Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HP

Chapter twenty-five

Jay POV

My eyes met Hermione's and she looked worried, really worried.

"Why is that so bad?" Thalia asked, everyone else having come over and sat down by them.

Hermione threw the twins a glance and then me, I got the message.

I used my powers to manipulate the mist, as Hazel had taught me in the last few days, making it see as if we had already explained, and they were on their way to bed.

They got up a few seconds later, saying goodnight and walking up to bed.

"What did you do?" Ron asked once they were gone.

"I manipulated the mist, now they think that we're only worried about Arya because she's sick."
"OK" Ron said, looking slightly impressed.

"Well anyway, what were you going to say Hermione?" Thalia asked once more.

"I was going to say that Arya might be hurt, or possessed by whatever is making the guys nightmares so bad, and hence she might be in danger."
"In that case," I said, "There's no time to waste, I'll go there now, you guys could do some planning or something?"
"Or something." A new voice said, I looked up to see Jason climbing through the portrait.

"Where were you?" Thalia asked her little brother.

"I was in Hufflepuff trying to calm Hazel down with Frank and Calypso, she's really worried about Neeks..."
"You should see Reyna."
Leaving the two children of Zeus/Jupiter to continue talking about when they thought Nico and the others would wake up, I turned back to Hermione, only to find she was getting up along with Harry and Ron.

"We're gonna go to sleep." Ron said.

"You can give me my cloak and the map back tomorrow Jay." Harry told me, before the two boys walked up one of the staircases.

"Be careful Jay." Hermione eyed me worriedly, "I know you want Arya to be safe, but be careful, alright?"
"OK, I gotta go know, night Hermione, Thalia, Jason." And with that I turned to the portrait and climbed back through, slipping on the invisibility cloak and opening up the map.

As I walked through the corridors, I glanced at my own name on the map, and saw another one I didn't recognize heading towards me. I moved the map closer to my eyes, then focussed on the name, for some reason it kept disappearing, I looked one more time, and finally read it before it disappeared.

Phoenix, was it a student?

Why was the map acting so weird?

I dismissed my thoughts, thinking they were nothing, and headed out of the castle.

I eventually made my way to the womping willow, and, using a ,mix of my mom's magic, my own, and my Metamorphmagus, I transformed into a small black wolf, and ran forwards towards the tree.

I slipped through the gap in the roots, and padded along the tunnel, hearing something behind be, I turned around, but saw nothing.

I frowned, but carried on walking.

I eventually arrived at the shrieking shack, and soon noticed Arya curled up in a ball on an old bed.

I transformed back into my self, and walked over to her, noticing that she looked sleep deprived and starved, not to mention dehydrated, basically, she didn't look good.

"Aya?" I asked - using my nickname for her, the one only I was allowed to use - so that she knew it was me.

She looked up, and something flashed in her eyes, fear? Sadness? Pain?

Shit, was she hurt?
What was I supposed to do?

"J-Jay?" Her voice was weak and raspy, and she looked so scared, like she thought I would hurt her.

Wait, had someone hurt her?!

If they had... They'd wish they hadn't.

"Yeah, it's me Aya, it's Jay, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."
"P-promise?" Her eyes were full of what was now unmistakeably fear.

"Yes, I promise Aya, no-one's going to hurt you, not while I'm here." I looked her in the eyes, so that she knew I was telling the truth (My eyes always go yellow when I lie).

"Can you really promise that, Demigod?" A voice said from behind me, and I spun around, my wand and the celestial bronze/silver dagger that Thalia had given me already in my hands.

I cast a silent shield charm on Arya, hoping it would be strong enough.

"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my voice monotone, "How do you know about Demigods?"

"Don't you know? Jay Hunter." I could practically hear the voice's grin.
"Who are you? How do you know my name? What do you want with Arya?"
"So many questions," The voice sighed, "Well, pick one and I shall answer, that is only fair after all."
"What do you want with Arya?" I asked, determination to save and help my friend spreading through me.

"I thought you would ask that, well, I guess I did say I would tell you..."
"Answer the question."
"My, aren't we inpatient. Very well, I am here for your friend because she is a child of Apollo."
"What does that have to di with anything?"
"I said only one question young Demigod."
"Tell me."
"Guess."
I had to think for a moment, but the what I hoped was the answer came to me.

