The First Son of Artemis Book Four: The Lost Hero
Jay II
The storm had churned up into a miniature hurricane. Funnel clouds of black were streaming towards the skywalk, and Jay knew they would need to get everyone off. It was only a matter of time before one of the mortal kids flew off. A worksheet flew and hit him right in his face.
"Malaka!" He cursed tossing the paper aside. Little things like that were starting to annoy him, a few months back his eyes would've caught onto that and he could've moved out of the way. His reflexes, and senses had dropped off considerably and it was starting to affect him more and more.
Leo had started walking back towards them, as soon as the wind picked up, he stumbled, sending the three coke cans he was carrying over the skywalk. Leo almost tumbled over, but Jason reached over and grabbed his shirt just in time.
"We have to get to Piper now!" Jay yelled to them over the storm.
"Over there!" Jason yelled pointing towards the doors.
Piper was busy holding the doors open for kids to run inside. In just her snowboarding jacket she must have been freezing. However, she kept her cool. She looked calm and confident, as she ushered kids inside and assured them it would be okay, encouraging them to keep moving.
"Come on cupcakes move! Jay!" Hedge yelled turning to Jay as he approached.
"What do we do about this one!?" He yelled pointing his baseball bat that had started to transform back into a club towards Jason.
Jason took a few steps back, but Jay shook his head. "He's friendly, we need to get to-."
Another loud crackle of thunder burst through the Grand Canyon sending rocks tumbling down into the abyss below. Jay saw Piper using all of her strength to try and keep the doors open, shoving kids inside trying not to lose her grip. Jay, Leo, Jason and Hedge all tried to move towards her, but the wind fought them for every step. Jay felt as if he was trying to walk through quicksand, but he was determined to make it to Piper, he needed to get her away from Dylan.
Piper managed to get the last kid inside, but as soon as she did a huge gust of wind blew the doors from her hands and shut it. The door slammed shut, closing off the only escape they had from the skywalk.
Piper tried to tug at the handles. Kids inside banged on the door to try and get it back open for them.
"Dylan, help me!" Piper yelled.
Dylan stood there with an idiotic grin, his cowboys jersey rippling in the wind, like he was suddenly enjoying the storm. The answer hit Jay like a sack of bricks. He was dealing with a spirit, a wind spirit. Dylan and whatever spirits were flying above were the ones causing the storm! He had never fought wind spirits before, he had no idea how to kill them. Could he stab his daggers through the wind? He had to try; it wasn't even an option.
"Sorry Piper," he said. "I'm done helping."
He flicked his wrist and Piper flew backwards, slamming into the doors and sliding to the skywalk deck.
"Piper!" Jay yelled trying to run forward. He wanted to charge the monster now, but the wind held him back. Jason tried to rush forward as well, only to be held back by the coach.
"Jason was it!? You and Leo stay back, stay behind Jay and me! You ready Nicholson!?" He asked Jay.
Jay looked over at Piper who had crumpled to the ground currently rolling around in pain.
"More then ready!" He said through gritted teeth.
He knew his bow would do him no good with the windstorm around, so he pulled up his windbreaker, and pressed the center of his belt buckle. At his waist two, long silver daggers shimmered into being. Two twenty-four-inch blades, that had been with him along with his bow since he was twelve. They were made of celestial silver with black leather-bound grips. He tore off his windbreaker to reveal his camp half-blood t-shirt. The orange shirt flapped in the wind, but Jay was ready for battle.
"He's right, you two stay back! This is our fight I should've known he was our monster!" Jay yelled pulling out the two blades.
"You're right! Let's smash him to pieces!" Hedge yelled.
"What?" Leo demanded. A rouge worksheet slapped him in the face, but he swatted it away. "What monster!? And god Jay what are those things!?"
The coach's cap flew off his head, revealing two bumps in his curly brown hair. The coach lifted his baseball bat up, but the illusion had finally worn off. It was a crudely shaped tree branch with leaves and twigs still attached.
A demigod and an old Satyr, Jay was sure they looked quite intimidating.
Dylan gave them a psycho smile. "Oh, come on coach. Let the boy attack me! After all you're getting to old for this! Isn't that why they retired you to this school!? Isn't this why they sent you back-up?"
The coach let out an angry goat noise and raised his club. Before he could talk again, Dylan turned over to Jay.
