LAST TIME:

"Can you take me to the place which is under attack?" I asked hurriedly.

"Of course, sir. But—"

"No buts! Take. Me. There." I ordered as I placed a box beside me and it grew into my chariot. I got into it before telling the merman to board it.

"What are you waiting for?" I snapped as my full battle regalia appeared. My Storm-rider was clenched tightly in my hands, thrumming with power.

The merman hastily climbed on board.

"Phoenix! Map of Atlantis!" I ordered and a holographic map of the whole domain came up.

"Point the exact location on here," I told the soldier and he hastily pointed at the destination. I selected it and the location was set.

"Now you can get off, sir," I said politely.

"My prince…"

"I won't ask again," I said firmly and he jumped off.

"Thank you. Phoenix, take me to the selected location! Full speed. Oh, and, Battle mode please."

"Battle mode activated. Destination set." The AI replied before the chariot launched ahead at full speed, taking me to where the battle was.

Ch.22 Underwater Battles

I rode through the underwater city of Atlantis at an incredible speed as the civilian houses, temples, shops, and beautiful flora and fauna blurred past me. The only reason I was standing upright in my chariot while traveling at such a high speed was due to the inertia dampers that Hephaestus had fitted in the chariot.

The AI fitted in the chariot was expertly maneuvering through any obstacles that came in the path while maintaining maximum speed.

"Sir, approaching the destination in two minutes," The AI declared.

I clutched my trident in response and flexed my shoulders, preparing myself for the upcoming battle.

A minute later, the AI spoke again, "Battlefield analysis coming up. Scanning the battlefield ahead…. Scanning… Scanning… Scan complete. Two minor sea titans, Asopus and Eridanus with an army of sea monsters and creatures. The army of Atlantis is trying to hold but will fall completely in an estimated time of 52 minutes. Lord Nauplius is currently trying to hold and direct the force but is injured."

"How big is the army?"

"Too chaotic to be scanned, sir."

"Very well," I said, looking around. The sights were still blurring past me but the chariot had slowed down a bit. I was still a nautical mile away but I could hear the sounds of battle ranging ahead as well as the blasts taking place in the distance.

"Thirty seconds to destination. Should I land next to Lord Naupaulis or do you wish to directly attack?"

#Talk to Naupaulis first.#

"The former please." I requested, heeding Alexander's advice.

"Alright, sir. Good Luck." The AI said.

A few seconds later, we entered the war zone. Golden dust covered the ground along with the debris of destroyed structures. A distance ahead, an army of mermen soldiers was being commanded by a man in golden armor, who were holding the enemy back.

The chariot landed and the man turned with his great Labrys Axe pointed at me which he lowered on seeing me jump off the chariot and hurry towards him.

"Perseus Jackson. What are you doing here? Where is the backup?"

I looked at my watch and said, "For the next half-hour, I am your backup while Triton prepares the army and comes here."

"Then we are doomed," The sea deity grumbled as he limped towards a soldier before taking a pair of binoculars from him and seeing the enemy. "They still outnumber us thirteen to one at least. And have a lot more ammunition."

"Where are Asopus and Eridanus?" I asked scanning the enemy lines for the two titans through the smoke, dust, and chaos.

"The cowards are hiding behind their army. Wait. How did you even know who they are?"

"The AI in my chariot told me."

"Huh. Whatever. Nev— BRACE YOURSELF!" He shouted looking in the distance. I couldn't make out initially why he said that as the Atlantean soldiers scrambled for cover, but a moment later, several spots among the enemy line were lit up with fire… greek fire, and a moment later, they were launched at us.

#Greek firebombs!# Alexander yelled in my head but it didn't matter as I was already channeling power in my storm-rider.

I yelled out a moment later, startling Nauplius, as the Greek firebombs were all redirected back at the enemy.

BOOM!

The air was filled with sounds of explosion as Greek fire lit the whole area was lit up with an eerie green glow of the fire as it caused destruction amongst the enemy lines.

"How did you…" Naupaulis started to speak but I cut him off.

"Tell them to fire, now!"

