6. Showdown

Percy jumped onto Polybotes before he got back to his feet while Poseidon rose to his full height. Polybotes swung his enormous spear at Poseidon, and he blocked the strike with his trident. Percy, who was gripping the giant's breastplate, drove Riptide into Polybotes unprotected armpit. Polybotes cried out as Percy twisted the blade deeper into the giant. Poseidon used the distraction to land a blow to Polybotes face with his trident. The giant quickly recovered and began swinging his spear wildly at Poseidon. The god would block, then counter, and the giant would parry, then thrust again. Percy continued to drive Riptide into the chinks in Polybotes' armor, but it did little harm. The giant would wince or groan with each strike of Percy's blade, but the wounds Percy was inflicting upon the giant were insignificant; the bleeding stab wounds and cuts would heal within seconds. Polybotes focused his attention on Poseidon as they sparred and paid little mind to Percy and his futile efforts.

"This is no use," Percy grumbled after about half an hour of stabbing and slashing the giant's thick hide.

"Just keep at it," Poseidon spoke in Percy's mind. "You're weakening him, slowly, but surely. I'm trying to push him toward the border."

Percy who was now standing on the giant's shoulder, looked at his surroundings. Poseidon was right; they were getting closer to the border. Percy could see vegetation less than a half a mile away. Poseidon was driving the fight to the edge of Phlegra.

…

Jupiter pushed Porphyrion back, but the giant swung again, still aiming for Jason. Jupiter blocked again, and Jason quickly darted between the giant's legs slicing them both with his sword as he ran past. Porphyrion stumbled, and Jupiter took advantage by sending a bolt of electricity into the giant's body. Porphyrion grimaced, but quickly turned around toward Jason who was now standing behind the giant. Porphyrion reared his arm back and like throwing a baseball, threw the electricity now crackling through his body at Jason. Jason saw the stream of electricity coming, and he raised his sword to deflect it sending the current ricocheting off his gold blade and back up to Porphyrion. The giant dodged the incoming current of electricity while simultaneously blocking a strike from Jupiter's thunderbolt. Claps of thunder echoed through the air along with the hissing and popping sounds of high voltage electricity.

"He's after you, boy," Jupiter spoke in Jason's mind. "Keep his attention and make for the border. I'll cover you."

Jason did as he was instructed. He antagonized Porphyrion by stabbing and slashing at his legs and feet while backing slowly toward the border. Jupiter blocked strikes and countered with his own while Jason continued to hold the giant's attention and focus, his desire for revenge, and use it to lure Porphyrion toward the border of Phlegra.

…

Piper pulled her sword from the giant's ear, and he continued to roar in anger and in pain. Alcyoneus continued swinging and thrusting his sword at Aphrodite, but the goddess was able to parry easily. Piper quickly ran around the back of the giant's neck to his other shoulder, and she drove her sword into his other ear. Alcyoneus cried out again and snapped his shoulder back sending Piper flying off his shoulder. Aphrodite took a quick strike at the giant then spun around behind him. She was able to catch Piper before she hit the ground.

"Thanks," Piper said catching her breath as her mother quickly sat her onto the ground before Alcyoneus had time to strike again.

"You're welcome, my child," Aphrodite's voice rang inside Piper's head. "Now, let's get this giant to follow us out of here."

Aphrodite and Alcyoneus continued their engagement, and with every few strikes, Aphrodite would take a step back forcing the giant to come to her, which he did. With every step, they were getting closer and closer to the border. Piper kept stabbing and slashing the giant's scaly legs and feet. She was doing little harm and most of her efforts went toward avoiding being crushed underfoot or being kicked by feet the size of an SUV.

…

Mimas got to his feet and lunged his sword at Hephaestus. Sparks and molten metal continued to rain down with each connection of the two blazing hot swords. Hephaestus was light on his feet with quick and graceful maneuvers even though one of his legs were confined in a metal brace, and he wielded his sword with amazing skill and precision in his enormous, calloused hands. Leo would catch a glimpse between his strikes to the giant, and he would stare in awe of his father's expertise; who knew Hephaestus was a master swordsman.

"Kick his ass, dad!" Leo yelled in excitement.

"I'm working on it, kid," Hephaestus chuckled in Leo's mind.

