Ch14

Percy gripped Riptide tightly as the line of monsters appeared in the distance. Alright lets see what you guys got. It had been a few days since Clarisse and apparently Annabeth left to find the Golden Fleece and the monsters have been coming nonstop while there had been no signs or messages from Clarisse.

"Tyson you ready?" He looked up at the cyclops who was awkwardly wearing armor and wielding a spear and shield.

"Y-Yes," Tyson said.

He sighed as the children of Hecate casted a variety of defensive spells around them. "Just stay close to me and we'll be fine ok?"

The constant raids were getting tiring but they were all managing and Tyson had been helping where he could. The horn blared and the Apollo Cabin unleashed a volley of arrows onto the advancing monsters. "Charge!"

The Colchis Bulls charged at them. Tyson knocked one down giving him the opening stab it in the neck. The monster groaned as green fire enveloped its head.

He turned to see Lou and Balthazar behind him. Lou had a spell book in her hand while her brother had his sword. "Thanks," he said.

Lou smiled. "Don't worry we'll back you guys up."

Balthazar's sword glowed green with an ominous fire. "Come on lets deal with these things. Lou enhance us!"

"Got it." Lou muttered a few phrases in Ancient Greek and Latin and a few runes hit him and Balthazar.

It was if he had the strenght of ten men inside of him. "Lets go Percy!" Balthazar charged at a bull and plunged his burning sword its neck.

"Wait up!" He and Tyson went to assist him. The bull moaned as Tyson pushed it to the ground and Riptide pierced its gut. Balthazar drew his sword and decapitated it easily causing the monster to turn to dust.

"Thanks," he said.

Balthazar nodded. "Lets take these things out."

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Ethan and the other children of Hecate helping the Apollo and Hephaestus Cabins rebel the bulls.

"Guys look out!" Lou yelled.

The sound of hissing reverberated throughout the area and the next thing he knew Tyson was screaming. "OWWIE!"

"Tyson!" Turning around a large serpent with its fangs sunk into Tyson's neck.

He swore and charged at the monster with Balthazar by his side. "Let him go!" He sunk his blade into its hide but Tyson was dancing around like a decapitated chicken so it was hard to get a good it

"I got it!" Alabaster's cards flew at the snake and shot fire at it making Tyson scream.

"Hey watch out!" He yelled as the flames on Tyson grew larger.

Alabaster swore. "Sorry!"

"Try another spell those flames are way too strong!" Balthazar yelled.

His heart raced as he tried to stab at the snake but its hide was thick. Alabaster then tried to burn the snake but that just made things worse.

Tyson cried and flailed as he tried to pound the serpent. Balthazar swore as he slashed the neck. "Lou help us out."

The daughter of Hecate nodded and flipped through a notebook as Tyson cried. He swore as Balthazar tried to chop the serpent off. "Come on lets get that thing off him," he said as Tyson began to cry louder.

"Hey guys I'm here!" Ethan came running with his spear in hand plunged into the serpent's neck just as a blast of green fire flew from Lou's finger tips and at the snake's eyes.

Gripping Riptide he plunged it into the snake's head delivering the final blow and turning it into golden dust. Tyson fell to his knees whimpering. "Percy it hurts."

Oh gods. He stared in shock the blood falling down from Tyson's neck along with the burn marks as he fell down and passed out.

"Get a medic now!" He yelled as he went to Tyson's side.

"Percy I know some healing magic," Lou said as she began to chant in Latin. A green light enveloped Tyson as the Hephaestus Cabin came with a stretcher.

"Want him in the infirmary or your Cabin?" Beckendorf asked.

"My Cabin we have enough space," He said. "Guys help me put him on the stretcher."

Thankfully Beckendorf and his siblings helped him put Tyson onto the stretcher and bring him to the Poseidon Cabin. Oh gods, dad won't be happy if Tyson gets hurt.

"What were you thinking with that spell," Balthazar yelled.

"I was just trying to kill it," Alabaster countered. "I had it under control."

"Really? Those burn marks say otherwise," Balthazar said as the air between the two children of Hecate turned ominous as their siblings watched them awkwardly. "Why don't you stop trying to show off for once."

"Oh that's rich coming from you," Alabaster snapped.

"Come on guys that's enough," he said.

Balthazar folded his arms. "I'm sorry but I cannot allow my younger siblings to think throwing any random spell they want is a good idea, especially in a hostage situation."

"Enough!" Lou shouted. "Tyson is hurt we shouldn't complain about this anymore."

He watched as Lou and her siblings did some healing magic. Will Solace came by with some of his siblings and did their best to cure him.

"That thing was poisonous," Will said as he showed him a cotton swab that emitted a foul odor. "I never seen a poison like this before."

"Can you heal him?" He asked.

Will grimaced. "I-I'll do my best."

He frowned but Lou grabbed his arm. "Don't worry Percy we'll do all we can to heal him, if anything I'll consult with my mother."

"Thanks," he muttered as he nervously watched Will Solace and the children of Hecate try to heal Tyson.

"Percy I think this poison might be too strong," Will said.

He swore. "Is there nothing else you can do?"

"I'll ask my siblings," Will said before leaving.

"Well I check on the barrier," Balthazar said before exiting the room.

He rubbed his temples as he looked at Tyson lying unconscious in bed. "I'm sorry," Alabaster muttered.

