ATLOP: Lessons in Water

Divine Intervention

bows I know, I left you all on a cliff hanger last chapter. But this time there's no cliff hanger <3. Only one more chapter left at camp! I have hopes I'll get it out next week too :D

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OO OO OO OO

Waves beat the shore, crashing over the sand, washing away much of the defenses. The air filled with a salty mist as the sea serpents twisted in the water, sending up a salty spray that washed towards the shore. The boats in the ocean rocked violently, the water roiling with the sea serpents arrival.

I wasn't the only one gaping up at them, I was certain of that, but I had no care to look and see everyone else's reaction. These weren't just sea serpents, they were Wa'tepov-re, Greater Sea Serpents. They were from the darkest depths of the ocean, the depths of the Abyssal and Hadal zones.

I'd seen one before, in my dreams of Okeanus' palace. It had been massive; the pupil alone had towered over me. I hadn't been able to see the majority of it either. These ones seemed to be equal in size, if not greater, and we could only see a small fraction of them.

Only the heads and the very top of their sinewy body was visible to us now, but that alone was enough. Their eyes the size of ships, their mouths large enough to devour a whale whole. Their presence pressed down, demanded attention, demanded respect.

They were beasts of the deep dark, creatures nearly as old as the Gods Themselves. Four massive serpents that towered over us, over the ships, over the land. I dragged in a shaky breath as the Wa'tepov-re twisted around, yellow eyes seeming to lock onto the land scattered with cowering Demigods.

Light refracted, skittering off of their scales and lighting up the land with rainbows. They shone as they never did in the ocean, in the dark depths where even light died. In the light of the setting sun they lit up the world like a kaleidoscope. Blue and green light flecked the beach and red and orange specks scattered across my skin like stars. Gold, silver, and bronze danced across the beach, shining off of their horns and fins and scales.

It was beautiful, terrifying, awe inspiring.

Their fins fanned out, light glancing off of the ships and washing them in a blood red shine. Silver marked the shore, teeth gleamed dull and white in their shining mouths.

The Wa'tepov-re reared up, reared back, mouths open wide. A rumble shook the ocean and my teeth, their eyes locked on their target.

And, in an instant, they struck.

Like a striking snake the one closest to shore whipped down, their mouth open wide, a hungry maw snapping shut on its target. The crunch of their teeth made me flinch, taking a step back into Annabeth, her hands steadying me even as she made a noise of terror.

Screams echoed all the way to us, campers around us gasping, shouting, terror in their breath. The waves rocked against the beach, washing away any remaining defenses. The campers fled back.

The Wa'tepo-re that struck, a her I thought from the shape of her fins and the curve of her horns, raised her head once more.

And the remains of the ship that she'd crunched between her teeth slowly sunk into the ocean.

No one moved. Even the ocean seemed to still, the boats settling in the water. My breath left me in a surge and I turned to look at the other campers.

No one moved, eyes wide, mouths open.

And then, in an instant, the moment shattered.

Cheers rose up from the campers, hope flared like a raging fire. The ships in the water became a flurry of activity.