I started sprinting towards the bridge. It was gonna be far. But thankfully Glitter was an offspring of a Sun Chariot horse. She got her in about 30 seconds. And landed beside me. I leapt into her back

"Williamsburg Bridge! And step on it!"

"Yes, my lady! We flew over it on the way here, and it didn't look good."

"Wait. Who's we?"

"Blackjack and a few others came to assist."

"Awesome. Any Ares campers?"

"No my Lady. I am sorry."

"Don't be. They picked their side. And you're here. Let's go."

On our way there I saw an explosion of green fire way in the distance. I knew the Hephaestus cabin was in good hands- they had a bone to pick with Kronos and the army. What I was worried about was Aphrodite cabin. They weren't really fighters, though sometimes they surprised me. Selina was actually quite a skilled knife fighter. And if they got their hands on that perfume...they could be lethal.

As promised, I quickly called up the sight- sweeping rapidly through everyone. Everyone was holding their own. At least for now. It was Apollo's cabin who needed Percy and I now.

I shook my head as Glitter ran closer. We made great time. She jumps and leapt over anything in her way. She had sparks flying from her hooves as she galloped.

I looked up and spotted a black dot in the clouds. Blackjack. Which means Percy and Annabeth were right there.

I saw the battle before Glitter and I were close enough to make out individual fighters. It was well after midnight now, but the bridge blazed with light. Cars were burning. Arcs of fire streamed in both directions as flaming arrows and spears sailed through the air.

Glitter leapt into the sky and ran, crossing over the bridge from the sky gave me a better view of what was happening and I saw the Apollo campers retreating. They would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows and dropping caltrops in the road, building fiery barricades wherever they could, dragging sleeping drivers out of their cars to get them out of harm's way.

But the enemy kept advancing. An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. An occasional arrow would connect with their snaky trunks, or a neck, or a chink in their armor, and the unlucky snake woman would disintegrate, but most of the Apollo arrows glanced harmlessly off their shield wall. About a hundred more monsters marched behind them.

Hellhounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an Apollo camper and dragged him away. I screamed in horror. My little brother...my little Danny. He was so sweet! He loved finger painting and rock and roll. I snarled in fury.  I didn't see what happened to him next.

I saw the monster leading the charge. It was the Minotaur, I guessed it was the same one Percy faught his first few days as a Demigod.  I only heard of one. But he wasn't wearing his tighty whities anymore.

From the waist down, he wore standard Greek battle gear—a kiltlike apron of leather and metal flaps, bronze greaves covering his legs, and tightly wrapped leather sandals. His top was all bull- hair and hide and muscle leading to a head so large he should've toppled over just from the weight of his horns. He was huge- ten feet tall at least. A double-bladed axe was strapped to his back, but he was too impatient to use it.

I saw Percy and Annabeth circling as well. As soon as he saw them circling overhead (or sniffed Percy, more likely, since his eyesight was bad) he picked up a white limo and threw it.

"Glitter. Set me down with Michael!"

"Yes Lady."

Glitter swooped down behind an overturned school bus, where a couple of my brothers were hiding. I didn't wait for her to touch down, I leapt off her back and landed beside Michael.  A second later Percy and Blackjack landed beside me, Annabeth and a Pegasus named Porkpie landed.

Michael ran up to us and I threw my arms around him quickly. He was definitely the shortest commando I'd ever seen. I had to bite back a smile. He had a bandaged cut on his arm. His ferrety face was smeared with soot and his quiver was almost empty, but he was smiling like he was having a great time.

"Glad you could join us," he said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"

"For now, we're it," Percy said. He nodded to me in greeting, and I felt his hand squeeze my arm. I forced a smile back. I had no idea what I looked like, but I did fight off almost a whole squade of monsters and blew a tank.

"Then we're dead," he said.

"You still have your flying chariot?" Annabeth asked.

"Ha!" I threw my head back in a silent evil laugh.

"Uhh. No. Nora here melted it."

"Sure as tarderus I did! I turned into Piccolo Demone del fuoco!" I signed with an evil twisted and manic smile.

"Little fire demon?" Annabeth asked.

"Yep. Melted that dam thing to nothing. It was Eos's and I wasn't going to have my cabin fight over something as stupid as that. Also, it felt good to burn up Malibu Barbie's chariot. It was too similar to Apollo's chariot."

"Wait!" Michael signed, his face clearly showed how shocked he was, "That was Eos's? Like the titan who cursed Ra-"

I have Michael such a piercing look he dropped his hands.

"Oh. Well...this is kinda awkward."

"Ya. Well now we learned a lesson. Loot is just that. And not worth fighting over. It puts lives on the line." I responded.

