Born To Die

I snap at a giant

Isla's POV

The tension in the room is thick, almost suffocating, as Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson make their move. They turn on their heels, eyes filled with determination and maybe a hint of fear. I can't help but feel a pang of disappointment, but I quickly shove it aside. They were never going to understand—not fully, not yet. And that's okay.

They escape. It happens in a blur, fast and desperate, like they've planned it all along. I see them rush for the exit, and though a part of me wants to go after them, to stop them, I know it's pointless. They've made their choice. They've chosen to stay loyal to the camp, to the gods that they blindly worship.

But Luke doesn't see it that way. His eyes flash with anger, betrayal, and something darker—something dangerous. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides, and for a moment, I think he might go after them. He's so angry, so hurt, that it makes the air feel thick with his fury.

"Dammit!" Luke curses, pacing back and forth. "They think they know everything, Isla! They don't get it! I've sacrificed everything for this—for them, for all of us. And they still walk away like nothing happened!" His voice rises, and I can feel the heat of his rage radiating off of him.

I can't stand to see him like this. I take a breath and approach him carefully, placing a hand on his shoulder, my touch gentle but firm. "Luke," I say softly, trying to center him, to bring him back from the edge. "It's okay. They'll come around. They just need time to see things differently. They're scared."

He stops pacing and looks at me, his chest heaving with frustration. His eyes soften just slightly as he meets my gaze, but there's still a hard edge to them. "It doesn't make sense, Isla. After everything I've done... after all of it... why can't they just understand?" He says the words with so much pain, like he's trying to make sense of it all, trying to reconcile the betrayal with the loyalty he once felt for them.

I take a step closer, my voice a little steadier. "Because they don't see what you see. They don't feel the way you do. You're fighting for something bigger. They're still stuck in their little world of rules and honor." I give him a small, reassuring smile, though inside, a tiny voice tells me it's not just about that. It's about me, too. They've lost me forever, but Luke... Luke is still here.

I feel the weight of his emotions in the space between us, and my hand slips from his shoulder to his arm, squeezing it softly. "You've already shown them everything you can. Now, we just need to make sure we're ready for what comes next. We'll keep moving forward, together. No matter what."

Luke stares at me for a long moment, and then he exhales a deep breath. Slowly, the storm in his eyes begins to fade. He takes my hand in his, a small but comforting gesture. "You're right. We'll make them see. But I won't stop, Isla. I won't back down."

I nod, my heart tightening at his words. We won't back down. Not now, not ever.

"I know, Luke," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "Neither will I."

And for the first time in a while, I feel a sense of peace settle over me. We've chosen this path, and we'll walk it together, no matter what happens next.

Isla's POV

The moment I step into the billiard room, the atmosphere shifts. It's not just the murmur of voices or the sharp glance from a few of the creatures in the corner. It's the tension, the weight of all these eyes trained on me, sizing me up. They all know who I am, and most of them know I'm with Luke. But what they don't know is that I'm not just some accessory to him. I'm here for a reason.

We've got the recruits, all of them assembled, and there's a strange comfort in seeing so many familiar faces. Darcy, Alison, Chris, Evan, Duncan, Heavenly, Sadia, Vincent, and Nathan—they're all here, as well as some monsters I'd never seen before. Some of them are familiar to me, though; I've heard their names whispered in tales and legends: Agrius and Orius, the giants, as well as a handful of dryads, nymphs, and a few others whose names I can't even remember. But it doesn't matter. They're all here for one purpose, one cause, and I'm part of that.

I stand beside Luke, feeling his presence beside me like a steadying anchor. He's giving a speech up front, talking about what we're doing, why we're here. He's speaking with authority, but I can feel the undercurrent of doubt. Not in him, but in others. Some of them might not be sure about me, about us, but we've got the numbers now. That's all that matters.

The moment a giant, one of the older, burly ones who's at least twice my size, lets out a loud, mocking laugh, it sends a jolt through my chest. I'm standing next to Luke, but my attention is drawn to him, to the way his oversized hand rests on the table. He's not even looking at me as he sneers.

"Yeah, right," the giant says, clearly amused. "A little girl like you think you're gonna tell me what to do? Not happening."

It takes everything in me not to lash out immediately. I can feel the heat bubbling up inside me—an inferno of anger and frustration. He doesn't even know me, doesn't understand who I am or what I've done. He doesn't see the sacrifices I've made or the path I've chosen. He just sees a girl standing beside Luke. His disrespect cuts deeper than I'd like to admit.

I glance at Luke, and I can tell by his eyes that he's waiting for me to handle this. He knows I can. He believes in me. I just need to prove it to everyone else.

Taking a deep breath, I step forward, my feet firm on the ground, and I lock eyes with the giant. His arrogant smirk falters slightly when he sees the look on my face.

"You better watch your mouth," I say, my voice low and controlled, but there's a sharpness to it now that wasn't there before. "I hold just as much power as Luke does. And you—" I pause, making sure my words hit hard. "You will respect me. If you don't, you'll answer to me, and believe me, you don't want that."

The room goes silent. Even Luke's posture stiffens, his gaze fixed on me, but there's approval in his eyes. The giant, on the other hand, seems taken aback. He steps back, surprised by my words. The snicker that was on his lips is gone now, replaced by something close to uncertainty.

"I'm not here to play games," I continue, my voice gaining strength with each word. "We're here to win. We're here to take down the gods and remake the world. If you're too busy mocking us, then maybe you're not cut out for this. So, if you want to walk away, now's your chance."

The giant doesn't respond at first. He seems to weigh my words, clearly considering his options. Finally, he grunts, a low, almost reluctant sound, and he shifts his weight. "I ain't scared of you, girl," he mutters, but the fire is gone. The challenge is gone. And that's enough for me.

I turn away from him, facing the others, watching as a few of the recruits glance at each other, their expressions shifting. Some are surprised, others are impressed. But I don't care what they think. I'm not doing this for their approval. I'm doing it for us, for Luke and for what we're building here.

I walk back to Luke's side, my heart pounding but steady. I don't need to look at him to know he's proud. He always has been, even when no one else thought I was capable.

But now they know. Now they understand. I'm not just Luke's girlfriend. I'm Isla. And that, in itself, is enough.