Son of Atom

Chapter 5 Waterbed Lizard Trader

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"These Children of Atom are... fanatical." Annabeth stated blankly as we waded our way through the swamp esk landscape.

"Their faith is admirable." Grover commented as he jumped ontop of a rock.

"Too much faith is detri-" Annabeth stopped as something fell from the tree getting our attention.

It was some sort of creature, it stood around the size fo an average person. It's skin was a brownish color and from the looks of it was amphibious. One of the most prominent features was it's mouth that seemed like it could easily gulp down anything half the size of an average person.

Annabeth jumped back, but the creature didn't attack, instead it just stared at me.

"Uh... hi." I greeted nervously as the creature slowly made it's way towards me, somehow I could sense it had no hostile intent, "I don't think it's hostile."

The creature bent its head down and looked at me expectedly, kinda like a puppy.

"I think it wants you to pet it." Annabeth told me.

Hesitantly I pet the creature, and it seemed to get happier. "You're not so bad, are you?"

"What is it?" Annabeth asked walking up beside me while looking at the creature wearily.

"Well it must have been something that was aquatic if it's friendly with Percy." Grover reasoned.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Y/N is, would you, or this Spring of Atom?" I asked the creature not really expecting it to answer or anything of the sort. Though if Grover could ask a poodle, why wouldn't asking this not work?

"Percy I don't thi-" For the second time today Annabeth was interrupted.

The creature let out some sort of noise and bounded off a bit away before it looked back at us, almost like a puppy making sure you were following it.

"I guess it knows." I said looking at Annabeth a little smugly, and she just rolled her eyes.

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How long have I been here?

It's felt like hours, but that could just be the fact I can never sit still for long. Regardless though, I have been sitting here staring at the fount hoping father out guide me, yet nothing. Just like every other time...

Hearing the noise of rapid footsteps coming towards me I quickly looked over to see a young Gulper come through the brush, and it let out a happy grunt.

"Yes, you found me." I stated slowly standing before I saw Percy, Annabeth and Grover come out of the same brush. "You three found me again."

"So this is Atom's Spring?" Annabeth asked looking around.

"Yes, some of the Children come here in their pilgrimages. Father gives them visions..." I said turning back to the spring.

"Have you had any?" Percy asked and I saw him walk up beside me from the corner of my eye.

"No, no matter how much I come here or drink or how long I stay nothing ever comes." I told him my voice slowly falling into its dead state.

"Oh..." was all Percy said sounding a little awkward. "So we just wait here for a vision or..."

"I wont get one." I sighed shaking my head, "One of you could try drinking from the fount, that tends to be how visions come. Most noted and successful at least."