Nico found the pile of rubble first, having shadow-travelled ahead of the others and checking at regular intervals.
He turned to call back to the others, but stopped as the leaves rustled deceptively in a nearby tree.
There was no wind.
Percy stumbled around the undergrowth, ducking a branch. Nico gave a soft whistle and Percy glanced in his direction, a quizzical look distorting his features. Nico flicked his eyes towards the tree. His cousin smirked.
The son of Poseidon made it look so casual, like he did this every day. He snuck up to the tree with the continuously disturbed leaves and pulled himself up as quietly as he could a few branches, settling his foot against a knot in the trunk.
He flung his hand out and he grabbed at something, falling backwards. A figure about his size landed heavily on his back and stayed there, Percy pinning him with an arm across his throat and his knee on his chest.
Nico flitted over and stood aside his cousin.
"Who are you and what were you doing in the tree?" He demanded, drawing his Stygian iron sword.
"I was keeping lookout." The man grunted.
"Is there anybody else nearby?" Percy asked. Their prisoner shook his head. "Good."
"Now, listen." Nico flipped as much son-of-Hades power into his voice as he could. "You're going to go back up in that tree and if you dare contact anyone and tell them we're here, I will find you and show you the meaning of hell. Understand?" Percy nodded alongside the man. It was rare when Nico could faze Percy with his 'deadly voice', as his cousin had dubbed it, and it was funny to watch Percy get his rattled thoughts realigned.
The man followed Nico's orders and sat back in the tree, trembling and pale with fear.
"I hate it when you do that." Percy muttered, hands over his ears. "My brain feels like…"
"Seaweed?" Nico offered, heading towards the rocks.
"Oh, very funny." Percy caught up quickly and slugged him in the arm playfully. "Can you do that ground moving stuff that Hazel does?"
"A bit."
"Do that then."
"Yes, your highness." Nico faced the rocks and held his hands up. It took a few seconds, but the rocks started to quake, sheets of dust sprinkling the ground. Gradually, they moved or rolled aside, revealing a cave entrance.
"Thank you peasant." Nico smacked his cousin's shoulder, not-so-playfully. Percy grinned lopsidedly and turned back, biting his lip and giving that notorious taxi-cab whistle.
The others would be here soon.
"Let me go!" Crystal shouted, struggling and kicking whoever was holding her for all it was worth. She rammed her elbow into their stomach, throwing off their balance and breathing, but she only made it three metres before somebody else dragged her back.
Strike clouted her about the head. Stars danced in her vision, but she still managed to glare at him.
"You're lucky she wants you alive." He snarled.
"She?" He grabbed her arm and started pulling her away again. "Who's she?" But he didn't reply.
Crystal ran through her head every possibility she could think of- and that wasn't a lot- but she couldn't think who this mysterious she was. If Alvie was here, he would be able to figure it out.
Alvie…
She stumbled. Would Alvie find her? Would she get to go home? Her baby brother was due soon. He could even be born already. She had to get home!
And Francis… was he OK? Where was he?
Strike motioned to two men standing either side of a double set of doors. They hastily scrambled to push them open and she was dragged into a large, semi-dark throne room.
That… looked a bit like a spa.
What?
"Ah, Crystal. Good to see you."
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"I am Circe. And you are bait."
Alvie had grown mildly uncomfortable with Francis flirting with his cousin and had climbed above deck.
Joy was pacing about, glancing miserably and worriedly at the island every few seconds.
All that wasn't good for the baby, right?
He moved forward, startling her when he grabbed her gently by the wrist.
"Alvie." She stared at him for a moment. "Crystal's OK, right? She'll be OK?" He hoped so. He wanted to know what Crystal thought of Francis taking a liking to Alokia.
He closed his eyes, focusing on Crystal. She was angry. Scared too, but mostly angry.
She was somewhere gloomy, not too dark, but not light either. Someone stood to her left, their grip painful on her arm. Somebody else was moving about in front of her, the swish of the cloak soft, yet daunting on her ears.
Somebody grabbed Alvie by the shoulders, pulling him back to himself. "Alvie!" Joy called, shaking him. "Are you OK? Your eyes are bleeding." Alvie raised his hands, his fingertips scarlet as he held them away. So they were.
Joy swallowed nervously. "Did… did you see anything?"
If you're trying to be stealthy, make sure you're not standing too close to a wall for an invisible nephew to slam into you.
Percy stayed with Alvie as the others ran forward and met the guards sword for sword. Alvie materialised from the air and staggered back from his collision with Nico, landing heavily on his back.
