"Duck!" Rex ducked immediately, watching a dagger slice through where his head just was. He spun around, facing the empousai who tried to kill him. He gripped his shield and xiphos harder, deflecting the next strike with the former and stabbing the monster with the latter.
The 10 year old demigod panted heavily, before spotting a hellhound charging one of his comrades and friends. He rushed over, ramming into the monstrous canine, before impaling what he guessed was its stomach. The little blonde 7 year old girl, Annabeth Chase, stared widely at him. He rolled his eyes, grabbing her shoulder and taking off.
"Luke, Thalia, let's go!" he yelled, blocking a fish dog thing's trident and bashing its face with the shield. He lopped off its right arm, before decapitating it.
Luke barreled past him, as Thalia shot a bolt of lightning at their remaining foes. They evaporated into golden dust, before another howl sounded far off. Rex glanced uneasily in that direction, as Thalia looked conflicted again. He sheathed his sword and strapped his shield over his back, grasping her shoulder.
"Thals," he murmured, "we have to go, now." She turned her startling electric blue eyes towards him, before succumbing and following the others. Luke held Annabeth on his shoulders, and tossed a water bottle to Thalia, who did a waterfall before Rex did the same. He slipped it back in Luke's pack, before spotting a relatively undamaged car. He and Thalia exchanged a smirk.
"Hey, Skywalker," Thalia called, "know how to hotwire and drive a car?" Luke turned around incredulously before following her gaze and grinning. "Hel- heck yeah," he shouted, catching his language while in the presence of Annabeth.
The quartet drove in peaceful silence that night. Until Thalia found the radio and Rex connected it to an alt rock station, and Green Day's Basket Case filled the truck. Luke silently cried in the driver seat. Annabeth was fast asleep in Thalia's lap.
[Line Breaker Break]
Grover and Luke dashed up the hill to Camp Half-Blood with Annabeth, as Rex and Thalia bravely held off the monsters swarming their position. Lightning crackled and golden dust was in abundance. The two fought like they had done so their whole lives.
Aegis and lightning-encased spear ruptured the enemy lines, as a gleaming bronze xiphos and Spartan shield tore through monsters effortlessly. As Rex ducked and raised his sword, gutting a Hellhound, an empousai jumped on his back and bit his neck. He screamed in pain as he felt his life essence being sucked away, before the demon hissed and disintegrated.
Thalia tossed him a flask of nectar, which he hastily sipped to regain energy, before blocking a barrage of arrows with his shield. Thunder boomed and lightning crashed, as rain pelted the combatants from all sides.
In the chaos, as Rex and Thalia fell back, neither noticed the leathery bat creatures. A flaming whip encased Rex's wrist, as he screamed in agony. Thalia turned around, shouting, "Rex!" before being thrown into a tree farther up.
Alecto flew down, intent on killing this demigod boy. Suddenly, Rex glared up at her determinedly, his entire body glowing red. A Spartan helm and crossed spears flew over his head, Ares claiming the boy. The Fury paled as he pulled her in- right onto his sword. She screamed in pain as the bronze blade pierced her hide, and she slowly melted to shadows on the weapon.
As the Kindly One faded to nothingness, Red stared at the monster army, the red aura surrounding him still. The blessing of Ares worked its magic as he charged, baby fat turning to pure chiseled muscle, warrior prowess increasing, and weapons harmlessly broke against his now-invincible body. Eventually, Rex came face to face with one of the most feared monsters in all of Greek mythology: the Minotaur.
He smirked and taunted it, and the hybrid roared and charged him. At the last second, Rex rolled out of the way, slicing a deep gash in the beast's thigh. He heard it bellow in anger, just as it charged him again. This time Rex stood his ground. He heard more monsters in the distance, and Thalia stirring again.
A meaty fist grabbed him and choked him, the pressure breaking several ribs and possibly causing internal bleeding. Rex gasped and blood flowed from his mouth. Ares' blessing only lasted so long. As the Minotaur glared at him, it made one mistake: it left Thalia unchecked. A gleaming bronze spear pierced its back and exited in the sternum area. It buckled once, dropping Rex, before disintegrating.
Thalia panted, as she surveyed the battlefield. Her eyes widened as she saw more monsters heading their way. "Rex," she panted, "get up, get up, get up..." The boy, with great pain, pushed himself up. His shield morphed into a bracelet similar to Thalia's, his xiphos turning into a small switchblade. Thalia slung his arm around her, and all but dragged him up the slope.
As they neared the gates, Thalia glanced back, and saw Hades himself glaring at her. The Helm of Darkness was tucked under one arm, the Sword of Hades causing grass and shrubbery to die in his wake. His pale complexion and greasy hair only served to intimidate her more. She turned and saw a centaur galloping towards her, and a small contingent of armored teens behind him. She turned and saw more monsters pouring out, all coming for one thing: her.
She laid Rex down, and glanced uneasily towards the approaching monsters. Rex opened his eyes wearily, raising a hand.
"Thalia," he croaked, "don't..." She smiled sadly and stroked his face once more, relishing the feel of his warm flesh once more. He leaned into her hand, grasping her arm. "Don't leave me," he whispered, brown eyes pleading with her electric blues. She pressed her lips softly against his forehead, savoring his slightly bloody metallic and sweaty brow.
"I'm sorry. I'll see you again, one day, my friend," she whispered. He allowed a few tears to fall, as he prepared to wish his best friend good-bye.
"It was an honor to fight beside you, Princess," he managed to croak. She sniffled, responding, "It's an honor to die for you, Spartan." She took off towards the monsters, yelling, "FOR ZEUS!" She stabbed and slashed, deflected and blocked, until a lucky shot from a skeletal archer caught her in the leg, and a cyclops kicked her near the top of the hill.
Rex felt someone pull him by the arms, and he struggled at first, refusing to leave Thalia to die alone. Suddenly, as Hades himself prepared the killing blow, lightning struck Thalia, and in her place, a giant pine appeared. Monsters behind it instantly died, while the others could not pass it.
Hades roared before vanishing in a swirl of darkness. As the demigods around Rex recovered, he picked up two things on the ground. One was a picture of him, Thalia, Luke, and little Annie in a cramped mall photo booth. The other was a set of dog tags Thalia got made to match his own. He pocketed both treasures, as darkness finally overcame him.