Bloodlines: Ichor || [2]

CXXXV. Hand in Unloveable Hand

ARIANA PROMISED HERSELF THAT, when the day was over, she was seriously going to kick herself. It was one thing to be confident enough to fight against the king of the giants. It was another thing to get distracted because she heard Jason scream and unleash Gaea upon the world.

She struggled to stay up on her feet, the pain from her bad leg finally settling in. She stared up at the clouds, waiting for her end to come, when it happened. Instead of blue skies, she saw black space spangled with stars, the palaces of Mount Olympus gleaming silver and gold in the background. And an army of gods charged down from on high.

It was too much to process. And it was probably better for her health that she didn't see it all. Only later would she be able to remember bits and pieces.

There was supersized Jupiter – no, this was Zeus, his original form – riding into battle in a golden chariot, a lightning bolt the size of a telephone pole crackling in one hand. Pulling his chariot were four horses made of wind, each constantly shifting from equine to human form, trying to break free. For a split second, one took on the icy visage of Boreas. Another wore Notus's swirling crown of fire and steam. A third flashed the smug lazy smile of Zephyrus. Zeus had bound and harnessed the four wind gods themselves.

On the underbelly of the Argo II, the glass bay doors split open. The goddess Nike tumbled out, free from her golden net. She spread her glittering wings and soared to Zeus's side, taking her rightful place as his charioteer.

"MY MIND IS RESTORED!" she roared. "VICTORY TO THE GODS!"

At Zeus's left flank rode Hera, her chariot pulled by enormous peacocks, their rainbow-coloured plumage so bright it gave Ariana the spins. Ares bellowed with glee as he thundered down on the back of a fire-breathing horse. His spear glistened red.

In the last second, before the gods reached the Parthenon, they seemed to displace themselves, like they'd jumped through hyperspace. The chariots disappeared. Suddenly Ariana and her friends were surrounded by the Olympians, now human-sized, tiny next to the giants, but glowing with power.

Ariana shouted and charged Porphyrion.

Her friends joined in the carnage.

The fighting ranged all over the Parthenon and spilled across the Acropolis. Out of the corner of her eye, Ariana saw Annabeth fighting Enceladus. At her side stood a woman with long dark hair and golden armor over her white robes. The goddess thrust her spear at the giant, then brandished her shield with the fearsome bronzed visage of Medusa. Together, Athena and Annabeth drove Enceladus back into the nearest wall of metal scaffolding, which collapsed on top of him.

On the opposite side of the temple, Frank, Natasha and the god Ares smashed through an entire phalanx of giants – Ares with his spear and shield, Frank (as an African elephant) with his trunk and feet, and Natasha in the form of a wolf. The war god laughed and stabbed and disembowelled like a kid destroying piñatas.

Hazel raced through the battle on Arion's back, disappearing in the Mist whenever a giant came close, then appearing behind him and stabbing him in the back. The goddess Hecate danced in her wake, setting fire to their enemies with two blazing torches.

Ariana didn't see Hades, but whenever Nira or Alex caused a giant to stumble and fall the ground broke open and the giant was snapped up and swallowed. Alex fought side by side with his mother, Demeter (in her greek form, anyways). Together, they faced the giant Piltos. Demeter's sunflower changed into a spear, and she tossed it to Alex, who impaled the giant against a column.

Nira battled the giant Thoon with a goddess who must've been her mother at her side. It took Ariana a second to make sense of the other, but she realized it must've been Nemesis. The three worked together perfectly, and Nira soon sent Thoon down a hole to Tartarus.