Modern Myths

Book 1 - The Lightning Thief: Chapter 8: I fight a god.

6/13/06, Tuesday

Beach, Santa Monica, California, 10:30am

Percy POV

Ares: "I was just going to send a giant boar after you, but you're so far ahead of schedule I'm not taking any chances."

Not taking any chances is right. 3 of his sacred species are here.

Feather-shooting birds are metallic birds that can shoot their feathers like arrows or throwing knives. Despite the sharpness of the blades, they're nonlethal. They look like metal ravens. These must be the distractions.

Stymphalian Birds, however, are a species of monstrous pigeon-like birds that can do everything the ravens can & are lethal. They can use their celestial bronze beaks to render flesh from bones easily & are apex predators. They're sacred to both Ares & Artemis, due to both having a role in their creation.

Fire breathing horses were created by my dad as a gift to him. The 4 that pull his war chariot are immortal & are named Aithon, Phlogios, Konabos & Phobos. Yes, he named his son after one of his immortal horses.

The fact that he is using his chariot means he's taking this seriously.

Me: "Let me guess, the birds will keep my friends busy while you fight me 1 on 1?"

Ares: "Yup! Their sense of smell makes her invisibility useless."

Me: "Yes & your chariot means you can't use the Helm to turn yourself invisible, because the Chariot would still be visible" I thought, then said "Let me guess the backpack was the sheath? Why not just take over Olympus if you had both?" as I pulled out Riptide & turned on my armor & helmet.

Ares: "I didn't think that far ahead. I don't have dreams."

Me: "Who said anything about dreams? For the record, I grew up with Hades babysitting me & a spy in the titans told him & Poseidon that Cronus is possessing you."

Ares: "I'm no one's puppet!" He yells before charging me.

I had the ocean pull me deeper in, while Annabeth & Grover fended off the birds.

If he keeps following me, we'll be out in the middle of the ocean.

He swings at me with his sword as his horses drive by.

I dive under water to dodge, then turned invisible since the fire would negatively affect the horses' sense of smell, though the water would hide my scent regardless.

I need to get him wet, then switch from Riptide to the Thunderbolt & give him some Electroconvulsive therapy to remove Cronus's influence.

I summoned giant waves to get him at 4 corners to trap him, but he barely escaped.

My plan still worked as he was soaked.

I stood on top of the water I was hiding on & unzipped the bag as fast as I could.

Right as he was about to hit me, I fired the bolt.

"BOOM!"

Ugh! I got caught in the blast radius, despite being perfectly dry, due to hydrokinesis.

Annabeth POV

I thought me & Grover were going to die. Lucky us the group of Cyclops, Furies & other creatures Lady Kymopoleia told us about were waiting to ambush Ares.

They tore through them, like crazy.

The cyclopes with bows & arrows, the empousa with magic, the furies bare handed & whips & my dad with his Cei-Rigotti filled with celestial bronze ammo in his left hand & his 9mm is right.