.||The Curse of the Sea||.

~*Chapter Eleven*~

- - Annabeth's POV - -

I did it again... I did it again... I fell onto my knees and started crying violently. Piper and Hazel came rushing over to me, still in a daze of what had just happened. Frank transformed back and Jason put his hands over his head and paced back and forth. "It's okay... It's okay Annie!" Piper said, trying to stay optimistic. I shook my head. We looked for him for two years... We found him and kept him for two days... Then lost him again... Piper and Hazel helped me to my feet, and I told them to go on ahead without me. I started at the ocean, hoping for Percy to come back and somehow forgive me for what I had done.

I whipped around when I heard Hazel scream and Frank yell. I faintly heard Piper charm speaking and the crackle of thunder and saw a flash of lightning as Jason vaporized a monster.

"NO!" I yelled and ran toward my friends. I faintly heard Percy scream, "Annabeth!" But I ignored him. I joined my friends and unsheathed my drakon bone sword and held it in front of me cautiously. I whipped around when I heard something snap to find 3 laistygonian Giants. I readied my sword to fight but the back of my head exploded with pain. I fell to the floor, my eyes closing. I mumbled one last thing before blacking out.

"Percy..."

- - Percy's POV - -

I stared after her as Annabeth ran toward the hoard of giants, her blonde curls flying behind her.

I shouted, "Annabeth!" But it was too late. I watched helplessly as all my unconscious friends were snatched up by the giants. Frank, Hazel, Piper, Jason, and the last was Annabeth. My heart sank as I watched the largest giant holding a familiar bone sword in his meaty fist stalking toward me.

I was frozen. I couldn't move when I saw my friends all limp and unresponsive. The waves lapped around me as I watched the giant get closer to me. I stared blankly at him as he got closer.

"Perseus Jackson," He rumbled. "Prometheus sends his regards. Give yourself up if you want your friends back alive." And with that, he waved his hands and him and my friends were whisked away in a bright flash.

The flash sent waves rolling away from the shore, causing me to get pushed backwards into a rock making me black out.

Colors swirled around me and disappeared to reveal a scraggy island. There were dark ruins across the hills and fog surrounded the water. San Francisco, Alcatraz Island. I walked across the waves into one of the buildings. I saw a crowd of monsters around 200-500. I zoomed through the corridors not knowing where I was going. I finally stopped in front of a cell where I could hear the muffled sound of whimpering. I forced myself forward through the door and what I saw almost broke me. My friends were against the wall in chains.

Even though it had only been a few hours since they had been captured, they looked as if they had been here for weeks. Five cyclopes were standing there with whips. They repeatedly sent them flying and hit my friends. My heart clenched painfully as I saw Jason cry out in pain. Piper and Hazel were whimpering. Worst of all, Annabeth was just hanging limply and it looked like the fight had gone out of her. I winced as Frank and Hazel were whipped. I turned around angrily clenching my fists. Against the wall stood Prometheus in a fancy suit and tie laughing. "Oh hello, Perseus. I didn't see you there. Planning to rescue your friends? Think again!" He grinned as Hazel whimpered. :If you don't give yourself up, I'll kill your friends. All of them. Even though they may be immortal, the immense pain and torture they will go through will be enough."

He fingered a very large and heavy looking sword, which was decorated with golden designs. He looked at me mischievously. "This is my new toy! What do you think...? It was forged with Ichor, the very blood of the gods. It is able to kill any being. Mortal or not. I will not hesitate to use it on your friends. You may not know it but you are the flame of hope for all living beings. Having you will extinguish their flame, as well as yours."

I clenched my fists angrily and yelled, "That's not true!"

"Oh but it is, Perseus. I'm the titan of forethought. I break you, I break them. Give yourself up. I won't hurt your friends, and I'll let them go free." I thought about it.

"Swear" I whispered.

"I swear on the Styx." He hissed back.

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I woke with a jolt, and found myself still in merman form, but deserted on an island beach. I must've washed ashore... I thought as I maneuvered myself back into the water. I thought about what had just happened. My friends have been being held captive and being tortured.. I have to save them! Even if it means accepting Prometheus' offer...

I breathed a breath of fresh air and tried to enjoy the sound of the waves. I then submerged myself into the water. Goodbye Dad. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you again. I love you. I thought to him.

P-Percy? What do you-? I closed off my mind and shielded myself from him. I didn't want him to know. He would know soon enough already.

I zoomed through the water faster than I had ever swam before. In only two hours, I was out of the ocean and on Alcatraz Island. I quickly dried myself and watched in awe as my tail melted away back into two human legs. I stood up confidently and looked around. I spotted a few scraggly bushes and ran nimbly making my way toward them. I skirted the perimeter of Alcatraz and tried to find an entrance to the underground fort. I kept Riptide in my pocket so the monsters wouldn't notice the presence of Celestial Bronze. Speaking of monsters...

I dove behind a bush when I spotted a dracenae slithering past. I weaved through the bushes, following the monster. I followed her to a rock face where she stopped and hissed, "Demigod Scum." I rolled my eyes. Real creative Prometheus. I watched as the rock face shimmered and disappeared. The dracenae slithered in and vanished from sight. I know where the entrance is now. I hissed in an imitation of the dracenae, "Demigod Scum." The rock completely disappeared. I took a deep breath and plunged into the darkness.