After the mutiny, things on the CSS Birmingham didn't exactly calm down, but they reached a new level of "this is our life now." Percy, Clarisse, and Charles had managed to wrangle control of the ship back, though there was always that uncomfortable feeling that the spirits were just biding their time, waiting for the next opportunity to screw them over. Which was crazy as they had banished the crew from the ship, and they should be safe now… right?
Still, they were making progress through the Sea of Monsters—if you could call it progress when every other day you were fighting off something with way too many teeth and tentacles. It wasn't smooth sailing, but thanks to Charles, the ship somehow held together through it all. The guy was a genius with anything mechanical, and every time the ship took a hit that should've sunk them, Charles managed to patch it up just in time.
Percy and Clarisse had their hands full with the monsters trying to turn them into demigod snacks, but they were managing to work together without killing each other, which felt like a win. They weren't exactly friends, but there was a grudging respect between them—mostly because they were too tired to keep up the constant bickering.
At the moment, Percy was standing by the railing, staring out at the horizon and trying not to think about how much he missed Nico, when the ship suddenly lurched. It wasn't the usual creak and groan of old steel, but a violent, teeth-rattling jolt that nearly knocked Percy off his feet.
"Now what?" Percy groaned, grabbing the railing to steady himself. He shot a look at Charles and Clarisse, who were already on high alert, weapons in hand.
The answer came quickly—too quickly. A massive tentacle burst out of the water, slamming down onto the deck with enough force to splinter the steel. Percy's eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight. The thing was easily the size of a school bus, thick and glistening with seawater, covered in slick, rubbery skin.
"Kraken!" Clarisse shouted, because of course it was. Because their luck had been just that bad lately.
The kraken's tentacle snaked across the deck, sweeping everything in its path, sending crates and barrels flying like they were made of paper.
"Great! Just what we needed!" Percy yelled as he drew Riptide, the celestial bronze sword gleaming in the dim light. He barely had time to get into a fighting stance before another tentacle shot out of the water, wrapping around the ship's mast and pulling tight. The wood groaned under the pressure, threatening to snap.
Clarisse was already on the move, her spear crackling with electricity as she charged at the nearest tentacle. "Get off my ship!" she bellowed, jamming the spear into the thick flesh. The kraken let out a monstrous roar, the sound reverberating through the ship, but it didn't loosen its grip.
Charles, meanwhile, was frantically trying to keep the ship from falling apart. "I can't hold this thing together if it tears us in half!" he shouted, his hands moving rapidly over the controls as he tried to stabilize the ship. "You guys need to get it off us, now!"
"Easier said than done!" Percy shot back, slashing at one of the tentacles with Riptide. The blade cut deep, ichor spraying everywhere, but the kraken only seemed to get angrier. Another tentacle whipped across the deck, nearly taking Percy's head off as it slammed into the side of the ship, sending a shower of splinters into the air.
Clarisse wasn't faring much better. She'd managed to sever one of the smaller tentacles, but the kraken had plenty more where that came from. It lashed out at her, and she barely managed to dodge in time, rolling across the deck and coming up in a crouch, her spear crackling with energy.
"Any bright ideas, Jackson?" she yelled, glaring at him as she got to her feet.
"Working on it!" Percy replied, his mind racing. They were in the middle of the sea, miles from any kind of help, and they were up against a monster that could probably crush their ship like a tin can. Not exactly an ideal situation.
But Percy was Poseidon's son, and if there was one thing he knew, it was the ocean. He could feel the water churning beneath them, the kraken's massive body moving through the depths. It was strong, but it wasn't invincible.
"Charles, can you keep the ship steady?" Percy called out, an idea forming in his mind.
"I'll do my best, but I can't hold it forever!" Charles shouted back, his voice strained as he fought to keep the ship from capsizing.
"Good enough!" Percy took a deep breath, focusing on the water beneath them. He could feel the currents, the pull of the tides, and he called on them, channeling all his power into the sea. The water responded, surging up around the ship in a massive wave that crashed down on the kraken, forcing it to release its grip on the mast.
