THE NEXT MORNING, karina only had one word to describe what the feeling was like between her and percy.

awkward.

at least, to karina it was.

percy seemed to be getting along just fine, when he came and knocked on her and hazel's shared room with a fat smile on his face, and his body language looking ready to cease the day for whatever dangers lie ahead.

karina gave him a pointed look. "you look different today," she accused. "weirder than usual."

percy seemed to think of this as a compliment, as his smile widened. "i just feel . . . energized. you know, after last night, i now feel like a can do so much more than what i was holding myself back from."

karina's eyes widened at this statement, and whipped her head back to see if hazel has heard, but, to her luck, she was still in the bathroom getting ready.

she turned back to percy with a glare. "you can't just say that stuff out in the open," she hissed. "hazel doesn't know that we, you know, kissed." she said that last part in a whisper.

percy just responded with an eye roll. "who cares? she's going to find out anyway. and besides, who's not to say i might just kiss you again. in front of everyone."

karina felt a deep heat rise onto her cheeks, and she jabbed a finger into percy's chest hardly, a glare set on her features directly at him. "no you will not, do that. that's against the rules."

"what rules?" percy said, exasperated.

"um, the rules i just made," karina said smartly, her hands on her hips.

percy scoffed, and sent karina a smirk, his wide smile now gone. "well then— i guess i'll just have to break those rules, if that means i get to kiss you again."

"not if i don't let you."

percy narrowed his eyes at her. "but would you really stop me if i did?"

karina swallowed. she knew deep down, that if percy did try to kiss her again, there was a very good chance that she wouldn't stop him, because, honestly, even after the talk she had with percy last night, she wanted him to kiss her again. she wanted to feel the sensation of their lips moving together, like two ocean waves forming to together to create a bigger one. she wanted to feel him again.

she didn't respond, and instead, pointed to the hallway behind him. "you go wait outside while i get ready. i need to change still."

percy just groaned and tilted his head back, like a whiny five year old, and went to step outside into the— now brightly lit— hallway, shutting the door behind him.

karina let out a deep sigh, and rubbed her forehead tiredly.

that boy just wouldn't quit, would he?

with another deep breath, karina turned and went to the small closet that was situated in the back corner of the room, and tried to find a decent outfit that she could wear.

after searching for a minture or so, she brought out a plain black rib racerback tank top, that had a neckline that wrapped her neck snugly, a pair of dark denim mom jeans that had a small rip on the thigh, and a faded plaid cardigan, that had a mix of light and dark browns in the stitching.

karina quickly changed into her new, clean clothes, and put on her brown converse, giving herself a once over in the mirror before going to knock on the bathroom door, checking on hazel.

she knocked on the door. "haz? you almost ready?"

"yeah!" she heard a muffled reply. "i'm just trying to do my hair!"

karina chuckled, and opened the door, only to see hazel in a tucked position on the top of the counter with a comb in her hand, trying to brush out her bushel of curly brown locks.

"hazel . . . what on earth are you doing?" karina asked amusedly.

she huffed indignantly. "i didn't have a chance to wash my hair last night, so it's all frizzy and knotted. ow!" she yelped the last part as she ripped through one of the tough knots she'd been going through.

karina smiled gently, trying to hold back a laugh. she reached over a carefully took the comb from a fuming hazel. "here, hazel. let me do it. i have some detangler in my bag."

"really?" she asked.

she scoffed. "oh course! my mother is ceres, hazel. do you really think i'd show up here with gross smelling hair?"

hazel pondered that for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders in agreement. "okay, that's fair."

karina smiled and turned to go grab her bag from the desk and pulled out a small green bottle, with a spray cap, and went back into the bathroom.

"okay," she started, "stand up, and i'll sit behind you."

hazel nodded and slipped off of the counter, basically switching spots with karina. she turned around and karina began to layer her hair in the detangler, the sweet smell of lavender and citrus filling up the room.

