Hello my minions! Sorry for the long wait. School started recently and I've been busy, busy, busy! Don't kill me? *Cue pitchforks being thrown at me* Gah! I spoke to soon...Also, as you know, I am not a grown man who wrote this series. This is a FAN fiction. Note that this is also NOT a self insert story. A few hobbies are one of the only things that I can relate to Cora with. Like reading, I guess. And ... maybe a few personality traits? Now for review replies!

Review Replies:

LifeGaza: Hahaha. I pulled a real Rick, didn't I? But you know, the plot is pretty similar till now... Thanks!

Chapter 3: Handcuffs and a Thorn in my Side

As Percy and Annabeth turned to the dance floor, Mac and I made our way to Thalia and Grover. I think Mac spotted them, as she ran into the crowd. She better have found them because if not, I was going to really go nuts. I was already fuming and I was pretty sure if I was a cartoon, puffs of red smoke, or whatever it's called, would be coming out of my ears. As I got pushed around in the crowd, I thought, seriously? This was a 10 year old's nightmare.

I could literally smell people's breath. The girl who just passed me, her breath smelt like mint toothpaste and alcohol. I almost shuddered. I've had bad experience with alcoholics. If anyone asks me why I despised even the mention of alcohol, I'd reply with a vindictive and slightly ominous 'You don't want to know.'

That would shut most people's traps but if it didn't I had other solutions too... Soon, I just stopped struggling and let the crowd take me wherever. So, that is how I found myself next to the Di Angelo siblings.

The siblings soon stopped arguing when they saw I had stopped right next to them. Bianca looked at me questionably but warmly while Nico blinked in astonishment and stared at me as if I was one of the goddesses from his card game. Little did he know, he may actually be a goddess' son. Really, I wasn't that amazing to look at. My cheeks flushed slightly, as I looked away from him.

Bianca must have elbowed his gut because I heard him let out a sharp cry and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bianca retract her arm. I actually elbow Percy all the time when he does something stupid. Which is most of the time. I turned my head back towards them when Bianca started speaking.

"I'm really sorry. Nico didn't mean to sound nasty when he said that. Did you, Nico? " I switched my gaze from Bianca's to Nico. He looked pretty uncomfortable as he broke eye contact and nodded. I sighed and spoke, " It's okay, really. I'm sure you didn't mean to sound malignant or pernicious." He gave me a look of complete incomprehension while Bianca looked slightly startled.

"Are you British?" she asked. I looked at her with slight amusement and noticed that Nico's eyes widened comically. I chuckled, albeit with slight hesitance which melted into amusement. I didn't have a very distinguishable accent; I sounded more American. I'm pretty it must have sounded like I was laughing at him because Nico looked defensively at me. I stopped laughing immediately because nobody should feel like they were being laughed at.

It wasn't a nice feeling at all. Now he looked at me with bewilderment and, to my surprise, slight concern. My seriousness soon left as I understood he wasn't really offended. I shook my head slightly and said, "As far as I know, no. My mother is American and my father is...," I trailed off. For the first time since our second encounter, Nico spoke.

"What? Your father is what?" I was surprised that he had a slightly prominent Italian accent. I've always liked people with accents. Italian also sounded pretty soothing to me, I noted with shock, even though I've only heard Chiron's records moaning horribly in the language. I guess I must have heard someone speaking in the language somewhere before, maybe in a store?

"He's Greek. " Nico now looked like he had gulped down five cups of espresso. Trust me, I've seen Grover, so I know how many cups of coffee is too many. He jumped around shrieking with joy while Bianca just looked embarrassed for her brother. I know how she feels but I'm pretty proud of Percy. Then I asked a question which I soon regretted.

"And your parents?" Nico stopped jumping around and looked at his shoes with a mournful expression. Bianca looked at her brother with sadness and put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. I felt sadness for them. Not pity. I understood how they felt and where they were coming from. Percy and I thought mum had died, though for a while, but still. I hated being pitied. And I doubt others liked it. He looked up at me with exasperation. I almost felt offended until he spoke.

