Dr. Thorn was fast. Sure, maybe I could use my shield to defend against those spikes, but I wasn’t too confident about also being able to protect three other people. Plus, odds are I would just manage to dislocate my shoulder.

We needed backup. I closed my eyes.

Grover and I had been practising communicating using our empathy link. I had gotten better, but still needed to really focus.

“Keep moving, Jackson. What are you doing?” Thorn hissed at me.

I opened my eyes. “It’s just my shoulder. It burns.”

Thorn scowled. “My poison is supposed to cause pain. It will not kill you. Now, walk!”

I continued to  shuffle forward, following Thorn. I tried to concentrate again, picturing Grover’s face.

Grover! Thorn’s kidnapping us! He’s a spike throwing maniac. He’s taking us outside! Please help now!

Thorn marched us into the woods. We took a snow-covered path dimly lit by some old-fashioned looking lamps.

My shoulder ached. The wind was cold enough that I was worried I might get hypothermia.

“There is a clearing ahead,” Thorn said. “There we will summon your ride.”

“What ride?” Bianca demanded. “Where are you taking us?”

Thorn growled. “Silence, you insufferable girl!”

“Hey! Don’t talk to my sister that way!” Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed he had the guts to say anything.

I looked towards Piper. She gave me a determined look. I tried to give her a reassuring one in return. I’m not sure it showed through my grimace of pain.

Percy?

Grover!

Where are you?

Thorn took us into the woods. He’s taking us to a clearing.

We emerged out into the aforementioned clearing. We were at a cliff overlooking the sea.

Ok well, I couldn’t see the sea, but I could sense it, at least.

By the cliffs. I can sense the sea.

I think we can find you. Just hang on!

Thorn pushed us towards the cliff. I stumbled, and Piper caught me.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“How do we fight him?” Bianca asked.

“I’m working on it.”

“I’m scared,” Nico said. He was fiddling with something resembling a small toy soldier.

“I don’t blame you,” Piper said.

“Stop talking!” Thorn barked at us. “Face me.”

We turned towards him.

His eyes glittered in the moonlight. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. Switchblade. No, not a switchblade, a mobile phone. He pressed the side button and said into it, “The package is ready to be delivered.”

There was a reply I couldn’t make out. This was just weird - a monster using modern technology.

I glanced behind me, wondering how far the fall would be.

“By all means, Son - sorry - Daughter of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea, you can save yourself.

“What did he call you?” Bianca asked.

“I’ll explain later.”

Bianca looked confused. “Son, but you’re a girl?”

“He’s being rude.”

“You have a plan, right?” Piper asked, glancing over the cliff nervously, as if scared Thorn was about to throw us over the edge.

“The plan’s on its way,” I muttered, hoping Thorn didn’t hear me.

Maybe I could manage to protect the other 3 if they jumped with me. Maybe. I’ve done much stranger things with water in the past (don’t ever mention the bathroom incident in front of Clarisse).

“I would kill you before you even reached the water,” Thorn said, as if reading my mind. “You do not realise what, exactly, I am.”

There was a flicker of movement behind him, and another spike flew past me, barely missing my head. Something had appeared behind the monster, like a catapult, but more flexible. Like a tail.

“Unfortunately, you are wanted alive.” Thorn looked a bit disappointed. “Otherwise you would already be dead.”

“Who wants us?” Bianca demanded. “Because if you’re expecting some sort of ransom, you’re wrong. We don’t have any family. Nico and I-” Her voice broke. “It’s just the two of us. We only have each other.”

“Aww, how sweet,” Thorn said. “Do not worry, little brats. You will soon be meeting my employer. And then, you will have a new family.”

“Luke,” I said. “Your employer. You work for Luke.”

Thorn’s face morphed into a look of utter distaste at the sound of that name. “You have no idea what is coming, Perseus Jackson.”

I growled. “My name is Persephone.”

Thorn waved his hand dismissively. “It hardly matters. Soon, the general will enlighten you. You will do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you?”

Somehow I felt like I did not want to meet this general.

Thorn looked out towards the horizon. “Ah, here we are. Your transportation.”

I turned and saw a light in the distance. A searchlight. Then I heard the sounds of a helicopter. What the hell?

