The Beginning of the End (J. Grace)

XXVI: I get Dove hurt...

I wish I could say that everything went smoothly. That we fought the giants and had them tied up pretty quickly, and then an impressed God appeared themselves to us in order to kill the dam things.

Alas, some – or, in my case, many – things must remain a fantasy.

The giants vanished into twin puffs of smoke, making things a little harder as I stumbled into said smoke, which then got I my eyes and up my nose. Gross.

When I managed to clear my vision, Seaweed Brain was in a metal box a little way away, seemingly on his way to Ephialtes who had re-appeared in a different spot to his brother, who Lightning Boy began charging at. Otis heaved a great sigh while pulling his spear, as though he'd much rather be performing Swan Lake than killing yet another demigod.

The floor before Dove and I opened up to reveal a patchwork of fiery pits, and then five starved leopards were released from their cage, and we had no where to run save across the hop-scotch pattern of fire. Great. I hate fire.

Yet my friend grabbed me by the hand and we began making our way across the difficult path, unable to focus on anything else. I didn't even dare run in case I fall into the fire. I mean, yes, I can run on air, but that only works if I've built up the momentum. I can't simply jump and start running in the air, it doesn't work like that. I have to have been running a little while, then run off something. Like a cliff, for instance.

We were almost at the end of the fire course, the leopards struggling to follow us, when Ephialtes cried: "Oh, you are a spoilsport, Jackson!"

I turned in time to see Riptide slicing though the chains of a hydra cage (causing the cage to fall back down and open, releasing the hydra) which was being lifted up through the slot in the roof, which would then lead up into the streets of Rome, killing innocent civilians. So, no, I don't think Guineapig is a spoilsport. I think he's doing the right thing. Wise Girl would agree, were she here.

"Very well. Battle here, if you must, but your death won't be nearly as good without the cheering crowds."

Percy freaking Jackson took a step towards the hydra. Without a weapon. I don't think he's done the right thing there.

"Hey!" I called out, hating myself for what I was about to do, but seeing to other way to help my friend out from my position on the other side of the hop-scotch of death.

Picking up a fairly large rock from the ground, I hurled it at the hydra and all eight heads turned on Dove and I.

"Get down!" I called to her over the carnage, tightening my grip on her hand and dragging her along with me to run over to where the bronze jar lay empty and on its side. All the heads spat acid which sizzled and burned away the places where we had been stood previously.

From the corner of my eye, I could make out Seaweed Brain ducking behind one of the giant hamster wheels. But it wasn't long until I was brought back to the fight I was facing as it was Piper's turn to drag me away from danger when the hydra lashed out. We raced around the jar, to the opposite side to the monster.

Otis's diamond tiara was discarded near us, and I looked over to find Jason battling the giant who insisted on doing a pirouette before every attack. But he didn't look happy about losing his tiara. Gods, how has Lightning Boy not burst out laughing yet?

"Can't you slash at it?" Dove asked, shooting roast meat in the other direction to distract the leopards which were advancing on us with the hydra.

"Can't. Heads will grow back, and double the amount that I cut off." I responded grimly.

She cursed in Greek. I grinned, realising that I was the one who taught her that word.

Meanwhile, Ephialtes laughed manically and pressed all the buttons on his control board – something I would have loved to do if it weren't so catastrophic. Random animal cages were opened and the conveyor belts were sent into a much higher gear.