"Fire in the hole!"

The giant spider roared as the Greek fire exploded, it's carapace going up in green flames that were being carefully directed and controlled by Percy and Leo.

Clarrisse pulled her spear out of another and roared her challenge, leaping for the largest of the cluster, armor already covered in the yellow of spider guts.

The Guardians had discovered/warned about the Acromantula nest and, on Percy's orders and Annabeth's advice, set up a ward around it that would alert the Guard should any arachnid larger than a kitten pass over it.

It seemed the call of Athena's blood had finally been too much, despite not a single one of the Wisdom Goddess's children stepping foot in the forest since the nest's discovery.

"They just had to pick today to swarm," Nico muttered, his sword covered in spider blood. "Couldn't have been two days ago. Had to be after the kids got here."

"Oh cheer up, Neeks." Will encouraged, taking out three spiders with a single arrow. "You act like this isn't good practice."

"Says the trick shooter." Nico mocked. The spiders rallied and the current incarnation of Death sighed heavily. "That's it. Get back."

The nearby Guardians leaped out of the way, knowing what was coming from previous battles.

The Substitute Reaper drove his blade into the ground and every single life form in a twenty-foot radius died.

As soon as the blade was removed the Guardians took advantage in the hole in the spider defensive line and managed to get to Clarrisse, who was fending off pincer strikes with her shield and spear.

A wave of water came crashing down from the clouds above, slamming into a dozen spiders and dragging them up again in a giant water bubble.

Percy was quiet, focused on the fight from his seat on Blackjack, his eyes narrowed. He hadn't been sure about that call to let the spiders live but both Hagrid and Dumbledore had argued to leave them be.

The god decided there and then to drag the eldest Acromantula back, legless if need be.

"Hey, Clarrise! Can you do me a favor?!"
----------
Minerva McGonagall stared in horror as a team of five Pegasi dragged an overly crispy Acromantula corpse from the forest.

Percy was in the front, still in his armor as he rode Blackjack, the pegasus black as night and as proud as a king, the pair leading the pegasi team as they came to a stop twenty feet away from the awestruck and horrified professors.

The rest of the Guard, some thirty fae, were all in armor, cloaks drawn and hoods up so the students watching from afar couldn't see the gore.

Percy started to unhook the pegasi, who all trotted towards the lake to cool down. Blackjack, however, remained by his partner's side.

"We had twenty spiders the size of small cars across the ward when the alarm was blown. By the time we arrived in force, most of the nest was heading towards the castle." Percy said, his tone the same one he used when the gods made stupid and easily avoidable mistakes that usually required the Guard to fix it. "The rest of the swarm is dead and I have a platoon on clean-up. By midnight, there will be no more in your forest."

Hagrid was thankfully not there and Dumbledore looked disappointed, looking at Percy like a child.

Percy looked at every one of the professors, avoiding Dumbledore's eyes. "We will be doing a more thorough sweep of the forest along with the castle itself to make sure that there are no more immediate threats to the students' safety." His eyes narrowed. "If you have any questions as to the results of our search please ask one of my Kidemonas to pass on a message. Now, if you will excuse me."

He mounted Blackjack and soared back across the lake, the ward shimmering as he passed through.

The fae in black slammed his palm into the ground and it shuddered and cracked as shadows dragged the corpse under the earth. A blonde boy with a quiver of arrows on his shoulder helped the boy in black up and strolled leisurely across the lawn, hand in hand.

Clarrisse, the Weapons Mistress, spat on the ground where the spider had vanished, before turning and striding with the confidence of someone who knew she was dangerous towards the lake.

Soon, the fae had returned to their island and Minerva was finally able to speak to Dumbledore. "I don't know what kind of game you are playing but you best be very careful. The Kidemonas promised to protect the students. I shudder to think what horrors they could unleash against a more human threat." She straightened her robes. "Best be sure they never have any doubts about your intentions."

She returned to the castle, eager to open a cask of firewhiskey. Perhaps Severus would join her. He looked like he could use it.

----------------
On Guardian Island, Percy carefully removed his armor, wiping it down with a cloth and bucket of water to remove the guts. Care for your equipment could mean life or death later on. His weapons came before himself, no matter how tired he felt. This was something he had learned from Clarrisse and had started to do after every battle.

Even though he could clean it with a snap of his fingers, he never had and probably never will. If his comrades had to, then so would he. It made him feel like one of them, even if he bled gold instead of red.

Annabeth came into the tent, heading for the chair across from him, her sword drawn and armor held behind her shoulder. "That was not fun."

"Clarrisse had fun." Percy offered.

Annabeth glared.

"Then again, Clarrisse is insane."

"Every Guardian is insane. Why else would they agree to put up with you for eternity?"

"Hey!"

She laughed and started to clean her own armor, pulling out a whetstone once that was done. She had far less to clean off as she, (understandably) had not participated in the battle.

They sat there in silence for a bit, nothing but the scrape of the stone and the water filters to keep it from complete silence.

"I'm concerned about the Ministry," Annabeth admitted, not looking up. "I saw Dungbridge trying to get the boats to take her across while we were in the forest. Steve sent her for a swim but she still tried. It's why she wasn't there when we dragged...it, out."

"That was fast." Percy agreed. "I think we should have someone watch her. Leah is pretty cool-headed. And she doesn't blow things up when she's bored."

"It will need to be more than just her. Shifts will be needed. I'm thinking we let Amy and Chris help her out. Maybe the Stolls if they promise no pranks during their shifts."

"Not sure if we can get that promise."

Annabeth smirked. "We should have Jazz and Elaine draw up another border. One about twenty feet past the shore that takes a log of anyone who passes through."

"And highlights non-guardians." Percy added. "It would suck to have to sort it out later."

Annabeth went over to her desk and pulled out a drawer. A model of the Black Lake, complete with Guardian Island and scale campsite, little figures walking around, labels in Greek above their names. "I'll have Jazz hook the ward to this and my laptop."

"And when the Stolls find out about those Twins Jazz warned me of? What happens when a guardian brings someone to visit. Alena is already attached to a fourth-year Ravenclaw girl. "

"I was thinking about that actually. In Celtic myth, if you wanted to travel through Faerie safely, the best way was to get a fae to grant you a favor or boon. It could be anything from a leaf to a weapon but I was thinking this instead." She pulled out a drachma. "Enchanted to only work if the bearer is the owner, so it can't be stolen or confiscated, we can use these to allow some wizards temporary access."

"I can create a few hundred." Percy offered. "I can have them done by Wednesday. I'll have Jazz, Elaine, Leo and Carson help."

"I'll draw up a design so we don't confuse them with actual drachmas. Maybe the Guardian Crest instead of the Empire State building and faces of different Guardians on the other face."

"Sounds good. I'll get on it right away." She walked towards the entrance before stopping. "Oh, and Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"You are a Guardian. Gold or red. You're one of us."

Percy smiled. Annabeth always knew when he was feeling apart from the others. "Thanks, Annabeth."

It was nice to have someone to ground you.