The Plea of Apollo || COMPLETED

NICO V

Nico had to admit he was actually enjoying himself.

Unlike when he had been on the Argo II, the ship constantly being battered by all sorts of monsters and angry deities, the cruise ship they were on sailed smoothly across the sea. He didn't know if this was because of Poseidon or not, but he thanked him anyway.

The four demigods leaned against the rail of the ship contentedly, letting the soft afternoon breeze ruffle their hair and whip the loose ends of their clothes around. They had just finished a delicious lunch courtesy of the all expenses paid status tickets given to them by Hermes. Before then the group had been trying to explore the ship, but it was very big. The outdoor pool and water park took up the space of a football field while inside the ship there was a mall that had at least seventy different stores to choose from. There were living quarters for over two-thousand people, which wasn't a lot when compared to those that could hold almost ten-thousand, but it was impressive to the demigods who had never sailed on anything bigger than a fishing boat (or the Argo II).

"Your dad was really nice to get us to get us the premium tickets," Will told Cecil as he stared out at the glittering water.

Nico laughed at the innocent son of Apollo. Wait, he was laughing? He suddenly stopped, his face perplexed as he tried to remember when he had grown used to smiling and laughing. He'd never done either of the actions nearly as much as he was now after and before Bianca died. When did he suddenly become so... happy? He pushed the thought away quickly, remembering what amused about in the first place. "Will, you do realize he probably stole them, right?"

Will's eyes widened in shock. "B-but..."

"My dad is the god of thievery," Cecil said unconcerned. "I wouldn't put it past him. Nico is most likely right, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves."

"But that's wrong! Stealing is not what a hero does."

"Actually," Nico mused, "Percy once told me a story about a god telling him that stealing can be used for good."

Will closed his eyes as the ship suddenly lurched. "Was Hermes the one who told him that?"

Silence followed. "Maybe..."

That's when people started screaming.

The demigods rushed over to the back of the boat as people were pointing down at the water. Seventy feet below, thrashing in the ocean and screaming, was a boy of about six. He flailed his arms in attempt to keep his head above water, but something seemed to be tugging at him. Peering closer, Nico was the first to realize what was happening.

A creature with a mostly human top half and a scaly tail for its bottom half was splashing around in the water next to the boy. It seemed to be toying with him, its sharp claws and webbed hands dancing around the boy's face in a hypnotic fashion.

"Mermaids," he muttered. Around him workers for the cruise line attempted to throw the boy a life preserver while other workers went and prepared the rescue boat to be lowered. "They lured sailors out to sea so they could drown them, eating their corpse soon after. The monsters must have tricked the boy into getting too close to the edge."

"The ship just tilted pretty badly a moment ago too," Lou Ellen said. "Do you think they could have caused that so the boy would fall in?"

"Yes, I—"

Suddenly louder screams erupted when the boy was dragged beneath murky waves. People began shouting about sharks, but they couldn't see through the mist like demigods. Nico prepared himself to jump, but Lou Ellen beat him to it. She spiraled through the air with utmost precision, landing a few yards away from where the boy had been pulled under. The other three demigods cursed when they lost sight of her.

"We need to help her!" Cecil shouted as he readied to launch himself overboard.

Nico and Will yanked him back. "Stop! If you end up down there it won't be easy getting back up. I'll go down there and shadow travel them to safety. Will, stay here so you can tend to the boy. I'll be right back." With that, the child of Hades jumped off the side of the ship.

The water was freezing. He noticed that first. The second thing he noticed as saltwater stung his eyes was Lou Ellen frantically beating a merman upside the head with her sword. She held the boy in one arm, the boy out cold. That was the third thing he noticed before springing into action. It was only a matter of time before he drowned; they needed to get him to the surface immediately.

Nico surged forward, his swimming not the best but how he looked was irrelevant. He unsheathed his Stygian Iron blade, which was heavier than ever in the water, and jumped into battle. A moment later the merman backed off, hissing at the duo.

Lou Ellen suddenly blanched, having run out of oxygen. Just as her and the boy began to drop, however, Nico grabbed them and quickly sent them into the shadows. Something pulled him out just as he made to follow them though.

From Will and Cecil's perspective, nothing was happening. That was until two unconscious forms suddenly appeared behind them from a shaded area near the middle of the boat. Will ran to the two, placing his hands on their chests and willing the water out of their lungs. People gathered around him as the two began gagging, coughing up water with gusto and breathing in oxygen.

"M-mermaids," the boy said weakly.

A woman, obviously his mother, knelt beside the boy and scooped him up. "No, baby, those were sharks! Oh thank the heavens you're alright."

"You're welcome," Will muttered before panic overcame him. Where was Nico?

Without thinking about the consequences, he ran across the deck, leaving a confused Cecil and worried Lou Ellen behind as he hurled himself over the railing.

Thrashing to the surface, Nico managed to get a mouthful of air before several mermen and mermaids dragged him back under. Their sharp claw-like nails dug into his skin painfully. It was all he could do not to cry out and get a mouthful of water in return. He swung his sword feebly, disintegrating one mermaid before his arms gave out. The heavy weapon was not helping the fight at all, so he quickly sheathed it before he could lose it forever. His father had given that to him as a gift. He couldn't lose it.

Give up, demigod. The mermaids chanted. You smell like death already. Let us make it a reality!

Nico kicked at the creatures encircling him, but it was no use. He couldn't hold his breath any longer. Just as his vision began to fade, right before blacking out, the water around him was filled with a light so bright that the creatures around him scattered, screeching curses all the way.

He was pulled to the surface just as he passed out, but not before hearing I've got you, Death Boy.