Last Olympian - My Way

Gathering the Info

The next morning at breakfast, Percy wasn't the most talkative person. And that definitely worried me. But I didn't pry. For all I knew he could've had nightmares about his death, which was what I had. But I've, sadly, gotten used to it by now. But he could've also had more visions, which still wanted me to ask but I just stayed the whole time, leaving it to be a very awkward breakfast.

And once it ended we just separated since he had to do inspection with Annie anyway.

So I went off to do my rounds as well. First, I visited the strawberry fields where I worked my Demeter magic. And once it hit about ten o'clock, I headed over to the archery ranges, already having summoned my bow and quiver from my backpack.

And when Will noticed me heading over, he gave me a smile and gestured me over to where it lookedl ike he had a class in front of him.

"But you're teaching," I said as he brought me up in front of the targets, where a few of rookie demigods were staring at me.

"Yeah, and I was about to show them how to shoot but I thought you could help me with that," he gave me a smile.

"What, are you lacking skills?" I teased him. He rolled his eyes as the students chuckled.

"Just go and shoot Clair," he sighed.

When I walked up to the first target, Will was commentating like "pay attention to how she grabs the arrow from her quiver," or "look at her stance, tall and confident," or "see how she pulls back her drawstring?".

And when I let the arrow fly it hit the bullseye, earning 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the kids. So that gave me the impulse to walk across the range and shoot each and every target in the center. Once I was finished, the students clapped while Will yelled "Show off!".

"Whatever, Solace," I rolled my eyes and raised my hand, summoning my arrows and putting them back in my quiver. "Anyway, I'm gonna-"

But then a conch horn sounded.

"What was that?" one of the kids asked. But Will and I knew what it was.

"Was that for Beckendorf's..." Will looked at me, his voice trailing off.

"I'm guessing so," I nodded, and started heading over. "I'll need to prepare my fire. See ya there, Will,"

And when I reached it, Chiron looked at me solemnly. Though I never really asked to be the one to burn the shrouds on the funeral pyre, it was apparently traditional that a fire user from the Hephaestus cabin or a millionth would light the shroud(s).

His shroud was made out of metal links which seemed like it would be difficult to burn but, once I ignited it with my fire, it seemed to melt like butter. Golden smoke rose up into the sky as we all said our good byes.

And after that I went into the forest to do my job.

I walked around, nurturing the trees. And after a while, I stumbled upon a clearing.

A very familiar clearing. It was the clearing where the Council of Cloven Elders had once put Grover on trial.

And Standing there was the most interesting trio I have ever seen: Juniper, a dryad friend of mine who was also Grover's girlfriend, Leneus who was one of the Council's members, and Nico di Angelo himself.

Nico was wearing the usual: aviator jacket, black tee, black jeans, his skull ring on his left hand, his Stygian iron sword sheath hanging on his belt. He looked even more grown the last time I saw him, which just saddened me even more. I could sense he's become more distant since the last time we met, but I pushed that thought aside, for now.