"Great," Frank glanced around. "We can't just go swimming willy nilly through here. We need a plan."
"Frank Zhang," said an echoing female voice. "Always the one with a plan."
"What!" Frank reeled back as a woman with flowing hair and a seaweed dress. "Who are you?"
"It's the woman from my dream," I righted myself.
"Dream, Leo Valdez?" she raised an eyebrow. "Either way I am pleased to see you have made it this far."
"Do I get my body back now?"
"Not quite yet," she held up a finger. "I am simply another guardian. And as such I must ask you my riddle."
"More?" Percy groaned.
"Yes, young Percy Jackson."
"Alright then," I gestured. "Continue."
"What does man love more than life?
Fear more than death or mortal strife?
What do the poor have, what the rich require,
And what contented men desire?
What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save,
And all men carry to their graves?"
"Ok..." I paused and turned to my friends. "Let's try this."
"What does man love more than life?" Percy paused. "A woman?"
"That definitely fills the 'fear more than death or mortal strife'," Frank snorted.
Pushing down my laughter I continued. "But it doesn't fit 'what poor have and rich require'."
"True," Percy sighed.
"What does the miser spend and spend thrift save?" Frank shook his head. "Little?"
"That could work," I mused. "It would fit the other parts. Except the last part 'All men carry to their graves.'"
"Nothing," Percy snapped, a strange sound underwater. "That fits."
"Do you have your answer Leo Valdez?" The woman asked.
"Yes," I nodded. "The answer to the riddle is 'nothing.'"
"Clever," she nodded. "You may continue."
She vanished and Frank was the first to speak. "But... we don't know where we're going."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling something that was either last night's dinner or the instinct trying to kick back in. With a sudden pull that felt like something had hooked to my belly button. "This way," I shot down the one to my right and after a sharp turn we saw light.
"Yes!" Frank cried and swam in front of me.
"Wait!" I held out a hand and joined caught up as he fell through a shimmering wall of water.
"Whoa!" he cried as he vanished behind a bright white shield of foam.
"Frank!" I reached arm through and felt air. Confused I went to stuck my head through but Percy came up beside me and crashed into me sending us both into the unknown.
The first thing I noticed was Frank, now human, on the floor, his clothes and hair soaking wet. Percy sat by me, a sheepish grin on his face and completely dry. The second thing I noticed was the door behind us shutting us from the water maze. And the third thing I noticed was that I couldn't breathe. As soon as I fell into the open air my lungs collapsed, no longer held up by the water.
While I struggled for the air to alert my friends of my predicament they stood and looked around the room. Percy whistled appreciatively. "Dude! This is awesome."
"Yea," Frank flicked water off his jacket sleeve. "Great. Do you know where any hair dryers or something might be?"
"Worrying about your hair Zhang?" Percy teased.
"Shut up." Frank turned red.
I opened my mouth, desperately trying to speak but nothing came out. I was helpless.
"But look at this place," Percy waved an arm. "Annabeth would kill to see this room!"
Frank shook his head. "Hazel would probably break the whole thing if she got nervous."
"What do you think Leo?" Percy turned to me and I put a hand to my throat, indicating I couldn't quite answer then. "Frank!" He cried. "Help me!"
"What?" Frank turned to me and I knew my face must have been turning blue. They picked me up in a double arm cradle and for a moment I wondered where we were headed. Then they dumped me in the huge fountain in the center of the room. I sunk below the deep surface before coming up again, carefully getting my head above water. I could breathe with my head out and with trepidation leaned on the edge of the fountain.
"Thanks," I spoke, my voice soft. "For a second there..."
"It's fine," Percy smiled. "We are where we're supposed to be right?"
"Yes," I said with certainty. As I recovered my oxygen I looked around the room. It was, indeed, massive. The dome at the top was made entirely of diamonds which glittered, reflecting the ebony black floor and glimmering black and violet walls. The chandelier was entirely black, contrasting the ceiling. I felt like I was in a palace for the gods.
"So.." Frank looked around. "If we're here why are we the only ones in the room?"
"I don't know," I pondered for a moment. I knew we were in the right place. The tug in my stomach made me feel like someone was trying to rip my guts out form the inside and I swam around the edge of the fountain. The fixture was six feet deep at least, giving me just enough room to move and at least twenty feet high, made entirely of diamonds. Around the edge, at the far end of the room and huge black throne sat, empty and firm.
