Hi guys. This is my second story. If you want to see my first story it's called 'A Heart of Death.' Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 1

Fear seemed to press against Thomas' lungs, suffocating him. Ever since that fateful day when he met the boy on the ship, things kept on going wrong. He knew from the moment he joined Kronos, things would never be the same. His once friends were now his enemies. He was no longer one of them, the heroes. To them, he was the villain, the traitor, and the bad guy. He regretted his choice but he knew that nothing could change the past. Why did he do it? Thomas knew the answer, fear.

Fear was a powerful weapon which he knew well. His mother, an ex-celebrity, was an alcoholic and had abused Thomas before he had run away. His fear of her allowed his mother to use him like a slave. Not a day went by for Thomas, without remembering what his mother had done to him. After a day of being beaten and cursed at by his mother, he had decided to flee. He met up with a satyr and they became fast friends. However without knowing it, a monster followed behind them waiting for the perfect time to strike.

It found that moment when they were about to enter Camp Half Blood. The satyr was killed in the attack but Thomas managed to cross the boundary in time. He never forgot the satyr who he had called a friend nor did he forget the pain and miserable feelings that followed afterward. After a few years of being stuffed in the Hermes Cabin, the bitterness he had felt before filled his heart. He blamed everything wrong on the gods and constantly reminded himself to hate his father who during those years had not even claimed him.

In doing so, his heart started to harden and when Kronos began to rise, Thomas joined the Titan in hope of getting revenge. Instead of helping his situation, his choice just made things worse. Losing the only friends he had, he found himself alone. The monsters cared little about him and Kronos used him like a pawn. When Percy had warned a boy like him, a traitor, he realized that not everything was as bad and rotten as he perceived. After he met Percy, he wanted to leave but couldn't bring himself to do it because of his fear of Kronos. The battle in New York started out promising but ended in humiliating defeat and Thomas was alone. All of these thoughts came into his mind as he slept under the shade of a make shift lean-to. I've got no one but myself.

Lily Smith was watering her plants, gently humming a tune to herself. Taking care of these little guys brings me great joy and peace. I wonder why? She silently thought. The plants under her care had sprouted two weeks earlier than they were suppose to and had grown to full size in just a few days. Just then, her dad knocked on her door saying, "Lily, Max came by again. Do you want me to send him to your room or would you like to go down and meet him?" Lily washed her hands with the sink in her bathroom. "I'll go down and meet him. Tell him to wait a minute." Her dad nodded and closed the door. Lily thought suspiciously, He's been coming here more than usual. I wonder what's going on.

Thomas had stolen a few loaves of bread and was eating one as he got ready to travel. The only possessions he had in the world all lay on the ground before him. A backpack, a flashlight, some clothes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a canteen half full with water, the loaves of bread he had stolen, and his sword and shield were all that he had. Taking his time, he packed his stuff into the backpack. After that, he strapped his shield firmly on his back and made sure his sword was firmly at his side. He walked down a street trying not to look too strange. There only one good thing about not having a home, he sadly thought. It's much easier to move.

Lily was chatting with Max but she could see that something was bothering him. Max was a vegetarian, had a strange way of walking, and always carried a reed pipe around. He was looking outside the window as if he was expecting any moment for something to jump in. "What's wrong?" Lily asked after Max looked back out the window for probably the hundredth time. "Nothing," he replied as he kept on looking out the window.

Lily followed his gaze and thought she saw a huge shadow. She blinked for a few moments and looked at Max for explanations but he wasn't any longer in his chair. He was at the door locking it to the complete max. "What are you doing?" she asked in unbelief. He had never acted like this when she was with him. Before he could respond, a loud bark shook the house. She was frozen with fear for a few moments before taking a peek out the window. A huge dog-like monster the size of a tractor was outside the house. Max shuddered and mumbled, "Why couldn't they just send a small one just this once? Why does it always have to be a hellhound?" Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was almost like she was hearing a different person. "What is that?" she asked in a small voice. He replied, "A monster."

Thomas was taking a break on a picnic table. The sun glared down on him and he was dripping with sweat. He took a quick sip from his canteen, resisting the urge to gulp down all of the content. He was considering the idea of stealing from a shop again until he heard a sound like an artillery cannon. Most people would have just passed it for a big accident but Thomas knew better. It was the same kind of monster that had killed his friend, a hellhound.

