reason to have a bad first impression. Trying to kill your son wasn't very good family bonding.

"So what, this isn't my home in your opinion?" I said to him. I wondered what his point was. Erebus didn't seem like the god who enjoyed small talk. He was going somewhere with this.

"If it was your home, would you have be carrying that bag?" Erebus said. He shut me right up with that. It was the truth. I wouldn't have had it if I had my place right here. "I don't have much time. I'm here to tell you that you did well. I didn't expect you to." Erebus said again. It didn't sound like a very convincing congratulation but hell it was all I would get.

"Thanks." I said. He nodded and disappeared. My dad, not a man with much empathy in my opinion. Of course he wasn't really a man, more a personification. I didn't really know for sure. I left the cabin still carrying the bag. The sun light hurt my eyes slightly. Inside the cabin there wasn't much light. You could see but it wasn't the sun lighting the place up. Going outside nearly blinded me. I had one more place to go before I'd go back up that hill. The infirmary.

Maximus had been in the infirmary ever since we came back. The chain had fully burned into his arm but the Apollo kids and Chiron wanted to make sure there was nothing they could do to remove it. As Maximus lay in his bed more bad news came. There was nothing they could do. Maximus could still use every muscle in his arm (miraculous as that may be) but the chain was still there. It didn't hurt or make anything impossible, but the chain was still there. An eternal reminder of what had happened in our fight against Phthonos. And that's what made it a heavy burden.

I myself had been in the infirmary many times, too many times given how short I had been at camp. Maximus lay in a bed at the end of the room. He wasn't asleep, he was just laying there being bored probably. His head rested on his left arm while his right arm hid under the covers. Maximus didn't like to look at it himself, he hated it. He felt the cold steel at all times, seeing it would make it even worse.

"Hey Max." I said as I came closer. I sat down on the bed next to the one he was laying in. They were comfy beds, I knew that from experience although laying in them was never a happy experience.

"Hey bro, what's up?" Maximus said without moving an inch. I let the bag slid over my shoulder and put it on the bed. It was literally a weight of my shoulders. I stretched out my arms to relax the muscles for a bit as I answered Maximus.

"Nothing much, just wondering if you had any news." I said. I hadn't been in the infirmary for a few days and hadn't heard the latest scoops, maybe there was nothing but given Maximus' sincere expression I doubted that. Maximus pulled his arm from underneath the covers. The thick chain stuck in multiple places, if he held his arm up you could see it move around his arm. Around his elbow the chain seemed a bit loose which made it possible for him to use the joint. The chain disconnected from his arm just before his hand at the bottom of his wrist. They had already removed that part. The bottom of the chain wasn't long now, it barely reached the tip of Maximus' fingers.

"It's been burned in pretty deep. Parts have burned into my bones they say. There's no way they can remove it without me losing movement in my arm. It's either a fake arm which Luke says isn't that bad or keeping this thing." Luke would know about those things. He had a bronze hand and he seemed to be handling it just fine. Of course that hadn't always been like that. When he had first made the hand with help from his little brother he hated it but that was some years ago. "The other option was Luke making me something, turning this into a weapon you know. Hell I'm pretty good with a chain." That sounded like his best option. "He says it'll take time but he'll figure it out. Until then I'm stuck with this thing I guess." Maximus said. He sounded a bit down about it but it seemed like he had some good options.

"Good luck man. If anyone can turn this into something positive it's Luke you know that." I got up and put on the backpack again.

"You're coming to visit sometime right?" I hadn't actually told him of what I was going to do, but I guess he knew me well enough. He didn't need to be told.

"Yeah." I said nodding slightly. I wasn't sure that I would. I didn't know where I was going yet much less if I was ever coming back. Maybe if I had to. "Don't tell the others before I'm gone. I hate goodbye's." I said. Maximus just nodded. I started moving towards the door. After passing two sets of beds I turned around. "Should I expect you following sometime in the future." Maximus didn't seem like the kind of person to stick around in one place for long so maybe he would do the same thing I was doing at some point.

"I doubt it. I've been on the road for a long time. It might be nice to settle for some time you know." Maximus said. I grinned and nodded.

"I'll see you around Max."

My way towards the hill was slightly weird. People staring, pointing and whispering. Me with a backpack didn't predict much good. I walked the same route back and as I passed the Iris cabin someone came out. It was Grace Harper, the first person I had met at camp.