"...well...when we found it melted and destroyed...we kinda just went whatever. Tried to make amends with Clarisse. But she said it was too late, we ruined the Chariot, we didn't do it, they didn't do it...We'd insulted her honor for the last time or some stupid thing."

"Least you tried," Percy said.

Michael shrugged. "Yeah, well, I called her some names when she said she still wouldn't fight. I doubt that helped. Here come the uglies!"

He drew an arrow and launched it toward the enemy. The arrow made a screaming sound as it flew. When it landed, it unleashed a blast like a power chord on an electric guitar magnified through the world's largest speakers. The nearest cars exploded. Monsters dropped their weapons and clasped their ears in pain. Some ran. Others disintegrated on the spot. Sure, I could hear that, but not people talking. I rolled my eyes.

"That was my last sonic arrow," Michael said.

"A gift from your dad?" Percy asked. "God of music?"

Michael grinned wickedly. "Loud music can be bad for you. Unfortunately, it doesn't always kill."

I lit my hands on fire, grabbed an arrow and sent it flying into the frenzy. The monsters were trying to regroup and insinigrsted them on the spot.

"Hey! No fair!" Michael pouted. "show off." He signed and I grinned and winked at him. A smirk appeared on his face. And then it slid off. He grabbed my wrist, making me give him my full attention.

"Look Nora...I'm sorry if I caused you and Raph...if I was the reason you guys..."

"No. He's a big boy. He chose to stay. His pride got the better of him. Not you. He picked loot over us. Over me. Do not take the blame for his actions. Okay?"

"You're better then the rest of us Nora." He signed with a small smile on his narrow face.

"It's a gift." I winked.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay...it's a good thing you're my sister." He peeked around the bus. He withdrew his head and signed quickly. "We have to fall back, I've got Kayla and Austin setting traps farther down the bridge."

"No," Percy said. "Bring your campers forward to this position and wait for my signal. We're going to drive the enemy back to Brooklyn."

Michael laughed. And then signed, "How do you plan to do that?"

"Wait...we?" Annabeth asked.

Percy drew his sword. And I pulled out my twin blades with a nod to Percy.

"Yes, we." Percy nodded.

"Percy," Annabeth said, "let me come with you." She ignored me all together.

"Too dangerous," I signed with slight difficulty, I had two knives in my hand.

"Ya, Besides, I need you to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. Nora and I will distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while we keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, you can."

Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."

Percy kept his eyes on Annabeth. They had a silent conversation, or argument. I wished Raph was here. I had to look away quickly. I stood up and stepped out and drew my bow. I glanced at them, I saw Annabeth nodding reluctantly. "All right. Get moving." I could see her mouth moving. I let my blazing fire arrow go. I glanced back at them, waiting for Percy.

"Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?"

I snorted, were in the middle of an attack and Percy is trying to get some. I rolled my eyes and let another fire covered arrow go. My stomach twisted. It's something Raph would have done. I blinked the tears away. And shot another one. The hurt and betrayal I felt made my fire flare even bigger. I was incinerating groups of monsters with my pain.

Percy finally stood up beside me and nodded. His cheeks and ears pink, but he looked determined. His eyes were hard and cold. Together we stepped out from behind the school bus. And we walked up the bridge in plain sight, straight toward the enemy. I clipped my bow and pulled out my knives again.

When the Minotaur saw Percy, his eyes burned with hate. He opened his gross slobbery mouth and bellowed. I couldn't hear noise, but some of the monsters around it backed up. It took me a second but from the crowd of monsters two girls sauntered up beside the Minotaur. Becky and Vicky. My two bullies from school.

They weren't actually students. They were actually Empousai. Evil demon girls made from donkeys, metal and ghosts. Their left legs were brown and shaggy with a donkey’s hoof. Their right leg was shaped like a human leg, but it was made of bronze. Their fangs went down their chin and their hair flamed in brilliant flames.

"Ahhh Eleanora. We meet again!" I read their lips, it was difficult due to the fangs in the way, but I got the basic gist of it.

"Didn't I vaporize you?" I signed

They looked blankly at me. Percy looked at me and then signed.

"I don't think they understand."

"No. I don't think they do. Dead things are ment to stay dead. It's just basic manners."

"I know!" He turned to the Minotaur and pointed his sword at the beast. "Hey! Need Boy! Didn't I kill you once already?"

The bull-man pounded his fist into the hood of a Lexus, and it crumpled like aluminum foil. A few dracaenae threw flaming javelins at us. I pressed the button on my bracket, the sun charm and the shield made by Beckendorf spiraled into existence. The javelins bounced harmlessly off the shield.
Percy just used his sword to knock them aside.

A hellhound lunged, and I sidestepped. I could have stabbed it, but I hesitated.

This is not Mrs. O'Leary, I reminded myself. This is an untamed monster. It will kill me and all my friends.

