The five demigods ran in silence, heading for the trees on the other side. The hill behind them was clouded by smoke. They made there way through the trees, watching all sides.

"I think we should head for the closet transport area first." Lucas said. "Trains, taxis, heck, I would settle for a donkey! We need a way to get to New York, meet up with any survivors."

Not many demigods knew it, but only recently, Chiron had set a backup point about half a year ago. The pavement from across the entrance of the Empire State building in case the camp was invaded.

"With shadow people combing the area? No, they will be watching the roads." Peter piped up. "I think it would be better to go by sea."

"The problem is getting one." Julie said. "I mean, someone is really going to go, "Sure, you 5 reckless teenagers who I don't know can have my boat."

Next thing, a Lion burst through the tree. Yeah, you heard me, a full-grown Lion. It tackled Lucas to the ground before anyone could blink. When someone managed too, it had Julie pinned down, leaving Lucas unconscious. The other three sprang into action mode. Peter quickly pulled out a cap gun and it instantly transformed into a pistol. G.C yanked dog tags, which Lucas had not noticed before, off her neck, it instantly transforming into a deadly looking sword, while Scar drew her bow and quickly notched an arrow. All three would have attacked the lion, if they got the chance. Because right then, a grunt came from Peter as a girl fell on him, feet first, his pistol flying out of his hands. Scar turned, arrow notched, and fired as this new girl pushed her bow sideways, karate style, the arrow thudding into a tree. The girl pulled out two daggers and hit Scar with the butts of them, sending her tripping over a tree root, dazed. G.C, the last one standing, charged the girl with her sword.

Suddenly, the daggers were at her throat. Except they weren't daggers anymore. They had lengthened greatly, turning into katanas.

The new girl smiled, having bested 5 demigods in a heartbeat. Then, the smiled dropped, as something cold and hard touched her back.

Lucas.

He had awoken just as the ninja girl attacked the team. He picked a pencil that had fallen out of his pocket, and snapped it. It's lead quickly turned to gas, and soon Lucas was holding a long black sword. He ran around behind ninja girl and now had her at his mercy.

He studied her. She was tall, sort of, 5'9", with electric green eyes, tan skin and waist long black hair with light blue streaks in it. She wore black knee high boots with navy leggings, a white and blue flannel shirt and a grey flannel shirt that said, "Forever isn't always."

"First thing." He growled. "Take your swords away from her." Ninja girl, knowing when she had lost the battle, placed them on the ground. G.C backed away sword up. The lion behind her roared. G.C span, ready to fight. "Stop!" Lucas said. "Tell your lion to back off, get off my friend and stay back."

Ninja girl grimaced, but she said. "Kovu! Back!" The lion, whose name must have been Kovu, backed away, anger in his eyes.

"G.C, help the others up." Lucas said, eyeing Kovu. G.C did so, picking up Julie, Scar and Peter, all of who had their weapons pointed at either Kovu or the Ninja girl.

"What's your name?" Julie asked, eyeing her.

"Kayla." Ninja girl said. "Kayla Rider. Huntress to Lady Artemis, goddess of the hunt."

"You're a huntress for Artemis?" Peter said. Kayla nodded.

"Weapons down people. But leave your guard up." Lucas said, lowering his weapon.

Kayla looked surprised. "You're not going to attack?"

"Depends, why did you attack us?" Scar said, teeth grinding.

Kayla's face saddened. "Dark shadow…things…attacked me and my group of hunters…I was the only one to escape alive. I thought you were with them."

Scar's face went from ticked off to average. "Oh. Well, you got the wrong people. We are running away from the big scary soldiers."

"They burnt down Camp Half-Blood." Peter said. "So now, we're trying to regroup with any survivors in New York."

Kayla's eyes got a shine in them. A shine of an idea. "May I come? Me and Kovu can fight well together, and we can give you that little extra help in battle."

Julie was already there, smiling. "I say, welcome aboard! Shady?" She said, looking at Lucas. Lucas was hesitant at first, but then his defenses crumbled when Julie gave him her puppy dog eyes.