"Ah the legendary Jason Nicholson, the First Son of Artemis! The defeater of Atlas, the retriever of the golden fleece, the slayer of Koios, and Kronos! Better known as... Percy Jackson's side kick! Your fame runs before you demigod!" He said with a mocking bow.
Jay growled and leveled one of his blades. "I am NOBODY'S sidekick!"
That comment hit hard Jay had always been worried that he never really earned his accomplishments. He was always fighting alongside Percy, who somehow always seemed to save his butt.
Dylan laughed and Jay felt the wind around him start to churn even more as he did. "My mistress has great plans for you Son of Artemis! She's seen your… decline in the last few months, do you even remember how to use those!?"
"Get closer and find out!" Jay yelled.
Dylan laughed and shook his head. "Haha, an old Satyr and a washed-up demigod, you think the two of you can protect three half-bloods at once? Percy Jackson isn't here to save you this time Jason Nicholson!"
Dylan pointed at Leo and a funnel cloud materialized around him. Leo flew off the skywalk like he had been chucked. Somehow, he managed to spin in mid-air and catch a ledge fifty feet below. Jay's eyes widened, and he looked to Hedge.
"Help," he yelled up to them. "Rope, please? Bungee cord? Something?"
"Coach get Leo!" He shouted over the wind.
"Already on it," Hedge growled tossing his club to Jason. "I don't know who you are kid, but I hope you're good! Help Jay keep that thing busy, while I get Leo!" He ordered the new demigod.
"Get him how," Jason asked, bewildered. "Are you going to fly?"
"Not fly, climb." Coach said tossing off his fake shoes.
Coach Hedge's fury goat hooves sprang out, and Jay saw that it looked like Jason was going to have a coronary.
"You're a fawn!" Jason said.
"Satyr!" Hedge snapped. "Fawns are roman, but we'll talk about that later!"
The Coach vaulted over the railing climbing down the side of the Grand Canyon. He moved with impossible agility, finding footholds no bigger than postage stamps, dodging whirlwinds that tried to attack him on his way to Leo.
"Like he said, I hope you're good." Jay told him as he walked up next to him, the coach's club awkwardly in his hands. "We need to get Piper and Leo out of here till reinforcements get here!"
"Isn't that cute!" Dylan turned to Jason and Jay. "Now it's time to kill the both of you!"
Jay was ready to lash out and try to find an opening, but Jason made the first move. He chucked the coach's club. Jay thought it would be useless with such strong winds, but the club flew right at Dylan's face, even curving when he tried to dodge, and smacked him in the head.
Piper finally had gotten to her knees, not as dead, as she appeared. Her fingers closed around the club and Jay's eyes widened. The last thing he wanted was Piper to try and fight the thing with him, he didn't want to risk her getting hurt. Before she could use it however, Dylan rose. Blood-golden ichor trickled from his forehead.
Jay looked at Jason in astonishment. "Unorthodox but effective." He said with a shrug.
Jason shrugged, not seeming to know how he did it.
"Nice try, boy." He said glaring at Jason now. "But you'll have to do better than that!"
The skywalk shuddered. Below Jay's feet he could see the glass beginning to crack. Inside the museum, the kids stopped banging on the door and backed away in terror.
Jay had never seen a monster, or spirit like it. He dissolved into black smoke slowly, like his body molecules were all combusting at once. He had the same face, the same brilliant white smile. His whole form, however, was now composed of swirling black vapor, his eyes electrical sparks like they were living storm clouds. He sprouted black smoky wings and looked like a black demon angel.
"You're a ventus," Jason said. "A storm spirit!"
Jay had never heard of them before, but he supposed Annabeth would if she were here. It was the first time he had been on a quest by himself without her, Percy, Nikki, or anyone really. Nobody except Hedge, he really needed to brush up on his monster identification.
Dylan's laugh sounded like it could tear off the roof of a building.
"I'm glad I waited for you demigod," He said eyeing up Jason. "Leo, Piper, and Jay I've known about for weeks. I could've killed them anytime, but my mistress said a fourth was coming-someone special. She'll reward me greatly for your death!"
Two more funnel clouds touched the ground on either side of him and turned into more of these venti-ghostly young men with black wings like Dylan.
