Chapter 10:

They spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain.

They weren't attacked once, but the group didn't relax. Who knew where an attack could come from?

Percy and, apparently, Markus had to keep a low profile since their pictures were tagged at the greyhound incident and were in the paper for it. Both boys looked like they a bat or something. Percy looked like he had a wild look on his face while Markus had a smug look on his.

"Don't worry," Annabeth told them. "Mortal police could never find us." But she didn't sound so sure.

The rest of the day Percy spent alternately pacing the length of the train looking out the window. Markus joined him in this also.

Thankfully, he still had a spare change of clothes along with all of his stuff, so he was fine.

Percy spotted a family of centaurs travelling, one kid the size of a second grader. He was on a pony, and waved in response to Percy's wave. The other people didn't even notice them as they looked at their laptops or phones.

Another time, both boys saw a lion. Markus wondered if it was a normal lion or mythological. If so, he'd guess that it'd be the Nemean lion. Markus wondered if he were to wrestle it, and get a new coat. He dismissed the idea eventually.

Their reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. They couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so they dozed in their seats. Percy's neck got stiff as he tried not to drool in his sleep, since Annabeth was right next to him. Markus also took note of his own drool.

Grover's snoring and bleating kept them up. Once, the goat shuffled around and his fake foot fell off. Markus and Annabeth had to stick it back on before any passengers took notice.

"So," Annabeth asked Percy, once they'd gotten Grover's sneaker readjusted. "Who wants your help?"

"What do you mean?" Percy asked while Markus stiffened.

"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' Who were you dreaming about?"

Markus cursed Percy's big mouth, even when asleep.

Percy was reluctant to say anything. It was the second time he'd dreamed about the evil voice from the pit. But it bothered him so much he told her. Markus added his own input at some times too.

Annabeth was quiet for a long time. "That doesn't sound like Hades. He always appears on a black throne, and he never laughs."

"Makes sense, since his humour must be dead," Markus said. He wiggled his eyebrows. "Get it? Because he's the Lord of the Dead-"

"Shut up, Markus," both Percy and Annabeth said.

Markus just pouted. They could at least take a joke!

"He offered my mother in trade. Who could do that?"

"It even said it can bring mine back to life," Markus said, uncomfortable with the topic.

"I guess… if he meant, 'Help me rise from the Underworld.' If he wants war with the Olympians. But why ask you two to bring the bolt if he already has it?"

"Maybe it isn't him," Markus said, sticking with his original point. "We only had Chiron's word to fall back on. But we don't know for sure it's Hades. Like you said, he appears on a throne, not in a pit."

"Markus, he said he would give you your mother back. Who else other than Hades can go against death?"

"Aren't there other deities with control over death?" Markus countered with a question, rebuffing her point. "We still don't have all the pieces, Annie. We can't connect the dots yet."

Eventually Annabeth conceded to that point.

Grover probably sensed their emotions. He snorted in his sleep, muttered something about vegetables, and turned over in his sleep.

Annabeth readjusted his cap so it covered his horns. "You guys, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy. I don't care if the Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time-"

"This time?" Percy asked. "You mean you've run into them before?"

Her hand crept to her necklace. She fingered a glazed white bead painted with the image of a pine tree, one of her clay end-of-the-summer tokens. "Let's just say I've got no love for the Lord of the Dead. You can't be tempted to make a deal for your mum."

"What would you do if it was your dad?"

"That's easy," she said. "I'd leave him to rot."

"You're not serious?"

"Percy, I think you need to realise that some parents aren't like your mum or mine, who loved us," Markus said, after thinking back to where they were at camp, and Annabeth's reaction to her dad when Percy asked her about it.

Annabeth nodded in his direction in gratitude.

Her grey eyes fixed on Percy, stern as they were in the woods during Capture the Flag. "My dad's resented me since the day I was born, Percy," she said simply. "He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work. She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parents."

"But how… I guess you weren't born in a hospital…" Percy dumbly trailed off.

"I appeared at my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Like, maybe he'd take some digital photos or something. But he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn't exist." The blond spat in resentment.

