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We Prove Ourselves to Dangerous Nymphs

The next day the demigods has their first day off to do as they pleased. Nico took advantage of his freedom to do some spying, especially on Angela. Percy just seemed to want some alone time. The battle seemed to have mentally affected him a lot more than Jason had previously thought. Especially when the three talked over breakfast.

"Hey, How about you and me go find Arya and get someone to fix our swords?" Jason suggested to Percy after he told him what Eragon had said. Percy just scowled and picked at his food. Normally he would be on his second plate by now.

"Oh yeah, so when we go home we can start killing people along with monsters. No better than Luke and the rest." Percy spat sarcastically. Jason frowned uneasily. He remembered hearing about Luke and the battle of Manhattan at CHB. Apparently Luke was the hero in the end, but Jason could understand that Percy still had a grudge on him.

"Well I don't want to keep on relying on an unbalanced sword, so I'm going to try and get that fixed. You can come or not.' Jason said with his praetor voice. Percy glanced up at his change of tone with hostility. Jason swallowed ever sense Percy and Annabeth escaped Tartarus. Percy occasionally showed this dark, dangerous side to him. It always made Jason suspicious. If Nico noticed he didn't say anything.

"Yeah I'll come. It's not like I have much of a choice." Percy grumbled taking one last bite before standing up hastily from the table and crossing his arms impatiently.

"Um right. Uh I guess we'll see you later Nico?" Jason asked. Nico just nodded and flashed away with a wave.

Stares and whispers were directed at their wake as the two former praetors walked through camp. Tales of their sword skills spread through camp like wild fire.

"I heard he killed fifty men without breaking a sweat."

"Look at them. They look practically unscathed from battle!"

"They're the ones that came with the Necromancer. Do you think they could be descendants of the grey folk?"

"So much for blending in." Percy whispered to Jason with a smirk. Jason just shook his head. Jason may have been able to blend in by himself, but with shady Nico and capricious Percy any hope to stay low was practically out the window.

They came across a small troop of elves making their way to the training fields. Percy made his way over to them, but Jason grabbed his arm.

"We don't know them, we can't risk giving ourselves up." He whispered in his ear urgently.

"Didn't Nasuada and the leaders say that the elves are on our side anyway?" Percy whispered back.

"Yeah, but…"

"Is there something you wish to speak with us about young sorcerers?" One of the elves spoke up interrupting the two. The two looked at each other dubiously for a second. How did they hear their conversation?

"No thank you."

"Yes." Percy and Jason said at the same time before glaring at each other in annoyance. Some of the elves giggled, their voices sounding akin to jingling bells.

"Well?" The lead elf prompted again his expression curious and degrading as if Percy and Jason weren't really worth his time. That made Percy angry.

"We were wondering if you could help us." Percy prompted Jason shoved him, but Percy silenced him with a "trust me" look. Jason grumbled and rolled his eyes as he unsheathed his gladius. The elves hissed and jumped back whipping their own swords out defensively.

"What is this!?" one of the elves hissed. Percy rubbed his temple, and gave Jason a "your own look".

Jason stuck his sword in the ground, and raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry. We're not going to attack you. We just wanted to know if you could help us with an uh magical issue with our swords.' Jason placated.

The elves eyed the pair with hostility most of them sheathed their swords and other assortment of weapons carefully. Jason bit his lip. These elves may look just like Nymphs, but they were much more war-like than the peaceful spirits of nature he was used to.

The lead elf stepped closer and eyed Jason's sword with keen curiosity.

"May I?" he asked indicating the gladius. Jason nodded. The elf pulled the sword out the ground and ran his hand along the flat of the blade and peered at it curiously. His eyebrows knitting in confusion, and suspicion.

"This is magic and metal I have never seen before.' He muttered closing his eyes and sniffing the blade shuddering like he had a sudden chill. The rest of the elves looked mildly confused, mostly they were watching the demigod's reactions. Jason and Percy just looked worried, and a little repelled by the elf's study.

