The Demigod Files(27)

‘Too late,’ I said.

A man’s laughter echoed down the mountain.

‘You’re right about that,’ a voice boomed. At the mouth of the cave stood two people – a boy with an eye patch and a three-metre-tall man in a tattered prison jumpsuit. The boy I recognized: Ethan Nakamura, son of Nemesis. In his hands was an unfinished sword – a double-edged blade of black Stygian iron with skeletal designs etched in silver. It had no hilt, but set in the base of the blade was a golden key, just like I’d seen in Persephone’s image. The key was glowing, as if Ethan had already invoked its power.

The giant man next to him had eyes of pure silver. His face was covered with a scraggly beard and his grey hair stuck out wildly. He looked thin and haggard in his ripped prison clothes, as though he’d spent the last few thousand years at the bottom of a pit, but even in this weakened state he looked plenty scary. He held out his hand and a giant spear appeared. I remembered what Thalia had said about Iapetus: His name means ‘the Piercer’ because that’s what he likes to do to his enemies.

The Titan smiled cruelly. ‘And now I will destroy you.’

‘Master!’ Ethan interrupted. He was dressed in combat fatigues with a backpack slung over his shoulder. His eye patch was crooked, his face smeared with soot and sweat. ‘We have the sword. We should –’

‘Yes, yes,’ the Titan said impatiently. ‘You’ve done well, Nawaka.’

‘It’s Nakamura, master.’

‘Whatever. I’m sure my brother Kronos will reward you. But now we have killing to attend to.’

‘My lord,’ Ethan persisted. ‘You’re not at full power. We should ascend and summon your brothers from the upper world. Our orders were to flee.’

The Titan whirled on him. ‘FLEE? Did you say FLEE?’

The ground rumbled. Ethan fell on his butt and scrambled backwards. The unfinished sword of Hades clattered to the rocks. ‘M-m-master, please –’

‘IAPETUS DOES NOT FLEE! I have waited three aeons to be summoned from the pit. I want revenge, and I will start by killing these weaklings!’

He levelled his spear at me and charged.

If he’d been at full strength, I have no doubt he would’ve pierced me right through the middle. Even weakened and just out of the pit, the guy was fast. He moved like a tornado, slashing so quickly I barely had time to dodge the strike before his spear impaled the rock where I’d been standing.

I was so dizzy I could barely hold my sword. Iapetus yanked the spear out of the rock, but as he turned to face me Thalia shot his flank full of arrows from his shoulder to his knee. He roared and turned on her, looking more angry than hurt. Ethan Nakamura tried to draw his own sword, but Nico yelled, ‘I don’t think so!’

The ground erupted in front of Ethan. Three armoured skeletons climbed out and engaged Ethan, pushing him back. The sword of Hades still lay on the rocks. If I could only get to it…

Iapetus slashed with his spear and Thalia leaped out of the way. She dropped her bow so she could draw her knives, but she wouldn’t last long in close combat.

Nico left Ethan to the skeletons and charged Iapetus. I was already ahead of him. It felt like my shoulder was going to explode, but I launched myself at the Titan and stabbed downward with Riptide, impaling the blade in the Titan’s calf.

‘AHHHH!’ Golden ichor gushed from the wound. Iapetus whirled and the shaft of his spear slammed into me, sending me flying.

I crashed into the rocks, right next to the River Lethe.

‘YOU DIE FIRST!’ Iapetus roared as he hobbled towards me. Thalia tried to get his attention by zapping him with an arc of electricity from her knives, but she might as well have been a mosquito. Nico stabbed with his sword but Iapetus knocked him aside without even looking. ‘I will kill you all! Then I will cast your souls into the eternal darkness of Tartarus!’

My eyes were full of spots. I could barely move. Another couple of centimetres and I would fall into the river headfirst.

The river.

I swallowed, hoping my voice still worked. ‘You’re – you’re even uglier than your son,’ I taunted the Titan. ‘I can see where Atlas gets his stupidity from.’

Iapetus snarled. He limped forward, raising his spear.

I didn’t know if I had the strength, but I had to try. Iapetus brought the spear down and I lurched sideways. The shaft impaled the ground right next to me. I reached up and grabbed his shirt collar, counting on the fact that he was off balance as well as hurt. He tried to regain his footing, but I pulled him forward with all my body weight. He stumbled and fell, grabbing my arms in a panic, and together we pitched into the Lethe.

FLOOOOOM! I was immersed in black water.

I prayed to Poseidon that my protection would hold and, as I sank to the bottom, I realized I was still dry. I knew my own name. And I still had the Titan by the shirt collar.

The current should’ve ripped him out of my hands, but somehow the river was channelling itself around me, leaving us alone.

With my last bit of strength, I climbed out of the river, dragging Iapetus with my good arm. We collapsed on the riverbank – me perfectly dry, the Titan dripping wet. His pure silver eyes were as big as moons.

Thalia and Nico stood over me in amazement. Up by the cave, Ethan Nakamura was just cutting down the last skeleton. He turned and froze when he saw his Titan ally spread eagled on the ground.