The Return of Evil | A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

=17= A PROMISE CAN BE BROKEN

=PERCY'S POV=

I instinctively took Riptide out and uncapped it. The Celestial bronze sword glowed faintly in the dark as I waved it in front of Echidna's face as a warning to back off- but of course, she didn't listen.

"Perseus Jackson." She hissed. "My, my, look how much you've grown." Her reptilian face twisted into a malicious smile as she circled around me. A few meters back, her Chimera licked its lips, probably remembering how close it had come to eating me last time and how it wouldn't let me escape this time.

"Echidna." I retorted. Then I made my voice one octave higher. "My, my, look how much uglier you've become." I mocked. In the back of my head, I could hear Beckendorf silently laughing.

She bared her fangs. "I went easy on you five years ago, letting you get away with your life. This time I won't show you any mercy."

Without warning, she lunged at me and I barely had time to block her strike. I felt her talons slice the air only a few centimeters away from my head. Going all on offense, I swiped Riptide at her and felt a burst of satisfaction as the sword cut a good sized cut right in the middle of her scaly stomach.

She screamed in surprise, pain and fury. Then she shrunk back, hiding behind her Chimera.

"Scared of me?" I taunted. "Go hide behind your little pet and be a coward then."

I yelled a battle cry and advanced towards the hunched figure, prepared to make the final strike. But before I could even lay a finger on her, her Chimera kicked me with its goat legs and I was sent flying backwards. I hit the ground with a sickening crunch and my vision turned black at the edges.

Echidna cackled in victory as she congratulated her hybrid pet. Then she turned to me, eyes glinting dangerously. "You haven't seen anything yet." Her gaze flicked to her Chimera. "Sonny, ATTACK!"

Sonny immediately charged towards me, his snake tail making a sound that might have been laughter. I groaned as I got to my feet, just in time to get rammed by Sonny's huge lion head.

The impact was so hard that I doubled over and almost started retching. Pain seared through my stomach and I saw stars. I moaned as I managed to pick up Riptide and stagger back into a standing position. Holding Riptide in a defensive manner, I turned back towards the Chimera.

Sonny's lion head growled as he crouched down, ready to pounce.

"S-stay away." I said, while brandishing my sword at the monster.

I didn't think Sonny was convinced with my attempt to scare him away because he didn't move an inch. His snake tail hissed and bared its fangs, ready for a demigod snack.

Knowing I had no chance, I backed away. Echidna stood twenty meters behind me, savoring every moment. Her Chimera crept closer, his blood-matted mane swishing back and forth. I stumbled and I knew it was hopeless, until I heard a voice right at the back of my head.

'We'll buy you some time, Perce.'

Suddenly, the Chimera was swept up by invisible arms and hurled back towards it's master. It roared in astonishment as it sailed past me, the sound so loud, it felt like someone put a speaker right next to my ears and it was on full volume.

Echidna's expression was priceless. Her eyes were as wide as bowling balls and her scaly face turned a shade of brown in shock. "W-what is this trickery?!" She yelled. "How-how..."

Then her sick smile evaporated off her face as she realized that I wasn't alone. "You-you..." She sputtered.

"Me-me." I imitated. I tried to get to my feet, but I just fell down again. My head pounded and my vision was blurred red. I couldn't even feel my body anymore.