Chapter Forty-Jason

When Jason's lance broke, he knew he was dead.

The battle had started well enough. Jason's instincts kicked in, and his gut told him he'd dueled with opponents almost this big before. Size and strength equaled slowness, so Jason just had to be a quicker-pace himself, wear out his opponent, and avoid getting smashed or flame-broiled.

"Back!" a female voice screamed in Latin at Enceladus from behind. A bright green light crashed into Enceladus's chest and the giant shuddered. His eyes were bright, and he sailed backwards and crashed to the ground.

"Boo-yeah!" Wisty ran next to Jason, breathing hard. She held a new golden lance exactly like Jason's old one, but it sparked with green energy at the tip. She had a scar down the left side of her face, dried blood in her hair, and she looked horrible, but pretty.

"Need some- DUCK!" Wisty pushed Jason down, screamed something in Latin, and flames rolled over her

Enceladus glared at Wisty, his eyes full of hate. He said something to her, but Jason could barely hear it.

Suddenly, Enceladus's spear missed him by a millimeter. Jason rolled backwards. When he got back on his feet, Wisty was running around Enceladus in circles, stabbing him in the feet and screaming.

Jason ran up to her, and followed along, but the attacks were only annoying and making Enceladus more outraged.

"I'm not some minor monster," Enceladus bellowed. "I am a giant, born to destroy the gods! Girl, your golden toothpick can't kill me."

Wisty and Jason didn't waste their energy to reply. They already were tired. The ground clung to their feet, making Jason feel like he weighed an extra hundred pounds, and he was guessing Wisty was feeling the same, too. Fire roared around them, stoked by the wind, and the temperature was approaching the heat of an oven.

Wisty raised her javelin to block the next strike, screaming miss in Latin so Jason wouldn't get hurt-a big mistake. She managed to deflect the spear, but it grazed her stomach, and Wisty winced.
She backed up, almost falling over a log.

Jason retreated to help Wisty, and to lure the giant to the edge of the clearing. Enceladus could sense the friends' weariness. The giant smiled, baring his fangs.

"The mighty Jason Grace," he taunted. "Yes, we know about you, son of Jupiter. The one who led the assault on Mount Othrys. The one who single-handedly slew the Titan Krios and toppled the black throne."

Jason's mind reeled. He didn't know these names, yet they made his skin tingle, as if his body remembered the pain his mind didn't.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. He realized his mistake when Enceladus breathed fire.

Distracted by Wisty, he moved too slowly. The blast missed him, but the blast blistered his back. He slammed to the ground, his clothes smoldering. He was blinded from ash and smoke, choking as he tried to breathe.

"Jason!" Wisty screamed from yards away.

He scrambled back as the giant's spear cleaved the ground between his feet.
He managed to stand, and Jason saw that Wisty managed to stand too.

If he could only summon one good blast of lightning-but he was already drained, and in this condition, the effort might kill him. He didn't even know if electricity would harm the giant.

Can Wisty summon lightning? Jason thought.

Jason glanced at Wisty, and he sent a silent message. Wisty answered with a look that said: I can try. Jason nodded.

One last try: Jason and Wisty took deep breaths and charged.

Enceladus let them approach, grinning with anticipation. At the last second, Jason faked a strike and he and Wisty rolled between the giant's legs. They came up quickly, and thrusting with all their might, ready to stab the giant in the small of the back, but Enceladus anticipated the trick. He stepped aside with too much speed and agility for a giant, as if the earth were helping them. While Wisty was still behind him, he swept his spear sideways-meeting Jason's javelin-and with a snap like a shotgun blast, the golden weapon shattered.

The explosion was hotter than the giant's breath, blinding Jason with golden light. The force knocked him off his feet and squeezed the breath out of him.

When he regained his focus, he was sitting at the rim of a craeter. Enceladus stood at the other side, staggering and confused, and Jason saw that Wisty was hidden in his dreadlocks, blinking. The javelin's destruction had released so much energy, it had blasted a perfect cone-shaped pit thirty feet deep, fusing with dirt and rock into a slick glassy substance. Jason wasn't sure how he survived, but his clothes were steaming. He was out of energy. He had no weapon. And Enceladus was very much still alive.

Jason tried to get up, but his legs felt like lead. Enceladus blinked at the destruction, then laughed. "Impressive! Unfortunately, that was your last trick, demigod."

Enceladus leaped the crater in a single bound, planting his feet on either side of Jason. The giant raised his spear, its tip hovering six feet over Jason's chest. Jason saw Wisty's eyes wide in fear.

"And now," Enceladus said. "my first sacrifice to Gaea!"