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

Chapter 19: The Darkness Saves US

"Matty?" A weak voice poked at my thoughts. "Mommy?"

The world around me snapped back into focus as I heard the fear in my little sister's voice. I gently released my mom's hand and rushed to Sophie's side turning her away from my mom's unmoving form. I felt a surge of relief flood my body as her eyes focused on my face and she took a long steady breath.

I turned away from her as I heard a snapping sound from behind me. Alison was scrambling backwards, her bow snapped into pieces on the ground at Kopori's feet, as she pulled her dagger free with a quick flick of her wrist. She was distracted as she saw my head spin around and, in that moment, the second giant had circled behind her and swung his massive club with vicious speed. Her reaction was still good enough to jump as high as she could, but it wasn't quite fast enough, so the club slammed into her legs sending her spinning into the wall of the cave where she yelped in pain. When she tried to sit up her arm folded the wrong way and at an awkward angle causing her to drop back to the ground with a groan.

Alison managed to prop herself up on her other arm and crawl over to the rest of us. She propped herself against the cave wall and closed her eyes. After a few seconds her eyes popped open again and she shook her head. "I can't heal anymore." She pointed with her good arm at the one that was bent backwards and dangling from her shoulder.

I felt a pit of frustration and anger stabbing into my lower gut as the larger of the two giants kicked my sword behind them making sure I wouldn't be able to get it. Kopori looked around the cave and grinned with satisfaction as his eyes settled on my mom's body. "Accursed woman and her stupid sword." He growled rubbing his side where a wound used to be. He shifted his gaze to settle on my sister. "I'd hate to leave her all alone." The giant began walking towards her completely ignoring everyone else.

I felt the stabbing in my gut grow more painful as I stood helpless and useless in between an immortal giant and my little sister. I thought about how useless I had been to my mother when she was dying. If I had healing powers like Alison, or magic like Monty, maybe I could've saved her. I was supposed to be more powerful than either of them because I was a child of the big three, but I hadn't been able to do anything when it actually mattered and now my mom was dead, and my sister was next.

I felt something trickling over my lip down my chin as I closed my eyes and the stabbing pain spread through my body. I hated this quest, I hated the monsters we faced, I hated the giants standing in front of us, I hated that I let my mom die, and more than any of that, I hated myself.

I could feel cuts ripping open all along my body as blood exploded out of me surrounding the giant that stood over my little sister and spinning around him faster and faster. My vision started swimming with rage and my whole body vibrated as my blood swirled around the giant buffeting him backwards and away from my sister. I could faintly hear sounds coming from the two giants and Alison was saying something, but none of it made any sense. It was like hearing a different language through a crappy radio.

The larger giant stomped his foot into the ground and the blood dropped to the floor as I lost focus. I was suddenly very dizzy, and I dropped to one knee bleeding from hundreds of small cuts all over my body. Kopori regained his balance and his eyes bored into me with some kind of power that made my chest burn. "I have been too lenient with you demigod. I will grant you the privilege of witnessing my full power." His body began smoking and steaming and the air around him seemed to hiss with power. My nose stopped bleeding immediately and the air I breathed in made it burn.

I didn't care what this stupid giant thought or said. I just wanted to release more of my hatred. I needed to turn it away from myself. I rose to my feet again and grinned at the giant. "Why don't we see who can take more pain?" I was more than happy to use all my blood if it meant the giant would suffer more.