The Nature of a Demigod

Big Fat Goat Wedding

[Y/N's POV]

Traditionally, when the idea of 'monster island' comes into my mind, it would be more like the Sirens' island. Dirty rocks, wreckage surrounding the island. Bones of dead things scattered on the beaches, not to mention and pretty clear cut definition of 'monster'

Polyphemus' island looked nothing at all like that. Sure, it had a rickety looking rope bridge hanging across a seemingly bottomless cavern. Not a great thing to see. That by itself basically radiated 'EVIL ISLAND! BEWARE!'

Outside of the rope bridge though, it looked like a picture-esque tropical island. Green fields sprawling over the land, palm trees, beautiful clean beaches. Everything. It looked like a perfect vacation spot.

As we sailed towards the shore, I took a deep breath. The air was sweet. It filled my lungs, and even being near the island made me feel stronger. I looked at Annabeth who was staring in awe. "The Fleece," she said.

I nodded. We could feel it. And I hoped that the stories were right about it being able to heal anything. It could heal Thalia's tree. Percy stepped up to the railing. "If we take it away, will the island die?" he asked. Annabeth shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would normally be, whatever that is."

This place was beautiful, and had I not known that it housed a monster trying to marry one of my friends, plus the one thing that could save the camp, I might have chosen to stay here. And maybe it could clear Chiron's name. Oh man. I can only imagine how he feels right now. I haven't talked to him in forever. I'll have to send him an Iris message once I had the time.

For now, we needed to get the fleece. It was so close to being ours.

Well, hopefully doing this would make his sacrifice worth it.

In the grassy meadow, there was a flock full of several dozen sheep milling around. It didn't look much different than a normal field of grazing animals. Except for the fact that these sheep looked to be around the size of a rhinoceros. At the top of the hill, a massive tree, with something glittering in its branches. The golden fleece. The thing that would save Thalia's tree, and by extension, everyone in camp.

"This feels too easy..." I said. "Should I just walk up there and take it off the tree?" Percy said, "You said the same thing about the trap at waterland last year." Annabeth shuddered. "Don't remind me." She surveyed the meadow and her eyes narrowed. "There's supposed to be a guardian. A dragon or... "

At that point, a deer exited the bushes. It hopped into the meadow, looking for something to eat. "Well, that can't be it." I said.

It wasn't.

The very second those words left my mouth, all of the sheep bleated and bum rushed the deer.

Everything happened so fast, that in a moment, the deer was gone, slipping and falling into the swarm of wool. Grass and tufts of fur went flying, along with the chunks of deer flesh and blood. They weren't there for long though, as it was snatched out of the air.

A second later, the deer that was there six seconds ago was a pile of clean white bones. Picked bare. Annabeth, Percy, and I exchanged horrified and disgusted looks.

"They're like piranhas," she said. "Piranhas with wool. How will we-" she stopped, looking around the island, with her hand on her chin. Suddenly, she gasped, grabbed my good arm and said, "Y/N, look!"

She pointed down at the beach, just past the sheep, where there was a small boat, chock full of holes... It was a lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham. Percy gasped and suddenly looked very optimistic. I smacked him on the shoulder with the back of my hand, putting a finger to my mouth, signaling for him to keep it down. He did.