"Look, the magic on it makes it so it'll go right through regular humans without harming them, as if they aren't even there. Can you put a spell on it that will make it so it can hurt them if need be." Jason asked reaching for his sword protectively. The elf easily hopped back from Jason's advances and continued to study the sword, swinging it around testing its weight.

"What do you mean by regular humans? Are you referring to non-magic users?" the elf asked smiling like someone does to an enemy when they learn their secrets.

"Yes, we are. Now can you help us or not?" Percy demanded impatiently tired of the elves superior attitude. Some of the elves hissed at his impertinence.

"Why would someone cast such as spell on their sword such as this?" an elven girl asked stepping up to examine the sword as well. Jason struck his hand out and ripped the sword out of the elves grasp with lighting fast reflexes.

"We'll take that as a no. Thank you for your time." Jason said politely an edge to his voice, as he abruptly turned his heel and left dragging Percy along with him. This was going about as well as he thought it would. Like he had anticipated, the elves were asking too many questions. Although Percy was probably right in that there weren't any elven spies. It was still good to be on the safe side, and besides they had been ordered to keep their identities a secret and the roman in him wouldn't allow him to blatantly disobey orders.

"I never said we were incapable of such magic." The elf called. Jason turned reluctantly.

"So you can help us?" Percy asked skeptically.

"Possibly. However, we require payment for our services."

"What kind of payment?" Jason asked crossing his arms across his chest in his best intimidation tactics. The elf just smiled and cocked his head in amusement.

"Before I use up such energy to fix your sword I would like to see how worthy you are with it. My brethren and I will not waste our energies on amateur swordsmen.' The other elves nodded and looked at the pair with skepticism. One of the females with waist length wavy chestnut hair walked up to the leader with concern on her face.

"Kai, they are only boys, it would be an unfair duel.' She urged to the lead elf.

"Do not defend them Luana." Kai barked. "They insult our abilities, and are in need of some humility. I am doing them a favor." He turned to the duo.

"We accept your offer." They said in unison.

~)*(~

"You." Kai enunciated unsheathing his short sword and pointing it at Jason's heart "…will spar with me." Jason nodded taking out his gladius and tossing it from hand to hand warming up.

"I prefer Jason by the way, not you." Jason said eloquently. Kai narrowed his eyes, he turned to face his troop.

"Who wishes to spar with…" he stalled pointing at Percy with his sword.

"Percy." He spat with a glare. Kai just smiled at his anger.

"I will." A tall muscular elf announced walked up to Percy unsheathing a log thin blade and swiped it around in an attempt to intimidate the demigod. Percy just rolled his eyes and unsheathed his steel blade and threw it on the ground.

"You surrender already?" The elf asked with an incredulous laugh some of the other elves laughed along with him. Percy just calmly reached into his back pocket for his pen, and flicked off the cap with his thumb. Percy's partner backed up in surprise, as Riptide grew into three feet of glowing deadly celestial bronze.

"Jason's not the only one with a kickass sword." Percy grinned nodding to his friend who grinned back. "Mr.…?" he began gesturing towards the elf.

The elf swallowed his gaze turning steely. "Ajax. My name is Ajax if that is what you were inferring."

"Yeah, you ready?" Ajax answered with a leap towards Percy sword raised. As they fought, Percy tried to recall everything Eragon told them about elves. They were stronger, faster, and more sensitive than humans. "So am I." Percy thought as he dug further. They were much older than they appeared. "Which probably they have more training than me." Then again he had defeated immortals before.

Percy grit his teeth, as he found himself going on the defensive more than attack trying to keep up with the elf's speed.

"You fight well for a human. You should have lost by now." Ajax commented as he leaped over Percy's swipe directed at his legs.

"Sorry to disappoint." Percy spat starting to get frustrated at his lack of progress.

Jason was having similar frustrations with Kai. The elf seemed to dance as he fought, with great leaps and bounds like a cat. If Jason wasn't so focused on beating him, I would've admired his grace. After a while both Jason could tell that their opponents were starting to get discouraged as well.

Kai and Ajax obviously thought that it would be an easy duel, and a humiliating defeat for the demigods.

