A/N: I could not leave anyone hanging! Here's the last part to the games. I really, really hope you all like it. :D It's late here, so please excuse the typos that are most likely all up in this! :P

I could feel the blush in my cheeks, and I wanted to run. I did not want to be vulnerable in front of him. It reminded me of the first time I really talked to Apollo, and the state that I had been in. It had been a bad night, and I had wished all the pain and suffering would end. He had shown me kindness, the first I received in a long time. It was the first time any of them had treated me like something other than a slave.

I felt something warm touch my neck, and I looked back up. He was so close, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

"You are not alone, Addie. You do not have to do this by yourself; you do not have to be strong all the time," he whispered to me. His hand came up to the side of my face, his thumb brushing my cheek. "Is it so hard to believe that I care?"

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that I was not alone. I just shook my head in disbelief. His gaze caught mine, and I could not look away. I was frozen, but not in fear. His eyes were smoldering, making me feel all tingly and warm inside. I had not felt that in a very, very long time.

"Why don't you believe me?"

"I-I….there's….no one. I can't. I can't let anyone that close again, people will get hurt-"

"Euadne Cyra Aurelius Maximus," he spoke firmly, interrupting me. He used my full name, which sounded surprisingly good coming from him. "I am a god, and no supposed curse of Ares will stop me." He took a deep breath, both of his hands moving to hold my face. His touch was so gentle, and the heat felt so good. I felt like I was melting away, that he was forcibly removing the mask I always wore. I had worn it for so long, and it felt nice, for once, that there was a possibility I did not have to hide behind it.

"Please believe me," he breathed. His forehead touched mine, and my eyes closed. My breaths were shallow and quick, and my heart was racing in my chest. Every inch of me was tingling, and it felt so good. I was not tired or sore. I was just aware of him, and it was so easy to believe that someone cared. I wanted to believe him.

So I decided to do just do that.

"Okay," I said softly.

I felt him still for a moment, like he was thinking about something. Before I had a chance to open my eyes, to see what was wrong, Apollo's grip tightened in my hair, and his lips touched mine.

It was not forced, not like with Ares. His lips were soft, gentle, and hesitant, almost like he was asking permission. A different kind of heat blazed though my body. It was consuming and wonderful, and I felt a spark, one that lit up the lonely recesses of my heart. I felt alive, more so than I had in a very long time. Without thinking, I was kissing him back. I wanted to kiss him back. He pulled me to him, and my hands went to his shoulders. I had never been kissed like this, and I did not want it to stop.

He pulled away abruptly, glancing over his shoulder. He stood and pulled me up with him, his hand firmly on my waist. He kept the arm wrapped around me, helping to keep me steady. One of my hands was still on his shoulder. I was feeling a little dizzy, and it had nothing to do with me being sick. Comus walked around the corner, and upon seeing Apollo, he bowed.

"My Lord, I did not realize you were down here."

"Yes, well, I am," he sighed pointedly. Comus looked at me, and I knew I looked a little distant and glazed. I kept imagining the feeling of his lips…

"Euadne is up," Comus explained.

"I will ride up with her, Comus. I know how to find my way back."

"Yes, my Lord, of course."

He backed away, and the floor started steadily rising once again. Apollo turned me to him, his hands on my waist.

"How's the knee?"

I looked down and bent it, testing it out. It was no longer swollen, and it felt fine.

"Good," I replied, my voice a little squeaky. Where his hands were, it felt like open flames to my skin.

"And how do you feel?" he chuckled. I was feeling a lot of things at the moment, each one more confusing than the other.

"Good," I choked, clearing my throat. "I, um, I feel better."

"Good," he said, smiling at me. He pulled out another vile, handing it to me. I took it from him, drinking the contents. "That will not last long, and you will crash hard when it runs out."

I nodded my head in understanding, and the floor stopped moving. He leaned down, pressing his lips to mine once more, and I felt my heart flutter.