Leo ran around behind the giant as he stuck his hand into his tool belt. He pulled out a chisel, and the steel instantly became red hot. Leo aimed for the back of Mimas' neck and threw the chisel. It stuck into the giant's neck and steam bellowed from the wound as the golden ichor boiled. Mimas brushed the back of his neck with his hand removing the fire-hot chisel like it was nothing more than a bee sting. Hephaestus and Leo were trying to drive Mimas toward the border with every strike, but Mimas wasn't falling for it. With each step he would take toward the outskirts of Phlegra, he would counter with two steps inward; they were getting nowhere.

…

Mimon got to his feet and spit golden ichor from his bleeding mouth. He came forward with the tip of his spear, but Mars blocked the strike with his shield while swinging his spear toward the giant's grotesque face. Mimon ducked the swiping spear, then winced in pain as Dakota drove the tip of his spear deep into the scales of his enormous claw foot. The giant raised his foot to stomp Dakota, but he leaped out of the way. Mars lunged forward with his spear, and Mimon leaned back just enough that the tip of Mars' spear only grazed his breastplate. Mimon twirled his spear swiping numerous times at the gods' head, but Mars easily avoided or blocked the strikes. Mars came forward with his shield slamming Mimon hard in the chest causing him to stumble, and Dakota used that distraction to grab onto the giant's spear. Dakota held on tight as Mimon raised his spear then let go as he reached the top of the arc. Dakota landed on the giant's shoulder and quickly drove his spear into the giant's ear. Mimas instantly reached up to pull the spear out of his ear, and in the same motion, he knocked Dakota off of his shoulder. Dakota landed on his father's shield and held on to keep from falling the twenty feet to the ground.

"Are you alright, son?" Mars asked Dakota in his mind.

"Get me in closer!" Dakota yelled.

Mars thrust his shield toward Mimon, and Dakota leaped back onto the giant.

…

Apollo slung his bow around his back, and drew his sword just as Ephialtes reached them. Reyna was still firing arrows at the giant when Ephialtes swung his sword at Apollo. Apollo quickly spun around to avoid the strike and sliced his sword at the giant's head. Ephialtes ducked then lunged at Apollo. Apollo side stepped the jab and swung his sword which made contact with the giant's sword; the sound of clashing metal rang out across the Burning Lands. Apollo's eyes moved a hundred miles a minute as he relearned his enemy's tactics and adjusted his own to anticipate the giant's strikes. A huge grin was plastered across Apollo's face as he watched arrow after arrow pierce the giant's skin. Ephialtes was distracted by being used as a pin cushion which gave Apollo an advantage in the sword fight. Reyna had fully expected to have run out of arrows twice by now, but each time she reached for an arrow, her quiver was full; her father, no doubt, made sure of it. As Apollo thrust his sword and parried strikes, Reyna circled the giant trying to find the best angle to fire from.

"Agh," Reyna grumbled. "I can't get a good angle; he's too tall."

"Jump on my foot," Apollo said in Reyna's mind.

"Are you nuts?" Reyna asked.

"Just do it. Trust me."

Reyna hesitantly jumped onto her father's left foot, and he kicked her into the air like a hacky sack landing her on his left shoulder.

"Is that a better angle?" Apollo grinned.

"Much better," Reyna smiled then began firing arrows at Ephialtes once again.

…

An invisible Annabeth ran circles around Enceladus stabbing her dagger into his claw feet. The giant stumbled for his spear that had been knocked away, and Annabeth had to dodge his shuffling feet. Athena swung her javelin at the giant, but he reached his spear just in time to block the strike. Athena spun her javelin in her hand and landed a blow to the giant's back. Enceladus stumbled forward, and Athena used her fist to push him back.

"You're plan will fail, Athena," Enceladus warned as he swung his spear toward the phantom who was stabbing his feet.

Athena blocked the strike with her javelin, and Annabeth quickly ran around behind the giant to avoid being targeted again.

"You will not lure us out of our homeland this time," the giant continued. "We have learned from our mistakes."

Athena swung her javelin again, this time catching Enceladus across the side of the face.

"I see you haven't learned enough to prevent me from handing you a beating," Athena taunted.

The angry giant lunged at Athena, and she side stepped. He lunged again, and she did the same, every step inching them closer to the border. Annabeth synchronized her stabbing efforts so that the giant stumbled toward the border and not deeper into Phlegra. Once, Enceladus noticed how close he was getting to the border, he stopped and backed away from Athena.

"I will not be tricked," Enceladus said to Athena.

"Are you too scared to face us beyond the borders?" Annabeth yelled up to the giant.

"I am scared of nothing," he assured her. "And I am wise enough not to be fooled."

