Sunflower

14

Will and Leo move through camp carefully, trying to keep their balance and not fall into the cracks on the ground. "This is bad... really bad." Will mutters.
"You think? Percy's going to drown the entire camp soon if we don't stop him." Leo mumbles.
Up ahead of them, they see Annabeth facing off against Percy. Percy is balanced on a huge wave of water, and Annabeth is on the ground with a dagger in hand. A jet of water shoots at her and knocks her back.
"Damnit!" Shouts Annabeth.
Both of the boys see her tackle Percy out of the wave of water he created. Will curses and runs forward. Leo watches in horror as the wave of water starts spreading out over camp. Before it can get far it hits an invisible wall and splashes back. Leo can see the Hecate kids trying to stop the water. A few stray witches come running over to where Annabeth is trying to get Percy down on the ground. But he has his sword in hand and is trying to go for the killing blow, and Annabeth is just defending herself. Annabeth shouts a few more colorful words before she finally gets him underneath her.
She pins his wrists to the ground before the Hecate kids get to them.
Leo gets close enough to hear what they're saying to each other. "I have one more trick. Want me to do it?"
"No." Annabeth answers simply.
"Imagine what your boyfriend would do if he came back to know he killed you! It would be great entertainment. I might even just kill you and leave to see his reaction!"
"You and I have very different ideas of great entertainment." Annabeth mutters. "Hurry up and banish it."
The Hecate kids have already started their spell but Annabeth slides off of him and slumps to the ground. "Annabeth!" Will yells.
Percy gets to his feet and moves towards the kids doing the spell. Leo runs at him with nothing to defend himself. Percy hears him and turns around, "Hello elf boy."
Leo sighs, "You know I really wish you'd stop calling me that."
"You have no weapon. Turn back now."
"Nope. I'm just here to distract you until the witches finish." Leo smiles.
Percy returns the smile and waves his hand. The water breaks loose of the barrier and sweeps into the Hecate kids. It spits them back out and only one person is still speaking the spell, but Percy doesn't notice that. "You won't get the chance to banish me. I'll be back later."
Percy looks up and then collapses into a fit of coughs. The one Hecate kid stops the spell and looks extremely confused, "I never finished."
Leo looks back at them and shrugs. He looks back at him and sees Percy is gone. Percy had gotten up and ran to Annabeth. At first Will steps in front of him, to defend Annabeth. He steps aside when he sees the pain in Percy's eyes. Annabeth has stopped whimpering in pain and she looks at Percy, "Hey Seaweed Brain."
"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop it this time. It tried to do that earlier but I stopped it, I-" His eyes fill with tears.
"I'm okay Percy." Annabeth whispers.
"I hate to interrupt, but the camp is still under attack. You both should go into the forest if you're hurt." Lou Ellen steps forward.
She's drenched in water and she looks as tired as Percy. Percy looks up, "No I'll help."
"So will I." Annabeth says.
Percy carefully helps her to her feet and he hugs her. He looks like he never wants to let her go.

