In the Shadows

The Egyptian magicians, especially those that follow the path of the gods, are faced with a new threat. Even though the main embodiment of Chaos has been vanquished, evil can still be ressurected through the natural chaos that lies within the world. This time, the threat the 21st Nome must face will be birthed in the darkness, and be lurking in the shadows.

Magicians
Callie (ShelatheWolf)

Katrina (Crystal1999)

Sadie (Crystal1999)

Carter (ShelatheWolf)

Walt

Zia (ShelatheWolf)

Felix (ShelatheWolf)

Gods/Goddesses
Bast (Crystal1999)

Isis (Crystal1999)

Nepthys (ShelatheWolf)

Kauket (ShelatheWolf)

Pestit (ShelatheWolf)

Erebus (ShelatheWolf)

Greek Gods/Goddess
Airis (Crystal1999)

Others
Sally Jackson (ShelatheWolf)

Percy Jackson (ShelatheWolf)

Jade (Crystal1999)

Malcolm (ShelatheWolf)

Annabeth (ShelatheWolf)

Before the Dawn
Callie dragged herself out of bed, strolling to the balcony to gaze at the river, reminded of the heavy duties that she carried. Sighing, Callie travelled downstairs. Since she was the first one up, she went to the gym and practiced forms in the first glimpses of the dawn light. Callie retrieved her long, slender staff out of the Du'at. The blue green stone near the head of the staff glowed as she slowly carried water on its tip, releasing it in a devestating strike that blasted the wooden target into splinters.

While she was practicing, a faint movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Callie stopped and focused on the rays of orange light that peered through the windows, and she almost thought she saw a woman walking in the mist of the rays.

"Help me..." a voice whispered, barely reaching Callie's ears.

Callie looked back and forth, trying to locate the voice. "Who are you?" she questioned.

More clearly now, a woman appeared in the light. She had soft features, and her eyes were the same color of the light. Her hair gently swayed, dancing like the dawn light. "Help me..." she repeated. "I am weak..." The woman faded back before Callie could reach her, leaving only the light.

"Well, I could've helped you if a knew more..." Callie muttered, swinging her staff in mock practice positions, determined to be as good with a staff as she was with her bronze sword.

Suddenly Katrina walked into the gym, her red hair pulled up and her training clothes on. Spotting Callie, she walked over. "Hey Callie..."

"Hey Katrina," Callie greeted, as she continued practicing using her staff as an extention of herself, in order to be better acquainted with it in battle.

Katrina pulled her staff out of the Du'at. "Couldn't sleep either?"

Callie shook her head. "Too much on my mind, and I just wasn't tired," she stated. Although, that was only half true. She was woken by a nightmare, where a mass of darkness had swallowed all of her friends, both Egyptian and Greek. Voices taunted her from the depths of Tartarus and the Du'at. She tried to fight them off, but the darkness, like a plague, dried up all the water around, and the water gods, including Nepthys, went silent, as well as her father Poseidon, leaving her alone to face the growing shadow. Callie shook the thought from her head, and tried to continue focusing on her training.

Katrina muttered something under her breath and a golden hieroglyphic appeared over the top of her staff. She blew it towards one of the targets which exploded moments later. "Yes! I finally did it without blowing up the gym!"

Callie glanced at Katrina. "Yeah, it's amazing how durable this gym is, and trust me, I blew up the gym several times myself. I also flooded it..."

"You flooded the gym?"

"My powers are...interesting. While trying to control them, I sorta exploded the water pipes," Callie explained sheepishly.

"Oh, yeah. Sadie told me about that... Didn't you make the toilet explode on Carter?"

"Yep, that was me..." Callie answered slowly, stifling a laugh.

"Man, I wish I could have seen the look on his face...." Katrina said, absent-mindedly twirling her staff around.

Laughter and footsteps alerted the girls that the others were up, and that breakfast was ready. After breakfast, Callie slipped out to go for a walk, still thinking about her dream and the woman in the light. Somehow, she felt like it was connected, but she couldn't explain how.

Seeing Callie slip out, Katrina trailed behind her, charming her feet so the wouldn't make any noise.

Callie walked, and ended up going towards her mom's apartment, where she ran into her.

Sally's groceries scattered, and Callie immediately bent down to help.

"Thank you- Callie!" Her mom looked up to see her, and embraced her.

"Hi mom," Callie gasped, her oxygen line stopped by her mom's vice-like grip.

She let go, and picked up her groceries. "So, how is school doing?" she asked, refering to both actual school and the Brooklyn House.

"I'm doing fine, though my trig teacher has it in for me..." Callie scuffed her shoe across the sidewalk.

Sally shook her head. "You and Percy both are lucky to pass each year," she commented, though she meant no accusation. "So is there something on your mind, sweetie?" she asked softly.

Callie met her mom's gaze, grateful for her understanding. She only knew her real mom for about a year, but she already treated her like she was always there. "Yeah, I thought about going to Camp. I had a dream last night, and I thought I'd try to ask Annabeth about it," Callie told her.

