Chapter 12

We chased Percy in a panic as he ran down the street soldier's yelling at us to stop as we passed by, rounding the corner we caught a quick glimpse of him almost an entire block away from us still running.

And that's when I saw him, Grendel, with the description I had gotten from the God's I Was expecting an incredibly beefy monster with like three arms and glowing eyes. The actual monster was nothing like that, the Grendel I was looking at was very slim, and very pale and sickly, his jaw was deformed, half of his lower jaw was missing, and saliva dripped off of the remaining part, some of his teeth were missing, as if they'd been yanked out. And the hair that he had on his head was only in white chunks. However, despite all of this, I could tell he was incredibly powerful. There was a crater in the ground the size of a city block behind him, and I shudder to think what could be in there.

He looked nothing like the Richard I once knew, and it hurt to see him like that, if there was any humanity left then it would be a service to kill him, but still…. This man was for better or worse more a father to me than my own, even if he did shoot me, he thought I killed his son and probably his daughter.

We finally caught up to Percy, his eyes were wild and frantic and he was looking around Grendel for any sign of his mother, breathing heavily, I was unsure if it was from the running or if he was about to have a panic attack.

Then Grendel saw me, and his pale eyes widened, then narrowed, and he let out a snarl filled with more Malice than anything-even my own step mother had. He pointed at me and moved his remaining face, gargling on his words as he tried to speak.

"…ill…. I..ll..ll I kill… " He snarled. And then his broken face twisted into a smile, or what would have been one. I didn't need to understand him to know what he wanted to say. He wants to kill me.

"What have you done with my mother you damned monster!" Percy yelled in rage, drawing riptide and getting into a combat stance, Thalia, oddly silent did the same thing, getting her weapons out and ready. I was the only one who didn't.

Grendel looked at Percy with something that resembled sympathy, and pointed up, on top of a skyscraper. Percy's neck instantly craned up to where he was pointing, then looked at me and Thalia with begging eyes. I knew what he wanted to say but couldn't bring himself too out of fear.

It was eyes that said please let me go save her. Please.

I closed my eyes then opened them and stared Percy in the eyes. "Go, go save her. Thalia, you go too." Thalia opened her mouth to speak, clearly outraged. "Please, this is my fight…. Don't argue with me." I said before she could.

She went silent…. Gave me a huge glare then kissed my cheek. "You better not die Godsdamnit." She said and ran after the already moving Percy. I then looked back at Grendel who watched in silence without attacking and right then I knew… That even a monster as he was, Richard still had a little humanity.

I drew my sword. Got into a combat stance, and Grendel's seemingly little humanity faded as he didn't even hesitate to attack, lunging at me with the speed to rival a god I blocked his attack, and overhead slam that crated the ground around me and sent shockwaves down my spine.

I swiped at him with an arcing slash but he jumped back snarling.

"Richard…." I said and the monster snarled again and lunged at me, I jumped over him and landed behind him shocking him long enough to slash a long cut down his back, his blood wasn't red… But an oily black.

I'm sorry…. Father…. And let out a scream that was half a battle cry and half agony, and Grendel let out a similar scream, and we lunged at each other.

LINE BREAK

Percy and Thalia ran up the stairs of the building Percy's mother was in, checking every room and floor possible. It wasn't until the top floor that Percy and Thalia started to hear voices. Both familiar.

Percy's anger came back and he blasted through the stairway door, running through weapons drawn with Thalia close behind, and Percy and Thalia were both drained of color when they saw her.

Sally Jackson was beaten and bruised and bloody, with the Empousa Maurice, Damien's monster step mother over her in her monster form.

Percy's rage faded into fear at his mother's condition, then turned back to a smoldering anger as he glared at the monster.

"You…." Percy said with pure venom. "Why the HELL are you here? What have you done to my mother you bitch!"

