A/N: Hey guys! Canada was fun! But it was really really cold, and I missed my computer I'm looking for an unusual boy names, help! Thanks! –F.H
Recap: "Shut up, so what are you going to do?"
"I don't know, I really like you guys. You're becoming really good friends of mine, and I don't know if I can give that up."
"Then you do what you have too, do you want to see Reyna or Piper die?"
"Reyna? Oh Choron won't kill Reyna. He won't kill her because it's the only way he can get through to me…" I stared at him; he wasn't serious…was he?
"Beauty is the eye of the beholder." -Williams Melendez (Proverbs)
Jason gave me a look that looked almost sorrowful, and I was tempted to look away, but I didn't I held his gaze back. There was something in the gaze of Jason Grace that could memorize you, no matter who you were. I looked away; my intuition telling me now was not the best time to concentrate on pretty blue eyes.
"Penelope! Jason! Come here, hurry!" We looked over and saw Pearl screaming her head off, Carlina stood behind her. Long cuts traced down her body, she leaned against Pearl with great support, something had just happened… I was very afraid to find out. We ran to meet her at the top of the hill, and then held back a scream. A long bloody knife still dripping with blood, hung to Carlina's belt, she closed her eyes and shook her head. Pearl swept her up in her muscled arms, and took a stride toward Choron's domain. I grasped her shoulder,
"Are you crazy! You think he's going to let her off the hook with her judgment still in tact; he's been waiting for a moment like this. He raised Cartivalica in her first life, and now he's after her again. He's going to do anything to make her stay at Grey Stone. You can't take her to him!" I snapped.
"Take her to the water! Neptune can take her."
"Neptune… I see him… He's… Father-" Carlina's weak raspy voice stung the air, her powerful voice gone, and her golden streak in her eyes disappeared. "Carlina!" Pearl yelped, she held her close, bleeding a small blue liquid from her hand.
"Leave me… go. Choron is plotting… you're not safe. Go…go…" She coughed, Pearl wasn't about to give up that easily. She held her closely to her and took off towards the water. I ran after her, Jason looking concerned. I wondered, what had happened? Why was Carlina bleeding so horribly, why was her sword dripping the awful color blood red?
We reached the water's edge; Pearl threw Carlina into the ocean. Her impact creating a tidal wave, Pearl dove into the rocky ocean. I saw her grab the limp body of Carlina. She started to cry, her tears sinking onto her sister. Murk cleared away as each tear fell into the water. She let go of her and Carlina began to sink. She let out a wail and sat down on top of the surface of the water. I walked out to her, and wrapped my arm around Pearl.
"What happened?"
"They came… They attacked… The Romans came before we even knew what was happening. I don't know who's alive and who's dead. Carlina saved, all of us. She took one for the team… She's dead now…and it's my entire fault." We walked to the edge of the shoreline, ignoring the small tremors that were interrupting the sorrow. Pearl's eyes moved to the waves that were beginning to flow from the silent water. I looked to the whirling pool that was forming in the middle of ocean. My ears rang with anticipation, the waters began to flow. The sand actually started to move backwards in a fast pace. They swirled together, and what lifted out of the whirlpool was even greater then anything I had ever seen. A figure smothered in gold water began to rise. Then as the gold dripped away, the figure formed into a stunning girl. One person could have reformed like that. She snapped her fingers and the whirlpool lifted out of the water, and she raced to the shoreline. Jumping down from the massive force of nature.
"Nice to see you again." Her beautiful red lips pulled back into a dreamy smile. Her black hair was intertwined with gold, her body swaddled with a creamy white dress, silver hung as a belt wrapped around her hips.
"Carlina!" Pearl yelped and flung herself around her, they shared the touching moment only for a second, until Carlina's eyes snapped open.
"The Romans, their coming…" I heard the distant footfalls, the shouts of the counselors. Then the sound of a hundred swords being unsheathed, my heart started to pound in fear, panic rising in my chest. I closed my eyes and saw Percy and Annabeth along with Thalia, Nico and Nyx, Tyson crouched next to Percy. All gathered in the dense forest. But where was Phoenix? Leo and Piper ran through the field, and saw us at the shoreline,
"Jason!" Piper yelled, she flung herself at him. He stood only for a millisecond until he realized she was in love with him. He pulled her closer and wrapped her securely in his arms. Leo stood beside Pearl she grasped his hand; he just about fainted with happiness. The Romans were advancing their chariots were rocking across the field. We were brutally out numbered, I could hold them off and the demigods could escape. I wouldn't die, but I would remain in their grasp forever. I had to get them out of here…what to do…what to do… I gazed over at the forest, an idea came to mind. I sang a note, ringing throughout the whole camp. It was silent for a moment, and then four magnificent pegasi flew overhead. They came at my command then landed in perfect unison.