"FIREBOMBS! FIRE AT WILL!" Naupaulis agreed without question, ordering his army.

The soldiers scrambled to fire the shells as I scanned the enemy lines rapidly.

#Thinking of charging head-on?#

'Once they finish firing two rounds of bombs and cause destruction amongst the army.'

#Ask Nauplius to provide you cover fire.# Alexander said just as the Atlantean soldiers fired a barrage of greek fire bombs at the enemy.

The Greek firebombs sailed through the water towards the enemy lines raining death upon them.

"Fire again," I told Naupaulis.

"Can't. Not enough ammunition and they are already taking cover. Your surprise attack did cause a lot of damage. We need to wait for them to fire again and you can do the trick you just did."

"No," I said. "I am going there and slaughtering them myself. Provide support from here."

"You can't go there alone, kid. They will kill you."

"They will try," I replied before running forward and shooting towards the enemy lines.

As I shot forward, I tapped my watch and my shield appeared in my hand while my trident turned into its sword form.

As soon as I landed on the ocean floor, I channeled some Earthquake powers in my legs, creating a tremor as I landed, gaining the attention of everyone around.

Immediately, five cyclopes and some kind of sea hellhound (which was half-fish, half-hound)charged at me.

I ducked under the wide swing of a war hammer wielded by a cyclops before slashing at its abdomen, turning the cyclops to dust before ramming my shield into the neck of the next one, breaking its neck. The hellhound-fish charged at me. I effortlessly side-stepped before stabbing it in its side. I pulled out the sword and in one clean stroke decapitated another cyclops who had charged at me and kicked the next one and sent it flying at the last cyclops, disintegrating both of them.

As the golden dust of the monsters settled, a voice boomed, "Kill the boy!"

I looked at the one who had given the order. It was a man with a seal-like face and a tail for legs. Besides him, another man stood who looked like a normal human. Both were wearing elaborate sets of armor.

#The human one is Asopus.# Alexander supplied. #The other one is Eridanus.#

As the first wave of enemy, consisting of Cyclops, water-dracaena, fish-hellhounds, and mermen came charging at me, I slashed my sword, shooting a ball of greek fire, the size of a basketball, which exploded at their feet, turning two-thirds of the wave to golden dust immediately and sending the rest flying.

Another two waves charged at me from both sides, yelling war cries. I spun my sword in my hands getting ready for my fight. Me versus some five dozen-odd monsters.

As they neared, I set my sword alight with Greek fire which burned merrily before I began hacking and slashing through the enemies. My body went on auto-pilot, fighting according to instincts, something I rarely did nowadays.

It was one thing facing powerful monsters and Titans in a one-on-one fight and a completely different thing fighting an army of monsters that was attacking you from all sides.

Water currents swirled around me as I dodged, shielded, and slashed through the enemy soldiers, leaving a trail of golden dust in its wake.

The storm-rider effortlessly cut through the horde of different monsters, disintegrating them to dust with a simple cut. I was also acutely aware of the fact that the Atlantean soldiers were helping me by taking monsters out with arrows.

In less than two minutes, I had reduced the attackers to golden dust. The rest of the Army was holding back now, wary of me.

The two Titans had a look of apprehension on their faces.

#Take them both together.# Alexander said. #They aren't really powerful in mortal forms. I am pretty sure that even Thalia, Annabeth, or Clarisse could kill one of them in one-on-one combat.#

"ASOPUS! ERIDANUS!" I bellowed. "Are you still going to hide like cowards behind your pathetic army and watch them get killed? Or are you going to man up and fight me yourself?"

Eridanus's knuckles turned white as he gripped his trident tightly while Asopus gritted his teeth.

"Aww, come on. Are you two scared of a measly demigod?" I taunted them, but they didn't respond. "I will make it easier for you. You know, so I get a slightly worthier challenge. You two versus me alone."

"No, demigod. We aren't going to waste our time fighting you," Asopus said.

"Just say you are scared shitless."

"SOLDIERS! BLOW THIS UPSTART TO PIECES!" He ordered his army, ignoring me.

Instantly, two cannons were pointed toward me and the cyclops standing next to them fired the bombs at me.

