Frank / November 26th
Standing at the gates, our ultimate challenge awaited.
He had metallic golden skin, an armor made of platinum links, and his iron staff was the size of a totem pole. His dragon legs were a rust-red and pounded against the ice as he entered the general area. Precious stones glinted in his red braided hair
"Ah, Hazel Levesque," He said, "you have costed me dearly! If it was not for you, I would have risen ages ago, and the world might already be Gaea's. No matter, we will accomplish that soon"
"Give me the firewood Hazel" I pleaded
"Careful with that" Layton replied. "You've got a life to live"
"What is this firewood you speak of? Have you brought me a present?" Alcyoneus asked, stepping forward which caused the ground to shake
"We have nothing for you, except lots of pain" I replied coldly
The giant roared out with laughter. "Spoken like a true child of Mars! It's too bad I will have to kill you. And you two, I've awaited the famous Percy Jackson and the mythical assassin to appear at my doorstep"
"Huh?" Percy replied
"Explain later, fight now" Layton said and we nodded our heads
"I've followed your progress, son of Neptune," Alcyoneus said. "Your fight with Kronos? Very well done, I must say. Gaea hates you above all the others, except for maybe Jason Grace. It's too bad I can't kill you right away, but my brother Polybotes wishes to keep you as his pet.
He thinks it will be fun to keep Neptune's son on a leash, after he destroys him of course. After that, we have other plans for you"
"That's flattering and all, but I'm actually the son of Poseidon, and I'm from Camp Half-Blood" Percy raised up Riptide in defiance
"Pssh, Greek, Roman, it doesn't matter. We will crush both camps like tiny bugs. The Titans didn't think big enough, for that they are fools. They wanted to destroy the gods in their new home. We know better... to kill a weed, you must pull its roots. Even now, my forces will destroy that puny Roman camp and reduce it to ash. Porphyrionis is currently preparing for the real battle in the ancient lands. We will destroy the gods at their source"
The ghosts pounded their swords against their shields, awaiting to engage into battle.
"The source?" I asked
"Greece. Where everything started" Layton answered
"You won't live long enough to see the ultimate victory, son of Mars. As for the son of the magic goddess, neither will he. His days will come to an end as well as yours" Alcyoneus said confidently
I had my hands behind my back and Hazel handed me the wrapped-up piece of firewood from her coat pocket.
"You sure?" She whispered
"Yeah" I assured in the same volume
"Percy, can you protect him?" Hazel requested
"Against the small army? Yeah, I got it" Percy nodded his head
"I've got golden boy then" Hazel replied
"I want a round two also" Layton added
The rank of ghostly Romans charged in while Hazel charged the giant.
I unwrapped the firewood and knelt by Thanatos's feet. I could see Percy standing over me, swinging his sword and slashing at the ghosts that attempted to close the distance.
My hands trembled as I placed my piece of tinder next to the chains on Death's right leg. I thought about flames and in an instant, the wood blaze. Don't mess up for once.
A horrible warmth spread through my body as the icy metal began to melt off the death god's limbs.
"Very good, Frank Zhang" Thanatos said
I had heard about people's lives flashing before their eyes, but now I got to see it for myself. I saw the day my mom left for Afghanistan. She smiled and hugged me, saying that she would always be proud and that I would one day travel father than her.
When I recovered, I risked a glance over my shoulder.
Percy fought like a chaotic but also graceful whirlwind. Literally too, a miniature hurricane of water and ice vapor churned around him as he made his way through the enemies. He was knocking Roman ghosts away while also deflecting arrows and spears.
I tried to look for Hazel and Layton, but they couldn't be seen, and neither could the giant.
"Watch your fire," Death warned, "you don't have any to waste"
Apparently I had been too distracted not to notice the second chain had melted off. I moved the fire to the shackle's of the god's right hand. The piece of tinder was almost half gone by now, but so were half of the chains.
More visions played in my head but I shook them off, still worrying about Hazel. Finally I could spot their battle. Most of the surrounding area had been destroyed, and Arion was playing a super dangerous game of tag.
Finally, the last chain snapped. With a desperate yelp, I jabbed my firewood into a pile of snow and extinguished the flame. My pain went away and I was still alive. But when I took back the tinder, it wasn't any larger than a small candy bar.
"Free" Thanatos announced with satisfaction
"Great! Now help us!" I replied
Thanatos calmly smiled. "I will do something. Watch. Those who die in this battle will stay dead"
"Very helpful" I muttered
"Free yet?" Percy called out
"Yeah!" I shouted
Percy nodded but he was getting worn out. The hurricane was slowly but surely disappearing, and his strikes were getting heavier and slower.
