The Crown of Kronos: Chapter 44

Charlie's POV
"Yay!" I exclaimed. Everyone looked at me.

"What?" I said, brandishing my daggers. "I don't mind a little fight with some chicken-ladies."

Dad carefully balanced himself on the owl and looked nervously at the harpies.

"Okay, dawgs." Zarana spoke, obviously thinking hard. She clutched her lightning bolt and made an arc of lightning that was sent towards the harpies. But they were fast that they were able to dodge her attack.

"Hey, daughter of Athena, any plans?" Alex nudged me in the ribs.

"How about bird versus bird?" I suggested and gently patted the owl in the head. "Go kick some butts, owl." I whispered, chuckling.

The owl gave a loud hoot and soared upward. Vic screamed in alarm, but eventually calmed down. The automaton then dived, its beak glinting in the fading sunlight. Flapping its wings twice, it gave another screech and attacked a harpy.

Quickly, the harpy uttered a cry of surprise and vanished into sulfurous dust. I cried in triumph, along with my friends and my dad.

"Um....but we have about dozens more to go." Vic suddenly sobered up.

She was right, from the dust sprouted another army of harpies.

"Ugh!" Alex said in disgust. "What happened?"

I shrugged helplessly. I don't know harpies can do that. The mistress can be like, superpowerful to alter the anatomy of some monster so one can reproduct dozens of their kind from the dust.

"Well..." I spoke, getting an idea. "We could whip the dust off this place and go on our way."

The others nodded, though reluctantly and I bit my lip. My idea wasn't a good one, wasn't it?

Zarana began to strike harpies with her lightning bolt while the owl flew gracefully so that the daughter of Zeus can target the monster properly. After each monster disintegrated, I sent a wall of force that blew the dust away.

Alex also shot lava, while Victoria prayed. Dad just watched.

I sent the final wall of force and then fainted. I was drained with energy.



When I woke up, we were now in San Francisco.. It was night.

"You passed out for two days straight." Victoria's voice spoke. "Even Alex."

Alex scowled. "It takes lots of energy to-"

"Stop." Dad said. He was looking intently down, searching for the safehouse he will be staying in.

Suddenly the owl swerved down and landed in a field. Beside it was a manhole, which is a little weird, considering we're in a meadow.

"That's the safehouse." Zarana pointed to the manhole cover. We removed the cover, and then looked at Dad.

"Be safe, Dad." I said and hugged him.

"Take care." He said. "I'm in a safehouse, all right? I'll be safe."

We laughed.

As soon as we placed the cover back, we climbed on the owl and took flight again.

Then the owl hooted thrice, and opened its beak. A voice calm and neutral spoke to me, a voice I knew so well. It was Athena, my mom.

She said, "Understand the hardships, demigods."

My friends and I looked at each other, knowing of the danger that will come to us in maybe a few minutes.

"It's going to be alright." Zarana said firmly, but I caught the fear in her voice.

Is it?