CROSSROADS

Luke awoke gasping for air, the mix of the sand and salt water still in his mouth.

He stood up slowly. His body ached and a wave of nausea surrounded him as he coughed up the sea water.

He took in the sun hitting his face getting used to his surroundings and used the feeling of land beneath his feet centering him.

When he looked around he was alone on a beach, unsure which beach he is now stranded on he looked to the ground to see if anyone else made it onto the beach with him.

Out of the corner of his eye a sparkle on the ground caught Luke's eye. Curiously he bent down to take a closer look and found a pearl laying perfectly on a sea shell.

It was unlike any pearl luke had ever seen. It was a beautiful dark black with hints of brown when the sun glinted at it. As the ocean's current rose higher, Luke quickly picked up the pearl before the sea could take it back.

In a trance he looked at the pearl again, the ocean covered him in sea foam.

This pearl reminded him of Anelia's eyes.

His Anelia.

Another wave of nausea hit him. The tears fell from his eyes and the sobs escaped from his lips. He held the pearl gently in between his palms as if breathing near it would break it.

Regret

Shame

Sadness

All hit him. He understood then that Kronos would never help the other demi gods; he was just another pawn, just another being, using children for power.

'I should've never stolen that bolt ' he thought as he clutched the pearl in his hand

Deep in his mind he could near Kronos' withered echoing voice.

"Consider it a mercy she is not the very sea foam you lay in now"