Ariel squeezed every drop of blood out of the heart. She watched as the earth stained red. With each drop Gaea was one step closer to rising and Ariel was one step closer to seeing Eric again. On some level she felt guilty about what happened to the poor Aphrodite girl, but the ends justify the means. All of this would be worth it once Eric held her in his arms again. Just the thought of this caused Ariel to squeeze the heart even harder, as if her life depended on it - which in some ways it did. When Ariel had succeeded in draining all the blood, she dropped the shriveled remains of Piper Mc Lean's heart to the ground.
Ariel quickly set off for the water. She didn't want to be on land longer then she had to. Every turn held a painful reminded of Eric, and Ursula's orders had been to spill the blood on the earth then return directly to her. The enchainment that temporarily made Ariel a mute human would wear off the second her body came into contact with salt water.
Ariel took a deep breath, prepared to dive back into the ocean, when something caught her eye. Above her in the sky were two figures. As they came closer she saw that they were two boys similar in age to her, one blonde and one dark haired. The blonde seemed completely at ease in the sky while the other one depended on the other's power to resist gravity.
Ariel knew that she couldn't take two demigods at once. She would go report back to Ursula. Ariel dove into the water only to become face to face with Percy Jackson.
"Hello, Ariel. We need to talk."
"How did you find me?" Ariel gasped.
"I asked around. This one botttle-nosed dolphin was eager to tell me everything I needed to know. He didn't seem to be a fan of your boss." Percy put emphasis on the word boss.
"You don't understand. Do you think I like doing the sea witch's bidding? Of course not. I don't have a choice."
"There's always a choice, Ariel."
"No, there isn't. If I don't do as she says she'll - never mind, I don't wanna talk about it. You were kind to me before Percy. I will pretend I didn't see you so you don't become the male sacrifice."
"She'll do what to you? What's Ursula threatening you with, Ariel?"
"Not what, who."
Percy's response was cut off by a commotion at the surface. Jason and Nico had submerged themselves and were futilely trying to grab Ariel. Percy calmly put bubbles around both of them. Nico and Jason gasped for air.
"Calm down guys," Percy ordered. "We are all friends here."
"IIIIIssssss ttthhhaattt sssssoooo?" Flotsam and Jetsam slithered out of the depths.
"Did you hear that, Flotsam?"
"I sure did, Jetsam. The spawn of Poseidon considers the mermaid to be his friend. Which can only mean one thing: the little wench has betrayed our dear Ursula's trust."
"From what I've been told, your dear, old Ursula isn't deserving of anyone's trust," Nico retorted.
The eels hissed in unison.
"Careful young demigod," Flotsam warned. "If you don't learn to curb your tongue you will become a tasty snack for us."
"I don't know, Flotsam," Jetsam cackled. "I doubt that a child of the underworld will taste nearly as sweet as a daughter of Aphrodite, for instance."
Jason motioned to strike the little freaks with lightening, reducing them to piles of ash. Thankfully, Nico caught on.
"Jason, stop. I know that these cretans need to pay ,but if you zap them with lightening we will all be electrocuted."
Jason listened to Nico's sense of reason as the tension in his muscles lessened.
"Take us to Ursula," Percy commanded the eels.
"Right this way."
Percy, Nico and Jason were about to follow when Ariel swam in front of them.
"You realize that if you go down there, you will all die. That is exactly what she wants."
"Ariel, I defeated the minotaur when I was twelve" Percy explained. "I've saved Olympus on numerous occasions and most recently survived an unpleasant trip to Tartarus. Whatever the sea witch throws at me, I can handle it. Plus I've got Jason and Nico to back me up. Soon this octopus is going to realize she messed with the wrong demigods."
"I'm going stop Ursula," Jason added. "It is what Piper would have wanted."
Before Ariel could convince them otherwise they set off after the eels. Soon they were at the entrance to Ursula's cave.
