A/N: Keep in mind this is in the Point of View of Percy Jackson at age seven.


Greek Fire Is Nothing To Joke About

Thalia reluctantly agreed and Luke started mixing the ingredients.

As they worked Hal pulled me to the pile of books and took out another book and handed it to me. Then he went to the computer and typed: Percy, I want you to keep that book for me. It's in Ancient Greek, so with a few lesson

"Why?" I asked.

It has the basic knowledge of Greek and Roman Mythology—everything you need to know about your heritage is in there. You're going to need that knowledge for the future you will face.

"I thought you said my future is too risky to reveal?" I asked.

Hal typed: It is and you will come to learn why when the time comes. But for now you should at least sharpen your knowledge.

I decided to take the book, Hal even gave me a backpack from his closet to put it in before typing: Percy, I must warned you about Greek fire.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

When Greek Fire is used—even small amounts of it—it can burn down a mansion is minutes.

"Wait you mean—"

Before I could finish, Luke said, "Okay, Thalia. All we need you to do is zap it without causing the jar to break.

Thalia didn't look took happy, but went to work with the wiring so she could summon lightning.

Hal typed one last thing to me: Don't give up on your friends, Percy. Even when it seemed hopeless, never give up on them.

Hal picked up his green leathery diary and gestured Luke to come with him.

I looked on my new book. It was bigger than most books I tried to read in school, but Hal told me I'm going to need the knowledge from this book. I looked outside to see the sun was starting to set—which meant we were running out of time.

Suddenly thunder shook the house and I jumped. Over at the computer desk, something went ZZZAP-POP! White smoke billowed from the computer, and a smell like burning tires filled the room.

Thalia sat up grinning. The wall behind her was blistered and blackened. The electrical outlet had completely melted, but in her hands, the jar of Greek fire was now glowing green.

"Someone ordered a magic bomb?" she asked.

"You're the coolest, Thalia!" I yelled.

Just then, the clock registered 7:03. The enclosure bars began to rise, and the panel at the back started to open.

Hal held out his hand.

"Thalia," Luke said. "Give Hal the Greek fire."

She looked back and forth between Luke and Hal. "But—"

"He has to." Luke's voice sounded more gravelly than usual. "He's going to help us escape."

I understood what he meant and so did Thalia. "Luke, no."

The bars had risen halfway to the ceiling. The trapdoor ground open slowly. A red hoof thrust its way through the crack. Inside the chute, the leucrotae growled and clanked their jaws.

"There's no time," Luke warned.

Hal took the jar of fire from Thalia. He gave her a brave smile. When he turned to me, he had a look that told me that I should remember his advice. Then he nodded at Percy.

"Percy, give me my backpack!" Luke said.

I tossed it to him—forgetting that I still had it along with my own. Luke grabbed it and slipped two things in it. Then he pulled Thalia and me into the closet and shut the door in it.

I decided to slip my new book in my new backpack and strapped it to my back. I also took out Luke's sword. "Here Luke. I think you should have your sword back," I said.

Luke looked at me and smiled before rubbing my hair. "Thanks, Percy."

On the other side of the door, we could hear all three of the monsters hissed and growled and trampled across the furniture, anxious to feed.

"In here!" a leucrota mimic Hal's voice. "I've got them trapped in the bathroom! Come on, you ugly mutts!"

I didn't think that would work after my little water works earlier, but apparently it did.

"Now." Luke said.

We burst out the closet and sprinted for the enclosure. Inside, the panel was already closing. Luke wedged his golf club into the door buying us time. Good thing too because one of the leucrotae snarled in surprise and turned to us as Luke quickly got me through into the panel.

Thalia followed me as I heard Hal's voice yelled, "You know what this is, you Tartarus scum dogs? This is your last meal."

Thalia managed to pull Luke through the chute before the golf club snapped.

We crawled through the metal duct into another bedroom and stumbled for the door.

"For Apollo!" I heard Hal's voice shouting his battle cry.

And the mansion shook with a massive explosion.

We burst into the hallway, which was already on fire. Flames licked the wallpaper and the carpet steamed. Hal's bedroom door had been blown off hinges, and fire was pouring out like an avalanche, vaporizing everything in it's path.

We manage to get to the base of the steps when a leucrota jumped at Luke.

"Luke!" Thalia and I yelled.

Thalia grabbed her spear, which had been lying on the ballroom floor all day, and ram it at the monster's ribs, but that only annoyed the leucrota.

I took out riptide and uncapped it, causing it to grow into it's full length. I didn't know if it was because of the fire, but Riptide was glowing causing the Leucrota to hesitate as if forgetting that it was immune to it.

I don't know what happened but it must have helped Luke realized something.

"Thalia!" he gasped. "The shield! What was it call?"

"What shield?" she cried.

"Zeus' shield," Luke said, "Aegis. Thalia, the bracelet—it's got a code word."

Thalia understood and tapped the bracelet, but this time she yelled, Aegis!"

Instantly the bracelet expanded, flattening into a wide bronze disk—a shield with a intricate designs hammered around the rim. In the center, pressed into the metal like a mas, was a monster's head with snake for hiar, glaring eyes, and a mouth with fangs. Even I was scared looking at it, and I never saw it before.

Thalia thrust the shield toward the leucrota. The monster yelped like a puppy and retreated, freeing Luke from the weight of its hoof. I didn't see what happened but I guess it either was caught in the fire in tangled into the drapes because it started yelling, "Help!" in a dozen voices finally it faded out.

The ceiling started to collapsed on us.

"Percy, Get on my back," Luke said swinging his backpack to his chest and kneeling down.

I did, and Luke and Thalia both bolted for the front door just as the building exploded.