Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.
AN: The chapter titles similar to the original are the ones that are following the original storyline, the titles like for this chapter, are for the chapters that are completely from my storyline. The point of view will follow the character's name in the title.
Breakdown - Nico
It still looked ugly.
It's eyes, brown and blue, stared at them with hungry eyes. The lion body tensed, ready to pounce, it's tail up in the air, ready to shoot poisonous spikes.
Nico grimaced, the last time he had encountered the Manticore was with Bianca, right before the Manticore fell off the cliff with Annabeth in tow.
"Well, well, well. Look at what I have here. Just the demigods I was looking for," the Manticore said, his voice ringing across the hill. As he spoke, a few more monsters appeared, a pack of hellhounds and some empousas. They fanned out by the manticore's side.
"You still look as ugly as ever," Percy blurted out. Nico gave him a look, are you serious? The manticore roared in response, and charged. The rest of the monsters following suit.
The demigods dispersed.
"Frank, Hazel and I will take care of the hellhounds," Piper shouted, drawing her sword.
"Jason, Reyna and the supreme commander will take the cheerleaders," Leo shouted back, his club hammer on fire, swinging at the empousas. Whether the hammer was on fire on purpose or by accident, Nico will never know. That left Nico, Percy and Annabeth with Mr Ugly.
"Just like old times," Percy said to Annabeth and Nico, who nodded their heads. The manticore shot a volley of spikes, and the trio scattered around. Nico turned to see the Manticore advancing toward Percy and Annabeth, only interested in them it seems.
Nico shot a bolt of darkness to the side of the Manticore, it roared in response. He shot a few more, some hitting the manticore, some missing as it tried to dodge. While distracted with Nico, Annabeth jabbed the Manticore on it's side, through his ribs. It bellowed in pain, Annabeth took a few steps back and so did the Manticore, a trail of ichor following it.
Nico sunk into his shadow, reappearing in the manticore's shadow and taking the opportunity, he jab it right at the front, near the neck. The stygian blade buried deep into it's flesh. The manticore retaliated by stinging it's scorpion-like tail into Nico's calf. With a cry from Nico, the manticore took the chance and retreated 5 metres back.
"How dare you insolent demigods," it growled, "I was only supposed to take these two," nudging it's humanoid head towards Percy and Annabeth, "but it won't hurt to kill everybody else."
"Why would you— " Nico pushed Frank out of the way, just as a poison spike sailed over their heads. Frank silently thanked Nico, who grunted in return.
He looked around, and saw that the hellhounds, and empousas have been replaced with piles of golden monster dusts. Now everyone was surrounding the manticore. 9 demigods to 1 manticore.
"Ah, the little Hades boy, I see your sister isn't here to save you." The manticore laughed as Nico tensed up. A flame stirred in him, he was going to make that stupid manticore pay for that comment.
Nico stepped forward, "How dare you mention my sister." He surrounded the manticore with black energy, encasing it in what appears to be an orb. Nico channelled as much anger as he could, and released it onto the Manticore. It cried out in pain, ichor flowing freely from the wounds, it's cry of pain music to Nico's ears.
"Not bad, boy," the Manticore said shakily, limping towards the demigods. "But not enough! I am the fearsome Manticore! I'll take the Sea God's son and Wisdom's daughter as sacrifices to Mother Gaea, the rest of you will be my snacks. You have no idea what's happening godlings, the power that the giants have. I will be at the rightful ruler's side while all of you fall with your parents!"
He shot another volley of spikes, it's tips green with poison. Everybody else dodged, rolling away. Nico could barely move fast enough, his calf flaring in pain as the spikes came in endless waves. Spikes rooted all over the hillside, which didn't help Nico's situation as he stupidly tripped over one of the spikes. He landed on he's back, the poison in his leg starting to flow to the rest of his body. He could see the Manticore grinning in satisfaction, as it fired a wave of spikes towards Nico. He tried to summon a shield from the shadows around him, but realised miserably he doesn't have enough strength. He closed his eyes, his arms in front of him in an 'X', trying to protect himself as he can.
