CHAPTER 11

Athelia

I was getting impatient with Blackjack's horrible driving, so I grabbed him and shadow-traveled us there. Bad mistake. We arrived fast, but I flew off him, again, and my head crashed in a crate, and my hurt ankle twisted again and got stuck under a twig. I looked over to Blackjack for help, but he was laying on the floor. I had probably nearly scared him to death shadow-traveling. Stuck, I tried to pull the twig off. But, I realized it wasn't a twig. My foot had gotten stuck in a f***ing tree! Groaning, I tried to turn over, but I couldn't. I saw people exiting the big house. If I hadn't been clumsy and crashed, no one would have noticed my disappearance. I would have been in my cabin, as if I hadn't left at all. I was near the Athena cabin. I thought Annabeth was going to go to her cabin, but she walked with Percy to his cabin. Groaning, realizing the only option was to get their attention, I yelled, "HELP!" But, unfortunately, everyone that had been at the meeting had heard me. Chiron had come rushing first.

"Who's there?" He asked.

"Atlas. Me," I croaked. The throbbing pain in my leg was increasing, and my headache was worsening. He rushed forward and saw the crate on my head, and my foot stuck in the tree.

"Oh my," He said, looking at me, as if wondering how I got there. "I don't know how we will get you out of this one." He turned toward the others. "Guys, come here!"

They all rushed to me. I saw Clarisse holding back the urge to laugh. My dad came and chopped the tree. My foot slipped out. But, it didn't look in it's best possible state. It was all bloody. The wrap Sally had bandaged me had slipped off, so it didn't raise any suspicion. But, the pain was killing me. My vision started swimming. The last thing I remember was my dad screaming for help, until I let the darkness over.

"-dead."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm a doctor! What do you think?"

"This isn't p-p-possible. No. She isn't dead. I refuse to accept that. No!"

"Nico, you have to accept the truth."

I'm not dead. At least, I think I'm not. I just found out I had a new power. I could slip out of my body, and still be able to slip back in. It was pretty cool, but I guess when I slip out, i'm technically 'dead'. Right now, I was watching Will bickering with my dad, arguing that I was dead. I had slipped out of my body to see what damage had been done. My foot looked monstrous, and I overheard Will say that the tree had poisoned my foot. And that I had a concussion. And, partly because if i was in my body, I couldn't wake up. I was bored. But, as I slipped back in, I found I could wake up. I found strength course through me. I saw Will and Nico had left. I got up perfectly fine. In wasn't dead. Only 2 days had passed since I've had that little 'accident'. I walked out of the sickroom I was in. Nobody was in the waiting room. I walked outside, to the cabins. No one was there, either. Until, I heard, the loudest and bloodiest scream ever. I turned toward the direction of the scream, and realized everyone was trying to save a demigod. Sighing, I uncapped my weapon and ran towards them. The monsters were cornering the demigod. I realized it was a girl. I slowed to a stop when to where Chiron was. Everyone was getting ready to launch an attack. But, why were they all helping her? She couldn't be another child of the Big Three, right?

"Why is everyone helping her?" I asked. Chiron was startled at my voice, and looked at me in shock.

"Athelia?" He said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, it's me."

"Will told me you were dead."

I winced. "Well he was wrong. But, why is everyone helping the demigod?" I asked again.

"Oh. She has a really strong scent. Will you go help out?"

"Sure, I-"

"3. 2. 1! GO!" Clarisse yelled, and they all charged. I watched as they attacked. They were very strong together, no doubt, but the monsters seemed like no match for them. The monsters kept pushing them back with ease. The monsters looked ancient, almost. I scratched my head, trying to remember.

"Athelia, go!" Chiron urged, interrupting my thoughts. I nodded and ran in front of everyone else I heard many gasps. I charged toward the monster, and tried to hit him with my sword, but it bounce right of. If this was an ancient monster, it would need an ancient weapon to be destroyed with… my dad's sword! Stygian Iron swords were as ancient as the Earth. I took it out. I raised it and sliced the monster's hand off. It growled in pain. It turned toward me, and snarled. I took that as monster language: You. Are. Dead. So dead. But, I wasn't about to let the demigod die. The other monsters were paying attention to the demigod. They looked like normal monsters. Whatever normal could mean. It all went too fast that I couldn't keep up with what happened next. One moment I was on the ground. Another, in the air. And then, all the monsters were gone. From what I can figure, I took them all down at once with a backflip, flick of a rist, and landing with my sword crushing the ground. Once it was all over, I was panting heavily. I looked over to the demigod. She was laying unconscious.