Daughter of Artemis: Fire and Ice

Daughter of Artemis 11*

Media: The giant / Song - there will be a note that tells you when to play it.

<>Chapter 11<>

Whatever was there stopped, and then continued forward. The trees shook violently and the ground trembled with a pause every few seconds. Just over the treetops, I could make out something round and skin-toned. That's probably what frightened me most. "Does anyone have an idea of what this might be?" I asked nervously to the group.

"Um. . . maybe," Annabeth said quietly. Even she seemed a little unsure about the situation we were in. I didn't press anymore. I don't think I want to know.

Giant footstep-like sounds could be heard, trees were shuddering, swaying back and forth, and some falling, and the ground shook beneath our feet. "Nico?" I ask looking down, half expecting the earth to open beneath our feet.

"No. Not Nico," Tyson said nervously. For a big guy he kind of reminded me of a baby. But a brave one.

A huge foot stepped out of the tree line, making us all jump and immediately put up our guard. Surprising us, a girl came running out of the trees looking absolutely terrified. She had vibrant red hair, what looked like brown eyes, and pale skin like mine. While nearing us, a giant hand swooped down and picked her up, taking her up into the air. She was screaming and pounding on the fist the whole way up. Finally, we looked up to a very disturbing and ugly face. It looked like a giant from a fairytale or something.

"My, my, you sir, need a makeover," I said scrunching my nose.

"Not to mention, a shower too," Annabeth commented.

"Mhm. . . Bahh!" Grover bleated. The creature was, without a doubt, hideous. It's skin was dark, and leaned more towards green and brown rather than actual skin-colored. The rags it wore were torn and shredded, giving us multiple weak spots. What made them less weak was the mass of the skin. It was like it;s own flesh was it's armor. This thing was fat. Roaring at us, it's large eyes opened wide and it's chapped, dirty mouth opened hungrily.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Clarisse asked and started to run up to the giant. For some reason, the giant wasn't charging, but rather staring us down, probably like some meal.

"Wait, Clarisse!" Travis shouted. "I have a plan," he told us. Clarisse came back and joined. Just as she turned her back, the giant raised the girl up and leaned back, lowering her closer and closer to it's face. I quickly loaded and loosed an arrow into it's cheek, causing it to become distracted.

Roaring once again, the giant took two strides towards us. We immediately split up, each of us going different ways or in pairs of two. The whole time we evasively dodged the monster's attacks, Travis yelled out the plan. I could only hope the giant didn't know English. "Clarisse, you to distract the thing by pounding on your shield. Sylvia, you should also distract it. Shoot wherever you can, and where ever you think is most effective."

An arm came swooping down, at which I fell flat on my stomach to avoid getting sent halfway across the state. Travis continued. "Annabeth, Connor, you guys will use the rope I brought and work on tying its feet."

Travis jumped up in the air, tucking his legs in before landing, successfully leaping over the giant's foot. "Percy, you use water from somewhere, I mean there has to be a creek or something, and give it a desperately needed 'shower'. Tyson, I need you to beat it with anything you have. Make sure to stay behind it though. I'll also help with tying the rope."

Suddenly the girl with the red hair was flying in the air, which ceased all battling for a moment. The giant stopped to catch her, which he fortunately and unfortunately did. We breathed a sigh of relief, but too soon the fighting continued again. Grover, use your flute to grow vines or roots around it's wrists so that the girl can be put down and so that it can't attack as easily. Good? Okay, let's kill this thing!" he told us. For being a hard-headed idiot, this was a good plan.