DIVINE » l. valdez

knowing me, knowing you

i apologize,

if it makes you feel bad: 

seeing me so tense, no self-confidence

The price of victory came with a cost: hay fever. The echoes of sneezes could be heard all throughout Camp Half-Blood.

By nightfall, most of the demigods were congested, groggy and dizzy. As they trudged off to their beds it looked like a heard of reject zombies infecting the area.

Will took the lead on healing the sick, which Hina was grateful for, her mind needing a distraction from the whirlwind of events. She walked with Will, providing ambrosia to the more seriously injured campers, and mustering up whatever healing power she could. Apollo trailed behind the two, helping anyone with splints for injuries, or handing out bandages. 

On multiple occasions Harley snuck happy face bandages out of Apollo's pockets to plaster on both his flamethrower and the miscellaneous cuts lining Hina's arms.

Percy worked together with the various marine life to haul the Colossus away to Poseidon's underwater palace while Chiron tended to those most effected by the plague. 

The damage to camp was not as crippling as Hina had feared, and the canoe dock could be repaired in no time. The footprints leftover from the Colossus had potential for capture the flag or even a koi pond. 

The dining pavilion was a total loss, but Nyssa and Harley were confident that Annabeth could redesign the place on her next visit. With luck, it would be rebuilt in time for the summer.

In Hina's mind, she was alright with the loss of the dining hall. She wouldn't mind the chance to more easily escape from her siblings during meal times and she hoped it could allow more cross-cabin friendships to blossom.

The only other major damage was to the Demeter cabin. At some point during the battle, the Colossus had landed a giant foot on top of the vine covered building and left little in its wake. The sight sent chills down Hina's spine and she knew it had been a calculated attack. 

Seeing as Meg's stance with Nero had faltered that night, the dark omen of the destruction left a bitter taste in Hina's mouth.

The remaining Demeter campers were relocated to the Hermes cabin for the time being and everyone was eager to get some sleep after the chaos of the day.

Despite the energy draining ordeal, Hina couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, Will's snoring drowning out the sounds of sneezing from around the room. 

A heavy pressure pushed against her chest as the words of the Grove recited themselves in her mind:

"Three-seater, bronze fire-eater"

"Happiness approaches."

They pointed to something she'd thought impossible, something she had been praying for during the past six months. Since her fight with Apollo on his first day, the thought of Leo had fallen to the back of her mind. And suddenly, all the pain and yearning had come back in an instant. 

Yet, the rest of the prophecies came flooding back, snuffing out any hope that might have been stirring.

"The fall of the sun; the final verse."

Whatever was coming was bigger than anyone could imagine. The swirling pools of the Underworld could only show a fraction of the destruction awaiting Hina and Apollo. 

After everything they had been through, Hina was terrified for her father. She couldn't bear to lose him after finally seeing eye to eye. She had seen him do the most impossible thing a god could do; change. Over their journey, and upon meeting Meg, Hina had witnessed her father grow as an individual and become more mortal, more human.