"Okay, good luck," Sally gave her a half hug with one arm. "Percy went there for the weekend to see Annabeth. If you see him, tell him I said that I miss him."

"Alright mom, bye!" Callie kept walking, her hands deep in her pockets, as she headed towards Long Island, contemplating whether or not she should summon Petra.

Katrina started trailing her. ''What do you think she ment by camp? ''she thought.

''I have no idea. ''Bast replied.

Katrina jumped at the sudden appearence of the goddess in her head, ducking behind a building so she wouldn't be seen by Callie. Why do you always do that?

Bast chuckeled in reply. ''How else am I supposed to get you attention? By the way, I suggest turining into a cat so it won't be so easy for Callie to spot you. Your bright red hair doesn't exactly blend into the crowd.''

Katrina faced-palmed herself, quickly steping into the shadows. Why didn't I think of that?

She shrunk down into a black and white cat. She bounded after Callie, agily weaving in and out of the crowds and jumping over many obstacles.

Callie sped up to make it there in a reasonable time, quickly jogging there. Approaching the hill, she passed through the pillars and entered Camp Halfblood. Unwilling to draw much attention, she walked directly towards the Athena cabin.

Malcolm was sitting in front of the cabin, reading. He looked up when Callie came up towards him.

"Hey, do you know where Annabeth and Percy are?" she asked.

"They're at the lake, probably making out or something. They just got back from that pizza place they always go off to," he replied, looking back down at his book.

"Thanks," Callie called over her shoulder as she went to the lake. On the way, she ran into Jade. "Oh, hi," she greeted her.

"Hey Callie. Where have you been?" Jade asked.

Katrina had sliped into the camp, the barriers not holding her out, surprisingly. She saw the campers practicing their sword figthing skills in the arena and practicing their aim at the target practice lanes. Ok, something is definently going on here... Suddenly, she saw Jade talking to Callie. Wait, how come she never told me she went to camp?  Katrina almost ran into one of the campers and decided that it would be safer if she was invisable. She quickly cast the spell from behind one of the many cabins on the lawn and rushed over to where Callie and Jade were.

"Oh, school and stuff. You know how it is," Callie replied, referring to her and Percy's historically proven need for boarding schools for the troubled.

"Yeah. If you were looking for Annabeth, she and Percy just went up to the lake."

"Thanks, Malcolm just told me." Callie said as she ran towards the lake. She saw Percy and Annabeth there, fingers interlaced. "Hey!"

Percy and Annabeth jumped at her sudden arrival. "Oh, hi Callie. What brings you here?" Percy greeted her.

"Had a dream, and I was going to go crazy just hanging around the House." Callie sat down beside them. "Have you noticed anything usual, especially something shadow related?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Only thing in the shadows is Fang. He decided he wanted to scare a few us by sneaking through the shadow of a tree the other day, other than that, shadow are shadows."

Not comforted, Callie stood up. "Just watch out, okay? Oh, by the way, Mom said 'hi'." She waved goodbye to them, then hurried out of the camp.

Katrina raced after Callie. What do you think that girl ment by travilling through the shadows? Katrina asked. When she got no reply, she continued to chase Callie, trying to resist the cat's urge to hunt the rat that she just spotted on the ground.

Not far outside the camp, Callie stopped, dead in her tracks. A faint growling noise made the hair on the back of her neck rise. A beast jumped out of the shadows and lunged at Callie. She rolled over and leaped up, facing a black telekhine. Somehow, it was alone, unlike its breed. Snarling, it jumped at Callie, foam drigging from its jaws.

Callie pulled off her arm band and it immediately morphed into a bronze blade, perfectly balanced in her hands. She swiped at its neck, but it arched upwards and the sword only grazed its underbelly. It connected with her shoulder and sank its razor sharp teeth into her flesh. She stifled a scream in pain, then flipped it off, already coming at it with her sword.

The telekhine whimpered as Callie's sword sliced through its side. It crumbled to dust, blowing away in the wind. Starled, Callie realized that the dust was black, unusual for defeated monsters. She now contemplated the dark shade of the telekhine, and that it was bigger than normal, and alone.

She plucked a tooth out of her bloody shoulder, a spoil of war that she intended on adding to her necklace of teeth. Sighing, Callie reached into the Du'at and pulled out some ambrosia, which she kept for times like this, since she didn't have time to go back to the camp. She told herself that she needed to return to Camp some other time to replenish her supplies. As the golden square melted into her mouth, she could already feel the skin mending on her shoulder. Speeding up to a slow run, she headed back for the Brooklyn House.

''What in Ra's name just happened?! Monsters don't dissolve into dust, and where in the world did that sword come from???'' Katrina questioned Bast. Getting no answer from the goddess, she growled, ''I know you can hear me! You are in my head, for the god's sake! What are you not telling me.''

''I am not hidding anything I don't know. ''Bast replied calmly.

''Fine, don't tell me! ''Katrina quipped back, flying off towards the Brooklyn House.

Callie was out longer than she expected, so she walked under the balcony and bent the water to boost her up, and then she entered her room and changed out of her torn shirt. When sat down on the couch downstairs, it appeared like nothing had happened.

