Chapter 42 - Epirus
The demigods had all agreed to leave Coach Hedge on the ship, just in case they needed the ballistae as a last resort.
The Argo II hovered a hundred or so metres away from the ruins, purple lightning flashing intermittently.
"Annabeth could be coming through at any time," Nico muttered. "We need to be there when she does."
Jason raised the Roman standard. "We'd better get started," he said, gaze lingering on the ruins on the hillside beneath them and the dark storm the rumbled overhead. "Something tells me we don't have much time."
Annabeth had begged and pleaded with Luke to cut the chains, but his loyalty to the Titans – and Kronos – was firm. No matter what Annabeth said, the chains remained.
After the third time Annabeth had tried to run, hoping to get away from Luke and Hyperion if only so she could find a weapon to cut the chains with, Hyperion had simply picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. She had struggled and hammered her fists against his back, but the Titan seemed entirely unfazed.
The demigod was surprisingly relieved to take her weight off her aching feet, especially her twisted ankle now swollen so terribly that she could barely move her foot. It wasn't the best situation, but she doubted Hyperion would care if she mentioned it to either him or Luke. So instead Annabeth settled for glaring at Luke over Hyperion's shoulder.
The traitorous son of Hermes didn't seem fazed in the slightest and flatly returned with his own scowl.
Hyperion led the way through the horde of monsters hollering with savage glee, scrapping with each other for the chance to fling themselves into the chasm. Luke kept close behind them, sword ready to slash at any that tried for an easy meal. The series of guards staggered around the Doors trying to keep some semblance of order barely even glanced towards Hyperion before stepping aside for the Titan.
The Lord of Light shifted Annabeth on his shoulder. "Remember to keep your mouth shut," he said. "Else all of the air will be sucked out of your lungs. I am supposed to deliver you alive, so do try not to scream." He shifted closer to the Doors of Death, purple tendrils of energy reaching out towards them. Gooseflesh rose on Annabeth's skin as it brushed over her.
"Luke, the chains–"Annabeth started, panicking. Hyperion smiled cruelly, and then tossed her down into the chasm before she could finish.
Annabeth screamed.
Bob and Nico led the way underground. Being the ones closest attuned to death – Iapetus having been the Titan equivalent of Hades regarding ruling the Underworld in Kronos' stead.
They descended down, past the ruins of an old Greek manor house and onto a black marble staircase. Nico brushed a hand over the walls, looking to be right in his element.
Jason shifted the Roman standard in his hands. The lion was giving off a faint glow, standing proud across from the frozen jaguar. He swallowed, tightening his grip.
"Relax," Piper murmured to him. She smiled faintly. "We've got this," she promised.
Jason glanced over to where Bob scanned the walls, a frown on his face as he stood next to Nico. His silver hair seemed to glow.
"I hope so," Jason muttered. The only ones whom seemed entirely at home were Nico and Bob, not that it was a surprise that was the case. "But who knows what will happen if we don't make it." Jason hesitated. "And… Bob. What if something clicks back into place, what if some of his memories return?"
Piper pressed her lips together. "We'll deal with that if it happens," she said.
As Jason watched, Hazel pressed her hand against the dead end in front of them and opened the wall. The stone rumbled back to allow them to pass.
A golden chalice inlaid with various gems sat on the top of the staircase that descended down further into the ground. It was filled with a dark green liquid. Nico gingerly picked it up. "Ready, Bob?"
The Titan nodded, expression grim. "Bob is ready," he declared.
"Wait," Leo quickly said as Nico lifted the chalice to his lips. "What is that?"
"Poison," Nico said.
"Why are you drinking poison?" Jason questioned warily.
Nico sighed. "We need to drink the poison to go any further," he explained. "Bob's going to make sure it doesn't kill us."
"We're drinking poison," Frank said.
Nico just rolled his eyes. "Yes. Honestly, you've all got to trust Bob. He's a friend."
"Bob is a friend," the Titan crowed in agreement.
Nico tipped up the chalice to make a point, taking a sip of the poison. Bob gently tapped Nico on the shoulder. The son of Hades shook his head as if to get rid of a fly buzzing around his head and smiled slightly. "See?" He handed the chalice to Jason. "Perfectly fine."
