Daughter of Mother Earth

Chapter Fifty-Four

"Wanna kill my friends?" Crystal set herself into a stance. "You have to get through me, first."

Khione grinned. "With pleasure."

The battle then began.

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Just before Khione charged, a sharp ice dagger formed from her hand. The ice goddess swiped at Crystal's stomach and then for her head. Crystal dodged the first hit and blocked the second by meeting her wrist with Khione's. With her free hand, Crystal landed a punch to Khione's gut, causing the goddess to stumbled back with a groan.

The goddess growled in anger and viciously stabbed and swiped at Crystal. Crystal struggled to dodge them all. Khione managed to cut Crystal's shirt, missing her gut by just a centimeter.

"Enough defense! Do some damage to her!" Hera yelled.

Crystal ducked and dodged a swing for her head. "Hera, I'm gonna need you to not!"

The queen rolled her eyes. "At this rate, she'll win."

Crystal kicked Khione in the chest, knocking her to the ground. While Khione was distracted for a moment, the demigod whipped around, eyes glaring harshly.

"Lady, my beef isn't with you, it's with her! If you want, I can have my beef with a side of mashed 'Queen of the Gods' potato, what do you think?" Crystal yelled, pointing her dagger.

"I think your fighting style sucks," Hera replied.

"If you have a problem with me," Crystal's eyes glowed red, due to her anger and her fire powers igniting. "You can write it on a piece of paper, fold it up, and stick it up your-"

"Look out, Crystal!" Jason called out while smacking an ogre with his wood plank.

A hard punch landed on Crystal's jaw just as she turned around. The force knocked her to the ground. Crystal groaned and wiped the blood from her mouth.

Khione stood triumphantly above the fallen demigod. "You puny demigods are so weak! You are powerless compared too..."

The ice goddess trailed off as Crystal became encased in bright white light. Crystal was unbelievably angry, causing her to lose control of her powers. She floated up into the air, much like when she was on Mount Diablo. Crystal let out an ear-piercing screech, causing everyone to cover their ears. The storm spirits dissipated and some ogres exploded.

Vines burst out from the ground, entangling themselves around the other ogres and wolves. Khione stumbled back in surprise, then growled angrily.

"You haven't won! He is awake now! You will all perish!"

Crystal turned to the goddess, bright white eyes glaring. A blast of white-hot flames shot out at Khione. The goddess disappeared in a flurry of snow before the fire reached her.

Crystal landed on the ground, breathing heavily. She looked at the snow pile left behind for a second before turning to help her friends. She slid down the poolside, meeting Leo and Piper. Jason strolled up, perched on a storm spirit, that was in the shape of a horse.

Crystal frowned in disbelief. "Where the hell did you get a horse?"

"I took control of a storm spirit while you went, uh, 'goddess mode,'" Jason hopped off the horse. "His name is Tempest."

"Hey!" Hera called from her cage. "I still need help! I'm dying!"

"Piper, talk to the cage! Make Gaea fall asleep!" Leo whipped out a saw from his belt.

"Where are you gonna plug that in?" Crystal laughed. "The horse?"

The saw suddenly whirred to life. Crystal's eyes traveled along the cord which was, in fact, plugged into the horse.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Suddenly, Porphyrion emerged from his cage and roared. Crystal shielded herself from flying debris. The giant was much larger, buffer, and scarier and Enceladus. Crystal's eyes widened in fear.

"Quick! Get her out of the cage! I'll handle Porhyrion," Jason yelled.

"You're seriously gonna fight him? Alone?" Leo asked.

"He's not alone," Crystal placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. "He's got me."

Jason nodded. "You ready?"

Crystal grinned, her eyes shifting to white and she began hovering above the ground. "Born ready."

The giant turned to the two demigods. "Ah, my appetizer! Who are you two?"

"Your worst nightmare," Crystal replied, voice amplified.

Porphyrion grinned evilly and stood to his full height. The Earthborn, wolves, and storm spirits broke free from Crystal's vine cages.

Jason rose into the air, next to Crystal. "I am Jason Grace, son of Jupiter! I will destroy you!"

"And I am Crystal Clearwater! Daughter of the Unknown. Tremble before us!" Crystal radiated pure power next to Jason.

They looked so powerful together, even Porphyrion looked uneasy. Jason leaped into the giant and climbed him like a spider. Crystal thrust out her hands, causing more vines to rise up and entangle themselves around Porphyrion's feet. While the giant was distracted with Jason, Crystal turned to her friends. She rushed up to the cage, glancing at Leo and Piper. They were still busy trying to free Hera. Crystal protected them from incoming minions, allowing their focus to be on the goddess. A wolf yelped as Crystal kicked its face.

"Hurry!" Crystal yelled from the shoulders of an Earthborn, ripping off its head.

"Got it!" Leo called out.

The cage disintegrated and Hera was finally free. The queen of the gods began to grow in size.

"Cover your eyes!" The goddess cried.

Crystal threw her arm over her eyes, shielding herself from Hera's true form. She could feel heat and power rush past her in a wave. When it was over, Crystal looked around. Everything seemed normal once again. However, her eyes landed on Jason, who was on the ground, unconscious. Piper leaned over him, desperately yelling at him to wake up.

"What happened?" Leo asked, rushing up to his friends.

Hera glanced around. "I warned him to close his eyes but he did not."

"Can you help him?" Crystal asked.

Hera shook her head. "No one can survive seeing a god's true form."

"Wake up!" Piper yelled forcefully.

Jason gasped and shot up. He breathed heavily, gathering his surroundings.

"What happened?" He rubbed his head.

"Impossible," Hera gaped.

Piper smiled and crushed Jason in a hug.

Thalia sighed in relief, then gasped. "Annabeth. I need to tell her what happened! I must go. Hera, will you make sure they get home safe?"

Hera nodded. "I suppose."

Crystal turned to Leo, as Jason conversed with Hera for a moment. "You okay?"

Leo smiled. "Yeah. Well, as okay as anyone could be after fighting two giants in one day."

"Good," Crystal laughed.

"What about you? You looked pretty scary when you started glowing. I'd be terrified if I saw you charging my way." Leo nudged her shoulder.

Crystal shrugged. "I don't know how it happened."

"Well," Leo said. "Whoever your mother is, she passed on some pretty powerful genes."

"Yeah," Crystal shifted to her left foot. "I guess so."

"It is time for you heroes to go home," Hera announced. "There's an easier way to get back. Farewell, my heroes. For now."

Before Crystal could blink, the world began flipping around and then went black.