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chapter thirty-one ( battle of the labyrinth ) ❝ the god complex part two! ❞
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I found out the stupid empousa was named Kelli, and I couldn't help but think that of course she'd be called Kelli. She had been there when Percy blew up the gym, and so she may perhaps have a slight monsterly grudge over the killing of her sisters. As we were marched down the tunnel flanked by dracaenae, with Kelli and the giant at the back (you know, just in case we ran for it), I shared an uneasy glance with Annabeth. Nobody seemed to worry about us running forward━that was the direction they wanted us to go.
If I squinted my eyes, I could see bronze doors up ahead. As we got closer, I could see that they were about three and a half metres tall, emblazoned with a pair of crossed swords. From behind them came a muffled roar, like a crowd.
"Oh, yessssss," said the snake woman on Percy's left. "You'll be very popular with our hossssst."
Percy looked very disgusted to see a dracaenae up close. "Who's your host?" he asked.
The snake woman hissed━which might've been a laugh. "Oh, you'll sssssee. You'll get along famousssly. He'sss your brother, after all."
Annabeth immediately frowned, trying to think through Greek Mythology for another son of Poseidon that we might be facing. I also wracked my brain━I could think of some ... but why would they be here?
Percy's brows rose up high, "My what?
The giant pushed past us and opened the doors. He picked Annabeth and I up like we were rag dolls and said, "You two stay here."
"Hey!" Annabeth protested, while I struggled and said a few (not so very nice words). But this guy was twice our size, and he'd already confiscated our knives, Percy's sword and my necklace. It would be unwise to use my power right now, as well, especially with Rachel still in the claws of Kelli the Empousa.
Kelli laughed. "Go on, Percy. Entertain us. We'll wait here with your friends to make sure you behave."
He looked at Rachel. "I'm sorry," said Percy. "I'll get you out of this."
She nodded as much as she could with a demon at her throat. "That would be nice."
The dracaenae prodded Percy towards the doorway at javelin-point, and he walked out onto the floor of an arena. It wasn't the largest arena. The dirt floor was circular, just big enough that you could drive a car around the rim (if you turned really sharply). In the centre of the arena, a fight was going on between a giant and a centaur. The centaur looked panicked. He was galloping around his enemy, using a sword and shield, while the giant swung a havelin the size of a telephone pole and the crowd cheered.
