CHAPTER 4

Things went on like they did. Still no one talked to me. Except for Jason but things were tense when I was around him now. He would randomly start searching my body after classes we didn't have together. I'm lucky he wasn't strip searching me but it damn near felt that way. I told him I wasn't going to do that anymore but he didn't trust me. Percy started talking to me regularly now. Always joking and laughing. It was like he was a completely different person. Also Nico seemed to be transferred to all my classes. I would turn and he'd be there giving me awkward thumbs up. He said he was keeping an eye on me.

So as things progressed the three of them got really close to me. It sort of made things bearable. I learned to be comfortable like this. Eventually a couple years passed. Some of my friends came to accept my powers and some didn't. Some people stilled whispered about me but even that was dying out. I learned to control my powers and was able to conjure them at will. I even went on a couple quests. I was able to obtain a golden apple of immortality for The Camp from the garden of the Hesperides. I even obtained the vocal box of a siren from the sea of monsters along with the help of Jason and Percy.

Life was tough but I was able to make it through. One night The Camp was having their dance they have every three years. I of course was going with Jason and Nico was going with Percy. After us Hades boys got ready we went down stairs to meet up with our respective dates. They led us to the gym where the dance was being held. When we got there we danced and mingled. Eventually a slow song came on. I wrapped my arms around Jason's shoulders and he placed his hands on my waist. We started to sway and move in place. I looked him in his beautiful electric blue eyes and those scarred lips moved into that smile I love. "I love you," I say as I go into kiss him.

Just as I pull away and Jason is about to say something someone screams, "Dragon!" It comes crashing through both the barrier and the gym wall. I turn and see the hundreds of heads coiling and tossing demigods left and right. "Ladon," I say realizing what monster this is. "What?" Jason asks confused. "It's the guardian from the Hesperide quest. And I think I know what he wants," I say taking out my flashlight and transforming it into my scythe, "But he can't have it!" I charge the beast. I spin my scythe in a wide arc cutting thirteen heads off in a row.

It bellows in pain and turns its attention to me. Five heads attack me on either side but I take them out at once. "Is that all you've got?! Come on!" I yell at the beast. After a while I reduced the heads to about twenty-five. I was exhausted though. I didn't know if I could last much longer. It attacks again but I dodge so its heads strike the floor where I was at. Debris flies everywhere. A chunk of floor board shoots out and hits the weapon out of my hand sending it skidding out of reach.

I'm now tired and left defenseless. Unless I use my power, but on such a magnitude I'd need it could kill me. I decide I have no other option. I start to feel a tug in my heart and shadows start to swirl around me. As I reach max capacity I noticed Jason sneaking around Ladon's tail end. One of the heads sees him and they all turn to strike. "No!" I scream jumping in the way sending out a shadow shock wave so large it disintegrates the monster into golden dust. Not before it hits me I'm sent skidding across the floor and I hear Jason scream my name. I hit my head and everything goes black.