(Not my art above taken from a page in the SOM graphic novel.)
Please enjoy and thanks for the constant support <3
I came down with a sliding holt. Looking trying to find the danger, but I only found Annabeth and Tyson in front of Percy.
"Where's the danger?" I demanded with my left cheek balled up because I still chewing on some berries.
Percy raised his arms waving them out towards me "No danger I'm fine" he said. "Like I was saying to them I didn't call out for help." At least he could understand me.
"But then who . . ." Annabeth noticed the three yellow duffel bags, then the thermos and the bottle of vitamins Percy was holding. "What-"
"Just listen," Percy began. "We don't have much time."
Percy told us about his conversation with Hermes. By the time he finished, I could hear screeching in the distance-patrol harpies picking up our scent.
"Percy," Annabeth said, "we have to do the quest."
"We'll get expelled, you know. Trust me, I'm an expert at getting expelled."
"So? If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to."
"Yeah, but you promised Chiron-"
"WE promised we'd keep you from danger. And we can only do that by coming with you." I said wiping my lip.
"Tyson can stay behind and tell them-"
"I want to got," Tyson interrupted.
"No!" Annabeth's voice sounded close to panic. "I mean . . . Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."
From the looks of it Percy was also as curious as I was. Annabeth was really not wanting the Cyclops to come along on this quest. I too didn't want the guy to come because I felt he would slow us down. Being that he was still a young kid in a very tall body. Yet, if Tyson stays I believe that, not just Tantalus. But everyone will mistreat him even worse than they did to me when I was claimed.
Both Tyson and Annabeth looked at Percy, waiting for his answer. He turned towards the water, I followed his gaze and saw a ship. It was slowly getting farther and farther away. I felt something tug inside my gut like it did before with . . . I shook my head and saw Percy look at me like he was asking for my input. I shrugged my shoulders, to me he's the leader. He should answer this.
It didn't help his case as the young cyclops was seconds away from crying his eye out. As strong built he is he's still a big ol'softy. The screeches got louder behind us-the harpies were getting closer. He was has to answer quickly.
"We can't leave him," he decided. "Tantalus will punish him for us being gone."
"Percy," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "We're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-I-k . . . a C-y-k. . ." She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. We could've been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops. "You know what I mean!"
I was trying to put her letters together to form what she was trying to spell. I thought Cyclops was spelled with a K. . .was it because of the old alphabet is still in my head?
"Tyson can go," Percy insisted, "if he wants to."
Tyson clapped his hands. "Want to!"
Annabeth gave him the evil eye, but I guess she could tell he wasn't going to change his mind. Or maybe she just knew we didn't have time to argue.
"All right," she said. "How do we get to that ship?"
"Hermes said my father would help."
"Well then, Seaweed brain? What are you waiting for?"
The tugging sensation came back again it wasn't just the ship I was getting a possible warning from. But also the water, Poseidon nearly drowned me along with most of Odysseus's men. My hands were shaking when Percy leaned down by the water.
"Um, Dad?" He called. "How's it going?"
"Percy!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"
"We need your help," he called a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, like, before we get eaten and stuff, so. . ."
Nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes. Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast towards the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean.
As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of three white stallions reared out of the the waves.
Tyson caught his breath. "Fish ponies!"
He was right. As the creatures pulled themselves onto the sand, I saw that they were only horses in the front; their back halves were silvery fish bodies, with glistening scales and rainbow tails fins.
"Hippocampi!" Annabeth said. "They're beautiful."
The nearest one whinnied in appreciation and nuzzled Annabeth. The other two stared at me, they sniffed in my direction. They tried to get closer, but I stepped back holding onto my arm. They remined me of what had happened during my year out on my own. Of my failure. I nearly fell back, but I caught myself. Looking at the ground "Please don't get any closer to me" I whispered.
I could feel their gaze burning holes into me, but I ignored them turning my back to them.
"We'll admire them later," Percy yelled
"There!" a voice screeched in the forest. "Bad children out of cabins! Snack time for Lucky harpies!"
Five of them were fluttering over the top of the dunes-plump little hags with pinched faces and talons and feathery wings too small for their bodies. They weren't very fast, but they were vicious if they caught you.
"Tyson!" Percy said. "Grab a duffel bag!"
He was still staring at the hippocampi with his mouth hanging open, "Tyson!"
"Uh?"
"Come on!"
With Annabeth's help we got him moving. I helped gather their bags one for each of them. They began to mount their steeds. Poseidon must've known Tyson was one of the passengers, because one hippocampus was much larger than the other two-just right for carrying a cyclops and company.
I stood back not wanting to get on the horse because of what happened to. I didn't get enough time to say I was going to fly to the ship, Tyson had grabbed my arm and pulled me with him.
