Chapter Sixteen (Heed the Shifting Tide)

When in uncharted territory, you never know when you're in dangerous grounds until you realize you're in danger…

Chrysilla

The trees were red.

I blinked, stepping back wearily as I slunk behind the face of my shield. Wiping away the blood and sweat, which tinted my vision, I gave a low curse. My ribs groaned in agony as my muscles tensed the moment my sight cleared.

My injured leg buckled under the overhead blow of a Cyclops. My shield held strong, but my aching left arm seemed to take control of my lips as a bellow of pure pain slipped past them. The instant the weight of the monster left my shield, my sword snaked forward. The piercing thrust ripped through its leather armour, taking a chunk of flesh from its side.

The monster didn't get a chance to register the pain.

I stared in slight awe as the top half of its body slid off of its dissolving lower.

Chris' eyes were glazed with battle lust, the axe which had split the Cyclops belonged to Marc. The son of Hephaestus paid that, nor my staring, any mind. He dropped his borrowed weapon and hefted the club of the fallen cyclops without even a grunt of exertion. Pulling the disformed slab of wood over his head, he launched the large weapon towards a Telkhine which was approaching Jordon's flank.

"Chris! Hammer!"

The sound of Marc's voice tore my eyes from the way the Telkhine dissolved after having its skull crushed. Without missing a beat, Chris turned to Marc, catching his massive war hammer as though it were a regular sized one. He shifted the weapon to his left hand before pulling the axe from the earth and tossing it to the leader of Squad one.

The two grinned at each other before rushing back into the fray.

"Are you okay?"

I could feel the biting response fade away as my eyes caught sight of Henry. The shimmering of the mist around the edges of his face was enough to alert me that it was an Iris Message. I spluttered on my words for a moment before I composed myself. After taking quick stock of the battle around me, I returned my attention to the wayward clear-sighted mortal.

"Am I okay?! Are you okay?"

Henry's face looked as I felt. Which wasn't pretty.

A thin but long gash adorned the top of his right brow, passing almost to his hairline. His hair was matted with grim and sweat, and there was discolouration and swelling brewing on his left eye. His purple lips pulled upward in a confident smirk as one of his hands wiped away the blood which had trickled from his nose.

"I'd be a whole lot better if I had the help of you and your brother."

"Chrysilla! Behind!"

I swivelled, ignoring the protest of my leg, and raising my shield. An arrow thudded off the metal face, quickly followed by my ghoulish cries of pain.

"Clear!"

I turned back to Henry, who seemed to register the situation on my end.

"I'm in the alleyway where you were brutalised!"

I stared at him blankly for a second.

"How the fuck do you know about that!"

"Listen…"

Henry's eyes darted beyond me on his side of the message. His smirk melted as horror slipped onto his face. A heavy footstep and a low menacing laugh approached as the mortal began backpedalling.

"Found you!"

The feed cut off, a shiver dancing up my spine at the thick bloodlust which poured from the voice of whatever Henry was facing.

"Adrian!"

The words left my mouth as my feet pushed me towards the direction of the alley. Before I could say anymore, I felt an all too familiar burning sensation in my left arm as the Central Park soil coated my tongue.

Rolling over, my sword bit into the ankle of the offender. The Empousa howled in pain as my sword danced further up, entering its midriff before exiting from the back of its throat.

"I wonder how much an Empousa Skewer would go for."

I stared blankly at Marc, who had arrived to help me. He mumbled under his breath about how he thought it was a good joke as Adrian came to a halt at his side.

"I just fixed that arm!"

I groaned at Jordon's cry in outrage, forcing myself to take off once more.

"Marc, stay. Adrian on me. Henry."

The boys nodded, instantly heeding my orders.

"Zina! Clear a path!"

I mentally praised Marc's quick thinking as the four monsters which had formed a wall to keep us hemmed in melted under a bright beam of energy.

"Where to?"

I hissed slightly as I slipped my sword into its sheath to cradle my damaged left arm.

"He's in the alley where I was ambushed!"

"That's not that far from there."

