Battle of the Labyrinth
Chapter 15
The holidays are over and things are back to normal….or so I thought. My aunt and grandpa are recovering from their cancers, so that is good, my I live with my uncle and he just broke his leg at a job site by slipping on ice. Fucking joy, at least he gets workman's comp or whatever. Still, Before he had his surgery to get it corrected(Vertical break not the usual horizontal), he got to go home for a bit and he had crutches…which made it very hard to get through the front door. So he face planted and nearly dislocated his shoulder. He was NOT having a good day. Before you ask why I didn't catch him, here is the answer. I only weigh 125 on a good day and I am skinny as fuck. He is a rather big guy that weighs over 200…..close to 300 pounds. So yeah….starting the new year with a literal crash and boom….joy.
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The group of demi-gods were marched down the tunnel, flanked by dracaenae, with Kelli and the giant in back, just in case they tried to run for it. Nobody seemed to worry about them running forward. That was the direction they wanted the kids to go.
Up ahead, bronze doors could be seen. They were about ten feet tall, emblazoned with a pair of crossed swords. From behind them came a muffled roar, like from a crowd.
"Oh, yessssss," said the snake woman on the left. "You'll be very popular with our hossssst." The snake woman was a dracaenae, which up close was not a pretty site. She would've had a beautiful face, except her tongue was forked and her eyes were yellow with black slits for pupils. She wore bronze armor that stopped at her waist. Below that, where her legs should've been, were two massive snake trunks, mottled bronze and green. She moved by a combination of slithering and walking, as if she were on living skis. Naruto wondered if this was Orochimaru's idea of a perfect girl.
"Who's your host?" Percy asked.
She hissed, which might have been a laugh. "Oh, you'll sssssee. You'll get along furiousssly. He'ssss your brother, after all."
At Percy's bewildered looked, Naruto stated, "I am sure it is not Tyson, dude." Percy seemed to have calmed down at that, but he was still nervous. Naruto on the other hand was bored. He was still a ninja after all be being held captive was no different than what happened in the Village Hidden behind the Waterfall. So he turned his head to look back at Kelli, who still had Rachel captive.
"What do you want blondie?" Kelli asked rudely.
"Oh nothing, it is just that I am confused as to why you work for Luke of all people." Naruto replied nonchalantly, confusing his captors as to why he was not cowering in fear like he was supposed to.
"Luke is a great leader." Kelli replied sharply, but there was not a lot of bit to it, signifying doubt.
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked. "I have seen the same dreams as Percy that I know you have sensed. Luke doesn't fully trust you and your monster kind. Is that why he rejects you? I am not even sure he is in full control of the situation, if you catch my drift."
Kelli stated quiet as if in deep thought as the giant pushed past them and opened the doors. He picked up Annabeth and Silena by their shirts and said, "You two stay here."
"Hey!" Annabeth protested, but the guy was twice her size and he'd already confiscated her knife and Percy's sword. Thankfully, he was not smart enough to take Naruto's cuffs that had a few charms on them and Silena's charm bracelet.
"You will let me go with them." Silena replied as she used charmspeak on the giant while waving her hand like a Jedi for fun. It worked as well as she took her place next to Naruto again. Of course said blond was trying to not to laugh.
Kelli didn't even react to Silena's not so subtle move as she was still deep in thought. So Naruto winked to Rachel and said, "Don't worry too much. We'll take care of things quick and save you soon."
"That would be nice." Rachel replied with a slight smile and a nod, since Kelli had loosened her grip.
Once they were out of hearing range of Kelli, Silena eyed Naruto and asked, "You are trying to get her on our side, right?"
"Why not? We have Tyson and Ella….where ever she is. Monsters are not all bad Silena." Naruto replied with a shrug. Silena just hmmed, figuring that it could backfire or….Kelli could take a liking to Naruto and she was not sure how she felt about that.
XXX
They entered the arena and Naruto felt a bit…underwhelmed. He felt that the Chunin Exam arena was bigger, but then again, this place was underground and a little more spacious. The dirt floor was circular, just big enough that you could drive a car around the rim if you pulled it really tight. In the center of the arena, a fight was going on between a giant and a centaur. The centaur looked panicked. He was galloping around his enemy, using sword and shield, while the giant swing a javelin the size of a telephone pole and the crowd cheered.
The first tier of seats was twelve feet above the arena floor. Plain stone benches wrapped all the way around, and every seat was full. There were giants, dracaenae, demigods, telekhines, and stranger things: bat-winged demons and creatures that seemed half human and half you name it—bird, reptile, insect, mammal.
But the creepiest things were the skulls. The arena was full of them. They ringed the edge of the railing. Three-foot-high piles of them decorated the steps between the benches. They grinned from pikes at the back of the stands and hung on chains from the ceiling like horrible chandeliers. Some of them looked very old—nothing but bleached-white bone. Others looked a lot fresher. Not a pretty sight.
In the middle of all this, proudly displayed on the side of the spectator's wall, was something that made no sense to Percy and the earlier was from the snake lady made sense to Naruto. They really were in the presence of one of Percy's half brothers and Naruto felt he knew which one it was.
Above the banner, sitting in a seat of honor, was an old enemy.
"Luke," Percy said tensely.
The roar of the crowd drowned out Percy's voice but Luke reacted anyway with a cold smile. He wore camouflage pants, a white T-shirt, and bronze breastplate, just like in the dreams. But he still wasn't wearing his sword, which was a little strange and concerning. Next to him sat the largest giant they had seen yet, much larger than the one on the floor fighting the centaur. The giant next to Luke must've been fifteen feet tall, easy, and so wide he took up three seats. He wore only a loincloth, like a sumo wrestler. His skin was dark red and tattooed with blue wave designs. Naruto tensed at the sight while Percy was just confused.
There was a cry from the arena floor, and Naruto quickly grabbed Percy and moved him out of the way just as the dying centaur landed in the spot he had just occupied.
"Uh…thanks." Percy replied nervously.
"No problem." Naruto replied grimly as he kneeled down next to the dying centaur.
"h-help." The centaur weakly replied.
Naruto started to reach out to place his hand on his shoulder, but their my dracaena guard said, "you won't interfere. This isssn't your fight. Wait your turn."
The blond just sighed and offered a few last words. "While we might not be able to help, be at piece as my father will surely guide you."
The centaur nodded sadly as that was all he could do at the moment. One of his legs were broken. The giant put his huge foot on the horseman's chest and raised the javelin. He looked up at Luke. The crowd cheered, "DEATH! DEATH!"
Luke didn't do anything, but the tattooed sumo dude sitting next to him arose. He smiled down at the centaur, who was shaking in fear but had accepted his fate.
Then the sumo dude held out his hand and gave the thumbs down sign.
Percy and Silena shut their eyes as the weapon struck home. Naruto watched the whole thing in sadness as he silently prayed to his father for the centaur's sake.
The only thing left was a hoof as the horse man disintegrated and the crowd roared in approval as the giant displayed it high in the air in victory. A gate opened at the opposite end of the stadium and the giant marched out in triumph.
In the stands, the sumo dude raised his hands for silence. "Good entertainment!" he bellowed. "But nothing I haven't seen before. What else do you have, Luke, Son of Hermes?"
Luke's jaw tightened, he didn't like being called son of Hermes. He hated his father. But he rose calmly to his feet. His eyesglittered. In fact, he seemed to be in a pretty good mood.
"Lord Antaeus," Luke said, loud enough for the crowd to hear. "You have been an excellent host! We would be happy to amuse you, to repay the favor of passing through your territory."
"A favor I have not yet granted," Antaeus growled. "I want entertainment!"
Luke bowed. "I believe I have something better than centaurs to fight in your arena now. A former ninja from the Other world that the Gods like to travel to yet do not let you cross into. He is Naruto Uzumaki, a Son of Hades, grandson of Aphrodite, and Legacy of Nyx herself. Then you also have a brother of yours in Percy Jackson."
"Ha! Any brother of mind should fight well and then die well!" Antaeus boomed happily before grew a serious look, directed at Naruto. If this boy was indeed a ninja from the Other world, then he was peeved and happy at the same time. Peeved because his father would not let him into those land from glorious and bloody battles, happy because he would finally get to test one of those so called ninja.
"If his death pleases you," Luke said, "will you let our armies cross your territory?"
"Perhaps!" Antaeus said.
Luke did not seem happy with that answer as he sent a glare towards the boys, as if to say they had better die for his sake.
"Luke!" Annabeth yelled. "Stop this. Let us go!"
Luke seemed to notice her for the first time. He looked stunned for a moment. "Annabeth?"
"Enough time for the females to fight afterward," Antaeus interrupted. "I want the ninja to fight first. I am very curious since my father and uncle do not let me in your world."
