Rising Waters//Book Two

Chapter 4:

3rd POV: last summer

the nightmare continues

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Nico, Annabeth, and Percy had just fallen asleep when they were woken up by screams. 

They all snapped their eyes and head's toward Lily, looking for the source of the noise. Only Lily wasn't the one screaming this time. 

The screams came again, and they all realized it was coming from outside. Rushing outside, they saw dozens of monsters rampaging all over camp.

"How did so many get in?!?" Percy yelled as he uncapped Riptide and slashed at a giant...badger? 

Annabeth growled while shocking her bone sword through an empousa.

"I don't know. The barrier alone should have been enough, but along with the Golden Fleece? We should be fine and dandy right now." 

"Not to mention the big ass dragon guarding it!" Nico yelled as he stabbed a hellhound. 

All three of them quickly hurled themselves out of the way as a Dracaenae came hurtling at them with a yelp. It stood up, and looked at them, before going to attack.

The thing never had a chance as Jason plunged a spear through its heart... or where the heart should be, at least. 

They all nodded at each other before going back to the fight. Percy glanced at where that Dracaenae had been hurled at them and saw Peleus attacking monsters left and right. He watched as he threw a hellhound into Thalia's tree, and that's when he realized. 

The Golden Fleece was gone.

Monsters were being killed left and right and as Nico looked around, he saw the Minotaur. Again. 

That son of a bitch. 

"Percy!! Your old friend is back in town."

Percy sprinted over with Annabeth, stabbing another badger thingy on the way. 

"Didn't Lily dust him a few months ago? How did he regenerate so soon?"

"Who knows with this guy? But when will this guy finally bite it in the bud and stay down in that hell hole!" Annabeth yelled while throwing a dagger at the Minotaur. 

It plunged into his back, making him roar in pain and anger. He turned around, and there was the Golden Fleece. Being used by Beefy... as a snot rag.

It looks as if dear old dirty underpants has got a cold. He is even more disgusting than usual. 

"Okay, guys. Attack plan Hydra. Nico, you take the front. Percy gets the Fleece." 

Nodding in agreement, they attacked as one mind. 

Nico charged at him head first, skidding underneath the beast's legs as Annabeth threw another dagger, confusing it as he didn't know who to attack.

Then, in its disorientated state, Percy was able to get close enough to quickly jab his blade into Porky's eye while ripping the Fleece from his grasp. 

A Fleece covered in monster mucus. 

Percy visibly gagged as he ran back towards the tree. But as he ran past the Big House, he stopped. A completely stupid idea had popped into his seaweed brain.

Percy turned around, running away from the tree, towards the Big House, towards his suffering sister. Bursting through the door, he quickly dumped the Fleece on top of his sister, completely ignoring its disgusting state.

And he waited... and waited... and waited... and nothing. 

"Come on, it's been like 30 seconds", Percy muttered before heading back as he heard screaming once again. 

Leaving the Fleece with Lily, who woke up 10 seconds later. 

Groggy, tired, and in pain for unknown reasons. And she could smell something disgusting.

Lily finally sat up, opening her eyes.. and wished she hadn't. 

She quickly fell back on her pillows, only to hear screaming outside. 

Slowly, this time, she sat up, got out of bed, and realized that there was something golden and glimmering that had been on top of her. 

"The Golden Fleece? But what? But I was just..." in Tartarus.

Lily gulped down a gasp as her mind caught up with her, her eyes coming in and out of focus as she tried to place herself in the present and not within her memories. 

Then the screaming came again, louder and more desperate. 

Stumbling toward the door, she glanced outside and quickly decided that was a terrible idea. 

Monsters were everywhere, and she could see even the Minotaur slowly dissolving into dust. 

Lily finally realized what was wrong. 

The borders. 

Quickly, she grabbed the Fleece off the bed and ran- well, stumbled outside and into the fray.