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He looked the saet over the differences between Bacchus and his old not-so-much-of-a-friend Mr D

Bacchus was er hair, er in his eyes He even

Ephialtes’s spear quivered "You--you gods are dooone, in the name of Gaea!"

"Hh the ruined props, platforms, and special effects

"Tacky" He waved his hand at a painted wooden gladiator, then turned to apin studded with knives "Cheap Boring And this…" He inspected the rocket-launching contraption, which was still s Honestly, Ephialtes You have no sense of style"

"STYLE?" The giant’s face flushed "I have mountains of style I define style I--I--"

"My brother oozes style," Otis suggested

"Thank you!" Ephialtes cried

Bacchus stepped forward, and the giants stuod

"Oh, that’s low," Ephialtes growled "I’ods, always hiding behind yourthe fate of Olympus to the likes of these"

He sneered at Percy

Jason hefted his sword "Lord Bacchus, are we going to kill these giants or what?"

"Well, I certainly hope so," Bacchus said "Please, carry on"

Percy stared at hied "Oh, I appreciated the sacrifice at sea A whole ship full of Diet Coke Very nice Although I would’ve preferred Diet Pepsi"

"And six old and jewels," Percy h with deratuity is included, so that wasn’t necessary"

"What?"

"Never ot my attention I’m here Now I need to see if you’re worthy of my help Go ahead Battle If I’rand finale"

"We speared one," Percy said "Dropped the roof on the other What do you consider iood question…" Bacchus tapped his thyrsus Then he smiled in a way that made Percy think, Uh-oh "Perhaps you need inspiration! The stage hasn’t been properly set You call this a spectacle, Ephialtes? Let od dissolved into purple mist Piper and Nico disappeared

"Pipes!" Jason yelled "Bacchus, where did you--?"

The entire floor ru opened in a series of panels Sunlight poured in The air shie, and Percy heard the roar of a crowd above hih a forest of weathered stone columns, into the middle of a ruined coliseum

Percy’s heart did a somersault This wasn’t just any coliseuiants’ special effectsplanks across ruined support beaain The bleachers repaired theold canopy extended overhead to provide shade from the afternoon sun The eolden eagles The roar of applause cahosts, the Lares of Roht back for an encore performance

Vents opened in the floor and sprayed sand across the arena Huge props sprang up--garage-size mountains of plaster, stone columns, and (for some reason) life-size plastic barnyard animals A small lake appeared to one side Ditches crisscrossed the arena floor in case anyone was in thethe twin giants

"This is a proper show!" boo purple robes and golden laurels At his left sat Nico and Piper, her shoulder being tended by a nyht crouched a satyr, offering up Doritos and grapes The god raised a can of Diet Pepsi and the croent respectfully quiet

Percy glared up at hiod is right!" Ephialtes bellowed "Fight us yourself, coward! Uods"

Bacchus smiled lazily "Juno says she’s asseods Show me Entertain od has its privileges"

He popped his soda can top, and the crowd cheered

Chapter 48

Percy had fought ht in a couple of arenas, but nothing like this In the huge Colosseu down at hi over hi He also felt very angry

Fighting giants was one thing Bacchuselse