The Return of Leo Valdez (After Blood of Olympus)

49- Leo

"Leo Valdez!" A booming voice called from outside Leo's guest room. The walls seemed to close in on Leo, like he was already facing one his impossible challenges.

"Are you ready to face your impossible challenge?"

Zeus. Zeus was calling for him. Leo knew he couldn't keep the God of the skies waiting, but he knew that at this moment he would never come back alive.

Leo shuffled together his tool belt and trudged outside the room. Leo looked up at Zeus, who was beaming with pleasure.

He must be really excited to see me torn to bits, Leo thought.

Zeus lead Leo down the grand hallways of the house. When Leo got to the end of the hallway, a large wooden door greeted him.

"Good luck on challenge 1, Valdez," Zeus said coldly.

Geez, Leo thought. Why the sudden change of mood?

"Also leave your tool belt," Zeus mentioned. "You'll get new weapons inside."

Leo groaned and took of his tool belt. He handed it to Zeus who smiled with glee.

Jeez that guys has mood swings.

Leo stomach felt like bees swarming him, consuming him. I am going to die.

Leo knew it. He was going to die here. I mean, it is an impossible challenge.

Zeus opened up the large wooden door that stood in front of Leo. Leo hesitantly stepped inside.

The child of Hephaestus gasped when he was faced with a modern day Colosseum, and he was standing right in the center of the rank.

Godly fans cheered and roared in the stands.

Great, Leo thought. I never knew so many people want to see me ripped to shreds.

"Leo Valdez!" Zeus boomed. "Choose your weapon!"

Leo looked around the rink, sitting on the floor were six metal objects. Leo glanced at all of them. A katana, a sword, a battle axe...nothing to Leo's liking.

"Can I just use my tool belt?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Zeus said hesitantly. Leo couldn't see Zeus in the stands, but he knew he was there, watching.

Next to the Katana, a small belt appeared. Leo ambled over and picked it up gingerly, as if he were afraid it was a trap.

The rest of the weapons disappeared instantly as Leo touched the belt.

"Are you ready to begin your first challenge?" Zeus boomed.

"Hell yeah I am!" Leo yelled, trying to sound confident, even though deep down inside he knew he wasn't.

The arena was silent for a second, as if they were all waiting for something to happen. The excitement that radiated off the spectators was overwhelming. Maybe not choking is his real first challenge.

"Let the first challenge...begin!" Zeus shouted.

Leo couldn't describe the buzz of bees in his stomach. His brain was overwhelmed with commotion and feeling.

Part of him knew he wouldn't make it out alive. But the other part of him knew he had too, for Calypso.

Leo could hear the sound of chains clanking as a large iron door began to open on the opposite side of the arena.

Leo knew he had to try, but he felt so unprepared. At least tell him what he is facing first.

Then the chain clanking stopped. No one spoke a word. The only sound was the heartbeat in Leo's ears. The iron door was fully rolled up. Whatever was behind it could jump out at any minute.

Leo placed his shaking hand on his tool belt and tried to look as confident as possible. But he knew that all the spectators knew differently.

"Come on! What are you waiting for Lion! Rip him to shreds!" Someone yelled from the stands.

Lion?

Nothing happened. Then something did.

A low growl echoed from behind the opened doors. Chains clanked slowly., repeatedly and murderously.

Clank...clank...clank, the chains went. Whatever monster was behind that door really knew how to add suspense to a show.

Leo then heard footsteps. Big footsteps.

Then everything was silent. Leo gripped his tool belt pocket, ready to pull out anything he needed.

The silence was agonizing. Leo waited and waited. It was probably only a few seconds, but it felt like hours. Leo never thought that he would actually wait for his death.

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!

The crowd cheered in delight as the biggest, meanest lion Leo had ever seen bounded out of the gates.

He was no bigger than the average lion, but his eyes. The lions eyes were the most bloodthirstiest things Leo had ever seen.

The lion stared at Leo and snarled. Leo didn't move and the lion didn't move. It seemed like they were wrapped in a staring contest, both studying each other.

The lion let our one more ROOOOOAAARRR!!! Before bounding to Leo.

But all Leo did was smirk mischievously.

"Leo versus Leo," he murmured before charging at his first trip back home.

****
Hey guys. I'm actually really sorry I haven't been able to write.

But I have no school today and an actual spark of inspiration! I'm going to be skipping around POVs, and this book should only have about six more chapters!

Peach out! ~Anna

PS- here is a little apology song above ^