Jason had smiled at first when the sound of fighting reached his ears. Fighting meant that the hunters had spotted Annabeth's team and were moving to engage them, which suggested that they had opened up a weakness somewhere else, probably on the far left where his team was poised to strike. He quickened his pace, wanting to maximise the window of opportunity. He had no idea whether Annabeth could break through their defence and didn't intend to find out.
Then his sister stepped out of the trees and the smile melted from his face.
"Hey, little bro." Thalia grinned at him. "You don't look happy to see me."
"I'd be happy if not for that hood," Jason replied, knowing that her hair was still bright pink under her clothes.
Hunters emerged from the trees above and around them, forming a perfect killzone without endangering themselves. A chorus of curses came from Jason's group as they spotted the armed girls.
"We'll take your friends to jail," Thalia extended her arm and her spear appeared in her hand. "But I've been wanting to try you since the day we met." She dropped into a fighting stance.
Jason narrowed his eyes, sensing the air currents all around him. Beside him, Piper stepped to his side.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Suit yourself," Thalia nodded to one of her hunters, who fired a warning shot into the trunk of a tree. "Now, let's be sensible, shall we?" she said to the rest of the campers.
"I agree." Jason's eyes glittered. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the eerie calm of battle descend on him. "Campers, take them down."
Thalia snorted with derision. The hunters raised their bows.
Thunder boomed. Jason willed the air to expand violently outwards, creating a powerful blast of wind that made the whole forest shake. Every hunter fell from the trees amidst a blizzard of leaves. Thalia's eyes widened.
"Get them!" Jason shouted.
The campers cheered and charged the fallen girls.
"Hunters, kneel!" Piper yelled, seeing many of the girls getting back to their feet. The tactic half-worked. A few of the girls knelt, some looked confused, then the campers ploughed into them and the battle was on.
Thalia snarled and started forward, heading straight for Jason. Her bracelet expanded into a thick bronze shield with the horrible impression of Medusa in its centre. The monster's image seemed to bore into Jason's mind, like an invisible force trying to push him backwards, but he held his ground, forcing his body to obey his will. He was a legionnaire of Rome and he did not run.
Piper stood next to him, sword raised.
"Go help the others," Jason smiled at her. "This one's personal."
Piper laughed. "Fry her, Sparky." She darted away.
"She's smart," Thalia shouted, closing fast.
"I don't need her to beat you," Jason replied, raising his sword.
Thalia's spear crackled with electricity. A bolt of lightning blasted out from the tip towards him. Jason's Imperial gold gladius absorbed the charge. He didn't move an inch.
Thalia came into range and stabbed, but Jason wasn't there. The winds catapulted him into the air and he somersaulted over her, swinging his sword as he came down behind. The flat of the blade hit Thalia in the head, knocking it to one side, but she was just as fast and caught him in the ribs with a powerful back kick. She pulled her arm back at the same time, hitting him in the stomach with the butt of her spear. Jason gasped and tumbled to the ground, while Thalia staggered two steps from the impact to her head.
"Not bad," Thalia spun around to face him, grinning. "You don't fight like a Roman."
"Piper's starting to rub off on me," Jason summoned the winds and launched catlike into the air, sword-first.
"I'll bet she does," Thalia said dryly, then slammed his sword aside and jabbed with her spear. Despite them being almost face-to-face Jason somehow managed to avoid getting run through. He twisted aside and grabbed her shaft. His momentum caused the two of them to slam into each other, knocking them both to the ground. Lightning crackled at the sudden contact. His knee connected with her chest. She clouted him with her spear shaft, hammered him off her with her shield and kicked him away. Jason reeled backwards, then caught himself in midair, hovering two feet off the ground. Both of them were breathing heavily.
"I don't believe anyone taught you to fly," Jason smiled.
"I don't need to," Thalia smiled back. "I have you right where I want you." She dropped back into her fighting stance and beckoned him on.
