The monsters weren't going to give them a break in a while, Percy noted as Hazel rolled and jabbed another vulture. The other two were working together, and Nico didn't seem to have lost any of his fighting abilities, but looked almost overwhelmed by the natural instincts of his body. Jason was fairing just well, with minor cuts and bruises (mainly from tumbling under claws). The son of Poseidon ducked just in time for the huge avian to soar above his head; the grassy hills did nothing to help their situation, but made sudden movements and ducks harder. Cursing, he went after the vulture which cackled in what seemed to be amusement.
Despite Percy's former thoughts, the birds were isolated into groups and promptly fled. Dust swirled around their ankles as they tracked back together, getting back on the road for their current goal. The goddess's instruction's were simple: follow the path into the valley for about three hours. There, you will be met with a grassy hill and when yelling the right words hard enough, a giant will come out. If you manage to defeat the giant in any sort of duel, then you would be able to ask for one prize, and that, the weapon of Lupe- a mace. None of them had heard of it, but they weren't about to argue.
They were nearly there, as the hills started to become a bit steeper, although not necessarily higher. It was half an hour before Percy gave a noise of exasperation. "How the hell are we suppose to know which hill it is? The giant could be anywhere!"
Hazel frowned at his choice of language but did her best to answer his question. "she did say hat we had to yell, or speak loudly, so I guess the giant would hear us especially if there are echoes."
"But wouldn't Nico know?"" Jason interjected. "I mean, he did feel the aura, or whatever that was." The other three looked at the son of Hades who was currently furrowing his brows in concentration.
"What is it?" Hazel voice seemed to startle the son of Hades.
"Well," he rubbed the back of his head tentatively, "Lupe said that we had to yell the right words, right?"
"Yea..." The son of Poseidon didn't know where he was going with this. "Wait, what words?"
Nico nodded. "Exactly." The four contemplated their options, which didn't expand very far. Basically just one; yell as loud as they could until the giant showed himself. The son of Jupiter stated with a sigh.
"Um, oh reverend giant, grace us with your presence!" The only reply was his echo and the slight croaking of a bird. "Please!" The others started to try.
"We need to talk about something important," Nico yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth, "It's really important?"
"Respected giant!" Hazel sighed after her own failed attempt. The quartet went a bit further into the ups and downs of the grasslands, but still no avail. The son of Poseidon tripped on a rock, and cursed loudly. Suddenly, the ground underneath them started to rumble, bit by bit. Rocks rumbled down and the others knew that it was never a coincidence. Soon, the hills echoed back the most insulting things that they could come up at with the moment, mostly from the ex-praetors.
"Η μητέρα σας μυρίζει σαν χάλια της Ήρας!" Percy's greek was a little too fluent, Nico thought as he instantly understood, although he didn't know how.
"Braccas meas vescimini!" After the blonde shouted, a huge mound of dirt arose, and it took Percy a couple of moments to realize that they were staring at it's behind.
"Smell demigods..." The rumbling they took as muttering. "Demigods... Wakes me from slumber..."
Without another word, Percy pulled the closest one, Nico, with him to dodge to foreshadowed fist thrown at them. "Wait! We don't want to fight! We just want to-" a rush of wind from another punch, this time swiftly dodged by Jason, "talk! Just talk like civilized people, not gi- barbarians." Percy caught himself in time. The giant turned his eyes towards the tall brunette, and he noticed that the eyes concentrated on his were pale, a milky white: the giant was blind.
"Then speak son of Poseidon. What does thou wish from me?"
"Well," he drawled out. "Have you seen a mace anywhere? L-like a weapon? Of Lupe's? A mace, like a bat, or a club, I guess." He shrugged. The giant suddenly roared and the earth rumbled, coming to life.
"Clubs! The Fates! Wretched beasts! Thou witches dare try and implore me with petty demigods? No, I shall forfeit this game, or die trying! Feel Agruis's wrath!" And with that he struck. If it weren't for strict training with wolves and Romans, the son of Jupiter would've lost a head. Needless to say, he didn't and the fight progressed on. The children of death were swinging their swords dangerously at the vultures who had seemingly joined in on the fight. The other half of the team were circling the blind giant, taking serious precautions. He seemed to be able to sense their movements through the ground and sound waves. Percy was struck to the ground, not that hard, as he saw a hideous bird being smack in the eye with a fist sized ruby.
As they fought further on, Jason noticed that the giant couldn't only focus on two enemies at once; "Percy!" He called through hailing mounds of earth, "Attack same time!"
"Sure thing, Superman!" The blonde winced at the nickname but it wasn't long before dust pooled around their feet, not for the first time on this trip, and they had forced the giant onto the ground. The demigods were suffering from minor cuts and bruises; on the other hand, the giant, thankfully, had painful stab wounds and wine-red blood practically gushing from it's shoulder and calf wounds.
The son of Jupiter swung his sword, intimidating, and the air crackled with lightning but didn't actually hit. Percy held his sword at the giant's throat. His usually sparkling emerald eyes were now a deep, deep sea green, reflecting the treacherous storms of the open waters. "Where is the mace."
"You'll have to find it." Percy swore he saw the giant smirk. Although that only contorted his face into an even uglier mass. Them he cocked his head to the side and frowned, as if hearing some information that he didn't like. "Hmm. Mistress says that you have deemed yourself worthy, and to give you the weapon." Nico was taken aback. Mistress? How powerful would this 'mistress' have to be for her to make the giant listen with unspoken words? 'Or maybe I just didn't catch the words...' his thoughts trailed off as the giants brushed himself off of the seemingly unending dirt, and pull something out of thin air. The brunette had to blink twice before actually believing what he saw.
The golden mace sparkled into the sunset, but nobody noticed the sudden passing of time, or the sharp intake of breath from the son of Hades. The tallest brunette walked forward and reached out to handle the mystical weapon. He ignored the nagging feeling at the back of his head and in his gut; by the time the son of Hades cried a warning it was too late.
/
FINALLY Sorry for the late update, ppl love u all
The giant's name is Agruis: According to Apollodorus, he was killed by the Moirai, or the Fates, with bronze clubs.
Translations:
Η μητέρα σας μυρίζει σαν χάλια της Ήρας - Your mother smells like Hera's crap (Greek)
Braccas meas vescimini - Eat my pants (Latin)