Blood Of Poseidon

XI. Cyclops's Island

The Cyclops's island presented a deceptive facade, with a rope bridge spanning a chasm, a clear warning sign. Yet, apart from that ominous feature, the place resembled a Caribbean paradise with green fields, tropical fruit trees, and white beaches. As they sailed towards the shore, Percy could sense the power of the Golden Fleece, a potential solution to the problems at Camp Half-Blood. However, the guilt lingered for disrupting the island's idyllic setting. "If we take it away, will the island die?" Percy asked Annabeth. Annabeth shook her head, explaining, "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is." Despite the internal conflict about disturbing the paradise, Percy focused on the urgency of their quest. The dire situation at Camp Half-Blood and the loss of Tyson drove them forward. In a meadow near the ravine's base, oversized sheep grazed peacefully. A path led to a massive oak tree glittering with something golden. Percy questioned the simplicity of their mission, suggesting, "We could just hike up there and take it?" Annabeth, however, warned of a guardian, possibly a dragon. As a deer wandered into the meadow, the man-eating sheep attacked it, revealing their vicious nature. Percy and Annabeth realized the challenge ahead. Further exploration led them to the second lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham, grounding on the beach. Faced with the man-eating sheep, Annabeth proposed invisibly sneaking up the path to obtain the Fleece. Percy, however, worried about potential complications and insisted on searching for Grover and the occupants of the lifeboat. Mooring the Queen Anne's Revenge discreetly, Percy and Annabeth climbed the cliffs, narrowly escaping several near-death experiences. As they reached the top, a deep voice interrupted their relief.

"Garrr!" bellowed the voice, startling them. Percy and Annabeth exchanged looks, their attention drawn to the cave below, where Polyphemus, Grover, Clarisse and Selena were entangled in a perilous situation. Clarisse, defiant as ever, challenged the Cyclops to release her, offering to fight for her freedom. Polyphemus, amused, considered the idea of eating her immediately or waiting for the wedding feast. "Eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?" He turned to Grover, who backed up and almost tripped over his completed bridal train. "Oh, um, I'm not hungry right now, dear. Perhaps-" "Did you say bride?" Clarisse demanded. "Who- Grover?" Next to Percy, Annabeth muttered, "Shut up. She has to shut up." Polyphemus glowered. "What 'Grover'?" Selena was also trying to convince her friend to shut up. "The satyr!" Clarisse yelled. "Oh!" Grover yelped. "The poor thing's brain is boiling from that hot water. Pull her down, dear!" Polyphemus's eyelids narrowed over his baleful milky eye, as if he were trying to see Clarisse more clearly. "What satyr?" asked Polyphemus. "Satyrs are good eating. You bring me a satyr?" "No, you big idiot!" bellowed Clarisse. "That satyr! Grover! The one in the wedding dress!" The atmosphere became tense, Polyphemus, enraged, tore away Grover's wedding veil, discovering the truth. Polyphemus breathed heavily, trying to contain his anger. "I don't see very well," he growled. "Not since many years ago when the other hero stabbed me in eye. But YOU'RE-NO-LADY-CYCLOPS!" The situation escalated as Polyphemus prepared to make Grover the main course. "Stop!" Grover pleaded. "Don't eat me raw! I-I have a good recipe!" Polyphemus was hesitating, a boulder in his hand, ready to smash his would-be bride. "Recipe?" he asked Grover. "Oh y-yes! You don't want to eat me raw. You'll get E coli and botulism and all sorts of horrible things. I'll taste much better grilled over a slow fire. With mango chutney! You could go get some mangos right now, down therein the woods. I'll just wait here." The monster pondered this. Percy's heart hammered against his ribs. "Grilled satyr with mango chutney," Polyphemus mused. He looked back at Clarisse, still hanging over the pot of boiling water. "You a satyr, too?" "No, you overgrown pile of dung!" she yelled. "I'm a girl! The daughter of Ares! Now untie me so I can rip your arms off!" "Rip my arms off," Polyphemus repeated. "And stuff them down your throat!" "You got spunk." "Let me down!" Polyphemus snatched up Grover as if he were a wayward puppy. "Have to graze sheep now. Wedding postponed until tonight. Then we'll eat satyr for the main course!" "But ... you're still getting married?" Grover sounded hurt. "Who's the bride?" Polyphemus looked toward the boiling pot. Clarisse made a strangled sound. "Oh, no! You can't be serious. I'm not-" Polyphemus plucked her off the rope like she was a ripe apple, and tossed her along with Grover and Selena deep into the cave. "Make yourself comfortable! I come back at sundown for big event!" Polyphemus sealed the cave entrance with a boulder, leaving Grover and Clarisse trapped inside. Percy and Annabeth, frustrated, attempted to move the rock but realized it was futile. Their focus shifted to finding a way to distract Polyphemus. Annabeth suggested trickery, acknowledging the futility of a direct confrontation. "We can't beat him by force, so we'll have to use trickery." "Okay," Percy said. "What trick?" I haven't figured that part out yet." "Great." However, the plan was vague, and Percy expressed his skepticism. Annabeth reassured him, "Polyphemus will have to move the rock to let the sheep inside." "At sunset," Percy added, realizing the urgency. "I could get inside," she said, "invisibly." "What about me?" "The sheep," Annabeth mused. She gave him one of those sly looks that always made him wary. "How much do you like sheep?" They used sheep as some sort of taxi to get inside the cave. Now all they needed was Annabeth to execute her plan of trickery.  Suddenly from somewhere outside Annabeth shouted, "Hello, ugly!" Polyphemus stiffened. "Who said that?" "Nobody!" Annabeth yelled. That got exactly the reaction she'd been hoping for. The monster's face turned red with rage. "Nobody!" Polyphemus yelled back. "I remember you!" "You're too stupid to remember anybody," Annabeth taunted. "Much less Nobody." Polyphemus bellowed furiously, grabbed the nearest boulder (which happened to be his front door) and threw it toward the sound of Annabeth's voice. Percy heard the rock smash into a thousand fragments. For a terrible moment, there was silence. Then Annabeth shouted, "You haven't learned to throw any better, either!" Polyphemus howled. "Come here! Let me kill you, Nobody!" "You can't kill Nobody, you stupid oaf," she taunted. "Come find me!" Polyphemus barreled down the hill toward her voice.  taking advantage of the situation Percy went inside the cave.
 
Meanwhile, Clarisse, Grover, and Selena struggled in the cave. Grover attempted to cut Clarisse's bonds with safety scissors, but the ropes proved impenetrable. "It's no good," Clarisse said. "This rope is like iron!" "Just a few more minutes!" Grover insisted. "Grover," Clarisse sighed, "You've been working at it for hours!" Their exchange was interrupted when Percy entered the cave, surprising Clarisse. "Percy?" Clarisse said. "You're supposed to be blown up!" "Good to see you, too. Now hold still while I-" "Perrrrrcy!" Grover bleated and tackled Percy with a goat-hug. "You heard me! You came!" "Yeah, buddy," Percy said. "Of course I came." "Where's Annabeth?" "Outside," Percy said. "But there's no time to talk. Clarisse, hold still." Riptide unsheathed, Percy cut Clarisse's ropes as she stood stiffly, offering a begrudging "Thanks." "You're welcome," Percy said, proceeding to free Selena. "Now, was anyone else on board your lifeboat?" Clarisse revealed that they were the only ones from the Birmingham. Percy's hope of finding Tyson alive diminished. "Okay. Come on, then. We have to help-" An explosion echoed through the cave, followed by Annabeth's loud pitch scream. They ran towards the exit of the cave.