Chapter 1

The Manhattan streets were growing dimmer as heavy clouds gathered above the city. The first drops were bouncing of my jacket as I waited. Mortals were hurriedly escaping into cafes and umbrellas bloomed into life. I pulled my dark Jacket tighter and adjusted my grey scarf, shaking droplets out. I was starting to doubt He would ever show when a small cloud seemed to detach from the rest; as I watching it started a course towards where I was standing. Thunder rumbled overhead and a misty figure was standing in front of me. "Do you know where the Manticore is?"
"I do, but first your end of the deal" its voice was like a faint thunder strike. I handed him a pouch of golden drachma's, "good…"his voice trailed off. He soon reached into a pocket and pulled out a photo, it had writing on the bottom and handed it to me. With a grin he disappeared into the clouds. I looked at the photo; it had a picture of a man in a suit, and an address written across it.
As I walked of through the rain I threw the photo into a trash can and called a cab. The cab was warm and smelled of cigarettes, but I didn't mind. My pink hair was still sticking up, with the short sides like always. Rain had seeped in my jeans through the rips, and the bottoms of my All-Stars were damp. I readjusted my black singlet and underneath my spiked leather jacket. Most mortals wouldn't have a clue I was a child of Ares, they would just see me as a punk-rock teenager. "When'd ya get those piercin's done kid?" the cabbie questioned. "Well I got my septum a few weeks ago, and me ear spacer a year ago"
"cool, cool" he said, I could feel he was trying to start a conversation, something I didn't want right now so I told him just to pull up ahead. We stopped on a road surrounded by green fields. "You sure kid, nothing out here?" I nodded, passed him a card, as he swiped it an infinity sign came up, I grabbed the card from the wide eyed man and left. Walking up a slippery hill, I saw a big pine tree at the top. When I got to it I better made out Peleus, the copper scaled dragon guarding the Golden Fleece. I patted him on the head and a purr came from deep in his throat. "Hey bud" he licked my hand and I continued on my way to the Big House. The storm had found its way around the perimeter of camp. As I walked up to the porch Chiron shouted and called me over; he was playing a game with Mr. D; as I marched up Chiron offered me a hand, which I shook. Unlike Mr. D who grumbled and shook his can and continued playing.
"Come, come" Chiron guided my inside the Big House and I sat on a couch, resting my eyes. "So?" I opened my eyes; he looked at me, concern filling his eyes. "I know where he is, I'll be going out tomorrow." He looked down and stroked his beard, I leaned my head back waiting for his response.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay, to forget this path of yours?"
"Chiron, I'm sure; I will do this. I was at Camp Half-Blood for 7 years, I've trained and I can handle myself alone, I don't need anyone else, all these people here rely on each other too much, they couldn't survive out there"
"Friends are helpful to have, you can't just keep going alone-"I cut him off by standing up, he knew I was sick of this speech, and he backed off, I walked out to cabin 5, the Cabin of Ares. I avoided the landmines and pushed through the door, falling into bed asleep in seconds.

I woke up around 10; the sound of Hephaestus kids pounding away and swords ringing in the battle arena. I rolled out of bed, pulling on my shoes, slid on my jacket and wrapped on my scarf; as I opened the door I heard shouts. There were a few kids that looked like the sons of Ares; big, buff, holding a variety of weapons. They were picking on some small Demeter kids. "Hey!" I strode over. The Ares kids looked over, a big girl who was the obvious leader glared at me with pig like eyes "What, you got something to say, 'Pinky'?"
"Pinky?" I questioned, "Real original, how had come up with it, looking at my amazing hair?" a snarl escaped her lips and two guys walked past her and straight towards me, raising their swords and shields. I crouched down preparing for their attack, the first guy slashed at my head, I sidestepped and came in with a right hook, without his helmet the hit knocked him unconscious. The other guy stood shocked, I attacked before he could react, grabbing his wrist and pulled while kicking his shins, slamming his face into the grass. I rose up and before I knew it a spear whacked my back, sending me to my knee, a shock arcing trough my body. I rolled and stumbled to my feet, facing the girl. "I am Clarisse, daughter of Ares, and I am going to kill you" her last words were snarled as she launched at me. I spun into the attack and grabbed the spear shaft and elbowed Clarisse's chin. She staggered pack, releasing the spear. I came in with three rapid punches, which she blocked and returned. I charged her and grappled her around the waist, lifting Clarisse and dropping her to the ground. I rose up looking at the two Demeter girls, both looked around 10, they had tear stained cheeks and quiet sobs. Clarisse rose up, rage emanating from her; she grabbed her spear and started lunging. I stepped back, doing my best to dodge the oncoming fury. The spear cut through my cheek, as I fell to a knee, I spun the ring on my right hand, a celestial bronze shield sprouting forth, a leather strap wrapping up my forearm and held it over my head. The spear kept coming, crushing down on my shield. I wildly swung out, hitting her knee then upwards to connect with her chin. She fell back, unconscious, as I turned the shield back into my ring I noticed a large crowd or campers standing around watching the battle. "What the hell?" I heard a voice say, a girl with punk clothing and electric blue eyes pushed through the crowd, she stared at the crushed Ares kids and then up at me "Who are you?"
"Doesn't matter I'm leaving anyway" I said as I turned and walked towards the pine tree. I could feel stares drilling into my back but kept walking anyway.