"Hey, bud. Where'd you come from?" Alvie massaged his forehead. Percy held his hand out and Alvie let him pull him to his feet. "You OK?" Alvie nodded, turning and pointing down the hall, past the guards. "What?" Percy followed the direction of his son's point and realisation dawned on him. "Crystal?" Alvie nodded in confirmation. "Right, hold on." Percy drew Riptide and joined the fight.
Alvie watched, fascinated. He had only seen his parents in fights a handful of times, but this was more of a fully-fledged fight. They moved fast, strong and mercilessly. They stabbed, slashed and settled scores on anyone who got in their way.
At some point, Percy grabbed Annabeth's arm and dragged her back to Alvie, returning to the battle moments later.
"Percy said you found Crystal." Alvie nodded again and pointed. Annabeth looked. "OK, OK…" She glanced around, standing between him and the fight. "Vents." She pointed up. "I'll give you a boost and we'll get there as soon as we can, promise." Alvie stared at her. "We'll be fine, don't worry." Alvie nodded, but he wasn't entirely convinced.
Annabeth motioned him over to the vents and locked her hands together. He was lighter than he looked, crippling the vent cover with a flick of his fingers. Annabeth wished she could do something like that. All she could do was think.
Alvie crawled in, glancing back at his mother. "Go! And be careful!" He nodded again and crawled forward.
Reaching out for Crystal again, he turned left at the first turn and then right. He passed several covered openings, peering through occasionally. Most of the rooms he crawled past were either empty or full of Strike's henchmen.
Crystal wasn't far after about twenty minutes of crawling. Alvie did his best to stay as quiet as he could, but it wasn't easy.
Finally, he heard something that was helpful.
"Let me go, you fat idiot!"
That was Crystal. Definitely Crystal.
He turned right and stopped at the second grate, peering through the bars. Crystal was glaring at Strike, the cloaked figure he had seen earlier impatiently pacing in front of them. There was something feminine about them. Alvie pushed with his mind, trying to confirm his fears.
That was Circe.
What did she want with Crystal though?
He placed his hand against the grate and it folded like paper, not making a sound at his insistence. He watched his hand until he turned invisible and then dropped down.
Circe was still walking about, muttering to herself. Strike was struggling to hold Crystal still and keep his nether regions away from her strong kicks.
Alvie crept forward, keeping low to the ground. He dodged Strike's foot and pressed his fingers to the small of Strike's back.
Sleep, he thought.
Strike yawned and then crumpled to the floor, falling backwards. Alvie darted out of the way just as Strike collapsed, snoring. Crystal stared at her captor, breathing heavily from her fight against him. Circe had stopped pacing to study the source of the thud.
"I would show yourself, protégée of Apollo." Circe waved her hand and Crystal screamed, her knees buckling. She tumbled to the floor, screaming and writhing in pain. Alvie grabbed her by the wrists, trying to determine whatever Circe had done to her.
Agony ripped through his left side and he was sent flying a good five metres. Circe was suddenly in front of him, snapping her fingers. His body acted against his will, shooting to his feet and standing to attention.
She held his face by the chin, turning his head this way and that as if to see him better. "You look just like your father. I preferred him as a guinea pig though." Guinea pig? What?
Circe slapped him and returned to Crystal, resting her fingers against Crystal's forehead. "Very nice, what you did to Strike. Admittedly, I presumed your powers were not as advanced as that, but my clearly outdated information betrayed me." Crystal's eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp. Alvie tried to fight whatever was holding him, closing his eyes to focus.
The sorceress tutted, sounding somewhat amused. "Alvie, Alvie, Alvie… I wouldn't try to fight me. We both know I will arise victorious. You… you will be nothing more than a smoking crater."
No.
He tried again, but resulted in nothing.
Feeling Circe's fingers against his cheek, he opened his eyes and glared at her. "I didn't expect you to get this far, if I'm honest. But with my help you could be so much better." Images flickered through his mind- him, a throne of his own, power at his fingertips and endless servants at his disposal. He could rule, do whatever the hell he wanted with a simple thought.
He could do anything if he agreed to Circe's terms.
He could do anything he put his mind to just by being himself.
The magical restraints holding him in place faded. Had he looked tempted? Was Circe up to something?
She turned and walked back towards her throne, throwing out her arms. Fires blazed in torches strung in brackets, giving the room a warm, homely glow. The shadows displayed the true dark and foreboding ulterior to her motives. "You will not prosper to be one of the greatest sorcerers if you were to remain with you weasel family. Your parents are famous, powerful- you could be equally or more so. No more bullies, no more defeats, no more weakness. Alvie the Great, the master." Her tone was sweet and charming. A pressure eased from his chest and shoulders, but his mind felt fogged.
