This is a submission for the Hidden Prompt Challenge from the Camp Half-blood forum.

Warning: Angst

Enjoy!


The night was icy cold and pitch black as the young hero ventured forth into the cemetery, the final resting place of their own kind.

Actually, many of their own kind were buried here. After the last war, it was decided to give all demigods a proper burial, even if their bodies couldn't be found. There were many lines of tombstones and freshly dug piles of dirt from… the hero didn't even want to think about it.

The lantern's light was running low as the hero searched the graveyard for a tombstone, one that bared the name of an old lover. One who was killed a very long time ago.

The hero's native camp was razed. The sun was setting on the 12th legion, casting harrowing shadows of the ruins of Camp Jupiter. Their greatest friends, gone before her eyes as the Forsaken showed no mercy.

The lone legionnaire trudged forward as a warrior without a cause, a general without an army.

A Praetor without a legion.

In the ruins of Camp Jupiter, only the cemetery remained. She was amazed that the Forsaken left this solemn place around. These weren't all the bodies and gravesites of the legionnaires, however. Many were still lying dead in the streets of New Rome and the Fields of Mars.

Too many for her to bury herself, even without the wound in her side from that lucky Forsaken to surprise her. It hurt badly.

Now, a few days after the battle, Reyna wonders how she survived the ordeal. Was it because they thought she was dead? Maybe, or maybe it was because they wanted to see her suffer.

Were they watching? Is that why the cemetery was left alone? Everything around her and the cemetery was razed to the ground. She could smell the fire from the buildings around her. It made her sick as the smell of rotting and burning flesh filled her nostrils. The only thing preventing her from throwing up was the fact that she hasn't eaten in days.

She had failed them.

The pain in her side flared up again and Reyna shrieked in agony as she fell to her knees. She closed her eyes and held the wound closer to her body. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked back on the ruins of New Rome. She failed them.

She was the last legionnaire. She was the last Roman demigod. With her death, the gods will lose their Roman form forever.

"Rise up, last child of Rome."

Reyna looked up as she fought tears. She recognized the mask instantly. It was the face of the Forsaken.

She growled. "What do you want traitor?" She spat.

The Forsaken kneeled across from her. "Nothing too flashy." The Forsaken replied, "Your submission."

"Submission?" Reyna repeated. She stared daggers at the Forsaken. "You dare speak of surrender to me?"

"You're going to die." The Forsaken said, "There's no point to-"

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!" Reyna shouted, causing her faceless adversary to back up, "I don't listen to talks of surrender. Roman Legionnaires don't surrender." She struggled to her feet and raised her gladius, "I don't surrender."

"Figured." The Forsaken said as he calmly rose to their feet, "You pledge allegiance to barbarians. To liars, to thieves."

Reyna's eyes ignited with anger. "I pledge my life to New Rome. To the Gods!"

"Who have done nothing but brought this plight upon you." The Forsaken said, "They're the reason New Rome had to burn."

"No." Reyna cringed, "You burned my camp… My home."

"This place is nothing but a monument to the stupidity of mortals." The Forsaken said as they drew their sword, "But if you're so committed to serving the Gods, let me send you to them."

"I've got one last fight in me." Reyna said, "You better be willing to die for your cause."

The Forsaken swung his blade at Reyna. She brought her sword up and deflected the blow. The Forsaken swung again and Reyna parried. She then stabbed at the Forsaken who avoided the blade effortlessly.

She stumbled forward. The Forsaken kicked her to the ground. She got back to her feet as the Forsaken swung his sword into the ground.

The sword of the Forsaken went hilt deep into the soil. When he tried to take the sword out, however, he found it to be stuck.

The Forsaken tugged on the blade as Reyna raised hers. He looked over at her and his eyes widened. "WAIT!"

Reyna plunged her sword down into the Forsaken's back. It sank down to the hilt. She let go as the Forsaken fell forward onto the grave.

Reyna smiled cynically as she fell to her knees. This was it, this was the end.

She read the tombstone as the world started to get colder.

Jason Grace
Son of Jupiter
1
st Cohort/ Preator

Reyna's cynical smile turned to one of endearment. "We'll meet in Elysium, Jason." She said as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell forward. "And we'll rebuild Camp Jupiter…"

She reached her hand forward and gently touched the tombstone. "Together."

With her final words spoken, Reyna closed her eyes and let death take her.