Linked Demigods (HIATUS)

Chapter 16: Tears Are Shed

Percy's POV

"This is a bad time for Twilight to be in the bathroom!" I exclaimed.

Part of me wondered whether Twilight had sent them, but I pushed back the thought. He was Time's and Wind's friend. He would never.

Zoe and Bianca fired at their heads point-blank, but the arrows just whistled straight through their empty skulls. One lunged at Bianca, and I thought she was a goner, but she whipped out her hunting knife and stabbed the warrior in the chest. The whole skeleton erupted into flames, leaving a little pile of ashes and a police badge.

"How did you do that?" Zoe asked.

"I dont know," Bianca said nervously. "Lucky stab?"

"Well, do it again!"

Bianca tried, but the remaining three skeletons were wary of her now. They pressed us back, keeping us at batons length.

"Plan?" I said as we retreated.

Suddenly, a wolf tore from the trees. It had strange markings. The skeletons moved back.

"Monster," Grover muttered. "Strange monster,"

That wasn't a good sign. The wolf turned to snarl at the skeletons before rushing them. One by one,  they began to explode into flames. Afterward, the wolf stopped and turned towards us. 

"Is it going to hurt us?" Thalia asked.

The wolf simply turned back around towards the trees.

"A gift," Grover muttered.

And then, with a mighty roar, the largest pig Id ever seen came crashing into the road. It was a wild boar, thirty feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of canoes. Its back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry.

We raced around. Where was Twilight? The wolf was on the run as well, easily dodging. That's when it went out of sight.

It wanted to leave? Fine. We didn't need the help at all...totally...

~~~

Twilight was back.

"Where were you?!" Thalia exclaimed.

Twilight raised his hands in defence, "I went to the bathroom, then did a bit of exploring. I didn't know that you'd be attacked by skeletons!"

"And that wolf helped us," Bianca added. "Know anything about that?"

I swear I saw a bead of sweat trickle down his neck.

"Nope," Twilight said. "So, what's this boar?"

 "A blessing of the Wild," Grover said, though he now looked agitated.

"Yes," Zoe said. "We must use it. "

"Hold up," Thalia said irritably. She still looked like she'd just lost a fight with a Christmas tree. "Explain to me why you're so sure this pig is a blessing. "

Grover looked over, distracted. "Its our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?"

"Fun," I said. "Like...pig cowboys. "

Grover nodded. "We need to get aboard. I wish... I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now. "

"Whats gone?"

Grover didn't seem to hear me. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto its back. Already the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there'd be no stopping it. Grover took out his pipes. He started playing a snappy tune and tossed an apple in front of the boar. The apple floated and spun right above the boars nose, and the boar went nuts, straining to get it.

"Oh Hylia...please don't make this horrible," Twilight muttered.

He trudged over and jumped on behind Grover, which still left plenty of room for the rest of us.

Zoe and Bianca walked toward the boar, Thalia following.

"Wait a second," I said. "Do you two know what Grover is talking about—this wild blessing?"

"Of course," Zoe said. "Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong... I never thought I would sense that presence again. "

"What presence?"

She stared at me like I was an idiot. "The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan."