The Veiled Legacy | PJO - Book Two

five

WAR GAMES
(EASY WIN)

Hazel found them a tunnel with no problem. In fact, Ariana had a sneaking suspicion she didnt just find tunnels. It was as though tunnels manufactured themselves to suit her needs.

Passages that had been filled in years ago suddenly un-filled, changing direction to lead
Hazel where she wanted to go.

Ariana felt much more powerful under the ground. Tugging sensations pulled her along; she was able to predict where Hazel would go.

It must've been a child of Pluto thing.

They crept along by the light of Ariana's and Percy's glowing swords. Above, they heard the sounds of battle - kids shouting, Hannibal the elephant bellowing with glee, scorpion bolts exploding and water cannons firing.

The tunnel shook. Dirt rained down on them.

"There's an opening just ahead." Hazel announced.

"We'll come up ten feet from the east wall." Ariana spoke. Hazel looked at her and smiled like she understood.

"How can you tell?" Percy asked.

"I don't know." Hazel and Ariana said.

"But I'm sure." Hazel confirmed.

"Could we tunnel straight under the wall?" Frank wondered.

"No." Hazel said. "The engineers were smart. They built the walls on old foundations that go down to bedrock. And don't ask how I know. I just do."

Frank stumbled over something and cursed. Percy brought his sword around for more light. The thing Frank had tripped on was gleaming silver.

Ariana crouched down.

"Don't touch it!" Hazel said.

Frank's hand stopped a few inches from the chunk of metal. It looked like a giant Hershey's Kiss, about the size of his fist.

Despite Hazels warnings, Ariana picked it up. Hazel quickly knocked it out her hand.

"It's massive." Frank said. "Silver?"

"Platinum." Hazel sounded scared out of her wits. "It'll go away in a second. Please don't touch it. It's dangerous."

As they watched, the chunk of platinum sank into the ground.

He stared at Hazel. "How did you know?"

In the light of Percy's sword, Hazel looked as ghostly as a Lar.

"I'll explain later." she promised.

Another explosion rocked the tunnel, and they forged ahead. They popped out of a hole just where Hazel and Ariana had predicted. In front of them, the fort's east wall loomed.

Off to their left, Ariana could see the main line of the Fifth Cohort advancing in turtle formation, shields forming a shell over their heads and sides.

They were trying to reach the main gates, but the defenders above pelted them with rocks and shot flaming bolts from the scorpions, blasting craters around their feet.

A water cannon discharged with a jaw-rattling THRUM, and a jet of liquid carved a trench in the dirt right in front of the cohort.

Percy whistled. "That's a lot of pressure, all right."

The Third and Fourth Cohorts weren't even advancing. They stood back and laughed, watching their 'allies' get beaten up.

The defenders clustered on the wall above the gates, yelling insults at the tortoise formation as it staggered back and forth. War games had deteriorated into 'beat up the Fifth'.