Rowan → Ethan Nakamura ✔

Pincer

The manticore's tail fired spikes longer than Nico's forearm. Its speed was that of bullets from a machine gun.

He opened his mouth to tell Rowan to take cover, but a gust of wind cut him off. Nico stared. Rowan was wielding her Guandao like a baton, spinning it so fast it resembled helicopter blades. The weapon formed a shield against the spikes. They shot towards the ground, stabbing into the concrete.

"I'll keep its tail occupied," Rowan said. Despite her hands moving like propellers, her voice was steady. "You go for the head."

Without waiting for a reply, Rowan leaped onto the hood of a nearby car, ran up its roof, and jumped.

She soared high above the manticore, at a height that wasn't possible, not even for demigods. Her Guandao spun all the while, shielding her from the spikes that followed her like homing missiles. Rowan's body arched with a strange grace, and she landed perfectly behind the manticore as if she were a gymnast at the Olympics.

The manticore roared, slightly bewildered but more so angered by Rowan's performance. It was about to turn to face her when Nico held up his sword.

"Over here, you ugly lump!"

He saw a flash of fear that he was accustomed to whenever monsters saw his weapon. Being absorbed into his blade was a fate that nothing with a soul desired. Then, the manticore's beastly fury returned.

"So be it," The monster growled. "I will – MULTITASK!"

The manticore charged at him, powerful limbs pounding against the ground. Nico quickly dodged, his sword clipping its claws. Another swipe, and Nico parried, bone meeting Stygian Iron. All the while, spikes were shot at Rowan, who flipped and almost flew as she lessened the distance between her and the manticore's tail.

"You will not survive this quest, Son of Hades," The manticore taunted. Nico ducked another blow. "The Fates have been in your favor so far, but not this time."

"Oh yeah? What makes you think that?"

"I have heard whispers in Tartarus," A smug glint came into the monster's different colored eyes. "There will come a time when your fortune will not be spun by the three sisters."

"That's the laziest lie I've ever heard." He blocked, quickly twisting his blade. The maneuver caught the manticore by surprise, and a deep cut appeared on its front limbs.

It hissed through sharpened fangs. "When your gods cannot save you, then you will see the truth!"

"The gods don't control the Fates."

"And the Fates do not control her."

Nico's eyes widened. The manticore's turned to slits of sly cunning. It batted Nico's stomach – this time the blow connected. He slammed into a trash can, both him and the bin falling over.

The manticore spun around, roaring at Rowan. Its mane was facing her now, and its tail pointed towards Nico.

"Ah crap," He muttered, and the first spike came, narrowly missing his leg.

Nico scrambled to his feet and ran. He ducked behind cars, phone booths, whatever held until it was torn to shreds by the spikes. It didn't matter that the manticore couldn't see him – its tail seemed to have eyes of its own, for it followed Nico wherever he went, poison-tipped projectiles on his heels.

He couldn't do Rowan's fan-helicopter thing; his sword wasn't nearly light enough for that. How well was she holding up anyway, having never seen a manticore in her life?

Nico risked a quick peek over the top of an SUV. Rowan was mercilessly slashing and spearing with her Guandao. The manticore was being forced to back away, desperately leaping with its back legs to avoid her blade. From the look on the monster's face, it hadn't expected to play defense either.