"oh my gods," hazel mumbled. "that really does smell good."

karina let out a soft laugh, and began to run her fingers through hazel's slightly damp hair, her fingers gliding straight through it with ease.

hazel gasped. "it actually worked!"

karina smiled. "i told you, hazel."

she continued to run her hands through her hair, until the detangler began to dry, and hazel's hair was completely smooth, and knot-free.

"all done," karina said, and slid off the counter, and hazel turned to her with a smile, running her hands over her hair.

"thank you, karina," she said. "i don't think i could've managed to keep myself from ripping my hair out if you didn't fix it."

karina laughed, and began to walk about into the bedroom. "just be glad you have a friend that takes hair care seriously. and that you're not sharing a room with nico. i have to force him to wash his hair." karina shuddered at the thought.

hazel began to laugh as well. "oh, i know. i smell the lavender and vanilla shampoo in his hair whenever he visits."

"yes! at least i know he uses it."

hazel sighed and let out another breathy chuckle. "okay, i'm pretty sure percy has been waiting outside of our room for half an hour. we should probably get going."

karina's eyes widened, and a guilty smile made its way onto her face. "whoops," she shrugged.

they both laughed and began to head out of the room, gathering all of their things together— which wasn't much— and walked out, only to see percy sitting on the floor across from their room, a sphere of water dancing between his fingers.

he looked up at the sound of them walking out, and narrowed his eyes at them. "finally!" he exclaimed. "i've been waiting for forever out here, i thought you were dead or something."

karina rolled her eyes. "oh, calm down, fish boy. we didn't take that long. now, get up, we need to go check on frank."

percy sighed and reached his hands out in front of him, discarding the small ball of water he had created, and beckoned for karina to help him up.

she heard hazel snicker from beside her, and karina looked down at percy in disbelief.

"really?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"yes, really," he rebuttaled, his hands staying in their position in front of him.

she sighed and rolled her eyes, grabbing his hands and hauling him to his feet, backing up as he stumbled slightly in her direction, his eyes connecting with hers.

"thanks," he whispered, his lips tugging on either side of his face.

karina swallowed, and cleared her throat, releasing her hands from his and turning to hazel, who was staring at them in confusion.

"okay, let's go get frank," karina said, not waiting for them to reply as she began walking down the hallway to frank's grandmother's room.

percy and hazel followed shortly after, and they all entered the room slowly, and quietly.

when they went in, karina saw frank lying asleep on the floor beside the bed, a blanket over him, and his grandmother sitting awake on the bed, looking at them in anticipation.

"well, finally," grandmother huffed, crossing her arms. "i was thinking you guys just left frank here to take down those monsters by himself. but, i know hazel here wouldn't do that, considering you made him breakfast this morning. "

karina and percy looked at her in disbelief. "you made breakfast for frank? and didn't think to make any for us?" percy accused.

hazel blushed and turned away bashfully. "i did make you guys some! it's down in the kitchen, sitting at the table."

karina narrowed her eyes at her. "you're lucky you're my best friend. or else we would've had a problem."

hazel looked at her with a smile, and turned back to frank's grandmother, as she felt heat rising to her face.

frank's grandmother nodded, "yes, dear hazel came in and laid a blanket over him as well, when she brought in his food this morning," she said with stoic expression.

karina raised an accusatory eyebrow at this statement to hazel, to which she just looked the other way, no doubt her face burning with a blush.

"mmh, okay," she muttered and a moment of silence. "after you two eat breakfast," she directed that to percy and karina. "go up to the attic, down the hallway and to the right there will be a small staircase that leads up to it. there are weapons up there that may be necessary to deafest these monsters."

"weapons?" hazel asked.

frank's grandmother nodded. "yes, important weapons that not even frank knows about. he will find them as well when i awake him. but, you three go up first, and take whatever you need."

hazel nodded. "thank you, mrs. zhang."

grandmother huffed and waved them off. "oh, whatever. it's the least i could since i am basically dead anyway. now, shoo. you don't have much time."

the three of them nodded, and took one last look at a sleeping frank, and quickly made their way down to the kitchen, where two plates of breakfast sat cold on the table, two glasses of orange juice beside them.

percy and karina both looked at each other, and shrugged. they both sat down and began to eat as fast as they could without throwing it all up after, and then made their way to the attic, where apparently all of their weapons were.