Naruto stepped up with a bored look on his face as he looked around again. "Yeah…I guess that is good on their part since my world was bloody enough. Hell, the water village back home had gained the nickname the Village Hidden in the Bloody Mist,"
Antaeus boomed in laughed. "Ha! My kind of place! I am even more jealous now!"
"Meh, to each his own I guess." Naruto replied with a shrug. "But why are you so interested in how fight?"
The giant of a man stared at Naruto for a moment and then smirked as if it were obvious. "For one you are a ninja, so that should give me glorious entertainment! However, as to the other reason, you are a rare demi-god. A Son of Hades who is not depressing is rare to me and just delightful. I could care less about your connection to the Goddess of Love, however, your connection to the Primordial known as Nyx surprises me. Her children are known to be nightmares and a proud of that fact. True, while she may have her bouts out clarity, she is mostly known to have completely lost her mind…like most Primordials."
"Heh, I should probably look into that." Naruto muttered worriedly. When he met the woman, she seemed nice and in control of herself, but now he was being told that is not how she normally was? That can't be good.
"So now you know why, and now you shall fight! Choose your weapon!" Anteaeus roared.
"I have all the weapons I need, but I will humor you." Naruto replied as he made Fear and Destruction, his default swords, appear in his hands. "The sword gifted to me by my father, created from the power of the Kraken." The arena was deathly quiet at that statement.
"Very well boy!" Antaeus replied happily. "Now you shall fi-"
"Hold on!" Silena shouted, a bit annoyed at being ignored. Antaeus just stared at her annoyed as well. "I am fighting alongside him. My name is Silena and I am a daughter of Aphrodite."
At this announcement, Antaeus looked really to bust a gut before he smirked. "It is good to see that a daughter of that woman finally taking an interest in battle for all they mostly care about are their looks. Fine girl, you may fight alongside your sibling, just make this entertaining." Then his smile became dark. "For this fight, I have something grand in store! Dragons!"
"Oh great." Annabeth muttered from next to Rachel.
This statement caught the red head attention. "I guessing that is bad since they actually exist?"
"You have no idea."
Antaeus roared in laughter. "Yes! Dragons will my ultimate tool in seeing how the ninja stack up to my standards and this girl has just gotten herself into this mess, so I shall even the odds! COME FORTH MY DRAGONS!" He exclaimed he motioned for the guards to open the gates for his favorite pets.
"First! The Cychreides Dragon! A little known fact is that throughout the years, it has been given the power over ice! Second! The Solar Dragon, since Medea is not around right now, I have full access to one of Helios's great dragons!" The two mentioned dragons shot into the arena and when they landed, let out earth shattering roars that got the crowd roaring in approval. The Solar dragon looked like a typical dragon mentioned in England, but its scale were bright gold, which made it hard to look at in the sun light. On the opposite side was the Cychreides dragon has deep blue scales and when it opened its mouth, cold as ice vapor poured out instead of smoke.
"I hope you have plan for this." Silena stated, regretting the situation she put herself in now.
"Just one, and it is risky." Naruto replied with a grimace. "That mirror shield that your mom gave you."
"What? That thing will shatter if these things hit it!" Silena snapped.
"Round one, fight!" Antaeus roared, giddy at what he would see from a ninja and his demi goddess partner. With that, the dragons had their full attention on Naruto and Silena. Luke, on the other hand was nervous. He was a bit sad that he couldn't get Silena to his side, but her interest in Naruto overtook his charm on the girl. Oh well, this should at least be entertaining.
Naruto grimaced and then said, "Just think Zelda."
Silena looked natural confused before she was forced to dodge solar fire. As she ran, she took out her shield from her charm bracelet before a blast of ice was sent her way. Having no choice, she covered herself with the shield, hoping it wouldn't break. Thankfully it didn't and what surprised her was that the ice was reflected into the stadium walls.
That's right, her mom did say that the shield was special, but Silena had thought it was because it doubled as a mirror for her to use. This was great. She looked back to Naruto to see that he had a solar blast of energy coming his way, to which he used one of his swords to split it down the middle. He then jumped high in to the air as he could, but that was a mistake as the solar dragon just shot small blasts of fire at him. Naruto just grunted as he shot hellfire at the blasts to cancel them out.
Silena nodded to herself. They had to take out that dragon first since Naruto's main element was his hellfire. She also doubted his wind based attacks would be of much help. So, with a nod to her boyfriend, she knew what she had to do.
