The night was still, and the air thick with tension. Cordelia knelt beside Nico and Bianca, her hands trembling from the weight of their situation. She knew they were close to completing this leg of the quest, but the danger still loomed—Medusa was near, leading another horde of monsters.
Cordelia whispered softly, her heart heavy with worry. "Apollo, god of light, guide me. I ask for your strength, your healing touch. I know you watch over me—help me bring us safely through this."
A warm glow enveloped her, a faint sign that her prayer had been heard. In that moment, she felt her connection to Apollo strengthen, like a gentle but unbreakable thread, tying her to the god who was not only her mentor but her soulmate.
Her head snapped up as Bubbles' voice echoed in her mind.
"Cordelia! Medusa's here. She's leading a group of monsters—ten, no, twelve of them. They're getting closer."
"Bubbles!" Cordelia called back mentally. "Stay hidden with Flame until we're ready. We'll need you both soon."
The others stirred, preparing themselves for another battle. Luke gripped his sword tightly, Annabeth's brow furrowed in focus, Grover's hand clenched around his reed pipes. They knew this fight was coming—and it was going to be one of their hardest yet.
As Medusa and her gang of monsters appeared through the trees, the ground seemed to tremble under their weight. Cordelia took a deep breath, standing tall, her silk scarf already twined in her hands, ready for combat.
Medusa's serpentine gaze was colder than ever, her bitterness still burning from millennia of rejection and jealousy. "You think you can stop me?" she hissed. "No one escapes my wrath!"
The battle erupted into chaos. Luke and Annabeth charged into the fray, their weapons slashing through the monsters that surrounded them. Grover played a frantic melody, summoning the elements to aid their fight. Flame and Bubbles sprang into action, their combined strength tearing through the monstrous ranks with devastating power.
The fight was fierce, but the heroes pressed on, refusing to back down. Cordelia focused her energy on Medusa, knowing the gorgon's defeat would signal the end of this battle.
"Now!" Cordelia sent the command through the mind-link to her familiars.
In a burst of energy, Bubbles and Flame unleashed their most powerful beams yet, cutting through the monsters like a hot knife through butter. But the exertion took its toll—the moment they struck the final blow, the familiars collapsed, spent from the force of their own attack.
Cordelia's silk scarf danced in her hands, flickering with divine energy. Medusa lunged toward her, but Cordelia sidestepped just in time. With one swift motion, she wrapped the scarf around Medusa's neck, tightening the fabric until it pulsed with the light of Apollo's blessing.
With a decisive tug, Cordelia yanked the scarf, beheading Medusa in one swift, graceful motion. The gorgon's body crumbled to dust before it hit the ground, her curse finally broken.
The siblings—Nico and Bianca—were out of danger
Hours later, back at Camp Half-Blood, Nico and Bianca received much-needed medical treatment. The healers worked diligently, ensuring that every injury was tended to, every scar soothed. Cordelia watched as her friends rested, relief flooding her heart.
After returning Hades' weapon of power to Chiron, the camp leader summoned the Oracle. The ethereal figure's eyes glowed as it delivered its latest prophecy, one that sent shivers down Cordelia's spine.
"The trident of the sea god, long lost and hidden, waits within a city of forgotten sands. Where gods once walked, the waves now bury their secrets. To unlock its resting place, only the child of the sea may lead the way, where east and west must collide in watery flames."
The room fell silent as the words settled in. The clue was clear: Poseidon's weapon of power was hidden somewhere in an ancient city, buried beneath the waves. But where?
Cordelia knew that her journey was far from over. Finding Poseidon's weapon would be the next step in their quest—a step that could tip the balance of power between the gods and the titans.
With the Oracle's clue fresh in her mind, Cordelia stood by her companions' bedsides, watching them rest, thankful that for now, they were safe. But she couldn't shake the feeling that greater challenges lay ahead
Later that night, as Cordelia prepared for bed, she whispered another prayer to Apollo, her heart filled with both gratitude and worry.
"Thank you for your light, for your strength. We'll need it again soon, I'm sure of it."
And in the quiet darkness of her cabin, Cordelia could feel the warmth of Apollo's response—a silent reassurance that, no matter what came next, she wouldn't face it alone.