-Common, we can make it! Grover encouraged. Thalia had one arm over his shoulder, he was helping her walk.
-Common kiddo, its over soon, common. Luke encouraged from behind. His sword was drawn and he ran backwards. I nodded, breathless, and looked over my shoulder. I couldn't see them, but I just knew what was happening. They were catching up to us. I could even hear their heavy paws hitting the ground over the rain.
-That's the hill! Thalia said. A roar sounded.
-ANNABETH, RUN! Luke yelled.
-Don't stop, run to the Big house! Grover added.
I obbeyed and ran past Thalia and Grover. Half-way down the hill, I paused to wait for them. I was holding the knife so tight my knuckles were white. When she and Grover reached the top, Luke behind, Thalia fell. Grover bent to help her up. I ran up to help Luke, who was alone to fight whatever was to spring out of the darkness. I positioned myself besides him, like we always did. A hellhound leaped but Luke caught it mid-air and it exploded into golden dust.
-Common! Grover yelled. Thalia was back on her feet, a few feet away from us. We sprinted. She fell again as we past her. Grover and Luke tried to take her arm.
-No! Go, just go! She said.
-No Thal, you're coming, common. Luke said, taking her arm. He pulled her to her feet before she managed to loose his grip.
-I'll hold them off! Go to the big house! She yelled.
-Not on your own you're not! Luke said.
-Luke, please, they're coming. She begged. Luke ignored her and turned towards Grover.
-Take her inside the safety borders, NOW.
-I cant. Have to bring you and Thalia too.
-We'll be fine!
-You wont be able to hold them out long! Grover said.
-Yes we will. Luke said.
-Please, let's just run. I begged.
-Thal, you'll... You'll...
-Go. She said.
A hellhound leaped out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground. I yelled and raised my hand to stab it. I did but it made no differnce.
Luke spun around and finished it off, his features full of pain.
-No, no, no, no... Grover said.
-Grover it's my will. You're an awesome finder, best goat ever. Take them back. You know it won't finish well for me either way. She implored. Grover hesitated and nodded, his eyes damp.
-Thalia? I asked, hopping this once, just this once I was wrong.
-Annabeth, go with Grover. Luke said.
-Luke...
-I'm staying with her to fight.
-Luke... Thalia said.
-NO! I am not letting you do this. We're all going. He took her by the hand but she pushed him back.
-Luke... Go. He grasped my hand, took one last look at Thalia. Luke took my hand and we followed Grover down the hill and past the safety borders. There we looked back.

It was terryfing.
Scarrier then the cyclop's layer, then the hellhound stampede, scarrier then anything.

Lightning bolts were crackling out of the sky, the flashing lights illuminating Thalia. Somehow she managed to stay on her feet. Two hellhounds pounced. She got one with each end of her spear. She didn't notice the third one. It pounced on her and pinned her to the ground. Thunder rumbled louder; the biggest bolt I'd ever seen her summon shook the hellhound. 5 more came; a whole pack!

She had no chance. Lightning flashed and caught fire to the grass as she disapeered under black lumps of furr. The lightning died. The valley was plunged in silence, broken only by the crackling flammes, and darkness no fire could illuminate.

-NO! Luke yelled. Grover grabbed his shoulder before he could run off.

-THALIA! THALIA! He called desperatly struggling against Grover. Suddenly the beasts all vaporised. Not in the golden powder, they litterally melted threw the shadows. If I squinted I could see a figure lying on the ground. She wasn't moving.
-She's not dead, she's not dead! Let GO Grover! Luke yelled.
-Luke, no. Grover said, his voice low.
-Nectar, we have nectar! And ambrosia!
-Luke, no amount of nectar or ambrosia can save her. Grover said his hands and voice shaking.
-She's moving! She's moving! I yelled. She was alive. Thalia was alive, she had to be. I ran past the borders.
-ANNABETH! Luke yelled. He squirmed free of Grover.

My legs were going to buck soon, I could feel it, but I had a square of ambrosia on me, if I could just get to her...

Half-way up the hill he catched up to me and caught my arm.
-Leggo, leggo! I yelled. He lifted me above the ground and I kept struggling.
-Luke, Luke, I can save her! I said showing him the square.
-Grover's right kiddo. He said. The words came out sounding like every syllable meant a stab in the leg.

I stopped struggling and he put me down.

-No. I whispered. But I knew it was true.

-She's still alive. She can't die alone. I said. Luke looked me in the eyes and took me by the hand.

-You're right. Common. He said. We walked towards the hill. I knew Grover was following behind us.

We could see the outline of her then. She wasn't lying down, she was trying to sit up.

-Thalia! Luke yelled. The answer was coughing. I realised with a chill she was coughing up blood. Then she fell back and din't move anymore. We ran.

She was really dying. The fact she was sitting up had meant nothing. Nothing but the fact it was slow and painful.

I couldn't run anymore. I couldn't have, no matter the price of it. I just starred at her, tears rolling down my cheeks. At the light of the dancing flammes, I saw Thalia's figure completely dropped and somehow I knew she was gone. Gone.

I paused and starred. Luke cried out in rage and threw his sword to the ground. Then something incredible happened.

Thalia's body sunk into the ground and where her chest had been,her heart, a tiny sappling sprouted. The sappling of a pine tree.