Hey! Sorry it took so damn long to update!

Fayden handed the three tickets over. The airline attendant took a moment to stare at the trio, but the mist probably covered up the minor oddities that would leave a memory in her mind. He looked back and saw Thalia muttering something to Artemis. The ex-goddess had been on edge ever since they had arrived at the airport. The news that she would be entering her father's domain had not calmed her down, despite learning that Jupiter was mad enough at his Greek counterpart to distract the pair.

When they entered their seats, Fayden looked around. His hair had prickled as if something was out of place. A man tucked a suitcase in the rack above a seat. A portly woman dressed in a summery dress was pulling headphones out of her bag, her son bouncing up and down in the seat next to her. Nothing. Maybe he was just as nervous about flying as Artemis was. Unfortunately, the seats were in sets of two, meaning he was seated three rows in front of Thalia and Artemis, who sat together. He watched them sit down, and only now saw Thalia's fear. It struck him that not only did she fear heights, but she wasn't exactly on the best terms with her father either. He'd been focused too much on Artemis lately – in the presence of a ticking time bomb he'd forgotten his own girlfriend.

The plane rumbled as it pulled forward. The seat belt light dinged as the voiceover told them to strap in. And his hair pricked again. Forgetting the belt, he twisted in his seat, scanning the crowd harder than ever. To the seat next to Thalia's, a man in a deep navy suit had wireless headphones in, and he looked asleep. Behind Artemis, also sitting alone, an older man was dressed in what looked like a hunter's outfit – khaki trousers with endless pockets, sandy shirt and a piece of string held the brimmed hat around his chest. The hunter was awake, staring absent-mindedly at the back of Artemis' seat.

"Sir,"

Fayden whirled, prepared to strike, but it was just an air hostess. She started slightly, but smiled.

"Jumpy flyer? It's okay – you're in the majority."

"No, I…" Fayden paused. "Yeah. Never flown before."

She smiled warmly again. "Well, I need you to put your belt on before we ascend in about ten seconds."

Fayden blinked, then nodded. "Oh right, yes. Sorry."

He pulled the belt on, and her smile widened. "Thank you."

She walked away, and he was about to take the belt off before the plane tilted. He was thrown back in his chair, and decided it was probably better to keep the belt on. After about ten minutes, the plane finally levelled out, and another three after that, the light dinged, and the chorus of clicks meant that everyone else had removed the belts, and they were all happily flying back across America.

Fayden immediately turned back around to scan the passengers. The man in the business suit was no longer asleep, but eyeing Thalia. Fayden's eyes hardened, but the man didn't do anything. The hunter was still gazing aimlessly, this time out of the window.

Fayden got out of his seat to walk over to the pair, aware of Business Man's eyes on his back. Kneeling by Thalia, Artemis leaned in as he spoke.

"I think there's a monster on board."

Neither looked surprised, but rather a mix of exasperation and anticipated annoyance. Artemis fiddled with the small silver bow and arrow chain around her neck. As far as Fayden could tell, that was her godly bow – another cruel joke from Zeus.

"I guessed as much," Artemis muttered. "I could feel it."

"So what are we gonna do?" Thalia asked. "Are we sure?"

Fayden shook his head. "No, so for now, just eye him."

Artemis frowned. "Him? Are we talking about the same person? I meant a woman."

Fayden turned around. No woman seemed to be anything out of the ordinary. Nor was anyone else, except Business Man was still watching them.

"What?" he said. "Didn't you see the guy in the suit?"

Thalia tried to get a look, but Fayden interrupted, "Watch him when I'm gone or it'll be suspicious. But who did you mean?"

"The air hostess who was talking to you," Artemis replied.

Fayden frowned. "But she was super nice. I didn't get any odd feeling from her."

"I was sure of it," Artemis replied.

Fayden was about to argue, but a green flash crossed Artemis' eyes. "Sure of it."

He shrugged. "Okay. I'll watch her. But keep an eye out for my guy."

He returned to his seat. After maybe 35 minutes, the plane suddenly shook and Fayden started, before realising what it was. The seatbelt light dinged on again, with the announcement blaring the turbulence warning to the passengers. He left his belt off, to see what would happen.

Sure enough, the same air hostess soon started to walk over to him, and he pretended to be terrified of the turbulence.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just air currents. Nothing bad. But you need your belt on."

Fayden stared at the smile. Monster? He still doubted it. Giving her a nervous smile, he pulled the belt on. The buffeting soon stopped, and everyone took their belts off. Fayden tried to settle, and managed it for a few hours, almost nodding off.

Awakening suddenly, it took him a few seconds to realise it was turbulence again. The moment it ended, he got up to walk back towards the pair of girls. On his way, again, the Business Man was staring at them, before looking away when he spotted Fayden.

"It has to be the guy," he told them.