Jason hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't trust Nico, because after everything that happened in Crete he did. The kid was his cousin, after all. Jason just didn't know what Nico thought, he could never tell what the son of Hades expected to gain from helping them. But Jason guessed they had to trust each other if they wanted to get out of this alive.
Jason took the chalice. He peered down into the poison, before sighing and taking a sip. Bob tapped him on the shoulder and a shiver ran through his limbs. Jason passed the chalice on to Piper, poison not being the usual gift he handed his girlfriend.
Nico talked with Bob and Hazel as the rest of the demigods shared the poison between them, Bob making sure to follow after to ensure they wouldn't die.
Once each of the demigods had drank the poison, Nico nodded to Hazel and she took the lead. Nico unsheathed his sword. Next to him, Bob was peering down the stairs with a curious expression.
"Lead the way, Hazel," Nico said.
Percy could hear the thunder from within the cavern.
He still didn't know how far underground he was, or even where he was, but the thunder shaking the ground around him had woken him up.
The cavern ceiling far above his head creaked and groaned. A dozen or so loose pebbles skidded down the side of the wall and collided with Percy's back. Percy winced. For at least the past hour the thunder had shaken the cavern, gradually getting louder and fiercer.
Percy swallowed and licked his lips. He took a deep breath. "Zeus?" He whispered. The thunder roared and every single one of the Greek fire torches blew out, plunging the demigod into darkness.
Less than a minute later, the wall rumbled open and a murderous Porphyrion stormed into the cavern. He skirted the Moly and reached down to pick up Percy without a word, slamming his back into the wall.
The demigod cried out as the impact jarred his stomach and sharp stones gauged into his back. "What–"
"You will pay for this," Porphyrion seethed, white eyes burning with a fury that Percy had only seen matched by Kronos before.
"I haven't– "
"You have been speaking his name." Porphyrion glowered. "This is your fault!"
"I don't know wh–"
"The Olympians are gathering overhead," Porphyrion growled. "You alerted Zeus to our location!" He tightened his grip on Percy, and then flung him across the room. Percy screamed as the ground turned to shrapnel at the impact. Shards of stone and earth ripped into his back even as he heard something snap.
His blood splattered over the Moly.
Porphyrion advanced, no doubt wanting to murder Percy for somehow bringing the Olympians down on their heads, but he only took one step before a blast of pure light barrelled over Percy's head. It would have hit the Giant King in the head had he not ducked to the side, and instead impacted straight into and through the wall of the cavern. An explosion of earth and dust showered over the Giant.
He turned his fury towards the mouth of the cavern, where the wall had never risen back into place.
"Kronos," Porphyrion spat, his anger rising as he straightened.
"The idea is to keep him alive until we have Chase," Kronos said flatly. "Killing him now will ruin everything I have worked for during the past years." Standing just behind Kronos, Alabaster Torrington tapped a finger against one of the red scribbles on his leather armour, and they all simultaneously blinked to green. He tapped his fingers against a card with the drawing of a sword on, and a gold broadsword formed in his hand.
Porphyrion bristled. "The gods–"
"Are of no concern," Kronos retorted. His jaw tightened, that oily sheen to his skin still present. "We are underground, Porphyrion," he murmured. "There is little Zeus or any of them can do to reach us."
"Zeus is battering through our defences!"
Thunder cracked overhead. Percy's eyes widened as the ceiling trembled again. Kronos chuckled. "He is trying," he agreed. "So what are you doing in here when the defences should be fortified?" He glowered.
"He led them straight to us!"
The omega bristled, jutting his chin up. "For all we know, that was you."
Porphyrion sneered, advancing towards Kronos. "Or you. You're the one who's been coming and going." The Giant's white eyes narrowed. "On your little adventures across the globe, following those demigods on their travels."
Kronos' muscles tensed, wound like a coiled spring. "Someone has to," he said. "With wings I could keep up." He took a step back as Porphyrion continued forward.
Percy blanched as he watched, unable to even pull himself up onto his elbows. Something shifted inside his chest with every breath he took, sending spikes of pain throughout his body. Percy growled as he watched Kronos take another step back before Porphyrion.
The Giant paused, scenting the air. Slowly, he turned from Kronos towards Percy, white eyes blazing. The King glanced back at Kronos. "I have had enough of this," he sneered. "Enough of this back-and-forth." His form thickened and grew, until the Giant was once again fifty feet tall. "You and I will mate, Kronos. Gaea promised you to me."