"How is this possible? Where are you getting this energy?" Kai asked angrily. Jason smiled triumphantly knowing he had the element of surprise. The son of Jupiter found himself tiring and decided it was time to end this. He sent tendrils of electricity up his sword, supercharging it like a lightning. The nest time he and Kai's blades collided the charge ignited the elf's sword down to the hilt where it shocked him. With a yelp he dropped his sword, and Jason pushed forward ending with his blade at Kai's neck.

"I win" he said breathlessly a triumphant grin spreading across his face. Kai's eyes smoldered in anger.

"You cheated! A fair traditional fight does not involve the use of magic." He snarled his voice an octave higher chin held in superiority.

Ajax hesitated at his leader's outburst. Percy took advantage of the distraction and used his signature disarming move. His sword pointed at his opponent's chest. Ajax was utterly speechless, looking at Percy in shock. The demigod looked over at Jason, and gave him a nod before lowering his sword and offering a hand to his opponent in truce.

"Well?" Kai persisted stepping forward into Jason's personal bubble. The son of Jupiter crossed his arms and scoffed at the elves accusations. No magic? Please, tell that to every titan, monster, giant etc. that he ever fought. Jason learned at an early age that every fight was a fight to the death, and that you should use every advantage.

"Who said magic was against the rules? You can use magic as well, probably better than I can, so how was this fight unfair?" Jason demanded. Kai's expression changed from outrage to suspicion. Percy walked up to Jason's side, wiping sweat of his brow.

"We won, so will you fix our swords now?" Percy asked ignoring their previous conversation. Kai huffed and bared his teeth and stuck his hand out beckoning with his fingers.

"Although you cheated." He began spitting on the word. "You have deemed yourself a fine swordsmen up to that point, and I will honor my word." Jason's expression hardened and he reluctantly surrendered his gladius.

The elf closed his eyes, and rubbed his hand along the sword muttering words Jason didn't recognize under his breath. Yellow sparks popped along the blade as if the sword was fighting back against the magic. Kai frowned lines appearing in his face as if the magic took a lot of effort. Eventually he fell to his knees his head falling to his chest.

Jason blinked and kneeled down to his side along with the rest of the elves who gathered around. Kai's breathing was ragged and labored as he lifted his head and looked at Jason his expression utterly mystified. He shoved the blade into Jason's hands and shakily stood back up wavering a little causing the elves to back him up.

"It is done." He wheezed. "It nearly killed me for the power within that blade is greater than I have ever encountered in a single object, nor do I understand the magic within it, but I have found a way to fulfill your wish."

Jason looked down at his trusty weapon. It didn't look or feel any different, but he trusted the elf's word.

"Thank you." Jason bowed respectfully.

"Uh." Percy began rubbing the back of his neck "I know you're and all but you said you would do both of our blades, and…" Kai nodded to him tiredly, and turned to motion to one of the elves. The pretty one who tried to stick up for them in the first place.

"Luana if you would be so kind.' She nodded eyeing Percy carefully with big curious eyes. Ajax had already walked back to this comrades obviously sore about his defeat, and mentally chastising himself for letting himself get distracted in the fight.

She grasped Percy's longer and lighter sword in her hands, just as Kai had done. Jason wondered just how different the two magics' were, godly versus this Alegaesian magic or whatever (Eragon tried explaining it to them but it just gave him a headache). He supposed nothing like this had ever been done before, changing the integrity of Olympian metals. They should probably be grateful that the elves didn't get killed in the process of tampering with godly magic.

Jason looked down at his gladius and remembered when he broke his first sword, and how it was like setting of a nuclear blast. He wondered just how much power was really stored in his sword, and if Percy's was the same.

Just as Kai before her, Luana nearly passed out in exhaustion. She gave Percy his sword back and he thanked her before minimizing it to a pen again and placing it in his pocket. That action caused several of the elves to look over in his direction in amazement.

"You two are unlike anything I have encountered before. I would go as far to say that you are not entirely human." Kai said though the last sounded more like a question as he gazed between Percy and Jason as if he already knew the answer. Jason pursed his lips and blinked wondering what to say. Thankfully, Percy's quick thinking saved them again.

