Raised from the Depths: The Apple of Their Eyes [A Percy Jackson FanFiction]

Nine: The [Missing] Apple of Discord

"Get to the armory!" Quinn screamed, running past me and taking off, the other campers scrambling to catch him. I forced myself to break my gaze away from the creature storming straight towards the dining pavilion, and raced along with the group to the armory. Inside, the other demigods were scrambling for weapons and shields, some hurriedly throwing on helmets and breast plates in order to protect themselves in some capacity. I saw Mico grab a straight bladed sword, while Quinn grabbed both a long, curved sword and a spear.

I searched for Sol's blonde hair, and found him scooping up a sheath of bronze tipped arrows and a sturdy bow. Knowing the bow was my best bet, I began to run in that direction, but someone grabbed my wrist and I turned to see Nico. He led me to the back of the armory, where there was a tarp over what could only be a rack of weapons. Nico flung off the tarp, grabbing the sword of the rack.

This sword was different than all the other swords I had seen in camp- it was a dark, long sword, jutting out and curving at odd points along the three foot blade. At first, it appeared to be black, but the longer I stared, the more detail I saw. It had purple carving etched all long the flat edges- there was even a purple aura around the blade.

"What is that?" I asked in amazement.

"Stygian iron." Nico answered. "Forged in the Underworld. I figured-" he grabbed out a sheath of arrows, handing it to me, "you might prefer it to celestial bronze."

I pulled out one of the arrows, eyeing the black head of the arrow with awe. "You just had a sheath of these laying around?"

"I've spent a lot of time in the Underworld." Nico explained. "I've been collecting and saving these in case Will's archery lessons ever paid off- woah, what happened to your arm?"

I paused, before I realized I could feel a warm liquid flowing down my arm and off my fingertips. I looked at my sparring wound. "Oh, wow. I forgot about that. Can you use that sword to cut one of my shorts' legs off?"

"I suppose." Nico brows furrowed as he knelt down and sliced through the fabric. Then he wrapped it around the cut a couple times before tying it in a tight knot. "Remind me to take you to see Will after this."

"Right." I nodded, throwing the sheath over my shoulders and grabbing a nearby bow. I took a second to scan the armory for Sol, but he was long gone. Nico and I run over to the doors but stopped in our tracks when he saw the beast was practically at the doors.

Several campers were trying to get close enough to the boar to use swords and spears, but there was no way to get that close without being pulverized. The giant boar monster was shredding the earth and scrubs around it with it's razor-like hooves and tusks.

I saw an arrow fly out, striking the monster in the side. It squealed, only becoming angrier. I looked over to see Sol, aiming another arrow.

"It's eyes!" I yelled from the door. "Aim the eyes!"

Sol nodded in acknowledgement as he aimed and fired again. He hit the boar directly in the eye, causing it to shudder momentarily. Then it let out a enraged shriek, viciously slamming into the campers in front of him and racking them with his tusks. Those unscathed began to retreat.

My eyes locked at the blood-covered tusks as the boar took off after it's prey. I could feel my mouth gaping open as I stared at this boar. I knew this boar. I mean, obviously I had never seen it before, but I had pictured something similar to this beast in my head when I had read one of the many Greek myths.

"Come on, we have to find the others and regroup!" Nico yelled, taking off out the door and turning the corner after the creature. When he realized I wasn't following, he returned with an annoyed frown. "Are you deaf?" He asked, his voice partially drowned out of the strong gust of wind.