Chapter 25: Crimson Fire
Here comes chapter 25. I am sorry for not updating sooner but my Trimestral exams took a lot of my time. However, that week is over so I will be able to update more frequently. Unless writer blocks plague my days, of course. I don't think that will happen but it is a possibility. Also, I want to specify the main problem of why it will be a bad idea to kill all the Amazons even if the Greeks did killed everyone in Troy: In the Iliad, Artemis never played an important role. However, she will show up in my story pretty soon. In my story, Artemis cares about women a lot like in the books. So, killing thousands of woman when she will show up in the Greek camp soon after will make her furious. And, since she will be the first Olympians to appear in my story, Percy and Rachel can't make her mad at them if they need her to guide them to the other Olympians. Hope that I explain myself clearly. If you have doubts you can message me. By the way, thanks a lot to Lord Zill for correcting my mistake about Ajax real name. Oh and by the middle of the chapter I will include a Zoë's POV because it has been a while since the last time I wrote one.
I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. They belong to Rick Riordan and the epic poet Homer. What I do own is the plotline.
Read, enjoy and review!
Percy's POV
Noon was almost upon us. The soldiers were trying to dig up the channel as fast as they could but it won't be finished it in time. They were about 300 soldiers digging the channel so you must be wondering why they are taking so long. The distance between the beach to the plains isn't too much of a problem. The real problem is that I need the channel to be at least 500 yards wide if I want that my tidal wave will splash the entire army. If we make it shorter, it could leave a few soldiers untouched.
Because the channel needed to be so wide, it couldn't be dug inside the Greek camp. So, I ordered the soldiers to make the channel in another section of the beach to the west of the camp. The route of the channel might be a little twisted but it will eventually reach the enemy army.
I was watching the progress from the top a hill. The excavations have reached from the shore to about 9 yards past the entrance to the west of our camp. It was already about half a mile long with its 500 yards wide but we were running out of time. According to my watch, we only have fifteen minutes before noon. I looked in the direction of the city, and discover that the Trojans were getting preparing for combat. It was only matter of time before the Amazon and the Trojan armies will cross the gates.
I headed back to camp to look for Zoë and I found her in the marble stairs of the meeting with an arrow in her hand. She was looking it with a focused expression and she was muttering some odd words as well.
She stopped whatever she was doing the moment she saw me.
"Hello Percy," she said smiling.
"Zoë, we need that fire arrow of yours," I told her.
"Now?"
I nodded.
"Well, let's go then," she urged.
We began walking to the northern gate of the Greek camp but we were stopped by Ajax.
"Are you two going to use that magical arrow to buy us some time?" He asked us.
"Yes and please make sure that the soldiers keep digging," I said.
"Understood," he said before heading to the excavations.
A few minutes later, we left camp and move toward the plain. We stopped when we were about 20 yards from the city gates. In that distance a great huntress like Zoë could shot the magical arrow easily to the position we needed.
"What if the Trojans spot us? We are exposing ourselves by getting this close to the walls," she pointed out.
"Don't worry about it, I will use a spell to make us invisible," I informed.
Zoë looked surprised by the idea.
Like the spell you made yesterday with Rachel? She asked me.
The same one, I stated. Just hold my hand, I said.
She hesitated for a moment but then she took it grinning with that gorgeous smile of her. After a focused on what I wanted to do, a blue wave of magic surrounded us and we banished from sight.
Zoë POV
I liked the idea of holding Percy's hand so I did it without much hesitation. A few seconds later, Percy used his invisibility spell and no one could see us. Well, I noticed that I could see Percy clearly but I knew that the others couldn't. Maybe we could see each others because we were both invisible.
"Should I use my arrow now," I asked Percy.
"Let's wait until every soldier is outside the walls in battle formations," he told me.
"Why?"
"Because I want to imprison the two armies in a cage of fire," he claimed. "If we summon the magical fire before they get out, the army could just return to the city and get out in a different route."
I nodded because it made sense. By Zeus bolt, Percy really thinks ahead of time.
With each passing minute that we waited, more and more soldiers left the city and began taking their fighting positions. Finally, the main gate closed and that meant that every soldier was outside the city walls. I gasped at the sight of the enemy army. With the combined forces of the Trojans and Amazons there were about thirty eight thousand soldiers give it or take.
"Now Zoë," Percy said.
I nodded and summoned my bow with an arrow. Then, I began focusing on the powerful fire spell that Artemis taught me to use with an arrow. To use it properly, I needed to speak in the old tongue; the one that Gaia teach her children. Before the gods. A spell like that should be pretty hard for even the Olympians but my father was a titan and he taught me that language before I was exiled. In essence, I just improved a magical fire arrow using the ancient language.
After I muttered the necessary words, a burst of fire erupted in the tip of my arrow. Then, I began aiming at the target. The hundreds of years of experience in using a bow came to my mind. An instant later, I shot. The arrow began flying with an amazing speed and eventually sticks in the ground a few yards from the center of the army.
Before the enemy could process it, flame began erupting from the land. They started flowing where I specified in my spell until every soldier was trapped in a jail made of crimson fire. The fire waved weren't too thick but they were high, hot, and scary enough to keep the army at bay. No one could get out and they had no idea how the fire started.
Yells, and screams braked the shocking silence. We didn't pay too much attention to them tough. The first part of the plan B was completed. I still giggle when I think of Percy's plan as a plan B. Technically, it could be said that it was a plan B because this wasn't the original plan that should had taken place if Percy just kept his mouth shut and let the Greeks do as they please. But Percy is better than them. He wants to save as many lives as possible and, if his plan works well, he will. He is not like those vulgar men that don't care if women get hurt. He wants to protect them and if I have to change history to save so many maidens then, so be it.
Let's go back to camp Zoë, Percy said.
I nodded and followed.
When we reached the camp The Greeks were enthusiastic by our pyromanic performance. Odysseus clapped Percy's back.
"Boy that was just magnificent."
Other kings that were nearby said similar compliments.
"Hey, it's true that the idea was mine but Zoë was the one who used the magic arrow," I stated. "If you want to thank someone, then thank Zoë."
After a short silence the soldiers began to praise me. I blush a little because about a thousand men were congratulating me but I hided it quickly with a smile. I looked at Percy with a gratifying expression in my face. He wasn't taking all the credit.
Nestor interrupted my trail of thoughts. How long will the fire spell remain active? He asked me.
That caused the immediate attention of everyone present.
"About two hours," I said.
The kings were impressed.
"Well, then we have more time to finish the channel," Percy said.
"Yes but I am afraid that if your plan doesn't work we are going to have a blood bath," I said causing a deadly silence.
Hope you enjoy this chapter. Like I said, I may be able to update more frequently this week but only time will tell. Like I said if you have doubts about my story, you can message me. However, I will have to decide later if I will tell you any spoiler. I don't think I will, though because I don't want to spoil the surprises.
Review!