Chapter 31: Putting a Titan in extreme bondage

Turns out, being the Titan of Knowledge doesn't exactly make you smart. It didn't take us long to find the factory as it was one of the most biggest buildings in town.

The factory was a mansion sized building and was a disturbing orange color. The name, "Derailed", was plastered across the front in bold, white letters. There were a couple cars parked in front of the building and overall, it looked like a pretty normal factory and not a titan's lair.

"Wow," Kai said. "The guy really doesn't know how to keep his private lair, ah, private."

"And what kind of name is Derailed?" I asked.

Arthur pursed his lips. "There's no way he accidentally made his lair this public. It has to be a trap of some kind."

I nodded. Arthur had a point. If we were walking into a trap..there might've been no chance of us making it out with the staff. But, whether it really was a trap or not, we had to go. It's not like we had any other choice.

"Lovely," Kai muttered. "Let's slay a Titan."

We entered the factory, immediately suspecting a monster or trap to come out and kill us. Instead, we ran into an even bigger surprise: a normal looking factory.

There were rows and rows of stocking shelves, with boxes neatly packaged on top. There were also several rows of conveyor belts along with some basic machinery and tools. The factory from inside was a light gray and had gray marble floors. Sitting in front of us was a twenty-foot large throne, which was made out of puffy clouds and Imperial gold. It might've been a nice sight if it wasn't for Koios sitting on top of it.

He was about twenty-feet tall with Stygian iron armor that had a diamond embedded in his breastplate. He had striking light blue eyes which had a similar color to his beard and hair, which was fashioned military style. He also wore a helmet and wielded a massive sword. But the most intimidating part about his look was the plethora of battle scars on his face, making me regret even agreeing to come to the factory.

He was reading a book labeled "The North and it's Wonderful Sights". Upon our entrance, he folded a page with his gigantic hands and put the book down on the floor.

"Hello, heroes," Koios said. He spoke in a very intelligent manner, like Enceladus had back in Michigan. "I've been expecting your arrival."

"Okay, what the heck is a Titan like you doing in a factory?" Kai blurted.

Koios smiled coldly. "After I was able to get out of Tartarus, I took refuge in Walla Walla, awaiting an opportunity to rise up to my full glory. Anyways, I assume you three are here for Hermes's sacred caduceus?"

I nodded, Koios howling in laughter. "You believe a god will ask a favor of a demigod without consequences? You really are quite foolish."

"I'll take my chances," Kai said. "Now, let's make this easy; hand us the caduceus or get destroyed."

"I'd like to see you try and defeat me," Koios said. He raised his sword up, ready for combat.

In response, the three of us brought out our weapons. Arthur kept the yo-yo in his pocket while Kai summoned Hermes's sword.

Koios slashed his sword down at Kai, who blocked it with his own sword. Koios's sword was freezing cold, its blade beginning to freeze up Kai's. Arthur and I went for Koios's other side, but he flicked his other hand and a wave of ice blasted us backwards.

Kai ignited Hermes's sword on fire, burning off the ice. The move caught Koios by surprise as he pulled down his sword, allowing Kai to get a large hit on his left knee. Golden ichor dripped down Koios's leg, meaning tthat we actually stood a chance against the Titan.

"Impressive," Koios said. "An Imperial gold sword enchanted with godly magic."

He brought his sword back up. "But let's see how you deal with this."

Koios went on the offensive, delivering an array of slashes on Kai. Kai was equal to most of them, but the sheer size and power of Koios's blade overwhelmed him as Koios knocked Kai's sword down to the ground, and kicked him in the back with his foot, knocking Kai into a supply shelf.

Arthur then got up quickly and shot a ray of electricity at Koios's blade, zapping the Titan briefly and allowing Kai to get up. I came in next, casting a time spell to slow him down long enough for Kai and Arthur to get in one or two attacks before the spell faded away.

Koios thrusted his hands outward, shooting two beams of ice at Arthur and Kai and pushing them backwards. He then brought his sword down towards me. I dodged to the right and threw my knife at his hand. He quickly pulled his sword back and blocked my knife.

"You heroes must be a different kind of stupid to think you can beat me," Koios said, glaring at us. "And you will never find the caduceus either."

Ugh, I thought. He was really starting to sound like Enceladus.

Kai blasted a large stream of fire at Koios's armor. "You wanna bet, Brain Geek?"

Koios dodged Kai's blast, setting fire to a row of boxes. "I'd welcome you to try."

Kai then dashed at Koios again, parrying his first strike and slashing at Koios's wrist. The Titan howled in pain as more ichor trickled down his body. Arthur got up and shot a stream of electricity at Koios, sending a static jolt up Koios's body. I then got a large strike in at his left ankle before Koios completely lost it.

He roared in rage, a large wave of ice hitting all three of us and toppling over the supply shelves. The wave of ice sent chills up my spine. I felt as if someone had dumped me in a tub full of ice and then threw me in a freezing pool.

"Well, looks like you tried and failed," Koios said. He brought up his sword for one last, killing blow. "Goodbye, heroes."