Katrina, who had decided not to confront Callie about what happened, yet, came into the room, her eyes finding Callie and narrowing slightly, knowing that something was amis.

The days events, starting with her nightmares, lulled over in Callie's mind. She was going to figure out what this meant, even if it killed her in the process, which was likely. But she knew that her friends were at stake, and she had to do something.

Do you know anything about this? she questioned Nepthys.

Well, Nepthys replied, there is someone is upset, especially with me...

Who? I asked.

Now is not the time to discuss this, Nepthys hastily replied. I will come to you when you are ready.

Callie groaned. ''You always say that when you don't want to talk. You know that I've been dreaming about whatever this is'', Callie rebuked, but Nepthys went silent.

"Hey, Callie...." Katrina said uncertainly.

"Oh, hi Katrina," Callie greeted, standing up.

"Where were you? I have been trying to find you and I looked everywhere..." Katrina asked, wanting to see what excuse she would come up with.

Callie shrugged. "I went for a walk, then came back here to my room to read," Callie answered, not wanting to reveal the length of her 'walk'.

"Oh. Well, I was wondering if you wanted to train up in the gym with me. I was going to ask Sadie, but she was... preoccupied." Katrina said.

Callie squinted at Katrina. What was Sadie doing? "Sure, I'll go with you," Callie agreed, already walking towards the gym.

Suddenly, a tramitized penguin ran past them, Sadie chasing after it. "Come back here! I was just trying to send you back to Antartica!" She had her staff out, ready to cast the spell.

Felix sped behind her, yelling, "Don't take them away! They did nothing wrong!"

Callie raised an eyebrow, but advanced towards the gym anyways. When she got there, she froze in her tracks. A hieracosphinx and a Stymphalian bird, both pitch black, stood snarling in the middle of the gym floor. Immediately, Callie pulled out her slender silver staff, a sharp blade at the end, and faced the monsters. These monsters weren't normally black like that, just like telekhine she fought.

She lunged at the bird, hoping that the Celestrial bronze Nepthys lined it with would be enough. The blade tore through some of the razor sharp feathers, but before majot damage could be done, the heiracosphinx leaped onto her back, claws extended. Callie rolled to the side, tearing the glorified griffin off of her. The Stymphalian bird spread its wings, sending a shower of knife-like feathers towards Callie.

Callie deflected most of them with her blade, using it as a make-shift sheild. One or two of them pierced her in the leg, but she tore them out and kept fighting the monsters, trying not to think about it.

Katrina summoned her knives, twirling them around to deflect the razor feathers. "Hi-yah!" Katrina yelled as she leaped up and slashed out at the Stymphalian bird.

The Stymphalian bird flew towards Katrina, interested by her odd scent. Its indestructble beak flew towards her, knocking Katrina back.

Katrina kicked, connecting her foot with the Stymphalian bird. It flew backwards, and Katrina summoned a blast of fire that hit the bird.

The bird shrieked, and shook its head in pain. It backed up, then flew at Katrina, its claws outstretched. Before it connected with Katrina, Callie rammed it in its side, knocking it aside. The hieracosphinx was hard on Callie's heels, and lunged at her again, pushing her onto her back. "Finish the other one off!" she told Katrina. "Puncter its underbelly!"

Katrina sliced the underbelly of the Stymphalian bird with her blade, the bird crumbling into black dust.

As Callie fought the hieracosphinx, there was a tug in her gut. Almost involuntarily, a pipe burst open and a stream of hardened water pierced through the hieracosphinx's side, as it crumbled into obsidian like sand. She picked up her blade, and stood up, laregly aware of the throbbing pain in her leg.

Katrina whirled around staring at Callie. She had some monster guts in her hair that had splattered when she had killed the Stymphalian bird. "What was that, Callie?" She said, motioning with her knives to where the pile of dust was.

"Uhhhh...a chicken on steroids, what else?" Callie bluffed. She was in trouble.

The Army of Shadows
Katrina crossed her arms. "I know that you know what it is, and I know for certian that no one takes a walk halfway across the state of New York!"

"It was a long walk, so what?" Callie retorted, then dread seeped into her. "You followed me, didn't you?"

"Yes I did. Now, what are you hiding, Callie?" Katrina replied, standing so she was infront of the door.

"I..." How did she say this without starting a war? "...have an interesting family..."

"What do you mean you have an interesting family? There was a couple hundered kids at that camp, training to fight with swords and bows and arrows! They could be a potential threat to the House of Life!" Katrina exclaimed.

"Well, the House of Life is a potential threat to them!" Callie retorted, fuming at the indirect insult to her true heritage. "That's why I bust my butt off keeping you people separated!"

"How come you didn't just tell us about them-" Katrina started to say when Sadie and Carter burst in.

"What happened, did anyone get hurt?" Sadie said, checking the room for any signs of possible damage.

"No..." Callie answered, hoping to drop the subject. She placed her injured leg behind the other.

Just then, Percy ran into the room, somehow able to pass through the House's defenses. Not even caring about the others, he turned to Callie. "The camp is being attacked by black telekhines and Stymphalian birds, really hard to kill too, and we need all of the help we can get! They're all over New York too," he panted, blood dripping down his forehead.