The kraken roared in fury, but Percy wasn't done. He kept pushing, using the water to wrap around the creature's tentacles, pulling them away from the ship. It was like trying to wrestle with a living storm, but Percy gritted his teeth and held on, refusing to let the kraken drag them down.
Clarisse took advantage of the momentary distraction, charging forward with a battle cry that could've made Ares himself proud. She plunged her spear into the kraken's side, electricity crackling as she delivered a powerful shock that sent the creature thrashing in pain.
"Nice one, La Rue!" Percy called out, still straining to keep the kraken at bay.
"Just keep it off my ship!" Clarisse snapped back, her eyes blazing with determination. She wasn't about to let some overgrown calamari take her down—not after everything they'd been through.
Charles, meanwhile, was doing everything he could to keep the ship in one piece. The kraken's attacks had left the deck a mess of splintered wood and broken equipment, and Charles was moving like a man possessed, patching up what he could and rerouting power to the critical systems.
The kraken wasn't giving up without a fight, though. It lashed out with another tentacle, this one aiming directly for Charles. Percy saw it coming a split second before it hit and reacted on pure instinct. He raised his hand, summoning a powerful blast of water that slammed into the tentacle, knocking it off course.
"Charles, watch out!" Percy shouted, but Charles was already on the move, ducking under the tentacle and diving for cover behind a stack of crates.
"I'm good!" Charles called back, his voice breathless but determined. "But we need to end this thing now!"
Percy couldn't agree more. The kraken was relentless, and if they didn't take it down soon, the ship wasn't going to survive much longer. He racked his brain for a solution, something that would give them the edge they needed.
Then it hit him. The kraken was strong, but it was also massive, which meant it was probably slow to react. If they could bait it into a trap, they might be able to take it out in one shot.
"Clarisse!" Percy yelled, already moving into position. "I've got an idea, but I need you to trust me!"
Clarisse glared at him, but there was no time for arguing. "You better know what you're doing, Jackson!" she shouted back.
"I'm going to lure it in!" Percy explained, his heart pounding. "When it goes for me, I need you to hit it with everything you've got. Charles, get ready to give me a boost!"
Clarisse's eyes widened as she realized what Percy was planning, but she didn't hesitate. "Fine, but if this doesn't work, I'm haunting your ass!"
"Deal!" Percy grinned, though his heart was hammering in his chest. He turned to Charles, who was already at the controls, ready to do his part.
"On your mark, Percy!" Charles called out, his fingers hovering over the buttons.
"Now!" Percy shouted, and everything happened at once.
Charles hit the controls, sending a surge of power through the ship that pushed it forward at breakneck speed. Percy ran to the edge of the deck, calling on the water to lift him up and propel him toward the kraken. The creature, sensing an easy target, lunged for him, its massive jaws opening wide.
But Percy wasn't about to go down that easily. Just as the kraken's jaws closed around him, he dove to the side, using the water to boost his speed. The kraken's momentum carried it forward, leaving it wide open.
"Clarisse, now!" Percy yelled, and Clarisse didn't hesitate. She charged forward, her spear crackling with energy as she delivered a powerful, electrified strike directly to the kraken's head.
The impact was explosive. The kraken let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing as the electricity surged through it. Percy used the opportunity to summon another wave, slamming it into the kraken with all the force he could muster. The creature thrashed wildly, but it was no match for the combined power of a son of Poseidon and a daughter of Ares.
With one final, ear-splitting roar, the kraken shuddered and began to sink back into the depths, its massive body disappearing beneath the waves. Percy, Clarisse, and Charles watched as it vanished, the sea finally calm once more.
For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of their heavy breathing and the gentle lapping of the waves against the ship. Then, slowly, a grin spread across Percy's face.
"We did it," he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and triumph. "We actually did it."
Clarisse, still panting from the effort, gave him a begrudging nod. "Not bad, Jackson. Not bad at all."
