𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶, Luke handed her the annual letter from Mr. D.

    Dear Alana Clover,
        If you intend to stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, you must inform the Big House by noon today. If you do not announce your intentions, we will assume you have vacated your cabin or died a horrible death. Cleaning harpies will begin work at sundown. They will be authorized to eat and unregistered campers. All personal articles left behind will be incinerated in the lava pit.
        Have a nice day!
            Mr. D (Dionysus)
            Camp Director, Olympian Council #12

Andromeda groaned. "I don't wanna deal with this."

Luke laughed and kissed the brunette quickly. "I'll be back soon."

Andromeda – being the impatient little thing she is – got bored of waiting for Luke after about half an hour. She walked to the arena, ducking when she saw Percy walk on the other side while Luke was training. The younger Demi-god watched in fascination as Luke — drenched in sweat — hacked off the dummies' limbs, heads and practically reduced them to a pile of straw and armor.

Luke looked over and stopped mid-swing. "Percy."

"Um, sorry," Percy's cheeks turned pink. "I just—"

"It's okay," Luke said as he lowered his sword. "Just doing some last-minute practice."

"Those dummies won't be bothering anybody anymore," Percy said.

Luke shrugged. "We build new ones every summer."

Percy looked at Luke's sword — which was made of two different metals — one edge bronze, the other steel, the same one from Andromeda's dream months before.

When'd he get that? Andromeda thought.

Luke smirked at Percy. "Oh, this?" He turned the sword in his hand. "New toy. This is Backbiter."

"Backbiter?"

Luke turned the blade so it glinted almost evilly in the sunlight. "One side is celestial bronze. The other is tempered steel. It works on mortals and immortals."

Percy paused for a moment. "It didn't know they could make weapons like that."

"They probably can't," Luke agreed. "It's one of a kind." He gave Percy a small smile, then slid Backbiter into its scabbard. "Listen, I was going to come looking for you. What do you say we go down to the woods one last time, look for something to fight?"

Percy hesitated. "You think it's a good idea? I mean—"

"Aww, come on." Luke rummaged through his gym bag and pulled out a six-pack of Cokes. "Drinks are on me."

Percy stared at the cans for a moment. "Sure. Why not?"

They walked down into the woods, and Andromeda followed behind them silently.

They eventually found a shady spot by the creek, sat on a big rock, drank their Cokes, and watched the sunlight filter through the trees.

Andromeda moved through the brush until they were in sight.

"You miss being on a quest?" Luke asked. Percy snorted. "With monsters attacking me every three feet? Are you kidding me?" Luke silently raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Percy relented. "I miss it. You?"

Luke's expression darkened. "I've lived at Half-Blood Hill year-round since I was fourteen. Ever since Thalia... well, you know. I trained and trained and trained. I never got to be a normal teenager, out there in the real world. Then they threw me one quest and when I came back, it was like 'Okay, rides over. Have a nice life.'"

Luke crumpled his Coke can and threw it into the river. Andromeda stared, a sense of deja vu washing over her.

"The heck with laurel wreaths," Luke said. "I'm not going to end up like those trophies in the Big House attic."

"You make it sound like... like you're leaving," Percy said. Luke smiled. "Oh, I'm leaving, Percy. I brought you down here to say goodbye."

What? Andromeda thought. She started to go out and confront him, but something stopped her – the want to see how things played out.

He snapped his fingers and a small fire burned a hole in the ground at Percy's feet. Out crawled a glistening black scorpion around the size of Percy's hand. Percy's hand immediately went for his sword in his pocket.

"I wouldn't," Luke cautioned. "Pit scorpions can jump up to fifteen feet. Its stinger can pierce right through your clothes. You'll be dead in 60 seconds.

"Luke, what—" Percy cut himself off and thought for a quick moment, looking like someone had punched him in the gut.

"You," he said, realization dawning on his face.

Luke stood calmly and brushed off his jeans. The scorpion paid no attention to Luke, It kept its soulless eyes on Percy, clamping its pincers as it crawled onto his shoe.

"I saw a lot out there in the world, Percy," Luke said. "Didn't you feel it? The darkness gathering, the monsters growing stronger? Didn't you realize how useless it all is? All the heroics, being pawns of the gods. They should've been overthrown thousands of years ago, but they've hung on, thanks to us half-bloods."

"Luke... you're talking about our parents," Percy said. Luke laughed. "That's supposed to make me love them? Their precious 'Western Civilization' is a curse, Percy. It's killing the world. The only way to stop it is to burn it to the ground. Start over with something new. Something more honest."

"You're as crazy as Ares," Percy spat.

Luke's eyes flared. "Ares is an incompetent fool. He never realized the true ruler he was serving. If I had time, Percy, I could explain. But, I'm afraid you won't live that long."

The scorpion crawled up Percy's pant leg.

Andromeda burst out of the woods, her anger overtaking her.

"Really?" Andromeda snapped. "You're gonna leave? Without telling me?"

"I was going to come tell you goodbye after this," Luke said softly, stepping forward. Andromeda stepped back – closer to Percy and the scorpion.

"Annie, why don't you join me? We could change the world," Luke offered, taking another step toward her. She stepped back again and the scorpion's eyes focused on her.

"Seriously?" Andromeda yelled. "After all this place has done for me – and you – you want me to fight against it?" She laughed humorlessly. "Fat chance in Tartarus."

Her sighed. "De–"

"You have no right to call me that anymore."

He sighed again and ran a hand over his face. "Fine. Andromeda. Please, just, hear me out."

Andromeda shook her head. "I'm not gonna listen to you, Luke."

"But I love you."

"Bullshit."

