The End of the Fifth Age Ch. 10

"Come on, Elena," I called over my shoulder as Elena struggled to get her stuff together. She only had a backpack, but what with Flame expertly wriggling through her legs and trying to unload her stuff, she was cussing out in Greek under her breath. Loads of stuff about underpants and Hermaphrodite. For you non-demigods types out there, Hermaphrodite is the god(ess?) of bisexuality. He's the son of Aphrodite, but, ahem, merged with a nymph when he refused to be seduced by her.

After a few more moments of watching Princess stumble around like a goat, I stepped in. Dragging Flame from under Elena's legs, I plopped him down the back of my shirt.

"Move it, Princess. I'm feeling exceptionally kind today, so I'll probably be snappy tomorrow." Elena straightened up and cocked her brow, looking like Han Solo.

"Snappy, is that what you call it? I can think of better words, Sandman." She pushed past and stalked off like a real princess, late for a ball. I don't quite know why, but I cracked up at that thought, staggering to the platform. I ended up on the floor of the train station, with Zeus knows how many mortals watching. I was on my side when Flame decided to wriggle out of my shirt, mewing. The mortals nodded, convinced that was the reason I was having a spasm attack, and carried on with their lives. Princess tapped her foot.

"Ok, you've had a good laugh. Now can we move on?" I smiled up at her stormy face, then flipped myself over and did what Annabeth called 'push-up-stand-up'. Princess just gave me a look and folded her arms. I grinned mischievously, enjoying it.

"Say, how's about we take a visit to Sea World? No sense in missing it."

"What's Sea World?" I was about to go on a whole rant, like 'What- you-don't-know-what-Sea-World-is!' when I remembered she had been pulled out of time for 30 years.

"It's a, place where people go to see sea creatures perform. It's really cool, they train-

"Perform?" Her voice was so shrill it might have broken metal. "Perform? Why would they force animals to perform for some stuck-up rich kid! Animals are supposed to be free!" I'd never seen her so rattled.

"Hey, it's not necessarily performing, they have enclosures and people come to just watch them play."

"More like pace." I ignored her.

"Well, I'm going to see that 'despicable' place. You can either walk around the city aimlessly, or you can follow me to the belly of the beast, or so you say it is." She looked outraged, but slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"Uff, fine. I don't have a better plan anyway." Smiling at the easy victory, I hooked my thumbs into my pockets and clicked for Flame.

"This is Sea World?" I shrugged, just as amazed. Sea World was huge. Bigger than my Grandfather's mansion. Flame licked his lips, excited. He must've smelt all the fish.

"Come on, let's go in. I bet the inside's better than the outside." We got tickets and as soon as I got within sight of the first animal, I jerked my notebook out and sketched page after page of animals. At this rate I was gonna have to get a new notebook.

Thanks to my ADHD, I was able to keep an eye on where Elena was wandering to and if Flame was anywhere near my feet when I stepped. There are times when heightened battle senses really come in handy, but the real reason we demigods have them are not.

Especially when a monster dude decides he would like half-immortal blood for his dinner.

I was already halfway through my remaining notebook space when I noticed I'd lost Elena. At least Flame hadn't run off. He was sniffing at the orcas' enclosure and trying to intimidate them with his teeth.

Bam!

Something slammed into my back and I went for my knives, only to find a freaked Elena, her blue eyes wide.

"James! You're still here!"

"Yeah, I haven't moved much, Princess. Where have you been, Miss-How-Dare-They-Keep-These -Animals-Here? Admiring the environments we keep these creatures in?"

For once she wasn't offended. Instead, she seemed even more freaked, but it shouldn't have been possible. She glanced around furtively and I figured we had one of those monster dudes on our tail.

"Which way?"

"I…don't know."

"What? Use your Nemesis senses and figure a way out of here before-" A crash sounded behind us, and we turned in time to see a horrific sight; 6 fully armed Skeleton Warriors, complete with machine guns and those stick-thingies. Batties? Batons, that's it.

We glanced at the mortals, going about their daily lives. No help there. Together we turned and Elena frantically whistled for Flame, a signal we'd taught him as 'Drop everything and run.' Weaving through the mortals, we pushed and shoved our way right into a dead end.

Our backs to the bottlenoses, we waited as the Skeleton Warriors advanced on us. Then, instead of shooting at us point-blank like I'd thought, they ran.

At me.

Just before they got me, a bright red shape slammed full force into the ranks of Skeleton Warriors. Flame. Army-tank size and fangs to match, he snatched up the first Skeleton Warrior and closed his mouth.

Snap!

I winced as bones scattered. Snap after painful snap resonated as Flame clamped down, until all but 2 Skeleton Warriors stood. Seeing their comrades falling, they turned tail and ran. I expected the Warriors to put themselves back together, like Percy mentioned during the campfires, but they didn't.

Then everything quieted down like someone had pressed the 'mute' button. We shakily pulled ourselves together, and Flame shrank back to the size of a cute kitten with oversized fangs. He bounded over to the remains of one of the Warriors and started sinking his fangs into the marrow. Elena was the first to speak.

"Let's…let's get out of here." I nodded and tried to take a step, but stumbled and fell face first onto the dirt. Elena raised an eyebrow but stooped to help me up all the same. Her hands came away smeared with blood.

"Knucklehead. You didn't even know you were bleeding?" I managed a shaky smile.