"I am not Gaea," Kronos growled.
"No," the Giant agreed. "But once your alpha is dead, there will be nothing stopping you."
"He is not my alpha!"
The Giant merely glowered, before returning his gaze towards Percy. His dragon feet pounded at the earth, making the cavern tremble once again. Percy was surprised it was still standing at this point. There was a chance that the entire thing would collapse and bury them all alive.
Porphyrion summoned his spear.
"We need him alive!" Kronos roared, voice rumbling through the cavern. Porphyrion ignored him, stabbing his spear towards Percy.
"Incantare: Telum Deflecto!"
Porphyrion's spear collided with a shield of energy that formed from nothing and deflected his spear towards the ground at Percy's feet.
Alabaster darted forwards, even as Kronos turned on Porphyrion with his scythe in hand. Alabaster grabbed Percy's arm and dragged him aside as the two immortals clashed above them.
It was going well until the monsters ambushed them.
They streamed into the circular room, the floor white and seemingly made from fused bone, war cries on their lips and weapons and claws brandished in the air.
"Bob?" Nico asked.
The Titan beamed, a sharp glint in his eyes. Hazel and Leo stumbled into the only open corridor as Roman spirits crawled from the shattered floor and walls at the Titan's command. They solidified, first wisps and then solid forms gripping their own weapons.
Jason clenched his hand around the Roman standard as he watched the Legion form. Each of the legionnaires had glowing violet eyes. While they looked impressive, they moved without any purpose, milling uselessly through the monsters.
"We need more, Bob," Nico pressed when he realised that the legionnaires refused to follow Jason's orders. The standard was glowing, but the Romans seemed completely unaware of the divine artifact. Odd, considering Roman Legions were famed for protecting their standards with their lives.
Bob's eyes seemed to sharpen as he raised his hands. More legionnaire shades peeled away from the walls.
Jason raised the standard higher, trying to get the attention of the shades but they blatantly ignored him.
"Hey," Nico yelled at the shades as they bumped into each other. He cut down a hellhound that lunged at him with gaping jaws. The monsters seemed hesitant to attack Bob, but had no such qualms with charging at the demigods.
"Ad aciem," Jason yelled, trying to get the shades to listen. He swore as an empousa lunged at him, swinging his gladius to cleave her open from hip to shoulder.
Bob was a force all on his own, tearing the monsters apart beside Nico. With each monster that crumbled at his feet, his expression became wilder. His wild swings became more precise, muscle memory lending significant assistance to the amnesiac Titan. While his mind was damaged, his form was not.
Nico was struggling to get the legionnaires to listen to him too. Whether that was because a Titan summoned them or due to their Roman loyalties, he didn't know. But he did know that they were useless milling around. Jason was frying monsters left and right, but he was starting to wear down. At his side, Piper was killing the few monsters that Jason's lightning missed.
Then, struggling against his own group of monsters, Frank snapped at a group of legionnaires in his path. "Move aside," he said, frustration tinging his voice. A dozen or so legionnaires snapped to attention and cleared a path.
Nico stopped and stared. Piper gaped at him, and Jason paused briefly in his assault. "Frank…?"
The son of Hades smiled. "Well, Zhang, looks like you're more of a Roman than Jason."
His cousin flushed slightly. There was an odd mixture of jealousy and pride in Jason's eyes, even as his gaze flicked to the standard. Frank swallowed. "But –"
"There's no time," Piper pressed. Bob toppled a dozen monsters rushing at them and speared a few more.
"Time," Bob agreed, an odd flicker of something crossing his eyes at the word. Nico hoped that Piper bringing up Kronos' domain hadn't knocked something back into place, but the amnesiac Titan's eyes seemed to have recovered an inner fire. His fingers tightened around his spear shaft. "Pretty girl is right," he said.
Piper flushed. "That's not my…"
Jason shot the Titan a glower. "My girlfriend," he uttered under his breath.
"Jason, promote Frank!" Nico exclaimed as he ducked under a hail of arrows. Bob clenched a fist and they dissolved in sparks of black hellfire before they even reached the demigod.
Jason pressed his lips together, but he nodded. "I, Jason Grace, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, resign and give Frank Zhang emergency field promotion to Praetor!"