Piper stayed down, pretending to be dazed, her hand still clutched around the Coach's club. Her face was pale, but she locked eyes with Jay and Jason and gave a clear message. Keep their attention. I'll brain them from behind.
Jay took a second to appreciate Piper, cute, smart and violent when she needed to be. She was going to make an awesome demigod. However, he needed to make sure she was alive still. She stepped on a stray worksheet and the crunch caught the attention of the venti. They were about to turn their heads towards her, when Jay went to charged forward.
"PIPER NO, GET OUT!" He yelled trying to run against the wind.
Dylan turned and shot his hand out towards him, and Jay saw a bolt of lightning coming towards him.
"JAY NO!" He heard Piper yell.
Jay would've been blasted, but Jason came up behind him and slammed him onto the skywalk.
Bang. Jason was shot back on his back, a smoking hole in his shirt, one of his shoes blew off into the skywalk.
"JASON!" He and Piper yelled at the same time.
The boy's toes were black with soot. He laid back on the ground for several seconds, Jay felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach. He had another demigod die.
Jay I… I don't wanna die… please Jay…. Please.
She was so confident you would save her if it came to that.
I'm not afraid Jay, I have you to protect me.
He shakily rose to his feet, he looked over and Piper was screaming and swinging the Coach's club trying to keep the other two ventus at bay. Dylan laughed and loomed over Jason, before turning in the direction of Jay.
"No…" He said quietly, and stood up, with both of his daggers ready.
Dylan laughed and looked at him. "Ah, now it's time for me to kill the First Son of Artemis! Nobody is hear to save you this time-."
"Stop," The voice of Jason croaked.
Jay's eyes shot over to Jason, as did all the venti and Piper. He rose unsteadily to his feet, Jay didn't know if him, the venti, or Jason himself were more surprised.
"How are you alive?" Dylan's form flickered. "That was enough lightning to kill twenty men!"
Jay ran over and helped Jason steady himself. "Dude, you took a lightning bolt to the chest, how are you alive!?" He asked completely miffed.
Jason shook his head. "I don't know but," He said looking at the storm spirits. "I think it's our turn, wouldn't you say?" He asked Jay.
A shocked realization came to Jay's mind, but he didn't want to think about it now. He nodded his head, and Jason reached into his pocket.
"It's our turn now." He said to the storm spirits.
Jason pulled the gold coin out of his pocket. He flipped it up into the air and as soon as it landed the demigod was holding a sword. A wicked sharp double-bladed weapon, that was completely golden. Blade, hilt and grip the entire weapon was made out of gold. Jay's eyes went wide, he had never seen a sword like that before. It wasn't like Riptide, Percy's sword, or Dawn the sword Nikki used. The one Jason held looked more like the sword from that old movie Gladiator that he and his father liked to watch back when it came out. It looked so… un Greek. However, at the moment, as long as its vaporized monsters, he didn't care what it looked like.
Jason locked eyes with Jay, Jay gave him an approving nod. "You saved my life I…I'm sorry I doubted you… now let's kill these things!"
"I couldn't agree more." Jason said leveling his sword.
Dylan snarled and backed up at their raised weapons. He looked to his two comrades and yelled, "Well? Kill them both!"
Jason gave Jay a quick nod, and the two of them both charged.
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The other storm spirits didn't look happy at Dylan's order. They growled and flew at the two of them, their fingers cackling with electricity. Jay was ahead first, the first spirit came charging at him low towards the ground, as soon as it came, he leaped up and forwards. He spun in mid-air and slashed his blade along the creatures back. It passed through the spirit and it evaporated into golden dust. The second spirit let loose a bolt of lightning towards him, he rolled out of the way, and Jason stepped forward. The lightning absorbed into his blade, he dodged a strike and with one quick thrust the second spirit dissolved into golden power.
Dylan wailed in outrage, he looked at the ground as if expecting his friends to reform. However, the wind picked up and carried the golden particles out into the sky. "Impossible! Who are you, half-blood!?"
Jay looked at Jason and scoffed with a smile. "Ha, not bad kid. You've definitely done this before."
Jay was convinced now after seeing him fight, that this Jason wasn't a new demigod like Piper or Leo. He had to have some experience; nobody works a blade like that without training. He must be a powerful demigod who had his memories erased and placed here in the school. He had no idea why, or who did it, but he could safely assure himself now, Jason wasn't an enemy.
