God of the Hadal Seas

Chapter V

"How did we lose them?" Zoë questioned angrily, but I knew she meant how did I lose them. We were marching through thick, deep mud following similar tracks ahead of us. I was leading the group, followed by Zoë, Bianca, and Theseus. Annabeth and Grover, succumbed to the magic, had strategically escaped me and were heading off where the music was coming from.

"So, are all the Irish in Alabama swamps?" Bianca asked quietly, low enough so Theo couldn't hear. "No. The gods remain in the Celtic countries, or off the coasts of Europe. It's the various monsters that have extended to the reaches of the globe," I answered, waving my hand through a cluster of gnats as we passed.

"What monsters could these be?" Theseus asked, loudly complaining. "I was thinking that it might be Cyclops, but I'm not so sure anymore," he added, almost tripping.

"It could be a species of freshwater sirens. The vocals is quite reminiscent," I suggested, noticing the mud become thinner.

"Good news! We're coming up on some sturdy land," I announced, hoping onto the grassy slope. I turned back, helping the party out of the mud. "There's something up ahead," Bianca exclaimed, jogging towards some light within the trees. "Bianca!" I called, chasing after her.

Separated by a massive lake, barely looming over the cloud of fog, was the roof and tower of an old manor. Unfortunately, I had to cross the lake before I could fully see it.

Annabeth and Grover were sitting on our side, the spell broken for some reason. "Well, hello," I greeted, causing them to turn their heads to me. "Hey. Before you ask, we couldn't leave. The spell would just bring us right back here," Annabeth explained, looking at the lake.

"Is that a house?" Theo asked, coming up with Zoë. "Yep, but we don't know who lives here. We have met some mermaids, though," Grover answered, pointing at the lake. Most were swimming around, resembling schools of fish from above. But a few were emerged from the water, singing their song.

They had long, silky hair and mesmerizing green eyes. They were topless, letting their chests be open to the world along with their unblemished creamy skin. Green or blue scales started running down their sides, beginning at their waistline.

"Freshwater sirens, knew it. But why lead us here, and not a regular lake?" I wondered aloud, tapping my chin. "Why are we here?!" Theseus called, making us jump at the sudden volume.

The whole lake sprouted beautiful women from the waist up. In tandem, they began to speak. "We are the sirens of the Isle of Man! We guard the property of our king, Perseus Damocles! Hear our song, and accept your fate!" They stated with angelic, Irish accents, before beginning their song again.

"Why aren't you affected?" I asked, manipulating the grass to grow into prisons around the enchanted party. Bianca shrugged, while Annabeth tapped her chin in thought. "Sexual preference?" She suggested, looking at Theo with a bit of jealousy as he struggled against his chains. I grinned mischievously at that.

"C-Could...b-b-be..." Zoë agreed, intensely struggling against the song. "I was going to say, because I knew you were bi. Until you said something, I was thinking you were fully under their sway," I returned, turning towards the women.

I walked into the water, until I stood up to my waist. I flexed my aura, instantly causing the song to stop mid-lyric. "Perseus Damocles. What brings you home, my king?" One woman asked, swimming up to me slowly.

"Your magic is disrupting the productivity of a certain party I am apart of, with an immensely imperative objective. If perhaps you could, ah, discontinue your enchantment during our night stay, until we have left in the early morning," I suggested sternly, creating an icy path across the lake with a wave of my hand.