"I don't know! ... Every time I try to remember, I just can't." That puzzled me. So, even he couldn't remember? Every time I tried to remember my past before I was 3 years old, I couldn't. It was all fuzzy. All I could make out of my fuzzy surroundings was sound. A loud, barking laugh and a familiar feminine voice scolding someone. It definitely wasn't Poseidon's laugh or mum's voice... As I was obliviously lost in my thoughts, a rough hand grabbed me by the collar. I yelped and turned to face Dr. Thorn.

I should have known it was him. Grover said it too. I cursed in Greek, hoping and not hoping that Percy, Annabeth or Grover were here to hear what I said. Percy and Annabeth would have lectured me (Gods, both of them were so similar sometimes. And oblivious to their undying love for each other). Grover would have gasped and scolded me a little while making goat noises. Thalia would have actually been proud. That's what I like about her. She didn't mind some mild swearing. Both ways, I was pretty much screwed.

Nico and Bianca gasped; at my swearing or Dr. Thorn's ugly face, I didn't know. All I know was I hated being suspended in air. I hated feeling helpless. So, I struggled to take out my sword all the while punching him on the jaw. He screeched and almost dropped me but unfortunately he didn't. He chuckled (more like choked) and said, "Feisty, are we?"

I growled. "You're damn right I am, Thorn. I know what you are." Bianca and Nico gasped as I said damn. That wasn't exactly the most horrifying thing to ever be said, was it?

Hahaha, Dam, If there was one, I'd be able to kick his butt, the Percy-ish part of my ADHD brain thought. Shut it, brain. That doesn't even make sense! Great, now I was talking to my brain. Thorn looked at me with doubt and boredom. He then picked up Nico and Bianca; Bianca's collar in the other hand and Nico's in the same hand that was holding mine.

I growled in frustration. Now, I couldn't struggle as much because I might hurt Nico. While walking towards the exit, he turned us to face him and my head bumped slightly against Nico's. He and I groaned; Boy, this guy had a hard noggin. Thorn cocked a pencil stroke of an eyebrow.

"Oh. Then what am I, Corinne?" I grit my teeth. I did not appreciate hearing my long, weird name; especially from him. Nico perked up; " So that's your name?" I ignored him and glared icy daggers at Thorn's face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Percy looking at Nico's scattered cards. Thorn smiled smugly, which made him look like a duck.

I spat out, "áschi̱mos!" I didn't even get time to say burned as he threw Nico and Bianca to the other side of the hall. They grunted in pain. He dropped me down and I fell on my butt; I was used to being thrown down, maybe too much. Maybe I shouldn't have called him that. I loved taunting monsters that I shouldn't even fight. Suddenly a tail with spikes wrapped around me. It hurt but not all that much; Thorn hadn't allowed the poison to seep ... Yet. I'd been getting scratches since I was 5 years old. So not much of a big deal. Then Percy entered. Bianca and Nico had already stood up and were now looking behind him in fear. At Dr. Thorn. But, of course, Percy is way too oblivious.

I was tempted to shout but I was kinda afraid of the top part of Thorn's tail. It was covered in bigger poisonous spikes. Did I mention they were about a foot long? When Percy opened his mouth and tried to calm them down, I mentally hit my head against a wall. Percy, you moron. They're afraid of this spike throwing psychopath, not you! Also, I'd appreciate to be helped down because heights aren't exactly my forte. Bianca clenched her fists and her eyes widened.

Thorn jerked his tail back and forwards. And, with that tail, I too was jerked to and fro. So not my forte. Stress on the so. I had to scream something so I screamed, "Percy, you IDIOT!" What a wonderful sister I was. My brother was in pain and all I did was shout insults at him. You can't blame me, though. That's all I could do, being pushed around by a violent lunatic. Literally. How Thorn threw spikes while clutching someone with the same appendage, I didn't know and didn't want to know.

