Ch23
Percy looked around the Princess Andromeda as they were led before a group of monsters. Looks like we have company.
He saw Annabeth Chase who avoided his gaze. The daughter of Athena looked completely different from when he last saw her. Gone were her California tan and her radiant smile. Her gray eyes looked dull and had bags underneath them while her frayed blonde hair looked like it had lost its luster.
She's going to kill me. When we fight I can't afford to go easy on her. We'll have to fight through this. But still we have to get Chiron back. He discreetly took out a drachma from his pocket at willed the water in the pool behind them.
"So what do you want?" Chris asked. "The fleece is gone are you going to just end us here?" Hylla and Reyna stood by him with their weapons in their hands. Tyson gripped his fists while Grover gripped his wind pipes, the satyr looked at Annabeth with sadness but the daughter of Athena avoided his gaze.
Oh Iris goddess of the rainbow except my offering show my Dionysus. He through the golden coin into the rainbow and the image of Mr. D, Tantalus, and other campers in the dining area appeared.
"You both won't' live to see the new era we will build," Luke said. "Kronos will rise one way or another."
"So it was you guys who did," he said loudly. "I bet it was you and Annabeth who poisoned Thalia's tree and framed Chiron for it."
Annabeth's posture stiffened her eyes betraying no emotion but Luke nodded and laughed, "Guilty as charged. Of course, the gods would suspect Chiron and with him gone and the camp's defenses destroyed we would've raised Camp Half Blood. Dionysus took the bait and kicked him out, good riddance."
Using his peripherals he noticed that Mr. D was watching through an Iris message his expression cold at being tricked. "Well sorry to say this Luke but gods aren't that stupid," he said as he took a step back to reveal the Iris Message.
Luke's face contorted with anger while Annabeth avoided the gaze of Mr. D her face turning paler. "So you both think you can trick me huh?" Mr. D said with a frown. "Fine I'll reinstate Chiron in the meantime Tantalus can go home." With a snap of his fingers, Tantalus fell into a hole in the ground screaming.
Mr. D then turned to Annabeth and Luke his gaze cold as ice. "You both are fools for what you are doing."
Annabeth avoided his gaze while Luke stared at the god defiantly, "We will not be intimidated."
Mr. D laughed coldly. "Well then I wish the sons of Poseidon good luck then." With that, the Iris message ended leaving them alone.
"Don't worry I have an idea," Chris said as he looked at the water. "The water is our friend remember."
He nodded, "Sounds good. Lets do our best to not let them escape."
"Kill them!" Luke roared pointing his sword at them.
He drew Riptide just as his brother took out his conch shell and blew it. The sound of the horn reverberated throughout the area causing everyone to freeze. Luke and Annabeth looked at his brother cautiously as the water near the ship shook.
Chris's ship rose in the distance parallel to the Princess Andromeda canons out and ready. "Fire!" Chris yelled as he drew his golden sword.
The monsters charged at them just as the canons on his ship unleashed a volley of cannonballs at the cruise ship. He nearly was knocked off balance as the cannonballs made contact with the Princess Andromeda and exploded rocking the ship with a powerful jolt.
"Come on stay close to me we'll take care of them," He said to Hylla and Reyna.
"Don't worry we won't die here," Hylla said gripping her sword. "We will survive!" Reyna nodded in agreement and the two sisters backed each other up in the face of the monsters.
The floor of the cruise ship shook as another volley of cannonballs struck the Princess Andromeda exploding on contact and rocking the ship. "Soon this ship will sink and you'll be in our territory," Chris laughed as Luke's face turned red with anger. "End of the line Son of Hermes and Daughter of Athena."
"You won't get out of here alive," Luke spat as he and a few monsters charged at his brother.
"I'll handle them you take care of her," Chris said as he pointed to Annabeth who drew her bronze sword and stared at him with a tense expression.
"Sounds good," he said as another volley of canon balls hit the cruise ship causing it to shudder.
Annabeth Chase approached them with a sword in her hand. "Annabeth why," Grover said softly. "Why are you doing this?"
