.||The Curse of the Sea||.

~*Chapter Seventeen*~

- - Piper's POV - -

The sounds of clanging and monstrous roaring echoed in the stone corridor. We moved slowly forward while trying our best to push the monsters back. I saw Annabeth whirling through the hordes of monsters, a celestial bronze dagger in one hand and her drakon bone in the other. She sliced a monster across the chest with her dagger and stabbed a seal hybrid with her sword. Frank and Hazel worked side by side, Frank turning effortlessly into animals and attacking while Hazel used her powers with the mist to disorient the monsters. Jason and Thalia did the same, working as a team to run down the monsters. Jason sliced and hacked through the waves while gusts of wind blew through the army, courtesy of Thalia.

Slowly, we made it through the army of monsters coming toward us. Percy lay in my arms, eyes closed. I used charmspeak to numb his pain a little. Frank came running over as a white stallion, though there were monster's bloodstains and golden dust staining his beautiful coat. I tried my best to get Percy onto his back, though his tail was very heavy. When I finally got him on the best I could, we started moving towards the exit, with the rest of my friends trailing behind. His mangled tail and fins still dragged on the ground, I felt so bad that I couldn't do anything else. The monsters suddenly thickened around us. Jason, Thalia, Hazel, and Annabeth were slowing down. Annabeth swung both her weapons tirelessly, though a little slower than before.

"We can't keep this up much longer!" Hazel yelled over the deafening noise. We nodded in agreement.

"It's okay! We're almost there!" Thalia cried while blasting an empousa back with lightning. We struggled through, with Percy's blood now staining Franks coat as well. I suddenly felt a cold, spine tingling feeling. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Feeling a whoosh of air, I spun around, looking in shock.

Behind me was a Scythian Dracaena with a spear in her hands. From the way her hands were positioned, she had been aiming her weapon at me and was about to thrust it into my back. Except for one thing. There was a spike of pure ice through the middle of her breastplate. She slumped against me before dissolving into gold dust.

I turned back to Percy, who began sliding off Frank's back. He was paler than before but his eyes were open. "Thank you, P-Percy." I whispered unable to keep the tremble out of my voice. He nodded and closed his eyes. I picked his head back up and supported his back back onto the white steed. I met the eyes of Frank. They were widened with shock, probably from seeing me almost get killed. I owed so much to him now, he saved my life.

After thirty more minutes of fighting through the monsters and occasionally using my charmspeak to defeat a monster, we had made it out. Hazel widened the hole in the rock and Frank transformed back into himself. Once everyone was supporting Percy again, we carried him through the hole, arms aching. He was heavy. We stumbled down the hill towards Poseidon. We set Percy down for one second, nursing our numerous wounds, though none of them seemed too serious. It seemed that the only serious injury was Frank's. He was limping from a bad cut on his ankle and cut up arm.

We picked Percy up again and started back towards Poseidon. The moment Poseidon saw us, he leaped up from the rock he was sitting on. "Percy!" He yelled, holding his arms out to him. As soon as we had crossed the invisible barrier separating us, Poseidon took Percy and cradled him in his arms. Poseidon took one look at all of Percy's injuries. Slowly he looked up at us. "Who did this? Who did this?! WHO DID IT!?!?" He bellowed angrily, his yells making the sea thrash, responding to his murderous mood. We looked away from him.

Finally, Hazel answered. "It was Kronos and Polybotes, my lord." Poseidon stoked Percy's face with one hand as he shifted his hold on him.

"Let's go." He commanded us and started jogging away from the hill. We followed wearily behind him, struggling to keep up. As we reached the Argo II, a yell of anger sounded from the hill. Polybotes and Kronos stood there, weapons raised.

Poseidon handed Percy to Annabeth. She took him up in her arms and carried him to the safety of the ship. I marveled silently at her strength. It had taken the four of us alone to carry Percy.

Poseidon had grown to his godly height which was twenty feet. He charged up to the hill as Polybotes came running down the hill. Poseidon had a murderous look in his eyes and was swinging his trident at Polybotes who swung his trident back. Spurts of sea water and poisoned water flew around as they fought. Jason and Thalia ran and jumped into the air simultaneously harnessing the winds. Poseidon stabbed Polybotes chest as Jason and Thalia called down a blast of lightning. A flash of light later, Polybotes was a pile of REALLY huge golden dust. At the same time, Hazel and Frank were fighting Kronos. Poseidon, Jason, Thalia and I ran to help them. I slashed at Kronos' arms while Hazel rolled under his feet and stabbed it in the stomach. When we were done with him, he was just barely alive as he croaked out his last words.

"He won't survive the next day." Then he cackled hysterically as he crumbled to dust. We stood in stunned silence. What did his cryptic words mean? We turned in unison and trailed wearily back toward the Argo II. We met Annabeth inside the lounge. She was sitting with her head in her hands and though we were a few feet away, we could hear her sobbing.

Thalia went forward, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Annie what's wrong?" Annabeth waved her away and wiped away her tears.

"It's-it's fine. I'm good. How was the fight?" She asked, still sniffling.

"It was fine. How's Percy?" Jason asked, sitting down in a recliner.

"He's asleep now. But I-I can't get the poison out. His tail is still there." Annabeth started crying again.

"It's alright Annabeth. We'll have Apollo look after Percy," Poseidon replied and dropped into a nearby chair.