The tremors grew more intense, shaking the very core of Atlantis as Percy stood toe-to-toe with Triton. The sea god’s trident clashed against Riptide, sending bursts of energy through the water with every strike. Percy could feel the weight of the battle pressing down on him, his muscles aching as he fought to keep his balance against the waves of power radiating from Triton.

“We don’t have much time!” Thalia shouted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the tremors. She was dodging falling debris, her spear ready as she tried to get close to Triton.

Jason flew through the water, his sword crackling with lightning as he swung at Triton’s side. But Triton was fast. He blocked Jason’s strike with ease and sent a pulse of energy that sent him crashing into the palace walls.

"Jason!" Piper called out, swimming toward him as he struggled to regain his footing.

Will stayed back, his focus divided between keeping the others alive and watching for any opportunity to heal. His eyes darted between Percy and Triton, worry etched into his face.

Nico swam in the shadows, waiting for an opening. His dark eyes gleamed with determination, his hands gripping his Stygian iron sword.

Triton let out a low chuckle, his gaze never leaving Percy. "You’re wasting your time, son of Poseidon," he said, his voice cold and arrogant. "Atlantis is mine. You should’ve stayed away."

Percy gritted his teeth, refusing to back down. "It was never yours to begin with," he growled, swinging Riptide in a wide arc. The blade connected with Triton’s trident, sending another shockwave through the water.

The force of the clash rattled the palace, and the ceiling above them began to crack, chunks of stone breaking away and floating down toward the floor. Percy could feel the weight of the entire city pressing down on them, the suffocating pressure of the water around them growing stronger.

"We need to take him down now!" Nico shouted, his voice sharp as he darted forward, aiming for Triton’s exposed side. His sword sliced through the water, but Triton anticipated the move. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a surge of energy toward Nico, knocking him off course.

"Percy!" Will called out, his voice filled with urgency. "I can’t heal anyone if we keep getting tossed around like this!"

Piper moved beside Thalia, her face set in determination. "We need to work together! There has to be a way to throw him off balance!"

Thalia nodded, her grip tightening on her spear. "We need to distract him—hit him from all sides."

Percy’s heart pounded in his chest as he realized they were running out of time. The tremors were growing worse, and the walls of the palace were crumbling around them. If they didn’t stop Triton soon, Atlantis would be buried under the weight of the ocean.

With a determined nod, Percy turned to his friends. "On my signal," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We hit him with everything we’ve got."

Thalia and Jason positioned themselves on either side of Triton, their weapons at the ready. Nico melted into the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Piper clenched her fists, preparing to use her charmspeak, and Will stood close to Percy, his eyes focused on the battle ahead.

"Now!" Percy shouted.

In an instant, they attacked.

Thalia hurled her spear at Triton, lightning crackling from its tip as it flew through the water. Jason followed up with a powerful swing of his sword, sending a bolt of electricity straight at Triton’s chest. Piper’s voice cut through the water, her words commanding and firm, trying to weaken Triton’s resolve.

Nico emerged from the shadows, his sword slicing through the water as he aimed for Triton’s back. Will stayed close to Percy, his hands glowing faintly as he prepared to heal any wounds that might come.

The combined force of their attacks threw Triton off balance for a moment. His eyes flashed with anger, and he staggered back, his trident trembling in his grip.

But just as they thought they had the upper hand, Triton let out a roar of fury. The water around him surged, and a massive wave of energy exploded outward, knocking them all back.

Percy was thrown against the far wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He struggled to get back on his feet, his vision blurry from the force of the blow.

Triton advanced toward him, his trident glowing with a dangerous light. "You are nothing compared to me," he spat, raising his weapon high. "You will never be strong enough to rule Atlantis."

Percy’s heart raced as he tried to think of a way to stop Triton, but his body felt weak, and the pressure of the water was closing in on him. He glanced at his friends, all struggling to recover from the force of Triton’s attack.

In that moment, something clicked inside Percy. A surge of power welled up within him, stronger than anything he’d ever felt before. The water around him seemed to respond to his will, bending to his command.

He gripped Riptide tightly and met Triton’s gaze with newfound determination. "You’re wrong," Percy said, his voice steady. "I don’t need to rule Atlantis. But I will protect it."

With a shout, Percy thrust Riptide forward, channeling all of his power into the strike. The blade met Triton’s trident, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to freeze.

Then, with a deafening crack, Triton’s trident shattered.

The shockwave from the explosion rippled through the water, sending Triton crashing to the ground. The tremors stopped, and the water around them calmed, as if the city itself was breathing a sigh of relief.

Percy stood over Triton, panting from the effort, but triumphant. Atlantis was safe. For now.

"Percy!" Thalia called out, rushing over to him. Jason and Nico followed, and Piper helped Will over to where Percy stood.

"You did it," Will said, his voice filled with awe. "You actually stopped him."

Percy nodded, his body aching from the effort, but he couldn’t help but smile. "Yeah," he said, breathless. "But this isn’t over yet."

They looked around at the crumbling palace, knowing that their journey into the depths of Atlantis was far from finished. But for now, they had won a crucial battle.

And Percy knew that no matter what came next, they would face it together.