Equilibrium

Chapter 54: Luka's POV

At this point I was so emotional that it was clouding any last hope of a rational thought.
Adrestia could choke, I hated every single thing about that nasty, disgusting, gross, yucky, rat bag. Seriously, what the fuck.
Adrestia and Jackie disappeared, leaving us with gods know how much time to come to a decision.
"Chiron-" I started, but I was cut off by Annabeth who was telling me to calm the heckles down and actually think for once.
"Luka shUt uP for a minute!" She said grabbing me by the arm and shaking me a bit. She was right, I knew she was right, but I wouldn't listen to her.
Jackie had forgiven me.
She forgave me and was sorry? I was so confused by the whole situation. I was so convinced that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with me ever again, but here she was apologising to me and saying that she cared about me? Even if there was the possibility that I didn't like her in the way she wanted me too?
I was overthinking everything she was saying and my mind was spinning with all these unsolved questions.
I NEED to figure out how to save her and all demigod life. I need to.
Or the rest of my sad life will be spent... dead. I won't HAVE a rest of my life. Whatever Adrestia says, whatever deal she's trying to make, it's all baloney. Whatever we do, she's going to try to end us all. Jackie's just bait, Adrestia's  words are all lies.
"Chiron Adrestia is LYING!" I half yelled, waving my arms around frantically. "If we hand over the relics, she's going to kill us. If we don't hand over the relics she's going to kILL US- DoN't you see that we have to come up with a better plan???"
My head kept shooting back over to where the yucky goddess had been standing with Jackie, hoping that they would come back so I could make sure that Jackie was ok. If she died... I'm not sure what would happen to me.
I know, I know... I'm only 16, still a teenager. Girls come and go, I shouldn't be hung up on one. But Aphrodite's relic didn't lie. She's my soulmate for the rest of my life. That's how soulmates work. If she died, then there would be no falling in love again. That's it, that's the end.
My heart would be shattered.
"HAHA our lives are JOKES why do we even try at this point?!?!" Leo suddenly exclaimed. "Jackie's going to die, Luka's going to die, Percy's going to die, Calypso's going to di-"
"LEO!" Annabeth cut him off, "We get the point, dumbass."
What a debbie downer, Leo could choke.
Chiron sighed, "Luka, what do you suppose we do then? This was your quest, you should decide."
Was he serious!?!?! Me??!?! Decide the whole fate of demigod life in the future??!!?! Wow Chiron THANK YOU soOOO much. I totally appreciate it.
"I-... don't know.." I said, my voice trailing off.
"Of course he doesn't know." Leo said spitefully. Wow this kid hated me a little too much. At first when I met the dude, we were chill kinda, I guess. But now it's just, 'I hate you.'
At this point only Annabeth, Leo, Chiron and I were standing around talking. Everyone was back in the full swing of battle, slashing through monsters and trying not to die. The little, 'break,' I guess you could call it, was good for everyone to take a quick rain check and get their bearings again. It bought us some time, but within a couple minutes we would be back to where we started. A losing battle.
We continued arguing, and it took everything in me not to cry. My head shot back over to the spot Adrestia had disappeared with Jackie, and if my eyes weren't lying to me, I could kind of see the two of their silhouettes.
We didn't have any time left.
"Luka just decide!" Chiron said, his arms flailing just as much as mine were. Leo tried wacking me with a hammer. "Why does he get to decide?!?!?! He's been here what, a day??!!? WHY CAN'T WE JUST SACRIFICE HIM AND SAVE JACKIE??"
I grabbed the hammer from him and chucked it to the side, "BECAUSE ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME??? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON???!?!?"
Leo and I were full on going at eachother like freaking cats.
"ENOUGH!!!" Chiron came in between the two of us. "Leo, my word is law, you know that. Now Luka, I'm putting it on you to save us all."
Yeah, fuck you Chiron.
"Have you all come to a consensus yet?" Adrestia came out of the shadows, holding a struggling Jackie. YES she was alive! That was enough to keep me sane for 0.2 seconds.
"No." I said flatly, "You're a bitch, I hate you, and I hope you burn."
I sounded reAlly salty to myself.
"So you won't give me my relics?" Adrestia asked in a light, but deadly tone. "Your relics?" I said, my fists balled up at my sides.
"Ahh well I guess I'll have to give you a taste of what's to come! Just as... hmm how do I put this... motivation!" She exclaimed.
Jackie was yelling against her mouth gag, but I couldn't hear anything she was saying. "Motivation..?" I asked skeptically.
"Yes!" Adrestia laughed enthusiastically. "Motivation." Walking closer to where the four of us were standing, Adrestia dragged a fighting Jackie along with her. "How many people are you willing to sacrifice Luka Del Rosso... how many people are you willing to let die because of your indecisiveness?"
"NONE!" I yelled at her, "No one is going to die!" If I was quick maybe I could grab Jackie out of her arms... I could save her. Without thinking about it any longer I lunged forwards and tried reaching for her. Annabeth and Leo were yelling at me to stop from behind, but before they could do anything else Adrestia flicked her hand and I went flying back. Landing on my butt, I got up as fast as I could, ignoring the pain in my backside.
"Very well, Luka. If that's how you want to do things..." The goddess cooed.
I caught Jackie's eyes, and for a second, it was as if the world had fallen into place again. That equilibrium was restored.
But that all came crashing down when Adrestia flicked her hand towards Jackie, and the demigod went limp.
What-
Adrestia heaved Jackie at me and I caught her, but she wasn't moving. I fell down again, holding on to her tiny body.
"Jackie!" I yelled, my voice breaking as I shook her. Adrestia merely chuckled, clasping her hands together and watching me cry over Jackie.
Turning her over, I looked at her face and it was obvious. Obvious that she was gone, as her lifeless body laid in my arms, her hazel eyes blank, staring at nothing.
She was dead.
Jackie was dead.