Chapter 51

Splitting up was their best bet if they wanted to act fast. Clarisse had yelled anything and everything she knew her brothers would react to if they heard her, all while sprinting over to her cabin to grab her best weapons. Thankgod she already had her armour on.

Kayla didn’t even want to imagine the mood Clarisse would be in after this whole mess.

Meanwhile, she had sprinted back to her own cabin to grab her own necessities in a hurry- mainly her armour. Lightweight, celestial bronze chest place with a cut out back- thanks to having to be very, very customised for her- mainly from her shoulders to her waist. The only back piece on it consisted of a thick, metal clip (sort of like that on a fancy necklace) that made sure her chestplate was more than secure.

She didn’t bother with weapons; after half sprinting, half flying down to battle (she wanted to atleast try and preserve her energy) she whipped her scythe out.

The fight took place down at the stables. Any pegasi outside had flown off respectfully, yet any inside could simply be heard whinnying and neighing- the end of the stables had been lit up with fire, somehow, some-why. What was the need? Or was it a miss-fire of sorts?

“Up and at ’em, you cowards! Practice time is over!” Clarisse yelled at her brothers, who were scrambling to lock shields- it didn’t work. Clarisse and all her brothers may aswell have said it was their first time in a real fight with the way their shield defense got blown all over.

Whatever it was, wreaked havoc amongst the far side of camp. Here. Wind spirits of sorts? And not the gentle ones. Now, if she looked at the pegasi once more- they weren’t flying independently. Their wings were being thrashed about like they were stuck in a tornado.

Okay, sure, monsters attacking camp… yet with the way things were going, Kayla may aswell try amd preserve the lives of the pagasi still stuck in the stable. Fighting wind spirits already seemed like a lost cause.

She watched momentarily as Sherman Yang was lifted up into the air like he’d become allergic to gravity. He thrashed his sword about, yet nothing happened. There was no physical body to kill. Just senient wind. Yeah, okay. May aswell bring out the popcorn.

“It’s no use!” Clarisse ran over, already haven given up trying to control her brothers. “There’s nothing to kill! It’s just wind!”

“Kronos’ friend’s sons! Clarisse! Big bad enemies! For goodness sakes, are you not depressed enough to pick up a boring book yet?!”

“What does that even mean?!” Clarisse yelled back. Her plume helmet was none existent- ripped off with one of the tornado-wind thingies. Valid question. Why had she just asked her girlfriend if she was depressed enough? Huh.

“If you’re finally depressed enough to pick up a scientific book,” Clarisse yelled- borderline screamed- over the wind, “Then it’s the end of the world!”

“Just… keep them distracted, they’re wind spirits, Annemoi Thuellia- helping Kronos! Trying to destroy camp- let me help the pegasi!”

Clarisse nodded at the order, already sprinting off to let the biggest wind spirit- that was taking a jolly stroll away from the stables and up to the sparring grounds- chase her around.

There was barely any help as it was, with the lack of usual campers due to it being out of term, and the few new campers who had arrived early, meant around half the people they had would have been ordered to hide in cabins due to not rnough training. That left Clarisse and some of her brothers, Kayla, a few kids from Demeter, a few from Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo and Hermes. That was surely enough people to distract the demon tornadoes on destroying all of camp for a while.

She made a run for it to the back of the stables, where the fire was growing bigger. Upon facing it, she realised there was no way she could get through that safely. She cursed, pushed her scythe to the front of her body and flew herself up to the roof with a big wind-fueled jump.

She almost fell off the ledge, yet flapped herself up to safety. She rid of her wings, crawled through the roof window, and finally dropped down. There, three pegasi were attempting to kick down the doors of their stalls with their rear hooves.

Perhaps, for once, she wished Percy Jackson could do this job instead. He’d be able to communicate with them.

The stable rocked with an unstable movement, ironically. A wind spirit passed over, and with the giant gust of wind it released, put out the fire at the back in a single second. “Perfect!”

The same gust of wind hit her a second later, sending her crashing into the front wall of the stable. Her back bent in a very odd way when it collided with the stable door, leaving her in a heap sounding like a whining whale. “Not perfect.”

Though, when she looked up where the spirit had been, it failed to exist. That gust of wind had been some sort of goodbye, along with a loud, screeching yelp. Since when could wind yelp?

