Legend of Perseus 2: Mission: Bermuda (Completed)

~Chapter 19~

When you think "monster island," you think craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the island of the Sirens.

The Cyclops's island was nothing like that. I mean, okay, it had a rope bridge across a chasm, which was not a good sign. You might as well put up a billboard that said, SOMETHING EVIL LIVES HERE. But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. As we sailed toward the shore, Silena breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," she said.

I nodded. I couldn't see the Fleece yet, but I could feel its power. I could believe it would heal anything, even Thalia's poisoned tree. "Well we are about to save our camp and destroy this island."

Clarisse nodded her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."

I felt a little guilty about ruining this paradise, but I reminded myself we had no choice. Camp Half-Blood was in trouble.

In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was the massive oak tree I'd seen in my dreams. Something gold glittered in its branches.

"This is too easy," I said. "We could just hike up there and take it?"

Clarisse's eyes narrowed. "There's supposed be a guardian. A dragon or ..."

That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.

Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.

A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.

Clarisse and I exchanged looks.

"They're like piranhas," she said.

"Piranhas with wool." I snorted

We moored Leonidas on the back side of the island where the cliffs rose straight up a good two hundred feet. I figured the ship was less likely to be seen there. The cliffs looked climbable, barely—about as difficult as the lava wall back at camp. At least it was free of sheep. I hoped that Polyphemus did not also keep carnivorous mountain goats.

We rowed a lifeboat to the edge of the rocks and made our way up, very slowly. Clarisse went first because she was the better climber. Until I told her I could just shadow travel us all up on the cliff and she blushed as she grumbled about something dropping back into the ship as she and the others grabbed me as I wrapped the shadows around us and teleported ourselves over the top of the cliff.

The ledge we were standing on was narrower than I'd realized. It dropped off on the opposite side, and that's where the voice was coming from—right below us.

"You're a feisty one!" the deep voice bellowed.

"Challenge me!" A girls voice, no doubt about it. "Give me back my sword and I'll fight you!"

The monster roared with laughter.

Clarisse and I crept to the edge. We were right above the entrance of the Cyclops's cave.

Below us stood Polyphemus and Grover, still in his wedding dress. A girl was tied up, hanging upside down over a pot of boiling water.

"Hmm," Polyphemus pondered. "Eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?"