The Princess and the Sea Monster: Attack of Chernabog

Chapter 23: A Demonic Meeting/Let the Battle Begin

When they arrived, everyone got thrown in a jail cell except for Alberto and Ercole. "We'll take care of you guys later. Now for the fun part!" Chelsea squealed happily as she slammed the jail door shut. "You two come with me!" Chelsea bellowed as she pulled Ercole and Alberto with her. In the jail cell, everyone was there except Luca. "Guys, where's Luca?" Giulia panicked. "Ahem," Luca said in his sea monster form. He was holding the keys to the jail cell. "How'd you do that?" Jake asked. "Alberto taught me. He's kind of an expert at these things." Luca beamed. He unlocked the door as Giulia gave him a hug. "You're the best!" Giulia said. "Now's not the time guys. We gotta get to Alberto and Amber." Jake said as everyone nodded. They all put their hands in a pile and whispered, "Underdogs!" Jake signaled Luca and Giulia to go one way and check on Ercole while Jake, Sofia, and James went the other to check on Alberto and Amber.

Alberto and Ercole arrived in a pitch black room where one light shone on Alberto. "Ercole, come with me. You stay here." Chelsea said, unlocking Alberto and Ercole. Ercole followed her as Alberto nodded towards Ercole and motioned to Ercole to follow Chelsea. Ercole nodded nervously. Once they were gone, Alberto stood alone in the dark. Voices in his head grew bigger and bigger with high pitched screams. He tried to fight it but just couldn't. Hello Alberto. It's nice to meet you. Don't you know who I am? a voice echoed in Alberto's head. Alberto then got slapped. "You're no friend of mine," Alberto gritted his teeth, trying to hide his pain. Something kicked him as Alberto fell to the ground. That's no way to treat a friend. Let's make a deal. You join me on my side or you and all your friends will die, including your girlfriend or should I say my wife, the voice continued. As Alberto stood up wiping blood from his nose, something pinned him on the ground, hissing in his face. She stood up tall as the light reflected from her. Alberto noticed the red cursed amulet around her neck. Alberto noticed Amber in that amulet. Suddenly Alana turned into Amber. Out of the darkness, 'Hugo' joined by her side. Alberto noticed Hugo's eyes looked yellow and shiny. His teeth were sharp as a tack as well. Alberto noticed this was a trick. He charged at Hugo as Hugo flew up. Alberto fell to the ground and got up. "I know who you are! You're the one Rachel told me about!" Alberto said. Hugo motioned his hand as Alberto was thrown against the wall. "Silence! I don't wanna hear about that wretched brat anymore!" Hugo boomed. "She's not a brat!" Alberto said. Hugo kicked him in the stomach. "Don't test my ignorance sea monster! If you join me, we'll be unstoppable! But if you don't, well your toast!" Hugo bellowed.

As each of the group tried to find Alberto and Ercole, the group of three ran into Chelsea. "What a pleasant surprise! Get them." Chelsea said told the harpies as they flew toward the trio. "Run and find the others! I'll distract them!" Jake said as James and Sofia made a run for it. Meanwhile, Luca and Giulia found Ercole strapped to a device sucking out all his blood. "Luca help Ercole! I'll turn off this machine." Giulia told her friend. Luca nodded. Luca saw that Ercole was almost lifeless. "Hurry Giulia! He's running out of time!" Luca told Giulia. Giulia tried to turn off the machine. It didn't work. "Think Giulia think!" Giulia thought to herself. "Giulia!" Luca hollered. Giulia noticed a needle in Ercole's and then pulled it out. Grossed out, she dropped the needle and helped Ercole to his feet, along with Luca. "You two saved me," Ercole mumbled. "Don't count on it. Come on we gotta find the others!" Giulia said as her and Luca walked with Ercole.

Hugo and Alberto kept battling it out for a while with Alana's help. Jake and Sofia arrived along with James. Luca, Ercole, Giulia kept running when Chelsea stopped them. "You can't run that easily!" Chelsea said and used her mermaid tail to knock off Giulia and Luca off their feet, onto the ground. She pointed her trident toward the two. "You two don't know when to quit, don't ya?" Chelsea grinned. "Hey!" Ercole shouted with a harpoon in his hand. "Leave my friends alone!" he hollered. Chelsea laughed maniacally. "Make me!" Chelsea said. She ran towards Ercole with her trident and Ercole ran towards her with his harpoon. Chelsea put Ercole in a chokehold as Luca and Giulia ran off. Ercole turned into a sea monster biting Chelsea as Chelsea maneuvered out of the way. She kicked Ercole as she pinned him to the ground with her trident. "I knew you were too good for me! I've always wanted a sea monster to hang on a hook and rot. You're the first!" She was about to strike Ercole when something hit Chelsea. She sharply turned around as Luca hit her with a book. "Yeah! Knowledge is powerful!" Giulia shouted. Chelsea growled. "Spoiler alert! I'll finish off these two instead!" Chelsea ran toward Giulia and Luca. Luca and Giulia hugged each other tightly thinking it would be their last. Until...Chelsea screamed at the top of her lungs. Giulia shivered in disgust. "Oo yeah, you got a little something there." Luca told Chelsea. Chelsea had a harpoon go straight through her chest. Luca and Giulia looked up and noticed Ercole holding the harpoon. "Don't mess with me or my amici again!" Ercole said. Giulia and Luca smiled as Ercole took the harpoon out of Chelsea. She fell to the floor. Giulia grabbed the trident. Chelsea was no more. Luca picked up his book and walked over to Giulia and Ercole. The three of them cheered. "Not bad Luca." Giulia nudged him as Luca nudged her back. "Not so bad yourself." Luca smiled back. They chuckled together as Ercole stood there. "Hey, you weren't so bad either. Thanks Ercole." Giulia held out her hand to shake. Ercole smiled and shook it. "Now that's out of the way, how are we gonna get to Alberto?" Luca asked. As Ercole was holding the harpoon, he had an idea. "Amici, I know how to kill this beast they call Chernabog." Ercole said. Giulia and Luca listened in.