For wind, the Annemoi Thuellia did not move particularly fast. Spinning wise, yes. Enough to look like a shrunken down wedge tornado. The most dangerous thing was it’s strength. You’d think it was moving at 1000mph.

“Come on, I stopped hallucinating months ago.” She whispered. Besides, the racket outside told her this was most certainly real. There was no way a sentient tornado had dissipated into thin air.

“So then what…” She looked around with blinks of confusion. The pagasi were still kicking and neighing- now louder, most definitely begging her to help so they could flee camp. Kayla didn’t blame them, she too wanted to fly away from this mess. She got back up with a grunt, her scythe putting a large indent of a scratch through the dirt floor.

Her scythe.

It had the same features it did when she’d once captured those Labyrinth spirits to help them. That, and slightly cooler to the touch. “Spirits.”

Spirits. They were wind spirits. Gods, Kayla would be dangerous with an IQ over ten.

One of the pegasi whinnied loudly and Kayla jumped up, speeding towards her task. “Sorry, sorry! Coming!” In a hurry, she tugged on the locks, freeing all three pegasi. They made their way to the post-fire accident of a giant hole in the wall, and flew off into the sky. “Perfect again. Okay. Pegasi are not going extinct today.” She whispered, wiping sweat off her forehead. She took a beat.

It was rather quiet in here. If you managed to drown out the other wind spirits and Clarisse’s screaming.

An almost inaudible sound came from the corner of the stable near the burnt wall. Not just any sound. A neigh? A small one. Weak and whiny. Her brows furrowed. She threw her scythe over her shoulder to open the gate of the stall gently.

There, on the floor, lay a black pegasus on its side. The same black pegasus Kayla used to bond with- mainly on her very memorable detention week with Clarisse. Her front leg was severed with third degree burns- fleshy and red.

“Oh… oh, no. Get up.”

The horse whinnied again. As if it were replying, “No, I can’t.”

She figured something so big could handle even something as serious as a third degree burn in a life or death situation. And yes, maybe she would have been able to; if it wasn’t for the placenta laying still, under her tail.

“Oh, no, no, no-” She rushed over in a crawl, dropping her scythe off to side and digging her fingers into the placenta. Stillborn, perhaps. Unmoving and more than likely suffocated from lack of help. The slime of the placenta was swept onto the burnt hay carelessly. “No, no, no, I can’t give life, only take it. Come on, breathe.” She mumbled.

Her eyes focused like a crosshair on her own hands, shaking them vigorously against it’s body.

Why would it make sense for a child of death to save a life? She wouldn’t be surprised if attempting to stimulate breathing was actually suffocating it more, coming from her.

Outside, she didn’t even want to think about what might be happening. She was praying Clarisse was okay, probably not in the way she should be. More like: ‘Dad, don’t you dare come over and take my girlfriend’s soul. I’m warning you.’

Well, if her dad was homophobic, then she was screwed.

She didn’t even register immediately when the foal took a shaky, gentle breath. Yet, looking back up at the mother horse, she now lay breathlessly in the same position. She managed a smile and a frown almost at the same time with how fast her emotions changed.

“Come on!” She whined- quickly reaching over to shake the mothers own body. She knew it was hopeless. In pain and distress. Her eyes were ever so slightly open, glossy and dark.

Not dead yet; just given up.

Reluctantly, she stopped moving her hands, dragging them up to its face. She moved her mane away from her face, brushed the soot of the fire off the tip of her nose, and gently brushed her hand over its eyes. She figured to put her power to good use- syphon the pain away, and finish her softly. It was a weird feeling that washed over her- especially doing it on something so big. It didn’t dirently deliver the pain to her, but she got some form of cramp in her leg, along with a small shortness of breath. In the past, she had refused to practice the delivery of death on bugs. But knowing she could do it first try on a pegasus was all the confirmation she needed to know she had the capability to syphon pain and deliver peace. Hm, such a paradox.

“Kayla!”

“I didn’t even know your name.”

“Kayla?!”

“Oh, God I’m here, what?!” She yelled back. Clarisse appeared round the corner looking like she might burst. Bright red, dripping with sweat. “Wind- destroying- sparring ground-what the hell are you doing?”