Turning back to her dragon, she noticed it was about to send about icy blast at her and she readied herself. As soon as the ice hit her shield, the force was something she had trouble with. While she did not have the physical strength of Clarisse, she did have power. So she forced the shield to direct the beam to the solar dragon, but that didn't end well. Sure it hit the dragon from a second and that was all that was really needed, but the beam flew off into the stands, killing off a few monsters and knocking her off balance. Thankfully the rest of the ice beam had passed over her.
Looking back to the solar dragon, it seemed that there was a giant hole where it heart should be, making it die rather quickly and Antaeus did not look happy.
Naruto nodded to Silena before he sent a blast of hellfire at the ice dragon to get its attention off of his girlfriend. With its attention now on him, he sent a few more fire balls at it to daze the dragon before he shouted while setting his leg on fire. "Hellfire Style: Inferno Strike!" With an axe kick to its head, the dragon fell to the ground, knocked out.
Naruto then got on its neck and he put his swords to it as in a X formation. Antaeus smirked as he held his thumbs downward, signifying him to kill it. With a sad nod, Naruto did just that as he chopped off the dragon's head.
"Ha ha! A GLORIOUS battle indeed." Antaeus roared. "I am not happy that my dragons died, but that battle was good entertainment. Surprising move from a daughter of Aphrodite no less."
"Thanks." Silena grunted in annoyance. The force of that ice beam had knocked the feeling out of her arms. Clarisse would probably just laugh at her.
"You ok?" Naruto asked when he saw her wince as he gave her the Solar Dragon's Tooth that he earn while he took the Ice Dragon's Tooth.
"Yeah, there is just no feeling in my arms right now." Silena replied sheepishly.
Antaeus with grinning madly as he called the next match and for Silena to leave so it would be fair. Out walked a human warrior that looked to be around Naruto's age. He had glossy black hair, and his left eye was covered with an eye patch. He was thin and wiry so his Greek armor hung on him loosely. He stabbed his sword into the dirt, adjusted his shield straps, and pulled on his horsehair helmet.
"Now onto another glorious battle! Ninja vs Demi-god! Round two begin! Show me some more great entertainment!"
"Well, this is underwhelming." Naruto pointed out.
"And why is that?" the boy snapped.
"After fighting two dragon's, fighting another human is underwhelming." Naruto deadpanned.
"Heh, I could have you fight the Lernaean Hydra if I had it on hand." Antaeus roared in laughter before he stopped. "NOW FIGHT OR ELSE!"
"So…who are you?" Naruto asked dully.
"Ethan Nakamura and I have to fight you to prove myself to them." The boy replied, gesturing to the crowd.
Naruto winced. "Man, you have the worst luck fighting me then."
"I know, but Good and Bad luck are always fighting." Ethan replied cryptically.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at this before he just shrugged it off. This battle would be short. He might have Kakashi's eye problem, but he looked like he doesn't usually fight. And he was proven right when Naruto flashed behind the boy and knocked him over the causing the kid to collapse to the ground. "Don't make this worse for yourself." Naruto stated as he put his foot on his back to prevent Ethan from getting back up. Ethan just gave him the same glare Sasuke always gave him. Odd.
"End him." Antaeus replied in a bored tone as he held his thumb down.
"How about no." Naruto replied in a bored tone, shocking Ethan the crowd.
"No one dishonors the games!" Antaeus bellowed. "Your heads shall both be tributes to Poseidon!"
"That is laughable, why don't you fight to make that happen?" Naruto replied with a challenging look.
The monsters grumbled in the stands. Antaeus looked around, and apparently realized he had no choice. He couldn't say no without looking like a coward. However, he was no fool, he knew his skills have diminished over the years that this ninja was far stronger than he realized. The fight with the dragons proved that.
"Very well, but I would rather fight my brother since he has yet to fight." Antaeus replied with a cruel smirk. "I will kill you afterwards."
"How about when he defeats you, you let us go about our business, we do have places to be after all."
"Heh, so sure in his skills are you?" Antaeus asked with a taunting smile and at nod from Naruto, he laughed mockingly. "Very well then young warrior. You and your friends may leave if my brother beats me and that is a very big if since I have been wrestling since the first pankraton!"
"Swear on the Styx!" Naruto growled.
"Heh, fine, I swear on the River Styx that if my brother beats me, you all may leave." Antaeus replied.
Naruto nodded as he left to the arena, dragging Ethan with him. On his way out, Percy passed him and said, "Oh how I hate you right now."
"Oh brighten up, I have faith you can beat him." Naruto replied with a good natured smile, shocking Percy.
