Camp Half Blood: One "Salty" Adventure

Camp Half Blood: A Salty Sequel//Chapter Thirty-Four

Ben's POV:

Today's the day... the day I lead all of my friends into their doom. Rose and I made up... this stupid deal is useless to me now. But I can't break this. I just can't. I hate myself more than anything right now, but I can't tell them. If I told them, Rose would never forgive me. But on the other hand, they're gonna find out one way or another... right?... no. No I can't. This is my fight. I got us into this mess... I'm gonna get us out. Hopefully. Gods I messed things up so freaking badly this time. How could I be so stupid? So stupid as to make a deal with the goddess we're trying to defeat!? I mean, I did it for Rose though! Sh-she means so much to me... but to risk the lives of my friends too? That just... that's just too far. I'll get them all out, or I'll die trying.

We've all gotten packed up for the last time. That is, until we finish this quest and save the gods. But for now, this is the last moment of peace before we walk into anarchy. I'm not sure what to exactly expect, but I know Khione doesn't want any of us to expect anything. Just to make things difficult on us. Rose, Myra, Nathan, Cole and I have started walking now, me being in the front, I got to take the lead. Myra is too tired to realize where I'm leading them exactly, so this won't be too hard to get them to the entrance Khione instructed me to take them to. As we're walking, I can hear Myra talking to Cole and Nathan speaking to Rose. It's all small talk with a bit of nervous laughter in between. They're all just trying to get that fact that we're walking into our ultimate doom out of their heads for the time being. But it's the only thing we can all think about. The only difference between the others and me is that I'm not trying. My mistakes are the only things haunting me right now, and I'm not doing anything about it. What can I do? Nothing. There's nothing for me to do. I'd trade my very soul just to save them all now. But it's too late to take everything back. It's always too late! Why is it always too late!? Why is my mind a black hole of depression!? I just want to be back at camp! I want to be with Rose... cuddling. Just her warmth... her presence. Her safety... and I want Cole and Myra to be back at camp. Safe. I want all of this to be over already. Nathan doesn't even deserve this. He didn't ask to be here. He was never supposed to be apart of this quest. He's trying to help and he's been cursed by Eros. Myra's been traumatized too many times to count... Cole can barely remember who he is and Rose is just... she's too innocent. She's too sweet... too delicate. My Rose... she doesn't deserve this. I'll fix this. I swear I'll fix this. I'm going crazy trying to figure out how... but I swear I'll do it. One way or another.

In the midst of my thoughts, I realize we're almost to the castle. The others have stopped talking at this point. I can feel my stomach edging up my body. I feel nauseous. Sick to my stomach. A half an hour, and we'll be right in front of that entrance, walking into our impending doom. Damn it, time is definitely not on my side. I shut off my mind as best I can while I trek on up this mountain to this castle of chaos.

Myra hasn't said a word to me, I fear she can read my mind. That she's seen what I did in my dream. Maybe I'm going crazy... but they've had to have caught onto this by now, right? Aren't they suspicious? Their silence shows no sign of that, but I'm not so sure... We walk down these stairs... The cold seeping in even further into my veins the farther we walked. Nathan didn't go the same way as us once we reached the bottom of the stairs, he went through another door. The rest of us, on the other hand, went the way Khione wanted us to. I opened the door... slowly. Once we all walked in, there were four doors. They looked as though they waited for us. Wondering what we would do with them once we found them. Each door had a symbol on them. One... two lines. Obviously the water sign. I knew this door was for Rose. My heart sunk lower and lower, giving me an even more sickening feeling. My Rose... sh-she can't go in there. I... God's please don't let this be happening. I looked at the other doors. A heart for me... a sun for Cole... and then a single snowflake for Myra. What was I supposed to do? My friends were freaking out. Myra was holding onto Cole for dear life and Rose was standing there, jaw slightly open and her hands were shaking. She was frozen in fear. I was the same... but for much different reasons. Before I knew it, Myra was stepping into the room with the snowflake. I called out for her, snapping back into reality at rapid speed. "MYRA NO!!!!!" I yelled, but I was too late. I ran after her door right as it slammed shut. I tried to open it, but it was locked. "Damn it... damn it, NO!" I yelled, banging my fist on the door in failure. A tear fell down my cheek, but I wiped it away in anger. Rose and Cole were at my side immediately.

"Ben? Wh-what? Why did... what's going on?" Rose asked me. I slowly turned around, my head down.

"R-Rose... I sc-screwed up. I'm s-so sorry." I said, tripping on every word. I slid down Myra's door into a sitting position. I put my head in my hands.

"Ben, what are you talking about. What happened? What did you do?" Cole asked anxiously. I sensed them both kneel down on either side of me.

"I-I made a deal. With Khione... I-In a dream..." I said, finally.

"You did what!? What the hell is wrong with you, Ben!? H-how do you... why, Ben!?" Rose scolded me.

"I-I'm sorry guys... this was... this was before we made up and I was... God's, I was feeling like crap... I was gonna kill someone I swear... sh-Khione came to me and th-the offer sounded alright so I... I...." I looked down at my knees, hugging them. Rose tugged my arms away and forced me to look at the both of them.

"What did you do, Ben." She commanded the question.

"I swore..." Cole glared at me.

"On the Styx!?" He asked, shocked.

"Yes, Cole! On the Styx! I messed up big time! I know!" I sighed loudly, looking down again. For a while, we fell into a disappointing silence. Then, Rose spoke up again.

"Well," she sighed. "There's nothing to do about that now... we... we just have to do this... we have to do these stupid... whatever this is. And then we'll get out of it. And we'll figure it out. Together." She finished.

"How do we do this together though?... when we're going to be apart? You know... behind these doors." I nodded.

"We'll be there for each other. In mind and spirit. Just remember, whatever Khione has planned for us... she can't break us apart. We're one team... let's... let's do this, guys." I said trying to sound confident although I, obviously, was the complete opposite.

"Ben is right, Cole... but I want you all to know... I-I love you guys. J-just in case..." Rose trailed off. A tear fell down my cheek.

"I love you guys too." I said looking at Rose and then to Cole.

"Love you guys..." he said in, almost, a whisper. After a minute, we all slowly stood up.

"You guys ready?" I asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be." Rose said looking at Cole and then to me. Cole nodded and then walked to his door. He took a deep breath. He glanced once at us with a weak smile, and then stepped in. He closed the door slowly and I could hear the door lock automatically. Panic soared through me as I looked at Rose.

"Rose... I love you so much. P-please just be careful." I said stepping towards her. She nodded and then turned away, walking to her door. She stopped midway and looked at me. She ran to me, and I engulfed her into a tight hug.

"I love you too." She said into my chest. I could feel her shaky breathing making me shiver. When she let go... although I didn't want her to, ever, I could see her face was wet. I wiped her cheeks with both my hands and kisses her forehead. I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it. I was going to apologize once more, but I knew it would've probably ruined the moment. I looked down and she simply nodded and kissed me on the cheek. After that, she walked to her door. She took a deep breath, waited and then, with a boost of confidence, opened the door and stepped in. Slamming the door shut behind her. She was so strong, I admired her for that. She didn't look back. She would never look back. Then I walked over to my door. Taking my sweet time as I did. I wanted to get this over with, but I also had this small hope that maybe, if I waited long enough, I'd wake up from this. Maybe it was a dream? Maybe I didn't have to do this? I figured I was completely wrong the second I stepped through my door.