Suspected Terrorists

《44》

Percy

Arion was waiting for us on the beach when Hazel and I got there, but so was that gods awful monster which I could clearly see a few miles away. "Holy Hera," I gasped. "That thing is huge!"

Hazel nodded but couldn't bring herself to comment. Instead, she mounted her horse. "Coming?" She asked, offering me a hand up. I nodded and she pulled me up.

Arion wasted no time dallying and took off full speed across the sea, cursing about how he works for free and how Hazel is lucky to be a gold mine. I did not relay that information to Hazel.

"So, do you have a plan?" I just about heard Hazel ask over the air rushing past our ears.

"Not really," I admitted. "I was thinking we just stab it until it disintegrates."

"That's not going to work," Hazel protested. "It's scales are impenetrable. It was only killed once before by using Medusa's head."

I pondered this for a little bit. We didn't have a gorgan head with us. But I did have experience fighting creatures with impenetrable skin. "We go for the mouth," I decided.

She stared at me like I was crazy. "What!?"

"Just trust me," I insisted.

"...Okay," she agreed, albeit hesitantly.

She tapped Arion's neck to spur him on, much to the displeasure of the horse. "Remind me to wash this horse's mouth with soap," I told Hazel. She only smirked in return.

As we drew closer, the serpentine creature eyed us curiously with eerie, yellow eyes and narrow pupil slits. Its scales simmered in the sunlight with mesmerising colours like a hippocampus tail. It almost seemed beautiful. At least until it hissed at us, bearing millions of rows of giant shark-like teeth at us.

Arion looped around the monster while Hazel and I solidified the plan. "You distract it while I climb it and jump into its mouth so I can stab it," I explained.

"That is a terrible plan," she dead panned.

"But it's the only one we have," I pointed out.

"Fine. Let's-"

Hazel was inturrupted by a bright blue tentacle plucking her off of her horse. "HAZEL!" I cried, reaching out for her, but our fingers just grazed each other before she was zipped away at lightning speed. I watched, helplessly, as her head collided with another tentacle and she was knocked unconscious.

Before I could do anything about it, a large weight smacked me across the chest, knocking all the air out of my lungs and knocking me off of Arion. For a few dazed moments, my body sailed through the air, my mind chugging along with it, lazy and sluggish.

Then, I hit the water.

The cold ocean embraced me, sucking me into its depths. I was immediately invigorated and my mind clicked back into gear. Hazel, I thought.

I kicked up to the surface.

"Hazel," I gasped, searching frantically for her. I finally noticed her, unconscious and entangled amongst the tentacles that had sprouted from the serpent's neck. It held her in front of its face the way a child would a lollipop. "HAZEL!" I shouted desperately. "YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!"

Hazel didn't stir and the creature pulled her closer to it's open maw. I growled in frustration. I just lost Frank. I was not going to lose Hazel too.

Suddenly, there was a familiar tug in my gut, more painful and harsh than normal. Instinctively, my fingers closed to form a paddle and I jabbed my hand toward the beast. A wave of water sharpened like a sword edge and shot out toward the mass of slithering tentacles. There was a gut wrenching squelch as all of the vines were cut simultaneously. Leaving several stumps to squirt with vibrant violet blood.

Hazel began to fall, encased in a cocoon of shimmering tentacles. I raised my opened fist and a giant hand formed from the water to catch her.

I allowed myself to take a breath, the physical exertion of using my father's powers was always taxing. After a couple of seconds I remembered why you don't take breaks during a fight as the serpent dived at Hazel's body with its mouth open wide.

《<>》

There was a bright flash of light and Hazel was sucked back into reality, just in time to swing her sword and stop herself from being eaten.

Hazel

Frank and my dream faded away as reality sunk in all to fast. My eyes flashed open to the sight of a giant, purplish cave which I recognised as being a mouth. I instinctively raised my weapon and stabbed wildly as I was engulfed in the creature's maw.

A lucky hit saw my sword sinking into the beast's flesh and it opened its mouth to squeal in pain. Water rushed in, quickly ridding me of oxygen and light. I swan down, hoping to find my way out.

Suddenly, a human hand grabbed my arm and began to pull me downwards. I panicked for a second before realising it was Percy. He guided me out of the serpent's mouth and we quickly broke the surface, so I could gasp for air.

"Are you okay?" Percy questioned.

"I...think...so," I answered between desperate gulps for air. I looked up to see Percy glancing around, frowning. "What?"

"Where'd it go?"

I looked around, suddenly realising that the monster was gone.

"Did we kill it?"

I shook my head. "No. But I think we scared it off."

Percy grinned. "Well, nice job Levesque."

I smiled back. "You too Jackson."

With the help of Percy changing the currents, we paddled back to shore.

《<>》

I'M SOOOOOO SORRY! I WANTED TO UPDATE ON TIME BUT I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE ENERGY OR BRAIN CAPACITY.

I hope you guys still enjoyed the late update though. This chapter was pretty cool to write. Not as good as I wanted and probably too short but, I did my best.

Next chapter will be the marvel gang! Yay! Finally!

That's all for now,

~Gingerbreadhalfblood