Crossroads of Two Worlds

45- After Destruction

When Typhon fell, his cronies fled, whatever was left of them. The crash of his body would have echoed if we'd been in a cave, but even still I could've sworn I felt it reverberate off the trees. When his army was finally gone, and he had exploded into golden dust that soaked into the sand and the ocean water, we just stood and stared. No one spoke a word, or moved a muscle.

That is, until a child of Hermes, Hunter Stone, snorted and we turned to him as he said, "Well that was anticlimactic."

I smiled at him. If I'd had more energy, I would have laughed, but I was drained. My limbs were so heavy that I could barely lift my swords to stow them away in their sheathes. But I tried not to show the shaking of my arms, and turned to the rest of the demigods behind me.

"Carry the wounded to the ship, let's go home."

We worked quickly, fearing that the muggles-sorry, mortals- would come to the beach and find that half of the trees had been knocked down and the sand looked like a herd of horses had trampled through. Some of the demigods were so injured that we did actually have to carry them back to the ship on stretchers that one of the Apollo campers had brought. Thankfully, most of us had made it out with only minor injuries. Not one of us had made it out unscathed, though. Even Adrian, the best swordsman I knew, had a gash on his forearm that was short but deep. But soon enough, we were all back on the ship, and Adrian and Maya were steering us away from the beach.

If I never saw that beach again, it would be too soon.

I probably could have helped the Apollo campers with healing the injured had I been at full strength, but I wasn't, and they'd kindly but firmly told me to butt out. So I went up to Adrian, who was steering the ship, and sat on the edge.

"You did good, Alana," he didn't turn his head when he spoke softly.

I looked up at him and decided that he was even more handsome with blood and sand and sweat covering him.

"I'm just glad it's over. I hate asking people to fight like this."

He shrugged, but still hadn't turned my way, "All demigods are trained to fight. Monsters come after us left and right, we have to be."

"I know but this was me asking them to risk their lives for a quest I was given," I shook my head, staring at the wood slats of the deck, "I hope I never have to do it again."

"I would risk my life for you again and again, if you asked me to. And I'm sure everyone on this boat would say the same. You are a good leader Alana. I'm proud to have you as my friend."

My heart beat a little quicker in my chest, but I didn't say anything. I was proud to have these people at my back. I'd spent my Christmas holidays fighting for my life, but I was strangely happy to have done it. Who knew what would have happened if we'd let Typhon take over the Keys. He definitely wouldn't have stopped at the Keys. Yes, I was glad to have spent my holidays in a very unconventional way.
.......
Chiron welcomed us back with open arms and a congratulatory grin. He immediately started helping kids into the infirmary, though fewer were injured now that we'd all had some Ambrosia and Nectar.

I excused myself to my cabin, strangely empty now that most of my things were at Hogwarts, and took a shower to wash off the blood, sweat, and hopefully the memories of the last few days. I knew I was fooling myself into thinking I could get rid of this last week, and I knew I'd come to face it in time. Memories were not as painful as years passed. And after all, no one had died, which was a miracle, and not a minor miracle.

After I showered and dressed in another camp t-shirt and jeans, I headed to the infirmary to see if I could help out. But on my way there, Chiron stopped me.

He walked up to me, once again out of the wheelchair, and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Alana, could we talk in the Big House?"

I nodded numbly. I knew he was going to debrief me about the whole experience, but I didn't quite want to relive it so soon after. Still, it was going to happen sometime, I might as well get it over with.

I trudged after Chiron as we walked towards the Big House. Though my shower had refreshed me to a certain degree, I still felt a kind of exhaustion I'd never felt before, it was bone-deep. My feet were dragging over the dirt as I walked.

He opened the door for me and I slouched down in the first chair I saw, at a chess table. Chiron moved his wheelchair from the corner to the opposite side of the table, and shrunk himself down into it, but didn't bother moving the fake legs into place.

"You've done a very brave and good thing, Alana. You've taken down a monster that few people could."

I shrugged half-heartedly, "It was a team-effort."

"I know, which makes it all the more impressive, my girl."

I dragged my eyes up to meet his and found pride on his face. It did make me feel better, to have him feel proud of me, it truly did. And later, when I could stand up straight and wasn't weighed down with weariness, I'd feel truly grateful for his belief in me. But right now...

"Why does it make it more impressive if I can't complete a quest by myself and need to call upon others to help?"

It felt as though he was staring into my soul when he spoke with ancient wisdom, "It takes a strong person to admit that they need help. It is hard to recognize one's own shortcomings. And no one could have completed this mission by themselves, Alana."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Another shortcoming of mine that I most definitely recognized was that I'm not good at accepting compliments. So I blurted out before I could say anything totally stupid, "I'm assuming you want to debrief me?"

He smiled at my awkwardness but shook his head, "No, my dear. Adrian has already told me the details, and I think you are entitled to a night off. I'm sending you home to your mother for the last four days of your holidays."

I was grateful to Adrian for doing the debriefing, and grateful to Chiron for making me realize how much I wanted to go home and sit by the fire with my mother.

I met his eyes again, "Thank you."

I didn't have anything else to say.

Chiron handed me a grey pouch and when I looked inside I found the dirt-like substance that I knew to be Floo Powder. I forced my legs to lift me out of the chair and walked towards the giant stone fireplace. Stepping inside, I turned around to face Chiron once more.

"Will you tell them all that I've gone home? I hope they won't worry."

"Don't you worry, Alana. I'll let them know. I suspect they'll all be headed home soon anyway."

Nodding, I took a handful of powder from the pouch and threw it down, "Faye House!"

Chiron disappeared as green flames encompassed my vision. Gritting my teeth through the feeling of being squeezed through a narrow tube, I only released the breath I'd been holding when I landed in another fireplace. When I looked up, I found the cozy living room of my mother's house greeting me.

"Alana? Is that you?"

My mother called from upstairs and I soon heard her rushed footsteps on the wooden stairs. When she reached the living room and beheld me, standing just outside the fireplace, she hurried towards me and opened her arms.

I fell into her and wrapped my arms around her, burying my face into her shoulder as she stroked my hair.

"I'm so glad you're safe. Do you want to talk? Or do you just want to sit for a while?"

My voice was muffled by her shirt, "I don't want to think about it."

"Alright, we'll talk when you're ready. Do you want any food?"

I paused and then looked up into her concerned face, "Can I have some hot chocolate?"

She smiled, "Of course."