…

Percy and Poseidon continued their battle with Polybotes. Percy used Riptide to stab and slash the giant's skin and scales, and Poseidon used his trident to strike blows and block strikes from the giant. They'd had the giant within a few hundred yards of the border when Polybotes noticed how near he was to being forced out of Phlegra. Polybotes countered the push toward the border and slowly began to make his way back into the heart of the Burning Lands.

"He's figured it out," Percy said to his father.

"I think you're right," Poseidon agreed.

"Should we go to plan B?"

"Not yet."

"Are the others having better luck?" Percy asked.

"Too soon to tell," Poseidon answered.

…

Jason continued making his way toward the border, and Porphyrion continued to follow in pursuit. Jupiter would block any attempt the giant made at landing a blow to Jason. Suddenly, Porphyrion stopped in his tracks.

The giant chuckled, "You thought you would use this boy to lure me out of my homeland, did you?"

"It was working, wasn't it?" Jupiter asked.

"Not anymore," Porphyrion snapped.

The giant now focused all of his attention on attacking Jupiter. Porphyrion thrust his spear, and Jupiter side stepped. The giant lunged and Jupiter spun out of the spear's path coming around with his bolt at the same time catching Porphyrion in the neck and sending a surge of burning electricity through the giant's body.

…

Aphrodite's sword and dagger crashed repeatedly against the giant's sword as their intense swordfight raged on. Aphrodite would push Alcyoneus toward the border, then he would push back toward the heart of Phlegra. It was an endless circle of back and forth and neither was making any headway. Piper continued to stab the giant, and she knew she was weakening him a little with each strike. Each ounce of energy he used to heal his wounds would be energy he would lack later when it would count, but it was also draining Piper. She'd been engaged in this fight for a while now, and she was starting to tire. She couldn't keep this up forever; something needed to happen and it needed to happen soon.

…

"This is useless!" Leo snapped in frustration.

Leo and Hephaestus had been battling Mimas for nearly an hour now, and they were at a stalemate. Neither side had an advantage, and the giant was too smart to be led out of the land where he is immortal.

"I'm beginning to agree with you," Hephaestus said in Leo's mind.

"What should we do?" Leo asked as he continued to slash his smoldering sword into the giant's feet and legs and throw molten metal objects and fireballs at Mimas.

"I'd say, be prepared to make a break for it because I have a feeling we're gonna have to go to plan B."

…

Dakota continued to climb all over Mimon's body inflicting blows with his spear wherever he could. Mars had tried everything to push the giant beyond the borders, but nothing worked. Mars blocked strike after strike and countered with his own, landing a blow here and there weakening the giant little by little. Dakota was in full battle mode and didn't even realize he'd been fighting Mimon at full force for over an hour without making any progress toward the border.

"Dakota," Mars spoke in his mind. "Slow down, son. You're using up too much of you're strength."

"But I'm weakening him," Dakota protested.

"It won't do any good if you're too weak to fight later."

Dakota slowed down and took a breath. He knew his father was right; this was going to be a long, hard battle, and he would need to conserve his strength whenever he could. Dakota slowly made his way down off the giant's gruesome body and back onto the ground were the fighting would be less intense.

…

Reyna had her feet locked into a shoulder strap on Apollo's armor so she could keep her balance on the quick moving god. She fired arrow after arrow hitting chinks in the giant's armor, piercing his eyes, and nailing shots into his ears.

"Well," Apollo started. "I hate to say it, kid, but I don't think this is gonna work."

"I think you're right," Reyna nodded. "He knows were trying to drive him out, and he's not falling for it."

…

Annabeth stabbed and sliced at Enceladus fiercely with her dagger in frustration. Her mother's plan wasn't working; Enceladus was just too smart to fall for the trick. Athena was just as frustrated with the failure of her strategy, and she took her frustrations out on the giant in the form of blow after blow with her javelin. Enceladus was on the defensive, blocking and dodging her strikes. Athena was quick, and he could barely get a strike in of his own, but he stayed well aware of his surroundings, and he made sure she didn't drive him anywhere near the border of Phlegra.

"Mom!" Annabeth yelled up to the goddess. "I think it's time to adjust our stratagem, don't you?"

"Perhaps," Athena spoke in her daughters mind.

"Has anyone been successful?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Athena answered. "Everyone is having the same problem we are."

"Well…"

"Well…"

"Do you think its time to go to the back-up plan?" Annabeth asked Athena.

"It's your strategy, so it's your call."

Annabeth didn't even hesitate, "Contact Zeus and Poseidon! Tell them to bring the rain!"