Chapter 8: A Gift, a Horse-thing & a huge sea monster
I stared at the clamshell; it was so perfect it was almost glowing. When I opened it like he told me to, I saw a bracelet. It was silver with a band that wrapped around you wrist in a small spiral instead of regular circle. In the center was beautiful round sea-green crystal embedded with a beautiful silver, lace-like trim. It was a beautiful bracelet, I was amazing Tyson could have made something that delicate with his big clumsy hands. He looked at me hopefully, waiting politely for a thank you:
"Tyson thank you so much!"
"Daddy told me to make it for you, so you could use it when you were looking for Anniebethie." He sweet smile lowered ant he looked at the sand on his shoes.
"O, Tyson thank you. But how will it help me with my quest??" I was confused how could a pretty little bracelet, help me fight horrible monsters.
"I enchanted it so that when you press the stone it turns into a sword, so you can fight monsters with it. Try it. It's really cool
" I didn't believe him, but I pressed it anyway. As I did it turned into a big silver hilted sword with a long bronze sword, with the same sea-green stone at the hilt. I pressed the stone again and it became a bracelet again. It wasn't just a fashion accessory it was weapon, I was glad none of those mean girls at my school had one of these.
For the next hour Tyson showed me how to use the sword properly, holding it in place and showing me how to lunge at an opponent. He not only cold make great weapons, he could use them too. I learned the basics on different ways to attack and swing my sword like a pro.
He would swing his sword witch happened to be a stick back and forth. Of coarse because it was a stick it broke each time, but he didn't seem to notice. We played for about an hour until the stick was only a stub in his hands. He giggled. And tried again
"Alice, I'm going to have to leave soon but I just wanted to tell you that your fighting skills, might need a little work but someday you will be a great monster-butt kicker. Its in you blood, your mother was amazing with a knife and Percy is a hero among the half bloods. " He gave me a another crooked smile.
And with that, my large, clumsy uncle walked up the steps, just to stumble on a seashell that was in his way. But he continued inside anyway. Though I had only met him about an hour ago, I was beginning to like my big goof n uncle
-------The next morning-------
The next morning we began to head out our quest. I woke up in the cabin to find my father gone. I walked around the house for a while until I found him standing on the shore, facing the slow rolling, morning waves.
"We have to find her." He turned, to face as if he sensed I was there.
"Percy, but how are we going to accomplish this, from what you've told me, its dangerous out there."
"Alice you are going to soon find that everything about being a half-blood is dangerous." He smiled, a rare smile I hadn't seen for days. His smile slowly faded and he stopped his body turn slightly, as if you keep an eye both her and the sea.
"There something out there… Alice wait here."
"What is it…" He walked toward the shore, and stopped. He then raised his hand and a channel opened into the waves. He ran through and will increasing curiosity I ran after him. That was my first mistake.
"Dad Wait!!!!" I yelled from behind him. I ran through the channel, not even bothering to look up at the amazing tube of underwater air that was around me, I was way too curious. When I reached the end I finally stopped dead in my tracks.
Before me was huge monster about 20 feet tall, a serpent will long shimmering scales the color of blood. I filled with anger as I realized that this was the same monster I had seen on the beach only a few nights ago. The same monster that had attacked my mom, my aunt and had ruined my life. I was about to let him have a free pass, as soon as I saw him. I looked more closely as I began to run, toward a coral rock behind the monster, that my father was fighting him. They were yelling but still it was harder to hear because of that fact that I was underwater. Which I finally realized that I was breathing under, which humans aren't supposed to do. I ignored even though under any other circumstances I would have been amazed. I could barely hear their conversation.
"How dare you show your face in my realm! After what've you've done I have the right to kill you, very viciously." I was furious, how much I wanted to run down there and stick my sword in that serpent's heart. My dad was reading my mind; I was surprised he hadn't sliced him to pieces by now. The serpent smiled, his evil face lighting up with delight.
"You must be joking, you will not best me. You heart is too broken to even attempt it. "
"I will kill you as soon you tell me where they're hiding her you cretin."
"Why of coarse, my friend." His smile climbed to new heights in mind, my anger increasing. I was about to blow my cover and destroy the serpent, when they began to talk.
"Why the lair of lord Oceanus. The most dangerous and dark part of the sea belongs to him, but of coarse you know that. But you must be cautious to attempt to save your lovely Anna Beth. For she is in the underwater prison, my Lord keeps. Protected by fearsome monsters. But you of all heroes are not scared, I have heard stories of your greatest battles, you are strong. But perhaps not strong enough."
"I will do anything to save her, and kill a thousand monsters if I have to." I had a moment of hope, my father was so courageous but I was too afraid of the moments to come to even attempt to smile.
"Of coarse you would, it would feed your ego plenty Perecus." At that remark I lost it, but at the same time my father did. I charged at the serpent, all of my force against him, and all of my anger as well. I stupidly screamed, will my best underwater voice. So of coarse the serpent heard me coming. I reached for my bracelet franticly as I ran, it transformed into a sword, as I charged I could hear my fathers voice yelling at me to stop. I couldn't because every nerve in my body wanted sweet revenge.
But as I reached the monster, I lunged my sword into his back. He reacted throwing his entire wait from his head to he part I had flanked at me. As he did I dodged him, with luck. In a flurry of sword and serpent went around me, I grabbed my sword and lunged again. This time I had help. My father charged and pushed his entire wait into the serpent and strangled it with his arms. I took a few seconds but the serpent obeyed, and slowly evaporated into thin air.
My mother dropped open, my dad had just strangled a serpent. What do you expect though. I was mostly surprised that it had gone up in thin air like that.
"How did you do that??"
"You mean make that serpent evaporate?" I nodded.
"That's what happens when you kill a monster with a celestial bronze blade. Your sword killed him and I brought him down to get my own revenge. He knelled down at the place were the serpent had been and looked up at me. I tried to look away embarrassed that I had disobeyed him and gone after him. But his strong gaze got hold of me and I look back at him. He held my chin and began to speak.
"Alice what you just did was amazing. But I need to tell you that after you've fought your first monster more will come. And more, your life is in much danger. I fear I have brought you this danger by not protecting you…" He let go of me and looked out on the rest of the sea.
"This is about time we leave to find your mother, I know where she is know but. The problem is getting to her. I can us there quickly but to get inside the lair of the Titan of the sea, is very hard. There are hallways that will lead to the wrong place, guards at every turn. We will be in grave danger. I can transport us to the valley it lies in but I cannot transport inside it. The entire place is protected by an old magic, not even Zeus has mastered. "
"Well then we'd better get going shall we."? I said sarcastically. He nodded and we decened into a world pool of water and sand. And we were on our way………………