"Nuh-uh," Kai retorted, getting up quickly. He blocked Koios's strike and sent a blast of fire at Koios, hitting him backwards. "Arthur, the yo-yo!"

Arthur reached into his pocket slowly and threw the yo-yo at Kai. "Y-You g-got t-t-this, K-Kai!"

Kai then blasted another bout of flames at Koios before whipping the yo-yo at Koios's left leg. The Titan stumbled over a bit, using his sword to keep his balance. Kai kept blasting Koios with flames until he made his way all the way around Koios's body, Hermes's rope now completely tied around his legs. Koios fell over, hitting his head on the marble floor.

"G-good j-job, K-Kai!" I managed, my voice shaking. Kai walked over to me and pulled me up, sending a feeling of warmth through my body.

"Ah, that feels good," I said as Kai also helped Arthur up.

Arthur dusted off his shirt. "Well, let's go find the caduceus. Koios won't stay down for long."

Koios tried snapping the rope with his hands, but the rope held tight. He then tried stretching his legs outward to break the rope, but to no avail. Hermes really put a lot of effort into making that rope.

"You can keep trying, Geek Face, but you're not going to get out," Kai said.

The three of us then began searching around the factory, searching through the boxes and fallen supply shelves. As we continued looking around, Koios continuously mocked us, telling us that "We would never find the caduceus", and "We'd give up eventually".

"Oh shut up, Bookworm," Kai said in response to one of Koios's jeers. "Last I checked, you're the one stuck in a rope."

After about an hour or so, we had searched through every box, only finding stacks of papers. One of the boxes was even labeled "That's what she said", which didn't make our search any easier.

"So it's not any of the boxes," Arthur said. "Let's try checking the conveyor belts. That's our last hope."

We then split up, each of us searching two conveyor belts within the factory. After searching through a few of the boxes on the belt, I moved onto the second one, where I again failed to find the caduceus.

"It's not in any of mine!" I said to Kai and Arthur.

"Me neither," Kai said.

Arthur searched through the last of his boxes. "Not here either."

"Dang it!" I shouted, shooting a fire spell at a foyer belt out of rage. My fire spell blew up part of the conveyor belt, revealing a hidden compartment underneath.

"Hold on, guys," I said, mystified. "There's hidden compartments underneath the conveyor belts."

With that revelation, we scoured through the hidden compartments, and we soon found the caduceus.

It was a three foot long staff with dove wings spreading out from the top, and two green snakes coiled around the middle. I had seen the symbol before; when Amethyst toured me around camp and showed me the cabins. It was the sign of the Hermes cabin.

One of the snakes hissed. "Who are you three?"

My mind seemed to blow up. The weird thing was that I heard what it said in my mind rather than in my ears.

A talking snake? First Greek gods, then dragons, and now talking snakes? Had I officially gone insane?

"We're three demigods that Hermes sent to find you," Arthur said. It seemed that the snakes talked through everyone's minds. Freaky stuff.

"Ah," the snake said. "Hermes sent you. Very well. I am Martha, and this other snake is George, my husband."

Snake marriage? All right, I think I had definitely gone insane.

"I like rats," George said. "Do you have any rats, creepy girl?"

I scoffed. Creepy girl? Hermes was right when he told me about George.

"Wow," Kai said. "Hermes has two talking snakes. That's… strange."

"Well, take us back," Martha hissed. "Hermes would be helpless without us."

Arthur picked up the staff as we headed for the exit. Koios was still slumped onto the floor. "You heroes will die for embarrassing me. Mark my words."

"Zip it, Professor Books," Kai said.

"Books?" George asked. "Do you have any paper for me to eat?"

I stared at the snake. "Paper? Are you kidding me?"

"I'm so hungry, I could eat you, moon girl!" George exclaimed, sticking his tongue out at me.

"George, why don't we calm down?" Martha coaxed. She then turned towards me. "Sorry. George can be a bit rash."

Huh, what a reasonable snake, I thought. Really makes you wonder why and how George and Martha ever married each other.

We exited the factory, which is when I realized something. "Hold up. We just destroyed everything in the factory."

"Yup," Kai said.

"So aren't mortals going to see that when they come to the factory?"

"Huh," Kai said. "Well, their loss."

We headed back to the gas station. George constantly kept asking for rats, papers, meat, burgers, fries, slushies, plastic, the list goes on.

When we got there, Hermes was waiting for us, now wearing a California Triathlon shirt and wearing a watch on his wrist. "Did you find it?"

"Yeah," Arthur answered, handing Hermes the caduceus.

Hermes marveled at the staff. "Thanks guys. I've always liked demigods, you know. Anyways, because you guys got my staff back, I'll tell you where the mask is."

"Ooh, is it a plastic mask?" George asked. "That'd be delicious."

The more I thought about it, the more I thought about how George and Alexander would be really good friends.

"Ah, sweetie, let's wait for Hermes to tell the demigods what he needs to say," Martha suggested.

"Thank you, Martha," Hermes said. "The fourth mask is in Los Angeles, in a haunted house named Spooky Stuff."