•as the world caves in•

•the fleece•

After announcing Clarisse as his new bride, Polyphemus left the cave, rolling a rock over the entrance. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't move the rock or get a signal to Grover that we were ever. We watched sadly as Polyphemus fed his sheep.

"Trickery," Annabeth decided. "We can't beat him by five so we'll use trickery."

"Okay," Percy nodded. "What trick?"

"I dunno, but I could get inside, invisibly," Annabeth shrugged.

"What about us?"

I groaned, knowing what Annabeth was thinking. "Percy, how much do you like sheep?"

•.•.•.•

The plan worked, Percy and I were hanging underneath some sheep, and we successfully got in the cave.

Right before Polyphemus was about to roll the stone back into place, Annabeth shouted, "Hello, ugly!"

"Who said that?" Polyphemus demanded.

"Nobody!"

"Nobody!" The Cyclops yelled. "I remember you!"

"You're too stupid to remember anybody," Annabeth taunted. "Much less Nobody."

Polyphemus threw a boulder at her, and for a moment it was silent. Then, Annabeth shouted, "You haven't learned to throw any better, either!"

He howled in rage. "Come here, let me kill you, Nobody!"

"You can't kill Nobody!" She continued. "Come find me!"

Once Polyphemus left to chase her, Percy and I had to hope Annabeth could stay alive long enough to find Grover and Clarisse.

We ran into a room, seeing Clarisse and Grover tied up, attempting to escape with a pair of safety scissors.

"Percy?" Clarisse said. "You're supposed to be blown up! And Coriane, I thought you left with Annabeth?"

"Perrrrcy!" Grover bleated. "You heard me, you came!" The satyr looked at me. "You came too!"

"Of course," I smiled. "Couldn't let my favorite satyr get married to a Cyclops."

"Where's Annabeth?" He asked.

"Outside," Percy said. "No time to talk. Clarisse, hold still."

He uncapped his pen, turning into a sword, and cut her ropes. She glared at him. "Thanks."

We looked up at an explosion, and a scream after.

A scream of fear coming from Annabeth.

•.•.•.•

"I'll rush him," Percy whispered. "You three go to the ship, Coriane will show you."

"No way," I shook my head, drawing my sword. "We're taking him together."

Grover and Clarisse nodded in agreement, holding weapons they found in the cave.

Percy went to attack in the front, while we went to flank him.

Annabeth laid on the ground motionless and I wanted to check on her, but I couldn't ruin the plan.

We charged from the sides, and I was able to get a few cuts on his legs, but I had to avoid getting trampled by Polyphemus.

"Fall back!" Percy shouted, Grover grabbing Annabeth and running.

We ran across a bridge, Grover using Annabeth's knife to cut the ropes after us, but Polyphemus was right next to us.

"Failed! Nobody failed!"

Polyphemus knocked us to the side, and I swear my ankle snapped, charging after Percy. Percy was able to knock the Cyclops down, but let him go, resulting in even more battle.

Suddenly, something flew into his throat and Polyphemus fell down into a chasm, leaving us in shock.

I looked over to the beach, seeing a friend standing perfectly fine.

"Bad Polyphemus," Tyson said. "Not all Cyclopes as nice as we look."

•.•.•.•

Rainbow the hippocampus had followed us around, waiting for Tyson to play with him, had found Tyson and pulled him to safety and the two went around trying to find us, landing on this island where we luckily were.

I limped over and sat by Annabeth, tears stinging my eyes as she laid on the ground knocked out with a huge gash in her forehead. I couldn't listen to them talk anymore about her state and held her hand, trying to will her to come back.

I looked up when Percy held the Golden Fleece, trying to give me a smile, before sitting by me and laying it over her.

We watched the color return to her face. She looked at Grover. "You're not married?"

Grover smiled. "No, my friends talked me out of it."

I hugged Annabeth as lightly as I could. "Gods, I'm glad you're okay."

Annabeth laughed. "I'm so glad you're okay too, Cor." She tried to stand, but instantly, fell. "Maybe I'm not fine."

Clarisse felt her lower chest before nodding. "Broken ribs, they're healing, but definitely broken. I'll carry you down to the beach."

I went to stand and felt a weird pop on my ankle. Percy looked down and helped me up. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just my ankle. Annabeth needs the Fleece more than me, so I can bear it."

Percy slowly nodded before wrapping an arm around my waist. "I got you."

I smiled, putting my arm around his shoulder. "Thanks, Seaweed Brain."

He shook his head. "No problem, Love Girl."

We slowly swam out into the water towards our ship, but a roar announced Polyphemus was very much alive and unhappy with us.

"Cor," Percy said. "Swim to the ship, I'll come in just a moment."

I watched as Percy fought with Tyson, and Clarisse pulled me on the ship, looking at my ankle. "Doesn't look broken but we should get it in a splint as soon as they're done."

I nodded and looked out, right as a bolder flew towards us, crashing the ship. I gasped as we sunk into the water and tried to swim from the wreckage, but it's like it was keeping us there.

Next thing I knew, a hippocampus was under me, spraying water every where. I grinned and held to it tightly, gripping it's mane.

I felt all the exhaustion drop on me and I smiled to Percy. "You're the best."

He laughed. "I wouldn't say that."

I shrugged, yawning. "Uh-huh, whatever,"

And before I knew it, I was passed out.