Chapter 15: Triton Actually Tries To Kill Me

Annabeth knew she was going to die.

The boat creaked with every growing wave, the thunder growing louder with every crash. No matter how strong Leo had made the Argo ll, nothing could stop the wrath of the gods.

Somehow, though, she wasn't afraid. Perhaps already having come face to face with her death once that day took away the shock factor. She'd already gone through the fear that showed up when one knew they were doomed. So no, she wasn't afraid of her death.

It just really, really sucked.

The whole situation did, really. And, frankly, there wasn't just one person to put the blame on. Annabeth tried to think of who to put at fault, but really, it was a team effort.

She supposed she could blame Apollo for forcing them to go on this quest. But that was just what gods did. She could blame Percy for taking out Pietro and posing as him. Actually, thinking about it, a lot of her and her friends' current problems could be traced back to him. But he'd just been following orders, so that would trace back to Poseidon. Yet, if it hadn't been for Zeus and his power complex, then maybe the two gods never would've started a civil war and the Olympians would still be united.

Annabeth supposed it didn't really matter. She wouldn't live long enough to complain anyway.

"How much longer do we have, Leo?" Hazel asked. After Annabeth realized that Percy was gone, everyone returned to the mess hall. They figured it would make more sense to spend their final moments together. Of course, Leo couldn't stay there for long. He kept running in and out of the room, checking the ship's vitals.

"Not sure, but probably not much," He admitted, pausing in front of the room's entrance briefly to tell everyone the gravity of their situation, "The engines aren't too happy with all this battering around. The wood is really beat up in numerous places, and the storm's only getting worse. One particularly strong wave will knock this baby out. And Festus won't respond." Leo turned to leave, "I should probably go check the boiler room again."

The room went silent once Leo left. What was there to say?

"Where do you think Pietro, er, Percy went?" Jason blurted, trying to make conversation.

"Maybe he went somewhere to get help," Frank suggested.

Annabeth winced, "After what I did? I'd be surprised if he didn't decide to go and rejoin Poseidon."

"Wasn't gonna be the one to say it, but yeah," Nico added.

That did little to help Annabeth. Despite all of her blaming, in a way, this was her fault too. Percy probably could've still helped them, maybe even found a way out of the storm. But she'd destroyed any chance of that. Why did she have to be so headstrong all the time? Often, that was a good thing, but it was times like these when her wary and stubborn side did more harm than good.

The room went quiet again. Annabeth listened to the creaking boat and the booming thunder and awaited her death.

Suddenly, it all stopped.

Everyone looked around at each other, confused. Surely they were all hallucinating this, right? Just seconds ago, the storm had been lurching the ship around the ocean like a cat playing with a piece of yarn.

They sat there for a few moments, no one daring to break the silence. Then Leo bolted into the room, "You guys are never gonna believe this!"

He took them to the ladder leading to the top deck.

"I was trying one last time to get ahold of Festus when the boat stilled," Leo said as he climbed up. The others began following him, "Then I heard a nearly inaudible creak and knew it was him. He told me I needed to come up to the top deck. So I sprinted up here-"

"Hang on," Jason said, "You came up here without all of us knowing?"

"Well yeah. I had to check on Festus."

"But the storm-"

Leo shrugged, "Yeah, but look, we were all gonna die anyway, what's the big deal if it's drowning from falling overboard versus drowning in a sunken ship?"

Something about that sentence caught Annabeth off guard. What was it…? "Wait, you said were gonna die. As though we aren't going to."

"That's what I'm trying to show you." Leo said from up above the trapdoor. As he moved out of the way, Annabeth finally saw what he meant as she pulled herself up onto the top deck.

The sea was calm. The skies were blue. White, fluffy clouds floated lazily across the sky. The sun shone, warming Annabeth's skin.

"How in Hera's name?" She asked, bewildered.

"Beats me," Leo said as the others climbed up on the deck, "The storm just… stopped."

"But storms don't just do that," Jason said, "Believe me, I've accidentally created enough squalls to know."

