Shadows Along the Way
"…the master said that next time I might start trying to make spears and shields," Tyson was saying, unable to stop talking, clearly excited and happy, though always with that slightly clumsy tone so characteristic of him. It was something Percy was already getting used to as they walked toward school.
It was normal to see him like that when he talked about Miraak. He truly cared deeply for him; after all, he had been the one who pulled him out from under a bridge and brought him to live with them, giving him a home, food, and, basically, happiness. Even if he spent most of his time in the forge, that was something he genuinely enjoyed, especially because Miraak was there to teach him.
"So then the master said…" he was about to continue, but Percy, who had been listening, could not take it anymore.
"Can you… just shut up for a moment?" he said, somewhat fed up, stopping suddenly, which made Tyson halt abruptly to avoid crashing into him, since he had been walking behind him. "I already know how incredible the master is. I saw him with my own eyes facing beings you cannot even imagine," he added, turning around to stare at him directly, his expression annoyed.
Tyson closed his mouth, clearly surprised by Percy's reaction.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to bother you," he said, lowering his head slightly. And that was despite being truly enormous compared to Percy. The scene almost made it look as if Percy were the one bullying him. That also made Percy realize that maybe he had gone a bit too far by snapping at him.
Percy let out a sigh when he saw him like that. Tyson was huge and had muscles even more defined than his own, thanks to all the time he spent in the forge, but that did not change the fact that he had a gentle personality. Realizing that, he toned himself down a bit.
"No… I…" Percy felt guilty for a moment. "It is fine. Just… we can walk to school a bit more quietly. I did not sleep very well last night. Sorry," he said, shaking his head.
"Of course," Tyson replied, nodding softly, before breaking into a smile when he understood that Percy was not angry with him, just tired from not sleeping well.
They walked a few meters in silence. Well, they did, because even though they had moved to a really nice house, far from the buildings and the chaos, the school was still located in the city center, surrounded by the constant noise of cars, people walking, and the smoke that seemed to cover everything like a kind of filthy fog.
Tyson did not seem able to endure the silence for long, so he opened his mouth again.
"And… when is that tournament?" he asked, intrigued.
Percy glanced at him slightly, with a somewhat tired expression, before answering.
"After Camp Half-Blood, I guess… but it is not something I feel very comfortable talking about," he added. He would possibly have to face some of the kids he had shared the camp with last year. And above all, because this year he would not be able to go. When he saw them again, it would be from their point of view… as an enemy, most likely.
"Do not worry. By then I will have improved the armor I made for you even more," Tyson said confidently, thumping his chest.
Percy thought about the armor sitting in his room, with that clearly Viking style, and only replied:
"Yeah. Whatever makes you happiest."
He was about to keep walking, but before taking the next steps he stopped abruptly. He began to look around with a serious expression, as if he were searching for something. His eyes seemed to scan every person walking nearby, and there were many. His gaze moved quickly, until it locked onto a group of boys standing in an alley, watching people with eager, hungry smiles.
At first glance, they might have looked like hungry vagrants. But no. Their eyes did not see people as people, but as food.
There were three of them, quite burly and tall, though with the appearance of teenagers… ugly ones. Their bulging muscles looked as if they were about to tear through their clothes, or what remained of them, since they wore garments made from what looked like hides. Percy could even tell what kind they were, after spending so much time watching his master teach Grover.
When the gaze of one of them met Percy's, his expression of happiness and hunger intensified even more. Saliva began to drip from their mouths in excitement. Then he alerted the other two, and the three of them started walking toward Percy and Tyson.
"Tyson, follow me," Percy said immediately.
He grabbed Tyson's clothes and started walking quickly along the sidewalk, cutting through a few alleys, moving away from the people and picking up the pace.
Behind them, heavier footsteps could be heard, running to catch up. They sounded closer and closer.
Percy and Tyson emerged into an area with fewer people. Percy immediately turned around and pulled out his black sword and Riptide from the bag hanging at his waist, standing still, staring intently toward the alley.
"Percy!" Tyson suddenly shouted.
Percy turned around just in time to see, off to the side, something flying straight toward him. A massive ball of red hot metal, like a meteor, aimed directly at his head.
Percy jumped to the side and dodged it. The ball crashed not far away, causing an explosion and leaving a large crater in the ground. But he did not have time to look at it, because two more balls were coming straight at him.
He ducked to evade one, and then, with an upward slash of his black sword, split the next one in two. The sphere was cut cleanly down the middle and passed on both sides of Percy.
As Percy's gaze finally found the attackers, he could see them clearly. They were three enormous, horrendous giants; obviously the same ones who had been following them.
It was curious to see how all three were covered in tattoos. Even monsters seemed to follow fashions, apparently.
They watched them with greed, wiping the drool from their mouths, while in their hands new balls of metal wrapped in flames began to form again.
"At last we found you, son of the sea god," said the one who seemed to be the leader. "We were starving," he added.
"Well, you should not have bothered," Percy replied in a calm tone, watching as the giants began to move to surround him. Percy positioned himself right in front of Tyson, since he knew Tyson was not really a fighter. "On the other corner there is a hot dog stand. They are not the best, but they might help a lot."
"Meat," roared one of them, almost maddened by hunger.
"Hero steak for lunch," said another, just as enraged.
The three of them threw their burning spheres at the same time, with perfect precision and coordination.
Percy could not dodge them. Tyson was right behind him. He prepared to cut all three head on, but before he could do it, Tyson suddenly jumped in front of him, taking him by surprise. In his hand he held an enormous hammer.
Percy was about to shout at him to be careful when Tyson swung the hammer sideways, striking the first sphere coming toward him. It collided with the other two and shattered into pieces. The other two, however, were sent flying back toward the giants who had thrown them, slamming directly into their chests with even more force than the original. They pierced straight through them, leaving massive holes, and both giants turned to dust instantly.
"No! My brothers!" shouted the remaining giant, filled with fury, as he looked at Tyson with reddened eyes.
He flexed his muscles and his tattoos seemed to twist over his skin.
"You will pay dearly for their destruction," he roared, raising both hands. More balls of burning metal appeared and he began hurling them with unrestrained fury.
The speed was clearly greater than before, probably driven by his anger. Tyson struggled to repeat what he had done earlier, limiting himself to deflecting the spheres while explosions erupted behind him.
But that assault also gave Percy the opportunity he needed.
He burst forward from behind Tyson at full speed, straight toward the giant. The giant noticed immediately, seeing Percy approaching with cold seriousness, holding his two swords ready at his sides.
He began launching projectiles at him, but Percy moved in a perfect zigzag, dodging each one. Explosions opened craters around him, but Percy did not pay them any attention.
When the giant realized it, Percy had already jumped.
He was right in front of his face.
Both swords came down diagonally, straight toward his neck. The giant could do nothing to stop it or defend himself. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the blades drew closer. On Percy's face, the only thing the giant could perceive was death.
An instant later, a head went flying before turning into black dust and smoke, just like the rest of the giant's body.
Percy looked at the place where his enemy had stood with a slight contempt in his gaze. It was an expression very similar to the one Miraak usually wore when dealing with mundane things. Then he calmly sheathed his swords and turned toward Tyson.
Tyson had never seen Percy fight for real. Only train.
"Hey, nice hammer," Percy said with a faint smile. "But next time, leave the fights to me."
Tyson nodded, feeling a small but genuine happiness bloom in his chest.