"Oh my gods, more of them?!?" Callie almost shreiked, feeling overwhelmed.

Carter stared at Percy in shock. "Camp Boy?"

Percy whipped around to face Carter. "You're that kid who got eaten by the crocodile!" he exclaimed.

Carter's cheek felt hot at the mention of that incident, especially in front of Sadie, who would never let that go. "It is you!" Carter replied dumbly.

"Yeah..." Percy scratched the back of his neck, then a horrible thought struck him. "The monsters were headed downtown, we have to make sure they don't hurt Mom!"

Fear struck Callie at the thought of the viscious shadow of monsters tearing apart her friends and family. Oh gods, the dream! This is what it meant! And that means that the Brooklyn House was in danger too. Before she could answer Percy, Carter interrupted.

"Wait," he said to Callie, "You're Camp Boy's sister?"

"You were the one who attacked him in the swamp!?!" Callie was shocked, then it turned to anger. "You hit him with the Fist of Horus!"

"I didn't know who he was, and I still don't! Besides, it was an accident..." Carter faltered.

"Wait a second! How do you two know, uh, Camp Boy," Sadie asked, pointing at Callie and Carter, then Percy, "how did Camp Boy get past the magic barriers, and when did you get eaten by a Crocodile, Carter?"

"Barriers, got a master key, the crocodile...is in a bubble..." Percy answered in a rush.

Callie rolled her eyes. Percy had just figured out how to make long lasting, nearly indestructible bubbles under the water, and has been dying to use that technique ever since. Now Phillip was stuck in a bubble. And Aya's Morph Key could've been Percy's way inside the building. When it came to breaking in without drawing any attention, the kids of Hermes were the specialists.

"Thank you! That was so helpful." Sadie said sarcasticaly, rolling her eyes.

"I can pop it!" Percy protested.

"You've done enough!" Callie snapped. "Let's go before the entire first line falls! Its fall, they're not as many campers there!" I ran out towards the front, popping the large bubble that held Phillip captive. Percy was at my heels.

"Hey!" Sadie yelled, rushing out after them. "Let us help."

"Uh..." Callie faltered, not knowing what to say. "It's a family emergency?" She didn't know what else to say. If they found out about each other, the outcome could be worse then the Roman-Greek War! If they do fight, either way, Callie might lose her friends and family.

Sadie raised her eyebrows. "Camp-boy here said they were all over New York. How is that a family emergancy?"

Callie threw her hands up in frustration, mumbling a mix of Greek and Egyptian words.

Percy refrained a weak laugh. "I love it when you do that. I can only understand half of what you say."

"Shut up, Percy! We have to go!" she grabbed him by the wrist, and he didn't complain. He broke free and was already halfway through the door. Callie turned to the others. "You guys just make sure they don't reach the house, okay?"

Katrina appeared in the door way. "We wouldn't dream of it Callie." she said, holding back Sadie from racing after them.

Callie raced after Percy, her heart thumping in her chest. Before they even reached the camp, a flock of Stymphalian birds swooped down on them, their talons scraping against Percy and Callie. Another pack of hieracosphinxes closed in on them too.

As the black swarm covered her, a sickening voice crept into her mind. "We will destory everything you love right before you, little one. Once they are all dead, we will rise from their ashes, and you will always be reminded of your failure," it hissed.

No. She couldn't let that happen. Callie summoned her staff and her sword, and tore through the mass. Percy fought along side her, Riptide gleaming in the sun. The sewer cap rumbled underneath them, and Callie wasn't sure who summoned the water. A geyser of water broke through and directed itself at the monsters in the direction of Percy's sword. Callie redirected some of the water, and created a cyclone that sucked up the birds in a cloud of feathers.

They broke through the army of monsters and continued to run towards Camp Halfblood. When they arrived, the monsters already broke through the barrier, unaffected by its magic. Callie and Percy exchanged a quick, worried glance and darted into the chaos that used to be their camp, joining the tired demigods. Fortunately, most of the monsters had already been destroyed by the campers, though the damage was great and a few still terrorized them. With their help, the last of them were killed off.

"I gotta go back to the House," Callie panted.

"I'll go with you," Percy offered.

"No, your hurt, and they're Egyptians," Callie objected, looking at the blood that soaked part of his shirt.

"Well, you are too! And I'm not sending you back through that!" Percy retorted, gesturing to my many scrapes and cuts from the birds.

Too tired to argue, Callie nodded and ran towards the beach, deciding that it would be quicker to swim, and that it would strengthen her and Percy. They hopped in, and used the waves to propel them foward, towards the Brooklyn House.

The House Is In
A line of the older magicians stood gaurd of the house, each one of them standing in mobile protection rings. The Elementalists were spining their staffs around, summoning gusts of air, fire, earth and water to fling at the hoard of monsters, one of them even summoning blocks of cheese. Carter and his Combat trainees were slicing through the mass of monsters, some of them encased in their combat avatars. Sadie was standing at the front, summoning golden hieroglypics that she flung at the monsters. Katrina slashed through the mess, her giant glowing battle avatar encasing her.

