Chapter 8

~Percy's POV~

Time seemed to slow down as about a dozen demigods crashed through the bushes on either side of the path, yelling. None of them had actual weapons, but I saw the silhouettes of heavy sticks in the firelight of the torches lining the path. Shocked, I tried to scramble away, but my twisted ankle refused to cooperate, throbbing with pain.

Then suddenly, time sped up again and they jumped me, all at once. I screamed, blinded by the pain as they pounded and punched. I could even feel some feet connecting with my ribcage. Helpless, I curled into a ball, lying on my side. The torture seemed to carry on forever, my whole body being smashed.

Soon, the pain started to become rhythmic.

Pound.

Pound.

Punch.

Kick.

Pound.

Pound.

Punch.

Kick.

Slowly, I felt myself drifting off into the merciful oblivion of unconsciousness...

"STOP!"

My head jerked up, as the beatings abruptly stopped. Through the forest of legs, I could see the sneakers of a newcomer. "STOP! What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Jason's outraged voice rang through the crowd, which shifted uneasily. They may have shifted allegiances to Octavian, but Jason was still highly respected. A few less enthusiastic supporters peeled away, disappearing into the darkness.

"Get. Out. Of. Here." A panicked wave ran through the crowd. Rachel, the Oracle and purveyor of an aura of general creepiness to those who didn't know her, had arrived. "NOW!" She yelled, and the trickle of deserters intensified into a stream, until Octavian was the only one left. He grinned cockily and nodded to them, before spitting on the ground next to me and strolling off like he didn't have a care in the world.

After that, the world faded in and out. I saw Rachel and Jason, their faces creased with worry. I felt a dark, eerie presence following us maliciously. I saw them carry me to the beach. And I saw them...

Crying out to my dad.

In no time, three hippocampi raced up to the shore, and for some reason, the world blackened...

~Rachel's POV~

"Jason! What should we do?" I had never been entirely close to him, but he was the definite leader in this surreal situation. I kept thinking I'd wake up and it would just be a dream, but no, it wasn't. This was real life, real people and omigoshoneofmyfriendsisinjuredwhatdoIdowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo!?!?

Jason shook his head. "Its not safe for him here. I...I know a place we can..." He was interrupted by a sudden chill as shadows seemed to gather around the clearing. Hazel stepped out from the trees, her face strangely shadowed. "You." I glared at her, having heard from Jason what she'd said. She ignored me and faced Jason.

"I stayed out of it because Percy is...was...one of my best friends, but no longer. He is a freak, unnatural, and thus against nature. The gods will not stand for this. They will crush us, one by one, until the freak is destroyed. It is unacceptable."

Jason's eyes flashed. "You...Percy would be ashamed to have a friend like you! Standing and watching while your friend is beaten up? And if you really think that homosexuality is unacceptable, then maybe you should go ask around, what happened between Hyacinthus, and Apollo, Octavian's own father!" A flash of confusion crossed Hazel's face and her eyebrows furrowed, but before she could ask what exactly happened, the sound of footsteps drew closer, and out of the shadows walked Piper, Leo, and Frank. Quickly, Piper hurried over to Jason and knelt beside Percy, assessing his wounds.

Leo and Frank just stood there, staring at Hazel, whose chin was up defiantly. The scrawnier of the two stepped forward. "Hazel...I had friends back at the Wilderness School, they were gay. It's not...it's not unnatural..." He shook his head and walked over to Jason and Piper, reaching out a hand to support the unconscious Percy.

Hazel looked to Frank, but he just stood silently before glancing at Percy, his eyes full of shock. How could you do this, his eyes asked. How could you stand by and watch our friend get beaten up?

"Frank?" Leo turned to look at him, but the Canadian shook his head slightly and walked toward Hazel, palms out in a gesture of peace. Jason narrowed his eyes.

"Leo, Piper? Thanks. But I need you to go back to your cabins now. Quickly. Before the harpies come." They hurried back up the path as Jason looked at me. "You're with me. Help me get him to the water."

We lifted the unconscious demigod and shuffled down to the beach, before putting him down. Jason looked out to the sea. Hopefully, Poseidon was watching. "Poseidon! Your son is badly hurt. We need safe passage to the Isle of Shadows. Please!"

Ten minutes later, we strapped Percy to a hippocampus and mounted the other two, as they sped out to sea.

A/N:

Okay, guys I am SO sorry, I lost track of the days and...yeah I forgot to update. I know normally it would be unforgivable, but I'm kinda going through some stress right now so yeah, kind of being pressured by my friends and family to choose something and I don't want to and-

Never mind. Ignore that, I'm being whiny.

Aaaaaaanyway, thanks to my AMAZING editor (world's best) I have updated so yay!

:D

~N

P.S. PHIL IS NOT ON FIRE 5 JUST CAME OUT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH