King Arthur And The Olympians: The Titan's Curse

Arthur Dances with Vengeance

"RRRROOOAAARR!!"  It bounded off the balcony and into the middle of the aeronautics center.. staring majestically and ferociously at us at the same time.... I remember only glimpsing it once outside a train window.. but now I could see it up close, I could finally see the beauty and power of it..

A giant lion the size of a tank, with fur of pure gold, it's coat shimmering in the light.. it's deadly claws of silver out as it began to prowl towards us.. 

Somewhere in the background of screaming mortals scattering, a delighted kid shouted "Kitty!!"

I probably should explain my love of lions before we get into this. See, when I was living in Camelot, I had found a baby lion cub that had been abandoned, and I myself, had nursed the poor thing back to health myself. It had been one of those few moments in my life I felt joy in caring for something so weak and defenseless.. and every lion sorta reminded me of that cute cub..

But this was no cute lion cub.. this was a ginormous powerful beast meant to test us or kill us.

"The Nemean Lion!" stammered Thalia. "No way."

"The what?" said Shirou.

"The Nemean Lion!" said Rin. "Der.. the lion Heracles wrestled into submission. According to most mages, it's fur is supposed to be enchanted to be impervious to any attack.. it's invincible!"

As if to prove the point, the lion lunged, roaring, and I side stepped it's pounce, exploding into my Servant form and slashing at it's side with Excalibur's bright holy blade.

sparks grinded off the fur as my blade bounced off the surface. Even the blade of Promised Victory couldn't pierce that... 

The Nemean Lion swatted me with the back of it's paw, and a tremendous impact exploded out as I was sent hurtling straight through a replica of the plane flown by Amelia Earhart (who is a Rider class Servant by the way). 

I rose from the rubble, feeling something hot and warm on my chest, and I looked down to see my armor had gashes in it.. and blood was dripping down.

"SABER!!!" Shirou and Thalia both yelled as the Nemean Lion turned towards me, roaring it's displeasure. 

Those claws were something else!

The Nemean Lion bounded at me, and I held up my wrist.. summoning up a powerful Camelot Steel shield with a Kraken's jeweled eye in the center.. and a powerful barrier of soundwaves conjured up from the roars of a Hafgufa enveloped it.. blowing the large beast back.

Those claws might have been able to rend nearly any armor, but sound waves were a whole other hot potato. 

I held up my shield the Kraken's Bane, thrusting forward, driving the Nemean Lion to slowly back up, as I twirled my blade in my other hand, searching for a good weakness. 

At that moment, silver arrows flew out as Bianca and Zoe dashed around the far edge, firing away.. the arrows clanging off the monster's muzzle as they attempted to get the only points not covered in fur.. which was it's pink inner mouth..

The Nemean Lion turned and roared at the duo as Thalia dashed in, drawing her spear and shield, trying to stab at the lion's mouth.

The Nemean Lion shook it's mane, it's mouth much too hard a target to take out as it slashed it's paws to and fro, it's claws ripping through random stands, and almost getting Thalia before she rolled out of the way, attempting to thrust upwards, only to have her spear bounce off the beast's muzzle. 

The beast bounded towards Thalia, and I desummoned my shield, charging energy into my sword with both hands, hurling a concussive energy blast that slammed into the side of the lion, smashing it into souvenir shop..