CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - FAMILY FEUD: GREEK GODS EDITION

A Coast Guard boat picked us up, but they were too busy to keep us for long, or wonder how four kids in street clothes managed to get way out in Santa Monica Bay. There was a disaster to mop up. Their radios were jammed with distress calls.

They dropped us off at the pier with towels around our shoulders and water bottles that said I'M A JUNIOR COAST GUARD! and sped off to save more people.

Our clothes were sopping wet, even Percy's. When the boat had appeared, his usual waterproof magic had abandoned him, and he instantly became soaked. At my suggestion, Percy also gave his shoes to Grover. Best the Coast Guard wonder why one child was barefoot, instead of one having hooves.

After reaching dry land, I led my friends down away from the pier. We stumbled down the beach, watching my city burn against a red sunrise. Beautiful, and sad at the same time. I couldn't help but think about how many people's lives were ruined tonight, because of my inability to tell Percy the truth.

Percy had an expression on his face that was hard to decipher. Of course, knowing what he was thinking, I could read it perfectly. I tentatively reached out and grasped his hand. "Percy," I whispered, "are you angry with me?"

I saw his shoulders tense up, and his head droop. My breath quickened involuntarily, and I started to ramble. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I wanted to tell you, to tell all of you, as soon as I came here. On the bus, on the way to the museum, I wanted to tell you everything. But the rule that the Fates gave me, I couldn't speak. And then we became friends and what happened with your mother—"

"Avalon, wait," Percy said. I looked up to see that he had turned around, and was now facing me. His cheeks were stained with tears. I opened my mouth to apologize again, but I was cut off when I was pulled into a massive hug.

"I'm not mad at you, Av," he mumbled against my hair. "I wish that you could have told me what was going on, but I could never be mad at you. Never again, I promise."

I sighed into his shoulder, and hugged him tighter. "I'll never again give you a reason to."

We stayed like that for another minute or so before Annabeth spoke up. "I don't believe it," she said. "We went all that way—"

"It was a trick," Percy said.

"A strategy worthy of Athena," I added.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at us. "Hey," she warned.

"You get it, don't you?" Percy and I said in unison. He looked at me with a gleam in his eye, and quickly stuck out his tongue before Annabeth could see.

Annabeth dropped her eyes, her anger fading. "Yeah. I get it."

"Well, I don't!" Grover complained. "Would somebody—"

"Percy..." Annabeth began. "I'm sorry about your mother. I'm so sorry..."

I put a hand on her shoulder, and shook my head when she glanced back at me. Percy blinked back a few tears, and took a deep breath.

"The prophecy was right," Percy said. "'You shall go west and face the god who has turned.' But it wasn't Hades. Hades didn't want war among the Big Three. Someone else pulled off the theft. Someone stole Zeus's master bolt, and Hades's helm, and framed me because I'm Poseidon's son."

"Catching Poseidon in the middle," I continued. "He'll get blamed by both sides. By sundown today, there will be a three-way war. And you'd be the cause of it," I said, nodding to Percy.

Grover shook his head, mystified. "But who would be that sneaky? Who would want war that bad?"

Percy stopped walking, and glared down the beach. "Gee, let me think."

The god was waiting for us, in his black leather duster and his sunglasses, an aluminum baseball bat propped on his shoulder. His motorcycle rumbled beside him, its headlight turning the sand red.

"Hey, kid," Ares said, a big smile on his face. "You were supposed to die."

Percy's eyes narrowed, and I backed away from him, ending up side-by-side with Grover. Percy was, once again, dangerously close to the glare that I never want to be on the other side of. Except this time, it was directed right at Ares. "You tricked me," Percy growled. "You stole the helm and the master bolt."

Ares wagged a finger at him. "Tsk, tsk. Have you learned nothing from your little oracle friend?" Percy turned to look at me, and Ares's smile widened. "Go on, tell him, Sunshine."

My eyes widened in realization. This is what I had been forgetting all this time! It was a demigod, not Ares. "Remember what Chiron told you, Perce?" I said, my voice breathy and soft. "A god cannot outright steal another god's weapon of power. A half-blood has to be used for their dirty work."

I felt like I had just seen the Holy-Grail. So many memories I had from the book that had been locked away by the Fates broke free, like water rushing from a dam. Of course a demigod was the thief. But now I just needed to figure out which demigod.