Kayla refocused on the scene infront of her. The pegasus lay peacefully, eyes now fully closed. Her foal was looking around in a state of tiredness. “She was hurt and giving birth.” She mumbled, standing up and scooping the baby up in her arms. Heavier than expected. Switching it to one shoulder, using her wing as extra support for it’s stomach, she picked her scythe back up and retreated out of the stables. “What- I’ll carry it, it’s going to die out there.”

“Right. Sparring grounds. Are the other two being kept distracted?”

Clarisse looked at her in guilt. “Well, if you call a few newbies being chased around and catching trauma, then-“

“Perfect. That’ll do. Sparring ground it is.”

Up there, this wind spirit had just started on the other half of the sparring ground- near the weapons shed. Weapons flying around caught in a tornado was the last thing they needed. Great.

She studied the best place to attack from- but where had she attacked from last time? No where. It was wind. If you looked close enough, you could see dishevelled faces soaring around inside, white and gusty. “It’s a sprit,” Kayla noted to Clarisse, who she’d already told to lay back. “My scythe works on them.”

“So that’s what happened to the other one. I saw it hit the stable, I felt my heart,” She trailed off, “Anyway, go ahead.”

Still, with the baby foul whinnying quietly and resting soundly, she walked up to it with somewhat of an egotistical attitude. Although their clear aim was to destroy camp, anyone getting in their way was probably a bonus for Kronos. If they recognised her, she doubt they could do much with that information. Unless they gave her a fly-about all the way to Luke.

She raised her scythe, and-

Well… that was it. As soon as it went to engulf her, it got sucked into the scythe instead.

They located the third and fourth, and soon after, they got trapped in her scythe too.

For such a simple solution, Kayla sure didn’t feel helpful with the state of camp. The sparring grounds were wrecked on one side. The stable was in need of some serious repairing. Hay was all over camp. There was a giant patch of wrestling ring resting ontop of Athena cabin. How they had managed to fly things so far away, Kayla would never know.

Clarisse had recovered with no more than a slight headache, and Kayla’s head was patched up from when she hit the barn wall. Thankfully, there were no casualties.

Chiron had told everyone to take it easy after today’s ordeal. There was a counselor meeting which was a little more talkative that usual- and many thanks went to Kayla.

She tried to be thankful, but she found it a little backwards. Having to go as far as to save camp from evil wind to finally be deemed worthy of some nice smiles and genuine thanks was a bit over the top.

Perhaps they finally had it out of their heads that she might still be working for Kronos.

Chiron had also offered to look after the baby pegasus, yet Kayla had refused. Why? She had no clue. She hated kids, even though tiny baby animals were a whole different thing. She’d cleaned it up with some warm water, collected some blankets and milk bottles, and had started to feed it a bit before the counselor meeting. She may have also taken it with her… That wasn’t important enough to get into.

Little baby pegasus had heard all about the economical and political state of the demigod world at the ripe age of one hour old.

“So,” Charles started, placing his arms on the table and flexing with a groan. Clarisse did the same. “Annabeth isn’t here, I’m guessing?”

“She’s somewhere. Said she was leaving later.”

Charles furrowed his brows. She knew how it sounded. Someone disappearing straight before an attack? “Didn’t you see her in the attack?”

Before Clarisse could open her mouth any further, Kayla cut her off, leaning forward. “Yes.”

“What? I-“

“I saw her, she was- she was trying to sort out the entire fire ordeal before I got there.”

“Where did she go after that?” Silena asked, toying with what must have been a necklace under her shirt.

“I told her to keep an eye on stuff near the mess hall. She must have left shortly after.”

Clarisse was currently burning holes into the side of her face with her mouth slightly open. Right… why was she even backing Annabeth? And where was she?

She forced her gaze anywhere but Clarisse. Then, Charles spoke up again, “I’m sorry, before anything else, are we just gonna ignore the elephant in the room?” He glanced at Kayla’s baby pegasus. Baby pegasus did not have a name just then. “She’s not an elephant, she’s a pagasus.”

“Sheesh, right. Moving on swiftly then.”

