Ch.25

Percy sat at his usual chair at the helm of Argo, they are currently heading toward Circe's Island. He remember the time he got turn into guinea pig, and he don't like the scenario of that happening again, he thought of plan to get the compass without her knowing as he rub the scabbard of Andromeda made from his blood. It seems that his blood is the only thing that could suppress her powers, now that she's covered in his blood, other than him could now touch her without being destroy, of course as long as they touch his blood not the sword itself, but if a person other than him drew the sword out of its scabbard she will destroy the person, Percy learn all this at the time they were constructing Olympus since his only job is finding the giant and helping out, he use his free time and sometimes he would experiment with Piper at their secret meeting, and he had discover many things about the sword. The only reason Percy use her right now, is because he was sure that the gods are not watching, when he fell asleep after the battle with the storm spirit, It seems that something or someone is hiding them from the Gods, and so Percy is free to use Andromeda out in the open. Percy would have put Andromeda inside just to make sure the gods can't see her but, she did not want to. Percy could feel that she didn't want to go back, and she wants to see the world. It's not the first time it happen, there was a time he try to talk to her at one time but she didn't respond, he could only feel what she wants. She's like a child hasn't learn how to talk, so Percy coated her with his blood to block her power.

The Sea Of Monsters is the same as the last time he was here, the sea is more brilliant green, the sun always shining on his eyes.

Percy sigh, he can't think of anything that could work, well if it comes to it he'll just gonna have to take it by force. Sherry came out to the deck and look at the sea refusing to look at him just like him she wore his new Demigod shirt but he wore his gray Bermuda short and sandals. Percy could tell that she's afraid of him, and Haley too. He wondered when she's gonna tell him that she's a spy sent by Octavian, he predicted that Octavian would do it, knowing him.

His though drifted to Piper, joy spread through out his body. He wants to finish this quest as soon as possible and come back to her. Percy was so excited knowing that he's gonna be a father, he search through internet on how to take care of a baby, and now that they're in the sea of monsters connection is out. Percy tap his foot impatiently, he really want to finish this quest and get back to her.

"Mm" Percy notice something at the corner of his eye, "Sherry, would you please get the binocular from Leo's room" he said as he look to his right. Sherry run inside to get the binocular, Percy squinted trying to make out a dot from afar, after a while Sherry and Haley came out, Sherry hold out the binocular to him.

Percy smile and then it turn into laughter, the girls glance at each other

"Oh man" he said still smiling, they have been sailing for hours now, Percy was getting bored out of his mind "This should entertain me for a while"

"What do you see?" Haley ask

"Have you read the instruction Leo gave me?" he ask

Haley reply with a yes

Percy handed her the binocular, still smiling "Pirates"

He look at the Dragon figurehead "Festus Ready for battle" Percy wield the ship to turn toward the pirate ship.

"Wait, we're gonna fight them?" Sherry ask

"yes, if we don't do it right now, they could become troublesome later and besides now that the Captain have seen me, they won't stop chasing us unless we sink them"

"You know whose ship is that" Haley ask

Percy nodded "He had a different one now because I stole his first one"

"Who's the Captain?" Sherry ask

Percy smile "Blackbeard"

"Woah, you mean the Blackbeard, isn't that guy suppose to be dead?" Sherry said

"It's complicated, it involve stuff I rather not say" Percy look at the ship and then frowned as if he just saw something he didn't like

"Sherry man the balistae" Sherry had a panic look

"But I don't know how to use it" she said

"Aim, then fire" he reply "Haley, you'll be at the helm"

"What about you?" Haley ask

"It seems that, it's not coincidence they found us, I can feel sea monsters underwater"

Sherry look at the water wondering what is under there, the pirate ship is now getting closer and closer.

"I'll take care of the monsters while you guys stay on the ship" Percy run to the railing of the ship and took off his sandals as he ran

"WAIT" Sherry shouted but it was too late, he already jump into the brilliant green sea. Sherry look at Haley with panic on her eyes "What do we do?"

Haley purse her lips "All we need to hold out until he gets back and beside we have THAT" she said

Sherry Pov:

The pirate ship turn so that we're facing its side, where the cannon's are, Haley did the same. We circle each other then the Pirate ship started to fire its cannon.

"FIRE" Haley shouted and I fire, I missed my first shot and then the Ballistae reloaded and I fire again. The huge flaming arrow hit the deck and it exploded, and Haley start using the crossbow at the aft. A cannon ball sail pass the ship and hit the other side of the water, one went through inside. Haley and I kept on firing while the pirate ship and the Argo circle each other, after a while I notice something the Pirate ship seems to be getting closer.