Percy nodded, and then looked back at Ares. "So who did you use, then? Clarisse? She was there at the winter solstice."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation. "Percy, as much as you dislike Clarisse, she is not one to betray the gods, even at the wish of her father."

Ares looked at me, with an expression I don't think I ever would have imagined on his face. Gratitude? But the moment was fleeting, and the war god's face was hardened once again. "Doesn't matter," he said to Percy. "The point is, kid, you're impending the war effort. See, you've got to die in the Underworld. Then Old Seaweed will be mad at Hades for killing you. Corpse Breath will have Zeus's master bolt, so Zeus'll be mad at him. And Hades is still looking for this..."

From his pocket he took out a ski cap—the kind bank robbers wear—and placed it between the handlebars of his bike. Immediately, the cap transformed into an elaborate bronze war helmet.

"The helm of darkness," I whispered.

"Exactly," Ares said. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon, because he doesn't know who took this. Pretty soon, we got a nice little three-way slugfest going."

"But they're your family!" Annabeth protested.

Ares just shrugged. "Best kind of war. Always the bloodiest. Nothing like watching your relatives fight, I always say."

"You gave me the backpack in Denver," Percy said. "The master bolt was in there the whole time."

"Yes and no," Ares said. "It's probably too complicated for your little mortal brain to follow, but the backpack is the master bolt's sheath, just morphed a bit. The bolt is connected to it, sort of like that sword you got, kid. It always returns to your pocket, right?"

Percy recoiled a bit in confusion, and threw a glance my way, but I just shook my head. The blade is thousands of years old, so I'd be surprised if he didn't know about Riptide.

"Anyway," Ares continued, "I tinkered with the magic a bit, so the bolt would only return to the sheath once you reached the Underworld. You get close to Hades...Bingo, you got mail. If you died along the way—no loss. I still have the weapon."

"But why not just keep the master bolt for yourself?" I blurt out, causing everyone to look at me. "Why send it to the Underworld, when you could have the most powerful weapon in the world, to call your own?"

Ares's jaw twitched. He cocked his head to the side, as if he were listening to something inside his ear. "Why didn't I...yeah...with that kind of firepower..."

He held the trance for one second...two seconds...

Percy and Annabeth exchanged nervous looks with me and Grover.

Ares's face cleared. "I didn't want the trouble. Better to have you caught redhanded, holding the thing."

"You're lying," Percy accused. "Sending the bolt to the Underworld wasn't your idea, was it?"

"Of course it was!" Smoke started drifting up from the tops of his sunglasses, as if they were about to catch fire.

"The theft wasn't planned," I realized. "You caught whoever stole the weapons, you didn't order for them to be stolen, right? But something held you back from giving them back to Zeus. Something told you to wait..."

"That thing in the pit is ordering you around!" Percy exclaimed, finally catching up with my train of thought.

"I am the god of war! I take orders from no one! I don't have dreams!"

Percy hesitated. "Who said anything about dreams?"

Ares's looked agitated, but tried to gain back his composure. He smirked, but even the dullest mind could tell that it was false.

"Let's get back to the problem at hand, kid. You're alive. I can't have you take that bolt back to Olympus. You just might get those hardheaded idiots to listen to you. So I've got to kill you. Nothing personal."

He snapped his fingers. The sand exploded at his feet and out charged a wild boar. The beast pawed the sand, glaring at Percy with beady eyes, as it lowered its razor-sharp tusks and waited for the command to kill.

I activated my bow and nocked an arrow, aiming straight in between the boar's eyes, but Percy held out an arm and lowered my bow. "This is my battle," he whispered to me. I didn't like it, but I put my arrow back in my quiver. I didn't deactivate my bow, though. I didn't trust Ares.

Percy stepped into the surf. "Fight me yourself, Ares."

The god laughed, but there was an underlying uneasiness to it. "You've only got one talent, kid, running away. You ran from the Chimera. You ran from the Underworld. You don't have what it takes."

"Scared?" Percy goaded.

"In your adolescent dreams," Ares growled. "No direct involvement. Sorry, kid. You're not at my level."

Annabeth yelled, "Percy, run!"

The giant boar charged.