Markus reached out and rubbed her shoulder in comfort, which she unknowingly leaned into. He wasn't going to say sorry for her situation because he could tell that it wouldn't help, and sometimes it didn't work. He would know. So he tried to help in a different way. He wasn't really an expert on comforting people, but he tried it anyway.

Annabeth's eyes showed that she was thankful for the comfort. Markus smiled back in response.

"And when the monsters came around," she continued, "they would both look at me resentfully like, 'How dare you put your family at risk.' Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away."

"How old were you?" Percy asked after a moment.

"Same age as I started camp. Seven."

"But… you couldn't have gotten all the way to Half-Blood Hill by yourself."

Markus thought back to his discussion with Grover last time. She was with Thalia, he thought.

"Not alone, no. Athena watched over me, guiding me towards help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time, anyway."

"I don't think it's a pattern," Markus said, "but I think I speak for all of us when I say that demigods have shitty luck, and pasts, apparently."

Both kids thought about it, then nodded in agreement to that.

Towards the end of their second day on the train, June 13, eight days before the summer solstice, they passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis. Annabeth craned her neck to see the Gateway Arch.

"I want to do that," she sighed.

"What?" Percy asked while staring at the giant bag handle stabbed in the ground.

"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon?"

"Only in pictures," Percy replied.

"Same," Markus offered.

"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."

"Ballsy, aren't you, Wise Girl?" Markus commented, a little impressed she was ambitious.

Percy laughed. "You, an architect?"

Her cheeks flushed. "Yes, an architect. Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."

Markus just groaned at, thinking that she was never going to let her hate on the two boys go. Her comment did get him to think, however. Hmm, god of earthquakes, he thought. He grinned at all the wanton destruction he could potentially cause.

Percy gained a broody look and turned to watch the churning brown water of the Mississippi below.

"Sorry," Annabeth said. "That was mean."

"Can't we work together a little?" he pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"

"That's what I've been telling her this whole time," Markus commented. "But she just doesn't listen."

She turned towards him. "Why do you insist on saying 'I told you so?'"

"It's fun," Markus answered, shrugging in response.

Annabeth deadpanned, while turning to Percy. "I guess… the chariot. My mum invented it, but Poseidon created the horses out of the crest of waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

"Then we can cooperate too, right?"

They rode into the city, Annabeth watching as the Arch disappeared behind a hotel.

"I suppose," she said at last.

Markus just rolled his eyes. Gods, was she always so stubborn.

They pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told them they'd have a three-hour layover before parting Denver.

Grover stretched. Before he was even awake, he said, "Food."

"Come on, goat boy," Annabeth said. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

"The Gateway Arch," she said. "This may be my only chance to ride to the top."

That's what she said, Markus thought, biting down his laughter.

"Are you coming or not?"

The three exchanged looks.

Markus shrugged. "Well, we've got nothing better to do."

Percy caved in, seeing it was better to go together.

Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters."

The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't long. The group threaded through the underground museum, looking at the covered wagons and other stuff from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling to the boys.

Markus barely listened to Annabeth as she kept explaining and telling them interesting facts that he didn't care about. Grover kept passing the boys jellybeans, so it was bearable.

Percy kept looking around, though, at the other people in the line. "You smell anything?" he murmured to Grover.

He took his nose out of the jellybean bag long enough to sniff. "Underground," he said distastefully. "Underground air always smells like monsters. Probably doesn't mean anything."

But something felt wrong to Percy. He was getting a bad feeling, like he really shouldn't be here.

"Guys," Percy said. "You know the gods' symbol of power?"

Annabeth had been in the middle of reading about the construction equipment used to build the Arch, but she looked over. "Yeah?"

"Well Hade-"

Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place… you mean our friend downstairs?"

"Yeah, our friend way downstairs-"

"Wrong belief system there, Percy," Markus said.

Percy looked at his brother, confused, then seemed to realise what he said. "Fine, our uncle, then," he changed. "Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness," Annabeth said. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter solstice meeting."

"He was there?" Markus asked curiously.

She nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to Olympus-the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility cap, or Markus' jacket, if what I've heard is true…"

"I'd imagine," Markus said.

"It allows him to become darkness," Grover confirmed. "He can melt into shadows or pass through walls. He can't be touched, seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do think all rational creatures fear the dark?"

