Matt Jackson: The Demigod Trials - The Sacrificial Spire (Percy Jackson World)

Chapter 2: The Lord of Fire is a Really Good Boat Captain

My eyes fluttered open, and I immediately closed them putting my hands to my head. There was a dull throbbing behind my eyes that I hadn't noticed at first. I took a deep breath and felt the pain beginning to fade. I opened my eyes again and was startled to find that everything was tinted a greenish-blue colour as though I had on a pair of ski goggles. Then as I stood up, I noticed that a trail of bubbles followed behind my movements. I had a crazy thought, was I at the bottom of Hudson's Bay? No that couldn't be possible, I would've died if I was underwater for that long and besides, I was breathing right now and I am definitely not a fish. As if mocking me a school of fish swam past followed by a small shark. Apparently, I was at the bottom of the bay... and I was breathing... underwater. As I tried to take my next breath, I inhaled water like a normal person again. This was not the time for my body to remember I was a human. I swam as fast as I could for the surface but I k new I wouldn't make it. The edges of vision were getting fuzzier and dark, so when the giant rainbow fish horse swam up to me with a look of concern I its eyes I just assumed I was hallucinating. Then it pushed me up to the surface in a flash and I gasped the air into my lungs coughing up the water to make room.

I flopped myself across the back of the fish horse and lay there. I felt so relieved and tired I almost fell asleep until I remembered Monty and Festus. I hauled myself further on to the creatures back and patted its head. It nestled its head against my palm like a dog when you scratch it in just the right place. I could see a giant bronze raft floating on the water with smoke rising from its front. I pointed in the direction of the raft and yelled "Giddy up!"

The fish horse covered the distance in seconds spraying water all over Monty as it came to a stop next to the raft.

"Matt?" Monty whispered. His eyes were red as though he had been crying.

"Yeah, it's me. Where'd you get this awesome raft. Is it another one of your magic items like the chain you gave me?" I asked him trying to cheer him up.

He smiled at me "No this is Festus. He has a lot of talents."

"I feel like that's an understatement." I said.

"Here get on the raft with me. I need to make a call." Monty told me. I thanked my fish horse saviour and gave him one last rub under his chin. Then I hopped onto the raft and watched curiously as Monty pulled out a golden coin.

"Is that some kind of magic cellphone that lets you call anybody you want?" I asked jokingly.

Monty just smirked and said "Kind of. Just watch this." He pulled a super soaker out his bag and I had to resist the urge to bust out laughing. What was he going to do spray the coin with magical god water? Then he sprayed the water gun out into the bay, but it was the most powerful water gun I've ever seen.

"Man, that must be the super-duper soaker." I told him

He just laughed and watched as a mini rainbow appeared in the mist of the water gun. He threw the coin to the mist as he shouted, "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering." The coin disappeared into the rainbow and never came out the other side. Monty smirked at me. "Show me Leo Valdez."

The rainbow shimmered and suddenly I could see a dude who looked to be a few years older than me with curly black hair and grease all over his impish face. His brown eyes scanned over the object he seemed to be tinkering with.

He smiled down at an object and spun around on his heel sticking the object up as high as his arms reached, which wasn't all that far. "This is the legendary valdezinator. The greatest musical instrument of all time." He was holding the valdezinator up to a group of kids who were gathered in a circle around him like it was story time at school.