σɾɳιƚԋαʂ (ρʝσ x ɱαʅҽ σƈ)

The Loss of a Dear Friend

Theo's POV

I slowly opened my eyes and saw...trees? Is this grass I'm lying on? How did I end up here?

I groaned as I slowly sat up, and that's when I realized where I was.

I found myself in between a forest and...a cabin overlooking the cliffside.

That...Alexios' cabin. The same one that I lived in for the first two months of my life before Orion showed up.

I got up and started slowly walking towards the cabin, but a thought came to my head.

Am I dead?

???: No, you're not.

I quickly turned around and saw a familiar middle-aged woman. She had auburn hair and silvery-yellow eyes and was wearing silver robes.

Artemis: This isn't real. You, however, are simply unconscious.

Theo: Mom?

Artemis: Yes, son.

I smiled at the sight of my mother, but it quickly faded when I remembered what happened earlier.

Theo: Shit. The ship. Percy...

Artemis: Calm yourself, Theo. You needn't worry about Percy, for he has survived.

I sighed in relief.

Theo: Beckendorf?

Artemis shook her head in sadness, which told me everything I needed to know.

Theo: No. No, there's no way. He can't be...

Artemis: I'm sorry, Theo. Charles didn't survive the explosion.

I fell onto my knees and fought the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes. But that was a fight I end up losing, and I found myself crying over the loss of my friend.

After a few minutes of crying, I wiped my tears and stood back up.

Theo: Did...Is Kronos...?

Artemis: Unfortunately, he is not. All your plan did was slow the Titan lord down.

Theo: (sighs) Dammit. Well, at least, it wasn't a total loss. We took out a fair number of monsters on the ship.

Artemis: Which will each undoubtedly be either reformed or replaced with over a dozen more. As for the demigods that were onboard...Only a handful managed to survive.

Theo: (sighs) Fuck's sake.

Artemis: Theo, Beckendorf's sacrifice wasn't in vain. You have scattered the invasion force. New York will be safe for a time, which frees the other Olympians to deal with the bigger threat.

Theo: Bigger threat?

Artemis: You'll learn of it once you reach camp. For now, all I can say is that all of the Olympians, myself and your grandfather included, are busy dealing with it.

Theo: Then...how are we...?

Artemis: Us gods can communicate with our children however we wish. When I made the connection with your mind, my subconscious filled out the rest.

Theo: So...That cabin...That's you?

Artemis: This cabin is where the best and worst moments of my existence occurred. The day you were born...and the day I lost your father.

I nodded in understanding. Artemis then stared at the cabin and looked like a million memories came flooding into her head.

Artemis: Do you know the meaning behind your name.