The Olympians: The Fall of Kin

Afterlife

            Artemis tried to make sure he didn't rock with the teetering boat. A sword was still protruding from his chest, dried blood flaking away from his leather jacket in the wind. "You're gonna' be okay." She said, mostly for herself. She knew he couldn't hear her. "You—you big dumbass. You got hurt because of me." She thought aloud.

The skiff moved quickly, the sea wind mixing with the putrid smell of gore.

Her hands shook. Blood covered them. She tried to rinse them off in the water as they strode along, but it wouldn't come off, no matter what she did.

Artemis...

Gray spoke weakly.

Her attention broke from Dorian. She splayed her hands over his fur. It too was draped in blood. He was barely breathing.

"I-I can't lose you." She spoke of them both. Until today, she'd never really thought of Dorian that way. But, seeing what he'd done for her...

He had to live. They both did.

"Don't speak." She cried, stroking Gray's fur. "We'll get to the ship. Get you both to Apollo. You'll be okay."

"One of us will die this day." Gray foretold. "One will live. But not both. It will be your choice when the time comes."

Artemis' heart fell to her stomach. "Don't say that. We can save you. We can save both of you." The woman said, unsure if she believed her own words.

Bolas placed a tender hand on hers. "Just breathe. They're both alive now. We'll make it." He smiled kindly.

In spite of what he said, Bolas' hand shook too.

They pulled aloft of the giant destroyer.

She tapped her terminal and opened a comms channel with the team. "Clarion! Apollo! Someone, please answer!"

"Huh? Artemis? Back already? That was quick." It was Spade.

"Dorian's hurt. Bad. I don't know if he'll make it. Gray is bleeding out, too! Get us up there and get Apollo! I need his help!"

"Wh—Right! I'm coming!"

An instant later, Spade appeared in the boat in a warp of black energy. "Oh—oh my god. What—what the hell happened out there!?"

"No time! Just get him up there, get him to the med-bay!"

"R-right!" Spade placed a hand on Dorian and Gray, then teleported the both of them onto the ship. A few seconds later, Kyn appeared, his head hovering over the edge of the ship. He tossed down four wired hooks. She quickly latched them to the skiff, and they were pulled up by the winch, much too slowly.

Unable to wait, she jumped on the ship before the boat was lifted completely. She rushed past Kyn, countless terrible thoughts running through her head. Every step brought with it more and more despair.

She practically crashed into the Med-bay. Gray lay on one bed, Dorian on the other.

Apollo leaned over Dorian, running his hand over his injuries.

"Please—please tell me you can save him."

Apollo looked up with tired eyes. The team was all there, but she barely noticed their worried looks. Their tears. "I can't be sure without further examinations...but I think the blade is the only thing keeping him alive. If—if I had a team of surgeons like I did with Tempest's surgery, or proper equipment then maybe—but...I don't think I can do anything."