The Oculus

I wasn't sure how long I was out, but MAN did my head hurt when I woke up.

I was belted into a car seat, and the gentle rumbling made me pretty sure I was being driven somewhere. Though my head was pounding, I could hear muffled voices.

"Two?! Why in Hades were there two?!"

That was definitely Nick, I'd know those panicked voice cracks anywhere.

"If he is who you say he is..."

That voice was different, but it was familiar. I struggled to open my eyes, the daylight hurt and my skull felt like an elephant had used it for a launch pad.

"Urghh..." I mumbled, trying to regain control of my voice.

As my eyesight adjusted, I could see Nick ahead of me in the passenger seat, staring at me with concerned eyes.

"Bla-ha-ha! You're awake!"

He'd always done that, a weird nervous laugh that made me laugh too.

Not this time though.

"Dude, what happened..." I croaked, holding my hands to my temples. As I looked around the inside of the vehicle, I spied our driver.

The blonde girl from before.

She was just as pretty and scary as she was earlier, just minus the spear and shield. I had a feeling she didn't need those to kick my butt though.

She eyed me through the rear-view mirror, "Hello newborn."

She said bluntly. Her accent was definitely German. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain.

"Hey. So uh... What exactly is going on?"

As I started fully coming to, I started realizing what had happened.

I was attacked.

By snake people.

Nick sighed and put his face in his hands.

"I knew this would happen..."

I took a breath and tried to relax, "You knew what would happen?"

Nick whimpered nervously,

"I knew they would come, I just didn't think it would be so soon."

I was REALLY trying not to panic.

"Who is they? And why are they after me? and WHY ARE YOU DRIVING?!"

The girl glared at me, she couldn't have been any older than me, but she didn't answer.

I just hoped we wouldn't get pulled over.

She finally spoke up,

"We will explain when we arrive. For now, stay calm, panic will tire you out..." She paused and narrowed her eyes, "and annoy me."

I swallowed.

"Yeah uh... sorry, what was your name?"

Surprisingly, she seemed to soften up at that.

"My name is Anya."

"Delvin."

"I'm aware."

I didn't really want to keep talking, but I wanted answers, there was no way I was gonna walk blind into whatever I was getting into.

"So the snake ladies, who are they? and why are they after me?" I kept my voice as even as I could, and Nick bit his lip.

"They were Dracaenae, monsters." He paused and gave me a mournful look,

"Do you remember anything from our Mythology class? Back at the co-op?"

I pondered that for a moment, I could definitely remember a few things.

"Uh, well there was-"

Nick cut me off, "Don't worry, just... try to keep an open mind when I say this."

I didn't like where this was headed, but he continued.

"All that stuff about the gods, Mount Olympus, the monsters, the heroes?"

"Yeah?"

"It's real."

I didn't say anything at first, and I wasn't really sure I believed him. Nick usually had a "tell" when he was lying, but he looked dead serious.

And how else was I going to explain the snake people? Maybe it was a hallucination?

"Rrrright. If that was true, that happened like a bazillion years ago. Nobody would still be alive today, right?"

Anya sighed in the front seat, "It's complicated. The spirit of the West changes every age, and the gods follow it." I stopped her, "woah, hold up, the gods? As in Greek Gods? Those are just made to explain stuff back then right? They didn't have science."

Anya huffed indignantly, "No, Delvin. They are just as real as you, or I. They have always been here, behind the scenes. Your life has probably never been normal, yes?"

I couldn't argue with that part, and she continued. Her accent sounded thicker when she was frustrated.

"You are a demigod, Delvin. Like the heroes of old, you are descended from an Olympian God. A Half-Blood."

My mind reeled. None of this could have been possible, maybe in the panic at the school I hit my head and I was dreaming all of this.

"Uh yeah, sure..."

Anya gave me a look in the rear-view,

"You will be fine, newborn. They will explain more once we reach camp."

All I could do was nod, I wasn't sure what else to do at that point except agree and hope this was some sort of fever dream.

She said the drive would be a long one so I did my best to relax, but I was still tense, and my head still ached.

After about an hour of nervousness, the fatigue started to get to me, and I felt myself passing out. The dull roar of the road lulled me to sleep, and I remember hoping that there was still a possibility of going home.

I awoke to the sound of glass shattering, and I felt gravity shift.

The sound of metal creaking and screaming was deafening as the car tumbled, rolling over and over. We smashed to a stop and I was still reeling, my head ached and I could barely see.

I hung upside down in my seat, but I could make out the blurry images of Nick and Anya in the front. Nick was already out of his belt, and was trying desperately to unclip the blonde girl.

She wasn't moving.

She had a nasty cut on the side of her head, and her muscled arms hung limp. I had to do something, and I struggled to get out of my seat.

It was dark now, and rain pounded on the cars crushed exterior. I yanked at my seatbelt until the buckle finally broke, and I fell onto the cars roof. My whole body hurt, but I crawled forward on my hands and knees. Nick's eyes were wild.

"Delvin!" He hissed, "Quick! Her belt!"

I nodded and tugged at the seatbelt, Nick groaned.

"Not that belt! Her actual belt, its her spear!"

"oh."

This was gonna be really awkward, but I knew we needed to do something quick.

"Uh, sorry Anya."

I turned my head away and fiddled with her belt buckle, I could feel my face burning with embarassment.

Finally it came loose, and as I held it in my hands, the belt stiffened. It grew longer until it was a five-foot long, bronze spear.