Nico watched as Frank took a deep breath. Frank wasn't the most physically imposing of the demigods, despite being a son of Mars, but in that moment Nico saw a different side to him. The newly-promoted Praetor straightened. "Legion, ad aciem!"
Every zombie that Bob had summoned drew their swords nearly in unison, shoving each other and monsters aside to rush to the new Praetor's side and form ranks as he'd ordered. Bob seemed disturbed that the zombies were now separating him from the monsters, and for a moment he seemed ready to smash them aside and lurch back into the fray.
"Bob," Nico said as the Legion allowed them a small reprieve. "We should be fine now," he gasped out, wiping away the sweat dripping into his eyes. "Could you go and help Hazel and Leo? They must have gone after the Doors."
The Titan looked rather disappointed, but he nodded to Nico. "I will help friends," he declared.
Nico nodded. "That's great," he said, watching as the Titan fell back into his own shadow. Nico took a deep breath. "Right," he said, lifting his sword again. "Now for the monsters."
Bob emerged from the shadows next to Hazel and Leo in what seemed to be a maze, making both jump. "Bob will help," he declared.
Leo cleared his throat. "Oh, that's good." But after summoning a dead legion, Bob seemed to have also summoned some memories from nowhere. There was a new focus to his gaze. His little twitches, unsure movements of his fingers as they shifted their grip on his broom, had stopped. The spear he held in his hands was steady and his expression fierce. "We kind of need the help," he added.
Hazel nodded. "What do you know about-"
"A Titan?" A woman's voice questioned.
Leo sighed. Around them, the walls of the make-shift labyrinth crumpled and dissolved into Mist. Hazel didn't relax as Pasiphaë shimmered into view. Lustful eyes settled on Bob. "Ah, Iapetus."
Leo's eyes widened slightly. "Lady, I'm not sure what you're going on about. This is Bob, right, Bob?"
Bob's silver eyes furrowed. "I am Bob," he proudly agreed, puffing his chest out.
The mass of smoke solidified behind the sorceress, briefly forming into Clytius before breaking apart.
Pasiphaë's eyes narrowed. "Yes, the Titan Lord mentioned that your memories had been taken from you. It's a shame that they haven't yet returned. He said I was to kill you if you tried to get in our way."
Bob seemed bewildered, but he planted his broom. "I will help friends reach Death," he declared.
Leo sighed. "Again – phrasing, Silver Surfer."
The amnesiac Titan frowned. "Silver Surfer…?"
"Forget it," Leo dismissed. "Later." His gaze settled on the altar to Hades which had been split into two pieces when the Doors of Death – a crack in the wall constantly belching out purple vapour – had formed in the cavern. Chains which were grounded in the split in the altar ran into the Doors, forcing them to stay open. The room trembled around them.
Pasiphaë followed Leo's gaze and smiled. "Beautiful, aren't they? Of course, before too long they will collapse this room if they're left open for much longer… but I don't think that the Titan Lord nor the Earth Mother will care if that god's altar is buried for good."
Hazel didn't want that to happen, didn't want to see her father's altar destroyed in such a way. But with Bob at their side… Pasiphaë's eyes narrowed, as if she knew what Hazel was thinking. "Try to fight Clytius, and you will fail," she said. "He is the anti-Hecate, no magic and no mortal fire can harm him." She glanced at Bob. "Even Iapetus' magic is near-useless."
Hazel swallowed. "It doesn't matter," she said. "We need to save Annabeth, and you won't stop us. Leo?" Leo set himself on fire with a grin.
Pasiphaë sneered. "I am a daughter of Helios, fool. Fire won't harm me! You three will all die here if you resist –"
Hazel wasn't entirely sure what happened exactly. One moment Pasiphaë was sneering at them – which was well-earned considering the Labyrinth they'd just been forced to run through for her entertainment – and then the next she was toppling over backwards, point of a spear in her throat.
Hazel turned to gape at Bob as he stepped forward and retrieved his spear, jerking it out of the sorceress' throat. Bob beamed. "Killed the scary lady," he said.
The black smoke surrounding Clytius thickened and rolled over Pasiphaë's body. A deep baritone, far from the voice of a lady, whispered from her lips. "Mother will be displeased with your new allegiances, brother."
