AN: Hey Everyone, I had originally planned to do this big updated to celebrate big news. I recently wrote an original Short Story and aim to publish it. I had planned to release this big update to announce it, but the copyright center is taking far longer to get back to me than I expected so I'm just going to go ahead and post it now. I'll prepare another when the copyright actually goes through.
AN2: I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get any votes last chapter. Even if you don't write an Omake I'd still like your vote and reason why you picked that design.
Son of the Moon
Chapter 51
-Percy-
The roar of the arena grew louder as they crept down the tunnel, the scent of blood and sweat filling his nostrils as the air was practically damp with it. The double doors to the arena were carved with the faces of brutish and cruel looking beings, monsters and demigods both, in the center of the doors was depicted a figure he recognized, the giant Antaeus, son of Gaea and Poseidon and elder brother to Charybdis. "We're ready Percy." Nico said seriously, the son of Hades hefting his iron claws as they prepared for battle.
Nodding he reached for the doors but before he could touch them they opened on their own. Inside the arena he saw Polybotes himself fighting a cyclops, an Empousai sitting on the shoulder of Poseidon's bane and firing arrows while the cyclops was kept on the defensive. Above it all in the stands resided an army, monsters and demigods and horrors he had never even heard of. Above it all sat Antaeus, smirking down at them knowingly "Well, well," the giant boomed, his voice distracting the cyclops and the audience, as they turned towards him, the cyclops soon regretting it as Polybotes used the distraction to end the one-eyed monster's life "you've finally arrived little brother. And here I thought you'd be waiting outside my door for much longer."
"You've gained more control over the arena than I expected." He scowled, knowing that to be able to sense the presence of another in the area meant that Antaeus had more control over this part of the Labyrinth than Daedalus himself, likely thanks to the help of Gaea and centuries of continuous effort.
"Yes, you're not the first son of Poseidon to have control over a labyrinth." Antaeus boasts smugly, the wave tattoos on his belly rolling as his stomach rippled with laughter.
"You think people would figure out by now that I'm not a son of Poseidon." Percy said, turning to his friends with a long-suffering sigh "It seems there's just no hope for the collective intellect of these people."
"Not to mention he controls two rooms and some hallways, not exactly a full labyrinth." Nico snorted, "You actually made one. Speaking of, when do we get to see the damn thing?"
"How does-" Percy began before Antaeus had enough.
"Don't ignore me!" the giant roared, slamming a fist down onto the stone railing, chips and fragments flying up from the impact "Mother and Father are quite insistent on recovering you little brother, but first I'd like some entertainment." With a wave of his hand each exit to the arena was sealed with a glowing green barrier "You and your little friends against my dear brother Polybotes and his little Empousai friend."
"If this is how you treat your allies it's a wonder you have any left." Amanda snarked, the daughter of Hermes looking for any possible escape route they could take.
"It's how we treat defectors." Antaeus smirked at the glaring Polybotes who was slowly beginning to stop panting "Poor little Polybotes, couldn't take not being allowed to kill my father. Now you get to die at the hands of my brother!"
"That…actually that kind of makes sense." Percy looked towards Polybotes "Gaea never gave you any purpose besides killing a single Olympian, did she?" when Polybotes shook his head irritably he gave the giant a sympathetic wince "Real mother of the year right there."
"Enough!" Antaeus growled, "Fight!"
"No." Polybotes shrugged, leaning casually against his trident "Jackson is not my enemy. Poseidon and my traitorous mother is." The shade of puce Antaeus turned at that declaration was mildly amusing. The crowd, used to never ending blood and violence began to grow more and more restless until eventually one monster, something that looked like a werewolf was merged with a spider, jumped the wall only to be turned to dust before it could hit the ground, the Empousai on Polybotes shoulder having loosed an arrow.
"How about a counter offer Antaeus," he began to get an idea "you fight me and Polybotes if you want blood and sport so bad. Prove that you haven't gone soft and fat in your retirement." At the declaration the crowd began to grow excited at the prospect, chanting over and over for a fight.
