Chapter 54 - How Can They Not Have Souls?

Annabeth began to talk about it and Kurayami had Tyrant on a leash while the dragon was totally jeweled up. "Seven hundred feet tall, built in the 1930s. It holds Five million cubic acres of water. It is the Largest construction project in the United States. How can we not explore it? Please Kurayami." As he looked like he was 20 people assumed she was his little sister.

Kurayami sighed as she loved architecture and annoyed him about it. He sometimes took her around the world when she asked him to take her to buildings. He relented. "Fine, thanks to Tyrant we got a lot of progress done faster than we would have."

Zoe stared at Annbeth like she was abnormal. "How do you know all that?"

Annabeth frowned.. "Daughter of Athena, goddess of architecture. It would be weird if I didn't." They sighed as at one point or another she had rambled on about architecture. To Kuryami it sounded more like a language even his fallen magic couldn't translate, so it went in one ear and out the other.

Percy nodded. "We should go up there, Just to say we've been. Also Thalia. It seems you are getting over your fear of heights." She looked at Tyrant in mini form and bent down to pet him. "Thank this dragon." Tyrant grinned as he was getting the praise he deserved and they entered. Even Zoe was thankful to Tyrant even if he covered her in dragon drool.

Zoe sighed. "Sightseeing it is." When they got to the top it was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river 700 feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.

Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges. Grover kept sniffing the wind and looking nervous. He didn't say anything, but they knew he smelled monsters. Shin growled as his smell was even better.

"How close are they?" Percy asked him. Grover shook his head. "Maybe not close. The wind on the dam, the desert all around us… the scent can probably carry for miles. But it's coming from several directions. I don't like that." Kurayami focused on his senjutsu and he didn't feel anything. He shook his head. "If there is something it is not alive."

They were more relaxed as they still had about 7 days until the winter solstice. Tyrant really could cover ground as it made Zoe thankful as they will rescue Artemis faster once they find where they need to go. "There's a snack bar in the visitor center," Thalia said as if she knew the way. Kurayami looked at her.

"You've been here before?"

She nodded. "Once. To see the guardians." She pointed to the far end of the dam. Carved into the side of the cliff was a little plaza with two big bronze statues. They looked kind of like Oscar statues with wings.

"They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built," Annabeth said. "A gift from my mother." Tourists were clustered all around them. They seemed to be looking at the statues' feet.

Percy felt it was strange. "What are they doing?"

"Rubbing the toes," Thalia said. "They think it's good luck." Percy felt it was weird.

"Why?"

She shook her head. "Mortals get crazy ideas. They don't know the statues are sacred to Zeus, but they know there's something special about them." Kurayami felt a slight divinity in them and he saw why.

"The same with churches. Some people feel they are sacred and they pray. Anyway, Thalia, did they talk to you or anything? You are Zeus' daughter."

Thalia's expression darkened. Everyone could tell that she'd come here before hoping for exactly that—some kind of sign from her dad. Some connection. "No. They don't do anything. They're just big metal statues."

They thought about the last big metal statue they ran into. That would have gone bad if not for Kurayami but decided not to bring it up. They still remembered that chant and the form that Kurayami turned in to. They shivered thinking about it.

"Let us find the dam snack bar," Zoe said. "We should eat while we can."

Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?" Zoe blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"

"Nothing," Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam French fries."

Kurayami smirked. "I want a dam coffee."

Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom." Annabeth was giggling.

"I want to see the dam dam."

It was funny as Zoe just looked at them. "I do not understand." Poor girl was totally clueless as to why they kept repeating it.

"I want to use the dam water fountain," Grover said.

"And…" Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I want to buy a dam T-shirt." Percy busted up, and he probably would've kept laughing all day, but then they heard a noise:

"Moooo." The smile melted off his face. Percy wondered and hoped the noise was just in his head, but Grover had stopped laughing too. He was looking around, confused. "Did I just hear a cow?" Kurayami looked over and felt that cow that looked like part cow and snake. He went over with Percy.

"Go on without us. Take Shin and Tyrant with you. Both of them are very strong and you got Annabeth."

"What's wrong?" Grover asked.

Percy shook his head. "Nothing, we will just go check on something." They hesitated, but they finally went into the visitor center without them. As soon as they were gone, Kurayami followed Percy who jogged to the north edge of the dam and looked over.

"Moo." She was about thirty feet below in the lake, but Percy and Kurayami could see her clearly: Percy's friend from Long Island Sound, Bessie the cow serpent. They looked around. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citizens. Some families. But nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any attention yet.

"What are you doing here?" Percy asked while Kurayami looked at the cute creature. He wanted to pet it's cute face and see if he couldn't give it to Akeno who liked cute creatures. She would love him.

"Moo!" His voice was urgent, like he was trying to warn Percy of something. Kurayami looked at him. "He is saying that he is being hunted and he is asking for help." Percy was confused as he thought it was a girl.

"He?"

Kurayami nodded. "And his name is not Bessie, it's Ophiotaurus." Percy sometimes forgot that Kurayami could talk to animals and even better than Grover. The cow swam in a circle and butted his head against the side of the dam. "Moo!"