"Haley they're planning to board us" I shouted, then she went back to the helm and direct the Argo to face the ship, it continue to turn until the figurehead is facing the side of the Pirate ship. then I heard the familiar noise of something opening, I waited for the laser to come out but it didn't. I look at Haley to see what's the problem, she keep pushing the blue button but nothing is happening. I look the ship again and it turn toward us, I could see men getting ready to board us, when the Pirate ship sail beside us in opposite direction, men came swinging toward us, and they landed with thud, the first one to come down must be the Captain because he's the most ugliest. They all held their sword point to us, I raise my hand, "Now Where is he?" the captain said

"W-w-we don't know what're you talking about" I said

"Argggh, I know he's here. The one who stole me vessel" Blackbeard said

and then Percy shot out of the water and landed on the top of the railing of Argo, he held the scabbard on his left hand and the blade itself on his right, It was the darkest blade I ever seen, its as if sucking everything including light like black hole, the scabbard make me feel bad but the blade itself makes me ten times worse. I could tell by just looking at it, its a very powerful blade, and with just one touch it could kill me.

it's like an abomination. Its not suppose to exist, its unnatural and its against nature itself. And what worries me most is the person wielding such a sword, Percy's eyes have change, they're not glowing when he use his powers but the white in his eyes have turn dark as if his very soul is corrupted by darkness. I wondered where did he get the creepy sword, it just suddenly appear after the battle with Scylla, I was gonna ask him but I;m afraid of the answers.

Water rose up behind him in a shape of tentacles. Percy started his attack, the tentacles started to stab the Pirates and then Percy made a wall of water to block the incoming cannons from the ship and then swallow it and bring it down to the depth of the sea. Percy jump off the railing, one Pirate attack him from his left but he only swipe his sword and the Pirate scream, it was horrible, it was a scream of pure agony, then he exploded in black piece like a burn paper. My mother is the goddess of ghost, so I was expecting the soul of the pirate but it didn't come. All enemy that fought met the same fate as the other until Blackbeard is the only one left.

"well, its been a while" he said

Blackbeard charge at him, then Percy slash at him upward. Percy sheath his sword and look at us, his eyes have return to normal

"Are you guys okay?" he ask us and we nodded

He smile kindly "Good job defending the ship"

Percy sat on his chair and look through Blackbeard's recent memories, he was right, Khione uses his grudge on Percy to convince them to attack the Argo, according to his memory Khione were heading to the same place as him Circe's Island.

"I wonder if she knows about the compass" he muttered to himself "Well only one way to fine out" He wield the Argo to sail toward Circe's Island. nothing attack the Argo on the way to their destination, after few hours of sailing Percy could finally see the familiar white building at distance, he stop the ship a few miles away.

he'd change his clothes from short to faded jeans, a thin sea green hoodless sweater, sea green sneakers and of course his golden shirt. Sherry and Haley are still inside, and just like usual Percy is on the helm

He was expecting Circe to send something horrible to him, the moment he's in sight, but he'd been waiting in the same spot for a while now. Percy wondered why she's not attacking, and curiosity eating him, so he decided to go alone

He jump of the ship and dive on the water, he wield the current to push him forward and he shot through water like a torpedo. When he was near the Island, Percy shot up to the surface and stand at the top of the sea and walk. Just like before someone greeted him but this time there are more of them, they bow to him and said welcome at the same time.

a blond woman gestured "would please follow me, the owner would like to see you personally"

Percy nodded, he was holding Andromeda to his left hand "Of course"

Just like he remembered the place looks amazing, he's guessing they fix everything after they drove the pirates away. They headed to the main building, and two woman stand in front of the door as if guarding it, when they saw him they step aside and let him in. The room was just like the last time he was here, back wall covered in mirror, white furniture and the loom, the only thing missing is the cage. Percy caught a sight of himself in the mirror, his messy hair is let down except for the braided strand that holds the Feather, he immediately look away, he really doesn't want to turn into a pig again. The blond woman stayed by the door like a guard.