"Never fear that you are alone, Addie. I'll be here for you," he breathed as he pulled away. The doors opened, light spilling back in. The godling guards, upon seeing Apollo, hesitated slightly. They did not want to push me in front of him.

"I know you will win," he stated. I nodded and walked out into the arena. When I looked back, he was gone.

The crowd roared in approval, and I wondered how I looked. I felt like I was a person who had spent two days straight awake who had just injected pure caffeine into their system. The aches and tiredness were just out of reach, pushed back by the potions and nectar. The adrenaline rush I had experienced with Apollo was fading. I still felt weak, but now I had one shot left.

And I was going to use it to my full advantage.

I thought about everything I knew about Hercules. He was super strong, and he relied on that strength. Maybe if I could outsmart him, that would be enough to get the win.

He was about thirty yards away from me, and the crowd yelled incoherently around us. I paused, letting him walk closer to me. He was like a lion, waiting until he got close enough to pounce.

"You look tired, Euadne," he teased me. "I'll make it quick and somewhat painless, if you tell me to. Oh but wait, you can't can you?" He laughed at me, a superior smirk on his face.

I just glared at him, summoning my daggers to my hands. He pulled out his sword, grinning wickedly at me. I set my jaw, and he started running from towards me.

I would be better than when I had fought Palaestra. I was in more control. He was getting closer, and when he was about ten feet away, I summoned a rock from behind me, hurling it towards him. I reached for my magic, and thankfully it responded. The ground disappeared beneath my feet as I heard the crunch of the rock hitting Hercules.

I reappeared about twenty yards away. Hercules shook his head, absolute rage on his face. He lunged after me and I parried the blow. It felt like my arms would shatter trying to stop him. We fought back at forth, the crowd going wild. I was doing my best to avoid his sword all together. I could not match his strength, and if I tried I would have just broken something. I vanished once again close to the other side of the arena. I was covered in sweat, and I felt my strength start to wane.

Hercules ripped a column from the wall and slung it in my direction.

It took all I could to stop it with my earth powers. I dropped it to the ground, huffing out a breath.

I missed Hercules though.

While I was distracted with stopping the column, he ran beside me, punching me firmly in the side. I flew at least twenty feet, and my head cracked against the rock wall. My ribs were most certainly broken, and I felt blood pour from my head. I was seeing stars, and my vision was blurring. The crowd had gone strangely quiet; there was a strange, high-pitched buzz echoing in my ears.

That was a cheap trick, and it made me angry.

I heard the clap of thunder before I stood back up. Hercules barreled towards me, and I flipped over him with the aid of a rock. I threw both of my daggers, both of them hitting their target. Two gashes, one on his arm and leg, appeared on him, and my daggers flew back to my hands. He looked at me in disbelief, golden ichor running down his arm. I took the second to wipe my face free of the blood. I could feel in running down the side, continuing down my neck. The sky was darkening, and a flash of lightning rocked the sky.

Hercules launched himself towards me, and our close battle started again. I unleashed every bit of pent fury and frustration I had on the god. All the anger I had in the last few months was venting out of me.

I was mad at my father for ignoring me.

I was mad at the gods for not doing something about this flip-flop business.

I was mad at the Fates for letting this happen.

I was mad at myself, for giving into this hopelessness.

But most of all, I was mad at Ares, for all the crap he had done to me.

And I wanted to prove him wrong. I was not the same girl who begged for someone's life on the battlefield two thousand years ago. I was strong. And I did not want to be scared any longer.

The ground was sliding and mould beneath me, aiding me in my movement. I saw Hercules hesitate for a second under my onslaught, and that's when I took advantage. I parried his sword and slashed my dagger just below his wrist. He dropped his sword, and I hit him with a rock. Wind and small pebbles swirled around me like a hurricane. I pinned him to the ground, both of my daggers at his throat.

He looked up at me, surprise and awe on his face. The sound came back, and I could hear the roar of the crowd. I heard them announce me as the winner, but I did not smile. Every inch of me hurt, and I was covered in sweat.

