Caliginosity [ Leo Valdez ]

The End Part 1

Time seemed to slow down, which was really frustrating, since Livana still couldn't move. She felt herself sinking into the earth like the ground was a waterbed- comfortable, urging her to relax and give up. She wondered if the stories of the underworld were true. Would she end up in the fields of punishment or Elysium? She guessed she would just have to find out. Maybe Nico could come and visit her. She could even see her dad again.

Livana couldn't feel her arms. She could see the tip of the spear coming toward her chest in slow motion. She knew she should move, but she couldn't seem to do it. Funny, she thought. All that effort to stay alive, and then, boom. You just lie there helplessly while a fire-breathing giant impales her. At Least her secrets would go to the grave with her.

Leo's voice yelled, "Heads up!"

A large black metal wedge slammed into Enceladus with a massive thunk! The giant toppled over and slid into the pit.

Livana's brain couldn't understand what was happening. She was sure she was dead, but it didn't feel like it. She could still feel her body aching. Leo ran over to her and slid down to his knees. He snaked his arms under Livana and sat her up, holding her close.

"Don't die one me," he ordered. "You are not dying on me!"

Livana felt light headed, but Leo was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen. His hair was smoldering, face smudged with soot. He had a cut on his arm, his clothes were torn, and he was missing a boot. Amazing.

Leo picked her up and slung her arm over his shoulder, helping her walk.

"Jason, get up!" Piper called. Her voice seemed to energize the weakened blonde. He stood up with help from Piper and began to hobble to the other teens.

Leo stood over a piece of construction equipment- a long cannon like thing with a single massive piston, the edge broken clean off.

Then Livana looked down in the crater and saw where the other end of the hydraulic ax had gone. Enceladus was struggling to rise, an ax blade the size of a washing machine stuck in his breastplate.

Amazingly, the giant managed to pull the ax blade free. He yelled in pain and the mountain trembled. Golden ichor soaked the front of his armor, but Enceladus stood.

Shakily, he bent down and retrieved his spear.

"Good try." The giant winced. "But I cannot be beaten."

As they watched, the giant's armor mended itself, and the ichor stopped flowing. Even the cuts on his dragon-scale legs, which Jason and Livana had worked so hard to make, were now just pale scars.

Leo cursed. "What is it with this guy? Die, already!"

"My fate is preordained," Enceladus said. "Giants cannot be killed by gods or heroes."

"Only by both," Jason said. The giant's smile faltered, and Livana saw in his eyes something like fear.

"It's true isn't it?" Livana asked. "Gods and demigods have to work together to kill you."

"You will not live long enough to try!" The giant started stumbling up the crater's slope, slipping on the glassy slides.

"Anyone have a god handy?" Leo asked.

Livana's heart filled with dread. She looked at the giant below them, struggling to get out of the pit, and she knew what had to happen.

"Leo," she said, "if you've got a rope in that tool belt, get it ready."

A quick look at Jason and the plan was set.

He leaped at the giant with no weapon but his bare hands.