Across camp Aelia is still searching for Reyna. She looks behind her when the sound of crashing waves stops. Well they got Percy. She keeps moving and she walks around the Ares cabin, being careful of stray land mines and trip wires. She rounds the corner and runs into somebody. She draws her scythes but puts them down when she sees Reyna, "Hello."
"You're still alive." Reyna says in surprise.
"They won't kill me until the end. I was actually looking for you." Aelia says.
"Ah. What for?"
Reyna is examining the girl and is surprised she's still walking. She's drenched in blood and her hair is somehow white. "I can't use any more magic without killing myself, but we still need to banish more Ker. So I would appreciate it if I could borrow some strength."
"I don't know how much more of it I have. I've been spreading it throughout your camp all day, trying to help. But by all means."
"Great. Have you found anyone else?"
"I don't even know who else is possessed."
"It was the seven, you, Nico, and Will. But we've already cleared You, Will, Hazel, Annabeth, Leo, and I'm pretty sure Percy."
"Still two big three kids. Great." Reyna sighs, "Have you seen either of them?"
"I saw Jason, he struck me with lightning. But not Nico."
"Lighting? And you survived it?" Reyna blinks. That would explain the white hair and blood on her forehead.
Aelia shrugs, "I guess so."
"Move!" Reyna yells suddenly.
Aelia jumps to the side just as a large cat flies at her. Reyna draws her sword, "This is Frank."
"Do we know anyone else who can turn into a cat?" Aelia points out.
The Ker leaves the cat form and stares at them, "You're nothing special. My sister was wrong about you. I mean look at you! You're basically the walking dead!"
Aelia sighs, "That was not very nice. You could at least show some manners if you come to attack us."
The Ker laughs, "You're a fool."
"As I've been told. Reyna now would be the time." Aelia says impatiently.
"Take it."
Aelia draws into the strength Reyna was giving her and she starts her spell right away. The Ker sighs, "You know, I'm getting tired of hearing those words."
Frank turns into a large bird and swoops towards Aelia but Reyna lashes out with her sword, "Sorry Frank."
"You exhaust me. Sister, take care of the Roman." The Ker says dully.
Reyna whips around and yells a warning. Aelia moves to the side but keeps her eyes locked on Frank. "Stop talking." Piper demands from behind Aelia.
Aelia gags for a second but she keeps going with her spell. She feels the pressure of her charmspeak trying to stop her mouth from moving. "I said stop!"
This time Frank and Reyna stop moving but Aelia keeps going. Her magic is repealing Piper's own power. Her mind screams in protest as she finishes the spell. Frank falls from the air and Aelia quickly summons a cushion underneath him. She turns around and sees Reyna has her hand clamped over Piper's mouth and has her pressed into the building. Piper still has her dagger in hand and is swiping at Reyna but she never comes close to hitting her. Reyna dodges each swing before grabbing Piper's blade. "You lost Ker. Go home."
Piper snarls, "I won't abandon my sisters." It says through Reyna's hand.
"Then die with them." Reyna replies
Aelia nods and repeats the same words that she's been saying all day. Reyna keeps her hold on Piper until her eyes dim back to normal. Reyna steps back and goes to Frank who's sitting there completely still. Aelia goes to her friend, "Are you okay?"
"Am I okay? You're the one who looks like death! Jason struck you with lightning! And here you are asking if I'm alright!"
"I'll take that as a yes, you are okay."
"The Ker, it spoke to me, it told me you were dead." Piper whispers.
"Ah well, I'm not. It was probably just mad because I banished a bunch of them."
"Is that why your shirt is covered in blood?" Piper points to her once orange shirt.
"Um, yes." Aelia lies, she tugs her shirt further up to hide the flaring cut across her neck.
"You need to get out of here. They're after you." Piper tries to pull her towards where the hill is, but Aelia digs her heels into the ground.
"I know. And that's why I can't leave. I won't let anyone else suffer for what I did."
"Aelia now is not the time to be stubborn. Get out of here, the rest of us will deal with this."
"No."
Piper throws her hands in the air, "Seriously? Why? Why are you so difficult?"
Aelia smiles, "You're welcome."
The ground cracks in between the four of them and they all exchange a knowing look. Aelia and Reyna say the same thing, "Nico."
Piper drags Aelia backwards just before she falls into the growing crack. The sky above them darkens with storm clouds. "This isn't going to end well." Aelia sighs heavily.
Before anyone can reply a black smoke rises from the crack, making it hard to see anything. Aelia can barely see the figure of Nico come up from the ground. "Go find Jason! We've got this!" Reyna yells at Aelia and Piper.
Aelia hesitates for a moment but then rushes off around the cabin behind Piper. Piper is lifted off her feet when the two girls get to the clearing in front of the cabins. She stifles a scream as the wind brings her up next to where Jason is flying. Her hair whips around her but she can't break free of the wind, not that she wants to because they're so high up.
The wind turns her towards Aelia who is walking angrily towards them. Piper is breathless, Aelia looks like a war goddess. Both of her scythes hang loosely in her hands as she strides towards them. Her hair is blown from the wind and her eyes are glowing. The familiar yellow Piper knows, "Almost all of you are gone! You've almost lost!" She shouts.
Jason laughs, "Almost is not set in stone. I've come back many times before, what makes you think I won't be back again?"
"Because if you lose, you failed Thanatos. And he is not forgiving."
Jason narrows his eyes at her, "You think you're so smart don't you? I've struck you once, I'll do it again. This time you won't get up from it."
"Then do it, it won't do anything. You think you're so big and mighty, show me. I haven't seen it yet." Aelia spreads her arms wide. "Strike me."
Jason raises his arm and Piper yells out as he summons another bolt of lightning, but her voice is lost in the wind. The lightning lands right where Aelia was standing. When it clears the ground is on fire and smoking but Aelia just looks bored, "Told you it wouldn't work."
"How! You play with me witch, reveal your secrets to me." Jason snarls, "Or the speaker pays."
Piper shakes her head quickly at Aelia, but the girl doesnt look over. "Go for it. I'm not revealing my secret." Aelia shrugs.
Piper's windstorm shrinks and lighting strikes inside of it. It hits her but all she feels is a warm blanket covering her. She looks back down at Aelia and sees the same bored look. "You can't win this Ker. Surrender."
"I can see how thin your magic is stretched. You can only defend one thing at a time." Jason studies Aelia carefully.
His arms raise. One is above Aelia and the other is above Piper. Piper panics, she starts twisting in her windstorm trying to get loose. "Let me go!" She shouts her voice laced with charmspeak.
Jason doesn't even look over. He waits for Aelia to speak but she says nothing. He summons more lightning and Piper can see how powerful and bright it is. She lowers her head and closes her eyes tightly preparing to be hit. But the same warm feeling goes over her again and the lightning does nothing. Piper stares in surprise at the faint glow under her skin. The lightning around Aelia's goes away and Piper sees she's on her knees. Her heart pounds in her chest. "No..."
Aelia looks up with her eyes still glowing, "You still failed."
Jason growls and waves his arm at Piper. The wind storm around her breaks and sends her flying through camp. She screams as she falls through the air with nothing to catch her. She braces herself as she crashes through the trees and she lands roughly on the ground. Her chest and back ache from hitting the ground, but as far as she can tell nothing was broken and she was still alive.
"Piper!" Leo shouts.
She groans and sits up, "I'm okay!"
Leo bursts through the bushes with leaves in his hair, "What the hell happened? All of a sudden you came flying through the air."
"Jason happened." She replies, "Aelia is still with him, we need to go help her."
"Piper we can't. There's some sort of ward up around them. The Hecate kids are trying to break it." Leo whispers, "We can't help her."