DEMIS (A Clash With Lightning)

18

"Alright, my lovely guests. Please feel free to enjoy all the free amenities!" Diana gestured towards the lively beach, her smile as radiant as ever.

The group moved toward the bustling crowd. Music blared in their ears while people danced, drank, and swam. The temperature was perfect—not too hot, not too cold. Shirtless male waiters and bikini-clad women carried trays of fruit and smoothie versions of the same.

"This place is amazing," Josh remarked, his eyes scanning the scene.

"I want to swim, but I don't have a swimsuit," Rose pouted.

"Right!" Diana slapped her forehead in mock distress. "I almost forgot. Let me show you your rooms."

She led them to one of the many large buildings on the island, revealing it to be a luxurious hotel. Each of them was given their own room, each stocked with a variety of vacation clothing and, unsurprisingly, trays of fruit. After changing into swimwear, they met Diana back in the hall.

"Please, swim to your heart's content!" she encouraged. "Tonight, we'll have a party at The Lotus, so don't stay out too late and miss it."

"What's The Lotus?" Jasmine asked, her excitement palpable.

"It's our nightclub," Diana replied, clapping her hands together. "Now go! Have fun!"

"This place is gorgeous," Jasmine breathed, admiring the scene. She wore a dark blue bikini that perfectly matched her eyes.

"I couldn't agree more," Rose said, linking her arm with Jasmine's. Her sparkly pink bikini glittered in the sunlight, and she thought it was perfectly fitting for the occasion.

"Enough gawking." Ban grinned, adjusting the waistband of his red swim trunks, which revealed the tattoos running down his legs. "It's about time we had some fun."

"Finally!" Keith laughed, slinging an arm around Ban's shoulders. "I never thought I'd live to see the day you'd say those words."

Ban shoved Keith playfully before sprinting toward the water.

"Hey, wait up!" Keith called, chasing after him.

"Come on, guys! We can't let those two have all the fun!" Rose urged, turning to Josh and Jasmine.

"I feel like we're forgetting something," Josh muttered, rubbing his temple as if trying to jog his memory. "Weren't we supposed to be doing something?"

"Uh, yeah—catching up to them. Duh!" Rose giggled before dashing off.

"She's got a point," Josh admitted, though a frown lingered.

"No, no," Jasmine said, raising a hand to stop him. "I feel like we really are forgetting something."

"It must not have been important," Josh said with a shrug before scooping Jasmine into his arms.

"Wait!" she shrieked, laughing and struggling. "Put me down!"

"No way," Josh teased. "You're about to get dunked."

With a mischievous grin, he launched her toward the inflatables floating in the deeper water. Jasmine screeched, her arms and legs flailing as she hit the surface with a splash.

"Oh, crap," Josh muttered under his breath, suddenly concerned. He wasn't always aware of his own strength.

Jasmine's head popped up, and she shouted, "You're going to pay for that!"

Josh let out a relieved laugh—she was fine.

"Dude!" Keith staggered over to Josh, looking wobbly. Josh raised an eyebrow. How had this guy managed to get drunk in under ten minutes?

"You've gotta throw me next!" Keith pleaded. "That looked awesome."

"I don't know, man. You look plastered."

"I know my limits!" Keith retorted indignantly.

"Take a break, and I'll toss you when you're sober," Josh said firmly.

Before Keith could argue, he screamed, pointing behind Josh. "Ahhh! Look out!"

Josh turned to see two enormous hands made entirely of water reaching toward them.

"What the—" He didn't have time to finish before the hands grabbed him and Keith, tossing them into the water like ragdolls.

"Woah!" Keith hollered as they plunged under the waves.

"That's what you get!" Jasmine laughed as Josh resurfaced. She stood on top of the water, her legs crossed smugly. Then, with a light skip, she ran back toward the shore, leaving ripples in her wake.

"Does she think she's Jesus or something?" Keith muttered, coughing up seawater.

By the time Jasmine reached the shore, she was laughing hysterically.

"That was priceless," Rose said, joining in her laughter. Ban chuckled as well, though he kept his distance.

With a mischievous grin, Jasmine raised her hands, and two more watery hands lunged for Rose and Ban.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Rose pleaded as the water gripped her. "Have mercy!"

Ban, now in his phantom form, stood untouched as the water passed right through him. Jasmine tossed Rose behind her, sending her splashing into the deeper water.

"You're no fun," Jasmine grumbled at Ban, who smirked at her failed attempt.

The locals, oddly enough, seemed unfazed by the demigods' use of their powers. It was a strange detail, but no one had the clarity to think much of it.

A waitress approached them, holding out two lotus flower smoothies. "All that swimming must've made you thirsty," she said sweetly.

Josh and Jasmine eagerly accepted the drinks, sipping greedily. The taste was intoxicating, a blend of sweetness and freshness that made their minds buzz.

"The sun will set soon," the waitress informed them. "If you don't want to miss the party, you should head back to your rooms to change. Housekeeping has prepared clothes for you."

"Thank you!" Jasmine exclaimed, her heart swelling with gratitude. "You people are so kind and thoughtful here."

"That's my job," the waitress replied with a bright smile. "Now go! There's no time to waste."

Jasmine used her powers to manipulate the current, bringing her friends who were still playing on the inflatables back to the shore.

"I'm not ready to go," Rose complained, wringing water from her hair.

Jasmine linked arms with her. "We'll come back tomorrow! It's not like we're in a rush to leave or anything."

The words made Rose pause, her head spinning slightly. "Wait... weren't we in a rush for something?"

The waitress quickly handed Rose another smoothie. "You're probably feeling unwell because you're dehydrated," she said soothingly. "Drink this—you'll feel better."

"Right..." Rose said, holding her forehead. Thinking too hard was giving her a migraine. She took a sip, and her head instantly cleared. "Sorry. I don't even know what came over me."

"That's okay. Just stay hydrated," the waitress said with a knowing smile before walking away.

"Come on! We don't want to waste any more time," Jasmine urged. "I'm too excited for this party. I love nightclubs."