"It seemed…irrelevant." She rummaged in her backpack and came up with a packet of ambrosia and some green gunk. "Um…I don't have to eat that stuff, right?" She rolled her eyes.

"No, stupid, it's for your wound." It took only a few moments to patch me up, but Hades did it hurt. Princess didn't make it any better by rolling her eyes every time I twitched.

"There, done. Don't expect me to give you a sweet for being a brave boy."

The next few hours were spent walking aimlessly around the city, checking out the sights. Elena stayed silent, but I guessed something about our civilization bothered her.

Probably the fact we live in such oppressed, smelly, loud, polluted areas.

We spotted a fast food diner and decided to stop for a snack. After ordering a meal fit for a king, the door opened and the sun came in.

The latest men's wear, looks that would've made Robert Pattinson sparkle in jealousy, and teeth that should've had a label: Do not stare directly at teeth. Severe blindness will occur. Elena glanced up and back down at the menu, hardly seeming to care. Then I realized why.

"Is that…Apollo?" I whispered.

"Yep," she said, not looking up. Smiley-I mean Apollo-saw Elena and grinned. He came over, pushing past the waitress and seating himself beside Elena.

"Hey Fred," she said, totally at ease.

"Elena! What are you doing in the city?"

"Sightseeing."

"Awesome, girl. Chilling for once?"

"Are you kidding? This is only a temporary stop."

"Ah," Apollo smiled, making me squint. He turned to the waitress. "I'll pay for everything they ordered, dear," he said. The waitress nodded enthusiastically and left.

"Fred, you sure? We ordered a lot." Elena finally looked up from the menu, brows raised.

"I saw, sweetheart, and I suppose most of it's for cuddly there?" Apollo pointed at Flame.

"Uhuh."

"Wait," I interrupted, "how do you know we had Flame?" Apollo turned to look at me.

"Well dude, I'm the All-Seeing Apollo, you know. I know a lot."

"Sadly, most of that knowledge consists of the latest fashion trends," smirked Elena.

"It's useful! Fashion will save your life 1 day," protested Apollo, playing innocent.

"Sure. What if it kills me?" Elena stared at Apollo, a silent challenge.

"That means it's deadly!" I watched the banter like someone would watch a tennis match.

"Um, excuse me, but I would like to mock Princess too." Apollo glanced at me, grinning.

"Sure, dude. You can be on my side." I wrinkled my nose, snorting.

"The 'fashion-will-save-your-life' side? No thanks." The jokes flew back and forth until Apollo finally asked what we were really doing.

"We have no idea, Fred. We're so close to San Francisco but we have no way there." Apollo smiled again. His teeth should've been made into a flashlight.

"No problem girl, Sis is in the area. I'll see if she can spare a ride." Elena all but squealed in delight.

"Artemis is here? That's great! OM-"

"-Gs." I glanced at Apollo, grateful and apprehensive, "Thanks, Apollo."

Nothing in the world could have prepared a guy for a visit to the Hunters. With sleek tents and a pack of wolves as guardians, not to mention the creepy amount of hunting falcons, it was surreal. First off, it was not too hot, or too humid. It was just the kind of temperature you would never thought existed in the forest. Next, the tents were covered with so many animal skins an animal rights activist would have gone into a coma. Lastly, the Hunters moved so gracefully deadly that you couldn't help but watch and wish you could move like that too. Then they'd notice you watching and you'd find yourself with antlers and a craving for grass shoots.

Artemis and Elena had a reunion quite lacking in the tears department, but I suppose Huntresses don't cry. A tough-looking girl with a Death to Barbie T-shirt and an out-of-place tiara of some sort stood by. After the reunion, the girl introduced herself as Thalia, Lieutenant of Artemis and Daughter of Zeus. She'd been jokingly called 'Percy's twin' at camp, since the two of them acted exactly the same the way.

Artemis looked happy to see her BFF again, but at the same time something about her face screamed, 'problem.' She finally invited us to her personal tent, and as soon as we were all inside, I blabbed.

"Milady, is there something wrong? Are we too late to stop Krios?" I knew it was against the Hunters' rules to speak uninvited to Artemis, but the look she had on her face was scary. I don't think I'll ever see a god look more worried.

"It's not looking too good, James. We've never seen so many monsters in one place since the last Great War. I would feel better if we accompanied you to Mt Othrys." I nodded. The request wasn't something many demigods got, and I figured we would need it if Artemis was offering.

"Thanks for the offer, Artemis, but we'll be fine. Just keep an eye on the rest of the area in case they plan a surprise attack." I glanced at her curiously, but Artemis beat me to it.

"You fear an ambush?"

"Yes. Surprise is an important element in battle."

"Fine. But at least let me provide you with an escort. My reindeer have been quite twitchy anyway."

"Thanks Arty. One more thing. Could Flame stay with the Hunters for a while? At least until you join the war?"

"That would be our pleasure," Thalia said, smiling. We piled into the chariot and Artemis raised her hand in a salute.

"Hey, Princess, I think we're here."

Elena stirred and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. When she looked, she grimaced.

"What clued you in, Sandman, the swirls of Mist? Almost feels like Ziost in Star Wars." She shook her head. I stuck my tongue out at her. She was getting at little too good at witty insults and comebacks.

She didn't notice. She was staring at the top of Mt. Othrys, hand to her mouth in shock. I looked. What I saw was black smoke, but not so dense I couldn't see the countless ranks of monsters, all waiting for a battle.

"Oh crap."