It was a good day on the Argo ll. Apart from the fact that Leo had just torched New Rome. Percy was feeling like they might even work as a team. Percy was leaning against the side of the ship. Piper and Annabeth were peering over the edge looking at the layout below them. Hazel and Frank were getting acquainted to Jason, of whom they had heard so much about. Leo was driving the ship and talking to Festus the Dragon. It wasn't that Percy disliked the guy; it was that he had kind of just shot bombs at his new home. And when people do that, it's really very hard not to hold grudges. Couch Hedge was watching TV in his cabin. Percy thought it was crazy that Chiron had allowed the satyr to be their chaperone, but you can never tell with Centaurs. Maybe Chiron wasn't so different from the party ponies after all.
His thoughts were interrupted because at that moment, there was flash of light and a tall woman was standing on the deck. She had long blue hair with black streaks in it. The hair itself looked like it was made of leaves and dust that flouted around her. She had very pale skin and black eyes. She was robed in dark blue.
"Greetings heroes" she began.
"Hi" said Frank. She continued as though she hadn't heard him,
"I have been sent to teach you lesson."
"Who sent you?" Jason challenged.
"The goddess Nemesis, that's who," she responded haughtily.
"To teach us what?" asked Percy. But her only answer was,
"Come," with a wave of her hand, they all disappeared.
The next thing Percy knew, he was chained to a post in a dark room, the rest of the seven were chained like him. The strange woman stood at the center of the room. "I have brought you here to show you how your powers hurt. My mistress believes that you need to understand how much pain your powers can bring, so you can wield them well. If not, some may die painfully deaths." She looked at Leo, "you have already started to understand this." Hazel looked up,
"Why are we chained?" she asked.
"It will be very painful," was the very unhelpful answer. "And don't try to run away," she added, "or I may have to blast you."
"I'm terrified," Percy said sarcastically.
"Maybe I haven't made my point clear," she held out her hand a blasted red light right next to Frank. Then she smiled at him. "Son of Mars, Let's start with you."