Sea of Monsters

Chapter 9

As soon as we exited the taxi, the Gray Sisters sped away, heading back to New York, leaving us on the side of the road without waiting for their extra payment. Annabeth had only her backpack and her knife, while Taylor and I were still in our gym uniforms. I used the shadows to change our clothes to the ones we had this morning. A neat little trick I learned, weaving clothes from shadows.

"Man," Annabeth said, surveying the battle unfolding on the hill.

I joined her in looking up the hill, where the chaos was in full swing. Two enormous bronze mechanical bulls, each the size of elephants, were wreaking havoc.

"Oh, man," said Annabeth, looking at the battle raging on the hill.

One of the heroes shouted, "Border patrol, to me!" A girl's voice—gruff and familiar.

"It's Clarisse," Annabeth said. "Come on, we have to help her."

Her fellow warriors were scat-tering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horse-hair plume on his helmet blazing like a fiery Mohawk. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear shaft, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint
of one bull's shoulder.

"Taylor, wait here. I'm going to destroy those bulls!" I ordered as I uncapped Riptide.

Annabeth cautioned, "Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp."

I shrug. "We will be fine. Now, excuse me, I've got some bulls to kill."

I sprinted up the hill toward Clarisse, who was desperately trying to organize her warriors. It was a brave effort on her part, given the circumstances. Clarisse, with her cruel eyes and battle-ready demeanor, seemed born to wear Greek battle armor. However, even she was struggling against the charge of one of the Colchis bulls.

Clarisse called out, "Hold the line!"

Taylor yelled, as she grew in size and her skin took her ogre form she summoned her club from a click-pen, witch I had not known it could do that. "Percy, go! I've got this one!"

Without a moment's hesitation, I nodded and sprinted toward the other bull. As I closed in on my opponent, I ran past some shields and grabbed one as I strapped it to my arm.

The bull, with its gleaming bronze exterior and fiery breath, charged at me, flames spewing from its maw. I skidded to a stop just before impact, my shield held high to block the oncoming inferno. Flames engulfed the shield, I gritted my teeth against the strain as the bull pushed forward, trying to overwhelm me with its fiery assault.

With a powerful thrust, I pushed back against the bull, my feet digging into the scorched earth. Riptide gleamed as I slashed it through the air, aiming for the bull's mechanical body. Sparks flew as celestial bronze met bronze, and a screeching sound filled the air.

The bull retaliated with a massive swing of its horns, aiming to crush me beneath its weight. I leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly assault. My mind raced as I assessed the situation. I needed a plan, and I needed it fast.

Taylor, on the other side of the battlefield, was battling her own Colchis bull, her large form contrasting with the mechanical beast. She used her incredible strength to pummel the club into the bull's face, sending sparks flying with each hit. Her raw power was awe-inspiring, and I knew she could handle herself.

But I couldn't let her have all the glory.

I lunged forward, closing the distance between the bull and me. With a swift, well-aimed strike of Riptide, I severed one of the bull's legs, sending it crashing to the ground in a shower of sparks. The bull's mechanical whirring and clicking intensified as it tried to right itself.