Very very early update 'cause I'm not gonna be able to update as usual tomorrow! I hope you all enjoy.
Replies:
Undeath9087: It's gonna be fun. I so love Bob and Damasen. Everyones so confused, and remember they did fight Tartarus so they're not at full strength at this stage.
Jubby1905: It's the ring Nico gave to Will for Christmas- the one he was picking up before they met Bob, and the one Percy noticed when she had her talk with Will. Nico also has one too with a sun embossed on it. Because they're sweet like that.
Guest: Yeah, I get the mist stuff is confusing- and with the ring, well it felt fitting as it's the ring that Nico gave Will back before they started dating and Will is using it to try and save Nico's life.
Drizzle: As I said in a previous reply, it's the ring Nico was picking up for Will for Christmas before getting abducted by Persephone, and Percy later noticed it when she gave Will the talk that motivated him to kiss Nico for the first time.
Calypso felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Leo was in there- or she really hoped he was- the witch wouldn't have been able to truly tell who was in there, just that they weren't authorized- and- what if it wasn't all three of them? What if her Leo wasn't in there? The thought wasn't one she let herself linger on.
Leo had to be in there. He was strong, so much stronger than he gave himself credit for. And so when Will had thrown his ring at the doors Calypso had sung, enchanting the ring, making its aim true and strong, and sure enough it had hit the button- and she would have ran forward- rushed to get to Leo- but Hazel was grabbing her and Will to stop them- which made sense, there was a giant in the way- but still, even as the black smoke billowed out Calypso could hardly breath.
And then three figures were toppling forward, spilling face first on the floor, as limp as corpses- and it looked like Leo and Nico had picked up Percy based on how they fell- like they'd maybe been about to carry her out, Calypso couldn't be sure.
In any case the three of them were led half in half out of the elevator- Calypso let out a scream, she couldn't help it- and Will's sob was heart wrenching but Hazel managed to gasp out; "They're alive! I can feel it they're alive- gods-" and Hazel started to move forward, letting go of Will and Calypso, but Clytius raised his hand in an unmistakable gesture- stop. He lifted his massive reptilian foot over the three collapsed demigods heads.
The giant's smoky shroud poured over the floor, covering Leo, Nico and Percy in a pool of dark fog.
"Clytius, you've lost," Hazel snarled. "Let them go, or you'll end up like Pasiphaƫ."
The giant tilted his head. His diamond eyes gleamed. At his feet, Leo lurched like he'd hit a power line, rolling onto his back, black smoke coiling from his mouth. "I am not Pasiphaƫ." Leo spoke in a voice that wasn't his. The words were as deep as a bass guitar. "You have won nothing."
"Leave him alone!" Calypso screamed the words, "Leave my Leo alone!"
"Or we'll kill you." Will was snarling too- and Calypso was willing to admit that they probably weren't the best back up for Hazel- Will was a healer, not a fighter. Oh he could fight okay but he didn't even carry weapons, and Calypso- she was skilled with her magic- which wouldn't be very useful against a giant like Clytius, and she could use a dagger but- well, it wouldn't be much use she was sure.
Clytius didn't seem too bothered by their threats, he shifted, nudging Percy's head with his foot- and her face lolled to the side- and gods but she looked terrible. Calypso had once hated the daughter of Poseidon. She hadn't even known who she was of course. She'd raged and cursed at the unfairness of it all.
Not only did the gods torment her by sending heroes who she'd fall in love with, they'd sent her her perfect hero only to send a beautiful girl to steal him away.
That had changed of course- she knew who the girl was now. And she felt nothing but pity for her- her face was so pale and gaunt, and bloody.
"Not quite dead." The giant's words boomed from Percy's mouth. "A terrible shock to the mortal body, I would imagine, coming back from Tartarus. They'll be out for a while-" he paused- tilting his head- and Calypso realised that there was a noise from inside of the elevator.
The others must have heard it too because Hazel was frowning, "What-" and then even as Clytius was turning to look a figure, roughly as tall as Clytius was barrelling out of the elevator, another giant- Calypso wasn't sure if she should be terrified or hopeful- because what was a giant doing in the elevator with Leo, Nico and Percy?
And it was a giant that much was very clear. He had cherry red skin, a beard and hair the color of rusted iron, bushy eyebrows, and multiple scars on his face, his hair was fashioned into dreadlocks decorated with tufts of grass, leaves and swamp flowers. From the waist down, his dragon legs were red and he had claws on his feet. Instead of the usual armor that Calypso would usually expect he was wearing a shirt stitched together from sheep hides and some sort of green spotted leather.
And he smashed into Clytius, driving him away from the three demigods, his black smoke retreating away from the three demigods on the ground with him- and Calypso was rushing forward instantly even as the strange giant let out a roar.
"You will not harm them! They gave me hope! I will change my fate for them! You will fall brother!"
"Do we have a giant on our side?" Will's voice was incredulous- he was keeping pace with Calypso- and Hazel was just a step behind them.
"It looks like it." Hazel managed, "I have no idea how but-"
"Let's not argue-" and then Calypso reared backwards a few foot away from the three unconscious demigods because another figure was limping out of the elevator- not a giant- a Titan she realised- he was clad in a tattered looking janitors uniform, with wild silver hair and eyes that were pure silver, to make the sight even weirder there was a skeleton kitten on the Titans shoulder.
"What is happening here?" that came from Will, and the Titan paused, looking at them for a long moment before-
"You are their friends?"
"Yes." Hazel spoke up quickly, "Who are you we don't-"
"I am Bob." the Titan told them before his gaze shifted, turning to look at the two giants fighting, and his expression shifted, "I will help Damasen. You must help them, Small Bob will stay with them." then he was rushing towards the fight, the kitten leaping off his shoulder and moving to sit on top of Leo's stomach.