This was getting too weird.

“Where are you taking us?” Nico said.

“You should be honoured, boy. You will soon have the opportunity to join a grand army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls.”

“They’re not dolls! They’re figurines! And you can take your stupid army and shove it up your-”

“Now now,” Thorn chided him. “You will change your mind. And if you do not… well, there are other uses for half-bloods such as yourself. We have many mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway.”

“The Great what?” Piper and I asked at the same time.

“The stirring of monsters.” Thorn had a nasty smirk on his face. “The worst, the most powerful. They are waking. Monsters the likes of which have not been seen in millenia. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon, we shall have the most important monster of them all - the one to bring the fall of Olympus!”

“Okay,” Bianca said. “He’s clearly crazy.”

“We have to jump off the cliff,” I said. “Into the water. I can protect us then. In the sea.”

“You’re crazy too!”

I never got the chance to argue my point, because right then an invisible force slammed into the 4 of us, bringing us to the ground.

Annabeth’s move was brilliant. Wearing her cap, she was able to plough right into us, knocking us to the ground, avoiding Thorn’s first volley of spikes, which flew harmlessly over us. This moment of distraction was all Thalia and Grover needed to advance on the monster from behind.

If you’ve never seen Thalia march into battle, count yourself lucky. The sight is terrifying. She uses this spear that collapses into a small mace canister when not using it, but that’s nothing next to her shield. It’s modelled after one her dad, Zeus, uses, which goes by the same name of Aegis. The scary part was the bronze mould of the head of the gorgon, Medusa. The shield won’t turn you to stone, but it’s so terrifying regardless, any sane enemy would turn and run.

Thorn winced and growled at the sight.

Thalia charged right in. “For Zeus!”

She jabbed at Thorn’s head, but he just snarled and swatted away the spear, his hand morphing, turning into an orange paw with large claws. Those same claws scraped against Thalia’s shield. If it hadn’t been for Aegis, Thalia would have been sliced up.

The helicopter was getting louder, but I didn’t dare turn around to look.

Thorn launched more spikes towards Thalia, and I could finally see how he did it. He had a tail, almost like a scorpion’s tail bristling with spikes at the tip that glinted in the moonlight. The spikes impact Thalia’s shield, knocking her to the ground.

Grover charged in, bringing his reed pipes to his mouth. He started playing - a frantic jig. Grass started breaking through the snow, wrapping around Thorn’s legs.

Thorn roared and started changing. He grew larger. His face remained human, but his body changed to that of a large lion, his tail launching spikes in multiple directions.

“A manticore!” Annabeth said, now visible, her Yankees cap having fallen off after knocking us over. “Not good.”

“Who are you people?” Bianca asked. “And what is that thing?”

“A manticore,” Piper said, breathless. “But how-”

“A manticore?” Nico interrupted excitedly. “He’s got 3000 attack power, and a plus five to saving throws!”

What?!

The manticore clawed Grover’s grass to shreds, breaking free. He turned to face us.

“Get down!” Annabeth said, grabbing Nico and Piper and pulling them down to the snow, and Bianca quickly followed suit.

At the last second, I remembered my own shield, and I smacked the button on my watch. Metal plating spiralled out, forming into my bronze shield. Barely a second later, the spikes impacted with enough force, it dented the bronze plating. Great, first ever time using it outside of training at camp, and it was already ruined. I got the feeling it wouldn’t be stopping any more spikes.

I heard a loud smack and a yelp, and Grover landed in the snow next to me.

“Yield!” the monster shouted.

“Never!” Thalia called from across the clearing, readying her spear and shield to charge again.

I thought she would run him through, but then there was a loud noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter had appeared out of the fog, hovering just beyond the cliff. It was a sleek black military model, with gun attachments on the sides that looked suspiciously like guided missiles.

It had to be piloted by mortals, but what were mortals doing working with a monster?

The searchlights blinded Thalia, and Thorn was able to smack her aside with his tail. Her shield and spear flew away from her, and she landed hard in the snow.

“No!” I ran to help her, parrying a spike that nearly impaled her chest. I raised my shield, but I knew it would not be enough.

Thorn laughed. “Now do you see? How hopeless it all is? Yield, and you will be spared.”