"Same to you." He said, panting like he had just ran a marathon.
Piper looked at the two of them, so stunned she dropped her club. "Jason, Jay, how…?"
"Everything will be okay Pipes, I promise-." Jay started.
Coach Hedge selected that moment to leap back onto the skywalk and dump Leo like a sack of flower.
"Spirits FEAR ME!" He bellowed, flexing his short arms. Then he looked around and realized there was only Dylan.
"Curse it boys!" He snapped at Jay and Jason. "Didn't you leave any for me? I like a challenge!"
Leo got to his feet, breathing hard. He looked completely humiliated, which Jay had never seen on him.
"Yo, Coach Supergoat, whatever you are- I just fell down the Grand Canyon! Stop asking for challenges!'
Dylan hissed at them, but Jay saw the worried, fear filled look in his swirling eyes.
"You have no idea how many enemies you've awakened, half-bloods. My mistress will destroy ALL demigods. This war you cannot win."
Jay outstretched his arms both blades shimmering with gold powder. "That's what they said about the war against Kronos, yet here we are!"
Dylan hissed, above them the storm exploded into a full-force gale. Cracks started expanding on the skywalk and Jay had to grab the railing for support and balance. Sheets of rain poured down and a long swirling vortex of black and silver opened in the clouds.
"The mistress calls me back!" Dylan shouted with glee. "And you demigod are coming with me!"
He lunged towards Jason, but before Jay could intercept with his blades Piper tackled the monster from behind! Even though the monster was made of smoke, Piper made contact somehow. Both of them went sprawling. Jay charged forward, with Jason, Leo and Hedge he was in the lead, but the spirit screamed with rage. He let loose a torrent of wind that sent them all sprawling back. Jay hit the ground on his stomach while Hedge and Jason landed on their butts. Leo hit the back of his head and curled to the side, dazed and groaning. Piper got the worst of it however, she was tossed off of Dylan's back and hit the railing, tumbling over the side until she was holding on by one hand, one slip away from falling into the abyss.
"NO PIPER!" Jay yelled leaping to his feet and surging forward with Jason.
Before Jay and Jason could reach, Dylan screamed letting loose more wind that knocked them both over. "I'll settle for this one!"
He grabbed Leo's arm and began to rise, towing a half-conscious Leo below him, the storm spun fasted, pulling them upwards like a vacuum cleaner.
"Help!" Piper yelled. "Jay, somebody help!"
Jay tore his vision away from Dylan and ran towards Piper, he reached out to grab her hand, but just before he reached her, she was gone. She slipped, screaming as she fell.
"NO!" Jay yelled lunging but coming up short.
Jay saw her form rapidly falling into the abyss and the voice came into his head again.
I'm not worried Jay, I'm with you.
She was so confident you would save her.
We don't leave demigods behind, no matter what.
"Jay, go!" Hedge yelled. "Save her!"
The coach launched himself at Dylan with some of the craziest goat-fu that Jay had ever seen. He lashed out with his hooves, knocking Leo free from the spirits grasp. Leo dropped to the floor, but Dylan started grappling with the coach. Hedge tried to headbutt him, then kicked him, and called him a cupcake. They soared further into the air, gaining speed.
"Save her Jay, you get her, I got this one!" He yelled down.
Jay saw Piper form falling further away. He turned to Jason, "Go help Hedge, I'm gonna go get her!" He yelled taking a few steps back.
"How!? What are you gonna-."
Jay didn't hear him finish his sentence before he jumped over the side.
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Jay had leaped off of plenty of high places before. He used to love leaping off tall buildings, from tree's from atop his magical falcon Agatha. However, he hadn't done it really since the battle of Manhattan. He had ridden Agatha of course, but never tried to leap down like this. Instead of confidently diving headfirst down the abyss, he flailed his arms and felt like he was about to hurl.
He saw Piper flailing wildly and composed himself. He tucked his arms to the side and watched her as the canyon walls ran by him like a movie on fast forward. Before he knew it, he caught up with her, and tackled her waist, trying to avoid her flailing elbows.
"HANG ON!" He yelled over the wind.
Piper seemed to comply, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shirt, screaming in terror.
Jay reached out in his mind. He concentrated and then his eyes shot open.
"AGATHA!" He yelled as loud as he could.