Jason lunged for her again, sword poised. Thalia waited for him, let him come, then thrust her spear forward at the last second, the tip aimed at Jason's chest.
Jason had been expecting the move and swerved violently to the left, willing his sword to extend into a javelin. He swiped at her as he passed, on her right where she had only her spear shaft. As if in slow motion, he locked eyes with her as she turned her head to follow his movement, seeing her's widen with shock.
The javelin's tip sliced through her hood and the armour beneath. Blood darkened the fabric on the side of her head and only her lightning reflexes prevented the blade from carving her skull open.
Thalia spun around and threw her shield Captain America style. The large round disc slammed into Jason's ribs as he turned, sending him sprawling. Thalia hefted her spear and flung it at him with all her strength.
Winded and dazed, Jason half-managed to deflect the spear with a gust of wind. The triangular bronze blade grazed his left shoulder and he cried out in pain.
Thalia cracked her neck, drew her hunting knives and broke into a sprint towards him. Jason rolled to his feet, sword ready.
Electricity crackled and sparked where their weapons clashed. Thunder roared and the air charged with ozone as the two siblings fought. Campers and hunters began to stagger as the air howled with gale-force winds. Their eyes widened as they forgot each other to gape at the two children of Zeus. Thalia and Jason were at the center of a miniature tornado, fighting in such a frenzy that it was impossible to track their movements. The crash of blades melded into a continuous sound as the two of them stood frighteningly close to each other, weapons sliding and flashing in the gap between their bodies that seemed to narrow with each strike.
Despite the intensity of their combat the two siblings were evenly matched. Jason was the better swordsman, but Thalia had two knives. Both were wounded. Thalia's head was bleeding more heavily than Jason's shoulder, but Jason had taken more blows and appeared slightly dazed.
Thalia blocked, stepped in and slashed. Jason sidestepped neatly and brought his sword around in a hard, chopping sweep. Thalia ducked, showing off superhuman reflexes that had been developed through thousands of hours training with Artemis herself. She tried to get under his guard, but Jason had anticipated the move and blocked the attack. His riposte was viciously fast and Thalia threw herself backwards, feeling the blade pass an inch above her head. She kicked out as she somersaulted and her foot caught Jason in the chin. Jason collapsed to the ground, out cold.
Thalia stumbled slightly, steadied herself on a tree trunk. "Ugh."
"Holy shit." The hunter Valerie uncorked a canteen of nectar, gently pushing Thalia's hood back to clean her wound. "That was intense."
"Tell me about it," Thalia groaned as all her aches and pains from the fight seemed to intensify. She beckoned wearily. "Get me some ambrosia."
Valerie passed the nectar over and she took a sip, wary of overdosing. She'd need more later.
"The other campers?" She straightened to survey the scene.
"Defeated," Valerie pointed to the huddle of sullen demigods kneeling on the grass. Three hunters trained bows on them, ready to punish a single movement. "Piper McLean escaped."
Thalia nodded as she pushed the square of ambrosia into her mouth. "Follow her trail. It'll lead us to the flag."
"Will do." The girls nodded.
"Two of you stay with me." Thalia took a deep breath, wincing as pain sparked in her bruised ribs. "I'll need a minute to catch my breath. Scout the forest thoroughly, but don't engage unless attacked. I'll join you to lead the assault."
"You sure?" Valerie asked, concerned. "You took some heavy hits just now."
"Piper and Percy will be waiting for us. You'll need me. Besides," She managed a smile. "I'm not passing up the chance to fight Percy."
Cynthia was a study in concentration as she scrutinised the forest around her, scanning the surroundings for the first sign of danger. Both prongs of Camp Half-Blood's pincer attack had been defeated, but there was always the possibility that someone was still sneaking around, looking for the flag. She glanced behind her, reassured by the sight of the silver banner hanging from the long pole.
Three hunters had been stationed to guard the flag. While neither of them wanted to be away from the action, they understood the importance of their task, especially given who they were up against.
