Claimed by the dead

I ducked to the ground as the hell hounds paw swiped through air where my head used to be, a cold jet of air hitting, causing my brown hair to fly into my face. Apparently even the Ares kids could admit it when they realised they needed help. Bout time!

Though with this new sword, I felt invincible. Like I had drunk 20 cups of coffee. I could tell what was going on all around me, noticing every detail and my body reacting instantly to them. It's like how you're watching T.V and you don't think it, but you know you're breathing and blinking without having to give your body the command to do it…it just does.

I rose up on one knee and swiped the sword up into the hell hounds unguarded side. It howled before turning on me with angry eyes. Only now did I realise how bad an idea trying to stab an angry giant dog with a sword was. On top of that, I hadn't even met my target, only cut pieces of its fur.

For any children, when you first get a sword. Practise with it first instead of charging head first to fight a giant mutt. It's really different from the ones we used in fencing and ju-jitsu. And it doesn't work like in the movies when you first get one and immediately turn into a master.

I rolled out of the way as its back paw crashed to where I was crouching and jumped to my feet. Running back over to Aaron.

"You okay?" He asked, giving me a glance over which made me feel kinda uncomfortable. No one had really said it like that. It sounded like he almost cared.

I mentally shook it off "I'm fine, how are we going to fight this thing?" We both turned back to the battle as one of the Ares boys shouted in pain, being dragged away by another boy. I winced as I saw his leg bent at an awkward angle that's impossible to make unless it's broken.

"I have an idea, it seems to like you"

"Lucky me" I said sarcastically, still watching them as Clarisse was shouting orders at the other demi-gods while using her spear to block a paw swipe at her. As annoying as she is, even I have to admit she's brave.

"We need to trap it. It won't be able to fight back as much in a confined location…"

"The forest!" I shouted, I don't know how I knew but I just knew it would work, I just went with it "The trees would block some of its attacks, plus you guys know the terrain better, you'll have an advantage!"

"You mean we'll" He said with a gentle smile at me "You're part of the extended camp family now Rhia. We're in this together"

I know he's just trying to make me feel better… but all this talk about 'family' was just making me feel awkward. As far as I knew a family is just a bunch of people you're related too. Of which I have none. My mom was an only child and my grandparents died WAY before I was born. She and my dad are both dead. That's what I've know most of my life and it's gonna take a lot to change that. I pushed a strand of my hair from my blue eyes and behind my ear. I just nodded to him, my gaze on the battle as a group of Apollo kids shot arrows from their bows at the hell hound from the top of the hill. Case among them, he nodded to me before notching another arrow.

I nodded back to him. Catching movement from the corner of my eye and seeing Aaron sling his bow off his shoulder. "LEAD IT TO THE FOREST!" he shouted to the Ares cabin. Clarisse glared over at him, clearly not happy with taking orders from a Satyr, but she must have realised he had a plan so nodded and repeated the order to her cabin, they charged to the forest. The hell hound following them a few meters before stopping and turning back to me.

Okay, it's not going to follow them…it's focused on me, guess it REALLY didn't want a haircut, I thought…Adrenaline pumped through me as I made my decision….that's when I did the craziest thing in my life.

I ran.

Straight at the hell hound, Aaron shouting at me to get back. I changed direction and stopped in front of the forest. Waving my arms above my head to get its attention.

"Yo snarl face!" I shouted at it, unfortunately it heard me "That's right big, black an ugly. Over here!"

Okay…that was stupid. The hell hound barked at me, and when I say bark, I mean BARK! It made my ears pop. Then it ran full speed at me. I stopped waving my arms and my eyes widened as I realised what I was doing. Cold fear filled me. I was trying to lead a giant blood thirsty hell hound towards me?

That's when I made the mistake of looking in its eyes…

I saw it...the number 28042012

...I saw an explosion of golden dust, in the centre of the forest. Then I saw myself, holding my sword at point where the explosion began.

We were all in the forest.

I shook my head clear of the vision and chaged into the forest, the hell hound was closer than I thought I could practically feel the vibrations beneath my shoes as it bounded after me. I jumped over a rock and ducked under a tree branch that almost decapitated me. Stealing a glance over my shoulder and being met with giant sharp teeth didn't exactly help my fear at the moment.

I ran for few more minutes, my lungs screaming for air before I stopped. I recognised the smashed rock and the formation of the trees as the place I saw in my vision. Taking a deep breath I ran through the square made my four trees. Once I was out of it I turned to look at the hell hound.

It charged at me, seeing an easy kill.

Or so it thought, I smirked as it made the mistake of running through the square like I did...

...failing to notice the closeness of the last two trees. Only realising it when it's shoulders slammed into them. The dog, being the idiot that it is, continued to ram itself into the trees, trying to break them.

I raised the sword and charged at the hell hounds unguarded front, it tried to swipe at me but it's paw simply hit off the tree. My plan was working.

My sword stabbed right through the hell hounds heart just as Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, Case and Aaron ran in. Then the hound exploded into a shower of golden sparks the I really did not want.

I stood there panting, trying to get over the shock of what I had just done.

A huge laugh came from Percy as he looked between me and the space where the hell hound was "You just...Woah!"

Even I had to give a small laugh at his antics.

But then I heard them gasp and the tension instantly changed. Then Chiron ran in.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. A guy in a wheel chair can't run anywhere. Well he wasn't in a wheel chair anymore. His top half was the same, but from the waist down he was a white stallion!

This day just kept getting weirder and weirder.

And even he was staring at me, I kept my eyes fixed on the ground until I realised, they weren't looking AT me. They were looking above me.

I looked up and gasped at what I saw.

Above my head was a sword with keys smelted into the the hilt. Around the blade was a floating helm of bones, all of it basked in a gold light.

I turned to Chiron for an explanation, but I was met with him kneeling, his voice telling he was still shocked.

"All hail Rhia Brooks, Princess of Ghosts, daughter of Hades. God of the dead"

only one thought crossed my mind...

WHAT THE HELL?

Next chapter: I jump the camp borders