Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Demigod Files

“M-m-master, please—”
    “IAPETUS DOES NOT FLEE! I have waited three eons to be summoned from the pit. I want revenge, and I will start by killing these weaklings!”
    He leveled 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 ground, 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 wounded. Ethan Nakamura tried to draw his own sword, but Nico yelled, “I don’t think so!”
    The ground erupted in front of Ethan. Three armored skeletons climbed out and engaged him, 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 toward 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 inch 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 down the spear 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 channeling 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-eagle on the ground.
    “My—my lord?” he called.
    Iapetus sat up and stared at him. Then he looked at me and smiled.
    “Hello,” he said. “Who am I?”
    “You’re my friend,” I blurted out. “You’re . . . Bob.”
    That seemed to please him greatly. “I am your friend Bob!”
    Clearly, Ethan could tell things were not going his way.
    He glanced at the sword of Hades lying in the dirt, but before he could lunge for it, a silver arrow sprouted in the ground at his feet.
    “Not today, kid,” Thalia warned. “One more step and I’ll pin your feet to the rocks.”
    Ethan ran—straight into the cave of Melinoe. Thalia took aim at his back, but I said, “No. Let him go.”
    She frowned but lowered her bow.
    I wasn’t sure why I wanted to spare Ethan. I guess we’d had enough fighting for one day, and in truth I felt sorry for the kid. He would be in enough trouble when he reported back to Kronos.
    Nico picked up the sword of Hades reverently. “We did it.