Percy crouched, and narrowed his eyes, taking in the scene. As the boar rushed him, he uncapped his pen and sidestepped. In a few seconds, Riptide was in his hands. He slashed upwards, slicing the boar's right tusk clean off, while the rest of the disoriented animal charged into the sea.

Percy raised his arm, and shouted, "Wave!"

A giant wall of water came up from nowhere and swallowed the boar, wrapping around it like a blanket. The beast squealed once in terror, and then it was gone. The fight maybe took two minutes. I was speechless. With hardly any training, Percy managed to take down a monster that destroyed a dozen villages in Ancient Greece.

Percy turned back to Ares. "Are you going to fight me now?" he asked, his voice sharp with anger. "Or are you going to hide behind another pet pig?"

Ares's face turned purple with rage. "Watch it, kid. I could turn you into—"

"A cockroach," Percy suggested. "Or a tapeworm. Yeah, I'm sure. That'd save you from getting your godly hide whipped, wouldn't it?"

I held my breath. If Ares didn't take the bait, then it'd be all over. But Ares was too proud to back down from a challenge.

Flames danced along the top of his glasses. "Oh, man, you are really asking to be smashed into a grease spot."

"If I lose, turn me into anything you want. Take the bolt, just spare my friends," Percy proposed. "If I win, the helm and the bolt are mine and you have to go away."

Ares sneered, and swung the baseball bat off his shoulder. "How would you like to get smashed: classic or modern?"

Percy held up his sword.

"That's cool, dead boy," Ares said. "Classic it is." The baseball bat changed into a huge, two-handed sword. The hilt was a large silver skull with a ruby in its mouth.

Annabeth stepped forward. "Percy, don't do this. He's a god."

"He's a coward," Percy grumbled.

She swallowed hard. "Wear this, at least. For luck."

She took off her beaded necklace and tied it around his neck.

"Reconciliation," she said. "Athena and Poseidon together."

Percy blushed, but managed to smile. "Thanks."

"And take this," Grover said. He reached into my backpack and took out a flattened tin can that I didn't know was in there. He probably stashed it in the bottom that first night, after Medusa. "The satyrs stand behind you."

"Grover...I don't know what to say."

He patted Percy on the shoulder. Percy stuffed the can in his back pocket.

"Percy," I said, before he turned around to start the fight. "All I can give you is advice. Remember your skills, your powers. You're smaller, quicker, and lighter on your feet. Ares is brute force. Use your head, and you'll win."

Percy nodded in understanding, and I threw my arms around his neck on impulse. "Be careful," I whispered.

"You all done saying goodbye?" Ares walked towards Percy slowly, his sword glinting in the sunrise. "I've been fighting for eternity, kid. My strength is unlimited and I cannot die. What have you got?"

"A smaller ego," I mumbled under my breath. Grover elbowed me in the side and shook his head rapidly.

Annabeth, Grover, and I watched as the fight commenced. Percy backed up into the surf, up to his ankles. Ares cleaved downward, but Percy was gone before his sword could cut through the air. The water pushed Percy over the god's head and he catapulted over him, slashing as he went down. But Ares anticipated his move. He twisted, and the strike that should have caught him directly in the spine was deflected off the end of his sword hilt.

My breathing grew shallow, and I found myself taking hold of Annabeth's hand for reassurance. She gave me a small smile, but her eyes held just as much nervousness as my own.

Ares grinned at Percy. "Not bad, not bad."

He slashed again and Percy was forced to jump onto dry land. Percy tried to sidestep, to get back into the water, but Ares kept pressing him. Percy was put on the defense, parrying ever strike Ares threw his way. He was being pushed farther away from the ocean. He was locked in the defensive, not finding any openings to attack.

"Get in close, Perce," I whispered through my teeth, biting my nails in anxiety. "Closer!"

I don't know if he heard me or not, but Percy acted on my words. He stepped inside Ares's reach with a thrust, but Ares was waiting for that. He knocked Anaklusmos out of Percy's hands and kicked him in the chest. Percy flew back—twenty, maybe thirty feet. He crashed into a sand dune, falling at the foot of the hill in a heap.

"No!" I tightened my hold on the grip of my bow, and made to rush forward, but Annabeth squeezed my hand, preventing me from running to help.

"This is Percy's fight, you can't intervene," she hissed in my ear.