The rocks fell back to the ground, and the wind started to die around me. I had made it storm, just like I always did when I got angry.

"I underestimated you," he said up to me. I made my daggers vanish back into the bangles and I stood up. I offered Hercules my hand which he took.

"Most people do," I grunted as I pulled him up. "Sorry I cut you." I looked at his wrist, but it was already healing. My head was still bleeding badly, and I was starting to feel woozier.

"They were wrong about you," he said.

I was about to ask him who was, when the last of my strength left me. My vision turned black, and the last thing I remembered was something catching me before I hit the ground.

Iapetus looked at me hungrily, like he I was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

"They were right to be frightened of you. You hold more power than you know," he said smugly.

Words echoed in my head, ones that sounded eerily familiar.

'Seven half-bloods shall answer the call.'

Faces I knew and some I didn't flashed before me. Percy, Annabeth, and Jason Grace, along with two more boys and girls, but I did not recognize them. But then it was my friends: Tiberius, Orion, Decimus, Amadeus, Philo, and Magnus.

'To storm or fire, the world must fall.'

A torrent of flames and rock surrounded me, the wind harsh and biting. Apollo repeated the words he said in my head: "The storm of fire will bring the world to death."

'An oath the keep with a final breath….Become immortal with a final breath.'

Flashes of an elfish boy lying on the ground, Percy's body, my own, looking lifeless. Despair rocked through me because I feared there was nothing I could do.

'And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.'

I saw myself slam the doors. I saw the hopelessness on my face as I turned to the army.

'The mortal chained by the god's will…an encounter with death fulfilled.'

I closed my eyes, but it did not stop what I was seeing. It did not stop the laugh I heard in my ears, two sets, one female, one male.

And the male sounded eerily familiar.

"I'm coming for you, Euadne. You will regain your fate," the male voice whispered to me.

"They have all been lying to you."

"Addie, wake up!"

My eyes shot open, and I shivered, a cold sweat over my body. I was back in my bed, my breaths wild and panting.

I looked to my left, and Apollo sat on my bed, a worried look on his face. His hand stroked my cheek as my heartbeat slowed. A rag appeared in his hand, and he wiped my forehead with it. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths.

Why did that voice sound so familiar?

"Are you okay?" he asked me slowly.

I nodded my head, unsure of my voice.

"Were you dreaming?"

I nodded my head again and tried to sit up. He grasped my arm, and put one hand behind my back. I felt fluttery again, and more pillows appeared behind my back. Apollo held my hand, and I could not help but smile.

He was here, just like he said he would be.

"See, I told you."

"One should not question the god of prophecy," I noted. He laughed, a spark in his eyes.

"You should have seen Ares's face," he said smugly.

I laughed, but my hand flew to my ribs as my laughs morphed into a painful sob.

"Easy, tiger," he said brushing my chest with his fingers. The pain vanished, and I looked at him thankfully. "You are not a god, you know. It takes time to heal."

"Ares was mad?" I asked him quietly. My voice was a little hesitant.

"Oh, he was absolutely livid, but you have nothing to worry about," Apollo said firmly. "He will not bother you again, not if I can help it."

"You don't have to do that," I whispered quietly to him.

"Yes, I do," he said adamantly. His gaze bore into mine, and I felt myself blush. I shivered, and he wrapped his hand tighter around my own.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

I nodded my head. He leaned against the headboard and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I turned so I was facing him. He was being awfully nice, not that I did not mind.

"Does this bother you?" he asked. He looked a little confused and just a smidge hurt.

"No," I said carefully. "It's actually nice, I'm just…not use to it, I guess."

"Well then, get use to it," he said softly.

"Is that an order?" I asked jokingly

"Yes, it is," he smiled, tenderly grazing my cheek. I closed my eyes, for the first time in a long time, I felt safe again.

This was one order that I did not mind following.

AHHHH! So what do you think? Please, please tell me!

I will probably not update tomorrow, but who knows?

Thank you for the reviews so far on the last chapter. You guys rock! :)