I grinned as I willed my weapons to turn back into their concealed forms before spinning in a circle, catching a bomb in each hand before throwing them at the two titans.

Their eyes widened and they dived off their chariots, moments before the bombs hit and their chariots were blown to pieces.

The two titans rolled to their feet… Well, Asopus did. Eridanus just did a flip like a seal and floated in the water, glaring at me.

"I should smite you for that, Demigod," Eridanus growled.

"You should, but can you? Or you will still hide behind your soldiers?" I said looking at the troop of soldiers who were advancing towards me with their weapons drawn.

In response, Eridanus growled to his soldiers, "From now on, no one will interfere between us. He won't be alive for long anyways." He said before he pointed his trident at me and shot a beam of green energy at me. I quickly responded with the same from my sword which instantly appeared in my hand.

The beams of energy met midway in a spectacular explosion of light and power, generating a shockwave, disintegrating a few monsters in the Titan army while I skidded back a few feet and so did the two titans.

I wasted no time using my powers to create a dozen ice spikes, each as long as my forearm before sending them at the two titans as fast as possible.

Asopus created an energy shield to protect both himself and Eridanus from the barrage of spikes.

I charged at them. They both looked apprehensive for a moment and shared a look before charging at me together. Eridanus with his trident and Asopus with his Halberd Spear.

As we neared, I willed my shield to appear and met their strikes head-on.

In less than a minute, the two titans were on the backfoot even though they were two against a single me. They simply held no candle to Ares and Athena even when they fought individually. The titans clearly had no experience in combat.

I side-stepped a wild of Eridanus, something I saw coming from a mile away, before slashing my sword, scoring a deep gash on his back before raising my shield just in time to stop Asopus's spear in its tracks. I jabbed my sword towards him, willing it to turn into its trident form.

The sword elongated into a trident, its tips piercing the titan's abdomen before twisting and pulling it out.

Asopus yelled in pain as I moved my trident, positioning it behind my back, catching the prongs of Eridanus's trident, who had attacked me from behind. I twisted the trident as I turned and pinned the tips of both mine and Eridanus's trident into the ground before kicking the titan away while channeling earthquake powers in my leg.

The titan flew back several meters. That was when my instincts tingled and I dove away just as Asopus's spear skewered the water where I was a fraction of a second ago. Had I not moved, the spear would've gone straight through my back and pierced my heart, killing me.

I regained my balance, as my trident turned back to its sword form. I charged at him at lightning speed, channeling divine power into my muscles. The titan tried to bring his spear in the way to defend but I slapped it away with the flat of my sword before putting my sword straight through his chest, piercing his heart. The next moment, I felt an influx of power flow through me, recharging me with energy.

My sword thrummed with power as the titan dissolved to golden dust and his halberd spear dropped to the ground with a clang.

I turned around, intending to finish off the other titan, Eridanus, who was getting up with a groan of pain. He looked at me before thrusting his hand out. His trident, which was embedded in the ground a few feet away from me, shot out towards the titan who caught the weapon in his hand.

He was breathing heavily as ichor dripped from his numerous wounds. His damaged armor was barely clinging to his body.

He gripped his weapon tightly and it started glowing with a sea green aura and so did he. His wounds started to close and his bruises slowly disappeared.

#That is a dangerous gamble he is playing to use so much of his powers to heal himself while in a battle. He is not that powerful, to begin with… a little above Thalia in the scale of power. If he dies today, especially by the storm-rider, he will fade forever due to the negligible level of power in his body as the storm-rider will absorb whatever is left of his power and thus fade him.#

'That is a… good thing, right?' I asked. 'One less evil bastard in the world.'

#True. I was just stating a fact. Also, be prepared for him to be faster than before. Not… really fast but he will certainly be a little better than he was fighting before.#

That was when the titan let out a war cry and charged at me. True to Alexander's prediction, he was running faster than before. His eyes glowed faintly with power as he ran towards me.

