Contents
XXXVIII
Overview
A Maeonian drakon attacks in the Tartarus swamp, but the giant Damasen emerges and brutally slays it with an uprooted oak. Bob reveals Damasen is peaceful and can cure poisons, offering hope for Percy. Damasen questions Bob’s promise yet invites them in for stew and possible aid.
Summary
Annabeth, struggling to keep poisoned Percy alive, faces a looming Maeonian drakon whose beauty belies its lethality. As the drakon advances, spitting fragrant green poison that ignites tar pits, Annabeth prepares to distract it so Bob can get Percy to safety.
Before she can act, a twenty-foot-tall giant storms from a hut. The red-skinned, swamp-dwelling Damasen challenges the drakon. In a swift, brutal fight, Damasen uproots an oak, jams it down the drakon’s throat, and pins it as the roots take hold. He finishes the monster with a crushing blow, leaving a skull encircling the newly rooted tree.
As the drakon dissolves, Damasen scavenges its remains, lamenting the lack of good bones but keeping hide for practical use. Bob affirms Damasen’s peaceful nature and his ability to cure poisons, while Annabeth, still focused on saving Percy, presses for help.
Damasen eyes the newcomers warily, questioning Bob’s “promise” of his aid. Nevertheless, he invites them into his hut for stew and says they will discuss the promise afterward, offering the first concrete chance to heal Percy in Tartarus.
Who Appears
- Annabeth ChaseProtects poisoned Percy, prepares to distract the drakon, seeks Damasen’s help to save Percy.
- DamasenReclusive giant who slays the drakon with an oak and may cure Percy’s poison.
- Bob (Iapetus)Guides Annabeth and Percy; vouches for Damasen’s peaceful nature and healing ability.
- Percy JacksonSeverely poisoned and semi-conscious, the urgent focus of Annabeth’s rescue effort.
- Maeonian DrakonBeautiful, lethal serpent-like monster; attacks and is killed by Damasen.
- Small BobSabre-toothed kitten companion; observes and approves Damasen’s victory.