"...Keep building the raft. I'll figure something out..." Grover had told me.
Easier said than done.
I was jumpy, kicking bits of sand everywhere in hope of destroying a Spirit. The raft was a wreck, as if a few toddlers had put some wood together. I kept Grover's Rasta cap firmly on my head, though I got no image of Grover. Perhaps he meant only when I slept?
I kept it on for comfort either way. Every-so-often a SandSpirit would emerge, harmless and chanting Grover's name.
Each time I saw one, I'd run a plank through it – effectively destroying it, the beads of sand turning black before collapsing to a heap.
The sun was murder, the cliff walls seemed to cave in around me. My heart raced as I begun to panic, clawing the Cliffside as I slowly went crazy. I'd lost both my best friends, and each time it was my fault.
I tried to pull off the cap - boiling hot and tired I was just about ready to die - when it refused to leave my head. I pulled it harder, but ended up wrestling to the ground as the Rasta cap stuck to my head like glue.
"Stop struggling Annabeth, please!" I heard a voice say. My grip loosened as everything went black for a second, a moment later Grover – perched on a throne of flowers and vines – looked directly at me in distress – still decked out in nature-themed jewellery – a floral crown hanging loosely off his horns.
"I've figured it out. Start des...Des...Destroying nature..." He said it in a chocked voice, this was clearly a last resort, he'd never hurt nature unless he had literally no choice.
"If you do something damaging, they may come up, offended by your actions. Punish you, you can get to me. We can get out of here!" He almost panicked until a spirit came up to him.
"Lord Grover. Do you request anything?" He thought long and hard, as if we'd need anything for the escape. Suddenly he nodded vigorously;
"I see a girl above the surface. She's destroying everything! Breaking stone and vandalising driftwood. Snapping branches and ripping leaves, she needs to be imprisoned. Get her then bring the girl to me!" Grover tried to sound important and mighty, but he barely managed to keep his voice steady.
"Yes Lord!" The SandSpirit snapped up, marching away. Grover looked directly at me again;
"You've got ten minutes. Pack, Destroy. Think. Please Annabeth!" And with that our connection was broken.
I sat up in a cold sweat. I pulled off my cap and ran my fingers through my hair before putting the cap back on.
Pack. Destroy. Think. Right.
I shoved the remaining apples that I took out last night in my bag, hoisting it over my shoulder. I took out all the litter we've got, Grover refusing to dump it, and scatter it all over the beach. Apple cores over driftwood, used tissues over vines, everything else just dumped near the sea.
I begun to kick and punch the wall, but all I got was sore knuckles. I need a weapon. I looked around, studying the small beach. Nothing, well I guess my cap'll do. I take off Grover's cap and put it in my bag, so I could put my Yankee's hat on in a moment's notice if needed.
I snapped driftwood, pulled branches and ripped up leaves. Squashed berries and splattered the beach and cliff with their juices, when suddenly around a dozen SandSpirits emerged, no longer looking dim-witted and harmless. They each bared swords and shields, I tried to make it look as if I was struggling, but I barely moved when the ground swallowed me whole and they took me to their 'sand caves'.
Everything was magnificent. If you're picturing a dank, dark hole, then you're wrong. Imagine a luxurious place; now imagine it made out of sand. They must possess some kind of magic; sand couldn't stay still like this.
I was poked with a spear in my back, and soon collapsed to the floor.
"Lord Grover shall speak with you now." Double doors appeared from nowhere, and I was shoved into a huge throne room. Made of sand, naturally.
I was kicked inside – manners? I thought – but I had no time to care about how I was treated at the moment – as I saw Grover, decked out in nature-wear as he has been the last two times I saw him. I guessed I may as well milk this thing for all it was worth.
"What the Hell is this? And who are you? Lord Goat, king of the Sand people?" I grin till I'm smacked around the head by a SandSpirit.
"What now, my Lord?" A sword was pressed into my back. Grover looked worried, obviously anticipating me to get up and flip one of them or something – guess I'd better take charge.