As I watched a figure came into focus. She had perfect skin and silver blonde hair. Blue lips curled into a smile as her flat face blinked three inch long eyelashes and pitch black eyes.
"Marina," I said coldly.
"Young master Valdez," she crooned. "How nice of you to join me. And you brought," her eyes flicked to Percy and filed with a dark emotion. "Descendants of Poseidon, typical."
"Enough talk. What have you done to Leo?" Percy demanded.
"So impatient." Marina stood and walked fluidly, like a wave, over to us. She defiantly looked the part of a princess even though she was still ten feet tall. She sat on the edge of the fountain and tutted. "It worked so quickly. I'm surprised."
"What are you talking about?" I could tell Frank was trying hard not to make his voice squeak.
"I cast it but oh!" she laughed, a wicked sound. "I never expected it to work so magnificently!
"What are you talking about?" I asked, lifting myself as far from the water as I dared.
"Careful," Marina warned softly. "You don't want to squish those lungs do we?"
"Tell me what you did to my friend?" Percy unsheathed riptide.
"I will," she smiled and walked back to her throne. "Calm down. I simply placed a curse on him. A tiny curse, by comparison and threw his ship a little ways. Send hardships to see how he would react. And I might say," she grinned. "You passed all my tests. You were valiant and you coped with your new gifts well."
"Gifts?" I choked.
"Yes, gifts. Despite being unable to wield your natural element you embraced the other side with arms wide." Her eyes became misty. "You know how it feels now, to swim, really swim. You can't hide that feeling of overwhelming joy when you are submerged, away from everything else. Then when you fly into the air," she sighed with longing.
"Leo?" Frank turned to me and I couldn't hid my shame.
"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked.
"Everything, child!" Marina stood and held her arms up. "My curse is influence by strong emotions. Fear, love, anger, exhilaration were they keys that mutated your curse. It was supposed to be simple; you would be terrified and simply evolve into a fish. But no, you accepted it, embraced it and my magic changed to make you what you are becoming. Because of these strange qualities my maid became afraid and went to you in a dream. Fearing my wrath she sent you to me. I have dealt with her accordingly but," she shrugged, "no matter." She gestured to me. "Look at you, a tail and the scales are advancing, good color choice by the way. It suits you."
"I didn't choose it," I protested.
"But you did. As much as you feared what would happen you had to know." She held up her hand. "Even I cannot tell you what you will look like now. But I believe you are close."
"So, I'm not turning into a fish?" I asked.
"Not quite." She stared at me intently. "You will become something a little more than a simple fish and a little stronger and more aquatic than a merman. I am very interested to see what happens."
"Why me?" I asked.
"Because you disrespected me," she said simply. "And I wanted someone to practice on." She stood and summoned a small whirlwind in her hand. "Someone I could put through all of this. Then your ship came along!" Her eyes lit up. "And you were on deck, alone. My plan was perfect."
"So why was your curse 'know the pain of flames, the water your only comfort?'"
"You needed to be moved from your... how do I put this; area of expertise."
"Nice," I crossed my arms. "Any plans on removing it?"
"Not so fast." Her grin was pure evil. "You have been asking so many questions. It is my turn now."
"What kind of question?" Percy asked slowly.
"A riddle... do not worry. It is short.
"I have no wings but I fly,
I have no teeth but I bite.
What am I?"
I paused. "What flies with no wings?" I muttered. The answer was a lot of things. Jason, wind spirits, any manner of creatures but this riddle wasn't about magical creatures. This was a riddle by humans. What would they think? "No teeth but bites..."
"The time is ticking," Marina said.
"One second." I held up a finger.
"A weapon can bite," I supposed. "And a bullet flies." I looked up at the princess patiently waiting. "A bullet," I announced.
"Close," Marina pulled back on an imaginary bow string. "But unfortunately," a black swirl of magic apreared in front of her. "For you friends at least." She let go. "Incorrect."
cliffie! Haha! But seriously. I'm so sorry it took almost a week this time. I've have a busy schedulae. Please don't hate me
btw tell me what you think of the curse twist in your review :)
do think it worked/ do you think I'm nuts/ do you think it could've done better/ had you guessed what was happening?