Chapter 5
Annabeth P.O.V
I rush outside with everybody, I notice our new friends following. Once outside I see a monster, it looks terrible and, if Hazel is right, there's something odd about its aura. I look in concern at Jace, Alec, Izzy, Clary, Simon, Draco, and Harry, but they seem to be trying to decide something among themselves. Mr Bane is over by the school exit, waving people out. When everyone else has left he walks over to me,
"You should go, it's not safe here." He says, I almost think I see a flash of blue, but that is ridiculous.
"He's right, you know." Jace says, walking up to us with his friends. Alec immediately goes to Mr Bane and starts whispering to him.
"I'm aware, which is why you should leave." I reply.
"Annabeth! Watch out!" I hear Percy shout, and I look over at him to see the monster leaping at me with its claws outstretched. I go to move out of the way, but before I can I see a flash of glowing metal and a short blade lands at the monster's shoulder, stopping its attack. I turn my head and see Alec with his hand still outstretched.
"Nice going Alec, now they know." I hear Jace hiss to him.
"I couldn't let her get hurt, besides, I don't think they're mundanes. Also, you've done the same thing." He replies defensively.
"You know I can hear you? Do you mind explaining what just happened?" I butt in.
"Sure, but maybe later." Alec gestures towards the monster that is starting to prepare for another attack. "Please get somewhere safe." He continues, getting into a battle stance, his friends copy him.
"No, I can be useful." I say stubbornly.
"Um, guys, you mind arguing later?" Percy calls as the monster leaps at us again, but this time Percy slashes at it with Riptide before anyone else can move.
"See." I hear Alec hiss at Jace, who seems momentarily stunned.
"Really, Seaweed brain?" I ask Percy.
It was about to hurt you." He defends himself.
"What are you?" Jace asks, pointing a glowing sword at Percy and I.
"I could ask the same of you." I gesture at the blade in my face.
"Okay. Enough fighting with each other, we have other things to fight." Mr Bane claps his hands, causing a cascade of blue sparks around them.
"Sure." I murmur, quickly assessing the situation. Izzy is lashing out at the monster with a slightly glowing whip. Nico is slashing at it with his sword, Will is firing a barrage of arrows at it, a small part of me wonders where he got them from, but I file that away for later. Leo is peppering the monster with small exploding things, Harry and Draco are pointing sticks at it and shouting random words that seem to cause streaks of light to flash out from the sticks and damage the monster.
"Percy, put this on and wait in the fountain. We'll try to entice it there." I speak almost without thinking, holding my invisibility cap out to Percy. "Everyone else, guide the monster to the fountain." I raise my voice so the others can hear, "Leo, prepare to trap it with fire." Leo, Piper, Jason, Nico and Will follow my orders. The others look confused, but do as I say, leaping into action to herd the monster to the fountain, where Percy should be hiding. As soon as the monster touches the water it turns into a suction, dragging the monster in. I silently cheer Percy on as the monster struggles against the water. A blue glow surrounds the monster and the water, and I notice a similar glow emitting from Mr Bane's hands. The monster begins to droop, not fighting Percy's whirlpool as fiercely, as if the magic is sapping its strength. As soon as the monster is fully submerged in the water Leo lights his hands on fire and sends a circle of fire around the fountain. I see Harry notice what Leo is doing, he points his stick at the fire and shouts "Inferno" a beam of red light blasts towards the fire, causing it to leap up, successfully trapping the monster.
"Good job." I encourage, "Now, how do we destroy it?"
"Beheading it should work." Jace says, flipping his weapon in his hand and looking like he is trying to work out the best way to get to the monster.
"Or fire." Leo shoots a ball of fire at the monster's face, but it only snarls at him, looking slightly charred, but otherwise alright.
"What about both?" Mr Bane asks, creating fire around his hands. "Ready Alec?" He looks at Alec. Alec nods, getting a sharp sword out and muttering "Rafael." Causing the blade to glow. The fire from Mr Bane's hands flow towards Alec, surrounding him, but not burning him. He runs towards the flames surrounding the monster and leaps over them, landing on the monster and sinking his blade into its neck. The monster hissess, striking at Alec, but getting burnt from the flames that surround him, however, one claw catches Alec's side, and Jace winces but Alec keeps going until the monster turns into a puddle.
"Good job." I murmur, impressed.
"Thanks." Alec pants, limping over, hunched to the side.
"Show me." Jace demands, he is holding something long, made out of metal, it is tipped with the same material as their blades. Alec sighs and lifts his shirt to reveal a slash on his side, Jace touches the thing he is holding to Alec's skin, just above the wound and starts to draw.
"Are you tattooing him?" Percy asks, watching as black lines spread from the item over Alec's skin.
"They're runes." Alec explains as the wound heals over and Jace steps back.
"We should probably go out there before they send people in." Harry gestures to the crowds outside the school.
"First, what's our story if we get asked?" Frank asks.
"The animal came in between us and the exit so we locked ourselves in a classroom and waited until it moved on." I say.
"Okay, but we need to talk." Jace says.
"They'll want to wait for your parents to come before you can leave. Harry and Draco are enrolled as exchange students who are staying with me. And Maryse has put me down as a trusted person, so all of you will be allowed to come with me." Mr Bane gestures at Alec, Izzy, Jace, Simon, and Clary. "So, will you all be able to leave with some trusted guardian? I assume Mr Brunner? And meet us at this address?" Mr Bane asks, holding out a piece of paper.
"We are not going to some place we don't know where you have the advantage. Why don't we go to our camp?" I ask.
"Not happening." Jace snaps.
"What about Central Park?" Harry interrupts, "That's neutral, right?"
"Well, not to the faeries, but if we're careful, it'll work." Izzy mutters.
"Great, See you at Central Park in a few minutes." say, leading the way out of the school.
"But not near the pond, Simon calls as we exit and part.