#Disarm him.#

As soon as he thrust his trident at me, I gracefully sidestepped and slashed my sword with as much power as I could muster at the trident, intending to disarm him. Instead, I nearly stumbled when the expected resistance was much lesser than I had expected as my sword sliced through the trident as if it was made of butter.

A second later, a shockwave erupted from the destroyed weapon, sending me and Eridanus flying backward. I used the water to stabilize myself before I hit the ground and floated in the water. Eridanus, on the other hand, crashed into a stone structure, destroying whatever remained of it.

Wasting no time, I shot forward towards the titan. The titan raised his hand feebly to defend himself as I brought down my sword on him but it did little to help him as I beheaded him. His head lolled to the seafloor.

My sword thrummed and glowed faintly as I felt power rush into me once more, making me feel like I was high on adrenaline. I felt like someone had lit a flame in my nerves. It didn't feel like they were burning, but it did feel uncomfortable… and empowering somehow.

I looked in front of me and saw the titan turn to black dust.

#Percy, you need to use your powers, NOW! There is too much power in your body right now. If it wasn't for my presence, you would have been in deep agony.#

I looked around and saw the remaining soldiers looking at me and the dust that used to be the two titans. The biggest one of the mermen pointed at me and shouted in Greek, "KILL HIM!"

All the soldiers let out a war cry and charged at me.

Now, I just knew where to put my power.

I let out a yell and fell to one knee as I plunged my sword into the ground. Around me, the water thrummed as hundreds of ice spikes formed around me before they shot at the incoming soldiers. As spikes hit them, the current swept them out of the way for the next wave of ice spikes to hit the soldiers behind them.

It was pure destruction. In less than ten seconds a thousand plus a strong army of soldiers had been reduced to golden dust. All the water around me was filled with a mixture of normal dust, monster dust, and glimpses of Greek fire which was still burning.

I could only see the outline of the Atlantean lines.

I got into a standing position as my sword turned into its trident form before I banged it on the ocean floor, willing the water to clear. Obeying my will, the water cleared a moment later, becoming speckless clean.

And, I was still feeling like I could run a hundred miles in a single breath.

#Nice use of the excess energy, kid. Next part of the plan now.# Alexander said.

I banged the butt of my trident on the ocean floor, letting out a resonating noise.

"TETHYS! Let us finish what we started months ago. I challenge you, Tethys. Show your cowardly face, Titaness!" I bellowed, intoning her name. Names had power, especially when in the domain of the said deity and when it was a direct challenge and insult to the said deity.

Nothing happened.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, KID!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" Naupaulis shouted from behind.

"I have a score to settle, Naupaulis. This is our fight. I know what I am doing. Just, once she shows up, put an anti-teleportation field so she can't escape this time" I said, without looking behind as I waited patiently for Tethys to show up.

I banged my trident again. "I know you can hear me, Tethys, you cowardly Titaness. If you don't want to show up, send me a message so I don't waste my time waiting for you!"

Nothing happened for a moment before the water a few meters away started to bubble. A moment later, Tethys appeared, wearing full battle armor and a crown of fish. Her trident was already out, clutched tightly in her hands. She was clearly enraged.

Without saying a word, she charged at me.

I met her strike head-on and our tridents met with a powerful clanging noise. I thrust my trident at her and she parried the strike with the shaft of hers before swinging her trident at me, going for my neck. I just willed my shield in my hand, stopping the swing.

I brought down my trident on her at the same time but she rolled away, putting some distance between us. I pointed my trident and shot a beam of sea-green energy at her.

Tethys waved her hand and I expected a shield to form but it didn't. Instead, the beam hit Tethys square on her chest, sending her flying backward and crashing onto the ground. Her trident left her grip and was flung a little distance away from her.

#Well, her powers are not working against you. I like this already.# Alexander remarked as Tethys got up into a crawling position a moment later and spat a mouthful of ichor on the ground while glaring at me before summoning her trident and getting to her feet. Her helmet was no longer on her head and instead of lying on the ground between us. The spot where my beam had hit her chest plate was charred.

She let out a shrill war cry and charged at me before engaging me with a flurry of strikes which I parried before responding with my own.

She certainly had improved. Perhaps she had been practicing.

