𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝘿; heroes of olympus

stupid boys with head injuries

ERITH JAY
IF NOT FOR the horses, Erith and Piper would've died.

Jason and Percy charged each other, but Tempest and Blackjack balked long enough for Piper to grab Erith by the waist and leap out of the way.

They rolled over each other to the edge of the road. Erith edged herself off of Piper and twisted herself up, palms scraping dirt.

She heard the sounds of blades clashing, wings flapping, and Tempest thundering in protest. Erith knelt down and helped Piper up. She still gripped her sword.

"Stop it!" Piper yelled, and Erith found the courage to look at her friends.

Jason heeded Piper's voice. His golden eyes turned toward her, and Percy charged, slamming his blade into Jason. Thank the gods, Percy turned his sword―maybe on purpose, maybe accidentally―so the flat of it hit Jason's chest; but the impact was still enough to knock Jason off his mount.

Blackjack cantered away as Tempest reared in confusion. The spirit horse charged into the sunflowers and dissipated into vapor.

Percy struggled to turn his pegasus around.

"Percy!" Piper yelled as Erith began to step toward the son of Poseidon. "Jason's your friend. Drop your weapon!"

Percy's sword arm dipped, but unfortunately, Jason got to his feet.

Jason roared, and at the same time, Erith struck. With her free hand, she raised her palm toward Jason, and an arc of light simmered across his shirt, cutting it off, so he was now wearing a crop top.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to completely stop Jason's attack. A bolt of lightning came out of the sky and reflected off his gladius, blasting Percy off his horse.

Blackjack whinnied and fled into the wheat fields. Jason charged at Percy, who was now on his back, his clothes smoking from the lightning blast.

Piper hesitated. Erith ran to intercept. She got right in front of Jason and caught his sword strike with her own. Gold on gold, arms raised over her head, straining against his suddenly unnatural strength.

"Jason," Erith said, "stop. You're―my―friend." She gritted her teeth, her arms trembling with the effort of holding their swords in place.

He pressed her harder. Sweat beaded on Erith's forehead. She couldn't look at Piper. Her eyes were focused completely on Jason.

Just as her arms bent back an unnatural amount, Piper screamed, "No! Jason, stop!"

His sword stopped a few inches above her. Her arms trembled. Her hands were slicked with sweat. He turned his head toward Piper. "I cannot stop. One must die."

Something about that voice... it wasn't Gaea. It wasn't Jason. Whoever it was spoke haltingly, as if English was its second language.

"Who are you?" Piper demanded.

Jason's mouth twisted in a gruesome smile. "We are the eidolons. We will live again."

While they spoke, Erith tried to gather her strength. She had an idea, but it was crazy. It was terrifying.

"Eidolons...?" Piper asked, her voice hesitant. "You're―you're some sort of ghost?"

"He must die." Jason turned his attention back to Percy, and in turn, Erith standing over Percy, but it was too late for him. Erith jumped, kneed him in the gut, then smacked him in the head with the hilt of her blade.

Percy ruined it.

He had recovered more than any of them had realized. He swept his leg out and knocked a stumbling Jason off his feet, then shoved Erith onto the ground. She skidded on her elbow and bit back a yelp as the asphalt tore into her skin. Meanwhile, Jason's head hit the road with a sickening sound, and Erith resisted the urge to lose it.