I stepped forward to help but I heard Hazel yell out in pain. Arion also screamed as the giant got in a lucky shot.
"You have to help her! I got these guys!" Percy said
He didn't have them, I knew that. He was going to be overwhelmed but I still ran over to help Hazel.
She was half-buried in a collapsed pile of snow-bricks. Arion was standing over her, trying to protect her by rearing and swatting at the giant with his front hooves.
Where's Layton? I thought but then I noticed his strategy. For a moment I caught a glimpse of him. Alcyoneus quickly stabbed his icy staff but missed as Layton used instantaneous movement to get out of the way, appearing behind him.
However, the dodge was intercept was Alcyoneus jolted around and smacked his staff against his ribcage, sending Layton crashing into a tree.
The giant turned around and laughed. "Now does the little pony want to play a game?"
I was still too far to help, so I imagined myself rushing forward, my feeling leaving the ground. Be anything...
My body became smaller and lighter, my arms stretching into wings and my sight became a thousand times sharper. Soaring upward, I dove at the giant with my talons extended out and I raked my razor-sharp claws across his eyes.
Alcyoneus bellowed in pain as he staggered backwards while I landed in front of Hazel, returning to normal.
"Frank, what... how?... huh?" Hazel questioned
"You fool!" Alcyoneus shouted. His face was slashed up and black oil dripped from his eyes instead of blood, but the wounds were closing up. "I am immortal in my homeland, and thanks to your friend Hazel, my new homeland is Alaska. You cannot kill-"
The giant's eyes widened as smoke began to rise up into the air, radiating off his back. Behind him, Layton was panting heavily with his palm out, and I assume he had shot a column of fire.
"Immortal or not, we won't go down. At least not this easily" He said as he gripped the side of his ribs that had been hit by the icy staff
"Hazel, get back on your house" I instructed
The giant charged at me and I charged at him I return. I remembered the bear I had faced when I was a child. When I ran, my body became heavier, thicker, and ripped with muscles. I crashed into the giant as a fully grown grizzly, wielding a thousand pounds of pure force.
I was still small in comparison to the giant, but with so much momentum, Alcyoneus toppled over like a watchtower.
Springing at the giant's head, I swiped my claws and swung like a chainsaw. I bashed the giant's face back and forth until his metallic features became dented.
I returned into mortal form, and thankfully I still had my backpack. I grabbed the rope I had bought back in Seward, and quickly made a noise that I fastened around the giant's scaly dragon foot.
"Hazel! I have an idea but we need to-"
"Kill you" Alcyoneus muttered as he got up and shook me off
Quickly turning into an eagle again, I did aerial backflips until I returned to normal to land safely on the ground.
Alcyoneus growled as he attempted to jab his staff at me, but a yellow disc pierced his shoulder and completely severed his limb like a butter through knife. He shouted in pain as the icy staff and his arm dropped to the ground.
"Don't forget about me either" Layton reminded, using his thumb to clean a bit of blood of the corner of his lip
"How far can Arion pull this guy?" I quickly asked Hazel
"But you were a bird, and then... a bear... and..."
"I can explain later" I replied. "Right now, we need to drag him inland, as fast and far as possible"
"But Percy..." Hazel pointed out
I looked into the distance and I could see Percy with his back to the edge of the cliff. His hurricane was gone by now and he held Riptide in one hand, with the legions golden eagle in the other.
"Percy!" I yelled
He glanced over and noticed the giant that had fallen again, currently awaiting for his arm to regenerate. He yelled something back which was most likely: Go!
Slamming Riptide into the ground, the entire glacier shuddered from Percy's force. Ghosts fell to their knees and behind Percy, a wave rose up from the bay - a wall of gray water ever taller than the glacier. As the wave hit, the entire edge of the glacier was peeled away, being taken into the void, carrying trees, rocks, ghosts, and Percy Jackson.
Thanatos glided over. "There go some souls. Drowning... you should hurry, my friends, or you'll drown as well"
"But Percy... is he...?"
"Too soon to tell" Thanatos looked down at Alcyoneus with a strong distaste. "You'll never kill him here. Do you know what to do?"
I nodded. "Uh, I think"
"Then our business together I'm complete. Thank you"
With that, the god of Death disappeared into the wind with black smoke. Cracks underneath my feet widened in the ice.
"We have to hurry! We need to take him ten miles north!"
"You guys go ahead" Layton exhaled, placing two fingers onto his forehead. "I need to make sure the son of Poseidon doesn't drown"
We nodded our heads and he used instantaneous movement to disappear.
I finished tying put the rope to Arion quickly before the giant could recover and attack us.