The tail moved forward and pushed my brother, yanking him backwards. He slammed into a wall. I winced; that's gotta hurt. Percy slashed Riptide uselessly. Thorn laughed (choked) coldly and spoke. I'll sum their conversation up for you.

Thorn: Yes, Percy Zackson (Don't judge me, that's how he sounded).

Percy: I know who you are (That's just what I said and look where it got me).

Thorn: Thank you for coming out of the gym. I hate middle school dances.

Percy swung his sword, but Dr. Thorn was out of reach. His tail jerked to and fro. WHIIISH! Bianca let out a cry of alarm as the second projectile embedded in the wall, half an inch from her face. I yelped out a very stupid phrase. It would be a vain attempt, but I spoke nonetheless.

"Put your victims down before you use your tail!" Surprisingly, it worked.

"All four of you will come with me. Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw." Welp. I guess attacking him without backup was thrown out of the window but I wasn't going to. Percy couldn't help all that much and my sword couldn't do everything. Maybe it could, but after seeing Percy hurtling into battle like that, I didn't want to attempt it. He placed me down and I sighed in relief. Land. Sweet, sweet land.

I didn't know what kind of a monster this wanker was, but he was fast. I looked at Percy. He looked deep in thought. Wow, the poison must really have done something to him. Then his eyes found mine. I tilted my head slightly. Realization dawned on him. He tapped his sword lightly; Couldn't let Doctor What's- His- Face know. Oh. I gave him a thumbs up. Thorn looked at me suspiciously. I gave him a wide, sarcastic smile and then inspected my thumb as if I was a Doctor. Ha. Not.

As Percy telepathically whined to Grover, I mulled over useless things. Why was Doctor Thorn called a Doctor? I mean monsters didn't have degrees right? If they did, I might just drop kick any university graduate I see where it hurts; whatever that meant... I had asked Percy what people mean't by 'Kick him where it hurts most' meant but he was useless. He'd just blush and shove me towards Annabeth. And Annabeth just told me that it was to defend myself against male cretin. Needless to say, Percy took offence.

I know, a kid who knows what cretin means? Hanging out with a daughter of Athena has it's perks. And the 'kick him where it hurts most'? That was all Percy when I asked him what to do when I had no weapons to protect myself. So I got the best of both worlds, I guess. I knew big words and a bit of slang. Or more... I looked over at the Di Angelo duo. Their expressions would have been hilarious if we weren't being dragged around by a monster who just happened to have studied at a university.

I must have looked too amused to be held hostage. Nico was gaping at me; positively horrified. Bianca was just looking at me with wide eyes. I shook my head slightly and tried to take off the cuffs that were holding my hands together and sighed irritably. Why this monster had a pair of police handcuffs, I didn't want to know.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" I looked at Thorn.

"Are you talking about me or my dim witted brother?" Percy opened his closed eyes and glared at me: I am not an idiot. I rolled my eyes. Oh, sure.

Thorn groaned in frustration and growled,

"Both of you."

"These cuffs are too tight," I whined rather convincingly. Which wasn't that hard, Considering it was literally it was snowing, I was wearing a hoodie that was rather tattered and torn, thanks to his no good, fat, spiky tail.

"My shoulder hurts. It burns," Percy moaned miserably. Mustn't be too hard, his shoulder looked horrible! I cringed internally and looked at Percy in worry. I hoped it was going to get better soon. The poison was causing a lot more pain than I expected. Percy was wincing every step.

Thorn grumbled, "Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!" Thanking the gods that it would't kill Percy, I walked. I realized, maybe Thorn's lower tail spikes did have poison. The cuts were hurting more than usual. Eh. Thorn led us out of the building that looked like it was built for Darth Vader or Hades...