I ducked under her trident again before slamming the edge of my shield into her abdomen. She doubled over but continued defending herself from my strikes, parrying them with precision.

She certainly had been practicing. There was an added finesse to her techniques since the last time we fought. The power behind her strikes and her reflexes were certainly better than before.

I thrust my trident, aiming for her neck and she stopped it with the shaft of her trident again before trying to disarm me. I countered her disarm and broke free before swinging the butt of my trident intending to hit her knees and throw her off balance but she jumped back and snarled, "Good try half-blood. But you've to do better."

"Well, okay, Evil Aunt Tethys," I said, turning my trident into its sword form and swinging it at her while channeling my Earthquake powers in it.

When she met my sword with her trident to stop the strike, I expected her trident to be chopped like Eridanus's trident. Instead, the bones in my arms rattled and I was sent flying as a shock was created where our weapons met.

#Percy… that trident is too powerful to be broken! The one Eridanus had was barely above a normal celestial bronze weapon. Weaker than even the riptide. Don't try such things again unless you are sure that it will work. Get up now.# Alexander chastised.

I got to my feet and saw Tethys doing the same several feet away. She held out her hand and summoned her trident. She was constantly glaring at me with hate-filled eyes. If looks could kill, I would be dead a hundred times over by now.

"Why don't you die already, Percy Jackson!?"

"I know I am a big disappointment in that area. Really. Your sons… what was their name… Asopus and Eridanus… said something similar about me dying soon at their hands. I had to disappoint them as well."

She growled with anger. "DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK THEIR NAME, HALF-BLOOD! I WILL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO THEM!"

"Ouch, that hurt more than any of your strikes. Anyone told you that you have a really annoyingly high-pitched screaming voice?" I sassed.

In response, Tethys screamed and charged at me. I sighed before quickly reengaging her in the fight, sword to trident.

I soon started pushing her back. In her rage, Tethys was just fighting like a madwoman rather than a skilled fighter. Her moves were raw and primal without finesse but with strength and rage behind them.

I parried her strikes effortlessly and pressed her. I swung my sword, leaving a deep gash on her arm but she barely even noticed as she continued attacking me with vigor as I parried her strikes.

She kept on attacking without paying heed to her wounds, empowered by what I knew to be her revenge and anger.

She even got a lucky shot in when her trident nicked my cheek, scoring a thin gash… something which had healed in moments due to the sea. She, on the other hand, had several wounds on her arms and legs where I had slashed her. Some had healed, some looked days old and a select few were still bleeding ichor. Her nose was disfigured as I had broken it by ramming my shield on her face.

But, she was still attacking me relentlessly.

We had been fighting for almost ten minutes by now. Tethys was losing but was unwilling to give up.

I leaned away from another strike and slashed at her unprotected side, scoring yet another gash on her body. She grunted but swung her trident again which I blocked with my sword before retracting my shield and punching her in the gut as claws sprouted from my left vambrace. The claws penetrated her armor with ease and got removed as she was sent flying back as my fist connected with her.

She flew straight into the remains of a pillar, bringing the weak structure collapsing on her.

I retracted the claws, which were dripping with golden ichor before walking towards Tethys intending to finish her once and for all.

That was when, I felt a massive powerwave from around me, making me stumble before the water in front of me bubbled and a merman with Bullhorns, radiating a massive aura of power appeared in front of me.

#Oceanus destroyed the anti-teleportation field and came in!# Alexander exclaimed.

"Oceanus," I hissed.

"Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon. We meet again."

"Deja vu much?" I asked. "Your wife is about to die at my hands and you show up to save her pitiful ass?"

"Unfortunately, yes," He admitted. "My Lord and I had given her clear instructions to stay away from you. But, she didn't listen."

"The sea doesn't like to be restrained." I quipped. "So you are just here to take her away and run like the cowardly arses you are?"

Oceanus smirked coldly. "No, half-blood. I am here to kill you. Take revenge for the death of my sons. Any last words, Son of Poseidon?"