Suddenly, a figure rammed into Katrina. It snorted, and slid its right hoof on the ground, preparing to attack again. It was a large bull-like man, about nine feet tall. Only one black and white striped horn was on its head. It pulled back, and charged at the unbalanced girls again.

Katrina slashed forwards, the glowing green knive slashing through it's chest. She kicked the Minautor back.

Unfortunately, after the Minatour was blown back, it got back up and took Sadie down.

Just then, Percy and Callie catapulted out of the river. A trail of water followed them, but they were un-wet. Percy rolled as he hit the ground, and Callie landed straight on a Stymphalian bird. She flipped off of it, slicing through its belly on the way down, and landed hard on her heels, the bird's dust falling around her.

"Hey, bull-face!" Percy captured the Minatours attention. "Wanna have round two?"

The Minatour looked up at Percy, fear and hatred mixing into its beady black eyes. It ignored Sadie and charged at Percy.

Having have grown in experience since he was twelve, Percy skillfully rolled out of it's way, hopping on its back before it had the chance to turn around. He stabbed Riptide through its neck, and it began to crumble into dust. Percy sliced through its other horn like clay before it fully dissolved. "Hey, now its not lopsided and I have a matching set," he cheerfully stated, moving the water at his feet and driving it into a telekhine.

Katrina had rushed over to Sadie and helped her up, the two of them now making their way through the mass of monsters. Sadie's wand appeared in her hand and she threw it like a boomerang, the tip glowing white as it slashed through monsters.

Callie plowed through the mass, staff in one hand, sword in the other, and a swirling trail of sharpened water around her. She looked over and saw Percy, bravely defending those he didn't even know. Suddenly, a misty image appeared next to him, with a exhausted Annabeth on the other side.

"Percy! Where are you?" she shrieked. "The monsters are attacking the Empire State building! Something is holding up the gods from protecting themselves, and the monsters are reappearing here by the bucket loads!"

"I'm with Callie right now, and we have our hands full at the moment, but I can try to call for Blackjack and meet you there soon," he promised.

Sadie charged through the mass, using the Ha-di spell to blow up many of the monsters.

As soon as the Iris message ended, the monsters that didn't get blown up by Sadie or anybody else turned and fled towards the city, in the direction of the Empire State Building.

Percy ran up to Callie. "They're attacking Olympus!" he cried urgently.

"Olympus?" Katrina asked, her avatar flickering and dissapearing as she floated back down towards the ground..

"Uhh..." Callie faltered, faced again with this situation. "It's just this...place. I'll be right back." She tried to turn around to leave with Percy.

Sadie was standing in front of her, arms crossed. "Oh, no. You are not leaving without explaining what is going on."

"Who needs explanations?" Callie sweated, trying to move past her.

"I do," Saide growled, blocking her way of escape.

Callie bristled. "My friends are in danger! Now move aside!" Callie shouted, a wall of water instinctively risen behind her.

"Why won't you let us help you, Callie?!" Sadie yelled, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Because you're Egyptians!" Callie blurted.

Sadie realed back, as if she had been slapped. "What do you mean, 'Because we are Egyptians'? You are an Egyptian!"

"Not really... I was born with Egyptian capabilities...but I'm Greek," Callie confessed.

Katrina and Sadie's mouths both dropped to the ground. "A Greek???" The both said, the confusion emminating from them.

"I'm sorry I never told you, but it would create chaos between the worlds. The Greeks and the Romans nearly killed each other off when they met, and I don't want that to happen here. Now me and Percy have to help the other demigods protect Olympus!" Callie apologized.

Sadie huffed. "Well, I don't see why we can't help you guys..."

"Because you fight with magic, demigods don't. It'll only create more chaos," Callie replied, desperately trying to make them understand.

"I know that, but we can still help you, Callie." Katrina said.

Before Callie could answer, a wave of nusea washed over, filled with nothing but darkness and the screams of others. She didn't realize that she blacked out until she blinked her eyes open to see that Percy was holding her and the others crowding around, looking worried. Just then, the wave crashed over her again, as well as all of the other Egyptians.

Katrina dropped to the ground in pain, clutching her head.

Images raced through their minds, quick scenes of panic, seen through another's eyes. Tall monuments, white and gilded, either crumbled into sand or was swallowed by darkness.

Callie could only see black; the pressure around her ears almost drowned out the panicked screams of others, and the rising battle cry. For a second, liquid filled her lungs, and she felt like she was drowning, sinking into the black waves... No! She was a daughter of Poseidon and host of Nepthys, friend and ally of Ashu and Ur-Henu. The water was hers to command. Instantly, she shot up out of the water, the blackness creeping away in a two feet radius from her. Callie rose to see that she was not in her own body, but that of Nepthys, even though her thoughts and actions were her own. ''Nepthys! Can you hear me?'' she called desperately.

Yes, thank you, Nepthys gasped quietly. We must help the others and free Pestit!

What? I inquired, confused. Why am I in your body?