"Thank you very much Kai, and Luana." He announced bowing to them all in a very un-Percy-like show of respect that was obviously an act. "For helping us, and Ajax for practicing with me. However, I'm afraid Jason and I have somewhere to be. Nasuada won't be pleased if we're late. Right Jason?'

"Yes of course, we've delayed to long as it is. Good day to you." Jason answered playing along and bowing as Percy grabbed his arm and hauled them both out of their non-too quickly.

"That was a close one." Percy muttered when they were out of earshot.

"Yeah." Jason agreed. 'I hope it was worth it."

~)*(~

"Looking for me Half-blood?" Angela asked with a grin. Nico jumped and spun around cursing under his breath at how she was able to sneak up on him. He huffed and smoothed down his clothes.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" he spat.

"What? Half-blood? According to Solumbum you are only half human. Are you not?" she asked innocently her eyes seeming to look directly into his soul. Nico backed away nervously. Who was this chick? Why did she make him so nervous? He tried to remember who Solumbum was, that was her cat right? Great, even the cats can talk in this world.

"Do you always talk to your cat?"

"Oh yes, Solembum loves to quiz me with riddles and has many entertaining tales.' The cat at her feet fixed his gaze onto Nico, its gold eyes watching him with far too much intelligence for any normal cat.

"I have never encountered a being such as you before. The smell of death and earth surrounds you." A voice spoke in Nico's mind making him tense.

"Yes, I'm quite curious as to that as well. You are more than just a Necromancer, and there is something you and your friends have in common although they are much different. Eragon refuses to spill the beans on that." She huffed in annoyance. Nico blinked. How did she hear that voice in his mind? He looked down at the cat who was currently licking its paw, the tom glanced at Nico and winked.

"What did Eragon tell you?" Nico demanded. She just waved him off looking annoyed.

'Not much, no need to be angry with him. I am no spy. I work for no one. For now I am helping the varden but no one has power over me. So, you claim to be a children of gods?" Nico narrowed his eyes, there was no use trying to deny it now. Besides, for some reason he felt like trusting her despite the fact that Eragon obviously trusted her. Her words of "I work for no one' sounded similar to his own philosophy.

"I don't claim anything. It is a fact.' Nico spat. He already deemed she wasn't a spy, so now there was no use in talking/spying on her. She only grinned wider and walked in-step with him (much to his annoyance).

'How fascinating!" she exclaimed. "The power of a God yet the mortality of a human."

"Yeah, it also means you're born with a lot of enemies." He added darkly. The witch's eyes widened and she nodded furiously.

"Oh yes of course it would. Power makes more enemies than anything else." Nico glanced at her wryly. If only she knew just how close to the truth she really was.

"Would you like me to read your fortune?" Nico stopped and looked at her skeptically.

"Are you an oracle or something?" She grinned as she untied one of the sacks on her belt and brought them up to Nico's face and jingled what was inside.

"I suppose I am, for I do have the magic to foretell one's lifetime. Although it will not be straight forward, one still had to figure it for themselves."

"It hardly ever is.' Nico muttered in agreement.

"You have had your future foretold before?' Nico started up walking again with a shrug.

"I've been a part of prophecies before."

"So you already know what's going to happen?" she asked her eyes glittering with curiosity.

"I know I will go home once Galbatorix is dead, and beyond that…who knows maybe I'll probably be a part of another prophecy though I kind of doubt it. The fates and the gods don't want a son of Hades to be the hero." He said bitterly. Not that he liked the idea of being used like Percy, and the others, but still it hurt to be cast aside so much.

He didn't expect Angela to understand what he was talking about, but it felt good to get some things off his chest.

"I agree. You most definitely are not a man who needs to see his life foretold. I always warn my clients that they may not like what they hear. The future always changes the moment one hears it."

"Um thanks, I guess.' Nico answered uncertainly. "It probably wouldn't be happy anyway judging how my life's gone so far."

"Oh on the contrary my friend nothing lasts forever not even bad luck." He turned to look at her in surprise. She wasn't scared of him, in fact she seemed entirely comfortable around him like any other person. It felt weird, but nice.