"what kind of weapons do you think they have?" percy asked as he began to climb the small staircase leading up to the attic.

karina shrugged. "hopefully ones that defeat ogres."

percy nodded in agreement and made his way into the attic, hazel and karina following shortly after, all of them stared in astonishment at the amount of armory there was.

the attic was full of weapons. frank's family had collected enough ancient armaments to supply an army. shields, spears, and quivers of arrows hung along one wall— almost as many as in the camp jupiter armory. at the back window, a scorpion crossbow was mounted and loaded, ready for action. karina figured frank would take that when he arrived, so she left it. at the front window stood something that looked like a machine gun with a cluster of barrels.

"rocket launcher?" percy wondered aloud.

"nope, nope," said a voice from the corner. "potatoes. ella doesn't like potatoes."

the harpy had made a nest for herself between two old steamer trunks. she was sitting in a pile of chinese scrolls, reading seven or eight at once.

"ella?" karina questioned. "what are you doing here?"

"sitting," she said. "waiting. waiting for friends. ella likes friends. not potatoes. ella doesn't like potatoes."

"potatoes . . . ?" percy mumbled.

hazel shrugged and continued to look around the room, her eyes dancing over the dozens of weapons that littered the room.

"okay, ella," percy said. "why don't you stay in here and wait for frank to come in. we're all going to go to the roof to watch for ogres, okay?"

ella nodded. "ella stays here. with book. ella likes books. not ogres."

percy nodded. "right."

they all stayed in the attic for a little while longer, before deciding to go, and made their way up to the roof.

on the roof, they finally could see the mass amount of ogres that had began to surround the zhang mansion. dozens and dozens of large monsters pased around the house, chanting, "zhang! zhang!"

karina shuddered and somehow, her hand found its way to percy's, who immediately reciprocated the gesture, giving her a smile of reassurance.

"let's just stay up here until frank arrives, and then we'll talk about a plan." hazel announced, and percy and karina nodded in agreement.

karina unsheathed her gladius from her necklace, and began to walk around the edge of the roof, glancing over it to observe the ogres and what they were doing around the house. she glanced around the property nervously. she had no idea how they were going to be able to defeat so many ogres between the four of them.

she just hoped grandma zhang had some killer weapons hiding in her attic.

after about half an hour of pacing the roof, and percy deflecting cannon balls with a water hose, frank finally emerged from the house, seemingly looking much better than he did last night.

he had slightly damp hair, leading karina to assume that he had just showered, and he had on new clothes— a forest green top and cargo pants— and was staring at hazel with a dazed smile. karina smirked to herself and nudged percy silently, directing his eyes to where frank was.

percy scoffed quietly at the sight. "yeah, 'not in love' my podex."

karina nodded in agreement, a smile tugging on her lips.

hazel then began to notice he was there, and her eyes flashed with concern. "are you okay?" she asked. "why are you smiling?"

percy and karina began to try and stifle their giggles next to each other, both of them quickly stamping their hands over their mouths, and their bodies leaning onto the other for support as they watched frank become red in the face.

"oh, uh, nothing," frank managed. "thanks for breakfast. and the clothes. and . . . not hating me."

"you got him clothes too? okay, thanks, mother hen." karina muttered to herself.

hazel looked baffled. "why would i hate you?"

frank's face burned red. "it's just . . . last night," he stammered. "when i summoned the skeleton. i thought . . . i thought that you thought . . . i was repulsive . . . or something."

hazel raised her eyebrows. she shook her head in dismay. "frank, maybe i was surprised. maybe i was scared of that thing. but repulsed? the way you commanded it, so confident and everything— like, oh, by the way, guys, i have this all-powerful spartus we can use. i couldn't believe it. i wasn't repulsed, frank. i was impressed."

"you were . . . impressed . . . by me?"

"uhm, yeah," karina said flatly. "you were pretty freaking awesome."

percy laughed. "dude, it was pretty amazing."