And it was then that Annabeth knew. Someway, somehow, he'd done it.

"This was Percy's doing," Annabeth murmured.

"What?" Piper asked.

"I don't know how," Annabeth immediately backed up, defensively, "But I just know. He stopped the storm. How else do you explain it?"

"That is a pretty good point," Nico added.

Hazel laughed, "Saved us again. Where would we be without him?"

No one answered that, but they all collectively thought the bottom of the ocean.

"Man, how are we gonna repay him?" Frank wondered, "That's like the sixth time this quest!"

"Yelling in his face, apparently," Leo said.

Annabeth felt her cheeks turn red. Her eyes started burning. Not now. She was not going to cry now.

Leo saw her face and winced, "Too far?"

Annabeth nodded, "Just a little."

"My bad."

Annabeth shook her head, "It's fine." It really wasn't but there were more important things at hand, "The storm may be gone, but I don't think we're clear yet. Leo, how bad is the ship looking?"

Leo sucked in a breath, "Not good. I'd have to do another check, but there's at least ten places where the wood is close to breaching. We have some supplies to repair them, but it's gonna take some time. Not to mention we'd have to dock somewhere in order to fix them. And Festus said the navigation systems and engines are a mess. Plus, we don't have Pietro…Percy….whoever… to tell us where we're going. I don't know how we're gonna get to Wadelisle from here. We have the sails, but that's not a lot to go on-"

"I don't think we're gonna have to worry too much. Look," Everyone turned to see Frank pointing out past the ship. Annabeth's eyes widened. In front of them sat a small tree-covered island.

Wadelisle.

Annabeth wanted to cry right then and there. They'd made it. They'd actually made it. After all the shit they'd been through, they'd reached the island!

The joy faded quickly, however, as her thoughts moved back to Percy. He had saved her yet again. And how had she repaid him?

Gods, why was she so bad at this?

She took a deep breath. Her boy troubles needed to be the last thing on her mind right now.

They had a lyre to find.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Percy didn't know how long Triton's guards carried him for, but it felt like a really, really long time. Apparently they'd decided to take the long way. And now they were in the middle of the ocean with no one around for miles.

Hooray.

"You know, Percy, this all could've been avoided if you hadn't yelled at Dad." Triton said, holding up his hand to stop their little group from moving forward. Percy frowned. Atlantis was nowhere in sight.

"What are we doing, Triton?" Percy spat.

"Hmm?" He said, "Well, I may not have been completely honest earlier."

"So Dad doesn't want me back?"

Triton laughed, "No, of course he does. However…" He flashed Percy a malicious grin, "Father's not here right now, is he?"

Uh-oh.

Triton clapped his hands, "Guards!"

The group of guards surrounding Percy separated into a new formation: a circle surrounding him and Triton. The two guards holding Percy let go and joined as well. Percy knew that whatever was happening could not be good, so he tried to swim for it by going up and around the circle. However, the guards simply moved with him. And as much as Percy wanted to try again, he knew they were faster than him.

Because, despite all of his strengths, he was still only half-siren.

Triton glared at Percy, "I figured I could just let Father handle you, but then I thought to myself, 'Why not me? Why shouldn't I be the one to tear you down from your stupid little pedestal.' After everything you've done-"

"I haven't done anything to you!" Percy yelled.

"You took everything from me!" Triton yelled back, "Ever since you got to Atlantis it's been 'Percy this' and 'Percy that'. Gods, it's annoying," Percy found it odd that Triton was using his own title in vain but didn't comment on it, "And while Dad would surely provide justice for your crimes," Triton held out his hand and a trident appeared in it, "Revenge is more fun."

He grinned like a predator eyeing its prey. Percy tried to back up but found trident points forcing him forward.

"Die, demigod," Triton sneered.

He lunged.

At that moment, Percy jolted out of the way. This was it. This was how he was gonna die. He had no way to defend himself; it was like stepping into the boss arena of one of the video games he played as a kid without the Important Item™.

Except in real life, there weren't exactly extra lives.

Triton swung at Percy again. Percy narrowly ducked under just in time.