'Yeah, Maybe you're right." He answered allowing a flicker of a grin cross his face.

~)*(~

Over the next few days the demigods began to settle into a routine, each for the most part going their separate ways. Jason tried getting an audience with Nasuada and the Varden's generals in an attempt to teach them some battle strategy he learned from the Romans and Annabeth. At first it wasn't easy to get them to listen to him.

"You are just a boy and a magician, what do you know of commanding men and battle." They scoffed at him. Jason lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't used to such outright disrespect. Even the veterans back home who were much older and more experienced gave him respect simply because of his patronage.

"I may be young, but I have lead the remnants of an empire into victory before. You would be wise to listen to me." Jason retorted evenly with the poise of a king. The varden members grew quiet, and eventually swallowed their pride and let him make his contributions. They were quick studies, and seemed to be very fascinated by his words. Jason was able to learn a few things from them to as they collaborated.

Percy spent his days training, and buddying up with Roran or Eragon or whoever he made friends with. He would help out do odd jobs, hang out at the stables whatever to get his mind off home, and focus at the task ahead.

Nico ended up spending more time with Angela, telling her about his world and gaining valuable insight into the world of Alagaesia. He was also reveling in the fact that he finally found someone who was fascinated rather than weary of his powers and patronage.

~)*(~

"Jason, Percy may I speak with you for a moment?" Eragon asked running up to them as they made their way to the dining pavilion.

"Sure, what's up shadeslayer?" Percy asked drawing out the word shadeslayer playfully. Eragon blinked trying to remember what Percy slang meant.

"Um yes. Well it appears you have aroused the suspicions of the elves." he informed.

"That's bad?' Percy asked. "I mean the elves on our side right?" Eragon rubbed his hands together nervously.

"You see, magic is very sacred to the elves. In fact, my namesake, the first dragon rider was an elf and no two races understand nor are as powerful in magical ability as the dragons and elves. The fact that you three possess foreign magic and are proficient in it in a way that they do not understand makes them suspicious. The elves dislike those they do not understand, as is the case with the dragons' ages ago."

"So you're saying we're enemies in their eyes.' Jason surmised.

"More or less. I just wish to inform you, as to not risk upsetting them further."

'Well it's not like they were the friendliest bunch in the first place.' Percy retorted. Jason nodded in agreement. Eragon sighed neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"You must understand, that humans are rather inferior to elves in just about every way. I will admit that some of the elves are not as civil as others, and are unlikely to show humans or half-bloods the proper respect."

"Yeah, like the gods." Percy muttered Jason gave him a warning look that Percy promptly ignored.

"There is no need to apologize per se. However, but try to get along with them as you may have to work with them soon. Perhaps you should try telling them the truth of your origins. Maybe then their opinion of you will change, although I know from experience that it is very difficult to change the opinion of an elf."

~)*(~

The next time Percy and Jason encountered the elves in training they made their first attempt at civil hood.

"We would like to thank you again for your assistance with our swords, and if you are curious of anything feel free to ask." Jason began silently thanking the gods for all his diplomatic practice speaking in front of the Roman senate. Kai lifted his chin slightly at them, no longer looking down at them but rather curious and weary.

"You are not entirely human are you?" he asked. Percy let Jason do most of the talking. He took the opportunity to watch and judge the elves reactions and added (mostly unnecessary) comments.

"Even the human gods are getting involved in the war now." He said after the half-bloods finished their story.

"I guess you could say that, more like we keep getting thrust into war…gah!" Percy exclaimed as Jason elbowed him in the stomach and gave him a "shut up" look. A smile appeared on Kai's face as he watched the antics between the two demigods.

"Well perhaps we can compare notes on our origins another time, fricaya*." He said offering a hand. Jason grinned uneasily hoping that meant friend.

"Yes, of course." I'd like that. Suddenly, the bugles began playing the all too familiar enemy approaching medley. The elves heads all pricked up like animals. A messenger galloped throughout the camp shouting warnings like Paul Revere.

"Arm yourselves! The imperial army is approaching, and it's the Laughing Dead!"

*Fricaya is friends in the ancient language