I laughed, "You will be surprised at how many times I have heard something similar. You all, so unimaginative. Don't you bad guys have new content? Come on, dude. I get bored of hearing the same sentences. I will kill you for that, I will smite you, you shall suffer, I will show you your place, blah, blah, blah. So unoriginal."

"Done?" Oceanus asked, unfazed. "Shall I kill you now?"

"If you are giving me an option, I will say no. Also, you can't attack me first. Ancient laws. Lol."

That did faze Oceanus who realized that he indeed couldn't attack me till I attacked him. It took him a moment to compose himself before he nodded. "Yes, I cannot attack you. Not directly. But, monsters under my control can."

Saying so, he snapped his fingers.

Three huge sea serpents materialized next to Oceanus. All were about sixty to seventy meters long and as thick as a school bus with glistening green scales and yellow eyes. Their fangs were as long and thick as my forearm.

I willed the tempest domitor to appear in the form of a huge, heavy double-sided axe as I put my sword away. The top of the trident extended into a spearhead which was in level with the extended tips of the Axe blades, giving it a trident-like formation.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Oceanus scamper off and start to dig Tethys out as the Snakes charged toward me at once.

I shot up in the water, landing straight on the head of the first snake and bringing down my axe, and plunging it straight into the creature's brain.

The middle snake lunged at me with its jaws stretched wide open.

I willed a ball of greek fire to form in my hands and threw it straight into its mouth before jumping up, going straight on the head of the third serpent, making it stagger as I landed due to the earth-shaker powers I had channeled in my legs.

A moment later, I willed my storm rider in my hands before plugging it down into its skull as well and penetrating its brain before shooting a gust of flames from my trident… all while it was buried still inside the creature's skull.

It started to disintegrate immediately, turning into golden dust and I jumped towards the middle serpent which was thrashing around in pain. My trident turned into a sword, and I willed it on fire before plunging the sword into the underside of the serpent and sliding down, using my sword which was buried in the serpent's body to control my descent.

When I was a meter above the ground, I pushed myself away from the serpent and landed on the seafloor watching as the two serpents disintegrated. The serpent I had stabbed first was the last one to disintegrate into golden dust.

I dusted my pants and looked around for Oceanus and saw him kneeling next to Tethys, his hands glowing as he waved them over her body. As if sensing my gaze, he turned to look at me.

He stood up and waved his hand towards Tethys and bubbles surrounded her. But, when they disappeared, she appeared to be as she was before. But, Oceanus glared at his surroundings, gritting his teeth.

#Naupaulis remade the anti-teleportation field. This is your—# Alexander stopped short as Oceanus shot a glowing beam of energy upwards. A moment later, the anti-teleportation field was highlighted just before it shattered again.

Bubbles surrounded tethys once more and she was teleported away.

"Oh, not again," I groaned.

Oceanus smirked. "I see you defeated my pets. Well, now let me—" Oceanus stopped short as a conch shell sounded. He turned to look in the direction of the Atlantean army before turning back to me.

"Until we meet again…" My eyes widened at what Oceanus was saying and I immediately threw my trident toward him with all force I could muster.

"...Perseus Jackson." Oceanus before dissolving in the sea, teleporting away just as my trident reached the space he was standing and sailed ahead instead, hitting another damaged structure, demolishing it completely.

"COME BACK, YOU COWARD!" I shouted at the empty water but my words were futile.

#Damn, they escaped again.# Alexander groaned. #It looks like Triton's arrival sent him running.#

I turned to look at the place where the Atlantean army was standing, along with the reinforcements now. I saw Triton was already approaching me on his chariot, dressed in full battle armor. The flag of Atlantis waved proudly on the top of his chariot.

As he got near, I said, "Do you know that you came at the most unneeded time possible, brother?"

"What the hell happened here?" He asked, looking around. "I expected something more. A battle or something at least. But, I cannot see a single enemy here! And I saw that Naupaulis had passed out at his post while the other soldiers were running around, treating the wounded, not even paying attention to the borders. And here, I find you, shouting at empty water."