Thorn inarched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamp lights. The wind was blowing through my ripped clothes and I was freezing. The cool, frigid, metal handcuffs added to the cold. My teeth chattered slightly. Wait, my teeth? I shook my head to get rid of the sensation and to stop the teeth chattering. Luckily and unluckily, only my teeth stopped chattering.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

Just as I was about to say, Which insufferable girl?, when Nico spoke.

"Don't talk to my sister that way," Nico said. His voice quavered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all. Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. And I hated it.

I struggled more with cuffs.

"Girl! What are you doing? Titan! " Thorn screeched. The cuffs got tighter and I let out a strangled noise. Percy turned his head sharply towards me and Bianca and Nico stopped their whispered conversation. I gave them a No worries look but I was pretty sure my eye was twitching. I tried my best to give a thumbs up. Percy just shook his head worriedly and the Di Angelo siblings glanced at each other, looking even more hassled.

I then looked up at Thorn with disbelief.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to escape." Thorn snorted.

"I see you take after your insufferable mother." Percy's head snapped up and I shared a look with him.

"Our mother is not insufferable." Thorn just looked amused.

"What do you mean 'Our'?" I was confused. Was he toying with me?

Thorn's eyes widened and he laughed in cold amusement. I just looked at him stupidly.

"You mean you don't know?" Thorn said with obvious amusement and surprise.

"What don't I know?" I snarled.

Thorn chortled inhumanly. "Oh this just precious. S-She DOES'NT KNOW!" Percy just kept blankly staring at him. I huffed in frustration. Of course he wouldn't tell me. Monsters loved toying with a demigod's mind. Nico and Bianca just looked bamboozled. Thorn calmed down.

"Halt," Thorn said. The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. I felt at peace. But all I could see was mist and darkness. Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. Percy stumbled and Bianca caught him. I wasn't all that lucky.

I fell onto Nico. He squealed in alarm and I let out a yelp. Percy looked down at us and after thanking Bianca, pulled me off Nico. In the darkness, I couldn't see his expression. Boy, he really blended in with the dark. Percy looked at me in annoyance. I looked at him with puzzlement. What did I do? Then Bianca pulled Percy and I, without getting noticed, towards her. Thank you Bianca, for saving me from even more confusion.

"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?" I looked at Percy. He hesitated.

"I...I'm working on it."

"I'm scared." Nico murmured. He had come out of the shadowy area and now, I could see him. He was looking down at the little statue I had mistaken for a voodoo doll and was fiddling with it. Now that I thought about it, I couldn't believe why I thought it was a voodoo doll. It was a little, metal soldier of some kind. But I could still see that his cheeks were slightly pink. I hoped mine weren't tomato red.

"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!" We turned. Thorn's eyes were glittering hungrily.

He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."

There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was talking on a cell phone. This seemed way too modern and creepy...a monster using a mobile phone? Brr... creepy. Percy and I glanced behind ourselves, wondering how far the drop was.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon," he looked at me with an amused smirk,"...and the Daughter of the Brightest Star. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourselves." I shared a look with Percy as our jaws dropped. Daughter of the brightest star? What in the world?

" B... Brightest what?"

Thorn cackled, " You don't even... Oh right, he... Poor, poor Corinne. Doesn't even know who she is!" I tried not to lose control. I was failing. I heard glass exploding. Well, at least I didn't summon an army of crabs or something. Dr. Thorn snarled another 'Titan!' and the cuffs tightened further. I was pretty sure my blood circulation was being cut off. My wrists were turning red. I mean, the part around the cuffs. I hissed in pain.

No one noticed. Good. As Percy and Bianca muttered something to each other, someone or something tapped my shoulder lightly. I turned sharply, ready to kick them in their face with my combat boots, when I realized it was just Nico. He looked at me with really big, sincere eyes and then gently (as gently as a hyperactive 10 year old kid could) pressed something on my wrists.

I let out a small sigh in relief at the feeling of snow relieving my red, numb and burning wrists. I mumbled a thanks and then stared at the cuffs. Why did they have to be so tight? Slowly, they started to loosen. Huh? I stared at them more and they began to feel like marshmallows. I started paying attention to my surroundings again.