I nodded slightly, more focused on the internal dilemma I was facing. Was the shield worth the pain?

"That was the IM?"

I gave a muted nod once more.

I turned to my half-brother, about to tell him more, when he roughly pulled me to the side. A honk of a truck was the only thing that stopped me from swinging at him as my left arm rattled from the sudden jerk. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't stop the first word that came to mind.

"Motherfucker!"

I couldn't shake the daunting feelings of déjà vu which swarmed my senses.

I flinched as we ran past Henry's apartment building, my right hand rising to hold the injury which had yet to fully heal.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I felt myself be dragged from my thoughts as I took a quick glance at my half-brother.

His hair was matted with sweat, and his body was littered with various cuts and bruises from the earlier skirmishes. His discomfort and pain was hidden well behind his façade, but I noticed the sharp intake of breath and the occasional grimace which followed.

"I could ask you the same thing."

He chuckled lightly at that.

"At least I'm not bleeding enough to dye my hair red…"

I gave a small smile at the remark, but I couldn't think of any response to it. My instincts were already screaming at me to stay focused on the task at hand, and I also had to battle the doubts which were feasting within me.

I couldn't afford to be beaten as I had been before.

"Look, Chrysilla. I don't know what you think you have to prove, but nobody doubts you."

I bit my tongue as we stepped off the pavement to avoid a particular clump of pedestrians. The angry honking and curses thrown at us silenced any response I had as we continued to dart around the vehicles.

I pushed past a man in a business suit, paying him no mind as I checked to see if Adrian was on my tail. He nodded at me, stepping past me, and pulling me away from the enraged man as we continued to make our way on the pavement.

"Then why is my squad considered the weakest? Why don't people take on what I have to say unless it comes from Percy or Marc or you? Is it because I'm a girl?"

There was no delay in the conversation this time.

"Really?"

I scoffed at his response. Shaking my head, I instead focused on dodging the thick crowd around us.

"I know that what you're talking about is probably a much bigger issue than I can understand," I groaned at the sound of Adrian's voice "but I really don't think it applies he-"

"I told you some demigods would be chasing us."

I couldn't stop my momentum as a Cyclops swung around the corner, its club already cutting through the air towards my head. A strong pair of arms pulled me to the side.

"No matter, we can easily take the-"

A dagger impaled its throat, causing the Cyclops to fall to its knees, its eye staring in startled rage as it gargled on the red which gushed freely from its mouth.

"No! Ho-" My sword carved its way through the head of the Dracaena which accompanied it.

"Listen Chrysilla." I felt Adrian's hand holding my wrist. "I'm not going to pretend like I know exactly what's going through your head, but I get it. This is the first time we've been asked to prove ourselves in front of mom. We botched it once already, and we got in each other's way. I know I had my part to play in it, but I'm not willing to let my own pride get in the way of finishing what we started."

"Don't you mean you're making sure your pride isn't further damaged?"

Adrian sighed as he let go of my wrist. He was about to step forward but stilled before facing me once more.

"I'm just saying that we should act like our mother's children this time. Let's put our emotions to the side and get that book back. Let's go in with a strategy instead of rushing in. We aren't all built like Percy after all."

We locked eyes for a moment before I lowered my eyes to the floor.

It really wasn't fair. I had been at camp for so long before him, and yet he's come in and already acting all level-headed about this all. But he didn't get it. Everything fell into place for him when he arrived at camp! He fell in line with Marc and Percy! A certified war veteran and the Percy Jackson! He'd never understand what it was like to be constantly overlooked.

He only wanted to leave the camp; he didn't need to.

I bit my lip and took a deep breath.

He was right.

I knew he was. There was much more on the line than our little pride and I couldn't stand to be the reason we failed again.

"You're right." I looked back up to see a smile on his face, "Stay on my left side to cover for my injury. Stay close and we can work off of each other's movements, similar to that other drill Percy was thinking about implementing."

Adrian smirked at my words.

"Now we're making mom proud."

I grinned back at him, raising my shield with a grunt.

"Bold of you to assume it wasn't only you she's yet to be proud of."

