The Lost Hero

Piper stood there, breathing hard, her dagger covered with clay. Her dad sat at the ridge, dazed and
wounded, but still alive.
Piper‘s expression was ferocious—almost crazy, like a cornered animal. Leo was glad she was on his
side.
―Nobody hurts my friends,‖ she said, and with a sudden warm feeling, Leo realized she was talking about
him. Then she yelled, ―Come on!‖
Leo saw that the battle wasn‘t over. Jason was still fighting the giant Enceladus—and it wasn‘t going well.
WHEN JASON’S LANCE BROKE, he knew he was dead.
The battle had started well enough. Jason‘s instincts kicked in, and his gut told him he‘d dueled opponents
almost this big before. Size and strength equaled slowness, so Jason just had to be quicker—pace himself,
wear out his opponent, and avoid getting smashed or flame-broiled.
He rolled away from the giant‘s first spear thrust and jabbed Enceladus in the ankle. Jason‘s javelin
managed to pierce the thick dragon hide, and golden ichor—the blood of immortals—trickled down the giant‘s
clawed foot.
Enceladus bellowed in pain and blasted him with fire. Jason scrambled away, rolling behind the giant, and
struck again behind his knee.
It went on like that for seconds, minutes—it was hard to judge. Jason heard combat across the clearing—
construction equipment grinding, fire roaring, monsters shouting, and rocks smashing into metal. He heard Leo
and Piper yelling defiantly, which meant they were still alive. Jason tried not to think about it. He couldn‘t afford
to get distracted.
Enceladus‘s spear missed him by a millimeter. Jason kept dodging, but the ground stuck to his feet. Gaea
was getting stronger, and the giant was getting faster. Enceladus might be slow, but he wasn‘t dumb. He began
anticipating Jason‘s moves, and Jason‘s attacks were only annoying him, making him more enraged.
―I‘m not some minor monster,‖ Enceladus bellowed. ―I am a giant, born to destroy gods! Your little gold
toothpick can‘t kill me, boy.‖
Jason didn‘t waste energy replying. He was already tired. The ground clung to his feet, making him feel
like he weighed an extra hundred pounds. The air was full of smoke that burned his lungs. Fires roared around
him, stoked by the winds, and the temperature was approaching the heat of an oven.
Jason raised his javelin to block the giant‘s next strike—a big mistake. Don‟t fight force with force, a voice
chided him—the wolf Lupa, who‘d told him that long ago. He managed to deflect the spear, but it grazed his
shoulder, and his arm went numb.
He backed up, almost tripping over a burning log.
He had to delay—to keep the giant‘s attention fixed on him while his friends dealt with the Earthborn and
rescued Piper‘s dad. He couldn‘t fail.
He retreated, trying to lure the giant to the edge of the clearing. Enceladus could sense his weariness.
The giant smiled, baring his fangs.
―The mighty Jason Grace,‖ he taunted. ―Yes, we know about you, son of Jupiter. The one who led the
assault on Mount Othrys. The one who single-handedly slew the Titan Krios and toppled the black throne.‖
Jason‘s mind reeled. He didn‘t know these names, yet they made his skin tingle, as if his body
remembered the pain his mind didn‘t.
―What are you talking about?‖ he asked. He realized his mistake when Enceladus breathed fire.
Distracted, Jason moved too slowly. The blast missed him, but heat blistered his back. He slammed into
the ground, his clothes smoldering. He was blinded from ash and smoke, choking as he tried to breathe.
He scrambled back as the giant‘s spear cleaved the ground between his feet.
Jason managed to stand.
If he could only summon one good blast of lightning—but he was already drained, and in this condition,
the effort might kill him. He didn‘t even know if electricity would harm the giant.
Death in battle is honorable, said Lupa‘s voice.
That‘s real comforting, Jason thought.
One last try: Jason took a deep breath and charged.
Enceladus let him approach, grinning with anticipation. At the last second, Jason faked a strike and rolled
between the giant‘s legs. He came up quickly, thrusting with all his might, ready to stab the giant in the small of
his back, but Enceladus anticipated the trick. He stepped aside with too much speed and agility for a giant, as if
the earth were helping him move.