"Pearl, Carlina go get Percy, you can swim across the ocean, Bessie's waiting." Pearl's eyes lit up, and then Carlina ran beside her. "Piper, Jason go on one of the pegasi, get your butts over there, lovebirds we haven't got much time!" I snapped, Jason gripped Piper's hand and led her to the vibrant pink Pegasus. I waited till the other pegasi had flown to find the rest of the demigods. The hunters rode on the back of their wolves. They joined my side and pulled their arrows out, Thalia smiled at me. I saw mischievousness glinted in her rocky blue eyes. The Romans came marching across the meadow, their blades sharp and glittering in the sunlight. Reyna's iridescent eyes reflected battle and anger. Her fierce white-golden hair tied highly into a pony tail. Her armor was hardly covering her, but she held it with the pride of a true warrior. Dakota laughed at the constipated face Bobby was making. But Reyna shoved him in the guts. She led the half-bloods, Hazel rode on the back of a fully decked out horse in Roman armor, a gigantic red wolf painted across the horse's flanks.
They stopped at a sudden stop, and Reyna stepped forward. She pulled out a scroll and started to read,
"Romulus is said to be the greatest warrior, the greatest king, the father of us. We must declare war on the countries that have brought us improper peace and thwart our troops. We must defy who we are, the Romans. In the name of our parents, we must stand against the dangers of the outside world. The great teacher reigns with the knowledge of six-hundred men. We must show to him that we are capable of destroying the country of helpless. We are the Romans, we are strong, we are brave, and we are the proud." She pulled out a blade from her belt and struck her finger, a drop of blood flew from it. She wiped her name out in the blood. I heard a distinct laugh, and saw Leo was laughing his head off. My mouth dropped open, why were they still here? Percy stood next to Annabeth, his eyes determined, and brave. I loved that look…
I gave Leo a look of pure insanity,
"I'm sorry Reyna, but that…" He laughed hardly, "That sounds like that commercial for the marines, the few-the proud-the brave-the marines." He said with as much of a straight face as he could muster, in the announcer's stony voice. I smiled and turned back to Reyna, her eyes were on fire. Well not literally, but her gaze could make anyone fall to their knees in her mercy. It was deadly; she made Dakota jump right back in place of his line. Her scream that pierced the air made everyone bow to their knees. Her power and beauty seemed to be placed all in the song. "You dare defy the code of who we are! I will slaughter you in the Underworld, like Markus did in the Duty of Constus!" She yelled, the boys especially rose at her command. She was a lot more powerful then I expected, but her beauty shines in the light. Her sword raised she ran at Leo with such stealth and speed, he barely knew what was happening. I cried out at Leo, at last second he rolled out of the way. The dreamy look gone out of his eye, I quickly started to decipher the puzzle of how to fend off the Romans. There were too many of them, surely they had gold somewhere, they would kill me…
But then as the Reyna leaped for Percy, I blocked her back with a force of green light. Cool, I didn't know I could do that! She flew back with such force that her body slumped. A small trickle of blood trickled from her long blond hair. Dakota gasped gave me a dirty look and then ran to Reyna, Hazel's horse reared. As his hand lit a small handprint into the horse's armor. Percy gave me a grateful look, and then threw his sword straight at an oncoming chariot. I leaped up with my wings, golden rocks shot up at me from cannons. They wouldn't kill me, they couldn't they were rocks. I slammed down on the giant battlefield ground and Carlina noticed what I was trying to do, she quickly slammed her own body weight onto the grass, and it lifted up like one massive wave and threw off many of the Romans advancing.
The battle bore on; many of the Romans were still alive. We were still heavily outnumbered, even though many nymphs and fauns had joined the battle. We were attacking the second third of the demigods. I was growing tired, but I couldn't give up, the half-bloods needed my help, and I intended to give it to them. I quickly gave a small burst of Greek fire from my hand and it exploded sending five or six Romans to the edge of the forest. I quickly tried to give a revival to a fallen faun, but a golden sword flew right threw the air. It was Trio…how…only Chiron…Chiron! I turned and saw the Camp Half Blood campers running to us, led by the majestic Chiron. He turned and gave us a quick smile, his cousins also known as the Party Ponies, ran in all directions attacking demigods with spray guns full of coke with mentos. I laughed as a palomino sprayed a Roman demigod square in the face. The demigod coughed, then raised his sword in anger but realized his feet were stuck to the ground; the palomino gave a horsy laugh, and then trotted off to join his brothers.
