You'll Learn to Love Me (Leo Valdez x OC)

Chapter 49: Laylana Annoys a Giant

Laylana had experienced a good amount of fights in her years. Especially those in arenas or a literal all out war. But nothing like this. In the huge Colosseum, with thousands of cheering ghosts, the god Bacchus staring down at him, and the two twelve-foot giants loomingover him, Laylana felt small and weak. But she was also furious with the God for turning this into an entertainment thing. 

Fighting giants was one thing. Bacchus making it into a game was something else. Laylana remembered what Luke Castellan had told her and Percy years ago, when they had come back from his very first quest: Didn't you realize how useless it all is? All the heroics—being pawns of the Olympians?

Percy was the same age now as Luke had been then. In the past five years, Laylana had been a pawn too many times. She had been fatally injured more times than she can count, and she had even died. The Olympians seemed to take turns using them for their schemes. Maybe the gods were better than the Titans, or the giants, or Gaea, but that didn't make them good or wise. It didn't make Laylana want to embrace either. She just wanted to be done with this, and go off to live her life with her family and friends (and Leo). Unfortunately, she didn't have much choice. If she was going to save her friends, she had to fight.

Ephialtes and Otis made his decision easier by attacking. Together, the giants picked up a fake mountain as big as their New York apartment and hurled it at the demigods. The three bolted. They dove together into the nearest trench and the mountain shattered above them, spraying them with plaster shrapnel. It wasn't deadly, but it stung like crazy.

The crowd jeered and shouted for blood. "Fight! Fight!" 

"I'll take Otis again?" Jason called over the noise. "Or do you want him this time?"

"I'll take whoever is struggling more on my own." Laylana called to them. She was covered in dust and dirt, the sweater that was wrapped around her waist long gone, and her joggers ripped from the amount of dodging and rolling she did.

Percy went quiet for a bit. Laylana stared up at the giants, fear coursing through her veins. She had to win this fight, if not for herself but for her friends. Piper and Nico were relying on them to defeat these giants or at least entertain Bacchus long enough for him to step in and finish the fight. 

"We attack together," Percy decided. "Otis first, because he's weaker. Take him out quickly and move to Ephialtes. Bronze, iron and gold together—maybe that'll keep them from re-forming a little longer."

Jason smiled dryly, like he'd just found out he would die in an embarrassing way.

"Why not?" he agreed. "But Ephialtes isn't going to stand there and wait while we kill his brother. Unless—"

"Good wind today," Percy offered. "And there're some water pipes running under the arena. Not to mention it's pretty dark out as well."

Jason understood immediately, as did Laylana. The two of them laughed.

"On three?" Jason said.

"Why wait?" Laylana grinned.

The three of them charged out of the trench. The twins had lifted another plaster mountain and were waiting for a clear shot. The giants raised it above their heads, preparing to throw, and Percy caused a water pipe to burst at their feet, shaking the floor. Jason sent a blast of wind against Ephialtes's chest as Laylana manipulated the shadows around the giants' eyes in an attempt to blind them. The purple-haired giant toppled backward and Otis lost his grip on the mountain, which promptly collapsed on top of his brother. 

Only Ephialtes's snake feet stuck out, darting their heads around, as if wondering where the rest of their body had gone. The crowd roared with approval, but Laylana suspected Ephialtes was only stunned. They had a few seconds at best.