"ama-zhang," karina corrected in a whisper, to which percy snorted at.

"honest?" frank asked.

"honest," hazel promised. "but right now, we have other problems to worry about, okay?"

she gestured at the army of ogres, who were getting increasingly bold, shuffling closer and closer to the house.

percy readied the garden hose. "i've got one more trick up my sleeve. your lawn has a sprinkler system. i can blow it up and cause some confusion down there, but that'll destroy your water pressure. no pressure, no hose, and those cannon balls are going to plow right into the house.

frank was silent for a moment, before turning to them in determination. "guys, i've got an escape plan." he told them about the plane waiting at the airfield, and his grandmother's note for the pilot. "he's a legion veteran. he'll help us."

"but arion's not back," hazel said. "and what about your grandmother? we can't just leave her."

it seemed as if frank choked back a sob. "maybe— maybe arion will find us. as for my grandmother . . . she was pretty clear. she said she'd be okay."

"there's another problem," percy said. "i'm not good with air travel. it's dangerous for a son of neptune."

"uhm, yeah," karina agreed nervously. "it's not really good for children of ceres either, considering all of them are afraid of heights."

"you two will have to risk it . . . and so will i," frank said. "by the way, we're related."

percy almost would've stumbled off the roof, if karina hadn't been holding his hand. "what?"

"perieclymenus. ancestor on my mom's side. argonaut. grandson of poseidon."

karina's mouth was gaping, and so was hazel's. "you're a— a descendant of neptune? frank that's— "

"crazy? yeah. and there's this ability my family has, supposedly. but i don't know how to use it. if i can't figure it out— "

another massive cheer went up from the laistrygonians. karina realized they were staring up at frank, pointing and waving and laughing. they had spotted their breakfast.

"zhang!" they yelled. "zhang!"

hazel stepped closer to him. "they keep doing that. why are they yelling your name?"

"never mind," frank said. "listen, we've got to protect ella, take her with us."

"of course," karina said. "the poor thing needs our help."

"no," frank said. "i mean, yes, but it's not just that. she recited a prophecy downstairs. i think . . . i think it was about this quest."

frank began to recite the lines:

"to the north, beyond the gods, lies the legion's crown. falling from ice, the son of neptune shall drown—"

karina's breath hitched at the sound of him saying that, and gripped onto percy's hand tighter, who was already holding her's just as tightly.

percy's jaw tightened. "i don't know how a son of neptune can drown. i can breathe underwater. but the crown of the legion— "

"that's got to be the eagle," hazel said.

percy nodded. "and ella recited something like this once before, in portland— a line from the old great prophecy."

"the what?" frank asked.

"tell you later." percy turned his garden hose and shot another cannonball out of the sky.

it exploded in an orange fireball. the ogres clapped in appreciation and yelled, "pretty! pretty!"

"the thing is," frank said. "ella remembers everything she reads. she said something about the page being burned, line she'd read a damaged text of prophecies."

karina's eyes widened. "burned book of prophecy? you don't think— but that's impossible!"

"the books octavian wanted, back at camp?" percy guessed.

hazel whistled under her breath. "the lost sibylline books that outlined the entire destiny of rome. if ella actually read a copy somehow, and memorized it— "

"then she's the most valuable harpy in the world," frank said. "no wonder phineas wanted to capture her."

"frank zhang!" an ogre shouted from below. he was bigger than the rest, wearing a lion's cape like a roman standard bearer and a plastic bib with a lobster on it. "come down, son of mars! we've been waiting for you. come, be our honored guest!"

hazel gripped frank's arm. "why do i get the feeling that 'honored guest' means the same thing as 'dinner'?"

he looked to karina and percy. "can either of you drive?"

"yeah," they said in unison.

frank rolled his eyes. "okay, well, i only need one of you. grandmother's car is in the garage. it's an old cadillac. the thing is like a tank. if you can get it started— "

"we'll still have to break through a line of ogres," hazel said.

"the sprinkler system," percy said. "use it as a distraction?"