"Wonder how long this one will be." Jean, a hunter who'd played in the last eighteen games, tapped a finger to her chin.
"Both attacks have been defeated. They probably put up a reasonable defence, so…" Cynthia tried to calculate how long it would take for Thalia and company to overwhelm the rest of Camp Half-Blood. "Another fifteen minutes?"
"You're being generous." Jean snorted. "Half their team is down. I don't see this game lasting any longer than five."
Something in the air shifted almost imperceptibly. The three hunters stiffened.
"Well." Jean had only time to register that the voice came from beside her ear before a massive force slammed into her from behind. "You're right about that."
Cynthia spun around and fired even before her mind had registered the attacker's identity, then her eyes widened in shock as all three arrows were sliced out of the air.
Pain exploded in her gut, making her hunch over. Stumbling a step backwards, she looked down to see two small throwing stars protruding from the bottom of her shirt. Her silver clothes started to darken as blood soaked through the material. Her hands shaking, she reached for her knife.
Four more blades struck her biceps and shoulders, making her gasp. Across the clearing all three hunters collapsed, reeling from their wounds.
"Friendly," Cynthia's breath came in ragged gasps. "No…maiming."
"I don't care." the assailant snarled. Cynthia, writhing on the ground, watched, powerless to intervene, as a pair of boots stopped beside the flag. The banner was cut from the staff. "That was for my sister."
Annabeth fought the urge to gasp. The sulfur burned her lungs like acid, bringing back memories of Tartarus. She pushed the thought out of her mind immediately. She needed to remain as calm as possible.
She had been counting seconds ever since the smell hit her nose. Normal smoke grenades can continue dispensing gas for several minutes. Annabeth knew the hunters' arrows were at least as potent, probably more, but there was nothing she could do except wait, minute by horrid minute, until the gas thinned enough for her to breathe normally. It had been three minutes already, by her count, and the gas showed no signs of dissipating. She squeezed her eyes and gritted her teeth, distracting herself from the pain with whatever she could bring to her mind. Percy, she thought. Percy, Percy, Percy. She pictured his horrified expression when he discovered what had happened to her, a mix between outrage and concern. She smiled. He looked cute when he was concerned.
Then she felt a change in her surroundings. An unseen blade sliced through the net's metal links like tinfoil. Annabeth surged upwards immediately, the net falling off her like a shed skin. She almost took in a deep breath, but caught herself just in time. Her body was already weak from the lack of oxygen and a sudden surge of sulfuric pain could floor her as effectively as any blow.
"Climb." Even without opening her eyes Annabeth knew who the voice belonged to.
She strode forward, arms stretched out ahead of her like a zombie. She waved around wildly, then felt her left arm connect with something solid. The dryad bent her branch lower, allowing Annabeth to scramble up. Her lungs were screaming for air, but she didn't dare inhale. She continued climbing, faster and faster, until she felt the branches narrow and bend under her weight, felt a light breeze against her face. She opened her eyes and found herself ten metres up, well clear of the sulfur cloud. She gasped lungfuls of air, clinging to the branch like a lifeline. Far in the distance, the sounds of battle slowly died down.
"Percy." Thalia grunted.
The hunters were gathered at the creek, invisible in the undergrowth, gazing in awe at the wall of water in front of them. None of them had seen anything like it before. Thalia, however, was not impressed.
"It's the same across the whole creek," a scout reported. "The whole forest is blocked off."
"Spread out," Thalia ordered. "On my signal, fire arrows into the other side. Cover every inch from top to bottom. We'll keep shooting until we get him. With that barrier so high it can't be very thick. There isn't enough water."
The hunters dispersed silently. The signal went and arrows sliced into the wall of water. All of the hunters could nock three or more arrows at a time. Four hundred arrows, five, six, then there was a scream and all the water splashed back into the creek bed. Thalia stifled a laugh.
