War Mantle (Dancing with Death part 3)

A Red Dawn Rises

Ali was caught between the Greeks and Romans with no idea what to do next. Her worst fear had come to light. Clarisse had gone behind her back and rallied the campers for an attack despite knowing that the Athena Parthenos was nearly there.

Her chest tightened when she didn't see Tyler, Aubrey, Thomas, Owen, or her sisters. Whatever Clarisse has done to keep them from the fight had been a stupid move. Her friends were some of the best fighters in the camp. Things would go much worse without them.

"Form ranks!" The Romans surged forward into a tight defensive formation, monsters growling on either side.

A flock of Pegasi appeared overhead, lugging the Athena Parthenos with them. Reyna directed them to place it at the crest of Half-blood Hill. She raised her sword and shouted over the clamor. "A gift from the Romans to the Greeks."

All the half-bloods wavered.

Suddenly, the ground shook and an eerie voice echoed through the trees. I wake.

Ali's heart skipped a beat as the monsters turned on the Romans, teeth bared, brandishing weapons and claws. "Gods of Olympus." That's all she managed before the flood of monsters surged forward.
                                    *   *   *
Golden dust plumed through the air as Ali turned on the next monster.

The mass of creatures had separated the half-bloods. A majority of the Greeks had retreated to the Athena Parthenos, while the Roman legion formed an island in the midst of the hostile crowd.

Suddenly, Ali found herself back-to-back with Clarisse.

"Where are my sisters and the others." Ali snapped as she drove her blade through a monsters chest.

"You mean you're only real supporters?" Clarisse ducked one of the creature's attacks and Ali spun, slicing its head from its shoulders. "They're safe." She stabbed an oncoming monster.

"Where?" Ali pressed, cutting down another opponent. She could feel flames tingling under her skin.

Clarisse sighed in exasperation. "I locked them in the Big House, okay?"

"No!" Ali swung her sword in a wide arc to fend off a group of two-headed creatures. "That is definitely not okay!" She plunged her sword through one of her attackers and it crumbled to dust. She spun and stepped around Clarisse, cutting down a monster that was about to attack. She faced the daughter of Ares, ghostly flames trailing down her sword. "Go. Get. Them."

"But-" She protested.

"Now Clarisse!" Ali kicked a monster in the chest. Flipping her sword backwards in her hand, she sliced her arm back, tearing ugly gashes through monster flesh.

The daughter of Ares took a step back, then turned and bolted, fighting her way towards camp.
                                *   *   *
Ali wasn't sure what to expect when a flaming boat dropped out of the sky like a meteorite, but it certainly wasn't Percy and Annabeth appearing out of nowhere to join the fight. They were followed by Jason Grace and Piper McLean flying to the ground and a large eagle depositing Hazel Levesque near the Roman legion, the transforming into the bulky form of Frank Zhang.

Ali had to pause. The Seven were supposed to be halfway around the world. How had they gotten here so fast? And where was Leo Valdez?

"Ali!" A golden flaming arrow whizzed passed her head and embedded itself into a monster's eye socket.

She spun to find Tyler standing just outside the horde of monsters with his bow raised. Owen, Aubrey, and Thomas we're behind him, weapons drawn.

Ali couldn't see her sisters, but, to the left of the Parthenos, a rain of arrows bombarded the monsters. Meg rode through the horde astride Baron's back, snapping up hostiles in his massive jaws and bashing them aside with his heavy tail.

One of campers went down with a scream, drawing Ali back to the battle.

A wolffish creature had tackled a girl to the ground, it's claws digging into her chest.

"No!" Ali dropped her sword, grabbed her bow, and drew back an arrow. Silver flames ignited along the shaft, blazing brighter than she'd ever seen.

When the arrow made contact with the monster's hide, it's fur blazed with ghostly fire. It whimpered and stumbled backwards into the horde, spreading the flames.

She slung her bow back over her shoulder and rushed over to the injured girl, snatching up her sword. She knelt next to the girl, who was bleeding profusely from the deep gashes in her chest. She struggled to breathe, blood gargling in her lungs.

Ali sighed, pressing her hand against the girl's bloody shoulder, muttered a blessing, and sliced her throat.

The girl immediately stilled, staring blankly at the sky.

Ali rose, gripping her sword with white knuckles. Silver flames burned in her eyes. She rushed forward, slashing through monsters with renewed ferocity.

Somehow Tyler managed to fight his way to her side. He stood back-to-back with her, ghostly golden flames licking the blade of his sword and burning in his eyes.

Ali glanced at his free hand, encased in flames. "Tyler."

He turned and followed her gaze. Immediately catching on, he grabbed her free hand and their flames raged stronger. New vigor and power rushed through their bodies and the pair bombarded the enemy in a dangerous dance.

Ali noticed a creature out of the corner of her eye and spun under Tyler's arm to stab it with her blazing sword. Twirling back around, she cut down another monster on her side.

Suddenly, the whole earth shook, jerking them apart and dropping several half-bloods to their knees. The ground turned to quicksand, sucking the campers into itself.

An echoey laugh reverberated from the land itself. Did you really think that statue could hold me back for long?

Ali struggled against the earth as it pulled her deeper, quickly surpassing her waist. As she pushed against he ground, her hands sank as well, immobilizing her arms. This was it. This was where it all ended. They'd failed.