CHAPTER TWO:
TO STORM OR FIRE

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ANNAIS REGRETTED NOT FIGHTING harder to be Piper's partner. After ten minutes spent listening to Leo's endless chatter, she was ready to pitch herself down the Grand Canyon. She wished she had the liberty to tune him out like Jason was doing, but Leo seemed more determined than ever to annoy her in particular, poking her cheek and jabbing her in the ribs with his elbow whenever she started to space out. Finally, after what felt like forever, he spared a frown in Jason's direction.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked. Jason was looking awfully pale and sweaty as he grabbed onto the railing -- Annais might've guessed that it was a reaction to how high up they were, but there was pain to his eyes that spoke of something much deeper. She was concerned for a moment before she quickly pushed the thought away. Until she knew who he was, she was not taking chances.

"I'm fine," he stuttered breathlessly. "Just a headache."

In time with his words, thunder rumbled above them. A cold wind almost knocked the three of them sideways off the bridge, forcing Annais to reluctantly grab hold of Jason's bicep to keep herself upright. The muscle pulled taut under her touch and Annais quickly stepped away, sparing an uneasy glance at the rather fragile bridge she stood upon.

"This can't be safe," Leo muttered as he followed her line of sight. "Storm's right over us but it's clear all the way around. Weird, huh?"

"For once, I agree with you," Annais murmured, so quiet they almost didn't hear her. Dark, roaring clouds were gathering in a perfect circle right above the skywalk, but the rest of the sky in every direction was crystal clear. Her stomach twisted with nerves at the sight. Something was going to happen, she could feel it in her bones.

"Alright, cupcakes!" Gleeson yelled. He was also watching the storm like it bothered him too. "We may have to cut this short so get to work! Remember, complete sentences!"

The storm rumbled again, a wince flickering across Jason's face. From where she was peering over the edge, Annais spied him reaching into his pocket. Immediately, she was spinning around, her hand reaching for her ring incase. However, nothing bad happened as he brought out a coin, a perfect circle of gold the size of a half-dollar but thicker. Stamped on one side was a picture of a battle-axe while the other showed off some guy Annais didn't recognise wreathed in laurels. She frowned at it, uncertainty washing over her.

"Dang, is that gold?" Leo gasped in delight. "You've been holding out on us."

Jason quickly put the coin away when he caught Annais and Leo looking, but Annais saw no fear pass through his eyes. It was almost a protective sort of instinct, like how she responded whenever somebody pointed out 'how pretty' her ring was.

"It's nothing," he muttered. "Just a coin."

Leo shrugged at him, unconcerned. "Come on," he preened. "I dare you to spit over the edge."

"You never fail to gross me out, Valdez," Annais groaned as she reluctantly followed the boy over to an empty spot.

Neither boy tried very hard to complete the worksheet, thus leaving it up to Annais to jot down some half-assed answers that she was sure were both incorrect and severely misspelt. It seemed Jason was too distracted by the storm to pay attention, his eyes not once leaving where the clouds were growing darker and darker. As for Leo, he was too busy building a helicopter out of pipe cleaners, his nimble fingers moving this way and that to perfect the little machine.

"Check it out," he declared to them as he launched the copter into the air like some sort of high-tech paper plane. Annais barely spared it a glance, having eventually grown used to Leo's ability to make something out of nothing, but Jason watched on in shock as the pipe-cleaner blades actually spun, the copter travelling halfway across the canyon before it lost momentum and spiralled into the emptiness below them.

"How'd you do that?"

"Magic," Annais muttered, heavy sarcasm to her words that Jason didn't seem to catch.

Leo just shrugged when the blonde boy turned to raise an eyebrow at him. "It would've been cooler if I had some rubber bands."

"Seriously," Jason drawled in amazement. "Are we friends?"

No, Annais thought with a roll of her eyes, but Leo seemed to have another response in mind. "Last I checked."

"You sure? What was the first day we met? What did we talk about?"

Annais didn't like how he was quizzing Leo. It seemed desperate almost, like some sort of challenge, and had a pit growing in her stomach only made worse by the presence of the storm. First Jason showed up out of nowhere, now this. There was no way it was a coincidence. Annais had gone three-and-a-half months with no issues at the Wilderness School, then this blonde boy wonder appeared like something out of a magic trick and everything was going to shit.