"Why, come in," Ursula crooned. "We mustn't lurk in doorways. It's rude. One might question your upbringing."
No one spoke a word as they made their way into the witch's den. Everyone was on guard. Percy pulled out Riptide and when he took off the cap it became… a pen.
"Why isn't it working?" Percy growled.
"No magical powers or objects work in this cave unless they belong to Ursula. You will all be rendered completely powerless," Ariel regrettably explained.
"Well that's convenient," Nico groaned. Just to make matters worse, the bubble surrounded Jason and Nico popped. They began to frantically gasp for air.
"Don't worry," Ariel reassured them, "Ursula has this cave enchanted so that all kinds may breath here."
"It's a good thing too," Ursula exclaimed. "Death by drowning is so boring and over done. I have much more interesting methods of having each of you meet your demise. Speaking of which, I never dreamed to have the pleasure of having all the sons of the big 3 in my little old lair. Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared an extra special means of killing you. Oh well, this will have to do."
Ursula pulled out a jar that was seemingly empty. As Percy looked more closely, he could see there were two clear objects floating around.
"What are you going to do," Percy mocked her with feigned confidence, "shrink us and lock us in a glass jar?"
"It's a lot more frightening then it sounds," Nico whispered.
Ursula laughed, "If only. In this jar I have something that could bring even the gods to their knees. It is the most venomous creature to ever live on the face on this earth. I had to travel to the land down under to procure these specimens, but it was well worth it. The creature's venom eats away one's essence. Feeble mortals can die within five minutes of contact with it. With immortals, the process is far more painful. They can feel themselves withering away until they are nothing but ash. What do you think ever happened to Helios, the Sun God? He willingly gave up his duties to Apollo? That is what the official story is, but no. Helios insulted me so I put some of these creatures in his chariot. Once Gaea has taken control of the universe, I plan to make all the olympians drink this creatures venom." Ursula let out a cackle that filled Percy with rage. How could she sound so confident with herself? Casting a glance at Jason, he could see he was thinking the same thing.
"What exactly is this creature?" Percy asked her. "It looks like a whole lot of nothing if you ask me."
"Well no one asked you, brother" Ursula countered. "This creature is known as a box jellyfish. And as far as I am aware, there are no documented cases as to how its poison would affect half-bloods. Let's conduct an experiment shall we! Who should I choose as a test subject? The son of the father who never bother to notice me" Ursula glared at Percy. "Or the son of the god who left me for dead." she turned her attention to Jason. "I know! Why choose one when I could kill both of you? The more sacrifices the merrier, as I always say."
Ursula opened the jar careful not to touch the jellies. One began swimming out of the opening. Ursula immediately summoned a strong current that sent the jelly straight toward the three demigods.
Nico was one step ahead of Ursula and was ready for it. He jumped up and blocked the jellyfish. It hit him hard in the chest and Nico hit the floor with a thud. His skin began to melt away and the tentacles started to wrap around his heart.
"Nico!" Jason shrieked.
Percy was so shocked he couldn't form words to voice his thoughts.
Jason and Percy crouched down around Nico. Percy held Nico's right hand, Jason held Nico's left. Nico was finally peace. He knew death was coming. He was fine with that. Death was familiar. It would greet him like an old friend welcoming him home. After all some, people were worth dying for.
Nico looked into Percy's sea-green eyes and turned to see Jason's sky blue eyes blurred with tears.
"Why?" Jason asked him.
"Because I love-" Nico final words were abruptly cut to a close by a coughing fit of blood.
Unable to form speech and feeling his heartbeat come to a stop the last thing Nico heard was Jason whispering in his ear "I swear on the River Styx, we will always be together."
Ursula was grinning like she had just won the lottery. "The witless half-blood sacrificed himself for love. How foolish!" Ursula broke out into hysterical laughter.
"You did this to him. You monster." Percy growled.
