𝔣𝔞𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔞 | percy jackson¹ ✓

024

So....lets settle this once and for all!! PERCOLA, ZOLERCY or ZERCY???

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"A POWER THAT YOU SHALL UNLEASH", the voice continued in a very heavy french accent. 

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

Zola and the others looked up. They had been so busy talking, they had allowed themselves to be ambushed.

Standing behind them, his two-colour eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself.

"This is just pairrr-fect," the manticore gloated.

He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy and he also most definitely had not shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble.

"Well that outfit or look that your going for", Zola said gesturing at the manticore, "definitely isn't".

His two-colour eyes met Zola's with a wicked glare. "Little girl, kindly shut your gob unless you want to deal with a thirty centimetre thorn down your neck". 

Zola glared intensely back at him but she shut her mouth because she rather not have her neck impaled. Dr. Thorn turned towards the others.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes my story...Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia", the manticore said. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!"

On either side of him stood two armed security guys. Zola recognised some of them from D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case any of them tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around the area but Zola knew that deep down that would not stop the manticore and his squad from acting up.

"Where...where are the skeletons?" Percy asked the manticore.

He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"

"And how can you be so sure about that?", Zola asked.

"We beat you once before," Percy added.

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas...that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Zoë notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head. The guards on either side of them raised their guns.

"Wait!" Percy said. "Zoë, don't!"