reflection ● jason grace

He would never let her forget this

They were in the forest again.

Daria's senses tingled. She smelled smoke and fear in the air. Jason wasn't there, but she could see Ryan's body: still and unmoving.

Something darted between the trees; a white flash that resembled a passing cloud on steroids. Daria couldn't feel anything beneath her feet. The ground didn't give her any further warning.

The spirit moved around her for a while. She spun in circles trying to keep up. She knew that, whoever it was, she needed to get a glimpse of their face. She knew that, though it was a dream, this was the person that killed Ryan.

Something tugged at her gut. She was overwhelmed; everything was bearing down on her like the weight of the sky. In her desperation, the scene froze. She caught a glimpse of hauntingly familiar green eyes before she was whisked away again.

Daria wasn't in a forest anymore; her surroundings were now pure white instead of green, like the inside of the Principia had been bleached. Ryan stood on the other side with kind eyes, and immediately, Daria felt a pang of guilt.

"We left you," she choked out as Ryan approached her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Ryan didn't seem mad. He knelt in front of her like he always used to do when he was talking to just Daria and Jason. "You two used your training and you escaped," he said gently, ruffling her hair. "That's all a mentor could hope for."

Daria sniffled. She had just gotten back to camp; she hadn't had time to grieve, but now, seeing Ryan in front of her, she felt sick to her stomach.

"I'll always be there for you and Jason," he continued. "You can count on that, Dars."

"Did you visit him?" Daria asked. "Jason, I mean."

Ryan sighed. "I will when he's ready. Him and Leila."

"Then why did you choose me?" She could hear her heart beat in her chest. Another reminder that she was alive and Ryan wasn't.

"You know who it was that killed me," Ryan's eyes turned serious. "In avenging me, you'll bring forth a storm that will last many years. But you will save a lot of people along the way."

Daria's stomach lurched. "You want me to find this person. And kill them?"

"Not kill them," Ryan corrected. "Not yet. But see to it that they don't get away with it. See to it that justice prevails at Camp Jupiter."

"Ryan," of course Daria would do as he asked. But there was a small problem. "I don't know who did it."

"Yes you do, Daria," he placed a hand on her shoulder, standing. "This is your duty. Jason will play the rest of the cards, but it's your job to help him win the game."

"I don't understand," she said, panicked. "Ryan! Don't leave!"

"Daria," a voice said beside her. "Oh, come on. Just wake up."

Daria opened her eyes to see a hurried Clara shaking her. Her black hair was neatly braided and she looked like she had somewhere else to be. There was no one else in the barrack. Daria wondered what time it was. "I'm up. I'm up."

"Finally," Clara shook her head. "You passed out a few days ago. Smoke inhalation or something. But Leila can't keep postponing this Senate meeting that starts in," she looked at the clock. "Thirty minutes."