Thalia shook her head. "I'm with Artemis on this. I think he's human."

Suddenly Artemis smacked her head. "Oh, gods damn it. It's not the girl. It's neither."

"How can you be sure?"

Artemis glared at him. "I am."

Fayden stared back. "You were sure last time."

Artemis looked she was about to leap at Fayden, but Thalia intervened. "Guys. We can all sense something here, but if it's not the guy or the hostess, then who is it?"

Suddenly, another round of rocking shook Fayden forwards, falling to his knees. As he looked up, he locked eyes with the Hunter-styled older man behind Thalia and Artemis. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Fayden blanched. The man's eyes were slowly solidifying, as if becoming lumps of rock. Fayden flipped up, pulling his keychain from his belt.

Sudden screams filled through the plane. Fayden looked around, startled.

"Fayden, your sword!"

He looked down. The katana was still a katana, but every now and then its form flickered, becoming what looked like an assault rifle. The Mist.

"Shit!" he dropped it, but as he did, the monster leapt. He was far heavier than he should have been, crashing into Fayden and squashing him against the seats opposite, which thankfully, were empty. The rest of the man's body was slowly turning to rock now.

Fayden choked as the monster's arm squeezed around his throat. His eyes darkened. Then a blinding flash of green light, and he was gasping for breath.

Artemis and Thalia were on their feet, and Artemis' hands were flaming green. The passengers were still screaming, and running to either end of the plane. The plane suddenly pitched forward. Thalia fell into Fayden, but Artemis had jumped towards the rock man, who had been completely grounded, not moving an inch.

More flashes of green light.

"Put your hands up and drop your weapons!"

Fayden turned from the floor. A security guard had their pistols aimed at the pair on the ground, with two more aiming at the monster and Artemis.

"Woah! Woah!" Fayden yelled, putting his hands in the air.

"Turn over!"

He made to roll over, before lashing his hand towards them. Golden energy enveloped the three of them as a bang went off.

The security guards had frozen, the sparks, smoke and immobile bullet from one of the guns still in the air. He turned and winced as another flash of green caused a loud shake. Artemis had knocked the Rock Man over.

"Oh crap!" Fayden suddenly realised.

The plane was tipping backwards, its tail end facing down. The Rock Man was so heavy he was tilting the plane.

"Get him to the middle of the plane!" Fayden yelled.

Artemis paused, confused, then realised the plane was at a diagonal. She turned back, before flipping over the monster, behind it. Thalia charged from the front, dodging out of the way as yet another lime explosion pushed the Rock Man forward…towards Fayden.

It focused on him, as he held out his hand. His katana felt comforting in his hand, but Artemis was coming up from behind. As she jumped, the monster's arm twisted behind him, catching Artemis across the face.

"No!" Thalia yelled.

Artemis lay still against the chairs, blood trickling down her forehead. The monster turned back to Fayden, who readied his sword.

All of a sudden, stones were pelting him. Small pieces of rock were smacking into him. He quickly tried to deflect them, slowing each one down just enough.

But Thalia was tending to Artemis, Fayden was tiring fast, and the monster just stood there as parts of body flew towards Fayden, before replenishing. He kept deflecting, but one caught his fingers, and he cried out, dropping his sword. The monster awakened and jumped on the spot. The plane rocked, and Fayden flew forward… into the swinging fist of solid stone.

The next thing he saw was the blurry outline of grey from across the plane. His head dropped to his shoulder. Through fading eyes, he could see three pilots, panicked and pale trying to fly the plane. He couldn't move his head back to look at the monster.

He didn't need to – suddenly, a hand had grasped his head, lifting him like a rag doll, forcing his head to stare back at the stony face. The mouth cracked as it moved. Even its tongue was stone. Its voice was deep, almost like it was vibrating, and after every word a noise sounded, like when you click two pebbles together.

"Gaia has ordered your death."

Fayden's eyes dipped closed, before blinking back open.

"I am a faithful servant. She wants you dead, and I give her your head."

His arm raised. Fayden stared at it. But before the arm could swing, Fayden's hair stuck up. If his eyes could widen, they would, as he screamed. It came out as a rasp.

But under the monster's arm, he could see Artemis – and she was alone.

"No," Fayden whispered.

Black clouds had covered the windows. The passengers at the end of the plane were staring outside, terrified. A bolt of lightning crashed into the top of the plane. A hole was burnt through the roof, and electric beams struck the floor, causing small fires to sprout from the sparks. One such beam zipped towards the monster's arm, which exploded into small pebbles, littering Fayden's face – but he couldn't feel them. He was dropped to the floor as a spear appeared through the neck of the stony monster. It disappeared as the creature dropped to its knees. Dirt was trickling from the wound.

"You think I'd let you touch him?"