"It was..." Leo frowned, trailing off when he couldn't think of a response. "I don't know exactly. I'm ADHD, man, you can't expect me to remember details."

"What about you, Annais?" Jason turned to her next. "You told me you don't remember me. Surely you would if Leo and Piper do."

"You said that?" Leo huffed at her but she refused to say anything as Jason continued on with his rambles.

"But I don't remember you at all. I don't remember anyone here. What if--"

"You're right and everyone else is wrong?" he asked, casting an unusually frustrated glance in Annais' direction when she remained tight-lipped. He didn't understand what she said to Jason, that much was evident, but she stood by it. She didn't remember him. Why would she lie and say she did when she didn't? "You think you just appeared this morning and everyone but Annais somehow has fake memories of you?"

Jason just sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Annais watched him apprehensively as he glanced around the skywalk, eyes locking in on Gleeson with a sudden determined gleam. "Take the worksheet." He shoved the piece of paper into Leo's hands before he could protest, rising to his feet and dusting his jeans off. "I'll be right back."

With that, Annais was left with a silent Leo. She wasn't used to him being so quiet with her, it made her feel wrong almost, like everything was out of place. But she wouldn't push him, not while he was convinced that Jason had been there all along when Annais knew for a fact that he wasn't. For a few minutes, she watched as Jason and a cautious Gleeson conversed, then suddenly lighting was crackling overhead. The wind picked up with a vengeance, sweeping Annais' pin-straight hair over her shoulders and worksheets flying into the abyss. Beneath them, the entire bridge shuddered and groaned like it was struggling to hold up their weight. Kids screamed, stumbling and grabbing the rails in terror.

"Son of a bitch," Annais cursed as she helped Leo up. "Just my luck."

"Everyone inside! The cow says moo. Off the skywalk!"

"I thought you said this was stable," Annais heard Jason shout over the wind.

"Under normal circumstances," Gleeson agreed gravely. "Which these aren't."

As they began to rush off the skywalk, the storm churned into a miniature hurricane. Funnel clouds were snaking down towards them like the tendrils of a demon, taunting Annais with memories she'd much rather forget. She clung to Leo's arm, their tension long forgotten as they struggled to reach the doors. Speaking of Leo, he almost lost his balance and topped over the railing with Annais in tow, but Jason was quick to grab the back of his army jacket and momentarily loop an arm around the dark-haired girl's waist.

"Thanks, man!" Leo cried gratefully while Annais muttered a hesitant 'thank you' of her own.

They continued up the bridge with Gleeson ushering them worriedly. A few feet away, Piper and Dylan were holding the doors open, herding everybody else inside. Piper's snowboarding jacket was being blown away by the wind, her curls and braids flying into her face to block her vision. Despite this, though, she looked calm and collected, assuring terrified kids that it would be okay and encouraging them to keep moving. Annais was much like Piper, though a horrified feeling was burrowing deep into her chest. Jason had made no move to attack; if he wasn't the monster, that meant somebody else was, and they'd been under her nose the entire time.

Just before they could reach the safety of the museum, Piper and Dylan pushed one more kid inside then lost their grip on the doors. The hunks of metal slammed shut, leaving them outside and defenceless. Piper tugged at the handles with wide eyes. Inside, kids started to pound on the glass, but the doors seemed to be stuck.

"Dylan, help!"

The boy just laughed, an idiotic grin tugging at his lips like he was suddenly enjoying the storm. "Sorry, Piper, I'm done helping."

With an idle flick of his wrist, Piper was flying backward and slamming into the doors, sliding down to the skywalk deck in a daze. Annais screamed in anger; of course it was him. She should've figured it out on the first day when he was so insistent on being her friend. Annais just thought he was some weirdo who thought she was pretty and wanted to try his luck, but now she knew the truth. He was the monster, the wolf in sheep's clothing, and Annais would be damned if she let him get in the way of her mission. She said it with Jason now she would say it with him; Annais was going to bring him down.

