The Wars Never Truly End

Chapter 17

Sadie's PoV

Bang

Crash

Pow

Those are the only sounds I can hear now, we're fighting the group the gods told us about, and it's not going too well.

Nicole was hurt pretty badly, she'll be fine, thanks to Jazz, but that didn't stop Holly and Sky from creating a storm while Alexia screamed at the culprit, giving Sarah and her horse the opportunity to smash his scull.

Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Leo, and Nico fought like there's been training for years together, but watching Percy and Annabeth was a little more interesting. They fought like a well oiled machine, not speaking to each other, but working together. One would guard while the other attacked, they just seemed to know each other's moves.

Carter and Zia were fighting back to back, Carter with his chicken man warrior and Zia with her fire staff of doom. Walt was holding his own pretty well too. That was good, we'd broken up recently because he was getting upset about me hanging out with Leo all the time. I was upset with him for not-

"Sadie, look out!"

I snapped out of my thoughts just in time to see a dog-like thing lunging at me.

"Ha-di!" The dog thing blew up after I yelled the spell, but not without leaving its monster slime all over me.

Leo appeared next to me after that, "You look awful."

"You're not looking so great yourself, Hot Stuff." That was an understatement. He looked like he'd been dragged by a cow with digestive issues through a pool of flaming Kool-Aid.

"Whatever, Princess Bubbleg- DUCK!" Leo shouted before pulling me to the ground as a knife flew over my head.

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem," Leo replied.

Suddenly the room was filled with a booming voice, "Stop this madness! Join us! The gods have had their turn! Let us rule the world! Let us have our turn!"

I heard a groan from behind me, followed by what sounded like Annabeth's voice, "Thaddeus...can we just get this over this? I really want to go home."

Then a buff guy, who I assumed was Thaddeus walked into my line of vision. "Ah, Ms. Chase, I so wished we could have worked together."

"As if I'd ever help you. Piece of advice; don't kidnap people you want to help you, it tends to create grudges," Annabeth scoffed.

Thaddeus's face darkened, "It's not too late to surrender."

Annabeth pulled out her knife, "You're right, it's not too late." She then threw her knife at him, the blade sinking into his chest. "It's too early."

He fell to the ground with a thud, but standing behind him was a young woman. Her silver eyes glowing viscously, she practically snarled, "I know you didn't just kill my brother!"

All of a sudden there was a dark green, glowing hieroglyph above Cali's palm. I instantly understood it.

Death.

I'd read about magicians using that spell, it never ends well for them. (Yes, Carter, I do read). The spell does its job, it kills whoever is meant to be killed, but it also kills the one who cast it.

The green death-spell was released in a beam of light that hit its mark before I could register what had happened, but when I saw who it hit my world crumbled. It hit the one person I thought I'd never lose. The person I thought was invincible. The person I hadn't known for nearly enough time. It hit Carter.

I heard his body hit the ground with a thud. I'm not sure how, but, suddenly, I was by his side. He looked drained of color, but he also looked young.

Peaceful.

Free.

Free of the burden he carried as pharaoh, but I didn't like that look. Yes he seemed carefree, but he also looked weak. He's not allowed to look that way, he's my older brother. No matter how much I've denied it, how much I hated it, I looked up to him. I needed- need him.

As I laid my forehead against his still chest, I felt something warm roll down my cheek. The wet drop was quickly followed by more, the salty liquid running into my open mouth.

"Carter," I found myself pleading, "come back. I need you! Please, just wake up! Carter, I love you, no matter how much I denied it over the years. Yes, you were an annoying dork, but I looked up to you, I respected you! If it weren't for you I'd have died fifty times over. Please, just open your eyes!"

I rambled more, dimly aware that there was a battle raging around me. I remember being confused, shouldn't Cali be dead? I remember thinking I should help, but I couldn't bring myself to get up. I just kept crying, my head resting on my brother's once warm chest. I'm not sure how long I stayed there, but after some time I didn't hear the sounds of battle any more. I felt a hand gently grab my shoulder. I looked up to see the grief-stricken eyes of Zia Rashid.

"Sadie-," she didn't continue. She simply sank next to me, and sobbed as she wrapped her arms around me. It was then I realized that Thor guy was right, nothing could be worse than this. Nothing could be more crushing than losing my brother.

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Thank you so much for following this story to its end that means a lot to me. Thank you again. This is Mad_Eyed_Maddy signing out.