Some Other World

I Guess I'm A Good Person?

We found a clearing outside of camp to work on the spell in. The spellcasters all huddled around the sheet of parchment, and I watched from the side.

"Dragon Rider, will you help?" One of them asked, turning to me.

"I can try. I don't really... know the Ancient Language."

They frowned, looking at each other, then looking back at me. "How do you perform magic?"

I shrugged, holding a hand up and snapping my fingers. The tug of the magic in my stomach had located itself a few inches above where my water control usually made itself known.

The elves began to whisper amongst themselves as a little fire appeared in my hand. I counteracted it automatically with water vapor, keeping my hand safe from the flames.

"Wordless magic is extremely dangerous." The eldest of the group of elves frowned. "The littlest lapse of concentration could cause disastrous consequences."

I raised an eyebrow, playing with the flame absentmindedly. "I've always done wordless magic, since I was a child. It's easy for me."

"That is incredible... but I suppose it means that you cannot help us open this portal."

"Sorry." I shrugged.

He shook his head. "We should be able to open the first portal... it will not be big enough to walk through."

"That's fine. As long as I can see to the other side and test that we can get to the other side."

The elves arranged themselves in a triangle formation. The one standing in the center began to chant, and the others closed their eyes.

I'd seen them do this once or twice before. They were supplying their main spellcaster with energy to make the spell stronger.

Seeing the portal open from our side was very strange. Rather than billowing outward, like it usually did, the space where the portal formed began to roil and then fold in on itself over and over. After a few moments the center began to expand, slowly showing a very different view than I had expected.

"Lady Artemis!" One of the girls on the other side of the portal shouted. "There's a man-"

"Yo Jackson, that's new!" Thalia hopped to her feet, grinning. "I take it you figured the spell out then?"

"Sort of. I've got help." I jerked a thumb over my shoulder to the spellcasters.

"Five minutes, Dragon Rider."

"Thanks. Alright, this is our first attempt so it only gets better from here." I crossed my arms, nodding to Artemis as she stepped up next to Thalia. "Lady Artemis. I have quite a few things to thank you for."

"How are you faring there?" 

I sighed. "I found a couple people who are from Earth. There's one in particular that I want to talk to you about, because I think you might know her."

She nodded. "Very well. Shall we talk now or wait."

I glanced back at the spellcasters.

"Four minutes."

"We need to talk about it now because I don't know how often we're going to be able to connect. Thalia, continue with the portal schedule you've been doing, we're bound to find each other again if we're both trying to open portals on a regular schedule."

She nodded and turned to the Hunt, starting to hand out tasks and motioning for Jordan and Mari to come with her as she walked away.

I looked to Artemis. "The woman I met here is from Rhode Island. Her name is Margaret Leigh."

"Maggie is there?!"

I couldn't remember having ever seen Artemis smile that widely. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. A little upset when she found out the time difference between the worlds, but otherwise fine. I'm going to bring her back with me... but she says Apollo doesn't remember her."

"He doesn't." The goddess of the Hunt shook her head, frowning. "His mind is twisted at best, but I think with work it could be fixed."

"Will you work on that?" I glanced at the spellcasters and recieved a silent two minute warning. "I'm hoping we can at least give her one good thing after the misery she's had to deal with."

Artemis nodded. "That is very noble, Percy."

"She's given me a home away from home in this mess and it's really the least I can do for her."

"No. The least you could do would be to bring her back. Trying to fix her life is going above and beyond, Percy." 

"Learn to take a compliment, Jackson." Thalia's head popped into the picture again.

"Learn to give one, Thalia."