"But then… how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?" Percy asked.

Annabeth and Grover exchanged looks.

"We don't," Grover said.

"I doubt he would time stalking demigods, even with all the drama going on now. He might be busy dealing with the dead, maybe." Markus stated, diffusing the tension made.

"Thanks, my spirits are lifted," Percy said dryly to Grover, before asking for more blue jellybeans to ease his nerves.

They got shoehorned into the car with this big fat lady, along with her dog and, weirdly, her pet rattlesnake.

The dog was a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar, while the rattlesnake was an ordinary snake, but with intelligent, cold eyes. Percy figured the dog was a seeing-eye Chihuahua, but didn't know about the snake.

"No parents?" the fat lady asked them.

She had beady eyes: pointy, coffee-stained teeth; a floppy denim hat, and a denim dress that bulged so much, she looked like a blue-jean blimp.

"They're below," Annabeth told her. "Scared of heights."

"Oh, the poor darlings."

The Chihuahua growled, while the rattlesnake hissed. The woman said, "Now, now sonny, Lamie. Behave." Both animals had beady eyes like their owner, intelligent and vicious."

Percy said, "Sonny and Lamie. Are those their names?"

"The snake is called Lamie, but no, the dog has no name," the lady told him. She smiled, like that cleared everything up. Markus frowned, his gut telling him something was wrong. Very wrong.

At the top of the Arch, the observation deck reminded Markus of a long tube with decent carpeting. Rows of tiny windows looked out over the city on one side and the river on the other. The view was unnerving to both children of the sea. Percy seemed jumpy from being cooped up and this high. Markus could relate too.

Annabeth kept talking about structural supports, and how she would've made the windows bigger, and designed a see-through floor. She probably could've stayed there for hours, but luckily for both boys the park ranger announced that the observation deck would be closing in a few minutes.

Percy literally dragged Markus, Grover and Annnabeth towards the exit, loaded the latter two into the elevator, he and Markus were about to get in but two other tourists were already there, so there was no room.

The park ranger said, "Next car, kids."

"We'll get out," Annabeth said. "We'll wait with you."

But that would just mess everybody up and take even more time, so Percy said, "Naw, it's okay. We'll see you guys at the bottom."

Markus cursed silently. He knew for a fact that there may be monsters in their midst. He didn't want the group to get separated, but if he made a scene, the monsters may appear, catching everyone by surprise and killing them all. So he relented and said, "Yeah, it'll give us some time to bond." He made to glare at the lady with her pets."

Grover and Annabeth looked nervous, but they let the elevator door slide shut. Their car disappeared down the ramp.

Now the only people left on the observation deck were them, a little boy and his parents, the park ranger, and the fat lady with her pets.

Percy smiled uneasily at the fat lady. She smiled back, her forked tongue flickering between her teeth.

Wait a minute.

She had a forked tongue?

"Shit, I knew it," Markus muttered, taking Wavebreaker out, startling the mortals. They probably thought he had a shotgun or something.

Before they both knew it, the Chihuahua jumped and started yapping at both boys.

"Now, now, sonny," the lady said. "Does this look like a good time? We have all these nice people here."

Lamie the snake started hissing loudly.

"Percy, pen out, now. Monster attack," Markus said in one go.

"Doggie!" said the little boy. "Look, a doggie!"

His parents pulled him back.

The dog bared its teeth at the demigods, foam dripping from his black lips. The rattlesnake hissed in unison.

"Well, son," the lady sighed. "If you insist."

"Urm, did you just call that Chihuahua your son?"

"Chimera, dear," the lady corrected the boy. "Not a Chihuahua. It's an easy mistake to make. Along with me is the great Lamia."

Markus raised his eyebrows. "So we got the mother of all bitches, her personal bitch, and another damned snake," he said, sneering. "Great, just great."

"Watch your mouth, brat," the fat lady, the newly revealed Echidna, hissed.

"Make me," he responded back, glaring.

"I'm going to enjoy popping your little head."

"Bitch, you're not the first to say that, and you sure as hell aren't going to be the last."

The fat lady hissed and screeched, looking red in the face.