Circe sat at the loom weaving, and she didn't look up to him. Percy make his way to the white furniture, he sat down on the couch, and put Andromeda to his side. He help himself on the tea in the table, he took a sip and said "Green tea, nice"

"Jackson" Circe said as she weave threads

Percy nodded at her while sipping his tea

"You've change since the last time I saw you. You've gotten handsomer"

"you haven't change, beautiful as always" he reply

Circe snort

Percy look around him "you're expecting me"

"I heard a rumors that says the conqueror of Tartarus is in the Sea of Monsters and so I assume you'll visit me" she reply

"Oh, you heard about the Tartarus thing huh"

Circe laugh "who haven't, every monsters have heard it"

Percy smile

"now why are you here?" she ask

"I'll cut to the chase, you have something I want"

Circe turn to him and raised an eyebrow "I welcome you to my home, not even apologizing to me for what you did, you drink my tea and now you want to take my possession?"

Percy pause as if thinking and then smile at her "yup that sounds about right"

Circe laugh again in amusement "My, my you have become arrogant"

Percy shrugged

"Like a King"

Percy took a sip at his tea again "I know that Khione went here to talk to you"

"knowing that and you still came here, that tea could be poison you know"

"yeah, well I can't do anything by just watching can I? beside I'm curious of what kind of surprise you have for me"

Amusement dance in her eyes "how brave"

Percy got serious "Let's get back to business"

"Yes they came, asking me to keep you occupy here"

Andromeda humm beside him as if sensing a threat, Percy pat the sword besides him "Shhh, calm down" he said whispered softly

Circe smile kindly at him"How about this, I'll give you what you want, If you give that sword"

Percy frowned slightly as if thinking and then he laugh loudly "So that's why you didn't attack me, you want my sword"

"I don't know how or where you got such a sword but you do not deserve to wield it"" Circe said

Andromeda shook as if angered by her insolence, he pat her again, and turn to Circe and smile at her "You can't have her, Andromeda is not for sale"

Circe tense as if getting ready to attack "Then I'll just force you to give it to me"

Percy shook his head "even if you manage to kill me, you'll never have her " only him is able to touch her not even Piper, only him is able to control her not the Gods, and Gaea, and only him is able to destroy her no one else, because she is made out of his own blood and she's part of him.

The blond woman took out a knife from her dress and lunge at Percy but before she could thrust her knife at the side of his neck she stop, Percy reach for his tea at the table and drank it. The blond woman grunted, trying to break free of Percy's control over his body.

Percy made the women attack Circe instead, she walk slowly toward her and raise her knife, Circe raise her hand toward the servant and blast her back to the wall, a sickening crunch was her as the servant damage her skull.

Circe look at Percy, with rage and he just smile at her, she summon fireball to her hands and threw them at Percy, he grabbed Andromeda and rolled to the side as the fireball exploded where he was sitting. Percy drew Andromeda out of her scabbard, just like last time he use her the white in his eyes turn dark and then slash toward Circe, at the slash an ark of red water came out and went toward Circe, she duck and the arc of red water pass over her head and cleanly cutting her loom in half. She look at her loom and then at Percy, one of the things he discovered is he could now summon the Rivers Of the Underworld at will. Circe hold out her hand at him and lightning came out, Percy swing his sword cutting the lightning and then he spin and slash, another arc of red water came out, Circe rolled to the side dodging it and the arc hit the wall creating a mark. The two women that were guarding the door burst in, one of them charge at Percy with a sword, she stab at him and Percy swipe it aside then slash downward killing her. Then the other one slash with her spear and he block it, then he grab her by the neck and toss her to Circe, who fired another lightning, it hit the women and killing her. Circe created another fire ball and threw it at him, Percy duck and the fireball exploded at the wall. He run outside and found himself surrounded by women with bows pointed at him, they were at the roof and balcony everywhere, Percy turn around and Circe is waiting by the door smiling.

"Did you really think you could get away easily" she said, then she raised her hand and brought it down, as soon as the women saw the signal they all fired. Percy blink and just like every time he uses his powers, his pupil and iris glowed sea green, he raise his left hand that was holding the scabbard and use the power of time, all the arrows froze in midair.