He looked down and saw the river below getting closer and closer. The only thing in the world he was afraid of was water, Jay despite being best friends with the son of the Sea god had a very bad history with water, and it was more then the fact he couldn't swim.
He was just about to accept death with Piper, when a giant silver blur shot down past them. It soared underneath them, and he heard Piper's scream turn into a strangled gasp when she opened her eyes.
"J-J-Jay, what…" She managed.
Jay breathed a huge sigh of relief and looked down to see his guardian Agatha. She was a beautiful, huge silver falcon. She had a sleek silver, and black body, with gleaming silver feathers. Her head was also silver with a black beak and shining golden eyes. Agatha had been assigned his guardian at birth by his mother Artemis. She had introduced Agatha to him when he was twelve, she had been raised by his mother to be his guide and protector. She had saved him on plenty of occasions.
He let out a deep breath and rubbed Agatha's head. "You have the gift of good timing girl."
"Sorry I was late I was… cleaning my feathers." He heard her voice in his mind.
He managed a smile and turned to Piper, who was still hugged to his chest. She was breathing heavy and looked back up at him with those kaleidoscope eyes.
Her breath smelled like cinnamon. She said, "Jay what, how did you-."
He looked back at her trying for a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Pipes you're safe now. This is Agatha she's my um… falcon."
Her face was a cross between relief and utter confusion. Like she was decided whether or not to start screaming again. "You… you own a giant silver falcon? What is happening?" She asked.
He shook his head. "Don't worry, I promise I'll explain everything. Let's get back up there first, I left Jason to help Coach Hedge and Leo."
At the mention of their friend and her apparent boyfriend she shook her head like she had been in a trance. "Please… get us out of here!"
Piper laid her legs across Agatha's neck horizontally and grabbed her arms around Jay's neck for support. Jay held onto the side of Agatha's wings and looked up. The rain had stopped, the storm clouds were mostly gone, a few were rumbling up ahead, but he knew better then to assume everything was fine, the two of them heard a blast of thunder rumbled the canyon.
"Let's go, we have to go help them!" Piper said, pointing up.
Jay nodded. "I couldn't agree more. Hold on!" He said to her.
Jay steered Agatha up and the falcon shot upwards. Piper screamed from the speed and tightened her grip around Jay's neck. He smelled the scent of her cinnamon hair flood into his nose as they flew. On their way up however he spotted something, a purple blur coming down towards them. It came closer into view and Jay's mouth fell open.
"Jason!?" He yelled across the gorge.
Sure, enough the blonde-haired demigod was floating with wind circling around him. He was hovering right across from them, his purple shirt fluttering all around him. Piper lifted her head across and her eyes widened seeing Jason.
"Jason how… what-."
"I didn't know I could fly! I… I needed to make sure the two of you were okay, I leaped off and the wind just supported me!" He said, seeming as flabbergasted as Jay and Piper.
Jay shook off his confusion, he would have a heck of a report for Annabeth and Chiron later. He looked at Jason and pointed up.
"What about Leo and Hedge!?" He yelled.
Jason shook his head. "Leo's fine but, Hedge is gone, come on!" He yelled, looking upwards.
The winds swirled around him and shot the kid upwards.
"I've had enough of this day…" He heard Piper mutter as he willed Agatha back up.
Jay landed Agatha on the skywalk at the same time as Jason landed. He helped Piper off and turned to Agatha.
"Go circle around up ahead girl. Let me know if you see any monsters or storm spirits." He ordered his falcon with the stroke of his beak.
His guardian nodded and took off. He turned around and saw Piper over Leo. She turned him over and he groaned. His army coat was soaked from the rain. His curly hair glittered gold from rolling in monster dust. But Jay sighed in relief at the fact that at least he wasn't dead.
"Stupid… ugly… goat," he muttered.
"Where did he go?" Piper asked.
Jay turned to Jason for the answer, but Leo spoke up. He pointed up into the sky. "Never came down. Please tell me he didn't actually save my life."
"Twice." Jason said.
Jay looked up at the sky and sighed in sadness. The old goat was a bit much to handle, but Jay had come to respect him over the last month. He didn't want to cry or show any sadness at the moment. He had two brand new half-bloods, and a half-blood with no memories to look after. He knew the coach would want him to worry about them first and foremost, besides, he had become so accustomed to death he was starting to become numb to it.