The monster woman rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that her skin of her arms was scaly and green. When she smiled, they could see her fangs. The pupils of her eyes were sideways slits, like a reptile's.

The Chihuahua barked louder, and with each bark, it grew. First to the size of a Doberman, then to a lion. The bark became a roar.

The little boy screamed. His parents pulled him back towards the exit, straight into the park ranger, who stood paralyzed, gaping at the monster.

Lamia the snake started to grow. She too grew to the size of a lion, then continued growing. As she grew, her features changed. She started to develop human-like features. Long hands grew from her sides, along with a swell from her stomach, growing into a woman's bust. Her face stretched, turning from a scaly monster into a beautiful woman. Like the Echidna, she had green scales growing from parts of her body. Her fangs were evident in her mouth. Her hair was a light shade of brown. Somehow, she had a bra where her bust was held, along with several pieces of jewellery on her arms and neck.

The Chimera had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body and hooves of a giant goat, and a serpent for a tail, a ten-foot-long diamondback growing out of his shaggy behind.

The rhinestone dog collar still hung around its neck, and the plate-sized dog tag was now easy to read: CHIMERA – RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS – IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS – EXT. 954.

The snake lady made a hissing noise that might've been laughter. "Be honoured, Percy Jackson, Markus Henderson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood. Along with Lamia, the sea monster and daughter of Poseidon. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"

Great, family reunion, Markus thought.

Percy stared at her, long and hard, but all he could come up with was: "Isn't that a kind of anteater?"

Markus stopped and burst into laughter, almost forgetting about the monsters in front of them.

She howled, her reptilian face turning brown and green with rage. "I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me. For that Percy Jackson, my son shall destroy you!"

"Oi, can't you learn to fight for once?!" Markus interjected. "Don't be a pussy and send your son! Come and fight!"

"…Sonny, kill them. Right now. Lamia, you too."

"Don't order me around, Echidna." Lamia snarled, her voice sounding beautiful, making Markus' knees almost wobble. Now that he looked at it, with her revealing nature, she was quite hot. Then Markus berated himself. This was his sister, dammit! "I'll decide who I kill. I think I'll choose the one with the big mouth." Here she looked towards me, smiling with her fangs. "I wish to have a reunion with my dear brothers."

Echidna snarled. "Fine! But make sure he suffers!"

Markus thought of a plan quickly. "Percy, you take the Chimera. Watch out for its fire breath and snake tail. Use these." Here he gave him a couple of his water bottles. "Don't rush in blindly. Echidna won't do anything. I'll take care of Lamia."

"Right, thanks," He responded, thankful for the knowledge. He took out Riptide. "Be careful."

"I'm the last person you should be saying that to, baby brother."

Before Percy could say anything, the Chimera charged, its lion teeth gnashing. They leaped in opposite directions, avoiding its bite.

As Markus was about to raise his sword and attack, he saw Lamia slithering unbelievably fast towards him. He just had a second to react before he rolled out of the way, narrowly dodging her claws. Huh, so she had claws, too. Damn.

Markus decided to leave Percy to his own devices. He could handle himself. He turned his attention towards his opponent. He noticed that Lamia was a lot like the dracanae he faced previously, only faster and more dangerous.

"Stay still, child," she hissed teasingly. "I'll be sure to make it worth your while."

"…Ew, what is with you monsters being paedophiles! First Medusa, and now you! We're siblings!" Markus yelled out.

She shrugged, making her breast jiggle slightly. Markus gulped at this action. "I'm a child-eater. What do you expect? Also, didn't you know that incest is wincest as far as we're concerned."

"I… I don't even…" Markus stuttered, stumped. He was so shocked that he almost missed her attack, making himself dodge again.

He wanted to bring out his water bottles, but Lamia was too fast. He couldn't strike, because her movements were like a snake: fast, agile and deadly.

So he came up with another one of his stupid ideas. He charged, taking Lamia by surprise. She quickly reacted, however. She raked her claws at Markus, but he managed to raise his arm, using his aviator jacket as defence. While he was pushed back, he swung out, Wavebreaker managing to strike across her arm, making her roar in pain.

But Lamia quickly recovered, swiping at Markus face. He turned, but managed to get a cut on his cheek in the process.

