Page 184

‘Now we shall see who rules the world,’ he said.

At his command, every statue in the city groaned and creaked to life, becoming animate as Romans fled.

Claudia turned and looked up, aghast, watching as the giant athlete stepped down from the podium they were standing on. He kicked them aside with his enormous bronze legs as he moved forth, throwing Claudia and Gia to the ground.

Claudia crashed down onto the cobbled stone with a painful jarring of limbs, winded and grazed, watching in cold horror as the statue threw his giant discus into the crowd in the Forum.

People parted in screaming waves, diving out of its path. Those who didn’t were struck with the force of a cannon, their bodies flying through the air.

Gia scrambled up, dragging Claudia to her feet.

As they raced past, an enormous statue of a chariot rider burst through the Colosseum, breaking its exterior wall. Drawn by titanic horses, the vehicle cast a terrifying shadow upon the street ahead, tearing up stone as it hurtled forwards and crushing people under its colossal gold wheels. The snapping whip of its charioteer echoed horribly, making the road shake.

Gia pushed them out of the way again as it careened towards them, headed for the palace.

Every god, emperor and warrior cast in marble or bronze now stepped down from their podiums and moved through the crowd, tossing people to the side with their inhuman strength.

Neptune climbed out of a fountain as a giant Venus strolled down the Appian Way, already missing one arm. A marble Augustus in armour rallied the troops, while the hollow-eyed Orator addressed the crowd with a speech. A massive bronze equestrian statue galloped past, trampling mortals underfoot. A bronze Capitoline wolf stalked the streets, pursued by two stone gladiators who crumbled as they fought each other. Even the carved figures of pillars who held up roofs walked away to join the affray, leaving their buildings collapsing behind them.

‘Do you see?’ roared Jupiter. ‘Even the statues are loyal to me. I command the heavens and the earth. I have dominion over the elements. There is no force in the cosmos more powerful than the king of the gods. First, the empire, then all the world will be mine to rule.’

Gia nudged Claudia. ‘Look,’ she hissed.

Claudia followed her line of sight.

Jupiter was now much larger than any man, looming over the city and casting an enormous shadow, and yet he was no different to a human male in his hubris and ego. He was so busy extolling his virtues and his victory to the crowd of gathered gods and mortals, he didn’t notice the large hole that had opened up in the middle of the Forum behind him, where one of his own lightning spears had struck the ground.

Claudia watched as the abyss grew larger, until every head turned towards it. It swallowed up the road and the nearby buildings, pulling everything into the swirling, glittering void.

The crowd shrank away, murmuring fearfully, clamouring not to be swallowed up by the growing hole.

Jupiter paused his speech, looking to the cause of the collapse.

‘Who dares to interrupt me, in the middle of victory?’ he said.

Mercury emerged from the hole, looking slightly sheepish.

‘It is I, my king,’ he said, bowing.

‘It’s about time, Mercury,’ said Jupiter. ‘I assume that you finally located Minerva?’

‘I did,’ he said.

‘And?’ pressed Jupiter. ‘What did she say? Does she submit? Does she accept defeat?’

‘Not exactly,’ said Mercury.

Suddenly, something flew out of the hole in the ground, rising high in the sky: a winged woman holding a bow. An arrow struck one of Jupiter’s soldiers in the head, his chariot plummeting to the ground.

‘What is this?’ Jupiter roared.

In response, a dozen other winged warriors emerged, sweeping through the air as they fired an endless stream of arrows.

Gia grabbed hold of Claudia, pushing her out of the way just as one of them crashed through the rows of people packed into the Forum, now emptying hastily.

Arrows rained down, fired by the creatures emerging from the ground. Claudia recognized the flying warriors she’d seen briefly in the underworld, soaring over the Forum as they targeted the soldiers of Mars and Jupiter. Furies and harpies, attacking in feral flocks.

Among them, Claudia saw Discordia, Invidia and red-haired Bellona, helmeted and raising her bloodied sword in defiance.