Kurayami looked at it and back to Percy. "Says they want his entrails and he is asking you to protect him. I think I heard a legend about it. Let me call my grandpa just in case I am right." Percy nodded and Kurayami called Azrael. When Azrael picked up and heard the mooing he smirked.

"So you found it?" Kurayami nodded and looked at the cow.

"What is it?"

Azrael looked at the cow as well. "It is called the Ophiotaurus. Whoever sacrifices its entrails to and burns them will have the power to topple Olympus. A titan nearly did, but because of a little help from me Zeus managed to get his eagle to steal them."

When it heard about the entrails it gave a scared "Mooo!," did a flip, and disappeared into the water. Kurayami looked at Azrael who nodded. "That is the bane of Olympus. It is called that because it's death will ensure Olympus falls. Keep it safe will you."

Percy shook as why would anyone kill him. "Sir, why would anyone hurt him? I mean he is harmless and really kind." Azrael looked at Percy from head to toe and shook his head.

"Yeah, totally harmless and pure. However, killing something pure like that results in great power. I saw it happen during the first Titanomachia and I felt bad, so I did Zeus a favor. Still got to cash it in though. Hey Kurayami, bring it up when you see him. He owes me a favor."

Suddenly the hairs on Percy' arms bristled. He looked down the dam road to the east and I saw two men walking slowly toward them. They wore gray camouflage outfits that flickered over skeletal bodies. Azrael smiled and his words ruined the atmosphere.

"Hey kid, Raynare and the others are pissed and says you have to go on a date with her. I heard the girls are all going to want individual dates in different parts of the world, so get ready. You will be busy." Kurayami smiled and nodded.

"I will take them to the best places I can." Azrael hung up and they looked at the skeletons who were coming. They didn't look strong, but something about them must be special if a bunch of bones was sent here. They passed through a group of kids and pushed them aside. A kid yelled, "Hey!"

One of the warriors turned, his face changing momentarily into a skull. "Ah!" the kid yelled, and his whole group backed away. Kurayami willed it and in the sky formed huge amounts of spears of light of different types and the skeletons were smashed to bits. However in smoke they reformed. Kurayami drew Rebellion and threw her like a boomerang and they were cut to pieces.

When she was back in his hand she told him that they had no souls to destroy. Kurayami looked at Percy and smiled. "Run." Percy just about passed out as even Kurayami who destroyed Talos told him to run. He didn't even complain and ran to the visitor center.

On the west side of the dam, a black van swerved to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly plowing into some old people. The van doors opened and more skeleton warriors piled out and chased. They bolted down the stairs and through the museum entrance. The security guard at the metal detector yelled, "Hey, you two."

He passed out because Kurayami punched him and they kept going. Kurayami ran toward their group and they entered an elevator. Percy stayed close to Kurayami who looked more like his older brother than someone his age and Percy sighed as he was short compared to Kurayami.

"We'll be going down seven hundred feet," The tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks."

"Does this go to the snack bar?" Percy asked her. A few people behind him chuckled. The tour guide looked at him. Something about her gaze made his skin tingle. Kurayami looked at her and noticed she was quite pretty, but his girls put her to shame.

"To the turbines, young man," the lady said. "Weren't you listening to my fascinating presentation upstairs? Sir, your son should pay more attention." Kurayami sighed and looked at her.

"I will keep it in mind." Percy wanted nothing more than to deny being Kurayami's son, but then Kurayami would be a kidnapper and it would mean more mindwipe spells. Those had to be bad and he would rather avoid having more people mind wiped.

Percy nodded. "Oh, uh, sure. Is there another way out of the dam?"

"It's a dead end," a tourist behind said. "For heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator." The doors opened.

"Go right ahead, folks," the tour guide told everyone. "Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor." They didn't have much choice but to go out with the group.

"And you two," the tour guide called. Percy and Kurayami looked back. She'd taken off her glasses. Her eyes were startlingly gray, like storm clouds. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it." The doors closed with the tour guide still inside, leaving them alone.

Before they could think too much about the woman in the elevator, a ding came from around the corner. The second elevator was opening, and they heard an unmistakable sound—the clattering of skeleton teeth. Kurayami sighed. "How can they not have souls? Makes soul destroying blades pointless."

They ran after the tour group, through a tunnel carved out of solid rock. The walls were moist, and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. They came out on a U-shaped balcony that overlooked this huge warehouse area. Fifty feet below, enormous turbines were running. It was a big room, but they didn't see any other exit, unless they wanted to jump into the turbines and get churned up to make electricity.

Another tour guide was talking over the microphone, telling the tourists about water supplies in Nevada. The crowd split like the sea for Kurayami as they could feel something was different about him. Hard to hide an aura like that so even mortals could feel it. Percy kept his hand on Riptide as he was still freaked out.

Then right behind me they heard a sharp Chhh! like the voice of a skeleton. Without thinking, they both slashed their swords back and Kurayami stopped an inch from her face while Percy strike kept going and went right through her.

She yelped and dropped her Kleenex. "Oh my god.'" she shouted. "Do you always kill people when they blow their nose?" Kurayami looked at her and felt she was a bit odd. Maybe this was not so pointless following Percy around.