Invisible ― Jason Grace

xxi. the new earth-shaker

Otis barreled toward them empty-handed, before apparently realizing that a) he was empty-handed, and b) charging toward a large body of water to fight two children of the sea god was maybe not the brightest idea.

Too late, he tried to stop. The demigods rolled out of the way, and Jason summoned the wind, using the giant's own momentum to shove him into the water. As Otis struggled to rise, Camilla, Percy, and Jason attacked as one. They launched themselves at the giant and brought their blades down around Otis's head.

The poor guy didn't even have a chance to pirouette. He exploded into powder on the lake's surface like a huge packet of drink mix.

Camilla and Percy churned the lake into a whirlpool. Otis's essence tried to re-form, but as his head appeared from the water, Jason called lightning and blasted him to dust again.

So far so good, but they couldn't keep Otis down forever. Camilla was already tired from the fight underground, and her gut still ached from getting smacked with a spear shaft. She could feel her strength waning, and they still had another giant to deal with.

As if on cue, the plaster mountain exploded behind them. Ephialtes rose, bellowing with anger.

Camilla and her companions waited as he lumbered toward them, spear in hand. Apparently, getting flattened under a plaster mountain had only energized him—go figure. His eyes danced with murderous light. The afternoon sun glinted in his coin-braided hair. Even his snake feet looked angry, baring their fangs and hissing.

Jason called down another lightning strike, but Ephialtes caught it on his spear and deflected the blast, melting a life-size plastic cow. He slammed a stone column out of his way like a stack of building blocks.

Camilla tried to focus on keeping the lake churning. She didn't want Otis rising to join the fight.

Percy and Jason met the giant's charge. They lunged around Ephialtes, stabbing and slashing in a blur of gold and bronze, but the giant parried every strike.

"I will not yield!" Ephialtes roared. "You may have ruined my spectacle, but Gaea will still destroy your world!"

Percy lashed out, slicing the giant's spear in half. Ephialtes wasn't even fazed. The giant swept low with the blunt end and knocked Percy off his feet. He landed hard on his sword arm, the blade clattering out of his grip.

Jason tried to take advantage. He stepped inside the giant's guard and stabbed at his chest, but somehow Ephialtes parried the strike. He sliced the tip of his spear down Jason's chest, ripping his purple shirt into a vest. Jason stumbled, looking at the thin line of blood down his sternum. Ephialtes kicked him backward.

Camilla lost her focus on the lake, her stomach filling with lead.

Ephialtes towered over her brother and her boyfriend, both halves of his broken spear poised over their heads. Percy's sword was out of reach. Jason's gladius had skittered across the arena floor. They were weaponless.

Their plan had failed.

No.

A dozen possibilities flashed through her mind in a single second. She could throw the entire lake at Ephialtes, knocking him back, if only a few feet. It could give Jason and Percy time to get their swords and get back up. But if she did that, Otis would have no trouble rising.

She could run at the giant with her sword, making herself a target so he'd forget about Jason and Percy. But she wasn't sure she could run fast enough.

You can be my new Earth-Shaker, Gaea had offered.

Maybe it was time to take her up on that offer.