"Correction: He did this to himself. I told Nico that love is weakness. He was unwise in ignoring my advice. Now, on with the sacrificing. Where did did I put m-"
"Looking for this?" Ariel was holding the jar containing the other jellyfish. She had grabbed it during the commotion.
"Ah, yes. Be a good girl Ariel and hand it over."
"No."
"No?" Ursula was momentarily puzzled. "Oh, I see, you want a chance to prove yourself. Kill one of the boys and all your past mistakes will be forgotten. These half-bloods are the only thing standing between you and your," Ursula's tone changed as if she were talking to a 2 year old, "true wove."
"You know, Ursula, you always tell people that love is weakness, but I think you have it all wrong." Ariel went on, "Love is strength. Love is what's now motivating me to do what must be done."
Ariel turned to face Percy and Jason. "I'm sorry for everything that has happened. I truly am. As for what I'm about to do. I wish there was another way."
In the blink of an eye Ariel spun around and threw the jar directly at Ursula. The jar shattered upon impact. The box jellyfish wrapped around Ursula's neck like a deadly scarf. Ursula started twitching and foaming at the mouth. In a murderous rage she lunged towards Ariel.
Ursula gave one final look of triumph as a single jellyfish tentacle wrapped around Ariel's wrist. Flotsam and Jetsam swam out of the cave, there was nothing left for them here now that their dear leader was dead.
Percy quickly separated Ariel from the now dead Ursula. Percy could tell the little mermaid was almost gone. She wore a vacant expression as if she was in another world.
"It's ok. You are going to be okay." Percy reassured her, but in reality he knew saving her was futile.
"Eric, is that you?" Ariel said in a sing sony voice.
Percy paused, "Yes, Ariel, it's me."
"I did it Eric. I beat the sea witch. Now I can always be a part of your world."
Ariel took one last raspy breath. Percy closed her eyes out of respect for the mermaid who saved both his and Annabeth's lives.
It took all of Percy's willpower to keep it together.
"It's all over now," he announced. "We made it Jason…. Jason?"
Percy looked over to see Jason sobbing over the broken figure that was once Nico di Angelo. Percy sat next to Jason and the two didn't speak for the longest time.
"He loved you, you know," Jason sobbed. "That's why he lead us to the Doors of Death. To save you from Tartarus."
Percy gulped. The revelation made him feel so empty inside. Nico had saved his life more times then he could count. And all he done was be a lousy sad excuse for a friend. Percy didn't appreciate how much Nico meant to him until that moment.
"I'm leaving." Jason continued.
"Leaving?"
"Yes. Percy, I can't take this anymore. Nico and Piper's deaths were my fault. I should have protected them." Jason swallowed. "I have nothing left to live for. Tell the others I'm sorry for not being the hero I should have been."
"Jason stop. None of this is your fault. What happened to them was tragic, but nothing we do now is going to bring them back."
"You don't get it Percy. It's Nico. I have to be with him. I love him."
"Stop, Jason, you can't do this-"
"Tell me you wouldn't be doing the exact same thing if Annabeth died. You can't, can you? Besides, I promised Nico that I would always be with him. I swore it on the River Styx."
"You didn't..."
"I did. Goodbye, Percy Jackson. You were one of the bravest people I have ever known."
Jason picked up the box jellyfish and put it in his mouth. Jason swallowed it whole. Within seconds his body started shaking rapidly and blood began oozing out of his mouth. Percy held Jason close until the shaking stopped. Jason's suffering was over.
Percy was covered from head to toe in Jason's blood. He stood up and assessed the carnage around him. Percy looked at Jason, who kept his unwavering sense of duty and loyalty right until the very end; Ariel, whose innate goodness and curiosity about the world he would never forget. At last Percy looked at Nico. It seemed just like yesterday he was the energetic thirteen year old with a Mythomagic obsession. Nico had been through so much, and Percy had never properly thanked him for all he had done.
Percy then did something he hadn't done in year. He fell to his knees and cried.