At the bottom of Elisson’s grotto, Percy is battered through the water by the furious river god. Though Percy is difficult to drown, the mud, force, and disorientation overwhelm him until fear and anger make Percy lose control of his powers.

Percy’s rage triggers a massive surge through the River Elisson. Percy instinctively pulls on the river’s source and blasts millions of tons of water through the cavern, scouring the grotto clean before the current settles again. Shaken by his own power, Percy surfaces in panic, worried that Annabeth may have been swept away.

Instead, Percy finds Annabeth calmly comforting a terrified, silt-covered Elisson on the ledge. Annabeth quietly signals Percy to follow her lead and reframes Percy’s destructive outburst as a successful cleaning of the river. The grotto is sparkling, the water is clearer and stronger, and Elisson admits Percy did what he had sarcastically asked.

Annabeth points Percy toward Iris’s now-clean staff, which has lodged downstream. Percy retrieves the kerykeion while Grover’s distant panpipes shift to “Help!”, signaling that Grover is still leading the snakes and growing tired. Annabeth then gives Elisson herbal tea, persuades him to create a more reasonable schedule for future demigod cleaning visits, and accepts his thanks before Elisson dissolves back into the river.

Once Elisson is gone, Percy realizes Annabeth had prepared tea because Iris mentioned the river god liked yoga. Annabeth also reveals snake treats meant to help rescue Grover. She plans to turn invisible, find Grover, distract the snakes with treats, and get Grover to safety while Percy swims west and uses Iris’s staff to become the new target, though Annabeth has not yet explained exactly how Percy will survive that role.