"You really think I can beat him?" Percy nervously.
"Of course!" Naruto said, "Just remember that his mother is Gaea, so naturally he will have some advantages."
"Like what?"
"Ah, now that would be telling! You need to figure it out yourself and besides, you need the practice against guys like this." Naruto replied with a teasing smile.
"Gee…thanks." Percy deadpanned as he walked off, annoyed why Naruto wouldn't tell him more. So the guy had two godly parents, that would just make him harder to kill….right?
"Are you serious?" Ethan asked as they got near Annabeth, Silena, and Rachel.
"About what?" Naruto asked.
"You are sending your friend to fight to the death against Antaeus of all people?"
"Of course, I have complete faith in him." Naruto replied, shocking Ethan.
"You're nuts, but whatever, I am going. It is not like I can join them now." Ethan replied, "As soon as there is a chance, I am getting out of here so I don't die."
"Alright then, but you can join us if you want." Naruto replied.
"Feh, no thanks, children of good and bad luck don't get along all that well."
"What do you mean." Naruto asked confused.
Ethan just sighed, "Look you idiot, Tyche is the Goddess of Luck and she had obvious taking a great liking to you. Me on the other hand, I am a son of Nemesis. She is the Goddess of Vengeance and bad luck. We won't get along as the opposite sides usually fight, they are destined to fight. However, I am not the one you should worry about since I am on my own now." With that, he walking away, leaving Naruto in deep thought. What did that mean? Who was his supposed to fight that came from Nemesis?
As he took his place next to the girls, Rachel was looking at him with wide eyes and then to Percy. "You guys are nuts." She managed to say.
"Hey, the crazy ones like me and him are always the good guys." Naruto replied with a smirk, making both Annabeth and Silena roll their eyes. Kelli just eyed him some more. Maybe she really was on the wrong after what she saw. There was no way she could fight him.
Back with Percy, he and Antaeus were circling each other. While Naruto had been speaking with Ethan, the match had already started and Percy had already learned that the other son of Poseidon could heal just by being on the ground. That was his blessing from Gaea.
With the man's wound now healed, he just charged Percy once more. Fortunately Percy had some experience fighting giants. The Demi god dodged sideways this time and stabbed Antaeus under the arm. Riptide's blade was buried to the hilt in his ribs. That was the good news. The bad news was that it was wrenched out of Percy's hand when the giant turned, and he was thrown across the arena, weaponless.
Antaeus bellowed in pain. Percy waited for him to disintegrate. No monster had ever withstood a direct hit from his sword like that. The celestial bronze blade had to be destroying his essence. But Antaeus groped for the hilt, pulled out the sword, and tossed it behind him. More sand poured from the wound, but again the earth rose up to cover him. Dirt coated his body all the way to his shoulders. As soon as the dirt spilled away, Antaeus was fine once more.
"Now you see why I never lose, demigod!" Antaeus gloated. "Come here and let me crush you. I'll make it quick!"
Antaeus stood between the young demi god and his sword. Desperately, He glanced to either side, and caught his group's eyes. He looked to Annabeth and saw that she was pointing upwards with her eyes. Could it be that simple? He just had to get Antaeus off the ground to win? He hoped so because that he what he deciphered from the gesture.
Percy tried to skirt around him, but Antaeus anticipated this move. He blocked the demi god's path, chuckling. He was just toying with the boy now. He had Percy cornered.
Percy looked up at the chains hanging from the ceiling, dangling the skulls of Antaeus enemies on hooks. Suddenly he had an idea and knew how he would get the giant off the ground.
Percy feinted to the other side. Antaeus blocked him. The crowd jeered and screamed at Antaeus to finish the boy off, but he was having too much fun.
"Puny boy," he said. "Not a worthy son of the sea god!"
Percy felt his pen return to his pocket, but Antaeus wouldn't know about that. He would think riptide was still in the dirt behind him. The giant would think the smaller boy's goal was to get the sword back. It wasn't much of an advantage, but it was all Percy had.
Percy charged straight ahead, crouching low so Antaeus would think he was going to roll between his legs again. While he was stooping, ready to catch Percy like a grounder, he jumped for all he was worth—kicking off the giant's forearm, scrambling up his shoulder like it was a ladder, placing his shoe on his head. The giant man did the natural thing. He straightened up indignantly and yelled "HEY!" Percy pushed off, using his force to catapult himself toward the ceiling. Percy caught the top of a chain, and the skulls and hooks jangled beneath him. He wrapped his legs around the chain, just like he used to do at the ropes course in gym class. The demi god then drew Riptide and sawed off the chain next to him.