Markus quickly jumped away, checking his wound. He suddenly felt a little sluggish, and he immediately knew that he was poisoned.

Lamia cackled, seeing the expression on his face. "Yes, little godling. My claws are poisoned. Soon, you be clumsy and be eaten."

"Lady, you need to come up with better threats," Markus muttered, swiping a water bottle he tucked in his pocket when he gave some to Percy. He quickly opened it, then splashed himself with water.

Instantly, he could feel the effects. He felt stronger, faster, and he even noticed that the sluggish feeling faded quickly. Markus leaped out, slashing at Lamia more quickly than before, matching her movements and combating her more better.

She ducked, weaved, bobbed around, dodging his swings, even when he was boosted. Thinking quickly, he pulled back, willing himself to turn invisible.

Lamia looked around, searching for Markus. "It's pointless, child," she hissed. "I do not need my eyes to see you. I can smell you."

And then she turned right, her fangs gleaming, apparently spotting him. She swiped at the air, her claws digging into skin.

Immediately Markus became visible, screaming in pain as Lamia's claws dug deep into his chest, drawing blood. She smiled with malicious intent.

But then Markus faded, disappearing into the wind. Lamia was stunned, then she turned. Wavebreaker came to meet her face, carving into her face.

She roared in pain, turning away from the real Markus, who just appeared. When she faced him, there was a big open wound, gold dust spilling out of it. The wound marred her beauty, making her slightly less hot.

She snarled in anger. "You miserable damned brat! I'll take my time carving into your flesh and burning you with poison."

Markus just rolled his eyes. "Why is every monster so clichéd?" he asked rhetorically, getting her to howl in more rage.

He lunged, aiming to stab her, but she was quicker. She turned, coiling, then sprung, mouth open. But she didn't notice the other attack until it was too late.

"Urrgh!" she screeched, several water spikes lodged in her midsection and snake tail end. She had time to register the pain before she became a shower of gold dust, Wavebreaker cleaving through her.

When the gold dust settled, all that was a large fang. It seemed to be coated with a small purple substance that he knew to be poison (A.N. – think the basilisk fang from the second Harry Potter book, in the Chamber of Secrets).

He breathed in heavily, waiting a moment, before bending down and picked up the fang. He knew it was a spoil of war, like Medusa's head. He tore a strip from his shirt and wrapped the fang with it, putting it in his backpack. Satisfied, he turned to Percy's fight, and his heart dropped.

Markus saw that the snake tail bit Percy in the calf, getting him to scream in pain. The floor next to them was torched, the carpet set on fire. The snake tail retracted, leaving Percy to kneel in pain. Markus quickly ran to his brother, kneeling next to him.

"Hey! Percy!" Markus exclaimed worriedly. He examined the wound, knowing that his brother was already poisoned. "You-you'll be fine! Just use the water!"

"Can't," Percy hissed through the pain. "R-ran out." Markus turned and saw the empty water bottles, probably used against the Chimera's fire breath.

"Oh my, I guess they don't make heroes like they used to, eh, son?" Echidna cackled, making Markus glare at her. Percy weakly glanced at the water below him. Markus instantly knew what he was thinking. While he didn't want to risk it, he knew that the water would heal him. It worked for him, so it should work for Percy too. Unfortunately the snake bitch started talking again. "If you are the son of Poseidon, you would not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. Show me that water will not harm you. Jump and retrieve your sword. Prove your bloodline."

Percy didn't look convinced. "Look, Percy," Markus said. "Your poisoned. I have no spare water bottles left, and I don't have enough ambrosia and nectar either. Jump. The water will heal you. Trust me."

The Chimera reared its head back while its mouth began to glow. It was getting its flame breath on again. "You have no faith," Echidna told him. "Listen to your brother. You may have a chance. But it is too late now. You do not trust the gods. I cannot blame you, little coward. Better you die now. The gods are faithless. The poison is in your heart."

Percy grimaced, thinking she was right. He looked at the water, then at Markus, then gave a weak smile. He fell off the platform just as the fire came rushing towards them. "Die, faithless one!" Echidna rasped out.

