Heroes of Olympus - The Blood of Olympus (Discontinued)

Chapter 12 - Hazel

Chapter 12 - Hazel

The silence was immensely awkward.

Hazel stood at the bow of the Argo II, her arm linked with Frank's, her muscles still, her heart thundering. Waiting for Percy and Annabeth to come above deck was probably the most agonizing wait she must have ever experienced in her 70 years of consciousness.

The remaining demigods must have been feeling the same way. Piper and Leo shifted uncomfortably, and when Jason came back above deck for the third time, he finally claimed that Percy was awake, and would be coming on deck soon. Though as he said this, his voice was flat, and his eyes studied his shoes as he took his place beside Piper.

Hazel couldn't blame them. The look on Ozzie's face was absolutely priceless, yet at the same time: murderous. With his cheeks completely washed in soot, his eyebrows still smoking from Leo's fireball attack, his once sleek black hair, now a tangled mass of parched black straw perched precariously on top  of his head, Hazel was surprised the Titan didn't blast them all to ashes on the spot right then. Fortunately, rules were rules, even if the demigods had completely fried his front row seat of their 'entertaining' death-match, and utterly annihilated his popularity.

The silence stretched on. Hazel estimated they were somewhere in the Mediterranean, and if they survived this day, she made a mental note to ask Leo to pull up the radar and give them an accurate assumption of their position. The waves lapped against the hull of their ship, the gannets, gulls, and other sea birds floating lazily overhead, or resting within the ripples of sea below them.

Ozzie stood perfectly still on the bow of the Argo, his eyes locked on the stairs that led below deck, his hands clasped in front of him, Teddi's arm linked with his. Jason, Piper and Leo stood on their right, Hazel and Frank on their left. The two powerful beings said nothing, but the aura that radiated from them was so robust, Hazel knew just how insignificant she and her friends were compared to the Titans, despite their victorious attempts against their small army.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs.

Ozzie shifted once, replacing his steely look with a mask of casual tranquility.

Percy stepped onto the deck, Annabeth holding his good arm, gently supporting his weight.

"Percy Jackson." Ozzie gave a formal greeting, stepping forward and extending his hand. Percy didn't shake his hand, but instead looked at it like it were the foulest thing he'd ever seen. Ozzie waved off the rejection. "Very well done, guarding your post," the Titan continued. "Very well done. I thought for sure we wouldn't be seeing you back here in one piece. My children can be quite ruthless when it comes to games such as Capture the Flag." Turning, he walked back to Teddi.

Percy and Annabeth stopped in the middle of the deck, and their friends walked over to greet them, Piper and Hazel giving Percy hugs, Leo and Frank muttering words of approval, grasping his shoulder,  and patting his back comfortingly.

"I also wish to personally congratulate all of you for your valiant efforts in my aqua-arena," Ozzie continued. "And for showing such bravery, skill, and heroic sacrifice, bla, bla, bla, displaying eternal companionship, and respect for the one beside you in combat, bla, bla, bla - remind me where the toilet is on this ship after our brief exchange here, I think I may vomit after making this speech - may I allow you meet my children personally, without any means of conflict." Turning towards the sea before them, Ozzie gave a shrill whistle.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, scores of blue and green mottled Nymphs and Nereids burst from the water, landing lightly upon the deck, making the demigods stumble back in surprise. They still looked the same from when the half-bloods encountered them before. Large, seven feet tall, humanoid sea monsters, with fishy heads wreathed in jewelry consisting of sea shells, fossils, and salmon bones. As one, they divided into two separate ranks, converging on either side of Ozzie - the Nymphs on his right, the Nereids on his left.