THE HEALER| Heroes of Olympus

seven

If it wasn't for Jasper I would've died.

Jason and Percy charged each other, straight toward me. Jasper shot up and tackled me to the ground out of the way. 

We rolled to the edge of the road. Jasper used himself to cushion our fall and I landed on top of him with his arms around me.  

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked immediately. I nodded still dazed. 

"Y-You saved me..?" I said it almost as a question sounding unsure. 

"Of course." Jasper said as if he was confused as to why I think he wouldn't. 

I looked back, dazed and horrified, as the boys crossed swords, gold against bronze. Sparks flew. Their blades blurred—strike and parry—and the pavement trembled. The first exchange took only a second, but I couldn't believe the speed of their sword fighting. The horses pulled away from each other—Tempest thundering in protest, Blackjack flapping his wings.

"We have to stop them." I said quickly. Jasper nodded. I began to stand up but he pushed me back down. 

"You're a long ranged fighter, you won't win this battle." He said summoning his spear again. "Leave this to me." 

Jasper got up and walked back out to the road. 

"Stop it!" He yelled.

For a moment, Jason heeded his voice. His golden eyes turned toward him, 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." Jasper commanded. "Jason's your friend. Drop your weapon." He voice was calm but yet still held authority and command. He sounded like a leader.

Percy's sword arm dipped. For a second I thought he might have been able to bring him under control, but unfortunately Jason got to his feet.

Jason roared. A bolt of lightning arced out of the clear blue sky. It ricocheted off his gladius and blasted Percy off his horse. He nearly blasted Jasper as well if he hadn't summoned a shield to protect himself. 

I was starting to think those rings he wore were different assortments of weapons. 

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.

For a horrible moment, I felt as if I couldn't speak. I looked at Jasper who seemed to be under the same effect. Gaea seemed to be whispering to us: You must choose one.

Why not let Jason kill him? 

I don't know what I was thinking but I loaded my bow and fired it at Jason. I hadn't been aiming for his actual body but just close enough to get his attention. 

He froze, his sword six inches from Percy's face. Jason swirled around. 

"Jason please!" I begged. "You have to stop! It's just in your head! Gaea's controlling you!" 

Jason turned, the gold light in his eyes flickering uncertainly. "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?" Jasper demanded hearing the difference as well.

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