THE HEALER| Heroes of Olympus

t w e l v e

 As soon as Gaia achieved lift off the ground solidified.

Demigods stopped sinking, though many were still buried up to their waists. Sadly, the monsters seemed to be digging themselves out more quickly. They charged the Greek and Roman ranks, taking advantage of the demigods' disorganization. 

"Listen to me," Will tried again with Octavian. "This is not what Apollo would want. Besides, your robes are –"

"You know nothing, Graecus!" Octavian wrapped his hand around the release lever. "I must act before they get any higher. Only an onager such as this can make the shot. I will singlehandedly –"

"No-" Will started again but I cut him off. 

"Will." I said, he stopped talking. "Octavian's right. He's the savior of Rome. He has to do this. Apollo told me himself. He must do this." 

"See! She even agrees with me!" 

Jasper ran up the hill. I landed my horse for him to get on. 

"Traitor!" Octavian shouted. "Centurion attack -!" The words dyed in his throat as Jasper gave me a quick kiss. 

"Well, this is a new development." Will said. 

"DISGUSTING!" Octavian cried. "HOW DARE YOU DEFILE A PRAETOR YOU GRAECUS SCUM!"

"Get on!" I said ignoring  the annoying augur. Jasper followed and hopped on the back of Phelgon behind me. I ran my horse down the hill. 

 I was about to take off when Percy yelled,  "Wait! Frank can fly the rest of us up there! We can all –"

"No, man," Jason said. "They need you here. There's still an army to defeat. Besides, the prophecy –"

"He's right." Frank gripped Percy's arm. "You have to let them do this, Percy. It's like Annabeth's quest in Rome. Or Hazel at the Doors of Death. This part can only be them. The child of truth and the son of war will settle the score and then the Mother of all will be no more." Frank recounted.

"To storm or fire the world must fall." Hazel finished.  "It has to be them."

Percy obviously didn't like it, but at that moment a flood of monsters swept over the Greek forces.

Annabeth called to him, "Hey! Problem over here!" Percy ran to join her.

Frank and Hazel turned to Jasper. They raised their arms in the Roman salute, then ran off to regroup the legion.

Jason and Piper looked at Leo in the sky.

"She's got the cure," Piper murmured like a chant. "It'll be fine. Eliana's got the cure."

My heart dropped. Some child of truth I was, lying to my friends. Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder. He knew what I was thinking. 

We took off.

In the sky, Festus grappled with the earth goddess. Gaia kept disintegrating, trying to trickle back to the ground, but the winds kept her aloft. Festus sprayed her with flames, which seemed to force her into solid form. Meanwhile, from Festus's back, Leo blasted the goddess with flames of his own and hurled insults. "Potty Sludge! Dirt Face! THIS IS FOR MY MOTHER, ESPERANZA VALDEZ!"

His whole body was wreathed in fire. Rain hung in the stormy air, but it only sizzled and steamed around him.

We zoomed towards them.

Gaia turned into loose white sand, I summoned sunlight around her. Anytime she tried to leave  from the circle of light surrounding her it would burn pieces of her to ash.