Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

So, with a mighty roar, the largest pig they had ever seen burst onto the road. The ground trembled beneath its enormous hooves, each step sending snow flying and the surrounding trees swaying. It was a wild boar, immense, about nine meters tall. Its snout was runny and pink, its tusks as large as canoes, and its bristling brown fur gleamed in the dim light. Its wild, furious eyes seemed to reflect all the fury of nature.

"REEEEEEEEET!" squealed the monster, its thunderous voice echoing through the valley. With a single movement, it launched three skeletons into the air with its tusks. The undead warriors didn't stand a chance. They were hurled against the trees and the mountainside, disintegrating into pieces—femurs, ribs, and skulls flew in all directions, like leaves in the wind.

The boar turned its menacing gaze toward the group.

Ikki took a step forward, eyes narrowed, prepared to face the beast. But Grover, still leaning on him, shouted urgently:

"Don't kill it!"

The boar grunted again, scraping its hooves on the snow-covered ground, its wild eyes fixed on the group like a predator stalking its prey.

"It's the Erymanthian Boar," Zoe said, trying to remain calm as she retreated slowly. Her eyes turned to Ikki, aware that he was the only person there who could face it as an equal. "I don't think we can defeat it... unless it's him."

Grover intervened, his voice trembling but firm: "It's a gift! A blessing of nature!"

"REEEEEEEEET!" squealed the boar again, moving its tusks as if challenging that statement. It charged powerfully, and Phoebe and Atalanta threw themselves to the side, rolling through the snow to avoid the attack.

Thalia, quick as always, pushed Grover out of the way before he was trampled. "Is that what you call a blessing?!" she shouted, frustrated.

"Spread out!" Ikki ordered, his firm voice cutting through the confusion. He sighed deeply as he watched the boar, clearly thinking about his next move.

They separated, running in opposite directions, and for a moment, the boar was confused, turning its massive head from side to side as it tried to decide whom to pursue.

"It wants to kill us!" Thalia exclaimed, stopping beside a fallen tree.

"It's wild!" Grover replied, almost indignant, as if that were obvious.

"So how is this a blessing?!" Phoebe shouted, nimbly dodging another charge.

The boar, as if offended by the question, squealed loudly and charged towards her. Phoebe barely managed to deflect, rolling out of the way. The boar's tusks missed their target, but hit the "WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT" sign squarely, which was pulverized in an explosion of wood and twisted metal.

Ikki watched the scene, his mind working quickly as he tried to remember the legend of the Erymanthian Boar. He knew that Hercules had faced this creature before, but how had he defeated it without killing it? His memory failed him, but he knew he needed to act fast.

"No way," he muttered to himself, scratching his head as he watched the chaos unfold before him. "I'll just knock it out."

Although his [Artificial Divinity] was no longer active, Ikki still had enough control over his strength... or at least he hoped he did. He remembered the incident at the museum and decided that, this time, he would be more careful—if he hadn't gotten used to controlling his body the whole country would have been wiped off the map with one punch.

The son of Zeus stepped forward, took a deep breath, and prepared to face the beast. He only needed one well-calculated blow.

The boar squealed again, its tusks gleaming in the twilight as it prepared another charge. The ground trembled as the wild creature advanced, its eyes fixed on its target.

Before anyone could react, Ikki stepped forward.

He didn't flinch. He didn't hesitate. He just stood there, waiting.

When the boar got close enough, Ikki moved.

In an instant, his body disappeared from normal vision. A black and white blur crossed the space between him and the giant beast.

BOOM!

A single impact shook the valley.

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The sound of the boar's charge ceased, the wind stopped blowing, and everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.

The enormous beast was thrown back.

As if struck by thunder, the Erymanthian Boar flew several meters through the air, its body colliding with the ground and sliding through the snow, leaving a long trail of destruction until finally stopping, motionless.

Silence.

Atalanta, Zoe, Phoebe, and Thalia were paralyzed. Their eyes moved between Ikki and the unconscious beast on the ground.

Grover blinked a few times, stunned. "O-okay... I... I think we understand now..."

The boar let out a low groan, unconscious. Its heavy breathing was the only proof that it was still alive.

Ikki stood there, expressionless, his fists relaxed.

As if what had just happened were completely normal.

"Wha..." Thalia started, but stopped, still trying to process what she had seen.

Zoe, who rarely showed surprise, looked at Ikki with something between astonishment and reluctant respect.

Phoebe crossed her arms and let out a low whistle. "I guess we don't need to worry about him anymore."

Ikki just turned to Grover and said, casually, "So... this is your blessing?"

"Yes! A blessing of Nature," Grover said, although his expression betrayed a mixture of relief and worry. He looked at the giant boar with attentive eyes, as if trying to ensure that the creature was alright, despite the violent impact that had knocked it down.

