Rising Heroes Book Four: The Sands of Ouroboros

Chapter Thirty-Seven: What We've Become

Disclaimer: I don't own HOO or VE

Chapter Thirty-Seven: What We've Become

Skye tried not to sob as they stumbled along the war-torn roads of New York City. Her best friend had just sacrificed her life for her; her parents were dead; and they wouldn't even be able to safe the world. They had to depend on their children, who might be dead themselves.

Finally they found a car which Evan was able to Hotwire; her and Adrian went in the back, Waverly squishing in next to them. Ciara, Reid, and Carmen sat in the middle, with Evan driving and Maverick in the front seat.

"Set course to camp," Skye said, her voice breaking.

That turned out to be easier said than done. New of Kronos's victory was spreading throughout the city, and his monsters were rallying and hunting down the remainders of demigods. Skye had to resist the urge to stop and save every single one of them.

"We're going to save them all," Adrian assured her.

They tried to drive undetected through the streets, taking back roads and swerving around cars and mortals who had fallen asleep from Morpheus's spell. The further they got, the more the spell wore off, and it hurt Skye to know that Kronos would turn his attention on them next. Already the monsters were causing as much destruction as possible.

Evan pulled a tricky maneuver around a three car pileup, and she thought they might actually be in the clear. They could do this- they could fix everything. It was actually all going to work out for the best.

But soon they were at a standstill. Evan had to pull the car over become monsters kept trying to rake the metal, and when a Cyclops stomped on the hood it spun out and nearly fell into the river. "Everyone out!" Evan shouted.

The Cyclops ran at them. Carmen raised her arms and thick vines burst out from the ground, choking him and squeezing him into dust. But behind him were more monsters converging and they had smelled their scent.

"Run!" Carmen said. She tried to direct the vines at the other monsters, but there were too many of them and although she stopped the first round, the rest were able to quickly cut through them.

Adrian jumped into the Hudson River. "That is so nasty," Skye said, her nose wrinkling, but she jumped in after him.

One by one they jumped into the river. Adrian summoned a giant wave, and they were pushed out of the muck and the scum and towards the open sea.

But just then a giant fin cut through the water. "Sea serpent," Ciara said.

"I can't summon enough bubbles for all of us," Adrian said. He was supporting Skye, who was so tired from flying everyone down she looked like she was about to sink underneath the water.

"We have to swim for the shore," Reid said tiredly.

And so they swam. It was slow going, and they had to kick and occasionally pull out knives to keep away the sea monsters, and Adrian even had to summon some sea creatures as a buffer, but soon the shore was within sight.

They waited at a sandbar, only their heads poking out as they watched the shore. Ciara had summoned all her powers to cover them in a thick layer of mist as they watched the monsters pacing the shore of camp.

"How are we supposed to sneak in?" Evan asked.

"There is one way," Adrian said slowly. "There's a saltwater spring in the middle of the woods that feeds out to the ocean. We could swim through and bypass their defenses."

"You're the only one who can breathe underwater," Maverick said.

Waverly rolled her eyes. "Duh. We all knew that," she said, but her words lacked any bite. The direness of the situation- and the fact that they were all about to die or poof into oblivion- was weighing on all of them.

"I can conjure air bubbles," Skye said tiredly. "The two of us can go."

"Everyone put your hands in the middle," Evan ordered. Everyone formed a sort of team circle.

"Go team?" Carmen said with a wry smile.

Evan closed his eyes. A current of strength ran through the group, reinvigorating them. Skye stood up straighter in the water. The air rippled with power.

"There," Evan said. "The power of Bellona."

Then another light ran through their bodies. It moved from their fingertips and into Skye, and she gasped at the feeling of their power.

"What just happened?" Adrian asked.

"I think the gods are helping us one last time," Evan said. "Our powers... they're yours now. To put into the Immortie."

Skye raised a hand. The grass on the shore began to move. When Waverly tried to do the same, nothing happened.

"So I guess this is it then," Adrian said.

There was a shout from the shore. The guards had spotted them now that Ciara's magic was gone.

"We'll distract the guards," Waverly said. "You guys... get to the Immortie."

"You should be able to use my shadow-traveling powers," Ciara told Skye.

They all shared a hug, and then Adrian pushed his friends on a giant wave towards the shore. "Come on," Skye said, taking his hand.

He swam them further out to sea until they were treading water. "Ready?" He asked.

Skye looked at the shore. She could see her friends charging, going into battle with swords raised and ready to give their all. And she knew, deep down, that this was the last time she was going to see them- at least in this timeline.

She closed her eyes, committing every memory she could to permanence. She friendship with Lily, their quest on the Argo II, meeting her son and her relationship and marriage with Adrian.

And when she opened her eyes, she was ready.

"Let's go," she said one last time. "I know what we have to do."