Hello, everyone !

I'm back with the sixth chapter :D

I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as well *bow*

Disclaimer: I own this plot and OCs only


The gryphon shrieked, and the horses grew restless.

Can we just use the land transport?, Blackjack asked.

"Easy, buddy." Percy calmed his horse down. "We'll get rid of that gryphon for you."

Yay!

"Easier to say, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said. "Do you have a plan?"

Percy glanced back at his girlfriend and raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure making a plan is your thing, Annabeth."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let me think."

"Five minutes is enough, yeah?" Percy asked.

"Shut up, Percy." Annabeth replied.

The gryphon shrieked again as he tried to break in through the barrier but failed.

"Err… Annabeth?" Percy called. "Anytime now."

"I give you permission to enter."

The group fell into a silence then they looked down. A girl with a flowing black hair was glowing and looked up back at them, before she suddenly collapsed. The gryphon shrieked once more, and the group looked back at the barrier, just when a hole appeared. Now that someone had given a permission, the gryphon could enter.

YIKES!

Piper was the first who found her voice. "WHO IS THAT STUPID GIRL?" she bellowed.

"Doesn't matter!" Annabeth countered. "Here comes the gryphon! Attack it head-on!"

Percy fished out his Riptide. "Nice plan as usual, Wise Girl!"

The gryphon shrieked as it entered through the barrier. The Camp turned chaotic upon seeing the monster.

"This isn't going well." Annabeth looked down. "Piper, charmspeak everyone to stay calm and get away from here as far as possible!"

Piper nodded her head. "Land me down, Porkpie."

The horse flew down and Piper hopped down. "Get rid of that monster, Jason. And stay away from my charmspeak."

Jason kissed her quickly. "Yes ma'am."

Piper smiled then took a deep breath. She then faced the campers.

"All right, everyone, listen to me." Piper began her charmspeak. The campers instantly turned to her. "This is just a drill for the chosen ones, no need to be worried. Now everyone, grab your packs and go along. Stay away from here as far as possible."

"A drill." A camper repeated. "With a gryphon."

Piper let out a chuckle. "I know, right? But trust me, as you grow older and stronger, this kind of drill is necessary. It trains your bravery and your madness in a battlefield."

Madness. I like that word.

Piper blinked her eyes as she processed what she had just heard. Did she hear it right?

"Did you guys hear that?" The campers asked each other, which convinced Piper that someone did just talk.

Are you sure you can call this a drill?, the voice came back along the rustling wind. You saw that one of you gave the permission for the gryphon.

"Who gave the permission?" The campers mumbled.

Someone is betraying you by permitting the gryphon to enter. And this time, the girl who is standing in front of you is trying to deceive you.

A shiver ran down along Piper's spine. She didn't know whose voice did it belongs to, but she didn't like it.

"Um… Guys?" Piper looked up and was taken aback by her friends' confused look.

"That girl betrayed us." The campers murmured. "She let that gryphon in. She betrayed us."

"Are you trying to deceive us?" A camper asked, which snapped Piper's attention back to them. "Is this not a drill?"

Of course not., the voice chuckled. This is a battlefield.

"No!" Piper instantly said. She didn't know who was speaking, but she knew it was a woman's voice. Whoever she was, Piper knew that the woman is destroying her charmspeak. "This is just a drill."

The campers murmured within themselves. Some of them were convinced that they were in a drill, but the others were doubting Piper. Piper looked up and saw her friends were looking at each other in confusion.

"This is a drill, Pipes?" Jason asked to her.

Piper was flabbergasted.

"Who are you?!" Piper demanded. "Show yourself!"

The wind rustled once more.

"Up here, sweetie."

Piper looked up and saw a hooded lady was sitting on top of the gryphon. Piper couldn't see her face clearly because of the hood, but something about the lady was… scaring her.

"Oh, are you scared?" The lady asked as she studied Piper's expression. "I'm sure all of you are scared and confused."

Piper winced. The way the lady said those words didn't sit well with her. Piper could feel herself was turning scared and confused, just like the lady said.

Piper shook her head. "You cannot charmspeakme." she glared at the lady.