The Egyptian gods are under attack, Nepthys answered urgently.

Panic swept through Callie. The Greeks and the Egyptians at the same time? Her heart fell when she realized that she could not help them both.

Knowing Callie's thoughts, sinced they currently shared living space, Nepthys spoke softly, ''Percy can handle it. In order to save them both, we must join.''

''But won't we lose our own personality? ''Callie questioned, shocked.

''It will only be temporary, and we will act as one body. Do not worry, you are strong, and will not burn up'', Nepthys assured.

Let's do this thing, Callie answered in grim determination. Instantly, a cold current of water swept through her- their body. Their were dressed in a billowing white gown, overlaid with slender silver armor, that flickered over to bronze at times. Bands wrapped their arms, and loose anklets jingled around their ankles. An elogent silver crown rested beneath their hair, twisting around their forehead. Black hair waved in the wind, sometimes long and graceful or short and choppy. They looked on at the crumbling palace with brilliant sea-green eyes, holding a long staff, just like Callie's, that flickered to a trident at times. With a movement as swift as a tumbling stream, they moved towards the shadows.

When Dawn Never Comes
Callie and Nepthys, sharing a body, entered the fray that held the gods' attention. Horus, already with Carter, slashed out the darkness with a khopesh. Isis and Bast stood on the sidelines, having not united with Sadie and Katrina yet. Anubis, or Walt, whatever the proper term was since the permanent merge they encountered. They fought, in the form of Anubis, an unseen enemy that lied within the shadows.

A wave of water crashed into a figure in the darkness, directed by Callie/Nepthys. The shadows crawled around onto a lithe woman that stepped foward, staring the gods down with stone-cold black eyes, that hid began mangled black hair, barely kept back by the iron crown that crossed her forehead. Behind her, was a miserable looking goddess overcomed by wispy, black chains. Her hair looked as if it used to be the color of the dawn sky, but it was paled by the shadows that pressed against her skin.

That was the woman in the dawn light that morning! Callie gasped, barely recognizing her.

She is Pestit, goddess of the Dawn Light, Nepthys answered grimly.

Before Callie had time to process it, the black woman striked, an iron blade in her hand. Instantly, the gods fought back, but they were all confused by the darkness that swept over; the only sounds were the clangs of swords clashing and the laughing of the woman in the darkness.

Katrina jumped up, grasping her staff. Hurry, we must bond and help the others! Bast said in her head.

Yes, Katrina agreed. She and Bast merged, becoming one. Their hair flickered back and forth, going from jet black to red and was up in a ponytail. She had on a flowing white Egyptian dress with a heavy golden collar, her two long knives in her hands. Their eyes were bright green and split-pupiled. They looked oover to the side and saw that Sadie had also fully merged with Isis.

Taking notice, the shadowed woman sent a strangling cloud of darkness to sweep them up, still battling Anubis, Horus, and Nepthys.

Drowah! Sadie/Isis yelled, the golden hieroglyphic for boudary stretching into a glowing barrier around her and Bast/Katrina, blocking the wave of darkness.

Katrina/Bast ran towards the woman in the darkness, slashing her with her knives.

"Hrk," the woman grunted, then shouted. "I will not be defeated easily, for I am Kauket!" A black heiroglyphic, not known to any of the others, flew foward, and collided with Isis in a burst of darkness.

Sadie flew backwards, crashing into the wall. Sadie jumped up, hands cupped together. She flung a massive fireball at Kauket.

Kauket skillfully dodged the fireball and let it crashed into Horus, who grunted in response.

Nepthys/Callie flung a massive wave of water at Kauket as she reeled back to throw another black hieroglyphic at Isis. The water crashed into her, knocking Kauket off her feet in suprise.

Kauket grabbed Pestit, who was still weak and miserable looking, and held her blade up to Pestit's neck. "Not a move, or I'm going to give her a nasty trip through the Du'at, in which she may be too weak to survive without losing her mind," Kauket growled.

Isis/Sadie paused, the fireball that she had summoned still flickering above her hands.

"That's right," Kauket growled, "put down your weapons."

Callie/Nepthys, who was standing near her, slowly placed down her staff. But then Callie summoned a trident, shimmering like water, and threw it towards Kauket. Kauket was caught offguard, believing that Nepthys was without a weapon, and she did not know how to stop a hurtling trident. It grabbed her robes and pinned her against the wall, ripping her away from Pestit. Kauket gasped, hardly registering what happened.

Not hesitating now, Sadie/Isis threw the ball of fire, it hitting Kauket square in the chest.

Kauket grunted in pain, the flame burning into her chest, its light melting her power away. "You may have defeated me!" she spat. "But may defeat will not bring an end to the darkness! In every corner, in every shadow, will come your doom." Kauket gave her promise of revenge as she faded out, leaving nothing but the shadows that had once meant nothing.

Bast/Katrina flexed their wrists, the knives dissapearing. She fidgeted with the golden band around her neck. How come whenever we merge, we end up wearing this gold collar? Katrina questioned.

I honestly don't know.... Bast replied.

We must go if you want to save your...other friends, Nepthys quietly informed Callie.