"exactly," frank said. "i'll buy you as much time as i can. get ella, and get in the car. i'll try to meet you in the garage, but don't wait for me."

percy frowned. "frank— "

"give us your answer, frank zhang!" the ogre yelled up. "come down, and we will spare the others— your friends, your poor old granny. we only want you!"

"they're lying," percy muttered.

"no shit," karina replied.

"yeah, i got that," frank agreed. "go!"

percy and hazel ran for the ladder, but karina, stayed, looking at frank with nervousness. "frank, let me help you. you can't defeat them on your own."

frank looked at her in urgency. "yes, karina, i can, okay? you need to go, now!"

karina felt someone tug on her arm, and she turned to see percy looking at her in confusion, pulling her arm towards the door.

karina looked at frank in desperation. "don't die, you idiot. or i'll make nico bitch-slap you in the underworld."

frank gave her an amused smile, but she could've sworn she saw a flash of fear go through his eyes.. "consider me warned. now, please, go."

karina gave him one final look of nervousness, before running with percy to the ladder, and straight to the attic.

but, when they got there, it seemed that hazel had already done the job of getting ella out, since they were both standing— well, fluttering— outside the attic stairs, standing impatiently.

"come on, let's go!" hazel said, and began to guide ella and the rest of them through the house and to the garage, where they found frank's grandmother's cadillac sitting clean in the center.

"do you want to drive, or me?" karina asked percy.

percy furrowed his eyebrows. "you can drive?"

karina narrowed her eyes at him. "of course i can, fish face. i'm seventeen."

"well, i didn't know they had driver's ed. in camp jupiter," he said sarcastically.

karina rolled her eyes, and looked at him with a deadpanned look. "look, are you driving or not?"

"yeah, i'll drive," he said, and karina nodded, and moved to go to the passenger side of the car, hazel and ella both piling into the back.

they all sat there in deep silence for a few minutes, percy's hand resting tightly on the ignition, with karina's hand laying over it, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles comfortingly.

but then, all of a sudden, smoke began to fill up the garage and karina's smell, making her begin to worry that frank won't make it back on time.

she looked at percy in nervousness, and he just gave her a look of reassurance, his eyes holding truth. he turned the car on and flicked on the headlights, his foot bouncing next to the pedal anxiously.

"come on, frank," he muttered lowly, his jaw clenching.

finally, they saw a large figure bustling down the smoking staircase, racing toward the cadillac.

percy immediately began to open the garage door, and yelled: "get in!"

frank dove in the back next to hazel. ella was curled up on the other side of her, her head tucked under her wings muttering, "yikes. yikes. yikes."

percy gunned the engine. they shot out of the garage before it was fully open, leaving a cadillac-shaped hold of splintered wood.

the ogres ran to intercept, but percy shouted at the top of his lungs, and the irrigation system exploded. a hundred geysers shot into the air along with clouds of dirt, pieces of pipe, and very heavy sprinkler heads.

the cadillac was going about forty when they hit the first ogre, who disintegrated on impact. by the time the other monsters overcame their confusion, the cadillac was half a mile down the road. flaming cannonballs burst behind them.

karina glanced back and saw frank's family mansion on fire, the walls collapsing inward and smoke billowing into the sky. her stomach churned with sadness, thinking of his grandmother, and the house that had lived for so long— all burned to the ground.

the drive through the woods and headed north.

"about three miles!" frank said. "you can't miss it!"

behind them, more explosions ripped through the forest. smoke boiled into the sky.

"how fast can laistrygonians run?" hazel asked.

"let's not find out," percy said.

the gates of the airfield appeared before them— only a few hundred yards away. a private jet idled on the runway. it's stairs were down.

the cadillac hit a pothole and went airborne. karina's head would've slammed into the ceiling if percy hadn't had quick reflexes, and slid his arm across her chest tightly just before she would've bounced up, gripping her waist strongly. she looked at, impressed at how fast he reacted, and how calm he managed to be during it.

when the wheels touched the ground, percy floored the brakes, and they swerved to a stop just inside the gates.

everyone piled out of the car, and frank drew his bow. "get to the plane! they're coming!"

the laistrygonians were closing in with alarming speed. the first line of ogres burst out of the woods and barreled toward the airfield— five hundred yards away, four hundred yards . . .

percy, karina, and hazel managed to get ella out of the cadillac, but as soon as she saw the airplane, she began to shriek.

