Reyna's POV

Okay, so maybe that was a little bit dramatic, but I can't help it. I've wanted to see someone other than myself beat Jason at sword fighting since he came to camp in the first place, and I think Madeline might have a chance.

Within an instant, the ring of sword on shield echoes throughout the field and I am thoroughly shocked. It was Jason's gladius on Madeline's shield. And I didn't even know Madeline had a shield with her. The clashing of weapons breaks me out of my reverie. Jason feints a stab to Madeline's right flank and follows up with a slash at her left knee. At the last second Madeline jumps over the blade and does a type of baseball slide under Jason, quickly standing up and drawing a line with the flat of her sword down his spine, teasing him, but not hurting him. Jason whips around so fast I swear I can hear his neck crack from here. Madeline smirks, enjoying the discomfort she's putting him through. She discards the shield on the ground, not seeming to want to use it. Jason warily brings up his gladius, prepared to defend himself should Madeline try to injure him. Madeline just shakes her head slowly and laughs. Jason swipes at Madeline's face, trying to catch her off guard. She easily parries the blow by using her hand to push the fast moving blade away from her face, using the momentum of the strike to push Jason off balance. Madeline sheathes her sword in one swift movement to free her hands. She then catches Jason with seemingly no effort, placing one hand on his chest and the other on his back, pushing him to his feet. Jason quickly backs up, almost tripping on his own feet as he does so. Madeline brings her sword back out and idly twirls it in her hand.

"Oh Jason," She says mockingly, tutting disapprovingly with her tongue. "You have much to learn, if that was your best effort. What you have as your skill level now was my skill level as of two years ago. Gods," She sighs, "Those were a crazy two years. At the end of the second, I was no longer an innocent girl that had never seen bloodshed." Madeline chuckles sadistically. I can hardly make out the words she's saying, and I can tell they were only meant for Jason and I. The two are slowly circling each other while Madeline speaks. "Oh no, by the end of the second year I was a young woman turned monster who could kill a man twelve ways with her bare hands. I became a creature that would welcome death eagerly, having it as the only thing in the world I truly wanted. By the end, Jason, I could defeat any living being, immortal or mortal, with hardly a flick of my wrist." I find myself believing her words, and the dark look in her eyes tells me that I am correct to think she's being honest. She closes her eyes for a moment and when she opens them again, I could swear that for a second they were bloodred, then fading to gold*. "Watch out, Jason, for I am the living manifestation of pain."

Madeline lunges at Jason, who had become completely entranced by Madeline's words. He just barely manages to block the first couple blows Madeline sends at him, and is struggling for breath when Madeline steps back, allowing him room to take a breather. Jason breathes deeply once and then seems to concentrate all his focus on Madeline.

"Go ahead, pretty boy," She taunts, "Strike me down with lightning, live up to your title as son of Jupiter."

Jason hesitates for a moment, and then the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as the ozone level rises**. The clouds darken above, and a massive bolt of lightning, not enough to kill someone, but definitely enough to knock them out cold, descends from the heavens at Jason's will. Madeline looks up at the bolt as time begins to slow, and she cocks her head slightly, like, you shouldn't be here. Oddly enough, Jason's eyes bug out as he begins to attempt to run towards Madeline, looking terrified. He is not fast enough though, and Madeline just shakes her head at him kindly. Madeline reaches one hand to the sky as if to catch the bolt, and as it reaches her hand the world seems to explode in a flash of light and a burst of thunder.

A/N

Haiiii :) Sorry for not updating lately but my entire world is crashing down around me and can I just say, it sucks. I know this chapter is a bit short but I wanted to have a good cliffhanger and I didn't know where else to end it. So, for pairings in this story, I put up a poll on my page if anyone wants to check it out. And no, Nico isn't an option. I'm sorry but I don't think I understand Nico enough to really write about him, even if I love his character. Btw, I love how dark Madeline is in this chapter, I don't even know why though. Am I OOC with Reyna? I'm not sure but I love her character too. I just got reallllly off topic. Haha. HAPPY NEW YEARS! (:2014:)

* No, Madeline is not possessed by Kronos or anything else for that matter... I know no one said that but I just thought there might be a suspicion.

** I couldn't remember if when lightning strikes the ozone level goes up or down so, yeah.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! If I got out of this to see the names then all my work would disappear so, sorry! Also to all of the people who followed/favorited- THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Now, scram! Read and Review so I can get on with my life! JK love you guys :*

aDIos AmiGOs

~M