Melancholy Kaleidescope | PJO

Ch. 13: Triumphant Exit

"I got Nobody!" Polyphemus gloated.

They crept into the cave and saw the Cyclops grinning wickedly, holding up empty air. When he shook his fist, a baseball cap fluttered to the ground, showcasing Annabeth hanging upside down by her legs.

"Hah!" the Cyclops said. "Nasty invisible girl! Already got a feisty one for wife. Means you gotta be grilled with mango chutney!"

Annabeth struggled, but she looked dazed. She had a nasty cut on her forehead and glassy eyes.

"I'll rush him," Percy whispered to Clarisse. "Our ship is around the back of the island. You and Grover–"

"No way," Grover and Clarisse chorused. Clarisse had armed herself with a highly collectible ram's-horn spear from the Cyclops' cave. Grover had found a sheep's thigh bone, which he didn't look too happy about, but he was gripping it like a club and ready to attack.

"We'll take him together," Clarisse growled, sharing a look that Jinora had seen plenty of times during their sparring sessions. She nodded at the Ares girl.

"Yeah," Grover agreed, then blinked like he couldn't believe he'd just agreed with Clarisse about something.

Percy nodded. "All right," he said. "Attack plan Macedonia."

They nodded. They'd all taken the same training courses at Camp Half-Blood, and they all knew what Percy was talking about. Grover, Clarisse, and Jinora would sneak around either side and attack the Cyclops from the flanks while Percy held his attention in the front. This probably meant they would all die, but they'd die fighting. They'd die with glory.

"Hey, Ugly!"

The giant whirled toward him. "Another one? Who are you?"

"Put my friend down," Percy demanded, holding his glare at Polyphemus. "I'm the one who insulted you."

"You are Nobody?"

"That's right, you smelly bucket of nose drool! I'm Nobody and I'm proud of it! Now put her down and get over here. I want to stab your eye out again."

Polyphemus took that insult personally and bellowed.

The good news: he dropped Annabeth. The bad news: he dropped her headfirst into the rocks, where she lay motionless as a ragdoll. Jinora's eyes widened as she hoped and prayed her friend wasn't dead.

Polyphemus barreled forward, leaving the rest of them little time to think. They readied their weapons to fight.

Grover charged first. He threw his sheep bone, which bounced harmlessly off the monster's forehead. Clarisse ran in from the left and set her spear against the ground just in time for the Cyclops to step on it. He wailed in pain and swung at Clarisse, who dove out of the way with just enough time to get away from the giant's reach. Polyphemus plucked her spear out like a large splinter and continued advancing on Percy.

Jinora moved in with Trickster. The monster made a grab for her, but she rolled aside and stabbed him in the thigh. Unfortunately, he did not disintegrate. He was too big and too powerful.

"Get Annabeth!" Percy yelled at Grover, who was swiping at Polyphemus' ankles.

Grover rushed over and grabbed her invisibility cap, picking her up while Jinora, Clarisse, and Percy did their best to keep Polyphemus distracted.

They charged again and again, coming in from all angles. They swiped and stabbed and dodged and taunted. They were keeping Polyphemus on edge, but they couldn't keep it up forever. Eventually, they would either tire or the monster would get in a lucky shot. And it would only take one hit to kill any of them.