Falling Through Portals

The Institute

Chapter 12

Percy brushed the snow off of the bottom of his pants and leaned against the Iron Gate. The institute looked far away through the falling snow and fog of the gray morning.

Percy sighed and he could see his breath in front of him. Gods it was freezing. He needed to find shelter before he could decide what to do.

"Look what we have here," a voice laughed behind him.

Percy turned to see a gang of about four men begin to surround him. They were bundled in winter coats and shoving each other playfully. They surrounded Percy and he swallowed.

"I am not looking for trouble," Percy said. But even as he said it he could tell there was something off about them. As he looked closer at their faces he saw that instead of skin their faces were covered in fish scales. Percy pushed away from the gate and instinctively reached to his side. Nothing was there. He looked down and cursed. He had left Pippin's sword in his room in the institute.

"What is one lonely shadowhunter done to be forced out of its shelter so early in the morning?" the lead creature jeered. His companions laughed and he looked Percy up and down, "and such a youthful one at that?"

They had completely encircled him now. He wiggled his toes and fingers to keep them from going stiff in the cold.

"I am not a shadowhunter," Percy said. The monster reasserted itself.

"Oh? Do tell little human," he chuckled. His gang laughed and took a step closer to Percy.

Percy glanced behind him. Tessa and Will were still on the stairs. He had to get their attention before he was monster meat.

He raised his voice, "I AM NOT HUMAN. I AM NOT A SHADOWHUNTER. I AM NOT A WARLOCK. SO YOU SHOULD LEAVE BEFORE I HAVE TO HURT YOU."

His eyes narrowed, not looking very convinced.

Percy looked over his shoulder and saw that they had not moved. He cursed.

"So enlighten us," the monster dared, "What are you?"

"Isn't that the question of the year," Percy scoffed. He reached his hand into his pocket and uncapped Riptide.

"I AM A HALF-BLOOD!" Percy cried as dashed forward and cut off the leader's head with his blade.

A scream filled the morning air as the head landed in the snow with a sizzle. The body and head burst into dust and the other creatures attacked him. Their clothes suddenly disappeared and Percy should see that they were covered in sharp spines and pale scales. The one on his left swiped at Percy with his spine covered hand. Percy ducked just before he was impaled only to he slammed against the gate by a kick to the gut by one of the other ones.

The air was suddenly sucked out of his lungs. He was pressed against the gate as a paw full of spines was racked across his face. Percy screamed. Yanking Riptide up, he slashed at one of them and he stumbled back, wounded. But the other two ganged up on him.

Suddenly the gate was pulled back from behind him and Percy fell backwards into the snow. He saw a shadow dash forward and throw something at one of the creatures. There was a scream and an explosion of dust. Percy stood just in time for another monster to attack him. Percy plunged Riptide into the monsters gut and he turned to dust.

He looked up to see Will attacking the last monster with everything he had. Finally he landed a blow and that monster too exploded.

Percy stood shakily. Will and he were breathing hard in the now empty square.

"Are you alright?" Will asked finally.

Percy touched his face. Blood was running down his cheeks and onto his neck. The five scratch marks burned into his skin. He touched one of them and winced.