Charles, who was leaning against the control panel, let out a shaky laugh. "Let's not make a habit of this, okay?"
Unfortunately, for all of them, things would never be quite so easily for demigods.
For a while, everything was almost routine. Percy kept them on course with his weird new sea-GPS thing, Charles kept the ship from falling apart, and Clarisse made sure to create the tactics to take down the monsters the quickest. They were starting to feel like they might actually make it out of the Sea of Monsters in one piece. Then, because the universe apparently hated them, everything changed.
It started with a mist rolling in—not the usual kind of magical mist they were used to, but thick, human-normal fog that made everything look like they were trapped in a really bad horror movie. The air grew heavy, muffling the sounds of the ocean until it felt like they were the last people left in the world.
Percy was leaning against the railing, staring out at the misty sea and trying not to think about all the ways this could go wrong, when he heard it. A song, soft and distant, but clear enough to send a shiver down his spine. It was beautiful in a way that made his heart ache, like it was reaching into the deepest parts of him and pulling out feelings he hadn't realized were there.
"Do you hear that?" Percy asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced over at Clarisse, who was standing nearby, her eyes narrowed as she listened.
"Yeah," she muttered, her usual gruffness softened by something Percy couldn't quite place. "It's… I don't know. Feels weird."
Charles, who had been working on some stubborn piece of machinery, looked up, his brow furrowed. "It's just a song, right? No big deal. Probably just some mermaids or something."
But even as he said it, Percy could see the uncertainty in his eyes. This wasn't just a song. It was something more, something that crawled under your skin and made you want to listen more closely, to follow it to wherever it was coming from.
Before Percy could say anything else, the song grew louder, more insistent, wrapping around him like a warm, comforting blanket. And then the visions started.
With a tremendous effort, Percy tore his gaze away from the vision, the song's pull weakening just enough for him to break free. The world around him snapped back into focus—the cold, misty air biting into his skin, the ship creaking underfoot, the haunting melody still echoing in his ears but no longer controlling him.
He stumbled back, panting, his heart racing as the vision faded. His mind was still reeling from what he'd seen, what he'd felt, but he forced himself to focus, to ground himself in reality. Percy looked around, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of Clarisse, standing beside him, her eyes glazed over, her hands trembling as she clutched the railing. She was trapped in her own vision, lost to the Sirens' song.
"Clarisse!" Percy called, his voice hoarse with urgency. "It's not real! Whatever you're seeing, it's not real! You have to snap out of it!"
But Clarisse didn't respond. Her gaze was locked on something only she could see, her expression a mix of awe and longing. The song was still in the air, sweet and seductive, pulling them deeper into its trap. Percy knew he had to act fast, or they'd be lost to it, drawn into the sea like so many others before them.
He stumbled toward Clarisse, his own head still spinning from the lingering effects of the vision. "Clarisse, listen to me!" He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly. "It's the Sirens! They're messing with your head! You've got to fight it!"
For a moment, it seemed like Clarisse was too far gone to hear him. But then, slowly, her eyes began to clear, the fierce determination that Percy knew so well flickering back into place. She blinked, shaking her head as if trying to dislodge the remnants of the vision.
"Percy…?" Clarisse's voice was hoarse, uncertain, but she was coming back to herself. "What… what happened?"
"It's the Sirens," Percy repeated, relief flooding through him as he saw her snap out of it. "They're trying to lure us in. We have to get out of here, now!"
Clarisse's eyes sharpened, her grip on the wheel tightening as she forced herself to focus. "Right. Right. Let's get the hell out of here."
But before they could do anything, Percy noticed something odd. Charles was just standing there, watching them like they were crazy, no hint of the trance-like state that had taken hold of Percy and Clarisse. His expression was more confused than anything.
Charles' hand automatically went to the necklace around his neck as it started glowing pink, a soft, warm light that cut through the fog like a beacon. The necklace had been a gift from Silena after their first year of dating—a simple chain with a small pendant that she'd insisted was more than just jewelry. Silena had told him it was infused with her charmspeak, a little extra protection "just in case," she'd said with that sweet smile of hers. Charles had always figured it was just her way of keeping him safe when she couldn't be there, but now he realized just how serious she'd been.
