The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 30--The Golden Horseshoe

It wasn't that hard to find the man; we just had to follow the sounds of objects being thrown to the floor.

We weaved through the mansion, which looked like it had been gutted by a team of house robbers. Paintings had been thrown to the side, the storeroom had been totaled, and furniture had been torn up. I wasn't an expert, but it all looked recent.  Someone really hated this house.

That someone was in one of the guest bedrooms, rummaging through the drawers as if looking for something.

"Is he robbing this house right now?" Liam muttered angrily as a pair of shorts was thrown to the floor. "Was that what he was doing to those other ones as well?"

"Shh!" Aridne hissed.

Fortunately, the man's back was turned, and he was muttering to himself. I couldn't really tell what he was saying, but it was clear he was panicked. Even though we were just outside of the door, he was in no state to notice us.

As one, we drew our weapons. Riptide's steady bronze glow in the dim light gave me enough strength to study the man. 

Oh, that's interesting, End commented.

When I saw him outside, the man had been split into two parts. From his torso to his head, he had looked like a normal human, wearing a shirt that was too faded to read. But his bottom half was where things got interesting: it was transparent. I could ever so slightly spot his legs, which would flicker in and out of sight whenever he moved. Otherwise, it was like they weren't there at all—it was like he wasn't there at all. He reminded me of a Lares—a household god from Camp Jupiter. Only, this guy wasn't glowing purple. He looked more . . . human.

Maybe that's why I approached him. Or maybe I was worried that standing around, waiting for something to happen, wouldn't do us any good. Whatever the reason, it sometimes felt like a fourth person controlled my body.

Before Aridne or Liam could do anything, I was halfway toward him. "Come back here!" Aridne hissed.

But my heart was beating with adrenaline; I had chosen my path, and I would stick to it until the very end.

A stupid path! End exclaimed. Do you know anything about mythology?  The monsters that look the least harmless are the ones capable of destroying planets! I'm going to die . . .

I'm not going to let him attack me, I said. I have Riptide. 

But my sword seemed less useful the further I closed in, since the spirit didn't seem to notice my presence. Eventually, though, I stood right behind him, Riptide held loosely in my hand.

Well then, I thought awkwardly. Either this guy doesn't have ears, or I'm blessed by Artemis.

It's definitely the former, End reassured me. Or he's waiting for you to let down your guard before attacking.  

Despite End's protests, I looked behind me for guidance. Aridne and Luke watched me from outside of the room, their jaws slack in surprise. They'd be no help here. 

That's it. I'm taking matters into my own hands. "Hello?" I said tentatively. 

The man didn't seem to notice. His muttering stayed constant as he moved from one drawer to another. I had to dodge a pair of pants that were launched from his hands. 

I tried to gain his attention again. This time, though, I tapped him on the shoulder. Or, at least, I tried to. 

Only, my hand went through his body. It phased through his shirt, skin, and bone until it was back at my side.