"Charmspeak?" The lady asked. "I don't do charmspeak, my dear. I'm just stating the truth."

"There is no truth in your words!" Piper said while focusing her energy into the charmspeak. "Get lost!"

"My, how rude." The lady said. "I do appreciate some respect, you know."

"Get lost!" Piper said. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

The lady chuckled. "First, you told me to get lost, and the second after, you're asking my reason for being here. Quite a contradiction, don't you think?" She then turned to the five demigods in front of her. "As for you five, you cannot win this battle. You will die."

Color was drained from their faces. The gryphon looked at them with hungry eyes and the horses started to fly down in fear.

"We're going to die." Jason muttered.

"No!" Piper said and put more power into her charmspeak. "No, we're not! We're going to save Anput and stop whatever is going on!"

Hope came back to their faces.

"Are you sure?" The lady asked. "You don't even know what is going on."

Confusion and fear came back, and Piper felt she was about to be consumed by the lady's words. Who was she kidding? She did know nothing about the situation!

The lady smiled. "Let the gryphon kill you. That way, you don't have to see this world's destruction. It is so much better than putting up a hopeless fight, don't you think?"

"Die." Percy mumbled as Blackjack stepped on the land. "Is dying hurt?"

"Quicker than falling asleep." The lady assured.

"That seems like a better option than fighting the gryphon." Annabeth nodded.

Piper shook her head to get rid of the lady's words from her brain. However, Piper knew her energy was being drained out, just by trying to ignore the lady's words. She wanted the lady to get away, but she wasn't sure whether she had enough energy for another charmspeak or not.

One more time.

Piper gasped as she recognized the voice who had just spoken in her head. It was her mother's voice.

One more time., Aphrodite repeated. No one charmspeak better than the Aphrodite's daughter. Say those words, Piper dear.

Piper took a deep breath and then glared at the lady.

"Get lost."

Piper put everything she had left into her last charmspeak and it worked. The gryphon shook its body to get rid of the lady and ran out from the barrier as fast as possible. The lady looked down at Piper for a moment and smiled.

"Too bad." she simply said before disappeared.

Once the lady was gone, her words' influence was also gone. Piper collapsed out of exhaustion as Jason ran to her.


Alex stood in silence as Chiron mended Piper and the camper who gave permission for the gryphon to enter. Alex recognized the girl as one of the unclaimed in Hermes's cabin.

Alex's memory played, and his mind was taken back to a few moments ago, when Piper had a battle of words with the unknown lady.

It's not your turn., Brigitta's voice spoke in his mind. Let Aphrodite's favored one do her job.

Alex didn't know how Brigitta was able to access his mind, but his head was too hurt to think. The lady was too convincing. Alex felt he was feeling more tired to ignore her, rather than listened to her.

"She's burning." Chiron said. "I'm afraid Piper cannot join your quest in saving Anput."

"Will she be okay?" Jason asked.

Chiron nodded. "She just needs some rest. As for the unclaimed, I think she'll be fine as well. She just had a momentary involuntary possession."

"Are you saying the girl is being used by a god or a goddess to let that gryphon in?" Annabeth asked.

Chiron nodded again. "Well, logically speaking, no demigod in their right mind would permit a monster to come into their territory."

"But who is the lady?" Percy wondered. "She charmspeaks as better as Pipes does."

"I don't think she has any ability of charmspeaking." Chiron said. "I don't know who she is, but judging from your story, I'm sure she's a goddess."

Just then, Nico let out a grunt as he clutched his chest. He started to sweat, and his face turned a bit paler.

"We need to get going." Percy said as he eyed Nico in worry. "If we don't send Anput back to the desert, everything will be ruined. Nico can't hold it much longer."

"Percy's right." Chiron said. "Leave Piper here, I guarantee her safety. As for the four of you, you need to get going. Nico, you're staying here."

"…I'm going." Nico grunted.

"No, you're not, Death Boy." Will Solace, the son of Apollo stepped inside the Big House. "You're staying here to rest."

Nico glared at his boyfriend and Will glared back. After a minute of glare contest, Nico sighed. Will beamed and turned to face the others.

"Off you go!" he said. "Leave them to us."

"You mean, leave Nico to you." Percy grinned.