Maurice didn't look concerned one bit. She even smiled. "Hello there handsome demigod. How nice of you to join us." She said then looked at Thalia with amusement. "Ah, hello again, you are the bitch in my son's life, oh how I am surprised he hasn't grown tired of you yet. I'd tell you to say I'm thinking of him, but after I kill the both of you I'll just tell him myself, before I kill him and drain his blood."

Thalia growled and sparked. "I'm more to Damien than just his bitch. And you better start explaining why your so obsessed with his blood. Because you see, bitch. That there are two of us. And one of you. And we're children of the big three." She demanded.

Maurice threw her head back and laughed. And Thalia had to refrain from attacking right then and there, they needed information. And Maurice was the only one who could give it to them.

"Very well Daughter of Zeus, but it should be obvious by now, surely, attracted to power as you are, that Damien is very powerful? That power comes from not only his birth. But his history. You know that god's can fade over time when people forget about them and stop worshiping or making sacrifices. But did you know a God can return from wherever it is they go once they've faded if enough people pray to them?" She explained, that easy smile never leaving her ugly face.

Thalia and Percy nearly fell over from this information, A god returning from fading is unheard of.

"That doesn't explain why you need Damien." Percy said, Maurice looked at him with lust, blood or erotic was unknown to Thalia.

"Handsome demigod, Damien is a son of Hera, that makes him special all on his own, that's why he's able to use lightning bolts so easily, as well as manipulate the earth around him. But he's special for another reason. And that reason is that he is a descendent of this god. Now all demigods are, but very rarely can a demigod inherit the abilities of his/her ancestors. This god is Chaos. The creator."

Percy's knees nearly buckled. He had only read about Chaos in the Greek literature Annabeth had forced him to read. He faded almost three millennia ago. When he created the gods of today people forgot about him, and as a result he faded into nothingness.

"Damien's…. inherited the powers of Chaos?" He whispered in awe…

Maurice laughed again. Snapping him out of his shocked silence. "Of course he is. And because of that inheritance, he has the strongest power of every god ever created! Lighting bolt's for Zeus, Water control for Poseidon, Earth manipulation for Demeter, and perhaps his most dangerous…. Rage from Hades. He was so powerful, that I had to control his power lest he be killed at birth. I protected the little brat until I could use my poison to conceal his power, turning his hair completely white in the process." She guffawed.

Thalia had had enough. She had all she needed to hear, all she could think about was beating the shit out of her for Damien. She drew her weapon and attacked Maurice, Percy pulled riptide and went for a pincer attack.

Maurice sighed as they struck, casually flicking her hand in their directions, a gust of massive air blowing Thalia into a concreate wall.

And Percy into the glass window looking out over the city. His body flung through the window and he fell out of sight of the horrified Thalia, her letting out a scream as his unconscious body fell to the ground level.

"Hmph." Maurice grunted then smirked at Thalia. "Told you I was going to kill you both, now for you to-" she stopped abruptly and gagged as metal went through her throat.

It was Sally Jackson, she used a broken metal chair leg and stabbed it through Maurice's throat, her eye's wide in anger and hurt at the monster for killing her son.

"That was for my baby boy." Sally said with conviction. As Maurice looked at her, trying to speak but failing to, then her eyes rolled back into her head, and she faded, not turning into gold dust like other monster's when they die. That alone made Thalia certain she wasn't actually dead, just retreating somewhere.

Thalia ignored her own pain and ran too Sally, who was crying, undoubtedly because of her son, Thalia wanted to grieve too, but she had to be strong.

"Sally, Sally. We need to go, now." Thalia said gently, Sally nodded not speaking as they turned to leave, suddenly, they heard a faint voice calling for help. Thalia and Sally took a look at each other before dashing to the broken window.

Percy was hanging off a bent flagpole, his shirt comically stuck and dangling him. He looked up and gave a sheepish look to Thalia, who was laughing despite the situation.

"Okay kelp head, just hold on." She said, then turned to Sally. "About a block back there's a military caravan. You'll be safe there." Sally nodded and with a last look at her son took off.

"Love you mom!" Percy called out, Thalia rolled her eyes, Percy was such a momma's boy.