"Stay still so I can kill you properly!" Triton called. Percy started swimming around the border of the circle, Triton following at a frightening pace. Percy didn't even know why he was trying to survive at this point; it wasn't like anybody was coming to help him.

Triton snapped his fingers and the guards closed the circle tighter, making it impossible for Percy to move away from his crazy older brother.

"Nowhere to turn now," Triton said, aiming his trident right at Percy's heart.

Percy slammed his eyes shut and begged the gods to forgive him for being such a screw up. Everything in his life always seemed to go wrong, simply because he existed. He hoped there was at least a spot for him in Asphodel. Percy couldn't bare the idea of eternal damnation and torture.

"TRITON!" A voice boomed.

Percy held his breath. That voice…that sounded like-

"Father?!" Triton said, "What…What are you doing here?"

"A better question is what are you doing here?" Poseidon asked. Percy risked peeking an eye open. Sure enough, Poseidon floated outside the ring of guards.

He did not look happy.

Triton lowered his trident, "Well, you see, I was-"

"SILENCE!" Poseidon called. He raised a hand and the ring of sirens around Percy disbanded and swarmed to Poseidon, "You should be ashamed of yourself, Triton. Disobeying my direct orders to bring the boy to me…"

Percy noted how his father called him "the boy" and not by his name.

Triton hung his head, "I'm sorry, Father."

"As you very well should be," Poseidon turned to Percy. The small part of Percy that had been relieved to not be killed by his half-sibling froze instantly.

He'd survived a sibling squall just long enough to be punished by one of the most powerful beings currently walking the Earth.

Just what he'd always wanted.

Poseidon's glare was like ice, his gaze stormier than the hurricane that had nearly killed the crew of the Argo ll. He snapped his fingers and glowing handcuffs appeared on Percy's arms.

Poseidon's face remained emotionless as he said, "I want to deal with my traitorous son myself."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Percy struggled against his restraints as Poseidon and his guards hauled him through the pearly gates of Atlantis. Triton sulked behind them. After everything he'd been through, he'd ended up exactly where he'd started.

Except this time it felt different. It was different. The first time he'd come through those doors, he'd been a terrified little middle schooler. Everyone in the city had stopped to look at him. Who was this? They'd wondered.

Now though, all of those same people knew who he was. They'd spent eight years hearing about him. Poseidon's demigod son. A rare one indeed. Now, they knew him as something else.

A traitor.

Each siren Percy passed had eyes full of hate. With each stare Percy wanted more and more to curl up in a ball and die in a hole.

They reached the palace far too soon and yet not quickly enough. Percy began feeling as though the walls were closing in on him. What would his Dad do? Surely he wouldn't kill him; after all, apparently he was the favorite child or something (as everyone kept saying) but could his father find something worse than death?

Percy wasn't sure.

As they reached the throne room, the guards moved to formation along the edges of the hall. However, Poseidon clapped twice, signaling they were dismissed. They saluted and promptly left. Triton didn't follow Percy in and Amphitrite wasn't present, leaving Percy alone with his Father.

Somehow that didn't help calm his nerves in the slightest.

Silence filled the following moments. Percy awkwardly awaited his dad's judgment, but nothing happened. Eventually he decided to speak up, "Dad, I-"

Of course, Poseidon chose that exact moment to start his spiel, "Amphitrite was right. You weren't prepared for this. Honestly, what was I thinking?"

"Uh-"

"This is all perfectly normal, I suppose," Poseidon continued. He almost seemed…happy? "After all, nearly every teenager goes through a phase where they feel the need to rebel against their parents. I know I did, though this is later than usual, yet still not unexpected…"

Percy frowned. Something wasn't right. Poseidon had created a hurricane because Percy had told him off just a few hours before. And he'd told Triton he'd "handle his son himself" but this seemed…like normal parenting?

Probably not a good sign.

"So you're not mad?" Percy asked.

"Hmmm?" Poseidon hummed, "Oh no, I'm furious. I just figured it'd be easier to ease into the conversation."

