Hallucinations & Dreams

Prologue

"You-whack!-useless-smack!-lump of a-swish!-monster!"

The dracaena howled as Echidna brought the whip down for another few slashes.

"You could have pounced on him and ended the fight right there! But nooo, you had to advance slowly, scaring the wits out of him. Scared enough to run away! I don't know why I even care! I should just let you rot to death here, wasting away in hunger." Echidna threw the whip away in disgust, at the same time kicking the dracaena away.

She screamed as the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, body and hooves of a goat, and a huge snake for a tail sprang eagerly towards her. Echidna waved her hand dismissively, and the Chimera plunged his bloody maw into the dracaena's stomach. Echidna slumped into her 'throne' as if she couldn't hear the dracaena's frantic screams.

Ever since gods swore to claim their children at the age of 13, her brood had been having a hard time finding food. Some had even turned to cannibalism.

Her dear Chimera was still well fed, eating any monster Echidna thought useless. This was about 2/3 of all her children put together. Still, it would be nice to give him a treat, she thought.

A real feast of demigods. The problem was there weren't enough demigods to even make a meal, let alone a feast. They've all be taken to that infernal Camp Half-Blood, where they will learn to defend themselves.

Curse Jackson and his stupid gift.

If only there was some way to break through the camp defenses, then they could storm in and have a grand feast. At that thought, Echidna sat up straighter. Of course! Elder python venom, from the entrance to Tartarus could do just the trick. A demigod would have to be sent to obtain the poison, and steal the Golden Fleece, but she could always send one of her more competent offspring to sniff out a weak demigod and convince him onto our side.

Let's see, she mused, I'll choose…Lamia and Dr. Thorn. Thorn's a bit dim, but he'll be able to surprise the demigod and Lamia can do her dirty magic then. Then dear Chimmy can eat to his heart's content, as well as all those whiny brats always begging for my help. Maybe after they've had a good meal they'll shut up.

Hopefully for good.

"Chimmy, dear, go call Lamia and Dr. Thorn. I need them to do a secret mission for me. That's a good boy." As the Chimera lurched through the wall opening, Echidna gave a satisfied sigh.

This was going to be fun.