Annabeth Chase and the Sea of Monsters

Chapter 38 - The Party Ponies play fight

"One on one," Percy challenged Luke. "What are you afraid of?"

Luke turned to look at him, but before he could answer, Agrius returned, leading a black pegasus. It was the first pure-black one I've seen and it was feisty, bucking and whinnying against the bear-man.

"Sir!" Agrius called, ducking as the pegasus kicked at him. "Your steed is ready."

Luke didn't pay him any attention, his eyes on Percy. "I told you last summer, Percy. You can't bait me into a fight."

"And you keep avoiding one," the son of Poseidon shot back. "Scared your warriors will see you get whipped?"

It was a smart move by the Seaweed Brain. Luke couldn't back down now or be seen as weak. He would lose the respect of his men.

The weakness of the plan was that Luke was the finest swordsman around. And he knew exactly how Percy fought. He'd trained him after all.

"I'll kill you quickly," he decided, raising his new sword. It was longer than Riptide and made of two metals, steel and celestial bronze. That meant it could kill both monsters and mortals, a double whammy.

One of his men threw Luke a round leather-and-bronze shield but didn't do the same for Percy. That meant that Luke had an advantage defensive-wise as he could take blows on the shield and retaliate quickly, while Percy was going to have to use his sword the whole time. It wasn't fair already.

"Luke," I said, "at least give him a shield."

"Sorry, Annabeth," he said, not sounding at all apologetic. "You bring your own equipment to this party."

He'd barely finished speaking before he lunged forward, Percy only managing to jump back in time to avoid being skewered. I saw blood blossom on his shirt where it had been caught, most of it coming from his side. I had no idea how bad it was as Percy attacked.

He swung at Luke, but the son of Hermes knocked it aside contemptuously with his shield, like it was a game.

"My, Percy," he chided. "You're out of practice."

The son of Poseidon was breathing hard, parrying everything Luke threw at him, but I could see he was worried. His free hand kept sliding to the cut, like it was paining him.

I wanted to help, to do something, but Oreius still held me by the neck, stopping me from moving. Grover and I were helpless.

Tyson was free, but he had several warriors aiming arrows at him. If he moved, he'd be shot. Besides, a sword fight was not something his strength could help him in, especially against someone with Luke's skills.

Luke lunged again at Percy, but he jumped back into the swimming pool. For a moment he disappeared, only to shoot back out at the centre of a funnel of water. He slammed straight into Luke, who was sent rolling across the deck.

The son of Hermes recovered quickly though, springing back to his feet as Percy attacked. He cut off part of Luke's shield, who merely ducked and cut Percy along the thigh.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Percy collapsed almost immediately. He only just managed to save himself from Luke's follow-up strike by rolling behind a deckchair.

"Perrrrrcy!" Grover cried.

I couldn't speak. My heart was in my mouth.

Luke struck again, slicing straight through the deckchair. Percy scrambled backwards, heading for the pool but I could see that he'd never make it. He knew it too as he looked at Luke, who was advancing casually towards him.

"One thing I want you to watch before you die, Percy," Luke said. He glanced back toward Grover and I. "You can eat you dinner now, Oreius. Bon appétit."

I struggled as the bear-man lifted Grover and I easily, laughing as he brought us to his mouth. I could feel his hot breath on my head, his hard body not even registering the kicks and punches I was driving in. Not even Grover's hooves was making an effect.

I thought I was gone for sure when an arrow suddenly appeared in Oreius's mouth. I stared at it, shocked that he ate an arrow rather than me. He looked surprised too, his grip on Grover and I loosening as he dissolved to smoke.

"Brother!" Agrius wailed, letting go of the black pegasus. It wasted no time in kicking him in the back of the head, killing him instantly as it turned and flew away.

For a few moments after that, no one moved, every one too shocked.

Then the centaurs arrived.

Out of nowhere, a dozen centaurs barreled into Luke's forces, bowling them over like pins as they howled and cheered. Their horses parts all looked different and they were dressed odd. Some were shirtless, others were painted and more wore fake arrow-through-the-head things and slinky eyes.

They didn't carry weapons, unless you count paintball guns and plastic swords as weapons. But they were fierce and they coloured the monsters with the paint and gave some harsh spanking.

Luke didn't seem to know what to do. He stood there with his sword lowered and mouth gaping. Then he seemed to get over his shock and was about to fight when a centaur shot a boxing glove at him. The son of Hermes was hit so hard, I could hear the smack over all the noise as he was catapulted into the pool.

"Time to go," a familiar voice said.

I looked up to see Chiron beside me, smiling kindly at me. I couldn't speak from happiness as Grover and I clambered onto his back.

"Attack, you fools!" Luke spluttered from the pool.

The element of surprise had worn off slightly as the monsters started to pull out their weapons. The Party Ponies fell back, a palomino one scooping up Percy from where he was still crouched on the ground.

Tyson was thumping the monsters everywhere, but more were coming. We had to leave quickly.

Chiron had the same idea as me. "Withdraw brethren!" he called.

"You won't get away with this, horse man!" Luke yelled.

He managed to get out of the pool, but another boxing glove hit him and he went back for another dip.

Percy's centaur picked up Tyson also, although he staggered slightly under the weight. Chiron spun around and charged for the railing, the rest of the centaurs racing behind us. My eyes widened as he didn't slow down, despite the 10 storey drop to tarmac below.

Chiron leapt over the railing, me clinging onto his neck and Grover clinging to me. I thought we'd be flattened for sure, but Chiron hit the ground running and kept running easily. I breathed a sigh of relief as we left Luke behind us.