Heroes of Olympus - The Blood of Olympus (Discontinued)

Chapter 21 - Hazel

Chapter 21 - Hazel

Coming back around, Hazel realized she must have had another black out. When she suddenly seemed to snap herself awake after hearing a chorus of demon laughter reverberating around the ship like a death-provoking nasal flare up, she found herself feeling small and insignificant; tiny, unimaginable; all the things she felt when she and her mother were stranded on the Alaskan island all those years ago, watching as Gaea's son, Alcyoneus began to rise, encased in a spire of ice and crystal, knowing that he was about to be re-born, strewn from the depths of Tartarus itself.

Back then, she felt all hope was lost; all life, pointless.

Right now, she felt the exact same way. She and Leo stood at the helm, watching as the sea around them churned and rolled as if the monsters beneath the surface were frolicking with delight, knowing they had scored a delicious meal. But what meal was that? Compared to the two serpents, the Seven half-bloods were no more than chewy gummy bears - even smaller than that actually! Unthinkably small!

Even with the half-bloods' power combined: Percy's control over the water, and Frank's abilities to shape-shift, and Jason's power to summon lightning, Piper's charm speak, Annabeth's brains, and Hazel's manipulation over the mist; they couldn't defeat their pursuers. What chance did they have?

It was when these thoughts crossed her mind, when suddenly, a new emotion replaced it.

Rage.

How could she think like this? After all they'd been through: their trip to Alaska, Jason's voyage with Leo and Piper to the western bay, Annabeth's quest to retrieve the Athena Parthenos, Jason and Percy's battle with Ephialtes and Otis, Percy and Annabeth's deathly trip through Tartarus itself! And now Coach Hedge, Nico, and Reyna, off to deliver the Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood. After all they'd been through, how could they just be casually swallowed by two stupid sea serpents that were only patrolling the Mediterranean and happened to stumble upon them by mistake? They would fight to their last breath, or doing anything to save themselves. Something!

"Leo, why can't we just fly out of here?" Hazel asked quietly.

Leo shook his head. "Remember? The Mountain Gods? We're only about ten miles off the coast line, Hazel. Those stupid Lumber Jacks could probably beam us out of the sky even from that distance, and truthfully? I'd like to see this beautiful masterpiece back at Long Island in one piece after this is all over; so we could build an official Camp Half-Blood museum, and put it in the world's largest, glass display case."

Hazel managed a smile, but nodded ascent.

"Besides," Leo continued. "Those monsters are so large, that if we try to take off, they could just rise from the water and snatch us out of the air."

The word's had just left his mouth, when suddenly, from the depths, a large dark bulk rose upward, the water swirling around its mass in a  glossy white foam. Another tiny island rose from the water, and the half-bloods were suddenly faced with four glowing eyes, one pair green, the other, yellow.

Frank was so stunned, he backed away from the ballista. Jason lowered his sword. Percy put his hands on his hips, and showed no reaction, as the serpents rose higher. Hazel looked at Leo to find the son of Hephaestus speechless once more, his hands dropping from the controls.

Hazel looked ahead of her, toward the scaly, reptilian surfaces that were the monsters' necks, rising above the deck, and turned her gaze upon the enemy that everyone knew would drag their ship to the very depths of the sea; faced with two horribly terrifying, unimaginably threatening, and death-defyingly deadly........ 'house-sized'...... alligators.......