Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108 or Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Chapter 10:

Annabeth was annoyed. She was frustrated, annoyed, and tired. She wanted answers. And she wanted them now. She had been in a blissful make-out session with Aron before it had to be interrupted by something from Twin Masters, presumably in retaliation for something that Hawk himself had caused.

Then, without warning, she and the others had been whisked off to the palace of the Japanese gods once again. To her displeasure, she saw Yuki-Onna once again. The spirit spat something in Japanese - almost definitely something rude - at the demigoddess. But the snow spirit was becoming popular with the Japanese deities, who had begun to realise that she wasn't so bad after all.

Yuki-Onna managed to start a new myth about herself, one in which she helped travellers find safe passages in snowstorms. Annabeth had wrinkled her nose at the idea (after all, wasn't she the one who had started all of said snowstorms?) and claimed that it was a stupid one. And, to her surprise, she found herself at sword's point.

Amaterasu, who had shown a considerable amount of fondness to the winter spirit, was the one who was holding on the blade. She growled to the wide-eyed daughter of Athena. "Listen here, daughter of Athena. Yuki-Onna is a worthy spirit. She is more worthy than someone like you!"

"And so she would attack people and pretend to help them?" Annabeth demanded, before she found herself to the wall, fingers clamped around her throat.

Amaterasu's eyes were flashing with anger. "She has been alone for several thousand years. She can help people once she manages to reagin full control of her powers." Annabeth snorted.

"Like Lin Chung?" Amaterasu kept quiet, having heard about the mortal's fit. "He went on a rampage, nearly killed Rick, injured Nico, and hurt Percy!"

Amaterasu looked up. "But he is noble, unlike you."

"What is noble about being bred only to serve as an evil deity's host?"

It was here that Omoikane also stepped in. "Listen here, daughter of Athena. He was noble because even though he had the chance to, he chose not to accept the immense power. Others, like you for instance, will instantly accept the power without a moment's hesitation. He was thinking abut his family, and I can assure you that his thoughts were pure. Yours, however, aren't, and I have to admit, I am surprised for you. You claim you are a child of wisdom, yet you have not showed anything but the opposite of it."

Annabeth was speechless for a moment, before storming off in a rage. Aron scuttled after her, scowling at the others. "She is a child of wisdom. You aren't a deity of knowledge or wisdom, much less both!" He growled before he ran after her.

Suddenly, the ground shook heavily. The Japanese deities around them stopped, some falling to the ground as the earth continued to shake violently. Percy yelped as he nearly fell down. "What's happening?!"

Amaterasu shook her head helplessly. "I don't know!" She grabbed a hold of Izanami, who was now rolling on the ground just above her. "Tsuinmasutazu! He's attacking us!"

The words took a few seconds to process in their heads, before Percy uncapped Anaklusmos. In front of them was an army of demigods who marched to them. As soon as they caught sight of Percy, they charged and let out a fearsome war cry. The Japanese deities reacted quickly, reaching for their weapons, and charging as well, also letting out their own war cry.

The two forces met in the middle, where an explosion nearly rocked all of them off their feet. Yuki-Onna struggled to hold on, quickly regaining her balance and engaging a demigod in battle. She ducked and kicked another one in the back. She frowned as she engaged another demigod. The demigod's face was hidden by a silver mask, yet she found his presence familiar.

Now that she noticed it, all of them were wearing masks. Why were they doing this? Probably so that no one would find out, she thought bitterly. This demigod was harder to defeat than she anticipated, and all the blasts she shot at him were either dodged or ducked.

She growled in frustration, trying to stab the demigod, who immediately ducked. However, as smoke started to fill the air, both of them turned to see smoke starting to come up from the mountains. Yuki-Onna's eyes widened, and she immediately whipped up a snowstorm where the flames were the strongest, while Ryujin put the minor fires out.

She turned around again, seeing the demigod start to retreat with the others. The demigod looked at her, the mask still securely in place. Her eyes suddenly widened, but she made no move to act, instead focusing on the snowstorm. The snowstorm now grew stronger. The snow pelted down on the fire, and the crisp, cool air helped blow the smoke away.

She stopped upon seeing Hawk in the middle of a group of wounded gods, healing each of them with Wong Tai Sin. She frowned to herself as Hawk walk away, suddenly looking weary. She immediately approached him, calling out to him. He glanced back, his gaze tired, yet snapping to attention at her nervous expression. "Yuki-Onna?"

The snow spirit pulled him to an alleyway near the field where the battle had been fought, which had been, surprisingly, the marketplace. Many of the stands were now overturned and battered, and all the products were destroyed, leaving any liquid seeping on the ground. She hushed him as she glanced around, seeing if there was anyone nearby.

She hesitated, looking around once more before speaking. "As I was in the battle…I saw a demigod." Hawk nodded, still confused as to why this was important. "He was a good fighter, but, as you probably know, they all wore masks, so we couldn't see their faces." Again, she received another nod. "At the last moment, when they were suddenly retreating, I saw the demigod again." Hawk tilted his head, and Yuki-Onna hesitated once more, before continuing.

"I think I saw his hair."

Hawk frowned. "And what does that have to do with anything?" Yuki-Onna sighed.

"It was grey." Hawk stood still, and Yuki-Onna thought she saw him not breathing for a few seconds.

Hawk then frowned again and shook his head. "I still don't understand your suspicions. It could be someone else that has that kind of hair." Yuki-Onna shot him a flat look.

"Hawk, I've fought him before. Many times. I know how he fights. And, tell me. How many demigods do you know have grey hair?"

"All of them. When they're old and grey."

Yuki-Onna growled with frustration. "The demigod was still young."

Hawk frowned. "No god has had grey hair as an appearance for their youthful appearance. Yuki-Onna, I know what you're thinking, but, please, drop it."

"Why?!" The snow woman demanded. "I need a reason. Why?"

Hawk sighed. "Then I am afraid I cannot help you." Yuki-Onna growled. She turned around and crossed her arms, planning to ask the Chinese gods next, before Hawk interrupted her thoughts. "The Chinese gods do not know of this. Only I do. Asking them would be pointless."

Yuki-Onna growled with frustration at the sky, turning around to reply. But she stopped. She was now alone in the alleyway.