"Gleeson," she muttered over to the satyr in question, eyes bright with fury. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You bet I am," he grumbled with the same tone of annoyance. "Jason, Leo, you stay behind us. This is our fight, we should've known that was our monster."

"We know now," Annais gave an odd chuckle, playing with the ring on her finger as she eyed Dylan up and down, looking for his strengths and weaknesses. "Don't worry, boys, he won't be around for long."

"What?" Leo demanded, aghast. A rogue worksheet slapped him in the face but he swatted it away in disbelief. "What monster? And Annais, did you just insinuate murder? I know Dylan is annoying, but come on--"

Suddenly, Gleeson's hat blew off, revealing the two horns sticking through his curly hair. Knowing his cover was blown, he swung his baseball bat three times and in its place was a crudely shaped tree-branch club with twigs and leaves still attached; his favourite weapon. At the same time, Annais shrugged off her leather jacket to reveal muscled arms earnt from hours and upon hours of training. She slipped off her ring, squeezing it twice before the handle of a bronze sword appeared in her hand.

"What the fuck, Annais?" Leo screamed but he was ignored; she only had eyes for Dylan and his death.

The monster gave another creepy smile like he expected nothing less from them. "Yeah, Annais, what the fuck?"

She crept closer to him, sword raising before her chest threateningly. There was a dark glint in her eyes that no one but Gleeson had ever seen before; it was terrifying. Annais Min made gods weep and beg for mercy. A puny monster like Dylan would be no different. She would not stop until Leo, Piper and now Jason were safe at Camp and Dylan's blood was on her hands.

"You're going to die today, Dylan," she cackled, eyeing the dark shadow around him with glee. "I can see it."

Dylan inhaled sharply but ignored the jab, looking between her and Gleeson with his smile still firmly in place. "Oh, come on. Let the boy attack me. After all, Gleeson, you're getting too old for this. Isn't that why they retired you to this stupid school? And you, Annais, almighty daughter of death. I've been in your grade the entire semester, hunting you down like the rat you are, and you didn't even know. You're losing your game."

Gleeson made an angry sound like an animal bleating, raising his club above his head with a sneer. "That's it, cupcake, you're going down."

"You think you can protect three half-bloods at once, old man?" Dylan threw his head back in a laugh. "Good luck."

"He's not alone."

Dylan tutted. As much as he hated to admit it, Annais Min was right. He was no match for both her and Gleeson. But if he could get under her skin somehow... With a spark of realisation, Dylan pointed at Leo. A funnel cloud materialised around him and he was tossed off the sidewalk, quickly disappearing from sight as he fell screaming through the open air.

"Fuck, Leo!" Annais screamed in terror. She stared at Dylan with fury. "You'll pay for that, monster."

At the same time, Gleeson cursed and tossed Jason his infamous club. "I don't care who you are, kid, but I hope you're good. Help Annais keep that thing busy while I get Leo."

"Get him how?" Jason demanded as he held the club awkwardly. His eyes darted between Gleeson, who was rubbing his hands together in preparation, and Annais, who was swinging her sword around and smirking at Dylan, though there was worry in her eyes as she listened to Leo's cries for help. "You going to fly?"

"Not fly. Climb."

Behind her, Annais heard Jason give a gasp. From the corner of her eye, she watched Gleeson with his hooves out leap over the railing. He sailed towards the canyon without hesitation, dodging whirlwinds that tried to attack him as he picked his way towards where Leo clung in terror. Above him, Dylan cooed. "Isn't that cute? Now it's your turn, Annais Min. I shall be your reckoning, then I'll defeat the boy."

In a huff of anger, Jason threw the club. Annais gaped at him, watching in surprise as it curved and smacked Dylan on the head so hard he fell to his knees. Huh, she thought warily, maybe Jason might be helpful after all. As she raised her sword again, Piper appeared with fingers closed around the club. Before she could bring it down onto Dylan's head, however, he rose with golden blood trickling from his forehead.

"Nice try, boy." He glared at Jason. "But Annais can tell you that you'll have to do better."

Right before her eyes, Dylan's body dissolved into smoke, his limbs falling away piece-by-piece. He had the same ugly face with the same blinding smile but his whole form was suddenly composed of swirling black vapour, eyes like electric sparks in a living storm cloud. With a sprouting of black smoky wings, he hovered above them and gave a wicked, earth-shaking kind of laugh.