Nick took it from me and I cradled Anya's head in my hands, "Hold her! Dont let her get hurt!" He hissed.

He cut the belt loose, and she dropped with a thud into my lap. She was heavy, and I struggled to drag her out of the vehicle. Nick was already outside, dancing nervously, his shoes making a loud, cracking sound.

Anya moaned as we fell onto the side of the road and Nick helped me stand her up. As he helped out, his pants looked funny, and were getting wetter and shaggier by the second.

Wait... Those weren't pants, and I realized why his shoes were so loud. Where his feet should be, there were cloven hooves, like a goat.

"Nick?!"

He spun around to face me as thunder boomed, nearly smacking me with the spear.

"What?"

"You're a goat man?!"

He did his nervous laugh again.

"Bla-ha-ha! I'm a satyr thank you very much! My ancestors would trample you for something like that!"

We leaned her into my shoulder and I did my best to carry her, while Nick brandished the spear and tried to look menacing. He trotted to the edge of the street, staring out into the darkness. The cold night and the rain had me shivering, and the darkness didn't bode well. I struggled to carry Anya, but I knew that Nick couldn't do it.

He turned back to me, his face determined.

"Let's get going! I have to get you two to the camp borders! I'm not letting you out of my sight this time!"

I didn't have time to ask what he meant.

At that moment, a booming roar shook the ground beneath us, and Nick pointed the spear down the road.

Whatever had flipped our car was coming, and I had a feeling Nick knew what it was.

He was doing his best, but he was still shaking, "C-c'mon Del! We gotta go!"

We took off down the road, I hobbled with Anya latched onto me, Nick close by.

We didn't stop, and my friend kept leading me into the pounding rain and crashing thunder. Lightning flashed and I made the mistake of looking back.

Whatever was following us was closer now, and with flash of the storm, I could make out a massive silhouette. The bulky, lumbering form of a man, trudged down the road behind us.

He wasn't far off.

I struggled to keep up with Nick, but my muscles felt like jello. My legs burned and my arms shook from carrying her, but somehow I pushed on. Nick draped one of her arms over his shoulder, trying to lighten the load.

"C'mon Del! We're almost there!"

We forged ahead, tired, beaten and exhausted. My heart pounded in my chest, from fear or fatigue I couldn't tell.

He lead us off the road, towards a grassy hill that lead up to a massive pine tree.

"We're so close!"

We fought to move up the slick, wet hill. Anya groaned and I felt her fingers grip my shirt. She was coming to, but I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

I tried my best to drag her farther, but the wind buffeted us and the rain pelted our faces.

Then came another roar, this time closer behind us.

"No... Don't..." Anya murmured, and she struggled against me. Even in her weakened state, I had to tighten my grip.

We were getting close to the top of the hill, and I felt like this was the destination. If we could just get a little farther, we'd be okay, and I was almost sure we were going to make it.

Until things started to go wrong.

Heavy, pounding footsteps came up behind us, and the roar came again. It was so loud I felt like I was gonna go deaf, and I looked back.

The massive man from before was here, and his hulking form made my skin crawl and my heart sink.

We had almost made it.

In the dark it was hard to tell, but he hefted his massive axe, and stared at me with his one, giant eye.

He was a Cyclops.

He growled and lumbered after us, hefting the axe with both hands. Nick pushed us along and turned to face the monstrous thing, pointing the spear at him.

"S-stay back! I'll d-do it!"

The monster grimaced and roared, rearing back with his weapon.

Without thinking, I dropped Anya and dove at my friend. We both hit the dirt as the axe swung over our heads, and the creature bellowed with rage.

I was getting sick of being hunted.

I grabbed the spear as Nick crawled to his feet and hobbled towards Anya, who was trying in vain to get up.

"Hey!"

He turned his attention to me, grinning with his massive, toothy maw.

"Hello godling." His voice boomed. I shakily held the spear and he leaned down towards me, his face even uglier up close.

"You are strong, but this is where your journey ends boy." He grimaced and raised his axe.

I hated being talked down to, like I didn't know anything. I yelled in anger and did something really stupid.

I threw the spear.

It sailed through the air, and the Cyclops made a confused face...

Before it struck his eye.

He roared in pain and stumbled backward, clutching his face. I looked back to my friends. Nick was slowly pulling Anya along as she tried to support herself.

I had to keep him busy, but I could feel my already depleted strength fading.

The Cyclops was already starting to recover, and he tossed the spear into the woods nearby. I hadn't thrown the spear hard enough, because he was bleeding, but could still see.

"PUNY WORM!"

He bellowed, stomping towards me. The ground shook, and I fell to one knee. My whole body was burning, every muscle ached and wanted to give out. He raised his axe for what I thought would be the last time,

"Your Father won't save you boy!!"

I just hoped I had bought enough time for Nick and Anya to escape, and I did my best to look brave as he brought down the axe.

It never struck.

The air crackled, and the smell of static and ozone filled my nostrils. Thunder crashed overhead and the hill was suddenly flooded with bright light. I was thrown backwards as an arc of pure energy struck from the heavens, and lightning shattered the hillside.

The Cyclops was vaporized as a deafening BOOM shook the ground and rattled my teeth in my head.

I hit the dirt hard, and my vision started to fade. I struggled to turn my head, only to see my friends had been thrown to ground too.

I tried to fight it, but the darkness closed in around me, and I knew I couldn't save them. I tried to call for help, but I barely croaked out the words before my body gave out, and I was pitched into blackness once again.

This time, I wasn't sure if I would ever wake up again...