Calypso gaped at the Titan as he left- and- it was off. There was something strangely familiar abut him, though she couldn't quite place it.
"Did he just-" Hazel shook her head, "Quick- Will, Calypso-" and the two teens instantly whirled, Calypso dropping to her knees next to Leo- and by the gods he looked so small- he was filthy and frail looking, gaunt with bags under his eyes.
All of them were.
Will was hovering over Nico, his hands almost glowing, "Exhausted, half starved, a lot of bumps and bruises but nothing that can't heal." he said quickly, "Leo?"
"He's much the same I think" Calypso had shifted, pulling her boyfriends head into her lap- he was breathing steadily enough, his skin was a touch warmer than most peoples should be but it was Leo, it was often too warm. There were no obvious severe injuries.
"Percy looks worse." Hazel was hovering over the daughter of Poseidon, "Will can you-"
"Of course." and Will shifted so that he was leaning over Percy, his hands glowing as he examined her-and his face paled, "I don't- she's really, really hurt. Her legs are totally crushed." his voice was strained, "I can't do anything about it now- even nectar and ambrosia won't do enough for her- we need to get her out of here-"
"Easier said than done-" Calypso saw Hazel wince as the giants and the Titan's battle raged on- Damasen had been thrown into one of the walls- which wasn't good given the fact that the whole place didn't seem that stable.
It looked like the apparently friendly Giant and Titan were hurt even before they'd stepped out of the elevator. Even with two of them fighting it didn't seem to be an automatic win.
"I'll try and help them." Hazel said quickly- swallowing hard- that black smoke seemed to be growing, stretching out towards them. Calypso couldn't blame Hazel for looking nervous. "Can a Giant and a Titan kill a Giant- how does it even work?"
"I do not believe it's ever happened before." Calypso shook her head, "So no one knows-"
"They may not know if a Giant and a Titan could kill a giant-" the familiar voice made Haze gasp as she spun around. "But we do know that a God and a Demigod can." and Hazel span around, her mouth dropping open in shock.
"Lady Hecate!" and Hazel loooked like she wanted to cry with relief. Bob, Damasen and Clytius all turned to look- and Clytius stumbled back slightly- he didn't speak- it seemed that he needed to have mouth pieces and he didn't have any right now.
The goddess was beautiful, with her long golden hair and deathly pale skin, Calypso felt the urge to clutch Leo closer- to shield him- Hecate was a powerful goddess after all- and from what Calypso knew she had no reason to be fond of members of the Jackson family.
"Hazel." Hecate nodded before her gaze shifted- her emerald green eyes focusing on Percy- and Will moved quickly, moving to try and block her from the goddesses view.
But- was it just Calypso or was Hecate's expression sad. Then the goddess shook her head and turned her gaze back to Hazel. "Come my dear. Let us fight."
And Calypso watched in awe as Hazel closed her eyes and focused- and suddenly white mist was boiling around the daughter of Pluto's feet- and as the dark smoke tried to stretch towards them the mist blocked it- it swirled around them, protecting them. Shielding them.
She would have kept watching if it wasn't for the sharp intake of breath, for movement in her lap- and Calypso shifted almost instantly, tilting her head to look down, not caring about the fight- and she could hear the strange giant and titan joining in.
"Leo?"
"I-" Leo's voice was faint as his eyes fluttered open, "We didn't make it? Is this Elysium?" and Calypso let out a teary laugh, bending in and pressing her lips to Leo's.
"No. No my brave Leonidas. It's not Elysium I'm afraid." she let out a soft sob as Leo managed to lift a hand, pressing it to her cheek and wiping his thumb just under her eye, wiping away her tears.
"Shouldn't cry." Leo murmured the words, "My cielo."
"I'll stop crying if you don't do anything stupid like this ever again."
"B'tha's why you love me." Leo murmured, "Love you too."
"Nico!" and Calypso turned her head to see that Will was helping Nico sit up- the son of Hades was gasping for breath, his eyes wide as they shot around.
"I- we- we made it-" he let out a hysterical laugh- and Calypso helped Leo sit when she saw that he was pushing himself up too.
"We did." Leo blinked, "We- holy fucking shit we actually made it-" his eyes widened, "Percy is-"
And Percy was letting out a soft groan herself which made both of the boys relax.
Then Leo paused, turning his gaze towards the fight, "Huh. Who's the lady helping Bob, Damasen and Hazel?"
"Hecate." Will answered quickly. "It's lady Hecate. The Giant-" he paused, "The giants weakness is meant to be fire Leo-"
"Oooh." Leo pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he cracked his knuckles, "Then I guess it's time for the great Flameo to join the fight.
"Leo-"
"Don't worry sunshine." Leo's eyes narrowed, and then his whole body was alight with fire. "After the shit I had to face down in that pit, one measly giant doesn't seem so bad."
"And I-" Nico was staggering to his feet, a determined gleam in his eyes, "Will do the same thing as I did down there. Leo-"
"Don't worry." Leo gave a dangerous grin. "It isn't even an of monsters and Tartarus himself we have to protect you from this time." and- that couldn't mean what it sounded like could it? Either way Nico's gaze shifted to Will and Calypso.
"Guard our sister for us." and then they were both taking off, Leo letting out a war cry as he burned so brightly that it hurt Calypso's eyes- and Nico sprinting towards the Doors of Death, Stygian Iron sword cleaving through one set of chains with ease before he was lunging for the other.
And Calypso knew- they'd won. The Giant would fall and the Doors of Death would be free. It might not be winning the war, but it was a victory nevertheless.