"Her healing powers? You don't want Nico, Percy and Annabeth to wake up."
"Correct, maybe you're a child of Athena?"
Wait, he didn't know my parenthood?
"No."
"You already know?" for once, the guy sounded surprised.
"Yes."

"Who then."
"Guess." I used his own words against him.

"No, tell me."
"If you come out of the shadows."
"Fine." He stepped forwards, and I gave him a once over.

He wasn't that tall, around average, and he looked like he was in his mid-twenties.

He had short, black hair, and his green eyes seemed to burn with a fierce anger.

My senses told me he was a Demigod - perhaps the one who kidnapped Will – and that he was a child of Ares.

"So, what is your heritage?"
"You haven't already guessed? Fine, I'll tell you, it's Hecate."
"The Goddess of mist and magic, I should have guessed, with your strong aura and all."

I noticed how he had a celestial bronze sword at his side, and no wand in sight.

Not a wizard then.

"Are you a wizard?" I asked.

"Well, I have no wand, but I do have magical blood, so yes, I am."
Why was he giving up information so easily?

"Are we going to get down to business then?" He asked, a wide grin spreading on his face, his eyes narrowing onto Arya.

For some weird reason, that made me growl, almost protectively.

"You will NOT hurt her. Do you hear me?"
I had trained a lot in the past few days. And that training had consisted of two main things, learning to control the mist, taught by Hazel, and fighting, taught by Frank, Thalia and Reyna.

I now knew how to use a bow and arrow, sword, and dagger, throw knifes, spears, and just fight in general.

Reyna had said that my strongest points were a sword, dagger, and the throwing knifes. She had taught me all three, while Thalia and Frank had taught the rest.

"How good of a fighter are you, Demigod?"
"Good enough to beat you."
"Oh really? Enough to beat a son of Ares?" If he expected me to act surprised that he was a son on the war god, he was wrong.

We both went into our fighting stances, facing each other, me with my back to Arya.

I was ready to defend her with my life.

I narrowed my eyes and studied his stance, from the way he was standing, he would strike left first.

He grinned at me once more, before drawing his sword.

I put my wand away, and pressed the black gem stone on my dagger, tuning it into a sword.

Sometimes, being a child of Hecate and a wizard can be good.

He charged, swinging his sword up in the air, and I quickly moved my own sword to defend, before drawing a celestial bronze throwing knife from the sheath at my side, and stabbing him in his arm, he dodged it, and attacked again with his sword.

I lunged towards him, swinging my sword above my head as I did, and somehow managing to land a hit on him, I cut his arm, not too deep, but it drew blood.

"You'll pay for that!" He said, leaping at me, and this time, it was I who was to late to defend the attack.

As his sword cut into my side, I tried and failed to not cry out, blood was oozing out of the wound, and I was feeling slightly faint.

But I carried on fighting, I wouldn't let him get to Arya, not even if it cost me my life.

I had to get help, I wasn't stupid, I knew he would win eventually.

But I couldn't leave Arya alone.

As I fought, a spell came to mind, I cast it under my breath, not needing my wand, and hoped it would be enough.

The Demigod swung his sword again, and this time, my ADHD came in useful, I dodged his attacks, and used some of my own, occasionally hitting him or getting hit myself.

"How much longer can you keep this up for Demigod?" The child of Ares said, taunting me.

I knew I couldn't fight for much longer, maybe five minuets at most, my wounds were killing me, and I didn't know any healing spells that were strong enough.

"Long enough to beat you." I growled, though I knew the weakness in my voice said other wise.

"We'll see."
I growled again, and ran forwards, lunging at him with my sword.

He blocked me, and pulled some move I didn't know, but what I did know, was that I was currently on the floor, with a sword pointed at my throat.

Great.

"Any last words?"
I glared at him, before using the last of my energy strengthen the shield around Arya.

"As my vision faded to black, I heard shouts, and the whiz of an arrow, then the dull 'thud' of it hitting it's target, a cry of pain, and a single shout of the one voice I wanted to hear, yelling my name, and then I gave in to the tide of darkness.

A/N- CLIFHANGER! Hey! So sorry about how long this has taken, and sorry about the terrible fighting scenes. I think you all know who it is Jay was fighting...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is the last update of 2018! I can't believe I started this over three months ago! It feels like a year or so...

Anyway, see you next year! And thanks as always to everyone who has reviewed and followed and favorited and read this story!

-Solangelo21