Thalia appeared at the shoulder of the monster, eyes burning blue, small lines of electricity running through her hair, along her arm, against the tip of her spear.

The stone creature gargled something, spraying more dirt against the ground. With a swipe, the tip of the electrified spear went clean through the neck of the monster, which dissolved into mud and dirt before it hit the ground.

Fayden couldn't see Thalia. The plane threw forward. Suddenly her hair was in his face as she was thrown against him. He felt her muscles tense as she covered him. Just over her shoulder, he could see Artemis staggering to her feet.

"Tha…" he muttered. She didn't hear.

Inhaling deeply, he whispered hoarsely, "Thal…peop…people."

She looked down, then around, and her eyes widened. The passengers were clinging to each other screaming as the plane plummeted to the ground. She looked around, towards the cockpit. Fayden saw her face drain, and he knew why. The bolt of electricity had fried the dashboard of the plane, and the pilots touching it.

"Fayden…I…"

"Go," he muttered.

No sooner had she sprung up, his limp body rolled against the side of the plane, smacking it. His eyes flashed dark.

"Artemis! Help Fay!" Thalia screamed from inside the cockpit.

Suddenly Artemis appeared in his view, and she looked like she'd rather kiss Apollo, but as she nearly fell against him, her instincts kicked in. Hoisting him up with no special amount of care, he was placed in a seat, where he could see Thalia frantically scanning the dashboard, pressing random buttons.

"It's all broken!"

"Art…Arte…" Fayden stammered.

"Water or land," he managed.

"What?"

"Water…or…la…" Fayden muttered.

His head tilted towards the window, and she understood. Leaning out of the window, her eyes narrowed.

"Thalia!" she yelled. "We need a plan! Look outside!"

Fayden saw his girlfriend peer over the edge like she'd just noticed, and her hands trembled, releasing the steering wheel.

"I need, my…sword," Fayden was starting to get his voice back. "Also…ambrosia. Please have some."

Artemis ran through the pockets of her hunter's uniform. She pulled out two squares of the honey-like medicine.

"But…I didn't have…" she shook her head, before shoving them in Fayden's mouth. He managed to chew, and each bite brightened his eyes. His arms flexed.

"Sword," he said.

Artemis looked around. She saw the katana across a pair of seats three paces up the plane. Running over, the plane tilted drastically. A crash in the cockpit, the passengers flew against each other, and Artemis, who had grabbed the sword, swerved and let go, the blade flying towards Fayden's face.

"No!" she yelled.

Fayden's outstretched hand caught it. He sat up. Flexed his neck. His entire body burned like he'd been working out all day, but the second wind made him feel like everything was in slow motion. The wind was flying out through the hole in the plane. He thrust his hand out, and the metal flapping ceased, the air forming a barrier as it slowed.

Instantly, the plane levelled slightly better. He ran towards the cockpit, where Thalia was still freaking out.

"I don't know how to fly a plane!" she screamed.

"We can't!" Fayden yelled back over the noise. "We need to jump!"

"What!" she yelled. "Are you insane!"

"Parachutes!"

"They'll have burned up!" she yelled. "And I hate heights!"

"Would you rather die?!" he yelled, but he was turning to where the parachutes were. Only 12 remained undamaged. There were…19 people on board.

"Come here!" he yelled at them.

A cacophony of screams and dissent replied. Growling, Fayden let out a yell, causing an explosion of golden light. Everything froze, but he could feel the three seconds ticking.

"Parachute!"

Everything resumed, but they were quiet. The only noise was the flames, thunder, and squealing of failed metal. Fayden pointed at the parachutes. Slowly, three people stood, trying to match the tilts of the plane to not fall.

"Faster!"

More scrambled for the parachutes. However, when the last 7 saw there was no more, they turned to look at the people strapping in. Fayden saw the look.

"No!" he stepped between them, holding his sword. Thinking for a second, he titled it, gently holding the blade as if it were a gun. The last few thought they saw a loaded rifle aimed at them and backed away.

"I can get you out of here," he said. "Just sit tight."

He turned, and called, "Thalia, Artemis!"

They came running over. He huddled them, making sure no one of the mortals could hear them.

"We need to jump."

"What?" Artemis looked incredulous.

"Fay, I said no!" Thalia cried.

"Look!" he snapped. "It's that, or we crash and burn! You have a fear of heights? So you'll let half a dozen mortals die because of it?!"

Thalia paused, looking guilty. She was still unsure, he could see, but she'd do it. He turned to Artemis, who glared. Fayden eyed her, and it wasn't a 'you're-an-idiot' glare. It was an 'of course-I'm-doing-it-so-shut-up-and-get-ready' glare.

"Okay."

He turned to the mortals. They had mixtures of terror, anticipation, and some had the blank look that showed their emotions had just exploded. To the ones with parachutes, he said,

"Just jump. Pull the door, jump."