Bob's eyes furrowed. "Brother…?" While it was clear that some fraction of his former memories had returned to him over the course of his venture through the House of Hades, the air thick with the stench of his former domain, there were still more holes than not. "You are not a brother of mine."
Clytius' face twisted into a scowl and Pasiphaë's body lurched. "You are weak, Iapetus. Before you could match me, now you cannot." He spread his arms. "Be careful how you step. To disappoint Kronos, having to kill the omega's brother, would not be pleasant."
"Iapetus?" Bob questioned with a frown.
Clytius sighed through Pasiphaë's lips. "Your name," he supplied. "Before that demigod stole your memories."
Bob's hand tightened on his spear.
"Hey," Leo said, eying that spear just in case the Titan decided to kill him as he'd killed Pasiphaë. Though Leo wasn't sure what he could do in that situation other than run. "Bob? Nico's your friend, right?"
The amnesiac Titan nodded, his expression firm. "Nico is a friend," he agreed.
Hazel cast a relieved glance towards Leo, who just pressed his lips together as he nodded. Hazel nodded back at him. "A Titan and two demigods," Hazel said.
Leo blasted fire at the giant, but the smoke merely billowed up and blocked it, tearing through the flames and stretching out towards Leo. Bob hissed, slashing his spear through the smoke and causing it to dissolve before reaching the son of Hephaestus.
Clytius sneered, a stygian iron sword twisting into shape from the black smoke. "Fine, little Titan. Come, let us fight."
Bob lunged, silver spear gleaming bright in the purple light pulsing from the Doors of Death. His spear whistled through the air, point cutting towards Clytius' breastplate. The giant knocked it aside with his sword and countered.
Hazel and Leo tried to help, but Clytius was smart to keep them away with his black smoke. It spun and writhed around them, blocking their sight from the two immortals clashing. From what little Hazel could see, it looked like Bob was losing. Lacking his memories and barely knowing about his own abilities was a distinct disadvantage that was causing him to lose his ground.
But even as he backed up, he was able to match the giant blow-for-blow.
Clytius and the Titan were merely dark silhouettes, the Doors behind them spewing out light… which abruptly let out a brilliant pulse before fading significantly.
The newcomer was a large and bulky as Bob, which immediately made Hazel and Leo stiffen. "Hazel?" Leo murmured. "Who…?"
"Iapetus?" A deep timbre asked, sounding completely bewildered. With her eyes starting to adjust once again to the darkness, Hazel could make out the figure dropping a limp body – Annabeth – on the ground. Another one, Luke, crouched down and checked her pulse as the two immortal combatants twisted to stare at the new immortal.
Bob's eyes furrowed. "Hyperion?" He seemed to be matching Hyperion's confusion.
Hazel swallowed. "Iapetus' brother," she muttered to Leo.
Leo paled. "Oh. Great."
The sudden silence which had fallen as the two brothers stared at each other was broken when Clytius' sword sprouted from Bob's chest.
The giant ripped the blade out through the Titan's chest, cutting straight through his spine and heart in one movement. Clytius swung his sword back and decapitated him.
Bob imploded in a splatter of golden ichor.
Bob just wasn't cooperating with this chapter, I'm sorry. I was intending to have it out last weekend, but he didn't want his scenes written *sigh*.
So, yeah. That just happened. Next chapter - the aftermath in Epirus, and the fight between Kronos and Porphyrion.
Terrorisk123: Um. At least he saw the sun?
ghostfall: Thanks!
Thatgremlinbitch: Lets be honest... he totally would.
1234booklover: Yeah, I am. Looks like the streak didn't last long. You'd think so, but being unable to do anything kind of sucks the fun out of writing a little (it took the whole of the last week to write that roman zombie legion scene bad Bob, not wanting to help me). That unexpected development is remaining a secret for now ;). Yeah, I do feel bad for Torrington. Please, Kronos doesn't cooperate with me! He's worse than Bob. Yes, literally - I can kill anyone I want to xD (in the story, of course).
thegoldraven: That... will be found out next chapter. And I am absolutely not spoiling it, but yes it'll be a three-way fight between Zeus, Porphyrion and Kronos. The Moly was formed out of a giant's blood as he died, I've decided that means it only works for giants. I don't think it's actually used by the giants before Zeus hunts the poor plant down, so... *shrugs*.