Circe faced him again, a broad grin lighting her features. "Power, riches, immortality- it's all there for you to take. You could have anything and everything you ever wanted and more."
Alvie took a deep breath and the fog cleared from his mind. He exhaled slowly and met her eye.
"I want my family."
Nico was just slamming the hilt of his sword into a guard's face when an almighty explosion rocked the ground they stood on. They all fell, balance lost. Percy caught Annabeth before she smacked her head on the wall, drawing her close protectively.
The shaking gradually stopped.
"What was that?" Frank quizzed.
"Alvie…" Annabeth pushed herself up and took off running. Percy was after her like a shot, the others too eventually. She shouted her son's name, throwing open doors in a hasty search for him.
"Annabeth!" Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her back just as the door she was about to open buckled under an immense swelling of golden-white energy. It splintered and cracked with a sound similar to thunder.
Circe staggered backwards, shouting a curse.
"You will not win so easily!" She declared. A ball of white energy hurtled towards her, but she ducked out of harm's way at the last second, sending back her own of royal purple.
Nico twisted the shadows and sent a wall barrelling into her. He rushed into the room, ducking an attack from Alvie.
He was mildly surprised to see Strike lying on the floor, curled on his side and snoring contentedly. He got a bigger surprise to see Alvie glaring at him, probably having expected Circe or another attacker.
Holding his hands up in innocence, Nico edged towards Crystal.
"What happened?" He asked his nephew, frowning at his daughter's unconscious state. Alvie nudged Crystal with his foot and she sat bolt upright with a startled scream. Strike snorted, momentarily disturbed, but continued snoozing.
"Alvie!" Crystal beamed. "Oh, hi What."
"Feeling the love." Nico muttered. "Let's get you out of here."
"But… Alvie…" Crystal looked at him desperately.
"I'll be fine." Nico started and stared at Alvie.
"You spoke." Alvie, for the first time Nico had ever seen, shot him a 'duh' look. "Percy's going to be happy." Circe stormed back in, throwing her hands to the sky. Lightning snapped from the ceiling, crashing through it and bringing down sheets of rubble. Nico grabbed Crystal's shoulder and they were gone.
"I wanted to stay!" Crystal argued, whacking her father's hand away and glowering at him.
"And do what?" Nico demanded. Crystal made to reply when she heard her mother scream her name.
"My baby's OK!" She beamed, crushing Crystal in a hug as best she could. Tears of relief poured down her cheeks and she kissed Crystal's forehead.
"I'm fine, Mom." Crystal assured.
"Oh, Nico, thank you!" Crystal averted her gaze as her mother kissed Nico.
"Your mom's scary." Nico smiled.
"Can't have my baby in danger." Joy insisted, holding her daughter's face in her hands and inspecting her for so much as a red mark.
"What about Alvie?"
"The others will help him. And he did say he would be fine." Nico pointed out. "He is psychic, so I'd go with what he says."
"He better be OK or I'm going to break your legs for dragging me back here!" Nico looked at her in bewilderment, cracking up with laughter seconds later.
Crystal would have broken his legs there and then had it not been for a French onslaught of relief.
"Crystal, you are back!" Francis hugged her tightly. "Ze rocks fell and I thought you were… you-"
"Francis, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Crystal nodded and he beamed. "You has to meet Alokia!"
"Wh-?" He grabbed his hand and ran off, dragging her with him. "Francis, I need to kill my dad!" Nico snickered again.
"Ah, that's so me." He smiled proudly.
Tobias liked light shows.
Lots of pretty colours.
The only problem with this one is that it was reducing the building to rubble and endangering the lot of them.
Especially Alvie.
He wanted nothing more than to run forward and haul his baby brother to safety, but Percy, Jason and Frank were ushering them out.
"What about Alvie?" He ordered. Percy glanced back, chewing his lip.
"Alvie!" He called. Alvie threw his hands up in a diagonal movement and Circe lumbered back, collapsing in her half-demolished throne. She glowered at him, rising to her feet in a lightning move and started chanting.
Percy called him again. Alvie flicked his fingers and Circe's chanting was cut off by a magical band about her mouth. He ran to his father, having the life squeezed from him. "Idiot." Percy muttered. "Come on, out." Alvie nodded.
They ran, dodging and ducking debris. It took a good half hour to get to the cave entrance with only bumps and bruises.
As soon as they were safe from the raining chunks of rock, Tobias secured Alvie in a bear hug and lifted him clear off the ground.
"You're so awesome! Almost Tobias awesome." He grinned as he set Alvie down.
"You fathead." Max smiled, grabbing Alvie in a less painful hug. "What if Circe comes after us?" Alvie peered around his brother at the tunnel entrance, frowning.
