Annabeth Chase and the Staff of Hermes

Part 4 - I swim in sewage

Fighting with Percy came naturally. We'd been partners in so many combat roles that I knew how he moved better than how he spoke.

Great basis for a relationship, I know.

I circled around to Cacus's left, my knife in my right hand and my shield on my left arm. Percy charged him head-on, which usually would be suicide, but I trusted my boyfriend to know what he was doing.

That was until Cacus unhinged his jaw and blew a torrent of fire at him.

Fortunately Percy's reflexes had developed over the years and he managed to leap to one side so that he fire only caught hold of his clothes. He dived into a puddle of water, knocking over a rack of women's coats as he scrambled to douse the flames. Although he still bore the curse of Achilles, it probably didn't feel nice to be on fire. 

"Look what you've done!" Cacus roared, distracted by Percy. "Those are genuine fake Prada!"

He was too busy looking at Percy to see me. I lunged forward and stabbed Cacus in the back of the knee with my knife, withdrawing it immediately and jumping back. I was just in time too as Cacus swung around with the caduceus, the tip only just missing my chest. It instead hit the bulldozer and turned it to stone.

"I'll kill you!" Cacus yelled, stumbling forward.

He unhinged his jaw and I leapt to the side, rolling over my shield as fire blasted the spot I'd been standing. I came back to my feet to see Percy slash Riptide against Cacus's other leg.

The giant roared in pain and spun on Percy, arm outstretched. He smacked the son of Poseidon with enough force to send my boyfriend flying across the cavern, landing against the pile of stone cows.

"Percy!" I yelled as I saw him not moving.

I went to run to him but Cacus was quicker. He leapt to Percy and raised the caduceus. Somehow, I have no idea how, Percy rolled to the left in time to avoid the strike, which smashed into the cows and made a huge CLANG!

Cacus went to turn to attack Percy, but I dropped my knife, took my shield in both hands, and smacked the giant as hard as I could on the butt.

"Gah!" he yelled, stumbling forward.

I went to hit him again, but he managed to grab the shield, rip it out of my hands and crumple it like it was no more than a piece of paper. Goodbye treasured gift.

I scooped up my knife and held it outstretched before me, but compared to the giant's caduceus, it wasn't much.

"Enough!" he yelled, leveling the caduceus at me.

I prepared myself to dive out of the way, my heart pounding in my ears when the caduceus suddenly changed form. It became a cell phone and started playing 'Macarena'.

Cacus and I both stared at it in surprise.

"Stupid snakes!" Cacus yelled, shaking the phone violently. It turned abruptly back into a caduceus. "Now, behave! Or I'll turn you two into a fake Gucci handbag!"

I took the moment to run to Percy's side, who had managed to stand, although somewhat shakily. We backed our way to the ladder, shoulder to shoulder, weapons gripped tightly.

"Our tag game strategy isn't working so well," I said, breathing heavily. "Any suggestions?"

Percy looked dazed, but as he glanced at the tunnel across from us, a horribly devious smile crossed his face. Whatever he'd thought of, I knew I wouldn't like it.

"I don't like you!" Cacus yelled. He was stumping towards us, nostrils dripping flames, as in literally. "It's time to end this."

"Hold on," Percy said suddenly, wrapping an arm around my waist.