"Hey sandy. You mind if I talk to King Goat-boy?" I was cut on my shoulder, blood trickling down my back.
"Oh come on – foul play. Let Goaty decide," they turn to Grover, who's doing his best to look regal.
"I shall speak with her. Ask her intentions, why she destroyed such a magnificent piece of land." He lied. No one moved.
"Alone." Grover added, the SandSpirits nodded and marched off, except for two guards. Damn it! I think - we need everyone to go!
A sudden light-bulb flashes over my head.
I nod to the two SandSpirits without taking my eyes off Grover to alert him that I had a plan.
"So, why did you do such criminal activity?" I laughed a fake laugh.
"Criminal activity? Nature's boring! Deserves such...wreckage!" I hiss, causing him to flinch. Note to self; apologise to Grover later.
"Careful what you say girl." Grover 'warns' darkly. I get up, starting off walking, then I begin to run to the regal Satyr. I punch the throne, pretending I've hit him in the stomach. The two guards look up and begin to march to me as I continuously hit 'Grover.' As they begin to pull me back I kick one, flipping the other. I grab ones sword and slice each of them in half, landing in a heap of black sand beside my feet.
"Now what?" Grover asks, I didn't know. I actually didn't know. But I felt excited, I don't think I'd had such a rush since I first rode Ares Harley; I went with the adrenaline and grabbed Grover's hand, charging through the great double doors.
"YOU TAKE MY MATE, I TAKE YOUR LIVES!" I shout, trying to sound intimidating. I slash and spear, stab and kill as many as I can as they topple upon me, black piles of sand appearing everywhere.
"GROVER. START TO CLIMB!" I shout to him as I slaughter a further two, they were easy to kill; sand isn't much of a threat.
"WHERE?" He shouted back over the loud cries and stampeding of SandSpirits.
"ANYWHERE, JUST CLIMB THE WALLS TILL YOU BREAK THROUGH THE SURFACE," I rolled over and came up in a crouch. He started to scale the wall as I skewered about five Spirits;
"HURRY UP GROVER!" I hear his hooves quicken in pace. All of a sudden a great mass of sand drops down onto me and the remaining three or four dozen spirits. I look up to see Grover, miles high and standing on the surface, staring down at a gaping hole. I set my sights on the hole, and begun to climb the walls. They can't climb, but unfortunately for me, this is SandSpirit turf. Once I'm out of their reach they melt into sand and begin to follow me up through the walls. I stand each and every one of them.
I'm almost free when a sudden sand-hand grabs my hair, pulling me against the wall. Their free hand strangles me, I gasp for air but the world is slowly turning black. As I'm about to give up hope, the arms drop and I'm free. I look up to see Grover, grinning with pride. To my side there's a steel blade that's freed me, he's clearly thrown it. I have no time to ask how he got it, so I continue to scale the walls. Miles and miles high, I'm kicking and killing Spirits till I reach the hole, Grover pulls me up.
I begin to gather sand, kicking the hole closed. There were about a dozen left; they'll be up here soon.
"We need to go!" I exclaim;
"But how..." I shout him down
"NOW!" We look desperately for a way out as the Spirits start emerging, the cliff isn't an option, we don't have time.
For Olympus's sake Annabeth! You're daughter of Athena, think of something! I hiss in my head. Spirits are slowly closing around us, I pray silently to Poseidon and run out into the ocean where the Spirits cannot follow, dragging Grover with me.
I'm breathing underwater.
That's the first thing I notice, Grover's breathing steadily too. I have a minor panic attack, too scared to talk but in my head I silently thank Poseidon.
Grover looks fine, but suddenly I feel water rushing through me, down my throat and setting my eyes, nose and lungs on fire. This of course, causes me to hyperventilate, which increases the water intake. The more I try to stop the faster I breathe, everything's tinged with red, and the last thing I see is a seahorse pass my nose, before everything goes black.
I hoped you liked! I'm no good with action, but it'd be a boring story without any! Who's POV do you want it to be in? Comment Percy or Annabeth. Plot lines accepted and credited for.
Or please just review, it's great reading them :3