Zoe let out a long sigh, turning into white mist in the winter chill. The monster had been successfully contained, as she expected from the son of Zeus. "We should use it," she said, assessing the now immobile creature.

"Hold on," Thalia interrupted, her voice laced with disbelief and irritation. She was still covered in snow, looking like someone who had just lost a fierce fight against a particularly aggressive Christmas tree. "Explain why you're so sure this giant pig is a blessing."

Grover, still slightly distracted, looked towards the horizon, as if expecting to find something there. "It's our ride west," he said simply. "Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?"

Ikki crossed his arms, analyzing the situation. The plan seemed somewhat pointless—but, considering what they had already faced, it wasn't the strangest thing of the day by a long shot. He shrugged. "Although I'd prefer a car, it's still fun…" He noticed the satyr's animated gaze and realized he couldn't simply suggest stealing a vehicle without ruining Grover's enthusiasm, and also although he could move faster in a westerly direction, reaching some destination in mind at a speed that would make Hermes envious, the group had to be together, he couldn't take everyone together because it would be uncomfortable for them.

The satyr nodded quickly. "We need to ride it. I wish… I wish I'd had more time to look around." He hesitated, his expression turning melancholic. "But it's gone now."

The group looked at each other, confused.

"What's gone?" Thalia asked, arching an eyebrow.

Grover took a deep breath before answering, his voice filled with a deep yearning. "The Lord of the Wild, of course." His gaze drifted for a moment, as if still trying to capture a trace of the presence he felt. "Just for an instant, when the boar arrived, I felt the presence of Pan."

An uncomfortable silence settled among them. Even those who didn't share Grover's obsession with the wild god could understand the weight of his words.

Still shaken, Grover walked up to the boar and, without hesitation, jumped onto its back. The creature let out a deep grunt and began to shake the snow off its thick fur. With a powerful movement of its front legs, it began to make its way down the icy road. Once it was completely free, no one would be able to stop it.

Grover, determined, took his flute and began to play an out-of-tune melody, eliciting a grimace from Thalia. Then, he tossed an enchanted apple into the air. The fruit floated just above the boar's snout, gleaming in the pale moonlight.

The effect was immediate. The boar squealed and darted after the apple as if its life depended on it.

"Automatic steering." Thalia muttered, massaging her temples: "Great."

Thalia sighed, muttering something about "great heroes riding a gigantic pig," before jumping behind Grover, holding onto the satyr's belt so as not to fall. To her surprise, the creature was incredibly stable, despite the absurd speed it was starting to move at.

Atalanta and Phoebe exchanged glances.

"This is going to be interesting..." Atalanta commented, analyzing the giant animal with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity.

Phoebe shrugged before climbing onto the creature: "As long as it doesn't try to kill us midway, I think we can consider this progress."

The two climbed on top of the boar and settled in.

Zoe hopped up too, before settling herself on the boar, Ikki climbed onto the boar with the same ease he would enter a taxi, with a sigh he stood behind her leaving the girl somewhat disarmed. The fact that a man was right behind her a few inches away didn't bother her as much as it should have, she had a strange expression...

With a mighty squeal, the Erymanthian Boar accelerated, its hooves crushing the snow and ice as it carried them west.

They rode the boar until sunset, which was as much as their bodies could take — with the exception of Ikki who didn't feel any discomfort — Imagine spending the entire day being dragged over a giant steel brush by a gravel bed. That was the experience of riding the Erymanthian Boar.

The hot desert wind lashed their faces as the boar sped along at impressive speed, raising clouds of dust that seemed to form small whirlwinds behind them. With each jolt of the creature, they felt their bones shudder.

Ikki, however, seemed oblivious to the discomfort. He remained quiet behind Zoe, listening to the conversations around him without really participating. The Hunters exchanged stories about their past hunts, while Thalia and Zoe continued their persistent rivalry, exchanging sharp barbs like blades.

The terrain changed drastically as they progressed. The towering mountains, which had previously surrounded the horizon behind and to the sides, were gradually replaced by a vast expanse of dry, flat land. Vegetation was scarce, only a few sparse bushes and tufts of dried grass appeared here and there, like vestiges of life in an unforgiving environment.

When night fell, the boar finally stopped near a stream, snorting heavily. Its huge snout plunged into the muddy water, sucking up large, noisy gulps before turning to a huge saguaro cactus. With a powerful movement of its head, it ripped the thorny plant from the ground and began to chew it as if it were a soft snack, indifferent to the thorns piercing its mouth.

"This is as far as it will go," said Grover, sliding off the animal's back and cracking his sore back. "We need to leave before it realizes we're still here."

No one argued.

