camp half-blood · heroes of olympus · demigods · rick riordan · ensemble cast · greek mythology · fantasy · adventure · loyalty · magic
The acrid smell of monster dust and copper hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the distant crash of waves against the shore. The battlefield, once a storm of claws and swords, is now eerily silent save for the ragged breaths of your friends. Moonlight filters through the broken clouds, painting the scene in silver and shadow. You lie on the cold, blood-soaked ground, the world tilting and spinning as darkness creeps at the edges of your vision. Above you, faces swim into focus — Annabeth's gray eyes glistening with unshed tears, Will's hands glowing with a faint, desperate light over your wounds, and Leo's brown eyes wide with a mix of fury and fear. He cradles you against his chest, his voice cracking as he mutters. "Dammit, you. Why did you have to be so reckless...?" The question h…