Chapter 8
Hazel
Hazel could not help but stare at the ground. She could do nothing about it. Once again, Hazel had given Gaea an opportunity to rise. Once again, Hazel had betrayed everyone with her clumsiness. Hazel seemed to be switching from good to bad every second. She felt a tear come out of one of her eyes. Hazel sighed. Why her? Out of all of the people in the world, why her?
Hazel remembered the last time her clumsiness helped Gaea, back in her past life. The result had been her and her mother dying. She had died because of her clumsiness and, still, her dad had the nerve to try to put her in Elsium. She deserved what she had gotten. Hazel was foolish to think that she would ever be a hero because, no matter what, she would never be. She had over 50 years to think and, still, she is making the same mistakes as before.
The girl watched as her boyfriend fought. She didn't deserve someone as powerful as he was. Frank had the blood of two gods, Neptune and Mars. He could change to whatever he wanted. His only weakness seemed to be the stick that held his life, and Hazel had lost it. She had endangered other's lives for her own.
"Hazel," Frank called to her. Hazel grimaced in guilt. She had to tell him, but she could not.
She imagined Frank's reaction. He would definitely break up with her, leaving Hazel in tears. However, Hazel could not help but think he would do something more. Hazel looked at him fighting the dragon. He was terrifying. Somehow, Frank made his cute, baby-looking face look fierce and frightening. Frank was also a son of Mars, a fighter from birth. Hazel was just a clumsy daughter of Pluto with a curse.
"Come on! Please Hazel. Help us fight," Frank muttered. He was on the ground. This made Hazel fill up with more guilt. She felt like a bad luck charm. No matter what she did, something bad always resulted out of it.
"I'm coming!" Hazel yelled back. Even though she was useless, she could not help but fly.
Hazel faced back to the dragon's hideous appearance. The dragon's purple tongue swung around wildly. Hazel looked at Frank. He was gripping his side. He looked weak. Still, Frank was not letting the dragon overpower him. Hazel wished she could be just like Frank, have such a loss and still be strong. Hazel sighed. All she could do was swing her Spatha until damage was made, on the good side or the bad.
On her side, Hazel saw Arion approached. Hazel grinned. Maybe the horse could help boost her self-esteem. She quickly swung her leg over Arion and ended up sitting there. Hazel raced towards the serpent. Even though Frank was controlling the dragon, no side was winning yet. Hazel, attacked the dragon at it's side, Arion running on top of the dragon. The dragon bellowed in pain. It looked towards the side Hazel had hitted him and, out of its mouth, fire spurt out. Hazel gasped but did not say anything. Arion, luckilly, quickly ran away at such a speed, it seemed like the horse was flying.
Jason, on the other hand, was actually flying. Hazel looked at the expression of his face and was shocked. She had always thought of Jason as the one with the most power. He was the son of Jupiter for goodness sakes. Still, the tired look glued on Jason's face said something else. His lightening bolts were not working and he still seemed too exhausted to do anything. Fighting Lamia must have drained him out. Still, no matter what, Jason was a hero. Even in his weak state, he seemed to be doing better than Hazel, proving her point that she was useless.
Suddenly, Hazel looked below. Nico had steered them so that they were right above an island. Hazel thought of her curse and she grinned. Maybe she could be useful. She thought of what Leo had said to her earlier, when she had told him about her curse. The two were closer now, making Hazel's relationship with Frank weirder. Still, Leo, instead of seeing her curse as a bad thing, saw it as a blessing. Hazel reflected on his words. Her idea was perfect.
Under Hazel's command, Arion ran into the ship. Hazel got off Arion and told him to attack the dragon. Then, Hazel ran across the ship. She passed a sobbing Piper and a pale Leo, who painfully reminded her of Sammy. Still, Hazel ignored the feelings. Instead, Hazel ran all the way to the front of the ship with the controls. When she saw her half-brother struggling to control the ship, she smiled.
"Nico, do you know how to land the ship?" Hazel asked her brother. He bounced back in surprise of her voice.
"Yes," Nico said calmly. He never took his eyes off of the controls. "Why?"
"You'll see," Hazel said smiling, "Just land the ship of the island below."