"You're a ventus," Jason said. Annais frowned suspiciously at him. "A storm spirit."

"How do you know that?" she demanded.

But she was cut off by Dylan's laugh. "I'm glad I waited, demigod. Leo and Piper, I've known about for weeks. Could've killed them at any time if it wasn't for Annais following them around like a lost puppy. But my mistress said a third was coming -- someone special; she'll reward me for your death, I'm sure."

In time with his words, two more funnel clouds appeared on either side of him. Annais groaned; just her luck, she needed to take down three. Before she could charge, however, Dylan raised his hand and arcs of electricity ran between his fingers, blasting Jason from his feet and sending him sprawling along the ground. The force caused Piper to stumble back, Gleeson's club tumbling off the skywalk and disappearing into the abyss. Annais felt rage like no other pooling in her veins. She was tired of watching and waiting.

"Enough!" she screamed with enough fury to shake the whole canyon. "Face me, storm spirit, as you should have done months ago!"

The funnels laughed, wind raging. Dylan lowered to an inch above the floor, head cocked like a rabid dog. "If you insist, Death Incarnate."

A sword materialised in one hand, a shield in the other. Annais breathed in, breathed out, then she was charging. Metal clanged against metal with an almighty screech, their movements so fast that Annais was a blur of colour enraptured by tendrils of darkness. For six almost seven years, Annais had trained relentlessly to be a soldier. The sword was like an extension of her arm, a piece of herself, and Annais Min was an invincible warrior. Through the chaos, she spied Piper stumbling to her feet and Jason rolling over to watch her in surprise. Gleeson was just climbing the cliff with Leo on his back, so close yet so far from where he was needed. In a sudden gust of wind, Annais was roaring across the skywalk and skidding to a stop right beside Jason, chest rising and falling as she struggled to retain air.

"Stop," the blonde boy croaked from beside her. He rose unsteadily to his feet, much to the surprise of both Annais and the spirits.

"How are you alive?" Dylan hissed. "That was enough lightning to kill twenty men."

Jason chuckled darkly. "My turn."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold coin. Annais wanted to scream at him, but the sound died in her throat when he flipped the coin with ease and caught a double-edged golden sword in his palm like it was made for him. The next few moments passed in a blur; Piper was helping Annais to her feet, awkwardly pushing her own weapon back into her hands while Jason defeated Dylan's fellow spirits. Gleeson finally leaped into the skywalk and tossed Leo to the ground like a sack of flour.

"Spirits, fear me!" he bellowed, flexing his arms with a glare. Then he looked around and realised there was only Dylan. "Really, Min? Didn't you leave some for me? You know I like a challenge."

Annais frowned at him, grudgingly gesturing over to a frozen Jason. "Don't look at me, Gleeson, he was the one that took them down."

Gleeson seemed shocked, though he didn't have the chance to respond when Leo got to his feet. He looked humiliated, his hands bleeding from clawing at the rocks, and incredibly confused. "Yo, Coach Supergoat, whatever you are -- I just fell down the freaking Grand Canyon! Stop asking for challenges!"

Dylan hissed at them, but Annais noticed with great satisfaction that his eyes were fearful. "You have no idea how many enemies you've awakened, half-bloods. My mistress will destroy all demigods. This war, Annais Min, you cannot win. And you will die just like she did."

Annais' heart dropped, her anger returning stronger than ever. How dare he mention her like she meant nothing? Above them, the storm exploded into a full-force gale. Cracks expanded beneath their feet, sheets or rain pouring down and wind so strong Annais had to kneel and hold Jason's arm to stay in her place. A hole suddenly tore up in the clouds, a swirling vortex of black and silver.

"The mistress calls me back," Dylan cried. "And you, demigod, will come with me."

He lunged at Jason but Annais got in his way, her sword arcing through the air and coming down onto his arm. He howled, Annais' eyes meeting Piper and understanding coursing between them. Piper tackled the monster from behind, both of them sprawling into a heap of messy limbs. Annais screamed, sword high above the spirit's head; she stabbed and stabbed, annoyed as he frantically forced Piper and the others away