Uh-oh.

Poseidon ran a hand through his hair, "Honestly, Percy, I don't know how to feel about this. You have always been such a golden child, ever since you came to me eight years ago. I should've known you would be influenced by those blasted demigods…and then," Poseidon laughed, "Even then, when I told you you needed to reap the consequences of your actions for going against me once, you went and convinced your sister to switch sides, going behind my back again!" He shook his head, "I assumed destroying the ship and killing the crew would be enough for you to realize how out of your league you are, backstabbing me like this. But nooooo, you just couldn't leave them behind, all because of your stupid fatal flaw!"

Percy said nothing. What could he say? "Look, if you're going to turn me into a starfish or something just get it over with."

Poseidon's glare softened, "No. No, I wouldn't do that. You are still my son, after all."

"Because you care so much about your other kids," Percy muttered, then promptly shut his mouth as the look in Poseidon's eyes returned.

"Comments like that are the reason I feel more drastic measures are needed. You need to learn your place in this world, son. Only then can things return to the way they were."

"What if I don't want them to?" Percy said.

"Excuse me?" Poseidon asked.

"What if I don't want things to go back to how they were?" Percy said, louder, not thinking about what he was saying, "Don't know if you realized, Dad, but everyone here hates me. They did before I left and certainly do now," He paused, recalling the fun memories of his trip: Annabeth helping him play Super Smash Bros, the karaoke night… "In the few short days I spent with 'those demigods' I made stronger friendships than I ever have here. Especially…" Percy stopped himself from saying Especially Annabeth. He remembered what she'd said during the storm. Happy memories pushed aside, that was all gone too.

Poseidon pondered Percy's words for a moment, "You loved her, didn't you? the blonde one?"

Percy's heart stopped. How had he-?

"I can see it in your eyes." He paused, "So that's what this is about," Percy wanted to tell him it wasn't just Annabeth, but the whole crew he was trying to protect, but he didn't bring that up. Poseidon gave him a weary smile, "Trust me, son, the sooner you forget those feelings, the better. Love is a foolish thing, something I unfortunately had to learn the hard way. It gets in the way of everything else. As soon as you stop chasing it, it will stop chasing you back."

Percy caught the look on his father's face and immediately wondered if he was talking about his mom. Percy didn't know the full story, but he knew Sally Jackson was among the few he'd ever loved. But human-god romances never lasted; they simply couldn't.

Poseidon sighed and shook his head, as if he were trying to clear away the sentimental moment, "Triton!" He called.

Triton poked his head in the door, "Yes, Father?"

"Take our strongest Cyclopes to Wadelisle. Retrieve the lyre and report back."

Triton bowed, "Of course." And left the room again.

Percy's heart dropped, "What?"

Poseidon turned back to him, "What, did you really think I'd let your little storm trick slide? I'm afraid your "friends" won't survive much longer, though it was quite a kind gesture to help them out a little."

No. Percy fought back tears. After everything he'd done to help them, it didn't matter, because his dad was going to kill them anyway. Why couldn't he do anything right?

"Why do you even need that gods forsaken lyre anyway?" Percy yelled.

Poseidon swam forward within inches of Percy's face, "I've told you, boy, Zeus has had his turn. It's time we take ours. I'm getting that damned lyre back, and a few powerless demigods aren't going to stop me!" He took a deep breath and retreated to his throne, "As for you, I'll be placing you somewhere where no influence can reach you. A month in the dungeons should be enough for you to come to your senses."

"What?" Percy stammered.

"A year then!" Poseidon declared, "Either way, you'll have a brand new world to enter once you're released."

"You can't do this!" Percy cried, "You're killing billions of people-"

"Mortals are mere insects compared to us gods," Poseidon waved Percy's accusation away, "Maybe someday you'll understand that. Guards?"

Two siren guards appeared in the doorway and swam to either side of Percy, grabbing his arms.

As they took him through the throne room door and Percy caught a final fleeting glimpse of his father's face, he started to give up hope.

This was it. He'd lost.

They all had.