𝙩𝙪 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨 - p. jackson [₂]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒙𝒙𝒊𝒗.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐄𝐃.

piper, jason, percy, and i pounded on the walls, looking for an exit, but we found nothing. we climbed into the alcoves to gain some height, but with water pouring out of each niche, it was like trying to balance at the edge of a waterfall. 

even as i stood in a niche, the water was soon up to my knees. from the floor, it was probably eight feet deep and rising fast. 

"i could try lightning," jason said. "maybe blast a hole in the roof?" 

"that could bring down the whole room and crush us," i said. 

"or electrocute us," percy added. 

"not many choices," jason said.

"let me search the bottom," percy said. "if this place was built as a fountain, there has to be a way to drain the thing. you guys, check the niches for secret exits. maybe the seashells are knobs, or something."

it was a desperate idea, but we all needed something to do. i moved mechanically as percy jumped in the water. we climbed from niche to niche, kicking and pounding, wiggling seashells embedded in the stone; but we had no luck.

sooner than i expected, percy broke the surface, gasping and flailing.

"percy!" i stuck my hand out.

he grabbed with enough force to almost pull me over.

"couldn't breathe," he choked. "the water... not normal. hardly made it back."

the life force of the nymphs, i thought. it was so poisoned and malicious, even a son of the sea god couldn't control it. 

i pulled percy close to me, not sure how we would get out of this. as the water rose around us, i felt it affecting me too. my leg muscles trembled like i'd been running for miles. my hands turned wrinkled and dry, despite being in the middle of a fountain. 

piper trembled as she held onto the wall. jason's face was pale. he seemed to be having trouble holding his sword. percy was drenched and shivering. his hair didn't look quite so dark, as if the color was leaching out. 

"they're taking our power," i said. "draining us." 

"jason," percy coughed, "do the lightning." 

jason raised his sword. the room rumbled, but no lightning appeared. the roof didn't break. instead, a miniature rainstorm formed at the top of the chamber. rain poured down, filling the fountain even faster, but it wasn't normal rain. the stuff was just as dark as the water in the pool. every drop stung my skin. 

"not what i wanted," jason said.

"i can try blasting it," i said, activating my powers.

i shot some energy blasts at the roof, but the ceiling just absorbed them. i tried again, throwing bigger ones, and faster, but there was no effect.