After trying to answer every question Lily asked, Max had a conversation with her father about taking her to a place called 'Camp Half Blood.' She was curious about what it was like. Max had told her that the camp had a lot of people just like her. She had asked before, "What do you mean 'like me.' Do I have a problem that other kids have as well?" "It's not like that." "Then what?" "Uh, um, look I'll tell you later." She looked outside the window and stared at the hellhound. It had begun to circle the house making sure no one got in and that no got out. "Mr. Smith, she has to go. Now that a monster knows who she is, others will follow." When Lily had first heard the conversation Max was having with her father, she expected her father to burst out laughing and tell him that he was crazy. In contrast, Lily's father looked dead-worried. "I'll drive you two there," he stated gravely with sadness in his eyes. "There's only one problem," Max said as he stared at the hellhound circling the house.

Thomas went at steady pace toward the sound. On the day his friend had been killed, he had vowed to slay every hell-hound he could get his hands on. So far, he had not broken it. He shrugged his shield onto his left arm and put one hand on his sword. Remaining completely still, he tried to hear where the hellhound was. Soft thuds could be heard as the monster paced around a house. What are you up to? Thomas tried scanning the area for other demigods. The fields surrounding the house were desolate except for the hellhound. Then what is the hellhound so attracted to? It couldn't be a demigod unless….. Thomas tried looking closely at a window on the first floor. A girl, a man, and a boy walking in a strange way, were running back and forth inside. So that's why.

Lily had begun to pack. Max had told her to travel light so that they could move fast. She had wondered if the current situation was a dream but decided it wasn't, after pinching herself a dozen times. During the time she packed, Max and her father discussed about how to deal with the monster, which they called a 'hellhound,' outside. "I think I can trap it with some roots but it will only stop it for a moment." "Do you know any other spells that can slow it down?" "I could make a wall around it but it crumbles in a few minutes." "Just do anything to slow it down while I drive." Max nodded and asked, "Lily, you done?" "Yes," she replied softly. "All right, let's go!"

Thomas scrolled through the attack tactics in his head. I'll just sneak up to it and give it a good slice. Running forward, he advanced on the hellhound but stopped abruptly when he saw the garage of the house open. Do they want to commit suicide? The hellhound had noticed the movement as well and started to dash toward the opening. A car zoomed out of the garage nearly hitting a mailbox. The monster was about to change direction when all of a sudden, the roots and the grass under it, tangled the hellhound's legs. Thomas knew only a certain magical race that could do spells like that, satyrs. The hellhound, however, tore at the roots and grass and continued to chase the car. A curious Thomas followed.

Lily was scared half-to-death at the speed the car was going. Her fear grew again when she saw the hellhound rip through the feeble roots and continued to tail behind the car at an alarming speed. Her father devoted his whole concentration on driving, trying his best to avoid crashing. Lily looked behind her and was surprised at the sight. There was nothing there. Max had looked back as well and breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, it's gone." "Look out!" shouted Mr. Smith.

Suddenly, a bright flash of black smashed into the car knocking it off the road. Lily screamed as the car rolled over and over the ground. Finally, the car stopped. Max groaned and sat up in his seat and Lily felt nauseous. "Dad, are you okay?" she asked dizzily. There was no reply. "Dad?" Still no reply. "Dad!" she screamed. Her father's unconscious body lay slumped on his seat. "Lily, we have to go!" Max shouted. "We can't just leave him!" "The monster doesn't want him. He wants you!" "But-." Lily was cut off by a chorus of growls around them. She looked out of her seat's window and yelped. Surrounding the car, were more than a dozen hellhounds!

Thomas had seen the car crash and roll over. He found it hard to believe that anyone survived. Even if they do survive, the hellhounds will get them. The monsters began to close in for the kill. Before he could consider his battle plan, an earth wall surrounded the car. This satyr's smarter than I thought although he won't last for long if I don't help. Well, here I go. He charged. The hellhounds, too concentrated on knocking down the wall, didn't notice the threat until it was too late. Thomas had reduced three hellhounds to mounds of dust before the others could react. The nearest one sprang at Thomas and he raised his shield bracing for impact. A sharp twang and a thud brought the hellhound down before it could reach Thomas. Turning toward the sound, he saw a boy around his age with a bow and arrow.

With precision and ease, the boy shot the others quickly and efficiently without delay. Thomas' focus went back to the fight taking down any monster the archer missed. The wall began to crack as the spell weakened. The remaining hellhounds slammed into the wall with renewed energy. But their effort was in vain as their progress was cut short by a volley of arrows from the boy. Right when the last hellhound had been killed, the wall crumbled and then there silence. Thomas turned to look at the mysterious archer and headed toward him. When they were within talking range, the he asked, "Who are you?" The archer replied, "I'm Jack Romo and you are?" Before Thomas could reply, a voice came behind them saying, "Where in the world did you learn that?"

What'd you think? Do you think it lacks something? Please review and give me your feedbacks.