He snorted in response as he took up his position to my left. We nodded at each other before bending the corner into the alleyway.

The air in the alley hung thick, laden with an almost tangible musk which nearly caused me to recoil. The heavy weight of the presence of death was one that I had been forced to come to grips with, but there was something far more unnerving about the ones eager to cause it.

I stepped closer to Adrian, letting the edges of my shield cover him as we advanced on the backs of the monsters. I flicked my eyes to my half-brother, but he shook his head, his own gaze fixated on the monsters before us.

It was clear that the mist was at work. There was no other way they could have been so negligent of the death of the monsters guarding the alleyway. It also explained how the grim stench of decay had been masked by the, comparatively, sweet scent of the New York air.

"Where's the book mortal!"

We stopped in sync. The garbled, heavy amalgamation of sounds barely forming a coherent sentence. It sent shivers down my spine and my instincts were immediately sent into overdrive.

I risked another glance at Adrian and this time he returned the look.

Dangerous.

The word was unspoken, yet it seemed audible from the brief moment we had locked eyes. The seconds seemed to slowly drag on as we both sunk lower into our stances. I took measured breaths, doing my best to avoid sucking in the nigh toxic air as we continued to assess the situation in silence.

"Do whatever it is that you must. Know that, only in death will I relinquish that which you desire which belongs not to you."

The Cyclops gave a low growl before doing something startling.

Its rose.

For the first time, I realised that the massive creature had been stooped low to converse with Henry. Even in its lowered position it had dwarfed us, sizing up at nearly seven feet. Yet as it rose foot by foot, I couldn't fully fight the trepidation which seized my throat.

"Take care of the demigods first." Its distorted speech surprised the monsters around it. They all turned to us and stared in shock for a moment before they obliged the command of their leader.

I felt a slight nudge on the edge of my shield, and I forced myself to calm down. Keeping my eyes trained on the approaching creatures, I gave Adrian a small nod of appreciation.

I drew in a deep breath of air, drawing lower to the floor as the monsters bounded towards us.

The heavy pressure in the air seemed to slowly dissipate as my eyes narrowed. I peered closely at the loose and chaotic formation in which the monsters rushed us with. A scoff almost slipped past my lips as a course of action quickly formulated in my mind.

Trusting Adrian's word and his adaptability, I pushed off of my back leg. The nearest monster came to a halt as my blade swung menacingly in the air. I followed through with the horizontal arc, spinning to Adrian's front. The momentary lapse from the monsters was enough for Adrian to slip low past me, his dagger embedding in the eye of a motionless Empousa.

Determined to make full use of the advantage, I rushed past Adrian. My sword slid through the crumbling Empousa before I quickly slit the throat of a stunned Hellhound.

The monsters growled as they broke free from their stunned stupor. I hid my smirk behind my shield and took a few hurried steps back in retreat. The monsters were eager to fill the gap once more as they gave chase.

"Adrian!"

I leapt backwards, bringing the sole of my feet behind me as I tucked my body as tightly as I could behind my shield. My half-brother's response came in a grunt as he pushed against the sole of my feet.

I felt my stomach lurch at the sudden shift in direction but pushed the feeling down. I grunted slightly as my shield caught the shoulder of a Cyclops a bit behind the front monsters. Kicking off of the falling creature, I spun in mid-air. My blade lashed out from behind my shield, dredging a large trench in the back of a Telkhine as I used its back to slow my downward momentum.

I ignored the agonistic howls of the creature. Yanking my blade free from its body, I deflected a thrust of a spear from an Empousa. I stepped closer to it, plunging my sword into its neck before pushing its body towards the monsters behind me and turning, instinctively sinking behind my shield.

A heavy strike of a sword pushed me back, earning a grunt of pain. I felt a numbness creep up my already damaged shield arm. I had no time to pay it any mind as I darted out of the way of another downward strike from a Cyclops. My sword stopped my momentum by slipping easily into the opened maw of a Hellhound.

