Half-Blood Heroes II: Land Of Giants

I Will Never Forget You

In the distance I could see an approaching figure. I could tell everyone else saw it because they stopped and drew their weapons. You might be thinking: Hold up, Zane never got a weapon. Well, he found a rusty old dagger to use. "Be ready." The figure you ask? Were shadow demons and Fomorians. They were led by a camper who went missing last, last month. "Okay, whatever argument we have, I take it back." Arin said, Cynthia nodded and kept her eyes on the approaching army. Claudia teared up but stood her ground. She and Zane were scared, they'd never met shadow demons. In fairness, I have never met shadow demons either. Mark charged at them. Amongst the fleeting demons and Fomorians stood; Macha. She had a sinister smile and she wore a long battle dress if that makes sense. "Macha." Cynthia tightened her hand around her hilt. "Oh half-bloods, don't run. I'm but a mere goddess- out for blood." She stepped off her battle chariot. "Get them." Those two words and the Fomorians and demons attacked us. We desperately tried to fight the demons off but like I said in chapter 11- you can't touch shadows. Luckily, Mark, Cynthia, Claudia and Zane figured out how to chase away shadows, While they worked on the shadows me and Arin purged through the Fomorians.

The army was almost cleared, in the corner of my eyes I could see the face of faltering confidence from Macha. I charged at her and she moved out of the way and drew her dagger. "That all you got?" Arin raced to my assistance. "I'm here." He said quietly.

"Always. And forever." I replied.

"C'mon." He charged while Cynthia loaded her bows. Claudia wiped her tears and drew her sword. Mark stepped in front of Cynthia. 'He's protecting her'. I thought quietly in my head (can you think quietly, that is my question). "Keep Claudia and Zane safe Mark, I don't need protection." Cynthia said.

"But-" he tried to argue.

"I'm not a little girl, I'll be fine." She reassured him one more time. She gave him a smile. Me, Cynthia and Arin stood at the front. She swung her sword nearly hitting Arin who jumped out of the way. "Oh that was close."

"I know."

"Come now half-bloods." Macha cast a spell. Claudia and writhed in pain. "Zane!" She was hellbent on making us surrender. Claudia glared at Macha. "Surrender or they'll both die." I lowered my sword and dropped it. "Let them go, Macha." She set them down on their knees beside me. She pushed me back into a stone. A burning pain grew in my chest, I felt the wind leave my lungs. Macha raised a scythe-like weapon. "No!" I reached out, I closed my eyes and waited for the cries of pain or the silence. "Cynthia." Claudia said quietly. I opened my eyes to see Cynthia's hands holding the blade away. "Leave my family alone."

"Never." Macha summoned more demons. Zane and Claudia ran off beside Mark. Cynthia let go of the blade and wiped her blood stained hands on her shirt.

"You will never hurt my friends or my family again." Mark helped Claudia. Arin brushed himself off and helped me up. "You okay?"

"It hurts." I replied through gritted teeth. "It's okay, calm down." Cynthia went off, she was attacking Macha like there was no tomorrow. I drew my sword and swung at Macha. I looked up, her hand covering her eye. A trail of blood dripped down. "Kendra!" She stood with her scythe. Ready to chop my head off. I dodged it and trapped her in a sphere of water. "Get them to safety."

"No." Mark put his hand on my shoulder. A dark aura floated around it. "We're not gonna lose you." Quietly, under his breath he muttered. "I can't afford to lose you."

Arin swung while Macha was distracted. A large bleeding gash lined her back. She charged at Claudia. It happened too quickly, I didn't know if it was real. It felt like time had froze, like the world had felt her pain.

Cynthia.

She held onto Claudia, Macha's sword was impaled in her back. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Cynthia bled out. Claudia sobbed, Mark froze. We were in shock, that shock and confusion quickly turned to anger. Before Mark could even stand up Claudia ran to Macha and strangled her. "You- c-can't k-ki-kill me." Macha stuttered out, it was no use. I could see the undying anger in her eyes. The same anger I had when Croix died, the same hatred Cynthia had to the giants. Claudia threw Macha against a boulder. Mark ran to charge but Claudia stopped him. She picked up Macha's scythe which had fallen. "Macha, you know you did." Claudia's darkening aura formed wings on her back. "You killed her, she didn't deserve it." She had Macha at gunpoint. "I hate you, I hate you so much." Macha merely laughed. I turned to Zane, who was so young and innocent, saw his sister impaled in front of him. In the corner of my eye I could see Arin cradling Cynthia in his arms. He quietly whispered to her. "Stay here please, don't go." She blood soaked the ground. I'd finally taken in what happened. Cynthia is dead, she's gone. She was killed and now, everyone who ever loved her was out for blood. Claudia raised the scythe and in a swift movement left a scar in Macha's chest. She laughed as her own blood dripped out. "Foolish half-bloods, I'll be back." With that she faded. Claudia fell to her knees sobbing holding a knife to her heart. I raced to her and held her tightly.

After a while a woman in a dark cloak and veil appeared. She walked over to Arin who cradled Cynthia's lifeless body. "My poor little girl." The woman took off her veil. She was Morrigan, she cradled her daughter gently. "She's gone." She let out a piercing cry, crows and ravens gathered 'round Cynthia. Mark held Cynthia. Zane and Claudia couldn't even look at her, her body covered in blood and dirt. Arin looked down, his clothes covered in blood. "Kendra."

"I know." I replied.

"She's gone."

"I know, Arin."

"Make her come back."

"I can't." Morrigan, still sobbing, took her daughter away to Tír Na Anam.

Finally we found a working portal and went back to camp. Everyone gathered around Mark, Zane and Claudia. "Hey! Give them space." Aspen jogged up to me and looked around. "What happened? Where's Croix?" I looked him dead in the eyes with tears. "Aspen, she's dead." He froze and looked away. Cara walked up to me. "We need- we need preparations for two burial ceremonies." Another camper asked. "Two?"

"Yes, for the lives of Croix Russo and Cynthia Caraway." Cara answered sadly. Claudia still held Macha's scythe in her hand. Graham ran up to Claudia and directed her to the recently built Morrigan cabin. I walked with Mark towards the eating hall. "Hey, we all feel that they're gone."

"14 Kendra, that's how old Cynthia was. She died such a painful death." I nodded slowly at his statement. He sat down on a bench burst into sobs. He was beating himself up about her death. I sat down beside him and hugged him. We prepared for the funeral to be held in two weeks time. "Mark-"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry, Kendra."

"Why?"

"Because I was so insensitive about Croix's death."