"It's alright the burns can heal," he muttered. A pit formed in his stomach, as much as he found Tyson's presence at camp annoying he still didn't want him to die.

"Maybe our older sister Circe can help?" Lou suggested. "She knows a lot of things."

Alabaster frowned. "I don't know she lives in the Sea of Monsters of all places."

"Don't worry she'll listen to me," Lou said with a smile. "What do you say Percy? We can find a cure with her and even help Clarisse if she needs it."

He rubbed his head. "I'll think about it. We don't exactly have transportation. I'm going for a walk."

His body and mind were both exhausted and the sound of the waves calmed him as he headed towards the beach. "Man what a day," he muttered as he listened to the calming sounds of the tide. Since Clarisse and apparently Annabeth left on their quest he had been helping fight off the monster hoards with the other campers now with Tyson in a coma he was beginning to feel the strain of everything.

I really hope they find it soon. As he was walking he noticed a figure walk up to him, a man in what appeared to be running clothes.

"Hello Percy Jackson," the man said with a tense smile.

"Uh hello do I know you?" He asked.

"One second," The man said as he took his cell phone out. "No send the Greek Fire to the warehouse in Ohio." The man folded up his phone and shook his head. "Sorry about that I am Hermes nice to meet you."

His eyes widened as he looked at the god and did a quick polite bow. "Um nice to meet you sir."

Hermes nodded as his phone turned into a large staff with two serpents on it. "Do you have any rats?" One of the serpents asked.

"Stop it Lord Hermes has a message for him," The other serpent said.

"George Martha not now," Hermes said as he turned to him. "Listen I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I lost track of that daughter of Ares after her ship had a violent explosion in the Sea of Monsters."

His eyes widened. "What?"

Hermes sighed. "Listen you don't have much time but you can save them if you want, but your camp needs its barrier back up."

He sighed and scratched his head. "I don't think they'd die easily but if they need help I don't mind helping out."

"Awe look at him what a cute hero," Martha said.

Hermes then looked out at the sea. "You could save them, who knows you might also save others."

He shifted as he detected a hint of sorrow in the god's voice. "Y-You mean Luke?"

Hermes slowly nodded, his gaze softening. "He's my baby boy. I don't want to give up on him." The god then turned to him and snapped his fingers as a large bag appeared in front of him. "I'll prepare your transportation. If you value your camp you would go and lend a hand. If your friends come I'll even put in a good for Hecate and Nemesis with the other gods."

"But I don't have permission," he said. "If I get caught I could get expelled from the camp."

Hermes raised an eyebrow. "If this quest fails there won't be a camp to return to. Who knows maybe you can help others in this journey." His voice was soft like a parent missing a child.

Looking down he pondered the god's words. "Fine." As much as he found Annabeth and Clarisse annoying he didn't want them to die or for the camp to fall.

In a flash of light, the god disappeared leaving him with the packs on the ground. "Percy!" he turned around and saw Lou, Alabaster, and Ethan run towards him.

Lou's face was red. "Are you ok? We heard you calling for help."

"I'm fine," he said looking at them. "Hermes was just here, he said Clarisse and Annabeth need help." Taking a deep breath he looked at them all. "I can only take two, he promised to speak up for your mom if you want to come."

"I'll go," Lou said calmly. "I met Circe once, if we are going to the Sea of Monsters I can calm her if she is upset."

Alabaster frowned. "You're a little young for a quest."

Lou grabbed her brother's arm. "Come on Al it'll be fine."

Alabaster sighed his eyes betraying frustration. "Fine I'll go too."

He turned to Ethan. "Is that alright with you?"

Ethan nodded. "I want to help out here in camp, don't worry I'll watch over Tyson."

The sound of a harpy screech made him pull away. "Come on we should get going," Alabaster said as he tossed him a pack. "Looks like we have transportation."

He looked and saw three large fish horses in the ocean. "Be safe. We'll be back," he said as Lou casted a concealment enchantment over Ethan who waved at them before running back to the Cabin his form seeming to vanish with the wind.

Ethan sighed as he closed the door to the Poseidon Cabin behind him. "Man that was close."

"Indeed it was young demigod," said a voice from the corner.

He nearly jumped as he saw the man in the jogger suit carrying a scepter with two snakes on it. "L-Lord Hermes." He immediately bowed. His heart raced in his chest as he looked at Luke's dad, he didn't know what to say to him or what the god could want with him.

Hermes looked him over. "Luke spoke with you before he left. Tell me what he said." The god's voice was calm yet had enough danger to it that put him on edge.

"Y-Yes sir," he muttered. His heart raced in his chest as he talked about how he met Luke and how he wanted things to change for the unclaimed kids and the children of the minor gods.

Hermes' face was stone calm as the snakes on his scepter remained eerily quiet. When he finished talking the god turned around. "He never did forgive me did he?"

He looked to the ground, the few times Luke mentioned his father it was always with a tinge of anger. But he figured it wasn't the smartest thing to say to a god.

"He was my pride and joy," Hermes said softly. The god shook his head. "Remember this, we all care about our children. Rest well demigod."

With that the god disappeared in a flash of light leaving him alone. His heart raced in his chest as he fell onto the bed. He cares about him so much. A part of him felt sorry for the god, he didn't know exactly what happened between the two but he knew that Luke hated Hermes. Sitting on a bed he looked down at the ground.

I never even met mine. A pang hit his heart. Maybe if I get stronger I can make her proud.