It pounced again. This time Percy brought Riptide up in a deadly arc. The hellhound disintegrated into dust and fur.

More monsters surged forward- snakes and giants and telkhines- but the Minotaur roared at them, and they backed off.

"One on one?" Percy called. "Just like old times?"

Becky and Viki were screaming something. Percy leaned his sword against his leg and let go, clearly mocking the monsters, showing he wasn't afraid at all and used two hands to sign to me.

"Your old school friends want a rematch as well, apparently."

"I insinsrated them without weapons.ast time. Not much of challenge."

Percy shrugged. I spun my knives a few times and sheathed them. Grinning in a manic twisted way. I opened my arms in an invitation. Beck and Vicky screamed and moved forwards. For mismatched legs, they were quick. I could feel the tingle in my hands, and up into my arms. My hands burst into flames, the air around me rippled with heat and in one swift movement, I swept my arms and there was a bright blinding flash and the two Empousai were piles of monster dust.

I extingished my hands. "Not much of a challenge."

Percy smirked. Matching my wild wicked smile. We looked back at the army. The Minotaur's nostrils quivered. He seriously needed to keep a pack of Aloe Vera Kleenex in his armor pocket, because that nose was wet and red and pretty gross. He unstrapped his axe and swung it around.

It was beautiful in a harsh I’m-going-to-gut-you-like-a-fish kind of way. Each of its twin blades was shaped like an omega: Ω—the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Maybe that was because the axe would be the last thing his victims ever saw. The shaft was about the same height as the Minotaur, bronze wrapped in leather. Tied around the base of each blade were lots of bead necklaces. I realized they were Camp Half-Blood beads- necklaces taken from defeated demigods.

My stomach twisted in anger. A burning heat boiled in my chest. My eyes flickered.

"I got Beef Brains." Percy signed, laying a hand on my arm, it sizzled as he made contact. His Posieden water powers mixed with my sun fire hear and made steam.

"I'll take the rest until you dispose of the cow." I signed back.

Percy raised his sword. The monster army cheered for the Minotaur, but it seemed to die when he dodged the first swing and sliced Beef Brain's axe in half, right between the handholds. I smirked and charged the army, pulling my daggers out as I leapt into the frenzied crowd of monsters.

I ducked and diged and slashed and stabbed. There was a sudden lull in the wild activity. I looked around, not being able to hear, I saw Percy also leaping into the wild crowd of angry monsters. It was now roughly one hundred and ninety-nine to two. Percy and I locked eyes. And we did the natural thing. We charged them.

You're going to ask how the "invincible" thing worked: if we magically dodged every weapon, or if the weapons hit us and just didn't harm us. Honestly, I don't remember. All I knew was that I wasn't going to let these monsters invade my hometown. Or kill any more of my family. Percy and I stood as the only defence.

We were a deadly duo. I had trained with Raph mostly, but I had spent many hours in the training area with Percy. We had become quite comfortable fighting together. He could anticipate my moves and I him. We moved as one. One four armed force of death. Monsters exploded and disintegrated.

We sliced through armor like it was made of paper. Snake women exploded. Hellhounds melted to shadow. I slashed and stabbed and whirled, Percy and I moved as one, like a dance of death.  And I might have even laughed once or twice- a crazy laugh that scared me as much as it did my enemies. I couldn't hear it, and I didn't make a sound, but something inside me shifted, and not for the good.

I was aware that the rest of my siblings from Apollo's cabin were behind us shooting arrows, disrupting every attempt by the enemy to rally. Finally, the monsters turned and fled- about twenty left alive out of two hundred.

I followed with Percy at my shoulder and the Apollo campers at my heels.

"Yes!" yelled Michael, his hands flying as he ran. I glanced at him with a twisted smile. "That's what I'm talking about!"

We drove them back toward the Brooklyn side of the bridge. The sky was growing pale in the east. I could see the toll stations ahead.

I saw Percy hesitate and look over his shoulder and then back. He slowed down and signed, "Annabeth says we've already routed them...and we should pull back! We're overextended!"

I growled in silent frustration. Some part of me knew she was right, but we were doing so well. And I wanted to destroy every last monster.

Percy glanced over his shoulder again and back ahead of us. He stumbled to a hault. He threw a hand out and stopped me. It was only then I saw the crowd at the base of the bridge. The retreating monsters were running straight toward their reinforcements. It was a small group, maybe thirty or forty demigods in battle armor, mounted on skeletal horses. One of them held a purple banner with the black scythe design.

The lead horseman trotted forward. He took off his helm, and I recognized Kronos himself, his eyes like molten gold.

"Well, Schist." I signed.

🔆

Death siblings. What do we think of Percy and Nora as a horrifying death duo?

Also...what do we think of Nora joining the Hunters?