"Let's go." Annabeth pulled Percy by shirt. "We don't have much time."


After Percy calmed the horses down, they flew to the beach right away. The sun was up high in the sky and the beach was quite packed with people.

"Okay, how do get down there without these people noticing us?" Jason asked as he hopped down from Porkpie and Alex followed. Without Nico and Piper, they decided to let Quiella stay in the Camp.

"We'll put the horses here." Annabeth said as she hopped down from Blackjack. "The Mist will mask them as cars or something similar. Then, Percy will take us down there."

Percy looked at his girlfriend. "I will?"

"You will." Annabeth said. "You can create underwater bubbles, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Great. Let's go."

"Stay here, buddy." Percy patted Blackjack.

Won't go anywhere, Boss. But if you can't find me here, just go to a nearby doughnut store.

Percy nodded his head, and the four of them walked as casually as possible. They ignored the curious stare the visitors gave them, as they were fully dressed for a vacation on the beach. Annabeth guided them into a rather secluded part of the beach, away from the curious lookers.

"Are you ready?" Annabeth asked which they replied with a nod. She nodded back. "Work your magic, Seaweed Brain."

They slowly entered the sea and once their noses were about to touch the water, all of them inhaled a deep breath. Percy willed the water and formed a bubble around their heads to breathe. They swam deeper into the sea.

"I'm glad I'm a demigod or I will be burst in a few seconds." Jason said in his bubble, his voice was muffled.

"With this much pressure, I don't know how long I can hold the bubbles." Percy said. "By the way Alex, when do I get to wear the perfume?"

"When we're near Anput." Alex said. "It's better to prolong our 10 minutes as much as possible."

"I see something down there." Annabeth pointed.

Following her finger, they all gasped upon seeing the beautiful castle at the bottom. They were in the deep sea, but the castle glowed. Colorful and beautiful seashells decorated the walls.

"Too bright for my dad's liking." Percy muttered.

"Let's go." Annabeth said, and they swam closer. They stopped at the castle's huge doors and Annabeth pushed them open.

"Should we just go in?" Jason asked.

"I don't see any guards—which was odd—but we don't have time for this now." Annabeth answered. "Alex, it's better for you to spray the perfume now. Let's go."

Alex sprayed the perfume on Percy and they swam in. The castle looked way bigger than the outside. There were many pillars to support the huge castle. Glowing seashells decorated the walls and illuminated it, but the castle was way too empty.

"I don't like this." Annabeth muttered. "Feels like we're in a—"

Just then, bars fell down from the ceiling, trapping them.

"—trap." Annabeth finished.

"That is easy."

Someone stepped out from behind the pillars, a mermaid. Or to be exact, a mermaid with a beautiful turquoise crown. In front of her, swam two mermen—guards—, each carrying a spear and a shield.

"Bow down for you are in the presence before Queen Salicia!" The guards said.

Jason raised an eyebrow. The name sounded so familiar to him.

"You must be the one who captured Anput." Annabeth said.

Salicia waved her hand in disgust. "If it is not because of her order, I won't do it. Her sand is dirtying my water by each second."

"Who ordered you?" Annabeth asked.

Salicia scoffed. "You don't actually believe I'll tell you, right?"

Annabeth silently cursed for Piper's absence. With her charmspeak, this might be not too difficult. She must think of another way. "Okay, where is Anput?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Salicia asked back.

"I believe you dislike her presence here." Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I cannot give her to you either. I have a strict order to imprison that Egyptian here." Salicia answered.

"Surely whoever ordered you to do that is less caring towards your water." Annabeth said.

Salicia pursed her lips. "Well, nevermind about that. I do this voluntarily."

"At what price?" Annabeth started to taunt. She doesn't have Piper's charmspeak, but she does have a way with words. "A dirty sea?"

Salicia's eyes twitched. "Enough." she said sternly. "As per my order, I have to kill you. You cannot interrupt."

"Tell me honestly, do you think if you kill us here then your sea wouldn't be dirty anymore?" Annabeth asked. "Your order of imprisoning Anput doesn't have any precise deadline, does it?"

