Nothing Left To Say (Percico)

#24. Bleeding Out

"Wha...?"

My eyes slowly fluttered open. When the world came back into focus, I saw Mrs. O'Leary's muzzle hovering right over my face. With a small yell of surprise I pushed her face away from mine and sat up. She barked once in a sort of apology (yeah, right), and then a growl escaped her bared teeth as her head turned towards the beach shore. Her ears flattened down against her head and the hairs on her back stood on end like a porcupine.

I responded immediately to her warning and scrambled on my hands and knees over to the edge of the small cliff, looking out over the rock I had hid behind the day before. I didn't need the binoculars to understand what had bothered Mrs. O'Leary. About five or so multi-headed monsters were beginning to shuffle around the shore, as if restless or anxious about something. Before I could even think of what could have riled up a pack of fire breathing monsters, my mind panicked. I had to slay them before they decided to move.

I turned back to Mrs. O'Leary. She had her head cocked to the side as if waiting for instructions.

"Thanks for the warning, girl." I pat her head. "Now... Time to take care of this mess once and for all, yeah?"

"Woof!"

I chuckled, although I had to admit I was beginning to feel a bit anxious. This was my first quest all by myself. I usually had at least one other demigod friend beside me. Here, no one had my back and that honestly scared me. Yeah, heroes get scared. All of the time, in fact. But I sucked it up anyways and beckoned Mrs. O'Leary with my hand to follow me down the side of the cliff, still hidden behind bushes and trees and rocks.

Now, hopefully my five minute plan works.

Slowly and silently, we crept around the side of the beach's shore. It was extremely helpful that the small beach was in the shape of a bowl, surrounded by a border of trees, a small cliff, and the ocean. It pretty much caged the monsters, which was a plus for me. I just had to go down there, think of some brilliant and sneaky approach, slay them one by one, and try not to get myself killed in the process. Just a pleasant vacation in Australia, I'm telling you.

Once at the edge of the 'bowl', I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out my celestial pen. I uncapped it and the pen transformed into a three foot sword, the edges sharp and glinting in the hot sun. The sword grew warmer and warmer until it was a searing red colour under the sun and over the magical flaming coals a friend from the Apollo cabin gave to me on my departure. Now, I was ready. With Riptide in my hand and my hellhound right behind me, I approached the herd of hydras that have killed three of my fellow campers.

~

These hydras were even uglier up close.

. . . They smelt pretty bad, too.

The first of five hydras was an easy kill. Mrs. O'Leary went off in another direction, most likely to kill a monster on her own, whilst I noiselessly swung my sword in a giant arc, decapitating three heads off of the hydra. It disintegrated on the spot. My sword was hot enough to sear the heads off and prevent them from growing back.

I jumped as I heard a roar and a growl behind me. Well, I killed one of them inconspicuously. I guess Mrs. O'Leary preferred to make a loud entrance. When I hesitantly turned to see what the hell my dog has done, the hellhound held a hydra by its multiple necks in her sharp canine teeth and shook it around like a chew toy. She may be cute and helpful in most situations, but this would just get us killed. I'm pretty certain of it.

Just as I was about to step and help her to stop my panic attack, one of the four heads turned its neck and opened its mouth. Steam slowly began to rise out of its throat. My eyes widened.