"All right," She emerged from cover. "Let's go."
The hunters started forward, bows ready.
"Three teams of nine," Thalia scanned the dark forest. "Standard trident formation. Spread out and pursue as necessary. Report back when you find the flag."
The hunters started forward, weapons ready. The forest was deathly quiet and many of them flinched at the sound of their boots moving through the cold water.
Then the whole creek erupted like a fountain. Water exploded upwards, dousing the hunters from head to toe. Screaming girls stumbled backwards, howling as salt in the water stung their eyes.
"SUCKERS!" Percy, who'd been safely ensconced behind a big shield in a bush, burst from cover, leading the attack. A mix of campers charged out of the woods behind him, yelling and screaming. Apollo campers fired from the trees above, cutting hunters down as they desperately blinked water out of their eyes.
On the left, the Hephaestus campers fired tranquilizer darts from crossbows, forcing the silver-clad girls back into the woods. On the right, hunters screamed as a mass of vines erupted from the ground beneath their feet, wrapping around their bodies and pinning them down like a scene out of a bad horror movie.
In the centre Percy was first into the enemy line, ploughing into a hunter and knocking her flat. He hit her on the head with the pommel of his sword and jumped to his feet. A second hunter ran at him, blades out. He parried, ducked and punched her in the gut, doubling her over. He clouted her with his hilt, elbowed her, then a Hermes camper crashed into the poor girl from behind and she hit the dirt. The Hermes boy pulled a half-dozen handcuffs from his belt and started cuffing her enthusiastically. Percy rolled his eyes and stalked on, trying to locate Thalia amidst the chaos.
He spotted her on the far right, slicing through vines with her knife. "Back!" Thalia shouted. "Back to the trees!"
The hunters scrambled backwards, leaving several casualties groaning on the ground. Thunder rumbled and the air took on a metallic note. Too late, Percy realised what was about to happen.
"Get back!" he screamed at the campers, who were splashing through the creek in pursuit of the beaten hunters. "GET OUT OF THE WATER!"
Lightning blasted the creek. Campers screamed as the current shocked them, collapsing into the frothing, sizzling water.
Percy took in the situation with wide, panicked eyes. Half his team had been disabled by the brief skirmish and the massive lightning strike. Most of the rest were on the wrong side of the creek and eyed the water nervously, wary of another lightning strike. He knew it would only be moments until the hunters regrouped and launched a massive counterattack. Already silver arrows were coming from the woods, picking off campers as they hesitated at the water's edge.
"GO!" Percy shouted.
The campers, trusting Percy's voice, splashed across. Thunder boomed once more as the hunters advanced in pursuit.
Percy yelled and thrust his sword out. The entire creek leaped out of its bed in a massive wave that smashed into the hunters, washing them into the trees in an explosion of mud and sputtering. The campers scrambled safely back into their half of the woods where they slowed, unsure of whether to hold the line.
"Back to the flag!" Malcolm took charge, knowing that his outnumbered force had no hope of taking on the hunters in a straight-up fight. "Back to the flag!"
Other campers took up the call and the demigods ran back at last, panting and wild-eyed at the sudden reversal of fortunes.
"Should we pursue?" Valerie asked Thalia.
Thalia wiped muddy water out of her eyes and surveyed the scene. Almost a third of the hunters were down, along with about ten campers spasming near the creek.
"You expect us to mount a pursuit like this?" Thalia growled. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "Call Chiron to carry all the wounded out. Two minutes to take stock, then split into five groups of four. Pick random points along the forest and cross fast. Percy can't defend everywhere if we all cross at the same time. Use the woods for cover so they can't track our movement. Once we're across we meet back here before deciding our next move."
Valerie nodded and headed off. Thalia stared fixedly across the creek, trying to put herself in Annabeth's shoes. If she were facing the hunters, facing Thalia, what would she do?
Gonna be a tight game, despite how it looks. Stay tuned, there's a big surprise in the next chapter.