Now, how to get him down? Thalia thought.

LINE BREAK

I groaned as I was launched at a high speed into a car, denting the metal. I coughed into my hand and felt a wetness. I looked at my hand. Blood. I must have internal injuries now too.

Grendel stared at me with savage amusement. On top of being super powerful he had intense regenerative ability. Making any wound I inflict null and void, including the one I inflicted onto his back.

I took limping step towards Grendel, who seemed to have gotten faster, though I swear I've really just gotten slower. Grendel dashed at me and sideswiped me with a clawed hand which took almost all my effort just to dodge, I managed to get behind him and impaled him right through the spine.

He howled in rage, and kicked me, making me lose my grip on the sword as I cried out in pain and flew back, scraping my back against the asphalt. I curled up on my knees and coughed blood all over the cracked road, my head getting dizzy from the pain, I heard a wet sucking sound. I looked up a spike of pain to my skull doing so to see Grendel rip the sword out of his own fucking body and breaking it.

It felt like fighting an uphill battle while being paralyzed, it was impossible, I couldn't win. I was so tapped on strength I couldn't use my powers without risking my life. And none of my physical attacks worked.

Fighting Zeus right about now sounded about as easy as a walk in the park. Grendel stalked towards me slowly, taking his time getting to me knowing he had me beat. I tried to stand on shaking legs but found to my dismay I immediately collapsed again. I couldn't even stand now.

Grendel was standing over me now, the monstrous grin still there, the insanity. I couldn't fight anymore. I was done. So, I closed my eyes and waited for the sweet release of death.

Except it never came, Grendel suddenly howled in agony and I opened my eyes to see Percy and Thalia were there, Rage in both of their eye's. Percy in a single slice completely cut off Grendel's right arm. And Thalia had stabbed him in the throat, and in the side with her twin daggers.

Grendel wrenched himself away splashing that black blood everywhere, Thalia hurriedly knelt by my side as Percy rushed him with a speed I'd never seen, he was fighting with extreme reckless but also controlled abandon, attacking so fast not even Grendel could keep up, howling in pain with each strike.

Thalia held my head in her lap, hands moving so fast I couldn't see them, she poured a gold liquid down my throat and I felt bones I didn't even know were broken start to repair, as well as the damage to me that caused the internal bleeding, I still looked and felt like shit on the outside though.

"You're going to be okay Damien. You hear me? I'll be damned if I let you die." She said gently, I wanted to kiss her right then and there but couldn't move to do so. She seemed to read my thoughts.

"There'll be plenty of time to do that when this is all over, for now just rest. Me and Percy will handle this creep." Thalia said and got up laying me down onto the ground and running after Percy and Grendel with a…. mace canister?

"Heh… I love you…" I whispered to myself. And forced myself into a sitting position sighing when it didn't bring any agonizing pain. Blood loss however was affecting me, my vision was going cloudy and my head was spinning, I had almost no energy to move. But I had to move.

Because there was no way in hell I was letting my friends fight alone. I had lost my great sword when he threw me into the light pole, and he broke my sword, so all I had were my fisticuffs. They would have to do.

They looked like biker gloves, with skulls printed on each one and spikes at the tip of each knuckle except the thumb.

I heard a yell of pain, I whipped my head around nearly losing my balance due to weakness to see Percy clutching his sword arm, Blood dripping from his head and nose. Grendel had some how countered his attack and broke his arm. Percy fell to his knees, the adrenaline from the fight not being enough to block the pain he was feeling.

Grendel Attacked Percy with his own sword, And Thalia jumped in the way parrying off his attacks with her own counters, doing flips and spins and throwing lightning at the monster. Then Grendel jumped out of the way and over her, knocking the spear out of her hands. He attacked, Thalia turned and…..

Then Thalia got stabbed. And I saw red, I barely registered Percy's scream of rage. Or was it mine. I didn't register the blood soaking through Thalia's chest. I didn't register the life going out of her eyes. I registered Grendel shrieking with mad glee as he attacked me, I registered me catching his claws effortlessly, and throwing him into the wall of a building so hard he went through it.