Circe look around in shock "Impossible"

Percy summon the river of Acheron and red water surrounded him in circles, he wield the water to turn into a Chinese dragon and have it attack the women in the balcony, they scream and jump off as the dragon chase them. Some tried to fire at Percy but he easily deflected the arrows and everytime he move a trail of light is left behind from his eyes. The dragon went on a rampage, destroying buildings, and everytime someone touch it or it swallow someone, they scream in pain and died. Percy turn around to Circe, and she look at him with pure hate. He toss the scabbard, held Andromeda with both hand and took a stand. His body face Circe side way, he put his left foot forward, held the sword over his head pointing it at her. Circe summon a fireball at her left hand and lightning at her right, they stare at each other in silence for a while and then, She threw the fireball first and Percy step forward with his right foot and slash Horizontally, and arc of water from river Styx came out cutting the fireball and continue on toward Circe, she rolled forward and then send the lightning at Percy, he lean to the right and the lightning pass him, and then he slash vertically sending a red water toward her. She muttered under her breath and then slam her palm to the ground, and a wall shot up blocking the arc, then she push the wall and it fall down, then it back up, then fall down again, then back up toward Percy. He dive to the side then rolled over as the wall fall down again, he look at Circe and she has a fireball in her hand, she threw it at him, he hold out his hand and a whirlpool appear blocking the fire, and then he run toward the whirlpool and burst to the other side he dash toward her, he brought Andromeda to the side ready to kill her but then suddenly the ground he was running rose up sending him flying into the window on one of the building.

Circe knows that if the blade touch she'll die, she can't have him getting close to her

She waited for him to come out of the building, then suddenly a large sharp block of ice came out of the building threatening to impale and crush her, she muttered a spell and a wall of fire vaporize the ice as it came down on her, it took awhile until finally the block of ice melted.

she made the fire disappear and waited for him, he appear from the hole the Ice made, a flight of stairs made out of water form for him to step on.

He walk down the stair, with his eyes still dark and glowing, a wicked smile on his face.

The sky have started to darken, and lightning flash across the heaven.

Both of them stare at each other

"your strong" Circe said

"Thank you" Percy took a the same stand again "Shall we start again?" then he lunged at her

Haley Pov:

Sherry and I stand at the deck of Argo and watch the Island. A storm surrounded the Island, the sky dark, lightning travel across the heaven, the waves rock the ship side to side, and the wind have become strong.

Huge pillar of ice and earth stood and lightning flash all over the Island, and large ice in different shape , such us dragons, birds, snakes, and one Athena Parthenos litter the place. The buildings are either burning or frozen, lifeboats are all over the sea and the people watch as their home become battle ground between the strongest sorceress versus the strongest Demigod. It's like watching an apocalypse, nature itself went wild destroying everything, there won't be anything on that island after this.

From the right side of the island a large fire shot out toward the other side leaving destruction on its wake, and on the left side, the same size as the other one, water shot toward the other side. Both force clash in the middle of the island and shot upward, then a large explosion, I brace myself for the shockwave.

Percy walk slowly toward Circe, her hands raise and impaled together with a trident made of ice on one of the pillar of earth she created. Her dress is torn, dirty and bloody, she's full of cut and her hair is a mess. Her chest rise and fall as she breath hard, she look at Percy with hate and fury.

Percy stood in front of her holding Andromeda, he reap his torn and burn shirt off him. just like her, he was covered in wounds and dirt, his left hand was burn badly from one of her fire and he have a small hole at the lower right side of his stomach from her lightning spell, it burn his inside and it went through him, lucky for him it didn't hit one of the vital organs and he's slowly healing it with the power of time.

All around them, the buildings are burning, frozen or rubbles, they're surrounded by pillars and ice sculpture, and storm is over their heads

"I'll never give you what you want" Circe said breathing hard

"you don't have to" Percy put his left hand on his forehead, he close his eyes and search her memories for the item he need, after couple of minutes he found what he wants.

he smile "underground library, nice"

Circe's eyes widened and then look at him with hate "you monster"

"That's not a nice thing to call people" he hold his left hand up and Andromeda's scabbard flew to his hand, he sheath his sword and his eyes return to normal.

Percy walk toward the main building, while Circe scream at him.

The main building is the only place not destroyed but a pillar of ice hit it from the front and it went through the back, he walk inside the building, he went to the basement of the building, he walk to the other side of the door, he enter the password and the ground shook and a secret stairs appear on the ground.

He walk in the spiral stairs until he's face to face with a door, he enter the password again and the door open. Percy found himself standing in a huge library with glasses case that contain relics, he walk deeper toward the compass. He found it at the right side of the glass case, it was a golden square with the zodiac sign that goes in circle, he grab it and walk out.

Percy found Circe still impaled at the pillar "I'll let you live since I got what I want" he said as he walk pass her, she scream and curse at him

Percy jump to the sea, and it rejuvenate him, he could feel his wound slowly healing, he closed his eyes and float at the sea for a while.

The pirates fighting scene was not my best work but Enjoy

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