Chapter X: Reyna
Reyna is starting to detest shadow travelling. After every time, she felt like she wanted to throw up, but noooo, right after that she had to fight a million demons while Coach Hedge munched on some sort of material he found and Nico...
She has mixed feelings about Nico...he is so annoying at times but still so sweet. Reyna likes the mysterious air around him, much like her own . She found him honest yet secretive, brave yet clueless.
She whirls into vision. She is standing in the middle of a road. A loud blaring horn heads towards leaps onto the sidewalk as a car whooshes behind her at high speeds. Reyna lets out a breath.
"Reyna." It is Nico's voice. He, the statue and Coach Hedge are luckily safely on the sidewalk. It is the last word he says before collapsing on the ground. Reyna rushes towards him and cradles him.
"Reyna." Coach Hedge's voice is alarming.
The sight that greets her is not pleasant. Hordes of monsters creep up from all corners. The air suddenly goes silent. They are cornered with no escape.
"Damn that statue!" she cries desperately.
Her mind goes into 'Praetor of the Twelfth Legion' mode as soon as they charge.
She slashes and hacks away like there is no other future for her but what she doesn't realize is that Nico has gotten up and is working on the buttons of the statue. She carves an arc into all the closest demons circling her. A flying monster rips her sleeve but she drives her sword right through it.
Coach Hedge , meanwhile, whacks at the creatures with his club. She turns to face a monster that has come up behind her but she is a little too late and can only stand and watch with surprise just as the weapon slices her hip leaving a bleeding gash there. She falls to the ground just as the comforting gold aura that pours out of the statue surrounds them and all the monsters disappear.
She turns to see Nico sitting proudly but exhausted next to the statue. She scramble to him as fast as she can with the pain in her hip.
"Gods of Olympus! Thank the gods you're ok!" she says.
"I'm ok?!" he half laughs half says disbelievingly staring at her hip.
"Oh! I'm going to be just fine, Nico!" she protests.
They stare at each other for what seem like hours and finally lean forward. Is the wrong place at the wrong time but Reyna can't care less. The statue's aura feels comforting like a burden off their shoulders, with all the monsters gone. That until…
"Yes, yes," says an impatient voice, "We all knew you loved each other but we still have a camp to save!"
And later adds cheerfully, "And more hot dogs to eat!"
To give Nico some time to rest before shadow travelling to New York, they were walking down the streets of Delaware. Now, because she had the time to notice it, the place seemed like a nice place to visit.
It had beautiful gardens and lots of singing birds perched on many trees and a whole lot of inns. There are people everywhere; driving, eating, laughing, walking.. And everybody has a cheerful smile on their face.
Reyna tries to remember the last time she had been cheerfu.l It seemed decades ago. Her mind was wrapped around her quest, and she didn't have any time for an enjoyable life.
Nico grabs her arm, pointing to the large, wide coastal beach, waves splashing every few seconds. It was peaceful and gorgeous. People were lying in the sand, dipping their feet into the water.
Nico smiles. "Come on," he pulls her into the sand.
Her shoes are covered with the wet sand. Nico sighs. "Reyna, you have to take your shoes off." Reyna looks down at her combat boots. She hasn't taken her shoes off since the beginning of the quest. She bends down and shakes her boots off.
It was quite relieving. She wiggles her toes, happy to give her feet some fresh air from being cramped in those boots. She exhales deeply.
Nico takes his shoes off, his jet-black hair glistening under the sun. He jumps into the water, creating a large splash. Reyna glares at him.
He shrugs and grins. "What? Might as well enjoy ourselves."
Then he does something incredulously barbaric. He splashes the water around, completely soaking Reyna with water.
"NICO DI ANGELO!"
He laughs, splashing some more water at her. "Nico, I swear-" Reyna threatens.
One more big splash. Nico laughs hysterically.
It felt good to see him happy, to see a smile across his pale face . Reyna laughs, pushing a wave with her hands toward him. He stops laughing as the wave rolls over him. He stumbles backward, falling on the sand face-first. Reyna laughs again. He gets up, spitting out sand from his mouth.
"Oh, I'll get you for that one."
He is about to take revenge, but an irritated voice interrupts them.
"Guys, as much as you are enjoying this frenzy, we need a place to sleep," Coach Hedge says almost frustratedly.
"And some dry clothes," Reyna splutters.