The Siren's song, which had been filling his head with confusion and unease, faded into the background. His thoughts cleared, and the heavy fog that had clouded his mind lifted, leaving him standing there in the middle of the deck, watching Percy and Clarisse stumble around like they were in some kind of trance.
Charles blinked, trying to process what was happening. Percy was usually the one with his head on straight, even in the middle of a crisis, and Clarisse—well, Clarisse might be a lot of things, but distracted wasn't one of them. And yet, here they were, acting like zombies, their eyes glazed over, both of them moving closer and closer to the edge of the ship.
"What the…?" Charles muttered, then it hit him. Sirens. They'd stumbled right into a Siren trap. He'd read about them—creatures that could lure sailors to their deaths with nothing more than a song, promising them everything they'd ever wanted, only to drag them under the waves once they got too close. Charles felt a cold knot of fear in his gut as he realized just how much trouble they were in.
But why wasn't he affected? He should've been just as out of it as Percy and Clarisse. Then his fingers brushed the glowing pendant, and it all made sense. Silena's gift. Her charmspeak was countering the Siren's song, protecting him from whatever visions they were seeing. Charles couldn't help but smile, sending a silent thank you to Silena and a quick prayer to Aphrodite for good measure. He knew he was going to need all the help he could get.
But his relief was short-lived when he saw how close Percy and Clarisse were to the edge. There wasn't time to think. Charles had to act, and fast. His mind raced as he tried to figure out how to save them both without getting them all killed in the process.
"Charles?" Percy called out, still feeling shaky from the whole Siren-song mind trip. "Why aren't you affected? What's going on?"
Charles didn't answer right away. He just blinked at them, then looked down at the necklace around his neck, which was glowing a soft pink. "Uh… I think it's this." He lifted the pendant, his fingers brushing the glowing charm. "Selina gave it to me after we'd been dating for a year. Said it was a little extra protection, something to keep me safe. I guess she meant it literally."
Percy and Clarisse stared at the necklace, realization dawning on their faces. "It's countering the Sirens," Percy said, more to himself than anyone else. "That's why you're not affected."
Charles nodded, a grateful smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Thank the gods for Selina, right?" He sent a quick prayer of thanks to Aphrodite, knowing that he owed both the goddess and her daughter big time.
But just as relief started to settle in, Charles's gaze shifted to the edge of the ship, where Percy and Clarisse were inching dangerously close to the water. His eyes widened in alarm. "Uh, guys? You're about two seconds away from going for a swim, and I don't think it's the kind you're gonna enjoy."
Percy glanced down, horror flooding through him as he realized how close he was to the edge. "Oh, gods," he muttered, scrambling back. Clarisse, who didn't have the luxury of breathing underwater, was even closer to the brink, the siren's song overpowering once more.
Without hesitating, Charles sprang into action. He darted forward, grabbing Clarisse before she could take another step. She was still disoriented, her eyes unfocused, but Charles wasn't taking any chances. He wrestled her away from the edge, his grip firm even as she struggled against him.
"Clarisse, snap out of it!" Charles grunted, trying to keep her from throwing them both overboard. It was like trying to hold onto a wild animal—Clarisse wasn't going down without a fight. She twisted in his grip, landing a solid punch to his nose that made stars explode behind his eyes. But Charles didn't let go. He managed to drag her back to the mast and, with some effort, tied her to it, securing the rope just in time.
"Percy!" Charles called, his voice muffled by the blood trickling from his nose. Percy was next, his eyes had become hazy again as he teetered on the edge. Charles moved as fast as he could, grabbing Percy's arm just as he was about to take a dive. Percy reacted on instinct, swinging his fist and catching Charles right in the eye, but Charles didn't let go.
"Ow!" Charles yelped, but he managed to wrestle Percy away from the edge and over to the mast, tying him up next to Clarisse. Percy struggled, the Siren's song still whispering in his mind, as Charles tightened the knots.