They dismounted the boar with stiff movements, feeling their muscles protest after so many hours on that brutal journey, each massaging their arms or legs, trying to dispel the numbness. Even Ikki moved his arm and cracked his neck, but it was more out of habit than necessity. The boar, in turn, completely ignored their presence. After devouring its third cactus and drinking another gulp of muddy water, it let out a long, sonorous belch and, without any ceremony, turned to gallop back east, disappearing into the horizon as if it had never existed.

"Definitely a wild animal," Atalanta commented with a discreet smile, watching the creature disappear into the darkness. "It belongs in the mountains."

"Can't blame it," said Thalia. "Just look."

Everyone looked up at the scene ahead. The two-lane road was almost completely covered in sand, becoming little more than a pale scar on the arid earth. Across the road, a small cluster of lonely buildings stretched out, looking abandoned for years.

There was a walled house, its walls worn by time. A taco shop that probably hadn't seen customers since before Zoe Nightshade was born. A post office, whose white plaster was cracked and faded. Above the door, a wooden sign swayed precariously in the wind, its faded letters spelling out Gila Claw, Arizona.

But what caught their attention the most was beyond these buildings.

On the horizon, hills rose – but not ordinary hills. Their shape was too irregular, their composition something very different from earth and rock. They weren't natural formations, but rather artificial mountains of scrap: gigantic piles of old cars, rusty tools, and discarded metal parts. A junkyard that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, a veritable graveyard of forgotten machines under the darkened sky.

Thalia crossed her arms, examining the scene: "Something tells me we're not going to find a rental car here."

She turned to Grover, who was standing, sniffing the air with a worried expression. "I suppose you don't have another wild boar up your sleeve?"

Grover ignored the joke. He pulled a handful of acorns from his pocket, holding them seriously. With a careful movement, he tossed them onto the sandy ground. Then, he took out his flute and played a short, hesitant melody.

The acorns scattered and began to rearrange themselves, forming a seemingly meaningless pattern in the sand. But Grover narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming somber.

"That's us," he murmured, pointing to a small group of acorns gathered together. "Those five there."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Which one is me?"

"The small, deformed one," Zoe suggested, with a mischievous smile.

Thalia narrowed her eyes. "Oh, shut up."

But Grover didn't seem interested in the exchange of taunts. He pointed to a cluster of acorns further away, and his breath hitched.

"That… is trouble."

Ikki frowned, turning towards the junkyard. He focused his senses, trying to pick up any hostile presence, but felt only the silence of the desert. No monster. No threat. Just the wind cutting through the rusted metal.

"A monster?" Ikki asked, his voice carrying slight skepticism.

Grover bit his lower lip, looking increasingly uneasy. "I don't know."

He looked at the junkyard once more, as if expecting something to emerge from it at any moment. "I don't feel anything… and that doesn't make sense."

Ikki pondered slowly on this, remembering the prophecy, according to the prophecy; One shall be lost in the land without rain, which explained the location they were at now.

Being lost… didn't just mean straying from the group. It didn't just mean disappearing for a few hours. It meant death.

His heart sank in his chest. The sight of the acorns scattered in the sand took on a new meaning. One of them wouldn't leave that junkyard. It was a decree of fate. An unavoidable warning.

Which meant that him taking the reins of this mission didn't matter at all, he had still been manipulated by fate to reach this point. His consideration for Grover made him ride a boar that would bring them to this arid land, his feeling of wanting to investigate the museum that Luke and the General had been in was also manipulated... The gasoline running out at that point where Apollo helped them cross the country, this whole series of events was done by fate...

He hated this feeling. This suffocating helplessness, as if everything had already been written and he was just a piece in a game he couldn't win. That's what fate did—it ripped away everything that mattered and called it "inevitable will."

It was fate that took his mother.

It was fate that destroyed everything he believed to be safe.

Something inside him boiled, burning everything. An ancient, dark, and powerful emotion.

Hatred.

Not against a monster, nor against an enemy he could defeat with his fists. But against fate itself.

It seemed childish to blame something so abstract, so distant. But he knew the truth. Fate wasn't just a concept. It was real. It existed in this world. It shaped events like a cruel dictator, choosing who lived and who died without any explanation, without any mercy.

He wouldn't accept it.

If fate wanted to take one of them, then let it come and try.

He would destroy it. No matter how. No matter the cost.

His hatred clouded the judgment of just wanting to leave this place and take another path to where Artemis was. Something so simple and effective was disregarded, the fact that a life could be lost while he tried to fight against fate was also irrelevant — he would not let any of them be lost in this land, his arrogance again took over his attitudes...

Grover took a deep breath and pointed at the pile of twisted metal.

"The acorns don't lie," he said, his voice lower now. "Our next challenge awaits us there."

The desert wind blew harder, whistling through the mounds of scrap.

The sunlight had completely disappeared, and now the metal hills looked like distorted specters of a dead world, hiding secrets in the darkness.