Markus dodged, just in time to miss the flame that passed. He saw Percy fall to the water below. While worried for him, he felt that he would be alright. He was the son of Poseidon. Water wouldn't harm him. But he was still worried.

Then he looked at the Chimera, and he got pissed. Because of the beast, his brother got poisoned and nearly died. While he may have gotten healed from the poison, he was still pissed.

He roared, charging at the Chimera. It responded by breathing fire. Markus rolled to the side, dodging the flames. He ran to it, cutting off the snake head tail that was aimed at him. He was brimmed with rage right now, his anger giving him strength. He stabbed the Chimera in the eye. As it was about to emit fire from its mouth. Markus quickly stabbed Wavebreaker in the roof of its mouth.

The Chimera made a sound like a roar and choking at the same time. He shoved the blade deeper in its mouth. He left it there, then, getting the fang of Lamia from his backpack, stabbed it into its eye, getting it to roar in pain. "Sonny!" Echidna exclaimed in worry, but it was too late.

The Chimera let out a roar of pain as it fell to dust, leaving behind a white horn with a tuft of blood and crimson fur.

Markus retrieved Wavebreaker and let out a sigh of relief. Only to hear the mother of monsters hissing.

He turned to see her furious, her snake bottom bent, almost coiled.

"How dare you!" she shouted at him, her fangs and claws gleaming.

Markus was already sick of her presence, and really tired. So, he just made the come-here motion with his hand.

Howling, Echidna lunged, ready to kill the demigod before her.

Scooping up his spoil of war from the Chimera, he rolled, rebounding back after Echidna landed. With both the horn and fang, he roared, stabbing both into her chest deep enough to leave a fatal wound.

She screeched, then, like her son, disappeared in gold dust, leaving no previous presence of her.

It took a moment for Markus to realise that the fight was over.

Taking a breath, he collapsed, his strength leaving him. His earlier water boost faded, leaving him bone-tired. Wearily looking around, he didn't see the park ranger or the family anywhere. Maybe they escaped.

Good thing for small mercies, Markus thought tiredly.

He just laid there, content with resting. But he knew he had to get up, check on the others, check on Percy. As soon as that thought entered his head, he slowly tried to get himself up, with little success.

Markus tried to figure a way out of the Arch. He could jump through the hole Percy went through, but he didn't think he could manage a fall in his state, son of Poseidon or not.

There was no way he was jumping out of the Arch through the damaged window, but quickly scrapped that idea. He didn't want to become a demigod pancake. Hell, he'd probably meet Hades without even going to Los Angeles.

With no ideas, he was getting desperate. Putting his spoils of war in his backpack, he tried to come up with an idea. But none came so far. He just felt like willing himself down the Arch, but knew that was impossible. He didn't have that power.

As soon as he thought that, he felt darkness overtake him. He wasn't falling unconscious, but he could feel cold all around him, as if there was some darkness literally overtaking him. He had a second to realise that it was from his aviator jacket before the shadows enveloped him, like he was going invisible. But the feeling was different.

And then suddenly, he felt like he was moving. Like, really fast. But he couldn't see anything. All he could see was black. He felt the cold touch of darkness all around him, transporting him, taking him somewhere.

And then Markus dropped down onto the ground, outside the Arch. He briefly saw that he was deposited behind a floating McDonalds before he blacked out, now passing out.

Well, that's it, people. Another chapter. So, yes, Markus did shadow-travel, using his jacket. No, he's not going to do it frequently. Why? It's too OP at the moment. Plus, it's a Hades thing. The fact that Markus is a son of Poseidon makes it more draining for him. Also, Hades may not like that. So he won't do it often, only in emergencies. He'll have his own form of teleportation later on.

Also, I hoped you like my addition of Lamia. Her description is something I searched up online, depicting her as a beautiful woman, rather than a full-time snake. I'm not great with action scenes, so hoped you liked it.

Another thing: I know it seems that Markus is battling in every fight and winning. I understand that. But most of his fights are with him using water or him boosting himself with water. Without it, he would lose. So be content with that. With the Chimera, he fought with rage to defeat it, like Percy did with the Minotaur in canon. Anger is a fatal flaw of Markus, given his heritage, along with another one (if you can't figure it out, read the summary of the story).

See ya!