“There’s nothing else to say,” Clarisse finally found the words in her mouth. The attention swung to her. “Those wind spirits are the children of Typhon, Kayla told me. Typhon was born to avenge Kronos- and these being his children, well, they inherited that, clearly. He’s found them, communicated with them, and had them yet again turn on the people who are working with the gods.”

Pfft, working with the gods was a big statement.

“Well, if it wasn’t for Kayla, we’d all be dead.” Charles shrugged, nodding to her in appreciation.

“I doubt that,” She gave an awkward smile. “Camp would be gone, we’d be left for Luke to pick and choose as soon as he finds a way into camp. I’m guessing that was the aim.”

Silena cleared her throat, making herself known once again. “Well, if monsters that strong are getting into camp, this is concerning.”

“No shit?” Kayla furrowed her brows. “Peleus’ didn’t warn us at all. That means he didn’t sense anything. Or see. But they have to have broken through the barrier, right? No?”

“I don’t get it,” Clarisse shook her head, “all these attacks, before and since me and you got back, yet the Golden Fleece and Peleus prove the barrier is at full strength.”

“Magic?” Silena suggested.

“What, you think Hecate is siding with Kronos?”

“Maybe.”

“Bullshit. She hates drama, everyone knows that.” She slammed her first down, making Baby Pegasus jump in her lap. Clarisse gave her a small pat on her arm.

“Hey, cool it. We get it. So, basically: We all have no clue.”

“Pretty much.” Charles nodded.

They all dropped to silence.

“Great.”

“Nice meeting, once again.”

“Yeah, right. That’s that.”

Kayla huffed. With a screech of her chair, she was out, Clarisse following in huffs and grumbles. “Why are you mad. There wasn’t even anything to get mad at there. Stressed much?”

No answer.

“Hey, I’m talking to you, get back.”

“I don’t know why I’m mad, it just put me on edge.”

“On edge? The meeting?… Why did you lie about Annabeth?” Clarisse caught up in a jog as Kayla leant against a tree in a sulk. She had placed Baby Pegasus down, who stood besides her with zero thoughts. “No, not the meeting. Just today. And- i didn’t want them thinking Annabeth had anything to do with causing that.”

“To be honest, Kayla,” Clarisse sighed, resting an arm against the tree. “It seemed like she did. The way it happened… it was off. And Luke has always been a weakness to her.”

“It doesn’t feel right. She wouldn’t. Annabeth is like me, alright? She’s… stubborn, and petty. Even with Luke there. I feel like, if she wanted revenge against the gods, she’d do it herself. I know I would. It’s…”

Clarisse softened her gaze when she saw the way Kayla averted her gaze. Sad. Always so sad now. “It’s what? You can tell me, go on.”

“My stupid stubborness, and my fatal flaw, I- it’s the only reason it stops me in my thoughts. Stops them getting so far.”

“Kayla, what are you trying to say? You’re speaking in riddles.”

“If I wasn’t so stubborn, and the Labyrinth never happened to me, maybe I’d be somewhere else right now. Besides Luke.”

For a second, Clarisse looked scared. Like she’d just woken from a bad nightmare. But then it softened. How? Kayla didn’t know. If Kayla was as unyielding in her ways as Clarisse, she would be running to get Kayla locked up for suggesting such a thing. “Well then, I’m glad you’re you.”

“I- what?”

“I said, I’m glad you’re you. I’m glad you’re stubborn, and- well, I’m not glad that the Labyrinth happened. But, I’m glad you know why not to go to Luke. And you’re right, alike to Annabeth. Even though Luke is a big weakness, she knows she can never do that. She wouldn’t let herself. I can understand that now you say it. It’s her. I trust her. And if I trust her, then I definitely trust you.” She finished, picking her chin up and leaning down to give her a gentle kiss on the side of her mouth. Kayla had to jog her mind a bit. Clarisse’s explanation wasn’t what she was expecting. She never even knew the girl could be so logical.

“You missed.”

Clarisse scolded herself with a playful scoff, ‘correcting’ her aim for a small peck on Kayla’s lips, her hands drifting to to catch her waist gently.

Please vote♡♡

I must have wrote this with a serious lack of braincells at the time because it took forever to edit😭 anyway finally got to it. I may add a few edits here and there and please tell me if there are parts that don’t make sense<3