We were trapped between Thorn and the helicopter. We had no chance. But I wasn’t ready to give up.

Then I heard the piercing sound of a hunting horn. The manticore froze. For a moment, nobody made a move or sound, save for the whistling of the wind and the helicopter.

“No!” Thorn said. “It cannot be-”

He was cut short when something shot past me - a silver arrow like a streak moonlight, now sprouting from Thorn’s furry shoulder.

He staggered backward, yelling in pain.

“Curse you!” He sent a volley of spikes into the woods where the arrow had come from, but more silvery arrows shot back to him in reply, as if they had intersected the spikes in midair and sliced them in two, but that wasn’t possible, right? No one could shoot that well.

The manticore yanked the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. He was breathing heavily, and I tried to swipe at him with my sword, but he just dodged out of the way. It probably didn’t help that my shoulder was still aching something fierce. Thorn slammed his tail against my shield, sending me flying.

Then the archers emerged from the woods. They were all girls, around a dozen. The youngest was probably around ten, and the oldest around my age, fourteen. They all wore silver parkas and silvery jeans. They were all armed with bows, all with another silvery arrow ready to fire, more sitting in quivers slung over their backs. They advanced on the Manticore, determined expressions on their faces.

“The Hunters!” Annabeth exclaimed.

“Oh, wonderful,” Thalia muttered.

I didn’t have time to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward. She was tall and had coppery skin. One thing that made her stand out from the other girls was a silver circlet braided into the top of her hair, making her look like a princess. “Permission to kill, my lady?”

I couldn’t tell who she had addressed since she kept her eyes on the monster.

Thorn wailed. “This is not fair! Direct interference is against the divine laws!”

“Not so,” another girl said. This one was a little younger than the girl with the circlet, maybe around 12. She had auburn hair in a ponytail. Her eyes were silvery-yellow, like the moon. Her face was beautiful, with a stern expression. “The hunting of all wild beasts falls within my domain, and you, foul creature, are a wild beast.” She looked to circlet girl. “Permission granted, Zoë.”

Thorn growled. “If i cannot have these half-bloods alive, I will have them dead!” He lunged towards Thalia and me, knowing we would be unable to fight back.

“No!” Annabeth yelled, and she charged.

“Get back, Half-Blood!” Zoë yelled. “Get out of the line of fire!”

But Annabeth jumped onto the monster’s back, plunging her knife into its mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles, his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life.

“Fire!” Zoë yelled.

“No!” Thalia and I yelled.

But the hunters let their arrows fly. One hit Thorn in the neck. Another in his chest. He staggered back, closer to the edge of the cliff. “This is not the end, Huntress. You will pay!”

And before anyone could do anything, he leaped over the edge, Annabeth still clinging to his back, the two of them tumbling into the darkness.

“Annabeth!” I yelled. I started to run to the cliff, intending to jump after her, but I had forgotten about the helicopter.

There was a sound of gunfire, and the Hunters scattered, dodging away from the bullets as they impacted the snow, but the auburn haired girl stood her ground.

“Mortals are not allowed to witness my hunt,” she announced, waving her hand.

The helicopter exploded, dissolving into a flock of birds - ravens.

The Hunter re-grouped and turned towards us, advancing.

Zoë stopped short when she saw Thalia. “You,” she said with distaste.

“Zoë Nightshade.” Thalia sounded angry. “Perfect timing, as usual.”

Zoë looked over the rest of us. “Five half-bloods and a satyr, my lady.”

The auburn haired girl stepped up to us. “Yes, some of Chiron’s campers.”

“Annabeth! We have to save her!” I yelled.

The girl turned to me. “I’m sorry, Persephone Jackson, but your friend is beyond help right now.”

I tried to get to my feet, but one of the other girls held me down.

“You are in no condition to be throwing yourself off cliffs,” the auburn haired girl said.

“Let me go!” I shouted. “I need to save her!”

Zoë shot me a pitying look.

“Who do you think you are?” I said.

The girl smiled softly.

Zoë turned to the girl.

“I sense no disrespect, Zoë. She is distraught, of course.”

She turned to me, looking me in the eyes. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t - those silvery eyes were too captivating. “I am Artemis. Goddess of the hunt.”