"Moments before you came and announced your arrival by that conch shell, Oceanus was here, saving his wife and in hopes to avenge his son. If you had come a little more discreetly, I am damn sure that the war would've ended right here today with the death of Oceanus and Tethys!" I snarled and Triton was taken aback before a stoic expression came on his face.

"What do you mean to say, Perseus Jackson?"

"That next time you come to the battlefield, DON'T ANNOUNCE YOUR BLOODY ARRIVAL BEFORE YOU ASSESS THE SITUATION! If you had just come discreetly, saw Oceanus and me fighting, and joined in after creating an anti-teleportation field… Oceanus would've fallen today at our hands, ending the war!" I shouted exasperatedly.

"Ah… err… Yeah, I'll keep that in mind next time." He replied lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. "But… What about his army and the two titans who were here, attacking the borders in the first place? Because as far as I am aware, Tethys and Oceanus weren't leading the attack."

"They weren't," I agreed. "Asopus and Eridanus were."

"Yes, now tell me what happened to them and their army of monsters."

"Reduced to golden dust against the combined might of the Atlantean army, Lord Naupaulis and I. They won't be bothering us again."

"What Jackson means to say is that he took out the whole army by himself along with Eridanus and Asopus and utterly destroyed them while we stood and provided him cover fire, barely doing anything," Naupaulis said, slowly swimming towards us.

I could clearly see he was tired, hardly being able to swim toward us.

"Last I saw you hardly a few minutes ago, you were laying there, passed out and completely unresponsive," Triton said.

"I was taking a nap of sorts. Regathering energy after the backlash of my anti-teleportation field being destroyed by the titan lord of the seas. Twice. I did wake up when you shook me but was too out of it to respond to you, my prince. I woke up to him shouting and hurried here." He wheezed, breathing deeply. It looked like even speaking so much was tiring him out.

"You should rest, sir," I said.

"Bloody right. But then there won't be anyone at the post to guard the borders. Also, my soldiers… They need someone to lead them. A lot of our numbers were lost today."

"I appreciate your sense of duty, Naupaulis," Triton said. "And I am sorry, but I am ordering you and your troops to return to Atlantis for the time being. The soldiers I have brought, along with Diaprepes and Azaes will take charge of this post till you and your soldiers are declared healthy enough to return." Triton said. "And this is an order as I said. So, you can't say no."

Naupaulis hesitated before nodding. "Yes, my prince."

"Good. Percy, you too. I am pretty sure that if mom has noticed your absence… which I am pretty sure she has, given that she was searching for you when I left… it would be in your best interests to return as fast as you can."

"Oh shit." I groaned.

AND... DONE!

I hope you all liked the chapter. I know it was a bit shorter than usual, but I wished to publish the chapter today and a RoLP chapter in 4-5 days before I take a 3 days sabbatical from writing as I am going to be out of station to attend a wedding. (I don't even know whose wedding it is. My mom does. I am just going for the food and have fun with my cuzs)

Anyway, I would like to thank I_amaSWITCHbot for beta-ing this chapter and I hope you all liked it.

NEXT CHAPTER: The Hunt will come. And thus, will Artemis.

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Discord Server Invite Link: discord . gg / 4qfP3fxdQ4 [Remove the spaces please]

I will love it if you guys come on my server and interact with me there. If you have some of your own theory or wish to see something in this fic as the journey progresses, you can tell it to me on the discord server.

(If you are wondering if I am going to post this message in every story, I am. I want as many of you there so we all can interact with one another.)

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Also, I have my own channel on the discord server known as Emerald Library. I recommend that you join the server and there, you won't only have access to me, but several other big authors who have their channels on the Emerald Library.

Discord Server Invite Link: discord . gg / jtAxRnH6Tk [Remove the spaces please]

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Do check out my other three fics as well from my profile. They are:

1. The Rise of the Last Potter: My Novel length Harry Potter fic which is already 300k+ words long and it is a work in progress. Updated Regularly.

2. Loved Ones Skipping Stones and Ice-cream: A fluffy Haphne one-shot. It is completed obviously.

3. SECRETS: Another romantic one-shot I published recently. Complete as well.

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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep smiling! Keep Reading!

HPfanfictioner66