Finally, Arion zoomed between two mountains and into a valley made up of ice and rocks. The giant's golden skin paled as if turning to brass. I ground feel a small vibration int my own body too, as if we made it to friendly territory.
It took a few minutes but we finally made it to our destination.
"Here!" I shouted
Arion veered to one side with Hazel cutting the top, leaving Alcyoneus skidding past us. I leaped off just before the giant slammed into a boulder.
Immediately, the giant recovered up to his feet. "Huh?"
His wounds had healed but his golden skin had lost of its luster and his arm had regenerated. He looked for his iron staff, but it was gone and still at Hubbard Glacier. He gave up and pounded the nearest boulder to pieces with his fist.
"That was a fun sleigh ride, but your time is up" Alcyoneus said. "And that smell... snuffed-out souls. Thanks must be free, but it doesn't matter. Gaea still has controls over his doors. But now, why have you brought me here?"
"To kill you of course" I answered. "Any other dumb questions?"
The giant narrowed his eyes. "I never seen a child of Mars who could change forms, but it doesn't give you any advantage. Do you seriously believe your father gave you the strength to face me in a one-on-one combat?
"Then how about two one?" Hazel approached and drew her sword
"You cannot kill me, Thanatos or no!" Alcyoneus declared. "One, two, three, all just die to me!"
"You're still counting too low, giant"
We turned around and Layton stood with Percy by his side. Layton wore normal clothes - a white t shirt and black sweatpants, and he had his hands in his pockets while the cape from his suit that was currently equipped flowed in the wind.
Percy had a scowl on his face but he was battle ready with Riptide gripped tightly in his hands, and the legion's eagle in the other.
"Stop adding!" Alcyoneus demanded. "This is Alaska, my homeland, I am immortal here!"
"Bad news buddy. You see, I got more than just strength from my dad" I retorted
"Like what, war brat?" Alyconeus snarled
"Tactics," I revealed, "that's my gift from Mars. A battle can be won just by choosing the right ground"
"There was a border a few hundred yards back" Layton pointed to the left. "You're no longer in Alaska"
"You can feel it, I know it. You want to get Alaska, but you have to go through us" I said
"Impossible... no. You'll die for this!" The giant bellowed
The giant charged at me and for a second I doubted my plan. Just before I was smashed, Layton put up a magical barrier that momentarily stopped the giant. I changed and I felt really big and kind of clumsy. My body swelled up to a massive size and my skin thickened.
Alcyoneus was slammed by a ten-ton elephant, causing him to stagger sideways. He screamed in frustration and slammed into me, but he was outweighed in this division, so I head head-butted him so hard that he flew backward and landed on the ice.
"You can't kill me! You can't, you can-"
Water erupted from the ice beneath Alcyoneus and lifted him, a large water sprout keeping him in the air.
"Sorry, what was that?" Percy asked mockingly
"Put me do-"
The water returned to the sea beneath us and Alcyoneus slammed against the ice so hard that he fell into the cold water.
Hazel made a gesture with her free hand and an invisible force yanked the giant back up onto the ice by his hair.
Funem Celer formed in Layton's left hand and he swiped the sword horizontally, the blade extending out to about twenty-five feet, hitting the giant's knee which dropped him onto the other.
I retuned to normal. "So, who has the honors?"
"May I?" Hazel asked and I nodded
I looked into the giant's eyes which were seething. "Just a tip in case there's a next time. You should choose the biggest state for your home, and don't set up a base in the part that's only ten miles wide"
Layton laughed. "And so the giant falls, he wasn't so mighty after all"
"Right" I agreed. "Welcome to Canada, idiot"
With that said, Hazel's sword stabbed into his leg and Alcyoneus dissolved into a pile of expensive rocks.
Percy sat down and caught his breath while Layton remained standing and did the same.
For a bit, me and Hazel stood side by side and watched the remains of the giant melt away into the ice with a certain satisfaction.
"An elephant? Really?" Hazel asked
"It seemed like the best idea at the time" I chuckled nervously
I couldn't read her expression, but I was afraid I had finally done something so weird that she might not want to be around me.
Then, she kissed me - a real one on the lips, and much better than the one she gave Percy on the airplane.
"You're amazing, Frank" She said. "And you make a very handsome elephant too"
I was so flustered I was genuinely scared that my boots might melt through the ice.
"Thanks Hazel, you too. I'm glad we both survived" I smiled
"Me too" She smiled as well
Layton cleared his throat. "Uh as much as I like the happiness and all, there's still a giant army about to massacre the camp if we don't get going"
"Oh uh, right" I said