RECLUSE - (n) a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
MAISIE ELLIOT WAS ANGRY.
Angry at the world.
Angry at the Gods.
Angry at the demigods who seemed to move on too fast.
And when forced onto a quest with three stranger...
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MAISIE'S STOMACH DROPPED
For a moment she felt as if she was free falling before slamming back into the leather seat. Sleet pelted against the windows of the helicopter, almost as if it was trying to hurt them. Leo was wrestling with the stick to stabilize the aircraft while Jason pointed to a small valley below them.
Maisie unbuckled her seatbelt to kneel next to Jason. Although the mist had covered most of their vision, they could make out small shapes through the blizzard.
Leo set the helicopter in an icy field about fifty yards from the house and killed the engine. They all collectively breathed a sigh of relief before hearing a whistling sound, followed by a large shape hurling towards them from the mist.
"Out!" Leo commanded.
They all scrambled and managed to leap out of the helicopter before a huge BOOM shook the ground. A large layer of ice covered Maisie's shivering body as the shape made impact with the machine.
Rubbing the ice out of her eyes, she felt warm hands take her cold ones, pulling her into a standing position. Maisie shook with the cold that covered her body.
The helicopter was gone. A large chunk of snow and dirt had completely flattened it.
"You guys all right?" Jason called to them, Piper at his side.
"Yeah." Leo answered. "Guess we owe that ranger lady a new helicopter."
Piper then pointed south. "The fightings over there."
"No," Maisie frowned. "The fightings all around us."
Sounds of combat rang throughout the valley. The mist and snow made it hard to see, but there seemed to be a circle fighting all around the wolf house.
"Jason!" Thalia's voice cut over the wind.
Thalia emerged from the fog, her parka covered in snow. Her bow was in hand and her quiver was almost empty. She ran towards them, but only made it a few steps before an earthborn burst out of the storm behind her, a raised club in each hand.
"Thalia! Look out!" Maisie called out as she rushed to help her.
Thalia had it under control. She launched herself into a flip, notching an arrow as she pivoted like a gymnast and landed in a kneeling position. The ogre got a silver arrow right between the eyes and melted into a pile of clay.
Thalia stood to retrieve her arrow, but the point had snapped off. "That was my last one." She kicked at the pile of clay resentfully. "Stupid ogre."
"Nice shot, though." Leo complemented.
Thalia obviously ignored him and went to hug her brother and give a nod to both girls.
"Just in time. My hunters are holding a perimeter around the mansion, but we'll be overrun any minute."