Leo groaned even louder. "What happened? The tornado guy, the gold and silver swords… I hit my head! That's it, tight? I'm hallucinating."
Jay looked down at his blades now back at his waist. He looked over to Leo and Piper. "I wish I could tell you it was."
Jason reached down and picked up his golden sword. He flipped it up into the air and mid-flip turned back into a coin landing in his palm.
"Yep," Leo said. "Definitely hallucinating."
Piper shivered in her rain-soaked clothes. "Jay, Jason those things-."
"Venti," Jason said. "Storm spirits."
Piper eyed the two of them suspiciously. "Okay. You acted like… you'd seen them before. Who are you? And Jay, silver swords, giant falcon, what are you?" She asked them.
Jason shook his head. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I don't know."
"I think Jason's lost his memories… a god or some powerful monster must have taken them away… we'll worry about that later. As for me…" He said cautiously.
He held out his hand and sighed.
"Look I know nothing seems to make sense right now, but it's important that I not reveal too much right now. It could attract unwanted attention. All you need to know is me and Hedge? We were sent here to protect you." He told them.
Jason nodded his head seeming to understand. "Yeah… you told me about that. You said you and Hedge were here to protect three people. You meant us, right?" He asked.
Jay nodded his head.
"And that thing Dylan turned into…" Piper shuddered. "God I can't believe it was hitting on me. He called us… what demigods, Jay what does that mean?"
Jay sighed, "Look if I tell you now, we could be in more danger, I just wonder where-."
Leo cut him off by groaning. He was laying on his back, staring at the sky. "I don't know what demi means," He said. "But I'm not feeling too godly. You guys feeling godly?"
Jay was about to explain more, when they all heard a brittle sound like dry twigs snapping, and cracks in the skywalk began to widen.
"We need to get off this thing," Jason said. "Maybe if we-."
"Ohhh-kay," Leo interrupted. "Look up there and tell me if those are flying horses."
Their heads shot up, and Jay sighed with relief. "They are, they're not just that though."
Jay pressed the wolf charm bracelet on his wrist and his bow gleamed to life. It was a long silver wooden bow with a thick black string. His friend's eyes widened with amazement, but he didn't say anything. He pulled the string back, and an arrow with a flaming tip materialized in his hands. He launched the arrow into the air, the signal he told Annabeth to look for.
Sure, enough soon the chariot began to descend. Two grey Pegasi came galloping through the air towards them, and gleaming white and gold chariot in tow.
"They're our reinforcements." He told them.
"Is that the extraction team you told me about?" Jason asked.
Jay nodded when Piper came up next to them with Leo. "Extraction squad?" Leo said. "Sounds painful."
"And where are they extracting us to." Piper asked.
He looked at them reassuringly. "Somewhere safe, somewhere your questions will be answered I promised." He told them.
Jay watched as the chariot descended onto the skywalk. The Pegasi tucked in their wings and cantered nervously across the glass. He noticed Annabeth first in the chariot like she had told him she would be, he saw Butch from the Iris cabin next to her, both wearing jeans and orange camp half-blood t-shirts. Annabeth swung her shield across her back and leaped off the chariot before it even landed. She saw Jay and ran towards him. She tackled him in a fierce hug.
"Thank the gods you're alright Jay." She turned to Jason, Piper and Leo.
Her storm grey eyes grew dark, she pulled her knife from her side and moved towards Jason. "Where is he!?"
"Where's who?" Jason asked, watching her knife uneasily.
She turned back on Jay with her grey eyes thundering, I shook my head. I knew she was hoping to find Percy here by some miracle. Her eyes fell slightly then reignited with the same ferocity as the storm a few minutes before.
"What about Gleeson? Where is Hedge? Jay!?" She demanded from them.
Leo cleared his throat before Jay could answer and pointed towards the sky. "Some… tornado dudes took him."
"Venti," Jason said. "Storm spirits."
She whirled back on Jason and arched an eyebrow. "You mean anemoi thuel-lai? Jay you should know that term." She said looking at him.
Jay shrugged his shoulders, "I must have missed that monster class."
She walked back up to Jay. "Jay what happened? I thought you and Hedge reported two? What happened here?" She said looking between him and the three.
Jay explained what had happened to Annabeth. About half-way through the story Butch came over from the chariot. He stood there brooding and staring at them. After Jay had finished telling the story Annabeth clearly wasn't satisfied.