"-if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other." I suddenly had an urge to hug her. Maybe if I wasn't cuffed like a criminal, I would have.

"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family." Did he mean-

"Luke," Percy said. "You work for Luke." Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when Percy said the name of our former friend who'd tried to kill Percy and I several times. Percy? Mostly. Me? Not so much.

"You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."

"The General?" Percy said it with a French accent and I almost giggled. But I never giggle. And neither do I plan to. So I snickered. Percy glared at me for a moment.

"I mean... The General?" Thorn looked toward the horizon.

"Ah, here we are. Your transportation." Horrible change of subject, you fraud of a Doctor. A real doctor would be... Will Solace! Seriously, that dude sure knows his medicine. I fell off a tree due to acrophobia (Thank you for the extra fear of heights, Zeus) and broke my arm once. Will had seen me in the infirmary and brought a canteen of nectar, gauze, bandages and voila! Though it did take time to fully heal, it took just 2 days.

I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.

"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.

"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."

"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—" Go, Nico, Go! I knew you weren't stupid enough to listen to a random stranger who kidnapped you! But really, that's all you got out of that? No "What? They're REAL?". Just "They're not dolls! They're figurines!"

"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well… there are other uses for half bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway." The Great What?

"The Great what?" Percy, my big bro. You stole the words right out of my mouth. Figuratively speaking.

"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!" Oh, wow. This just gets better and better...

"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts." I almost nodded in confirmation. But that would be an insult to nuts all around the world. I voiced my opinion. Nico sniggered in what I hoped was agreement. Then Percy looked at me then to the sea. I tilted my head slightly in understanding.

"We have to jump off the cliff," Percy told her quietly.

"Into the sea," I chimed in. I'm pretty sure she was going to think we're crazy. Which we may be...

"Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too." I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me. Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the Di Angelos, Percy and I, knocking us to the ground.

For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis. If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part.

Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it. Now would be a good time to break the cuffs open...

I spread my arms hoping that they would still have magic marshmallow properties but, thanks to my rotten luck, they didn't. Instead, they tightened further. I let out a pained cry. It was hurting too much. I couldn't bottle up the scream that followed as Thorn yelled another 'Titan!'

I heard Annabeth's sharp intake of breath as she asked me about the cuffs. One look at Thorn and I'm pretty sure she understood. Someone tackled me from behind and shoved my hands in the snow.

"GAH!" Gods, that was real smart. What happened to my mocking, sardonic remarks? I turned to try and discern who my attacker was. All I got was a mouthful of auburn brown hair.

"Mackenzie, what are you doing?" I asked. She let out a sigh of mock disapproval.

"Tut- tut. Ridding you of your pain, of course. Titter titter." Okay, is it just me, or does she memorize lines from a play script? Because she said "I, a river and you, a maiden" or something like that before. And now, she was saying stuff like 'laugh, laugh' instead of laughing. While Thalia fought valiantly against the deceiving Doctor, I voiced my, currently, pointless opinion.

"Na... I just have an ability to annoy. Don't insult it." At least we had yet another thing in common apart from our strange names. Okay, so our names weren't that strange but after finding out why I was named Corinne, it was pretty weird. The sound of Grover's reed pipes brought us back to the situation at hand.

Within seconds,rope- thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him. Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions. I knew what he was...

"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us.

"Who are you people?" Bianca demanded. "And what is that?"

"We're your worst-" I elbowed Mac before she could complete that statement. She let an 'OWWIE!' and I vaguely wondered if she had problems with speech.

"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!" I was now just about ready to use my 'attack power' on him. Nico looked scared and I heard Mac let out an "AWESOME COMEBACK!" I must have thought out loud again. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl. Oh- oh.