"You're leaving again I see." She said. It made me wonder if anyone didn't know I was leaving. "You know you could have just said so. Sneaking out in the middle of the day isn't very effective." She said.

"I just hate saying goodbye, and I'll be back." Of course I didn't know that for sure but it might get Grace to let me go without trouble. I figured she would. There was no point in keeping me here. I was happy that I could leave. If Colt was still around there was no way I could. But he was gone, it was only me now. It was a sense of freedom I doubted I would ever feel again.

"I hope so." Grace said. She jumped me with a tackle hug. I didn't really know what to do so I pretty much just stood there. "Just keep safe all right." I nodded and she let go. She smiled and went back inside the cabin. I was hoping that would be the last goodbye. I continued trotting my way towards the road. The points and stares seemed to have doubled now. I ignored it. None of them understood why I was leaving, my friends did. I was never one to stick around. And now that I had a chance to leave I was going to take it. I was a nomad, it was just the way it was. Settling down somewhere never to leave again was very weird for me. I couldn't do that sort of thing. Where I lay my head is home.

Walking up the hill was tougher than walking down, that was for sure. I could feel the muscles in my leg aching. They had gotten a lot stronger over the course of the quest. I had done a lot of walking. I guess all of us had. I turned back once more when I reached the top. Camp life would continue without me there was no doubt about it. I wondered how long it would be before I saw camp half-blood again. Months, years? Unlike Jake I couldn't predict the future. It was better that I didn't. At least now I could enjoy peace instead of fearing the next danger. I didn't know if the next disaster would hit in my lifetime. I hoped not but if it did I would be ready. I wasn't going to slack off. I'd get stronger and when anything else went down I would be there. As I was ready to walk on, a woman appeared, Athena. I hadn't seen her since before the quest began. She had been the one who told me about Phthonos' plans, the one that started all this. And here she was.

"Hello again Angel." She seemed kind. She had been the nicest god I had met that was certain.

"Athena." I nodded my head. I wasn't going to bow down but it was my way of showing her respect.

"You did well Angel. I knew you could do it. I feel sad about Dean. I had hoped he would find his way here again." Athena said. She had helped Jake in the past and I figured that she had helped the other three as well. She must have known from the start.

"He remembered who he was in the end. He redeemed himself." I said.

"Indeed he did. I gained notice from my uncle that he was allowed into Elysium, as was the son of Hypnos." I was happy to hear that. At least they got the respect they deserved in the afterlife.

"That's good to hear." I said.

"You still have it don't you?" She asked me. I knew what she was talking about. Out of my pocket I had gotten a small pendant in the shape of an owl. Messor. Luke had given it to me after the fight. I had kept it with me ever since.

"It's too dangerous in the world of men Athena. Especially in my hands." I had my fears. I knew Colt wasn't completely gone. He was still a part of me. A dormant one but he was there.

"Then you understand? You killed Colt but your darkness isn't gone Angel. Keep it under control. And don't worry about the dagger. I asked Hephaestus to craft a new lock. It's key will be secure trust me." Athena said. I nodded.

"In that case I would like to keep it." I said. Athena smiled.

"It's yours Angel." She turned away. She didn't disappear suddenly like last time. "Farewell." As she walked she started to fade. To me Athena's visit meant that it was truly over. Phthonos was gone.

As I took my first few steps towards the road I was already stopped. No one was letting me leave in peace today. Maybe I should have gone the day before, or the day after. But today no one let me be. "Leaving without goodbye?" Luke said.

"Did everyone see this coming?" I asked him.

"Yeah pretty much. You're not one to stick around." So they did know me. "You really don't like goodbye's do you?" He asked me, in return I shook my head. "Well tough luck." He said. He came a bit closer towards me walking up the hill. "I knew you were never going to stay mate but I wish you could. You haven't been here long but this place is different without you here. We've been through a lot of shit together." I nodded. This was exactly the reason why I hated goodbye's. "You sure you don't want to stay until summer's end? Most demigods will be going to school then. You'll leave with the mass you know. It would piss of Chiron less than you just leaving.

"Nah, I don't want to wait. Besides I'll be back someday. I think I'll miss this place." I said. It was true. Especially if I had been alone, I would have started to miss this place. Of course as it turned out, I wasn't.

"You better come back. I'm going to need my best man for the wedding." Luke looked at me with a grin. I was completely shocked. "She said yes. We haven't got a date or anything yet but...we're getting married. I want you to be my best man."

