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

Chapter 17: We Become Hippies

As the giant stepped in range, I quickly jabbed my sword into its thigh and then sliced it across it arm. The giant was clearly not used to fighting as it swung its arm in a slow clumsy circle that I easily sidestepped before driving my sword deep into its knee, forcing it to the ground. I had to jump back and give it space as a puddle of the hissing liquid splashed down in front of me. I wasn't really sure what the puddle was, but I knew it wasn't going to help keep my skin clear. It was probably more likely that it would remove all my skin.

The giant rose to its feet once again and I watched as the wounds seemed to reverse themselves until they were no longer there. "You are only delaying the inevitable. Eventually you will tire, and I will kill you. If you surrender now, I promise to make it quick." The giant offered. I responded by throwing a rock off the ground into its face distracting it long enough for me to slash my blade down the middle of its face.

The giant roared in pain. "Your arrogance has earned you suffering." It held its hand to its face, the golden blood streaming through its fingers.

I shrugged my shoulders and wiped the sweat off my forehead. "Seems like you're the one suffering right now." I pointed to his golden blood that was spattered on the floor of the cave in several spots.

The giant smiled as his wound closed shut. "Mock all you want, but eventually you will be dead at my feet." He walked slowly in a circle around me as I caught my breath. I knew he was right. My arms were starting to feel heavier, and my breath was becoming more ragged. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, and I still had to find out where this sacred tomb was and destroy it if I was going to save the earth from certain doom. I knew I would have to get away from the giant somehow so I could find the tomb.

I ducked under the giants uncoordinated swing and slammed my blade deep into his side ripping open a wide gash that leaked more golden blood onto the floor. As the giant dropped to a knee, I slashed my sword up his chest opening another wound and then drove it through his face. The giant crumpled to the ground unmoving, but I knew it was only temporary, so I sprinted for the other side of the room to search for whatever the sacred tomb is.

After a few seconds of running through the cave I heard a roar muffled by the walls of the cave in between me and the giant. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I was hoping I would at least know when I found it. I kept up a jogging pace for another couple of minutes before I slowed down to walking as I searched through the seemingly endless maze of tunnels and passages in the cave. I could hear angry shouts and the sound of cave walls being destroyed as the giant rammed through them with his body.

"Time is running out little demigod." The giants voice taunted through the walls. I was starting to worry I wouldn't find the sacred tomb in time to stop the giant from raising his brother. I didn't know who his brother was, but I really didn't like the idea of fighting another one of his kind.

I started jogging again trying to find the tomb before the giant found me. I ran into a small opening and immediately felt a wave of anger and pain wash over me dropping me to my knees. I couldn't think straight, and my vision was tinted red as I looked around the room. I forced myself to calm down and focus. My vision cleared slowly, and I noticed a small symbol on the wall that I couldn't make out. I stood up and saw a giant flame orange spire rising at least twenty feet out of the middle of the floor. Inside the spire was a dark shape that looked similar to the giant that was currently crashing through cave walls somewhere behind me.

I quickly walked behind the spire to study the symbol on the wall. I realized the symbol was in ancient Greek because I could read it fairly easily. It read tumbos meaning tomb. I looked around the small room and my eyes settled on the spire in the middle that seemed to be higher out of the ground than it was when I first looked at it. "Sorry tomb boy, I'm gonna destroy you now." I said to the spire stepping close to it and raising my sword arm high above my head. The sword clanged off the spire as though it was made from steel, and I felt the vibration all the way up to my head.