"n-n-no!" she yelped. "fly with wings! n-n-no airplanes."

"it's okay," hazel promised. "we'll protect you!"

ella made a horrible, painful wail like she was being burned. karina grimaced at the noice.

percy held up his hands in exasperation. "what do we do? we can't force her."

"no," frank agreed. the ogres were three hundred yards out.

"she's too valuable to leave behind," hazel said. then she winced at her own words. "gods, i'm sorry, ella. i sound as bad as phineas. you're a living thing, not a treasure."

"no planes. n-n-no planes." ella was hyperventilating.

the ogres were almost in throwing distance.

percy's eyes lit up. "i've got an idea. ella, can you hide in the woods? will you be safe from the ogres?"

"hide," she agreed. "safe. hiding is good for harpies. ella is quick. and small. and fast."

"okay," percy said. "just stay around this area. i can send a friend to meet you and take you to camp jupiter."

"a friend?" karina asked as frank unslung his bow and nocked an arrow.

percy waved his hand in a tell you later gesture. "ella, would you like that? would you like my friend to take you to camp jupiter and show you our home?"

"camp," ella muttered. then in latin: "'wisdoms daughter walks alone, the mark of athena burns through rome.'"

"uh, right," percy said. "that sounds important, but we can talk about that later. you'll be safe at camp. all the books and food you want."

"no planes," she insisted.

"no planes," percy agreed.

"ella will hide now." just like that, she was gone— a red streak disappearing into the woods.

"since when were you such a diplomat, percy?" karina asked in slight shock.

"since now," he responded.

"i'll miss her," hazel said sadly.

"we'll see her again," percy promised, but he frowned uneasily, as if he were really trouble by that last but of prophecy— the thing about athena.

an explosion sent the airfield's gate spinning into the air.

frank tossed his grandmother's letter to percy. "show that to the pilot! show him your letter from reyna too! we've got to take off now."

percy nodded. he and hazel ran for the plane, but he quickly stopped as he noticed karina not with him for a second time that day.

"what are you waiting for, you've got to go!" frank pleaded at her, his eyes flicking between her and the quickly approaching ogres.

she shook her head. "no. i need to help you. i already left you alone once and you barely escaped. i want to help."

frank looked at her in desperation. "i would try and say something to make you go, but i know that it would be useless," he turned to percy. "go with hazel, she's staying with me."

percy looked at him with slight anger in his eyes, as if he was mad that he actually agreed to let her stay, but it quickly dissolved when he turned to karina.

"if you die, karina ashwood, i'm going to kill you." he said hardly, and she laughed lightly.

"i'm not going to die, fish face. now go, we'll be right there."

percy stared at her for a moment, before quickly leaning in and capturing her lips in his, startling karina, as she stumbled back slightly in shock.

she barely had any time to reciprocate the kiss before he was already pulling back, giving her one last look before racing off to the plane.

she blinked a few times, still in shock at what percy just did, but quickly gathered herself together and turned to frank, who was staring at her with a gaping mouth.

"i'm just going to act like i didn't see that right now," he said quickly. "because if i don't, we're going to be ogre soup."

karina nodded and turned to take cover behind the cadillac as frank began firing at them. he targeted the larger clump of enemies and shot a tulip-shaped arrow. it was a hydra. roped lashed out like squid tentacles, and the entire front row of ogres plowed face first into the dirt.

karina heard the plane engines rev.

frank shot three more arrows as fast as he could, blasting enormous craters in the ogres' ranks. the survivors were only a hundred yards away, and some of the brighter ones stumbled to a stop, realizing that they were now within hurling range.