"Come down here, coward!" Antaeus bellowed. He tried to grab the boy, but he was just out of reach.
Hanging on for dear life, Percy yelled, "Come up and get me! Or are you too slow and fat?"
Antaeus howled and made another grab for Percy. He caught a chain and tried to pull himself up. While he was struggling, Percy lowered his sawed-off chain, hook first. It took him two tries, but finally he snagged Antaeus's loincloth.
"WAAA!" Antaeus yelled. Quickly Percy slipped the free chain through the fastening link on his own chain, pulled it taut, and secured it the best he could. Antaeus tried to slip back to the ground, but his but stayed suspended by his loincloth. He had to hold on to the other chains with both hands to avoid getting flipped upside down. Percy prayed the loincloth and the chain would hold up for a few more seconds. While Antaeus cursed and flailed, The demi god scrambled around the chains, swinging and cutting like he was some sort of crazed monkey. He made loops with hooks and metal links. He don't know how he did it, but his mom always said he have a gift for getting stuff tangled up. Plus he was desperate to finish this so they could leave. Anyway, within a couple of minutes the giant was suspended above the ground, hopelessly snarled in chains and hooks. Percy dropped to the floor, panting and sweaty, his hands raw from climbing.
"Get me down!" Antaeus demanded.
"Free him!" Luke ordered. "He is our host!"
Percy uncapped Riptide. "I'll free him." He stabbed the giant in the stomach. The man bellowed, and sand poured out, but he was too far up to touch the earth, and the dirt did not rise to help him. Antaeus just dissolved, pouring out bit by bit, until there was nothing left but empty swinging chains, a really big loincloth on a hook, and a bunch of grinning skulls dancing above the arena like they had finally had something to smile about.
"Jackson!" Luke yelled. "I should have killed you long ago!"
"You tired but you failed" Perc remindeyd Luke with a snarky smirk. "Let us go, Luke. We had a sworn agreement with Antaeus. I'm the winner."
Luke did just what was expected and said, "Antaeus is dead. His oath dies with him. But since I'm feeling merciful today, I'll have you killed quickly and then I will kill that damnable ninja!" He pointed at Annabeth. "Spare the girl." His voice quavered just a little. "I would speak to her before—before our great triumph."
Every monster in the audience drew a weapon or extended its claws. The group of demi gods and one human were trapped. Hopelessly outnumbered. However, to the great surprise of all the other monsters, Kelli stood in front of the girls protectively. "I guess I made my choice, wonder what Lady Hecate will say."
"Good to know, I am glad." Naruto replied as he stood next to her with a smile. She just smirked back.
Of course Percy himself was shocked but then again, he shouldn't be. He had seen this before. The he remember about the dog whistle he had in his pocket. That would be great for a situation like that. So quickly taking it out and blowing on it, hoping beyond hope that it wasn't another trap set up by Quintas. Then it melted in Percy's hand.
Luke laughed. "What was that supposed to do?"
From behind Percy came a surprised yelp. The Laistrygonian giant who'd been guarding Annabeth flew past and smashed into the wall.
"AROOOOF"
"Well, this is new." Kelli replied as she saw giant hellhound run past her, tearing into other monsters to get to Percy. She then felt a weight on her shoulder and saw a much small dog there as it gave a happy bark.
"Tear!" Naruto said happily as he took hold of the small dog. "You came along too?" A happy bark was his answer and Kelli just stared for a moment, not sure what make of this.
"Let's go!" Percy yelled when he noticed that all the monsters in the arena had frozen for a moment at the sight of the giant hellhound. "Heel, Mrs. O'Leary!"
"The far exit!" Rachel cried. "That's the right way!"
Ethan Nakamura, who was looking at the scene in disbelief, took his cue. Together the group raced across the arena and out the far exit, Mrs. O'Leary right behind them. As they ran, the sounds of a severely disorganized army were heard as they tried and failed to capture them. Then the sound of Luke roaring in anger was heard, making Naruto laugh.
"What did you do?" Annabeth asked cautiously.
Naruto took a certain golden string out of his pocket that made Kelli and Annabeth's eyes widen. "I had a clone take this off of Luke while he was distracted with Percy's battle. For the son of the great thief himself, he is surprisingly easy to pilfer."
Annabeth smiled while Kelli sputtered as they ran.
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And there we go people. The next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. I did.
Please Review!