"Me?" I was honoured. Me and Luke were friends hell yeah but best man. I didn't think I'd ever be anyone's best man.

"Yeah you. So do you want to?" He didn't even need to ask.

"Hell yeah." I was still amazed that he wanted me to be his best man, but I was going to be the best best man there ever was.

"Awesome. I'll see you around Angel. I'll send you an Iris message some time. Just throw in one of those drachmas you stole out of the storage room." He really knew me too well. I just laughed as we went our separate ways. I started making my way to the road as he walked down the hill towards camp.

The asphalt under my feet felt pretty good. I had only been off the road for two weeks but being back on made me feel a lot better. I was one for the road that was for sure. I would probably get to New York by nightfall. I was planning on spending the night at Jake's before moving on. I didn't really know where I was going to go. I would probably move from town to town spending less than a month at each town. If I could find a job to build up my cash stash at every town I would live. I hadn't really figured everything out yet but that didn't matter. After all none of that planning worked out anyway. I didn't know that when I started my travel though. As I walked I remembered something. The envelope Luke had given me before we entered the arena, the letter in case of his passing. I know that what I did was wrong, I had no right but I was curious. I got the envelope out of my pocket and started reading. It took me a while given my dyslexia but I got it eventually.

'Maria,

I'm writing this in case I don't make it back to you. We both know there is a high chance of that happening, and it was a fact I accepted before I went on this quest. The life of a demigod is always short, and always an adventure, a quest been the largest we could go on, something we all hope for. And this is one of the most important things I've ever done. It seems we're battling not just Phthonos and Colt, but also someone from Angel's past called Samael, and we were betrayed by Maximus. Alex and Hectar have joined us, and to be honest, they're both idiots, though they're kinda funny. They're so young, though, and I feel like it's my responsibility to look out for them, like I would with any other demigod.

I just want you to know that if I do die, I want you to carry on with your life. Train, carry on talking to your friends, and live life to the fullest, like each day is your last. Because for all we know, it could be. If I die, I hope you eventually find someone else who makes you happy. My heart has always been yours, and always will be. Since the first time I saw you, I knew there was something there. We've been through a lot, more than most couples can handle, and we've come out of it stronger. All the stuff that happened with Nox and with Mack, all the monsters and pranks, all the claimings, new kids and deaths... they've brought us closer together. It's not been easy, but we've made it. And if I make it back, I have a surprise for you, hopefully one you'll like. If I don't, then you'll get this letter from Angel or anyone who survives this ordeal, along with what I have to give to you.

Please, don't worry about me. Whatever happens has been planned by the Fates, and you can't argue with them. Whether I live or die, I'll accept it. I just hope I've changed enough to get into Elysium. To me, the Fields of Asphodel seem just as bad as the Fields of Punishment. And if I die, you know I'll go out fighting. I'd give my life for the success of this quest, but I won't give it up that easily. If it happens, then please... if I have any other siblings claimed, my tools are theirs. Look after them for me - both my siblings, and my tools.

My letter seems to be a bit like me here, eh? Heh, here I am, rambling on as always. I'm rubbish at writing letters, and just as bad at saying goodbye. No matter what, though, remember I love you. I'll see you soon, and if I don't, I'll be waiting for you.

All my love,
Luke'

When I finished reading the letter I felt pretty bad about reading it. It really hadn't been my right. The thing was thought that Luke had survived. I could pretty much bin the letter. But I chose not to because after all in my opinion not much in this letter could change. Before Colt was destroyed I had given up on love, and I would again if Luke and Maria would break up. This letter proved that. Till death do us part, no line was ever more fitting.

I was barely half a mile from camp when I met another hiker. I saw someone come from far away, this person was moving towards camp. It would be weird since it was nearly the end of Summer which usually meant people leaving rather than coming in. Maybe it was a newbie. I didn't know. As I neared the person I could make out it was a girl. She had blonde hair that came to her chest and was shorter than me. More than that I couldn't make out. As I came closer I started to recognize her. She had green eyes and the most beautiful face I had ever seen. She looked a lot more ragged than the last time I saw her but beautiful none the less. Most Aphrodite kids were all make-up but they all had a natural beauty that they hardly showed. She still looked as fine as she could though. She was a year younger than me, a fact that I knew rather than one I could see. Her name was Sophie Brighton. One of the two remaining demigods that fought Hyperion. The one that disappeared after Jake's death stood in front of me.

"Hey Michael."

"Sophie?"

"Yeah it's me. You and I have work to do."