The Mark of Athena (Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 13- Hazel

Chapter 13

Hazel

     Hazel was exhausted. The seven couldn’t win. Her spatha felt like a million pounds in her hand. She was sweating, dripping wet, cold, and thirsty. Most of all, she was tired. Every strike was slower than the last. She knees trembled as she collapsed onto the metal catwalk. Her weapon rolled from her hands.

     There was a bloodcurdling shriek of fear in front of Hazel. She lifted her head and was terrified at the sight.

     Annabeth was in the serpent’s mouth. He managed to grab a strap of her armor in his fangs, and poison was running down her armor. She flailed, trying to launch herself away. She was probably a goner.

     Frank suddenly shot an arrow, and it hit the fang holding Annabeth’s armor. The serpent shrieked as the fang fell off. Unfortunately, so did Annabeth.

     Good thing Jason managed to catch her. He grunted from the weight. He was holding the strap of armor that was dripping with poison. His face was paling, but he dropped her onto the catwalk. He fell to his knees, groaning and coughing. His eyes closed as he dropped to his stomach.

     “Jason!” Piper screamed. She rushed to his side, putting his face in her lap. “No, no, no! Come on, wake up!”

     Percy, Frank, and Leo continued to fight. Hazel and Annabeth were so stunned they watched Piper.

     Piper was crying as she felt Jason’s wrist, looking for a pulse. She must have found one, because she put on half a smile. She sobbed into his chest.

     “Um, guys!” Leo screamed. He was hurling fireballs at the serpent. “A little help,” he added, jumping around like a jumping bean.

     Hazel picked up her spatha and her sword before running down the catwalk. When she was smack in front of the serpent, she did the stupidest thing in her life. She jumped.

     She barely made it. She landed on the tiny snout of the serpent. She began to stab her spatha into the serpent’s eyes. He made a foamy hissing sound. Something curled around her ankle. She felt something wet and sticky through her boot. She risked looking down. The serpent’s tongue was wrapped around her ankle. It was disgusting.

     The tongue of the serpent coiled before making a whipping motion. Hazel, hanging on for dear life, was suddenly thrown off the serpent’s head. She screamed as the serpent tongue let go of her and she became airborne.

     “Hazel!” Frank yelled, but he was too busy in his fight.

     Before Hazel could hit the ocean and probably drown from the waves the sea monster was making, Leo dove in the air and caught her. They both hit the water.

     As Hazel went spinning deeper into the ocean, she wondered why Leo caught her. Gaea had mentioned he would be her guide… He would save her, too.

     The water was cold and making Hazel’s skin prick painfully. The waves were making her spin out of control. She was terrified. She felt like she was put into a washing machine and this was the wash cycle.

     Over her, a dark shadow crossed her vision. Something came down, grabbing her wrist. She screamed, using the breath she had. Bubbles floated around her.

     Hazel fought with the dark shadow. But when it moved closer, she saw a face. Not just any face, but Leo’s face. He shook his head before swimming upwards. She was dragged along. When her head broke the surface, she began to gasp in the air. Oxygen went down her windpipe and filled her lungs.