"Come on, Charlie, think!" Charles muttered to himself. Then an idea struck him—if Silena's necklace was strong enough to protect him, maybe he could amplify its power somehow, extend the protection to cover the entire ship. It was a long shot, and it would probably fry the necklace, but it was better than letting Percy and Clarisse take a permanent swim with the Sirens.
Charles darted below deck, searching frantically through his tools and supplies. He grabbed a few key components—a couple of wires, a small amplifier, and a bunch of other mechanical bits he knew Percy and Clarisse wouldn't understand even if he tried to explain. He worked quickly, his hands moving on autopilot as he rigged up a makeshift device that he hoped would do the trick.
"Please work, please work, please work," Charles muttered under his breath as he hurried back to the deck, his heart pounding. He could hear the Siren's song growing louder, more insistent, and he knew he was running out of time.
With a deep breath, Charles pressed the glowing necklace to the device he'd rigged up, sending a silent apology to Silena. The pendant flared brightly, the pink light intensifying until it was almost blinding. There was a loud crackle, and Charles winced as the necklace shattered, the power surging through the device.
A wave of energy rippled across the deck, shattering the Sirens' illusions in an instant. The song cut off abruptly, leaving only the sound of the waves and the harsh breathing of three very confused demigods.
Percy blinked, stumbling back from the edge as if waking up from a deep sleep. Clarisse let out a strangled gasp, her hand flying to her chest as she tried to steady herself. Both of them looked around, their eyes wild and disoriented, before they realized they were tied together with a thick rope, securely fastened to the mast.
"Uh, what the Hades?" Percy blurted out, tugging at the rope with a mix of confusion and irritation. "Why are we tied up? And why does my face feel like I just went ten rounds with Alexander?"
Clarisse, always quicker to anger, turned her glare on Charles, who was still holding the now-broken necklace. "Did you tie us up, Beckendorf? What the hell is going on?"
Charles, who was nursing a broken nose and a rapidly swelling black eye, just laughed in sheer relief. "You guys were about two seconds away from jumping off the ship and drowning yourselves, so yeah, I tied you up. You're welcome, by the way."
Clarisse's eyes narrowed. "You could've just… I don't know, shaken us awake or something?"
"And risk getting knocked out or thrown overboard? No thanks," Charles shot back, still grinning despite the pain in his face. "Besides, the rope worked, didn't it? You're both still here, alive, and not fish food. I call that a win."
Percy, who was still processing everything, looked down at the remnants of the necklace in Charles's hand. "Wait, was that…?"
"Yeah," Charles sighed, his grin fading as he looked at the shattered pieces of Silena's gift. "It was the necklace Silena gave me. The one with her charmspeak. I had to use it to break the Sirens' spell. It, uh… didn't survive."
Clarisse and Percy exchanged a look, and for once, they both seemed to be on the same page. "Man, I'm sorry," Percy said, his voice softening. "That necklace was important to you."
Charles nodded, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, it was. But it did its job. And, I mean, Silena will probably kill me when she finds out, but at least you guys are safe."
Clarisse, surprisingly, didn't snap back with some sarcastic comment. Instead, she gave Charles a stiff nod. "Thanks, Beckendorf. You saved our butts. And… sorry about the nose."
Charles waved it off, though his smile was a little more genuine now. "No worries. It'll heal. Just… maybe don't try to punch me next time I'm saving your life, okay?"
Percy chuckled, the tension finally easing out of his shoulders. "Yeah, I'll try to keep that in mind. And, seriously, Charles—thanks. You really came through."
Charles just shrugged, though he couldn't hide the pride in his voice. "Hey, what are friends for, right?"
As they untied themselves from the mast and got their bearings, the ship sailed on, leaving the Sirens' lair far behind. They still had a long way to go, and the Sea of Monsters wasn't done with them yet, but for now, they were safe.
Besides if they could survive the Sirens, a few more monsters didn't stand a chance.