They started, probably expecting more orders, but he ignored them, and they half climbed/half walked back up the plummeting.

Another shake. Fayden grabbed a chair for balance. As the last guy jumped, he walked to the door. The strength almost dragged him out of the door, but he grounded himself and spread a trickle of golden light against the entrance. The air slowed down, and soon it was as if the door was still closed.

"Link hands!"

He grabbed Artemis' hand, who tensed, trying to pull away, but he clenched hard. On the other side, he clasped Thalia's hand, squeezing affectionately. She had her eyes closed, breathing deeply, but she outstretched her hand, and the nearest person started the link.

Fayden edged towards the door and nodded to Artemis. She breathed in, and took a step outside into thin air. A veil of gold held her feet, and she didn't sink. Fayden winced. He had to keep her still while still moving her along with the plane. The sweat was already dripping down his face.

"Go! Go, go, go!"

He stepped out walking against the air again. The mortals were panicking again, but Fayden clenched his arm and froze their hands.

"Walk!"

The last guy prepared to step out. Fayden blinked a bead of sweat from his eyes as he bellowed, "WAIT!"

The man froze, waiting. Fayden breathed in. Breathed out.

"Step!"

As soon as the man's foot left the plane, they were separate from its inertia. Fayden shot to the side, simultaneously dragging 9 people at speeds to dodge a falling plane, watching their necks for whiplash, and keeping them afloat in the air.

That last one proved too hard, and they all started plummeting towards the ground. All Fayden heard were screams as he desperately tried to stay awake. Artemis noticed, and yelled,

"Thalia shock him!"

Thalia was yelling alongside the mortals, but she heard and tried to quiet down. She closed her eyes, breathed in, and suddenly a taser of energy shot through Fayden, and he shuddered awake. Underneath them, he could see 12 parachutes gently floating towards the ground. Fayden let everyone fall, still linking hands. The wind was blowing over his ears, deafening the yells, which quietened anyway as everyone got used to the fall.

When they were within 200 metres of the ground, Fayden tensed, and the golden veil enclosed the group again, as their descent rapidly declined.

When they touched the ground in a park, enclosed by woods, Fayden collapsed, staring up at the sky. He could see the flaming plane peeling across the sky, and to his side, the sounds of cars pulling over could be heard, and loud shouts of shock.

He tried to look around, but his head gave out, hitting the grass. His body was yelling at him for staying conscious so long, and it didn't let him for a second longer. He sighed, and passed out.

When he awakened, he was in the backseat of a car. Rubbing his eyes, he shot up, looking around.

"Woah! Calm down! Fay, it's me."

In the front seat, Thalia had turned, eyes showing worry. Artemis was staring ahead, but Fayden could see her eyeing him in the rear-view mirror. It made him grin, and the worry vanished from Thalia's eyes.

"Gods…" he muttered. "It was a few hours of flying. That's all."

"I'm surprised we got a few hours before the trouble started," Thalia replied.

Fayden gazed out of the window. The car was parked, and it looked like a giant garage. Buses, trucks, and rows upon rows of cars lined spaces around him. But he could feel a slight tilting. It was very faint, but the ground wasn't solid.

"Where…?"

"A ferry," Thalia replied. "To Italy."

"Italy?"

"Yeah, we have to take another boat to Sparta."

Fayden collapsed back into his seat. Then he realised.

"How did you pay…wait…who's car is this?"

"I hired it," Artemis replied.

"…How?"

Artemis shrugged. "I had money."

But Fayden could tell something was bothering her. Then he remembered. "Hang on. You were surprised that you had ambrosia. You didn't have any on you, and neither do you own any mortal money."

Artemis blinked, trying to keep a straight face, but Thalia was frowning. "So, what? A god is helping us."

Fayden eyed Artemis. Her fists were clenched white against the steering wheel. She was trying not to yell.

"Zeus is helping," he realised.

Thalia's eyes widened, and she also looked at Artemis. She noticed their stares, and snapped,

"What? What?! I don't care! Besides, it's Jupiter, not Zeus. I said I was okay with his help."

The steering wheel's rubber was cracking.

"You look okay," Fayden replied sarcastically.

"Shut it," she replied.

A moment's silence. Fayden looked around.

"Well, I'm hungry enough to eat a cow," he finally said. "So I'm going up."

"Wait, Fay," Thalia warned. "There's definitely going to be monsters on this boat."

"Probably," Fayden opened the door. "But I really need a drink. And a sandwich."

Well, there we go. I don't know when you are reading this, but I'm gonna be starting two more fanfics – it's not like I barely keep up with this one. Not at all.

But anyway, it's a Marvel OC, and a Wheel of Time OC. Hopefully, the first chapter of the Marvel one will be out later today or tomorrow, but I might procrastinate again.