Chapter 75 - Arachnophobia

A man spider cam bursting through next, (think centaur, only with a spider body instead of a horse.) Covered in smaller spiders crawling all over and around it. The many beady little black eyes looking around for the girls as it spotted them behind Theoric, giving a roar with its bug-like mouth, drool sent flying out.

Annabeth hearing the roar cowered further into Io's embrace.

Io feeling exacerbated about her arachnophobia did her best to try and calm her, "Shh, shh, Anna, everything will be fine, it's just a spider, you have to get over this at some point." she said not worrying in the slightest after witnessing the ease at which Theoric took down the cyclops from earlier.

Theoric surprised to find another magical creature watched it closely as he powered up, now glowing orange with the telltale signs of his skin layer shield.

The man spider shot out webs from its mouth while ordering its brood to attack.

Theoric lifted his hand up erecting a barrier in the same motion to catch the incoming web, then sent it out, pushing all the incoming spiders back towards the man spider who quickly jumped back onto a tree dodging it, climbing backward as it watched his brood get swept away.

The man spider then jumped from its perch at Trenton who easily captured it in the air with an orange bubble. It roared and slammed against its cage but was incapable of damaging it for its prowess did not lie in strength.

They couldn't hear anything though as the sound was also blocked off as they watched the creature struggle against its prison walls.

The brood came back still following the last order they received as they attacked again, Theoric then gathered them together in another ball and left it floating by their master.

Theoric turned to the girls- "Well that's done."

Io still comforting Anna who wouldn't move with spiders so close, caged or not, coldly said- "Then remove that filth and get dressed."

Theoric wryly grinned at her cold attitude, intending to do as she said until the crashing from the north reached them.

"What's that?" asked Io.

The cyclops they already escaped from once, came crashing through letting out a far mightier roar than the spider could ever hope to accomplish.

Cyclops- "I found you again Olympian sc.u.ms, this time your tricks won't work as I am now prepared knowing what you are." he said with his eye narrowing to Theoric who sneak attacked him last time, believing him to be another Olympian despite the unusual smell, for he believed only an Olympian could contest his strength.

Io glared at Theoric, expressing her discontent that he didn't end the creature when he had the chance.

Theoric paid it no mind though as he thought to communicate once more with the Cyclops- "Is there no way we can solve this peacefully, perhaps you could tell me why you hate the Olympians so much?"

Cyclops scoffed- "As if you don't know how your backstabbing parents allied with us and commissioned weapons powerful enough to fight the titans which upon acquisition won the war and then proceeded to kick everyone else that wasn't an Olympian out, and then gave the credit of crafting the weapons to their poor excuse of a blacksmithing god, thus deluding themselves and everyone else that they are the best and no one can be better."

Theoric was starting to get a feel now about what the gods were like as he realized they were going to be a problem.

Theoric- "My condolences for what happened, but don't you think you're taking it to far by trying to kill us."

Cyclops angrily responded- "Your Parents Kicked Us Out Of Our Home After We Won Them The War, We Deserve Retribution!"

"Is there really no other way?" he asked forming a club behind the Cyclops head.

Cyclops- "Enough, it's time for you to die and show those backstabbing filth the error of their ways."

Theoric sighed seeing there was no reasoning with him as the Cyclops attempted to charge over before the club slammed down putting him back to sleep.

Io- "Will you kill him now?"

Theoric was starting to dislike this woman- "No."

Io pointed up- "And what about them?"

Theoric frowned- "No, I won't kill them either."

Io- "You should at least move them away, Anna can't handle spiders as you can see."

"They're gone now, no reason to be afraid anymore."

Peaking out, Annabeth saw no more spiders, her eyes wandering around just to make sure until it came to rest upon a sight unfamiliar to her as it was her first time seeing one.

Theoric catching her line of sight grinned- "Like what you see?"

Annabeth went red as a tomato as she turned around to avoid looking.

Io frostily said- "Go put on clothes."

"Tch, don't act like you don't like seeing it," he said taking a shot in the dark chance to break her frozen heart, spouting crap he didn't even believe.

Io didn't say anything else as her inner thoughts ran wild while watching his back as he went to collect his things. He saved them not once, but twice, no matter how much she dislikes men, even she would warm a little.

All dressed and ready to go, he started walking back towards his home.

Io- "Where are you going?"

Theoric- "Home."

Anna- "What about us?"

Theoric paused turning back- "What about you?"

Anna taking the initiative knowing Io wouldn't wish to talk anymore to him- "You can't just leave us, we need your help to reach Athens, I'm not strong enough yet to go at it alone."

"You didn't seem to care about this when you left in the middle of the night."

Anna flushed in embarrassment while Io just looked away.

Anna sincerely asked- "Please help us."

Theoric couldn't resist, looking at her puppy dog look, begging for his help. Those mesmerizing eyes were truly something special.- "Fine, but I'm still heading home first, I'm not going to leave my wife behind."

Anna froze when she heard he was married.- "Wife?" The first time hearing it, Io having never told her he was married.

Io seeing this sighed as she spoke up to help Anna- "What will you do with this guy, will you just leave him here so we can meet again on the way back?"

"Doesn't matter, does it?" he rhetorically asked.

He then proceeded to head north not caring one way or the other if they follow. Io rolled her eyes while dragging Anna along so they wouldn't fall behind.