Clarisse slunk behind a Mars demigod, and then conked her on the head with her sword. She snorted, "Weakling." Then giggled to herself and ran to join Chris, Lisa was fighting with her dent bronze sword, and doing a pretty good job of it too. I was amazed by the stamina of the half-bloods, all of them. I flew up into the air, wings grown. I examined the scene, one person was missing, and a silver arrow came flying my direction. I saw a Roman Apollo child held Thalia's bow, Thalia lay on the ground listless. I screamed out then flew down, socking the boy in the face, he collapsed. Then I picked up the girl and flew her to Chiron who shot an arrow straight at Choron, brotherly war… the best kind of war.
"Chiron!" I yelped, but then it was too late that second he looked away Choron got the upper hand then shot an arrow straight at Chiron's heart, I screamed and with one hand, shouted my cry that had building inside of me. Grover Underwood stopped slashing poorly with his bronze sword and whispered the word I had been waiting to hear, "Panic…" The arrow that had been flying at Chiron's heart stopped fell dead in its tracks. Choron yelled in frustration, Chiron gave a kind smile.
"Arrow brother?" He offered him an arrow, Choron cantered straight at him, but Chiron slipped out of the way. "Kandy Davis, 1783 remember that Choron, I still hold grudges at times." Chiron then swept me up and Thalia, he brought me to a small informatory, Will was running quickly around the beds of injured demigods. Nyx lay on one; her beautiful dark eyes had light depleting out of them. Will hurried over to her, his brown hair swept quickly around his head. He was stressed already, dark circles surrounded his eyes. Will caught my eyes, but did not smile, we shared a solemn nod. I gave Nyx a little bit of my life energy; it helped a bit, just enough for Will to apply sleeping powder to her. Nico ran in, his hair crazily tussled around his head, but he quickly sank to the ground sobbing. Carlina ran in helping a small satyr, I smiled at her. She nodded at me, I got this one. Carlina ran out of the room, her sword raised as a demigod ran to slice Percy's head off. He ducked, and missed just by an inch.
I twisted to try to find Phoenix anywhere but he was no where to be seen, he wasn't in any of the beds. I saw the surprise Jordyn ran in her hair wild and crazed she was followed by the god that I least expected to see at this time. Jupiter the King of Gods, he wore his total armor look. His face firm and his eyes angered and then he looked straight at me.
"What are you doing here! You are supposed to be up in Olympus, not here with demigods." He snapped, his eyes seizing my own with his powerful gaze.
"Helping Jupiter, you should know these are my best friends. I'm not going to abandon them with, them." I pointed to the gory battle scene. I looked away, as a tree was burned to the ground.
"Why do you help them? They mean nothing to you, they are not your children, they have no meaning to the world, they provide you with nothing, what do they do that you alone can not do as a god?"
"Wow, you truly have not experienced what a mortal has to deal with. A friend isn't something you can just abandon; you must be that big of an idiot to not know who they are." I gestured to the demigods that lay writhing in pain on the makeshift cots. "You may be the king of the gods, Jupiter but you have no idea what they do for you. You are not their king till you show them that you would do the same for them." I walked away, for these words; they were the wisest I'd ever said…
I ran out of the informatory, a Roman demigod lay weeping on the ground her brother lay in her lap his stomach was oozing out blood. Her tears parted the grime on his cheeks. He smiled up at her weakly; I swallowed a lump in my throat. I ran to the child and picked her up I heard her sobs grow louder as I ran away from her dead brother, a small voice stopped me.
"Pen!" I turned and saw Percy running at me Annabeth at his heels, then subsequently, my brother Jake. I held the crying girl in my arms, trying to calm her but she wouldn't settle. Percy grabbed my hand then Annabeth's, then flipped us into a ditch as a sword came flying through the air he twisted to the side. The sword flew into the dirt cleaning the blood that had been splattered onto it. He looked at us, Jake looked at the small girl with curiosity, he touched her and the girl fell asleep a dreamy happy look on her face. I looked at him with question,
"I learned it from um… Dad…" He trailed off and flinched, he looked like I was going to hurt him. I smiled sweetly at him, and then kissed his messy, untidy dark hair.
"I'm not mad at you Jake, just proud." He looked at me with happiness then hugged me suddenly. I wrapped my arms around his body, and then grabbed his hands, acknowledged Annabeth and Percy. Giving them a small determined smile then ran with Jake. But then I saw something catch me off guard in the informatory. A daughter of Neptune and Poseidon, in the arms of the Son of Pluto… At first I was disgusted with the first cousin relationship, but the idea sank in. Phoenix and I were very closely related, but then I saw the compassion in Carlina's eyes, Nico's eyes morose and dripping with tears. Nyx lay on the cot, the last of her life slipping away… I ran to girl's side, hoping it wouldn't be too late…