"Oh alright." He said, sighing. "Julie, stop with the puppy dog eyes, please?"

Julie smiled. "Just this once."

The team moved on towards the coast, with two new additions to the team. Kayla and her lion, Kovu. As the team moved along, noises filled the forest around them. Wolves, chipmunks, squirrels…then other noises. Footsteps. Metal. An arrow zoomed past the face of Lucas, thudding onto the tree beside him. He ducked and rolled, sword drawn. Another arrow. Then another. Then another. A literal storm of arrows flew into the grass around them. Fire arrows. Trees around them lit into red and yellow blazes of fury.

"Lucas!" Julie shouted, reaching out to him, the fire surrounded the team. A scorched tree fell between Julie and Lucas.

Lucas fell back, coughing, "Go!"

Julie looked like she was going to run through the flaming tree between them, but Scar and G.C grabbed her.

"Come on!" G.C yelled. They ran through the flames, leaving Lucas behind. Lucas tried to stand, but the smoke was too heavy. He stumbled and fell, he vision fading. The last thing he saw before blacking out was dark, sword and bow wielding figures running in the direction Julie and the others fled.

Lucas woke up to the smell of chocolate. Which was weird, seeing as how he should be dead. The last thing he remembered was the fire. He cracked open his eyes…to see a girl, spoon feeding him what looked like a golden piece of fudge. She was cute, he gave her that. She was 5'2" and looked 14, with wavy blonde hair and blue green eyes and tanned skin. She wore a blue-green long sleeved t-shirt with dark wash jeans and ballet flats.

She turned. "Carlos! He's awake!" She called.

A guy, Carlos, Lucas guessed, walked out. He looked 15 and he was almost as tall as Peter, about 5'10". He had deeply tanned skin with spiky black hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a torn, burnt and grease covered white tank top with torn dark blue jeans and runners. Behind him was the coast, the sun just starting to set against the horizon.

"Well well well, Lucas Griffin." He said, a grin as wide as a banana.

"Carlos…Carlos Santos? Son of Hephaestus?" Lucas said.

"The one and only." He said. "Have you met Elena?" He said, motioning to the girl. "Daughter of Poseidon." He said, a hint of impressment in his voice.

She nodded. "Me and Carlos made our way from camp here. He just built a boat to get to New York, enough for about 10 people, in case we found other demigods. We saw the fire over in the forest and checked the area, putting out the fire as we went. Were there any demigods with you?"

"Yeah." He said sitting up. "Julie, G.C, Peter, Scar and a hunter…and of course, her lion."

"Her Li-" Carlos started. But Elena stopped him by shoving him and Lucas down on the ground, among the grass.

"What are you doing?" Lucas hissed.

"Sh!" She said, dropping to the ground. "Over there!" She whispered. She pointed to a clearing in the trees, where movement could be seen. Five people hurtled through the clearing, arrows flying past them. Julie and the others. Kovu came bounding towards them. A net flew out of the trees and pinned down Kovu.

Before anyone could help, dark figures, no less than sixty, came out and surrounded them. The demigods brought up their weapons to fight, but the shadows hit them from behind. They fell to their knees, dropping their weapons.

G.C picked up her sword and struggled to her feet. A soldier came at her, but with a direct swing she took off his head. One came up behind, and stabbed her in the side. She screamed and fell, bleeding. Peter yelled and tried to stand, but the soldier kneed him in the stomach, and brought his sword up.

Lucas then saw, at that moment, that the shadow beings were going to kill Peter, then the others. All of them, leaving Elena, Carlos and himself, to figure out what was going on.

With a gut wrenching feeling, Lucas saw the shadow being bring the sword down, fast and hard.

A yell echoed over the valley. Blood sprayed the ground around the demigods as Peter Hendrickson fell, blood pouring out of him.

Oh. My. God. Peter, G.C! Noooooo! How could I be so evil! -5 hour sobbing session- But enough of that. Will the others make it out alive? Will they ever defeat the shadows? Find out, next chapter! R&R!

Thanks,

Cogg.