It was a bright fall day, full of color and crisp air. New Rome always had the smells of baked goods and hot beverages floating around, but today it was particularly cozy.

Hazel was sitting on her porch under a blanket, waiting for Frank to come out with hot chocolate. But for now, she was satisfied with watching her children play in the leaves.

The youngest, Mary, came up to Hazel, looking into her eyes with the gold of her mother's.

"Mama, will you come play with us?" Mary pleaded. Hazel smiled.

"I don't see why not." She got up, and Mary dragged her to where her sister, Emily, and their brother, Aaron, were raking a giant pile of leaves. When they saw their mother approaching, however, their smiles grew and ran to  help Mary dragged her over.

Frank opened the door and stepped onto the porch. He looked about to find Hazel, and smiled (maybe even laughed a little) when he saw his children swarming his wife.

"Frank! Help me!" Hazel giggled. He chuckled, put the plate down, and then they all heard a deafening roar. Hazel ran and grabbed her spatha, determined to protect her family if somehow the border fails.

Which it did. The protective dome around New Rome shattered, and another huge roar echoed across the sky. A looming figure stomped it's way towards Hazel and her family.

It's large wings knocked off the tops of buildings, while the face around it's waist tried to bite people running to their homes. The snakes on it's head were writhing, looking for something.

As the thing got closer to Hazel, she realized the thing was female. It has simitars in it's hands. The blades were dripping with poison.

"I am looking for friends of Perseus Jackson," she announced. "I am Kampê, your worst nightmare."

"Why are you after Percy?" Frank yelled. Kampê turned.

"Because he freed Briares, my prisoner," Kampê spat. "And his friends and family will suffer for it!"

Kampê swung one of her simitars, a drip of poison hitting the ground and sizzling into a new dent.

Aaron gathered his sisters behind the house, but not escaping Kampê's notice.

"What beautiful children you have! They might make a tasty snack," Kampê laughed, a sickly sound the grated at Hazel's ears.

That made her furious. No one would be hurting her children. She charged the hulking figure, swinging her spatha while making the mist cloud her eyes. While Kampê was flailing, Frank transformed into a dragon, and brought the monstrosity to her knees.

"You may have one this time, but she is still dying!" Kampê shouted as she dissolved into dust. As the mist from Hazel cleared, Frank could see her lying on the ground. He rushed over to her.

"Frank-" gasp- "she cut-" gasp- "me with her poison," Hazel wheezed. Frank looked at her abdomen, where a shallow cut grazed her. It would not have been an issue if it were not for the poison. "Make sure our children are okay."

Frank looked up from his wife, looking for his children with blurry vision from his tears. Mary ran out from behind the house and wept next to her mother, and Aaron and Emily slowly followed their little sister. The family cried, but Hazel smiled.

"My family is with me-" she coughed up a bit of blood- "why would I be sad? I've been- "gasp-" to the underworld before. It's my father's real. I'll see more of-" gasp- "my family. Why would I be sad?" Hazel smiled, but their we're tears in her eyes.

Mary ran inside the house, and came out with something gleaming in her hand. "Here mom." She placed a ruby on her mother's chest. It was a ruby that her mother had given her when she was born. Hazel smiled even more.

"I love you all."

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Well. That was sad.

percyscamp

This is my fav character dying. I'm not happy that she's dead but I'm happy with the writing. Anyway. Thanks for looking at it.

Also I'm not good at naming things. For future reference.