I heard the unmistakable sound of police sirens getting louder. Red and blue lights crested the shoreline boulevard. A crowd was gathering, but keeping a distance between them and us.

"Oh this isn't good," I muttered.

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "Cops!"

Percy managed to get to his feet, but he was still weaponless. He couldn't take his eye off of Ares, but I knew that he was aware of the growing problem.

"There, officer!" somebody yelled. "See?"

"Looks like those kids on TV...what the heck..."

"That guy's armed," another cop said. "Call for backup."

Percy rolled to one side as Ares's blade slashed the sand. He ran for his sword, scooped it up, and launched a swipe at Ares's face, but the god caught the strike on his own blade. Percy backed up toward the surf, forcing Ares to follow.

"Admit it, kid," Ares snarled. "You got no hope. I'm just toying with you."

Even from thirty feet away, I could see Percy's eyes constantly roaming, taking in everything. It reminded me vaguely of what my mother taught me when I was first beginning to drive. Always keep your eyes moving, from your mirrors to your speedometer to what's in front of you. You should never look at the same spot for too long, or you could get in trouble, or even hurt.

I heard the flapping of leathery wings, and looked up to see the Furies circling above us, watching the battle. I could see the shimmering forms of spirits spread throughout the crowd.

Percy backed up farther, finally reaching the water, but Ares lashed out. The tip of his blade ripped Percy's sleeve and grazed his forearm. I hissed in fear, and tightened my grip on Annabeth's hand.

A police officer held up a megaphone and said, "Drop the guns! Set them on the ground. Now!"

I glanced at Annabeth. "Guns?"

"Look." She pointed towards Ares.

It took me a second to see it, but there was a glamour on the weapons. Sometimes Ares's sword looked like a shotgun, and Percy's a rifle. The Mist was distorting the mortals' vision.

Ares turned to glare at the spectators, and Percy let up on his stance, taking deep breaths. There were five police cars now, and a line of officers crouching behind them, pistols trained on my best friend.

"This is a private matter!" Ares bellowed. "Be gone!"

He waved his hand, and a wall of fire rolled across the patrol cars. The cops barely had time to dive out of the way before their vehicles exploded. The crowd behind them scattered, screaming in terror.

Ares roared with laughter. "Now, little hero. Let's add you to the barbecue."

He slashed, and Percy deflected his blade. He got up close, tried to fake the god out with a feint, but his blade was knocked aside. He was really in the water now, the waves crashing against his back. I couldn't tell if his waterproof powers were working, because he was still soaked from earlier, along with the rest of us.

I could almost see the lightbulb in Percy's brain turn on. He closed his eyes for a millisecond, and the sea began to slow, almost immediately. Good job, Perce, I thought.

Ares strode forward confidently. Percy lowered his blade, and his eyes drooped, like he was too tired to go on.

"What is he doing?" Grover hissed.

I smirked, not taking my eyes off of my best friend. "Wait for it."

Ares raised his sword. Percy released the tide and jumped, rocketing straight over Ares on a wave. A six foot wall of water smashed him full in the face, leaving his cursing and sputtering with a mouth full of seaweed. Percy landed behind him with a splash and feinted toward his head, repeating his previous strike. Ares turned in time to raise his sword, but he was disoriented, and he didn't anticipate the trick. Percy changed direction, lunged to the side, and stabbed Riptide straight down into the water, sending the point right through the god's heel.

Ares roared, and I was almost blasted backward by sheer force. The very sea was blown away from Ares, leaving a crater of wet sand fifty feet wide. Ichor, the blood of the gods, turned the sand gold. The expression on Ares's face was more than hatred. It was complete and utter pain, shock, disbelief that he had been wounded.

He limped toward Percy, muttering in Greek. Without thinking, I ripped my hand from Annabeth's and started running to Percy, grabbing an arrow from my quiver in the process.

Something stopped me, along with Ares.

It felt like there was a sudden solar eclipse, but much worse. Light faded. Sound and color drained away. I was slowed in my running, like I was running underwater. A cold, heavy presence passed over the beach, slowing time, dropping the temperature by at least forty degrees, killing the fires, and making me feel like fighting was useless. Life was hopeless. It was the essence of the Cocytus, the Underworld River of Despair. It had to have been.