"Very well brothers," Antaeus said with a smile that promised pain "a little sibling's spat shouldn't take too long." Nico began ushering everyone besides Polybotes and Percy against a wall while Antaeus leapt down into the ring with a thundering boom. Silently Percy drew his sword, Polybotes swinging his trident to clear it of blood, and Antaeus cracked his knuckles menacingly.
All was silent as Antaeus sized them both, even the cheering of the crowd dying down as the tension began to grow. Finally, with a roar, the three fighters charged. Dropping to his knees Percy slid, swinging his sword at Antaeus' ankle while Polybotes thrust the trident into their opponent's throat. From both points sand poured out like blood. Antaeus grinned, giving a dark gurgling chuckle as he pulled the trident from his throat, the sand flying up to cover the injuries, their magic dropping them shortly afterward to show undamaged skin. "Fools," Antaeus swung a wild punch, all power and no technique, at them as they dodged "my father grants me strength and my mother grants me protection. You have no hope of stopping me!"
Unimpressed he shared a glance with Polybotes who was calmly batting away the punches with the trident. Antaeus had grown arrogant and sloppy, relying on his invulnerability to win instead of any actual skill so the fight, as it was, was rather boring for them. "You can turn water into poison, right?" he asked the bane of Poseidon, calmly sidestepping a punch before severing the hand at the wrist, Antaeus roaring in pain as the injury healed and reattached the severed limb.
"Yes, why?" Polybotes asked, frowning in confusion as he lashed out with a dragon like limb to kick Antaeus in the chest.
"Just checking. Be ready to do so if you would." Reaching into his bag and rolling forward to avoid being tackled by the ancient wrestler, Percy pulled out a half dozen expanded water vials, most of what he had left. With a grunt he threw them at Antaeus, the containers shattering and releasing a torrent of water as he began to focus, condensing it into a sphere with the struggling giant at the core. Thanks to his Poseidon heritage Antaeus could breathe underwater but Polybotes was quick to realize Percy's strategy.
"No earth, no healing." The bane snickered before touching the orb, the liquid absorbing Antaeus's screams as the ancient giant began to melt from being submerged in acidic poison. The crowd went dead silent as their host melted before their eyes, even the giant's golden dust remains, and loincloth eaten away by the liquid. With a lazy wave Percy sent the giant orb of poison as darts and drops at the assembled monsters and demigods in the stands, raining acid upon them while shielding himself, his friends, Polybotes, and the Empousai. Without Antaeus the magic of the barriers flickered and died while the audience was too panicked about the poison rain to notice the group fleeing from the Arena.
"So, defector huh?" he asked Polybotes, his trust for the giant dwindling now that they were no longer in a situation where they both needed the other.
"I swear on the Styx it's not a trap." The giant didn't even miss a beat with the oath as the groups pace slowed from a mad run to a slower walk, thunder booming even in the depths of the earth.
"So, what will you do now?" he asked the giant with an Empousai on his shoulder, the vampire like woman having stayed as close to her giant protector as she possibly could.
"I will find a way to kill Poseidon." Polybotes declared angrily "And all who are allied with him." Glancing down the giant gave a reluctant grunt of respect "I have no love for the gods but you I can tolerate. I'm neither your ally nor your enemy. If you find Poseidon first though, stab him for me." With that the monstrous duo walked off down a side tunnel.
"Think we'll see them again?" Bianca asked, his love putting away her bow which had been ready to draw and fire at a moment's notice should Polybotes or his companion attack.
"I'm sure of it," he grunted, shrinking Riptide down to put it in his pocket "Polybotes' only purpose in life is to kill Poseidon who's one of our biggest enemies. If we don't see them again then I'm a Satyr." Grinning at his friend's snorts of amusement he turned to Rachel "We on the right path?"
"We go straight." She nodded before frowning "The glow seems…brighter, then it did before."
"We might be getting close then." Percy nodded, an eager grin appearing on his features "Alright everyone, let's move out!"