"Nobody," Percy breathed out heavily, "Nobody hurts my family, you'll be sent back to Tartarus for trying." He was breathing heavily. The demigods looked up. Nico sat there, in shock, seeing the green tip of a spike inches away from his face. The spike unmoving as it was embedded right below Percy Jackson's sternum. Annabeth and Hazel screamed. They tried to move towards Percy but the manticore, advanced towards them with his speed, and pushed them away with it's body. Oh why do manticores, have such high endurance, Nico thought bitterly.
Percy stood there, breathing heavily, everybody aghast.
"This is not how I planned, I was supposed to take you in alive, but oh well, somebody else can be sacrificed." The manticore grinned. Annabeth looked livid, if looks can kill, the manticore would already but in Tartarus.
"I'll kill you right where you—""Ah,ah,ah. Even if you kill me, will good will that do you? There are thousands more of surprises from Mother Earth, every turn, every passageway you'll do down is heavily armed with monsters, you kill me now, but someone else will kill you later on—"
The manticore choke on his words, literally choke on his words as Percy wrapped his hands around it's neck. It tried to wrestle out of Percy's grip, but Percy, eyes filled with dark determination, tried to squeeze the life force right out of him. The tail jutted forward, it's spike aimed right at his temple, but with his right, he caught it, not caring for the spike that pierced his skin.
"Did you not hear what I just said? Nobody is getting hurt on my watch." Percy growled. He pulled the tail forward with his right hand, the manticore landing on it's head. Percy kicked the manticore on it's side, right where Annabeth had wounded it. It roared, but stayed on the ground, laying on it's back.
Percy raised his hand, his fingers curled as the water in the air condense, creating a trident made out of ice. He gripped the trident tightly, and walked towards the lame manticore. He thrust the trident, prongs down straight into the tail. It roared. A paw tried to swipe Percy away, but Percy summoned another ice trident and thrusts it into the arm.
Ignoring the whimpers from the monster, he pointed Riptide at it's throat. "What monsters," Percy demanded, "Where are they stationed at."
Everybody just stare at Percy gobsmacked, their jaws dropping in shock. Nico saw fear in some of their eyes. Annabeth looked horrible, she looked like she was about to breakdown.
"What makes you think I'll tell you—", the sentence wasn't finish as Percy slowly ran Riptide right through it's stomach. "Arrgghh! Ther-there will be a gathering at Odysseus's Palace, the on-one in Ithaca for all the spirits under Gaea. Those spi-spirits are one of Gaea's armies, she summoned spirits with a thirst for vengeance against the Olympians, and is using them as one of her armies." "And!", Percy demanded. "An-and Delphi has been taken over by Gaea's forces, everything in a 5 mile radius, heavily guarded. No prophecies have gotten out since the takeover, Apollo and his oracles rendered useless."
"Anything else", an edge in Percy's voice.
"No-nothing", the manticore hesitated. An ice trident pierced it's right paw. "Alright, alright! The Straits of Corinth is swamped with cyclops armies left and right, and the waters are infested with Keto's children." "Thanks for the info." The last thing the manticore saw was Percy's evil smile before Riptide went right through his skull.
The rest of the demigods watch as Percy turned to face them, the cold smile still plastered on his face. Everybody tensed, scared out of their wits for Percy and of Percy. Then he flinched, as if something jolted him back to reality. He was looking down, his hands opened and closed, as if he was not used to being in his body. Percy continued to shake, his shaking spreading from his hands to his whole body, getting more rapid by the second. He fell onto his knees, eyes closed tight.
"No, get out, I won't— I'll never— I…" Percy whispered, he grabbed his head, the air getting colder, the ground near him, frozen. A blue-black aura surrounded him. Annabeth took a shaky step forward. She opened her mouth but before any words came out, a blast of ice and darkness interrupted her.