"frank! karina!" hazel shrieked. "come on!"

a fiery cannonball hurtled toward them him a slow arc. karina knew instantly it was going to hit the plane. her and frank made eye contact, and she gave him a single nod. you can do this, she thought. frank let the arrow fly. it intercepted the cannonball midair, detonating a massive fireball.

behind them, metal groaned as the cadillac exploded.

"frank, go!" karina yelled. "i'll hold them off! they're too close for us to take off without them blowing up the plane!"

"are you crazy!" frank yelled back. "i'm not leaving you!"

karina pursed her lips. "well, too bad!"

just as he was about to respond, a thick tendril shot out from the ground, wrapping around frank's waist, launching him backwards and flying into the entrance of the plane.

"sorry, frankie." she whispered, and turned to face the ogres, who were now standing less than a hundred yards away from her, loading more cannonballs.

she could hear the yells of her quest mates from behind her, and faintly heard the sound of hazel struggling to hold percy back from jumping out of the plane as she began to walk closer to the ogres, spreading the palms of her hands flat open at her sides, taking deep breaths, preparing herself for what she was about to do.

with a clenched jaw, and a deep intake of breath, she closed her eyes and began to move her hands up and around her body, manipulating large vines and tendrils of the deep earth to her will, wrapping them around the legs and weapons of the ogres.

her breath hitched, and she felt her muscles tense as the ogres began to try and rip the vines off of them, their legs becoming planted into place as she tightened their hold on them.

she willed the vines to spread up their bodies, large, sharp spikes poking out from the the sides, embedding themselves into the monsters as they began to wail in pain, trying to load another cannonball as her stomach began to burn, her powers slowly draining her of energy.

karina groaned in pain as she began to feel lightheaded, and could feel her powers slowly weakening, but she pushed through it, tightening her hands into fists and raising her arms up above her head, willing the vines to raise the ogres at least fifteen feet into the air.

karina was quickly losing her grip on the monsters, her energy deteriorating the ogres continued to wail and scream, one of them breaking a bond off one of their arms. she slowly began to lose hope that she would be able to defeat them.

but then, suddenly, a feeling washed over her, a strange feeling— something foreign.

it was as if another entity had entered her body, and she suddenly began to feel energy pumping through her veins, her muscles losing their strain of pain all together, and she felt stronger— powerful.

let's finish them together, shall we? said a new voice in her head, startling karina.

she blinked, but with her new found strength, her hold on the monsters was still remaining as she began tightening the grip of the vines on the ogres, wrapping thick tendrils around their necks, choking them.

"w-what?" she mumbled, but she didn't get a reply, as she began to feel her body getting stronger, and filling up with a fuel of sorts— and she felt that if she didn't release it soon, she'd combust.

so, with a yell of determination, she slammed her arms down, pulling through ogres down to the ground with such strength, their bodies created craters in the earth that went at least twenty feet down into the ground, ultimately killing all of them at once.

karina's breaths were heavy as she stared at the mess she just made.

fifteen large craters— at least ten feet wide and twenty feet deep— stood gaping all around the airfield, large tufts of gold dust rising from each of them— leading her fully agree that all of the ogres were dead. at least, for now they were.

she was still feeling large douses of energy pump through her body as she stood in shock of what she had just done, her body tingling with power and itching to do more— but overall, she was confused.

who was that speaking to her in her mind? and how did they get there? was it just her subconscious? was it her mother?

she had no idea, but before she could think about it for any longer, the voice spoke again:

well done, karina. it is very impressive that someone who is not a child of the larger gods could defeat such a powerful monster.

the voice paused, and karina stayed silent, wanting to hear what else the voice said.

goodbye for now, my dear, the voice said silkily, like soft butter on bread. we will meet again soon, but for now, good luck on your quest. for it will only get harder.

immediately after the voice said the final syllable of her sentence, the energy that had been flowing through her body washed off of her, like a bandaid had been ripped off every inch of her body.

she suddenly felt all the muscles in her body begin to collapse, and all she saw before her vision went out was the concerned faces of hazel, percy, and frank, before she completely went unconscious.

5835 words

look at karina being powerful asf as she should !!!

also ,, definitely put some foreshadowing in this chapter ,, so look out for that ;)