Chapter 27 Come To Pass

                                    

                                          
(Final chapter)(Song is Death Mask by Audiomachine))
"BY THE GODS!!!!" Grover exclaimed falling over as me and Andrew appeared next to him, Percy, Thalia aannnddd wow Zoe looks different. And there's another kids. 
"Who're you?!" Zoe asked menacingly as her bow was aimed at me and then Andrew. I instinctively moved in front of him. 
"This is Jesse...okay so you two know each other then..." Grover began but I was currently on the ground from the hug Zoe tackled me for. 
"Issusius!!!!" She exclaimed happily. "Wow...it's been...wow!"
"Yeah, it's been a hot minute. I've missed you too," I hugged her back before she let go and helped me to my feet. 
"And this is?" Zoe asked happily no longer any hostility. 
"I'm Andrew son of Aphrodite and his boyfriend," Andy said monotonously. 
Ooooh, Andy is jealous! 
"Nice to meet you Andrew. And you can relax, Issusius was never into girls. I'm just a old friend." 
She's as observant as ever, but then again she is the leader of the Hunters of Artemis. Speaking of the rest of the Hunters looked and felt speechless. 
Wether it's due to Zoe or me I cannot say. "Wow it's good to see you."
"Likewise. So um mind introducing us to the kid? And what the situation is?"
"Hm? Oh oh yeah of course. I gather you're here to help?"
"Yeah," I nodded. 
"Good great. Yes so this is Nico Di'Angelo. He's a child of Hades. His sister...she didn't make it here." she whispered very quietly to me.
"Hey Nico," I said trying to play it smooth. Or smoothish kneeling down to his level. Nico didn't step forward or say anything. He reminds me of myself...he's still just a kid too.
It's probably best to leave him be, kid looks and feels freaked. Not that I can blame him, first time introductions are rough to say the least. "Its ok Nico you don't have to say anything. I know it's a lot and that's putting it lightly. You're in good hands though okay? You're safe."
Nico looked me up and down slowly hugging a metal box close to his chest but didn't respond. He's an emotional wreck...there's nothing I can say that's going to ease his emotions except time.
"What's the plan for him?" I asked Zoe and she sighed. 
"My hunters are going to take him to the camp."
"I see. Can you ask them to make sure he gets directly to Chiron?" I asked her quietly and she blinked but then seemed to get what I was saying. 
Dropping him in to the general public would probably scar him even more. 
"Yeah I can do that. We're resting until morning before we keep going."
"I know where she is...I can feel them. And Zoe I don't think you're going to like who's holding them anymore than I do."She frowned and leaned in closer expecting a answer to my probably foreboding ominous statement. "It's your father, the Titan Atlas."
Anger surged through her but she kept hidden. 
"That changes nothing. We're still going."
I nodded after letting out a sigh, didn't think it would...
"I'm going to tell the others. I'm sure they'd appreciate a warning."
- The next morning-
Percy, Zoe, Thalia, Grover, Andrew, and me all watched from behind some large boulders Artemis holding up the sky by herself. She looked horrible, ichor seeping from her ankles, her arms shaking violently, she was clearly breathing hard. She's losing strength quickly and she's already weak...
I felt Percy's rage and hate as we looked upon a free and boasting Atlas laughing at not only Artemis but also a chained Annabeth. Zoe and Thalia were holding in the same amounts as best they could. Andrew is who had me on edge the most though, even in deadly situations there was some ounce of happiness or even just positive energy. Right now...nothing. Just rage.
"This...this is wrong," he muttered. 
Despite their emotions...they can't beat him. Nor can Artemis in her current state. The odds of some of us not making it out of here are very high. But I don't think that surprised anyone. 
Percy's hands shook with his blade in it, he went to lunge at them but I quickly and quietly yanked back down. He glared at me and I shook my head. 
"We can't just charge in there. We need a plan," Zoe said after a while. I guess her strategic mind won out against her emotions. 
"We free them and we fight," Percy said and I shook my head. Andrew nodded his sword at the ready...that's when I realized...I can't have him here. Not right now. I can't and I won't lose him. The others looked at me in shock after I made Andrew fall unconscious.
"Jesse..."
"You guys are going to free them, you're going to get Andrew and you're going to run." 
They all looked at me as I said that, feeling surprised. 
"Jesse what're you planning?" Thalia asked slowly and I took a breath. The thought of what I was about to say had crossed my mind several times since our journey here began, well actually since the vision. I was hopeful I could avoid it but after feeling what they felt...it's time. Yeah. I'm out of options now. It's finally time I took up arms. I've run for a long long time and maybe...no. Now it's time I fight and I fight for real. 
"I was hoping we could sneak in but that's not possible. So,"
"So what?" Zoe asked. 
"You guys can't go toe to toe with Atlas..." I paused as I looked at them. "But I can."
"Jesse you said yourself you're not a warrior. He is. Atlas is the warrior, second in physical power if not an equal to Kronos himself. He'll kill you."
I nodded with a small smile. 
"I know. But I'll die fighting for something that's worth way more than my life. I've lived a very very long time...and I'm okay going out like this. So you guys free them and you go. Clear?"
"Jesse...please. Don't...don't do this." Zoe said her voice breaking a little. 
"I love you. All of you. So so much," I said my vision getting obscured by my tears. "You tell Andrew, you tell him that I'm sorry and that I'll always be with him." I said my voice breaking and Percy nodded. 
"Yeah. Yeah...I will," he said quietly. 
"Go around, I'll buy you as much time as I can," I said wiping the tears from my eyes and they nodded, shuffling quietly around the side. 
Here goes...