"No, no, no! She told me he would be here. She told me if I came here I would find the answer!" She said angrily.
I put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "Annabeth, we'll fine him. I promise."
"Annabeth," Butch grunted. "Check it out." He said pointing to Jason's foot.
Jay looked down to Jason's foot with Annabeth, and his left shoe was still missing. He didn't have a charred left foot anymore, but the shoe was still missing.
"The guy with one shoe," Said the bald dude. "He's the answer."
"No Butch," She insisted. "He can't be, I was tricked."
She glared up at the sky, as if the gods themselves had done something to her, which they probably did.
"What do you want from me?" She screamed. "What have you done with him?"
I sighed and walked up behind her. "Annabeth we… we'll find him I'm sure of it. I'll tell you more about what happened back at camp. We need to leave though, the two of us will go search ourselves if we have too." He reassured her.
She grabbed his wrist and for a second Jay was terrified she was going to judo flip him over her shoulder, like she had done to her and Percy before. However, she just sighed and squeezed it.
"You're right." She turned back to the group.
Piper blinked her eyes like she had a realization. "Wait... you're Annabeth?" She asked.
Leo despite the probable throbbing in his head snickered. Jay's eyes went wide, and he tried to interject.
"Well, we gotta get to camp, let's get going guys-." He tried to walk away but Annabeth pulled his sleeve and yanked him back.
"Yes…" She said suspiciously. "He was supposed to keep me and everything about camp a secret." She said glaring at Jay.
He laughed nervously but Leo ruined it for him. "Oh man Jay, I didn't think I'd get to meet your girlfriend anytime soon!"
Jay felt Annabeth's grip tighten on his forearm. She turned back to him, her stormy grey eyes about to erupt. "You're what Jay!"
Jay laughed nervously and tried to pry his arm away to no avail. "Haha Annabeth look I promise I have a logical explanation to-."
He didn't finish before Annabeth twisted her arm and flung him over her shoulder. He landed on his back with a groan.
She fumed for another moment. "We'll settle this later." She said looking at Jason with a resentful look.
She turned on her heel and marched towards the chariot just as Jay started to make his way back to his feet.
He groaned and rubbed his back. "So… yeah she's not really my girlfriend."
They ignored this and Jason spoke up. "What's her problem? What's going on?" He asked.
"Seriously." Leo said exasperated.
"We have to get you guys out of here," Jay told the three of them. "We'll explain more on the way."
"I'm not going anywhere with her. She just flipped you and looks like she wants to kill me." He said gesturing towards Annabeth.
Jay sighed and shook his head. "Annabeth's one of my best-friends she's great. You gotta cut her some slack. She had a vision telling her to come here, to find a guy with one shoe. That was supposed to be the answer to our problem."
"What problem?" She asked him looking, concerned as she heard his back crack.
"We've… been looking for someone. One of our campers, he's been missing for three days. She called me in tears two days ago, Annabeth doesn't cry… ever." He told them. "She was hoping he's be there. She's going out of her mind with worry, I've known her for years, she's never been like this."
"Who?" Jason asked them.
Jay turned to them with a sad sigh. "Her real boyfriend, my best-friend," He told them. "A guy named Percy Jackson."
A/N: So our first bit of combat is over! Jason squared destroyed the storm spirit, and saved both Piper and Leo. However, coach hedge was taken. Now we're finally going back to camp half-blood were we'll see old friends like Nicolette 'Nikki' Cassidy, daughter of Apollo, and Gwen Stacey, the new daughter of Athena! If you wanna know more about them before next chapter go read the last three books, Nikki plays a huge role, and Gwen is in book three!
We see more about how Jay is simply damaged and out of shape since the battle for olympus. How will the upcoming events change him? Will he be able to go back to his old self? What did you think of this chapter!? What did you like, what do you wanna see, what are you looking forward too, what was your favorite part!?
Next chapter will be our first POV change, as we hand things over to everybody's favorite badass daughter of Aphrodite, Piper Mclean! I'm looking forward to finally having another POV, since the first three books were mainly from Jay's! What do you think Piper's thinking after all this!?
Expect the next chapter out sometime next week, thanks for the overwhelming amount of favs and follows so far its absolutely amazing! Leave a review and let me know what you think! See you next chapter!