What if she did come after them?
That five-minute fight they had had completely drained Alvie to the point of him barely staying upright.
"We have to get going." Alvie murmured. They all stared at him, an incredulous stare that reminded him of Nico earlier.
"You're talking." Tobias said quietly.
"About bloody time!" Percy laughed. Alvie nodded, trying to grasp his train of thought again. If they left now, Circe would need at least ten minutes to catch up with them. Percy and Louisa could prepare the ships to go in seconds and Jason could summon winds for the sails if need be.
Alvie started off back towards the Queen Anne's Revenge, but only made it two steps before falling to his knees. Percy was there instantly, scooping him up and leading the others to safety.
Nestled in warm arms and a familiar sea scent, Alvie dozed off, using his father's shoulder as a pillow. It wasn't a proper sleep- he was still aware of what was going on around him- but it was something at least.
He was forced awake as they reached the beach by an indignant and slightly animalistic shriek of outrage. Opening his eyes, he looked over Percy's shoulder and saw Circe standing just at the edge. Gone the calm and collected composure. Her hair was a rat's nest and she was coated in grey dust from the collapsing building. Her elegant cloak was no more than a bundle of tatters and her eyes burned with such a hatred Alvie hadn't known possible in a single person.
Percy set him in Tobias's arms and drew Riptide again. Jason and Frank stood either side of him, armed and ready to fight. Louisa was getting everybody back on the ship with water towers. Leo had to grab her and haul her up just to get her to safety.
Alvie scrambled to the figurehead and sat astride it, staring down at his father and uncles. Circe lashed her hand through the air and a thick purple tendril snapped at their heads. Percy retaliated with a jet of sea green energy mixed with a powerful force of sea water while Jason directed lightning at his cousin's attack. Frank morphed into an eagle and took flight, diving at the twisted sorceress at risky intervals.
He had to do something! He couldn't just sit here and let them fight his battle for them!
Drawing up the last of his energy, Alvie pointed at the figurehead.
The distorted skeleton creaked against its shackles and pushed itself up. It had to be fifteen feet tall, give or take. It tore through the chains like thread and hurtled to the sand, landing with a clatter. It charged Circe, its teeth chattering with what could have been a skeletal curse.
Alvie waved at his father and uncles, silently ordering them back onto the ship. Circe was distracted, trying to destroy something indestructible.
"I thought controlling skeletons was a Hades thing?" Crystal pitched, startling Alvie. She grabbed his wrist as he nearly toppled and pulled him back onto the deck. It was only then did he realise how high up he had been. His legs instantly turned to wet cement and he clung to Crystal's hands, trying to ease his breathing and the sudden spinning of his head. "Easy, Alvie, take it easy." She hooked his arm about her shoulders and led him away.
She managed to get him below deck and back into his hammock. "Nico said you talked. Did you?" He nodded. "Right, psychic skills update. Now." Alvie stared at her, furrowing his brow a fraction. "What?" She protested. "I'm your girlfriend; I have a right to know!"
"Later." He croaked, pressing the heels of his hands to his forehead. He had a god-strength headache coming on.
"Ugh, unfair." The ship lurched and they were soon sailing on. Crystal successfully managed to pull herself into the hammock next to him without tipping either of them to the floor. She sat astride his stomach and folded her arms stubbornly. "OK, at least tell me about this Circe person."
"Bad. Sorceress. Lots of magic. Hates Mom and Dad."
"Why?"
"Something about ruining her spa and releasing a load of pirates."
"That narrows it down."
"Dad didn't go into details." Alvie yawned and Crystal decided to leave the catch-up conversation for later.
"Get some sleep." He nodded, dozing off within seconds.
Crystal carefully got down and ventured above deck to see what was going on now.
No-one was steering. Everyone was gathered down at the front of the ship. Percy and Louisa stood on the edge, hands high. Storm clouds darkened the sky, thunder clapped and the wind whooshed through her hair.
Nico turned and grinned at her.
"You don't want to miss this!" He beckoned her over frantically and she ran to his side.
The twins were doing their destructive children of Poseidon thing- hurricanes tormented the earthquake-stricken island. The storm clouds were blatantly thicker over there, blacker than black and highlighted with the occasional burst of lightning, courtesy of Jason. Tidal waves lapped onto the shore, slamming through trees and huts, tearing up the ground and demolishing everything Circe had left on her desolate island.
Nico was right.
She didn't want to miss this.
Are we good now?
I am not going more than a hundred chapters on this story, that's been decided. Not sure about a sequel though. Maybe Alstal one-shots if I'm feeling nice.
If there are any guest reviews I haven't replied to, remind me and I'll reply to them next chapter.