"Luke is my family," she said softly her body shaking.
"Camp was your home how could you betray it and the gods," Grover yelled gripping his windpipes tightly.
The daughter of Athena's posture stiffened, she avoided looking at them as she pointed her sword at him. "This ends here," she said softly her body shaking as she pointed her knife at him her eyes wet yet determined. "I cannot let you hurt Luke. I can't let anyone hurt him"
"Guys I can handle this take care of each other ok?" He said gripping Riptide and observing his surroundings. Monsters were in chaos as Chris's ship attacked the Princess Andromeda, his brother was busy fighting off a few monsters while Luke was holding his ground.
"We'll protect you," Grover said as Tyson punched a monster that tried approaching them.
Hylla and Reyna worked together to fight off some monsters, and despite their lack of skills they were managing to hold them off.
"Yes I want to protect my brothers from the bad people!" Tyson pointed his finger at Annabeth and glared at her. "I won't let anyone hurt my brothers!"
He noticed fear spread in Annabeth's eyes her body shook just as another volley of cannonballs hit the ship causing to rock under neath his feet. "Guys stay keep Reyna and Hylla safe. I'll deal with her," he said as he lunged at Annabeth.
Annabeth blocked Riptide with her sword, her brow furrowed as they exchanged blows. "We won't let you win," He said firmly as he pressed on attacking her. Annabeth blocked his attacks her arms shook as he prevented her from landing a hit on him. Chris's ship continued to bombard the Princess Andromeda and with each explosion, the ship shook and sunk a bit more into the water. A smile spread across his face as the ship began to tilt, no worries he and Chris wouldn't have a problem with being in the water and they could help their friends.
"You know for a wise girl you did a stupid thing," he said as he pushed her back with a sword. Annabeth frowned at him as she tried to keep up her defenses. "What are you speechless now? I won't let you both resurrect Kronos."
Annabeth opened her mouth but he didn't give her the chance to speak, in one movement he disarmed her and kicked her to the ground. The ship shook as another volley of cannonballs hit the Princess Andromeda, the floor began to shake and he heard various screams around him.
Chris was battling Luke and about a half dozen monsters who tried to encircle him. His brother's golden sword glistened in the sunlight as it hacked any monster that came close to them.
The daughter of Athena scrambled to get up but he punched her in the eye knocking her to the ground. Annabeth yelled in protest as she tried to get up again, this time he used Riptide and slashed at her arm She screamed as she dropped her sword, blood spilling out around her. "It's over," he said pointing his sword at her. Annabeth shook, glaring at him as she covered her eye.
"I won't let you hurt him," Annabeth spat as she clenched her wound. "I won't or anyone else hurt my family."
He heard Luke scream Annabeth's name, from the corner of his eye he could see Chris fighting off a group of monsters that lunged at them. Luke ran towards them with his sword drawn but Tyson came by and punched him in the face knocking him to the ground.
"Luke!" Annabeth as she got up and tried to run to him.
"Oh no you don't," he said as he grabbed her arm and flipped her to the ground pointing his sword at her throat. "This is the end of the line," he said as she glared at him her body shaking.
Tyson turned to face Annabeth his face tensing up. "You won't get away," he said mimicking Luke's voice. "This is the end of the line you dummy."
Annabeth's body shook the color from her face draining as she stared at Tyson with fear in her eyes. Her body was frozen in fear as he pointed Riptide at her. "Damn you Seaweed Brain."
"We won't let you get away," he said glaring at her.
Luke got up and ran to them but was stopped by the sound of a conch horn in the distance. They all stopped as a series of harpoons and spears landed on the enemy monsters. He watched as a series of Mermen jumped onto the ship and began to attack the monsters. Wow Triton must be here.
The Princess Andromeda was quickly thrown into even more chaos as various monsters and enemy demigods ran around in complete disorder. The mermen who leaped aboard quickly killed enemies they could get their tridents on not sparing anyone.
He looked at Chris who was also surprised and let out a laugh. "Looks like this really is the end for both of you," he said pointing his sword at Annabeth whose expression was emotionless. "We'll take you to camp and then maybe Olympus for you both to be judged."