Percy noticed the black aura around me. I didn't, I snapped back to myself and knelt beside Thalia in a panic and cradled her in my arms. She looked up at me and smiled, blood trickled out the corner of her mouth.

"No! Oh god no Thalia!" I cried. Desperately searching for anything to heal her with. I felt a weak hand on mine and looked at her.

"No….. There's… nothing left….." Thalia she choked out. I knew what she didn't finish… couldn't finish… they'd used all the supplies on my injuries. My body felt numb. It felt like time had stopped, I could tell she was dying. There's no denying that. My mind suddenly became clear… and all the memories that I had lost when I died came back. The few with her were the most clear. My few precious ones that I immediately felt regret towards forgetting.

"Thalia no… please… don't leave me… I- I love you…" I pleaded, tears making there way towards my eyes and sliding down my face, my teardrops gently hitting her cheeks, mixing with her own tears.

"I'll… never… leave you…. I….. love…" She trailed off, her hand falling away from my face.

As Thalia grace died.

Taking me with her.

Percy took a shuddering breath. And gently reached out to me-no. To her body.

"We have to retreat, we need to run… Thalia died protecting us, protecting me. I cant let that go to waste." He said taking her out of my arms, me putting up no resistance.

I heard a roar. And Grendel burst out of the wall I vaguely remember throwing him through, I felt it again. That rage. That burning animosity, feeling it to the deepest part of my chest.

That black aura, this time I did notice it. And held my hands in front of my face, also emitting the black aura. Then I grinned - and started laughing. Not a normal laugh, but one of those laughs that you had before a mental breakdown.

"D-Damien?" Percy stuttered, a fear in his face I'd never seen before, He actually took a couple steps back as I stood up, still grinning. The desire to kill and consume still inside my chest.

"Percy, go. I'll handle it this time, and don't fucking argue with me. I don't want you to die too." I said simply, Percy hesitated, then nodded, clutching the dead Thalia to his chest as he ran.

Then it was just me and Grendel, that damn grin on his face, it made me laugh.

"Heh heh… Hah hah hah hah HAHAHAHAHAHAH. What the FUCK are you grinning for you sick bastard?! You should be scared!" I grinned even wider, unbeknownst to me my hair going from white/black to straight black, and my eye's turning black too.

Grendel angry from my words screamed and attacked. Putting all of his force into one punch. It connected, chopping an entire building In half behind me. However I was left unharmed.

There it was, that fear. That flicker of humanity I wanted to see. Just to beat it out of him. The fear in Grendel-no… Richard's eye's.

"RICHARD!" I snarled, and grabbed Grendel's arms holding him in place, he thrashed in a desperate attempt to get out of my grip but I held firm. The fear in his eyes clear. It made me happy.

"I didn't kill your WORTHLESS KIDS." I said. A little giggle escaping me at his fear. "But I will EAT YOU." I said. My own sanity slipping.

He got free and tried to slash at me, ripping my shirt to shreds. But I just grinned. I punched him as hard as I could, feeling immense satisfaction at the sight of me ripping his left arm out of it's socket, black blood shooting like a geyser. And me throwing him into a smoking car. Making it explode with him in the fire.

I giggled. "Cooked Grendel? Just the way I like it." He crawled out of the fire and leaped away, and stared me down.

"Oh… your not done yet? That's good. I want you to suffer." I taunted.

He shrunk back. And This time. I attacked, leaving cracks across the ground as I lunged at him, pinning him to the floor before he could move.

He shrieked and thrashed in an attempt to get me off. But that wasn't happening. I grinned down and him. And the fear in it's eye's when the thing looked at me… made me hungry.

I wet my lips. Then bit into his shoulder.

A/N: Hey guy's. I'm still alive, my old computer broke so I couldn't write at all, just got another one. I don't expect my old readers to still read it but if they do then that's awesome and thanks for reading love my few humble fans. Thank's for reading again. See you whenever.