"Please," he begged.

"Luke, I love you, but I can't be the bad guy," she said, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice breaking.

Luke's eyes widened. "Y- You love me?" He took another step toward her, causing her to back up again.

The scorpion tensed before springing forward and stinging her shoulder. She pushed it off quickly, getting stung again in the hand.

She sat down, her vision swimming.

Luke ran forward to help her, but Andromeda shook her head. "If you love me, go away."

Luke hesitated before nodding sadly and disappearing. As soon as he did, the scorpion lunged at Percy.

He swatted it away before cutting it in half with Riptide, noticing the sting on his hand a moment after.

"Percy," Andromeda said softly. Percy ran over to her and the two helped each other stumble through the woods.

Before they were able to get to someone for help, Andromeda's vision went black and her body collapsed.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        𝙰𝙽𝙳𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙳𝙰 𝙷𝚄𝚁𝚃. Everything hurt.

She opened her eyes and groaned at the light.

"Andromeda?" A familiar voice asked. Andreomda opened her eyes in search of the source of the voice.

The woman in front of her had medium brown hair and dark sea-green eyes. Freckles were littered across her tan cheeks.

Andromeda gasped. "Mom?"

Amy Dover smiled and nodded. Andromeda ran – the pain was slowly fading – and hugged her mother tightly. "Does this mean I'm dead?"

Amy laughed. "No, sweetheart. Not yet anyway. You have to decide."

"Decide what, Mama?"

"To live or die."

"What?"

"Well, if you choose to live, you'll get to see Annabeth and Chiron and stay at camp. If you choose not to, you could stay with me."

Andromeda frowned. "Can I get back to you?"

Amy smiled softly and shook her head. "You must decide now."

"Okay..." Andromeda thought for a long moment. "I'm sorry, but I need to stay."

Amy's smile widened and she hugged her daughter. "I love you, Andromeda." was the last thing she heard before her vision went black once again.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        𝙰𝙽𝙳𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙳𝙰 𝙰𝚆𝙾𝙺𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙰 𝚂𝙾𝙵𝚃, steady beeping next to her. Then, a soft gasp. Then: "Will!" before she disappeared into the darkness again.

        𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙰𝙳𝚈 𝙱𝙴𝙴𝙿 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙱𝙰𝙲𝙺. The pain was back. The memory of how she got there was back.

She wanted to move. No, she needed to move.

But, as she tried to, she found that she couldn't.

So, when the darkness once again called out to her, she accepted it gratefully.

        𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙲𝚁𝚈𝙸𝙽𝙶. Andromeda internally frowned. She tried to open her eyes, but it was as if they had been glued together. She internally groaned.

At least the beeping was gone...

        𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙸𝚃 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙰𝙶𝙰𝙸𝙽; the beeping, the crying, the pain, the memory.

Gods the memories hurt. So so much. Why'd Luke do that?

She slowly peeled her eyes open, but closed them again immediately, squinting and groaning at the brightness of the light.

And there it was again, that soft gasp, before hurried footsteps around her.

"Andromeda?" she heard Annabeth ask.

Andromeda opened her eyes again, the light was gone.

"Oh, thank the gods," she muttered, her throat hoarse.

"Here." Annabeth gently helped Andromeda sit up, and then drink some nectar. Annabeth set the glass down when Andromeda was finished. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got ran over by a dump truck." Andromeda smiled weakly. "But I'm here."

"And thank the gods for that. Your heart stopped beating, twice."

Andromeda shrugged. "Nothing new. It runs in the family. Now, help me get out of here. This room is suffocating me."

Annabeth smiled and helped the brunette out of the bed. The two walked to the porch. Andromeda gripped the railing next to Percy.

"Even though I don't really like you, thank you for saving my life," she said softly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Percy teased.

"You know what I said. I'm not repeating myself."

After a moment of silence, Annebthe looked at Percy. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

Annabeth pursed her lips. "I'm going home for the year, Percy," she said softly.

"You mean to your dad's?"

"Nah," Andromeda said sarcastically. "She's going to your dad's."

Percy ignored her and looked to where Annabeth was pointing – her family.

"I wrote him a letter when we got back," she said. "Just like you suggested. I told him... I was sorry. I'd come back home for the school year if he still wanted me. He wrote back immediately. We decided... we'd give it another try."

"That took guts."

Annabeth pursed her lips. "You won't try anything stupid during the school year, will you? At least... not without sending me an Iris message."

Percy smiled. "I won't go looking for trouble I usually don't have to."

"When I get back next summer," Annabeth said softly. "We'll hunt down Luke. We'll ask for a quest, but if we don't get approval, we'll sneak off and do it anyway. Agreed?" Andromeda's eyes filled with tears.

"Sounds like a plan worthy of Athena," Percy said before they shook hands.

"Take care, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth told Percy. "Keep your eyes open."

"You too, Wise Girl."

Percy headed to his cabin. Annabeth turned to Andromeda.

"Don't die on me, okay?" Andromeda said, tears gliding seamlessly down her cheeks. "And tell your dad hi for me."

Annabeth nodded. "Will do."

The two hugged before Annabeth ran off.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

        𝙰𝙽𝙳𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙳𝙰 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝚂𝙸𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙾𝙽 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙱𝙴𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙼𝙴𝚂 𝙲𝙰𝙱𝙸𝙽, holding a pillow to her chest, crying.

Suddenly an Iris Message appeared in front of her.

"Andromeda?" Luke asked worriedly.

Andromeda went to disconnect the Iris message but stopped when Luke asked her to.

"What?" Andromeda snapped.

"Can I talk to you?"

PUBLISHED: june 21, 2025
EDITED: -