"Giddyup!" Percy shouted. Percy's hippocampus turned and plunged into the waves. Annabeth's and ours followed right behind.
"PLEASE DON'T DROWN ME AGAIN YOUR LORDSHIP" I panicked. "I'll make sure to keep everyone safe" I thought. Maybe this way the god of the sea can see I'm not trying to cause trouble, but with his son leading us. . . maybe he would pay attention to him and not me.
The harpies cursed at us, wailing for their snacks to come back, but the hippocampi raced over the water at even higher speeds than the water nymphs. The harpies fell behind, and soon the shore of Camp Half-Blood was nothing but a dark smudge. Seeing it get farther and farther I wondered if I'd ever see the place again. Or would we spend years at sea like I did with Odysseus and his men. Shaking the thought from my head, we had another problem ahead of us.
The cruise ship was now looming in front of us-our ride towards Florida and the Sea of Monsters. Riding the hippocampus was fun in a way. But that regretful thought in my head was screaming 'You don't deserve to be riding this mythical creature." and deep down I knew it was true.
Another thing I realized during our trip to underworld last summer, when we rode over the river Styx. I thought it was the motion of the rocking boat making me sick. Now I remember why I hate the sea. Odysseus put me through the ringer and Percy's dad nearly killed me. I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself. But it manages to send chills down my spin. Trying to remember everything that had happened with him was causing me a headache. So it's better to let it happen gradually.
As we got closer to the cruise ship, it began to increase in size. It looked even bigger than the old war ships from back in the days. It felt like I was trying to look up at a building in Manhattan. The white hull was at least ten stories tall, topped with another dozen levels of decks with brightly lit balconies and portholes.
Was one of the gods playing a trick on my eyes or was I seeing this right. The ship's name was painted just above the bow line in black letters, lit with a spotlight.
PRINCESS ANDROMEDA
Attached to the bow was huge masthead-three-story-tall woman wearing a white Greek chiton, sculpted to look as if she were chained to the front of the ship. It looked just like her that day I met her with Perseus. Except there was one thing wrong with it, her face was screaming in terror. The Andromeda I knew was brave girl, who would never give her parents the satisfaction of terror when she was chained by them as tribute.
"Her face is all wrong" I chimed. "She didn't show fear. In fact I bet it was her bravery that got to old Perseus"
"Really?" asked Annabeth
"Yeah!" I nodded
"How do we get aboard?" Annabeth shouted over the noise of the waves, but the hippocampi seemed to know what we needed. They skimmed along the starboard side of the ship, riding easily through its huge wake, and pulled up next to a service ladder riveted to the side of the hull.
"You first" Percy told Annabeth.
I flew off the steed floating in front of her I reached out a hand "I'll take you bags up make it easier to climb" I said. "And it gives me time to make sure nothing bad is above.
She nodded passing me her bag then the two other guys passed me theirs. She hoisted herself onto the ladder, her hippocampus whinnied a farewell and dover underwater. Annabeth began to climb.
I flew to the top while also hearing Tyson crying over his steed he named Rainbow. The ladder had lead me into a maintenance deck stacked with yellow lifeboats. Looking around no danger to report. I placed the bags down I helped Annabeth by giving her a hand she smiled taking it. Then I helped Percy and then managed to pull Tyson inside. There was a set of locked double door, which Annabeth managed to pry open with her knife and a fair amount of cursing in Ancient Greek. Sheesh and I thought I had a mouth.
We'd began to sneak around, being stowaways and all, but after checking a few corridors and peering over a balcony into a huge central promenade line with closed shops. I began to realize there was nobody to hide from. Even if it was the middle of the, we walked half the length of the boat and met no one.
"It's a ghost ship" Percy murmured.
"No," Tyson said, fiddling with the strap of his duffel bag. "Bad smell"
Annabeth frowned. "I don't smell anything."
"Cyclops are like satyrs," Percy defended. "They can smell monsters. Isn't that right Tyson?"
He nodded nervously. Now that we were away from Camp Half-Blood, the Mist had distorted his face again. Unless you concentrated very hard, it seemed that he had two eyes instead of one.
"He's right Annabeth" I said. "Something is here I don't know what it is but look." I lifted my right hand and showed them my bracelet that was slowly vibrating. It wasn't anything big just simple twitches, still proof there is a something here.
"Okay," Annabeth said. "So what exactly do you smell?"
"Something bad," Tyson answered.
"Great," Annabeth grumbled "That clears it up."
We came outside on the swimming pool level. There were rows of empty deck chairs and a bar closed off with chain curtains. The water in the pool glowed eerily, sloshing back and forth from the motion of the ship. This made my skin crawl immensely.
Above us fore and aft were more levels-a climbing wall, an odd course for something, a revolving restaurant, but no sign of life.