"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the Di Angelos flat into the snow. Percy turned his wristwatch into a bronze shield. I was pretty sure Mac and I were gonna die. I braced myself for the spikes and held my hands out. My eyes squeezed shut. I heard the roar of the ocean. I felt at home. When I didn't even feel a toothpick sized spike pierce my body, I opened my eyes.

"Woah..." Mac said. Nico, who had face planted while falling, tilted his head to watch, and gasped. I was feeling a little shocked too. I knew I could summon water but this? There was a huge shield of shimmering sea water, reflecting the moonlight. It looked slightly crystallized, probably due to the salt, and it had to be. How else would the spikes be bouncing off?

I heard a thwack and a yelp. I turned towards Grover who had landed next to Percy.

"Yield!" the monster roared.

"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, I thought she would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets.

The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.

"No!" I ran out to help her. I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. I could have summoned more water from the ocean but the poison in the little cuts were getting to me. To summon water is one thing; crystallizing it is a whole new level.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes." We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance. Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.

"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—" His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me.

No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy. The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. Percy tried to swipe at him with his sword, but Thorn wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged Percy's attack and slammed his tail into Percy's shield, knocking him aside. Then the archers came from the woods.

They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions. The Hunters of Artemis. Campers that had stayed at Camp Half Blood longer had sometimes described them to me.

"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.

Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful." I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess.

"Permission to kill, my lady?"

I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.

The monster wailed, "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."

"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little older than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. She looked familiar...

I looked between Mac and the goddess. They were staring at each other coldly. I felt bad for Mac.

"The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." I didn't know if she was talking about the Thorn in my side or Mac. I felt the need to defend my friend but then Artemis trained her eyes on Thorn.

Then she looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."

The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!" He lunged at Thalia and me, knowing we were weak and dazed.

"No!" Annabeth yelled and she charged at the monster.

"Get back, half-blood!" Zoe said. "Get out of the line of fire!"

But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life. Percy stumbled to my side.

"Fire!" Zoe ordered.

"No!" I screamed. But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest.

The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!" And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness. I let out a cry of alarm.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled. He started to run after her and I wasn't that far behind. Though our enemies weren't done with us. There was a snap-snap-snap from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire. Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but Artemis just looked up calmly at the helicopter.

"Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt." She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night. Must have been easy for the Goddess of the Hunt. I felt angry that she was so calm about Annabeth being hurled off a cliff.

The Hunters advanced on us. The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia.

"You," she said with distaste.

"Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Six half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." Percy looked confused and counted on his fingers. I ignored his ignorance and stupidity.

"Yes," Artemis said, "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

"Annabeth!" I yelled.

"You have to let us save her!" Percy continued.

Artemis turned to us. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."

Percy tried to run towards the cliff but a couple of the girls held him down. I followed his example but Mac jumped on me. My wrists stung due to the sudden pressure. I rolled around in desperation but Mac didn't budge. Then I coughed up snow. I sneezed. The cuffs came off. The Di Angelos looked at us in bewilderment then at Percy who was foolishly arguing with the goddess.

Wrong timing, cuffs.

Mac rolled off of me and I threw the cuffs. My eyes stung a bit. Annabeth... Mac poked one of my wrists. I flinched away and looked at my wrists. They were red, swollen, bruised and hurt a lot. They were also slightly purple and...blue? I focused on Percy's struggling form and Zoe stepping forward, as if to smack him.

"No," Artemis ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand."

She looked at Percy with eyes colder than the winter moon.

"I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."

A/N: Hope that was good. I appreciate feedback and constructive criticism. Not in a rude manner, of course. You know, it's an outrage that my laptop doesn't accept Nico or Annabeth as words but apparently, bamboozled is alright! I've noticed that Cora's character is different from the first chapter... Which I think was pretty pathetic (-_-)...Also,

'áschi̱mos' means ugly.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know Greek. So, Google Translate is my only source! I also hope that Cora doesn't turn out to be a Mary Sue...

So... Read On!