Hazel could tell that her half-brother was suspicious, but he followed her directions. Hazel smiled, then rested on a frown. She felt guilty for smiling, when so many of them were wounded and weak, emotionally or physically. Still, Hazel had a feeling her plan might work. That optimism is what led her to smile, to be happy, to be filled with hope.
As they landed on the island, Hazel could tell that everybody was wondering why. Still, they would all find out. Hazel let out another giggle of hope. Her plan was working perfectly so far. She saw as the dragon unsteadily wobble as the ship did a combination of land and crash on the island. Hazel looked at Nico, he seemed relieved to let go of the controls.
Hazel got off the ship and stood on the island, as did Frank and Jason, who lowered himself. Together, the Romans looked courageous and undefeatable, but Hazel knew the two boys were wondering what was on her mind. Instead of telling them, Hazel purposely put more things on her mind. She ignored everyone else and got lost in her thoughts.
The girl thought of Sammy and Leo. Hazel knew Leo was not Sammy, but looking at Leo, it seemed like fate gave Hazel another chance. They were exactly alike except for a few minor things, but that didn't matter to Hazel. Then, there was Frank. Frank was cute, sweet, protective, everything a girl would want in a boy. He seemed perfect and Hazel was proud to be his girlfriend. Yet, who to pick between the two made Hazel's mind hurt.
Then, Hazel thought more about her past life. She thought about how her mother and her died. Hazel blamed herself for how she raised a giant. Hazel thought about Annabeth and Percy in Tartarus. Hazel thought about everything bad in her life, no matter how much her brain hurt, and opened her eyes.
She looked around. Both Piper and Nico had come out now. Everbody was looking at her, but Hazel didn't mind. Instead, she looked on the ground and smiled at what she saw. Jewels. Jewels of all different colors stared at her in wonder. Hazel slowly picked a couple and faced the dragon, who had just regained its balance.
"Take the jewel," Hazel cried out holding her hand up. At the same time, Hazel warned the others not to touch the jewels on the ground.
The dragon was entraced by the jewels. Hazel could see its deadly eyes staring at the beauties. The dragon's tongue swung out of his mouth and, instead of picking up the jewels, the dragon leaned to the right and fire came out of its mouth. Hazel looked around and saw only ocean on each side.
"Come on," Hazel said, getting a little impatient.
Then, Piper came forward. Hazel examined her face. It was obvious that she had put crying. Her face was blotchy with red smudges all over it. Somehow, Piper still looked pretty though. Her eyes were watery, but her expression was different now. Glued on her face was the same expresion that Hazel had. The expression of hope.
"Take them," Piper said, adding charmspeak to her voice. Hazel almost felt like taking all the jewels herself.
Instead, Hazel looked at the dragon. The dragon looked conflicted, as if it was in a trance. Slowly, the dragon got its claws out. The dragon roared uncontrollably. Fire filled the sky above them. A grin was plastered on every one of the faces of the five heroes below. However, that grin did not last long.
Suddenly, the dragon did exactly what Piper said. However, the dragon took the wrong "them". Hazel screamed as the dragon picked her up from behind and started flying. At her sides, she saw Piper and Frank. Down below, Jason and Nico were yelling in disbelief. Hazel felt her grip on the jewels loosen and watched as they fell in the sea below. Their surefire way to escape, and Hazel's clumsiness had lost that too.
Who knew what would happen how? All that was guarenteed was that it would not be good.
So... Another cliffhanger. :)
Still, my next update WILL be sooner. I plan to finish this story with at least 30 chapters BEFORE the actual House of Hades come out, so, I NEED TO HURRY!
Anyway, how did you like this chapter so far? Thank you all for being so supportive in all my stories. Still, reviews, follows, and favorites are recommended. They keep me writing and fill me up with joy.
Me: You like seeing me happy. Right?
Leo: Sure they do... *eyeroll*
Me: Hey! Aren't you supposed to be unconscious?
Leo: Not really. Because you do not own us, Riordon does.
Me: Phewy!
Leo: Plus, no one wants to see the awesomest character in the series unconscious.
Piper: Excuse me! *Raises her dagger*
Leo: After Piper of course...
Piper: *Smiles and laughs evilly*