And yet . . . I sensed something familiar. Something dangerous. I had the feeling that if I wasn't so tired from a long night, I might be able to put a name to what was bothering me.
"We need a hiding place," Percy said. "Somewhere safe to sleep."
"Sleep," Annabeth agreed wearily.
We explored a few more corridors until we found an empty suite on the ninth level. The door was open, which was odd even to me as most mortal are raised with privacy. The ship from back then everyone bunched up together below deck except the captain.
Inside there was basket of goodies on the table, an iced-down bottle of cider on the nightstand, and mint on the pillow with a handwritten note that read: Enjoy your cruise!
The trio opened their duffel bags for the first time and found that Hermes really had thought of everything-extra clothes, toiletries, camp rations, a Ziploc bag full of cash, a leather pouch full of golden drachmas. He'd even managed to pack Tyson's oilcloth? Which had tools and metal bits, and Annabeth's cap of invisibility, which made them both feel a lot better.
Hermes didn't make a bag for me. . .I guess he knew I was already prepared for anything?
"I'll be next door," Annabeth said. "You guys don't drink or eat anything." She said that last bit while pointing directly at me.
"Wow singling me out huh?" I said, crossing my arm as she smiled at me.
"You think this place is enchanted?" Percy added.
She frowned. "I don't know. Something isn't right. Just . . . be careful."
We locked our doors.
Tyson crashed on the couch. He tinkered for a few minutes on his metalworking and every time Percy tried to get a peek he would tell him 'no peeking' and turning his body away from us. After a while he wrapped up his oilcloth and passed out.
Percy laid on the bed and I took the floor using my bag like a pillow. The moon barely visible to me through the porthole. For a second I thought I heard voices out in the hallway, like whispering. After many days of hardly sleeping I concluded that it was just my head playing tricks. Those voices reminded me of last summer as we took a trip to underworld. But deep down I knew that wasn't my first time there.
My eyes finally felt heavy it I fell asleep.
I opened my eyes and found myself standing by the same hole I fell in last summer. I immediately knew who just invaded my dreams.
Cronos
Mind you this seemed very tame from the nightmares I usually had. The hole seemed to start breathing.
"It's your fault they're dead." He said
"You think I don't know that" I said. "Just leave me alone, I've already haven't had a good nights rest. Now you show up."
"Watch your tone CHILD."
His voice rang in my head making my blood run cold. Him being in little pieces gave me peace of mind sort of.
"Or what you gonna come and fight me in your tiny little pieces." I quipped
"Oh Child of victory, I'm slowly coming back together and when I am back in full. You will die by hands and as your granduncle nothing would make me more happier" he laughed. "Until then, I will enjoy your suffering and the moments you break"
His laughter echoed through the darkening environment till the hole was out of my sight
I opened my eyes getting up with the urge to use the toilet. I couldn't close the door all the way as Tyson's foot blocked the door from closing. Ignoring this I went on with my business and while peeing I was frightened by the blaring voice of somebody.
"Good morning, passengers! We'll be at sea all day today. Excellent weather for the poolside mambo party! Don't forget million-dollar bingo in the Kraken Lounge at one o'clock, and for our special guests, disemboweling practice on the Promenade!"
Whoever that person was they are way too happy in the mornings.
Percy sat up in the bed while I was washing my hands "What did he say?"
Tyson groaned, still half asleep. He was laying facedown on the couch, right as I was walking out of the bathroom he kicked the door towards me. I backed up before it could slam into me.
"The happy man said . . . bowling practice?" I heard Tyson said from behind the door.
I tried to open it but the big guy's foot was in the way. I can't believe this I was stuck inside the bathroom.
Annabeth had stuck her head inside the room through the suite's interior door. "Disemboweling practice?" she asked, looking around the room "Where's Y/n?"
I knocked on the bathroom door to get their attention and Tyson removed his foot from the door. "Sorry"
"No worries" I said. "Why are they still doing disemboweling practices? I thought that practice was banned since its not very sanitary?" I thought to myself.
Once we were all dressed, we ventured out into the ship and were surprised to see other people. A dozen senior citizens were heading to breakfast. A dad taking his kids to the pool for a morning swim. . . .Crew members in crisp white uniforms strolled the deck, tipping their hats to the passengers.
Nobody asked who we were. Nobody paid us much attention. But there was something wrong. As the family of swimmers passed us, the dad told his kids: "We are on a cruise. We are having fun."
"Yes," his three kids said in unison, their expressions blank. "We are having a blast. We will swim in the pool."
They wandered off.
"Good morning," a crew member told us, his eyes glazed. "We are all enjoying ourselves aboard the Princess Andromeda. Have a nice day." He drifted away.
"This is weird," Annabeth whispered. "They're all in some kind of trance."