Annabeth knew she hit the bullseye when she saw Salicia hesitated. She decided to push her wits further. "What if you have to imprison Anput forever? She is being weakened here, but that means you have to put up with her sand as well. The longer she stays here, the longer your sea will be dirtied."

"What?!" Salicia protested. The idea of seeing her sea would be dirtied forever clearly didn't sit well with her. "I can't let that happen!"

Annabeth nodded her head and her friends praised her for her unwavering wits. "I thought so. I can help you."

"By doing what?" Salicia demanded.

"Let us take the goddess go. That way, your sea will be spared." Annabeth answered.

Salicia hesitated. "But, my order…"

"Your sea or your order?" Annabeth taunted.

"M—my sea, of course, but…"

"Then, you'll let us have her, right?"

"I cannot do that…"

Annabeth spun her brain to convince Salicia fast. She was aware their 10 minutes of smell-free-Percy was coming to an end. In what words could she convince the goddess? Annabeth vaguely guessed the goddess's real identity, but she wasn't too sure.

"She's the consort of Neptune," Jason whispered on Annabeth's ear, careful not to let Salicia hear. "she's Salicia, the Roman goddess of seawater."

Consort.

Annabeth smiled. Now she knew why Brigitta gave them the cream.

"Whatever. Are you done talking now?" Salicia demanded.

Annabeth turned to Jason. "Give me the cream."

Jason fished out the antiaging cream from his pockets and gave it to Annabeth. She then turned to face Salicia and showed the cream to her.

"It must be hard as a queen to do maintenance for your skin. Especially with a two-timing husband such as Neptune." Annabeth started.

Percy choked as Salacia scoffed in disgust. "Don't talk about that traitorous husband. What does he see from those mortals, anyway? This is why I answered to her, you know! She promised me power, more seas to control."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. Her. Whoever ordered Salicia was a woman and she promised the queen something really alluring.

"That's why you have to take care of your skin." Annabeth said, taunting the goddess once more. "A beautiful skin makes you feel beautiful."

To her amusement, the queen's eyes sparkled. "I know, right! But it's hard to do routine maintenance, especially since I live in the sea! This high concentration of salt really affects the elasticity. But what this has anything to do with the Egyptian?"

"Let's do some trading. A bigger benefit for your side as well." Annabeth offered.

"Let's hear it, demigod." Salicia answered.

"All we ask is Anput, and I will give you this antiaging cream. It's made of a variety of healthy natural ingredients, and it's a great moisturizer. You will have a great skin beauty from this cream and your sea will be cleaned of the sand. And if you managed to sway Neptune's heart with your beauty, you can ask him to give you more seas, right?" Annabeth said.

That intrigued Salicia. Come to think of it, she did have some seas under her control already. Even her husband couldn't fight against her decision in those seas. The demigod might be right. If she could sway Neptune with her healthy and beautiful skin, she could ask him to give her more seas to control. She took a moment of silence to think then she snapped her fingers. "Deal! That Egyptian is in the dungeon, just further below us."

"Great!" Annabeth let out a small relieve breath. "Can you give her to us? And raise these bars, please."

Salicia snapped her fingers and the bars raised up. "Get the prisoner." she told to one of the guards, and he quickly swam away. "You're so smart, demigod. Now give me the cream! I can't wait to try—wait a minute. What is this smell? I recognize this smell…"

Annabeth choked. They instantly traded glances at each other as Percy immediately swam back carefully. Their heart was thumping hard. Who knew 10 minutes flew by so quickly!

Salacia took another few seconds sniffing the water, then her eyes grew as wide as an octopus's. She glared at them with anger.

"THIS IS POSEIDON'S MORTAL CHILD'S SMELL!" Salacia growled. "HOW DARE YOU! NOT ONLY YOU BROUGHT MY HUSBAND'S ILLEGITIMATE CHILD, BUT IT IS ALSO A GREEK?! YOU TRICKED ME! THIS MEANS DEATH!"

Salacia summoned her trident and Percy laughed nervously.

"Plan B, everyone?" he offered.

"The mortals are going to see a tsunami." Jason mumbled. "A tsunami at the Rockaway Beach."


Done !

This is the longest chapter so far !

I hope you like it :D

Don't forget to tell me your reviews !