invisible string | f. zhang

ii. breaking a heel & declaring war

"What?" Frank asks.

"Third cohort," Maribelle retorts, "I'm going to go help them."

"Oh."

Maribelle doesn't say anything else as she turns on her platform heel and heads back to the Third Cohort.

She falls into line alongside her bunk-mates, who were busy laughing at the Fifth Cohort attempts to get through the gates. Maribelle sighs heavily, not amused.

KA-BOOM!

Maribelle looks up from where she had been checking her reflection in her dagger, eyes wide.

"What is that?!" She exclaims.

A cannon explodes in a burst of blue, green, and white. Defenders scream as a watery wave flattens them against the battlements. Kids topple over the walls but were snatched by giant eagles and carried to safety.

Then, the entire eastern wall shudders. One after another, the water cannons on the battlements explode. The scorpions' fires were doused, and the defenders scatter in confusion or were tossed through the air.

"Frank's plan worked!" Maribelle tells the person beside her excitedly, forgetting the jealous feeling that had clawed its way into her chest, she laughs.

A cheer rises up from the battlefield. Hannibal the elephant trumpets with happiness.

Maribelle picks up her sword instead of her knives as the centurions of the Third and Fourth Cohorts shout "Attack!" They yell and follow after the Fifth Cohort.

Maribelle wastes no time as she slashes her sword in the uniformed manner she had been practicing since she was an early teenager. She missteps, however, and the heel of her shoe causes her to stumble. Maribelle glances down with wide eyes to find the heel was broken, she gasps, and looks at the people fighting around her. They hadn't even noticed. Maribelle quickly stoops down and unbuckles the platforms, throwing off the shoes. She grimaces as her bare feet touch the solid ground, she fights down the urge to gag and rises to her feet, ready to keep going.

By the time the Maribelle and her Cohort catch up with the Fifth Cohort, Percy and Frank had disarmed the enemies, grabbed the banners, and climbed onto Hannibal's back with Hazel.

The Fifth Cohort form ranks around the trio and parade out of the fort, past stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies.

Maribelle cheers and whoops as they go.

Reyna circles low overhead on her pegasus, "The game is won! Assemble for honors!"

Maribelle regroups on the Field of Mars. Maribelle rushes over to Frank, wanting a turn to congratulate him but he was being swarmed by other campers.

"Help!" Somebody yells. Maribelle turns to follow the cry and runs over when she sees a group of campers carrying someone on a stretcher.

Maribelle runs towards them, she sees a girl, Gwen, lying on her side on the stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armor — lots of blood surrounded her.

"No, no, no . . ." Frank mutters as he pushes past Maribelle and towards Gwen.

The medics bark at everyone to stand back and give her air. The whole legion falls silent as the healers work — trying to get gauze and powdered unicorn horn under Gwen's armor to stop the bleeding. Her face was ashen gray.