Oh my gods, Olympus! Callie nearly shrieked out loud, but refrained herself. She turned around, and hastily exited the palace, leaving the place of the gods. She woke up, herself again, exhausted and stratched up, still in Percy's arms.

"What happen-" Percy tried to ask, but Callie was already up and running, feeling strangely refreshed after her merge with the goddess.

"We have to help the others at Olympus! I have a feeling that their going to need our help, no matter how stubborn the gods try to be," Callie called over her shoulder, forcing Percy to follow.

Katrina and Sadie leaped up off the ground, scaring the group of magicians that had surrounded them. "Wait! Callie, please let us help you!" Sadie called after her, running to catch up.

Callie whistled, and Petra swooped down to meet her. Callie leaped onto Petra, and Percy hopped on Blackjack. She was already in the air when she heard Katrina and Sadie. "I don't know how you can help without starting a war!" Callie yelled down in reply.

Katrina, who had been staring dumb-founded at Petra, shook her head to clear it. "Callie, unless you believe the Greeks are going to start a war with us, there is not going to be a war! We are already practicaly at war with ourselves!"

Callie stared at Katrina. "Fine, but stay low," she agreed. She reached her hand out to her. "Want a ride?"

"Really? Cool!" Katrina said, grabbing Callie's hand and leaping agily onto Petra's back.

Percy reached out his hand to Sadie, unsure whether or not she'll try to kill him or Blackjack will try to kill her.

Sadie took the outstretched hand, leaping onto the back of the black pegasus.

Battle of Olympus
The pegasi and their riders soared over Manhattan, closing in on the Empire State building. Shadow monsters stormed the place, holding back an army of demigods from approaching. The top of the building was covered in a dark cloud, and the battle cry of the gods was even heard from the ground. Mortals had fled the scene, although what they saw was a mystery.

"So, your telling me Olympus is in the Empire State building? Wait, thats why the gods don't like us going over here..." Katrina said, her red hair whipping around in the wind. "So, by stay low, does that mean I can't use my battle avatar?"

"...that would be noticable..." Callie pointed out.

"Look, there's Annabeth!" Percy called, dipping down to meet his girlfriend that was currently leading the charge.

She looked up at Percy. "You're here! What took you so lo-?" she stopped when she saw Sadie holding her staff and wand, already guessing what had happened.

"We got caught up, but we're here now," Callie answered. "What's happening?"

Annabeth threw her hands up. "Gods, if I only knew! We can't get threw the barriers."

"Has Talon tried?" Percy questioned.

"She got shot down trying. It was a hard hit, and she's still out. Fang was stabbed, and Max and the others can't get through. I'm pretty sure Max has a concussion from trying to ram it," Annabeth reported.

Callie looked at Sadie and Katrina. "Come on, let's go try to break it."

"Ok," Sadie said, leaping down from Blackjack and went over to where Katrina and Callie were on Petra.

Don't tell me your going to make me carry her too, Petra whined.

It's okay, girl, she can fly herself...I think, Callie soothed.

"Petra really doesn't want to carry you up as well," Callie explained to Sadie, "So can you fly yourself up?"

Wait, we're going up to the scary thunderstorm? Petra exclaimed in fright, starting to prance backwards in nervousness.

''Shh, it's okay. We have to go up to help the gods'', Callie explained gently.

Petra stood up straight again, spreading her wings in preparation for flight. Okay... she agreed.

"Yes, I can fly myself up." Sadie said. She closed her eyes and concentrated, shrinking down into her kite form.

They flew up, facing the churning black mass. "Maw!" Callie shouted. A sheet of water came crashing down, quickly caught be Callie. She swirled it around, forming a giant, hardened spike. "Let's try to break it together," Callie decided, holding her watery weapon up in the air.

Katrina stretched out her hand, palm up, and a ball of fire formed.

Sadie the kite slowly started to turn back into normal Sadie, but she had Isis' wings. "Okay, use your attack on three so the most force is applied. One. Two. Three! Ha-di!" Sadie called, the glowing hieroglyphic appearing on the black mass.

Katrina pulled back her hand and flung the fire ball at the huge black wall.

Callie pulled back the mass of water, then sent the blade of water flying towards the black just as the fireball struck and Sadie's spell went into effect. The wall, already semi-swayed from the other's previous attack, cracked then promptly shattered. As weird as it seemed, shards of black cloud-like barrier fly at them, cutting into their skin like glass. Callie crossed her arms in front of her, trying to sheild her and Katrina.

"Drowah." Sadie said, the word making a magical barrier form around the three girls.

"Let's go," Callie called, pushing Petra foward, her sword extended in front of her.

''Blackjack! ''she called. Get Percy and tell him to come up here.

Okay, boss' sister Black whinnied. A few seconds later, Blackjack flew upwards with Percy and Annabeth, his powerful black wings flapping downwards.

"We're here," Percy greeted, Riptide in his hand. Annabeth sat behind him, one arm around his waist, holding her dagger in the other.

Katrina flexed her wrists, her knives sliding into her hands.

