Malcolm ran forward as Stymphalian Birds dived down and attacked Steve, who rolled to the side and slashed at them. They pecked and ripped at his black coat, and he yelled at them. Malcolm jumped up onto a car and dived at his target, another traitor demigod. He slammed him with he back of his spear, and hit his hand with the axe, causing him to scream painfully and fall to the ground. Victor looked at him, before growling and kicking Steve side as he tried to sidestep a sword thrust. Maria disarmed two more traitors as Malcolm stabbed the last in eaten his shoulder, and shoved him to the ground.
Victor looked looked at them angrily. He was a large boy with short black hair and several scars on his face that made him look even more scary. He wore gold armour with a bronze helmet, and spiked black iron gauntlets with a Scyth Symbol on his palms, which seemed to glow purple. He yelled, and punched Maria in the side of he head. She fell to the ground with a groan.
"Maria!" Steve yelled, slashing at Victor.
Victor blocked the sword with his gauntlet and drew a battleaxe. He growled and swung it, and Steve barely managed to block it with his shield, which took a huge dent.
"I have foreseen my Victor. I will lead the first assault on Oylmpus!"
Malcolm thrust his spear, biting him in the chest and forcing him backwards. Steve slashed his sword but somehow, Victor managed to grab the sword and shatter in with his gauntlets. Steve dropped the broken sword and dented shield and stepped back.
"It's the gauntlets!" Malcolm thought. "They must be a gift from Kronos!"
Malcolm battered Victor with the axe side of the spear. Victor stepped forward and Malcolm stuck his spear tip into he gauntlet wrist and flung it off his hand. Victor gasped and Malcolm swung the axe blade of the halbeard and ripped off his hand and gauntlet. Victor swore and fell to his knees, before screaming at the top of his lungs. Malcolm held the spear top to his throat.
"You can not capture me!" He screamed.
He got up and flung Malcolm off the bridge. He grabbed the edge desperately as Victor tackled Steve off the bridge. Steve grabbed the edge of the hand-rail and Victor grabbed him by the ankle. Malcolm swore as his helmet fell off. Victor roared like a Hellhound as Steve tried to shake him off. He drew a cross bow with his free hand and aimed it at Steve.
"Stop or we both die!" He yelled. "We'll take Olympus and mount Zeus' head on a pile! We'll cast him into Tartarus, and burn the throne of the gods to dust! And then, where will Athena be to save you?! How will Athena save you Malcolm?"
He aimed the crossbow at Malcolm's head and laughed.
"She had me, and I'll save him!" Steve yelled. "This better get me into Elysium."
He shook his head and let go off the bridge. Victor screamed as they both plummeted into the water. They slammed into the water at incredible force and disappeared. Malcolm yelled and hauled himself out onto the bridge. A group of Deacaena raced past, dropping weapons and armor trying to escape faster. Malcolm watched as Maria led the counter-attack, forcing the armies of Kronos back. She stopped when she saw him.
"Where's Steve?"
Malcolm started to explain, then shook his head.
"Gone."
Maria took off her helmet and struggled not to cry.
"He was always the spirit of the battle. The one guy never freaking out."
A Camper, a son of Apollo ran up to them.
"We're retreating. Hold here for a few more hours, and head to the hotel with the banners. And... Annabeth's hurt. Took a stab for Percy."
He looked at them like he was wondering what to say, before shaking his head and turning to run off and tell the other cabins.
"How many losses can we take?!" Malcolm said. "Retrieve arrows, make stretchers for the injured. Take the enemy weapons and supplies they left behind and lets move them back. We fall back in an hour."