I had caught a ride and was now in lower Manhattan, I stood looking up at a large building, it looked like an abandoned mansion, with ivy growing on the sides dust covered windows. I tried the front door and tried the handle, a second later kicking in the door. I walked into a large foyer; Empty desks and chairs littering the floor. There was movement at the top of the stairs and a deep laughter. A man in a sharp, dark suit with an ivory cane came strolling down the stairs; he got to the bottom and gestured to his home. "Welcome, to my palace, I see you like to knock." I stayed quiet, my thumb on my ring ready, hand reaching for my belt. "Well alright then," he said, walking towards another room "would you like some tea, or should we just get started?" his voice echoed throughout the house, the sound of metal grinding along with it as I drew my imperial golden sword; ring spiraling out into a 5 foot shield. "Nice sword pal, what's it called?" even though I had just drawn a sword, he still seemed relaxed and calm, spinning his cane around. "I don't know its original title, but I call it dragon-slayer"
"Oh, suitable name I suppose," The whole weapon was made of Imperial gold, and had a scale like pattern covering the entire sword; a red ruby in the hilt held by a dragon claw. I darted towards him shield first, I felt a few clangs on my shield as he fired his poisonous darts at me. I ran my shield into him and he grabbed the rims. I pushed him up against a wall, pinning his tail behind him; all of a sudden his skin got furrier, turning into a yellow mane, hi hands grew into large paws, talons ripping through his fingers. The weight became too much and I fell back, in front of me a giant lion crouched, a scorpion tail sticking up and his still human face snarled. I saw his muscles tensing, about to pounce, I fell to the side, but his talon scraped across my knees. Rolling to a squat I raised my shield deflecting sharp spikes he flung at me, he pounced again. He had me pinned on the ground, me sword falling out of reach; I still had my shield and held it in between his gnashing teeth and my throat. Shit, I thought to myself, now what. I could hear his tail pounding onto the shield, his heavy paws still on me. Thud, the Manticore hissed, a few more thuds and sprang of me, spinning around. There was a girl standing in the door way, an arrow aiming at the Manticore's face. I could see his tail reaching around aiming for the girl, I rolled over grabbing Dragon-Slayer, and swung it at his tail, detaching it from his body, his roar was so loud, but cut short by three arrows piercing his mouth. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I retracted my shield, she lowered her bow, but I observed she kept an arrow notched, so I kept my sword out. "You can't just attack people and leave, particularly when no one even knows who you are."
"I'm not a complete villain, I used to go to camp, I just left. Those Ares kids were picking on some kids, I intervened."
"But, why didn't you say that, why did you just leave?"
"I had things to do, had to get him," I motioned to the pile of dust on the ground, with a single thorn lying on top, "before he got away." I started on my way out, grabbing the thorn on the way out. She yelled out but I kept going.

I had heard about a dragon that had been sighted in San Francisco, and it was killing demigods. I knew taking on a dragon was tough, especially a full grown like the reports had said. But it's what I did; killed monsters. It was a long train ride to San Francisco and I slept for most of it. I grabbed my duffel bag and began out on my way