Then we passed a cafeteria and saw our first monster. It was a hellhound-a black mastiff with its front paws up on the buffet line and its muzzle buried in the scrambled eggs. It must've been young, because it was small compared to most-no bigger than a grizzly bear. Percy paled seeing the hound. Last summer just before he was claimed he was attacked by one much larger. I'd almost gotten killed by one of those before. Had I not manifested my power that night Percy might not have been here. . .
The weird thing was: a middle-aged couple was standing in the buffet line right behind the devil dog, patiently waiting their turn for the eggs. They didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. I had another staticky sensation in my head as a memory sprung to life. This sort of reminded me of the lotus eaters island, those people were lost to the control of the lotus fruit. It was different here though the people weren't lazing about constantly eating the fruit.
Then there's the fact the lotus eaters made a casino in Vegas. . . or could they have made multiple establishments?
"Not hungry anymore," Tyson murmured.
My bracelet began to go nuts warning of the new danger that entered the corridor. I tried to stop from getting us noticed.
Before any of us could replay, their reptilian voices interjected "Ssssix more joined yesssterday."
Annabeth gestured frantically towards the nearest hiding place-the women's room-and all four of us ducked inside. I was so busy trying to stop my crazed weapon I hadn't even realized where we had entered.
Something-or more like like two somethings-slithered past the bathroom door, making sounds like sandpaper against the carpet. Which reminded of the gorgon queen's sisters.
"Yesss," a second reptilian voice said. "He drawssss them. Ssssoon we will be sssstrong."
The things slithered into the cafeteria with a cold hissing that might have been snake laughter.
Annabeth looked at us. "We have to get out of here?"
"Agreed" I said
"You think I want to be the girls' restroom?" Percy said
"Smells bad," Tyson agreed. "And dogs eat all the eggs. Annabeth is right. We must leave the restroom and ship."
Percy shuddered. If Annabeth and Tyson were actually agreeing about something, we figured we'd better listen.
"-only a matter of time. Don't push me, Agrius!" I heard behind the door.
My world stopped. My heart began to race. Every fiber of my being felt jolted alive. The moment I heard his voice. It was Luke, beyond a doubt, I could never forget his voice. My mind went blank fueled by anger. My dagger took form in my hand and I was ready charge out and take him down to the underworld once and for all.
***
The moment Y/n shoe squeaked on the tiles, Percy and Annabeth were on top of him bringing him down to the floor. They couldn't handle him, as if he was a different person he powered right through their grasp.
"Tyson grab him!" Percy whispered.
Tyson did as he was told wrapping his big arms all around Y/n using his strength. He leaned back falling on his backside holding Y/n, who was seething and trying to break free. Y/n opened his mouth ready to shout, but both teens covered his mouth.
"Let me go!" Y/n said muffled.
Behind the door Luke stopped looking around "What was that?" he asked the monster that was following him.
"Sorry?" the monster questioned.
"I thought I heard something,"
Luke looked at the bathroom door questioning himself if it was good idea to check or not as it was a female restroom. He reached towards the door
"Like I was just saying, if this gamble doesn't pay off-"
Luke angrily turned around at the monster forgetting about the door
"It'll pay off," Luke snapped. "They'll take the bait. Now, come, we've got to get to the admiralty suite and check the casket."
Their voices receded down the corridor.
"Ow Annabeth he's biting me" Percy whined
Tyson whimpered "Stop Y/n we leave now?"
Y/n eyes began to focus back and he began to stop trying to break free. They all let go of once he tapped on Tyson arm. Both Percy and Annabeth let out a breath they hadn't known they were holding back.
Y/n who was also catching his breath sighed "Why. . .why did you stop me? I've could have ended him and we wouldn't have anyone getting in our way to heal Thalia's tree or to save Grover."
Hermes was right Y/n was out to end Luke. Had Percy and Annabeth not reacted in time. Not only was their cover going to be blown, but Y/n would've been lost in fighting him. Percy wondered back on the beach if he should have told his friends about Hermes request of not wanting Y/n to come along.
He shook his head and playfully punched Y/n on the shoulder "You bit me dude. . .not cool"
Annabeth looked down at Y/n as he wiped his mouth from the drool that escaped his lips. She and Percy also exchanged looks and came to a silent agreement.
"I agree with you Y/n, but we have to find out what Luke is up too first," Annabeth said "And if possible, we're going to beat him up, bind him in chains, and drag him to Mount Olympus."
As everyone was peeking out the door Y/n looked deep in thought staring at his reflection on his dagger. His heart was still beating at a rapid pace, he stood up splashing water on his face. With on last look in the mirror this time
"No. . .it's here and now" he thought before following the others out.
Where getting to the best parts now! I still believe SOM is super underrated and needs to be talked about more. I think this book is the one I thought through the most and I can't wait to for them to reach the most pivotal points in this book.
Especially C.C and the sirens.