Annabeth looked at him, her expression guarded but Luke just swore. "We won't let you take us," Luke said gripping his sword. "We will fight to the death for Lord Kronos! Me and Annabeth will raise Lord Kronos if it's the last thing we do."
"Luke we have to think of something the ship is in danger," Annabeth shouted. She tried to get up but he slashed at her gut causing her to fall to the ground.
"Sir we are being attack from the ocean," A monster yelled from behind Luke as another conch shell blared in the air. "We have to protect the coffin."
Luke swore as more cannonballs hit the ship. He watched as more mermen lunged onto the boat and began kill any enemy they found. The Princess Andromeda was in chaos with it slowly sinking and the mermen assault the ship the monsters quickly broke their formation and were in full panic. "Abought time Triton," Chris laughed as he turned to Luke.
"Looks like this is the end of the road for you," Chris said as he disarmed Luke and slashed his arm. Luke swore in pain as he grabbed his wound. The son of Hermes' gaze was red with anger and fear. "This is the end of the line for you and your project," he said pointing his sword at both of them.
"You won't get away with this," Luke spat. "Kill them all! For Kronos!"
"Damn it," he muttered as the ship began to slide onto its edges. The remaining group of monsters charged at him as Luke took cover behind them.
Chris tried to get to Luke but the monsters soon encircled them both. "We can't let them get away," he cut down a few monsters slicing through them with ease as Luke grabbed Annabeth and pulled her away from the fighting.
Hylla and Reyna quickly joined them as the monsters tried to box them all in. "We have to get off of here," Reyna said as he stabbed a monster in the chest.
"Don't worry Triton will be very thorough," Chris said as they both slashed and hacked at the various monsters trying to encircle them. Grover and Tyson came along to help prevent them from being encircled when another horn blared in the distance
"Party Ponies Unite!" A voice yelled. Turning around he saw a group of centaurs charge at the monsters sending a volley of arrows their way at their head was Chiron.
I knew you'd be back. He smiled at the centaur who nodded at him just another volley of cannonballs attacked the ship.
Chris laughed as he took advantage of the chaos and slew the monsters around him. "Percy are you alright? We should get going, this ship won't last long"
He nodded, "Yeah. Annabeth was easier than I expected. Is Triton really here?"
"It appears so," Chris said as the ship began to sink. "Lets get off of here for now, Triton won't let anyone escape."
"Yeah could idea," he said as he turned to the others. "Come on guys lets get out of here!"
The two demigoddesses along with Grover and Tyson nodded. They all ran towards the dock as the ship slowly sank into the water. The ship began to sink and fall into the water yet the monsters still tried to impede them. They cut down any monster in their way as various sea creatures and mermen jumped on board and brought the sinking ship lower into the water.
I doubt they will escape. They all jumped off the ship and landed on the dock where they found a familiar face among the rows of centaurs.
"Well it's a pleasure to see you both again," Chiron said with a smile.
"Chiron you're back!" he said his body shaking. "We did. Kronos's ship is sinking, we won!" Watching the ship he saw various monsters and enemy demigods get cut down by the mermen, those that jumped overboard were quickly eaten by sharks. He could the screaming of various people trying to escape but Triton's forces were thorough.
Chiron looked to the water and frowned, "Lets not count our chickens before they hatch. The Titan lord is no fool and most likely has a few defenses in place for a scenario like this."
"Triton will be very thorough," Chris said as he watched the mermen and various aquatic animals descend beneath the waves. "Even if they manage to escape this is a serious blow to the enemy."
Hylla nodded, "True but we shouldn't get our hopes up too much. A battle is never completely over unless you see your enemy's body."
He looked back at the water longingly, a part of him wanted to go in and help. Well if Triton did this then if Kronos will have a tougher time escaping. He knew his brother was very efficient in executing tasks but still he knew deep down that the enemy had various tricks. "Yeah lets go," he muttered as they watched the Princess Andromeda sink into the water.