Callie and Petra slid into the fading barrier. Battle cries rang out from Olympus, which was currently in chaos. She leaped off of Petra and ran through. It was just like the Egyptian palace. The gods fought shadowy monsters, searching for something in the shadows. Callie saw what they were after. A man, wrapped in black clothes, floated above the throne room, the shadows flying out from under his feet. Airis dangled below him, his right hand gripped around her neck. Darkness crept over her skin, drawing out any light energy she had left.

Right when the darkness had spread out all over Airis' skin, Katrina formed a ball of fire and lobbed it at the man.

He stepped, or floated..., to the side, leaving the fireball to crash into Apollo square in the face. He looked around bewildered. Katrina wasn't what he expected to see, but before he could even ask any questions, a black wolf-like monster lept at him. Apollo struggled to pull his bow back, but the monster was right on top of him.

Three silver arrows pierced through the wolf, and it dissapated into the air. Artemis helped Apollo up, and they continued to fight.

Saphira swooped up, Crystal and Sabrina sitting on her back. When Sabrina saw her mom, her eyes widened. She leaped off Saphira and landed gracefully on the ground, and arrow nothced into her bow. She shot at the man's back, the arrow glowing as it pierced through the air and made contact with the man.

"Urrgh!" he grunted. Spinning around he faced Sabrina. He lifted his other hand and an array of black arrows flew towards her.

She swiped her hand and a golden barrier appeared, the arrows harmlesly hitting it and falling to the ground. She ran forwards, light flickering around her and disspeling the darkness that was threatining to surround her.

The man, having be distacted by Sabrina, didin't see Airis rasie up her hand. She shot a beam of light at him, causing him to drop her on the ground. She rolled backwards, ending up standing next to Sabrina. She pulled out her sword and a golden dagger, handing the dagger over to Sabrina, seeing as the only weapon she had was her bow.

The man shook his head and laughed. "You can't get away that easily," he sneered. Black chains shot out from his hands and wrapped around Airis, pulling her back. Her golden sword dropped to the ground.

Airis struggled to get free, but the chains were enchanted and she could not break them. He yanked the chains and she stumbled and fell down next to his feet, her powers compleatly drained.

Sabrina reached to notch another arrow when a black wolf pounced on her. She swung the dagger Airis had given her and sliced through the monster, it dissapating into the air. She turned around to shoot at the man when two more wolves pounced on her, pushing her back into the fray of fighting.

Callie lunged at the wolves, ripping through them with her bronze sword. Another wolf pounced on her, but before she could wriggle around to slice, it turned to dust. Poseidon helped her up, then turned to blast more monsters with his trident. "Err, thanks dad," Callie called to him, lifting her sword to attack the upcoming monsters.

Annabeth and Athena fought side by side. "We need a better stragety!" Athena called. "Apollo, Artemis, and some others will hold off the monsters. The rest of us need to focus on attacking him!" She pointed her spear at the man watching them above their heads.

Katrina was slicing through the mass of wolves when one pounced on her back and sent her skidding backwards and landing right in front of Athena.

Athena reached out and grabbed her, swiftly pulling her up. She held her gaze for a moment, her grey eyes piercing into her.

Katrina fidgated nervously, unsure if the goddess realized what Katrina was or what the reaction would be if she did.

Athena narrowed her eyes, glancing back from her, to Callie, to Poseidon. Callie and Poseidon quickly avoided her menacing gaze. Without saying anything, she spun around and jabbed a wolf that was about to lunge at Katrina with her spear.

Another wolf lunged at Katrina, and she jumped up and landed on it's back, slicing her knives across it's neck then fliped off, watching as it dissapated into the air.

"What are you doing here, godling? This is not your fight," Athena warned Katrina, figuring out her true identity.

Katrina turned around. "Maybe not, but it is my friend's fight, and I will do anything to help her."

Athena met her gaze once more, than nodded curtly. "Leave afterwards," she ordered quietly. Athena pointed her bronze spear at the man hovering above them. "Come down here and fight like a god, Erubus!" she barked.

The man, Erubus, chuckled. "Hmm, come down there just so you can beat me to a pulp and throw me into Tarturus... I don't think so." He squeezed Airis tighter, draining her energy. It seemed like the whole world went dimmer; shadows reached farther, grabbing at the heroes and the gods. Erubus floated above them, laughing at their failed attempts to reach him, being pulled down every time by his monsters.

Callie squinted at him. What made him so powerful? Kauket, too, seemed to had had an advantage over the other gods and goddesses. Something was up, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She was distracted for a split second too long, and a snarling monster lunged at her, ripping at her chest and throat. Callie struggled under its suprisingly large weight, trying to bring her sword to its neck.

Katrina jumped forwards and slashed her knives through the beast's neck, it dissapearing into the air. She bent down and helped Callie up.

"Thanks," Callie gasped, letting Katrina help her up. Spotting another monster behind Katrina, and she pushed past her and sliced her sword through its neck. "Now we're even."

"Cool. So, ready to kick some bad-guy butt?" Katrina asked, motionig towards Erubus, Airis still dangiling under him, his power getting stronger as Airis grew weaker.