A dagger whizzed past my head before a sickening thud stopped its shrill sound. I smirked, not even turning to see whatever monster had died in its attempt to blindside me.

Remembering the aforementioned tactics, I turned my back to the direction the dagger had come from. I shifted my gaze to my right, raising my sword a little higher as the weight of the shield seemed to drag it lower than I would have liked. Two Telkhines stood tall before me, their eyes darting around as they saw their numbers continue to thin at an alarming rate.

I shot them the most malicious grin I could muster as I dropped the tip of my sword. They responded by snarling and rushing me. My blade licked the ground as it searched for any loose pieces of earth. Hearing the clink of metal on rock, I flicked it upwards with my blade. A cloud of dust and pebbles flung towards the eyes of the charging creatures.

The frontal Telkhine howled as it dropped its spear to hold its eye. The secondary monster stepped in front of its injured bredrin, raising its shield as my sword dropped low again. A wicked smirk formed on my lips as I flicked another small rock and threw my blade after it in one swift motion.

A lesson learned from Clarisse.

The moment the stone hit the shield, the creature lowered the shield, only to be forcefully given a horn. A dagger made its comrade share a similar fate but a second later.

"You do a lot of twirly shit for someone who needs their left flank covered." Adrian managed through heavy pants. I gave him a wry smile as I scanned the battlefield around us. Taking stock of the fact that the alleyway was, now, devoid of monsters, I made my way to my sword.

"Sorry about that." I groaned into a wince as I bent to retrieve my blade. "Can you hold my shield for me?"

Adrian scoffed playfully as he gingerly removed the shield from my injured arm.

"Ah yes, I'm mighty glad you two have dealt with that. But possibly… could you cast some assistance onto a poor helpless mortal?"

Adrian rolled his eyes before casting his gaze at Henry. "Do you have the book?"

"Of course, I have the fucking book!"

I held back a groan at the petulance of the bipolar mortal. I stared at my limp left arm for a moment, sighing at the lack of the shield.

"Is there any chance that you're more willing to give it to us now?"

The mortal grumbled as he reached behind his back, tugging the book free from a pouch which hung on his belt.

"Wait… what about the othe-"

A hellhound burst through the shadow behind Henry, pushing the man to the floor and clattering the book towards us. The Dracaena, Queen Sess, peered over the head of the hound with a crossbow aimed at us. Adrian quickly stepped in front of me with my shield raised.

I ducked low, my eyes widening as I saw the hellhound begin to sink back into the floor. I pushed myself forward, slipping under the shield as I heard the heavy thunk of the bolt. Adrian's thigh nudged me slightly off balance as the weight of the bolt pushed him off balance. My right hand slammed against the floor, pushing my body back upright as I scrambled for the book.

The shadows under the book began to thicken and I cried out defiantly, urging my body forward faster. The fingers of the Dracaena began to poke out of the shadow, and I shook my head. Throwing my body at the book, I heard my own scream mix with that of the others on either side of me.

The book sunk into the floor, the cold chuckle of Queen Sess slipping out of the shadow as I slammed into the filthy concrete. I felt my eyes well up in tears from a combination of pain and the crushing feeling of defeat.

I noticed the heavy presence which had tainted the alleyway dissipated as it suddenly gave way to the stench and busy ambience of New York.

I rolled to my side, groaning as my injured arm all but screamed in protest and pain at being used and abused as it had been.

"No no no no no…"

Henry muttered to himself, falling to the floor as his hands held his head.

"How could this happen!"

I felt the words catch in my throat as I stared at the flustered mortal, who was beginning to have a meltdown. I felt a hollowness begin to form in my stomach as Adrian came to a stop at my side. I slowly shifted, wincing as I repositioned myself to sit on the floor as I gingerly moved my injured left arm onto my lap.

"This isn't over, Henry. We'll figure something out."

Adrian's words meant nothing. They clearly belied his feeling of utter defeat.

Henry's mumbling paused and I perked up at the void left by his sudden quietness.

"Do you think they took the book to read?" He pressed on before we could answer "How do you think I became a clear-sighted mortal? The book is filled with the magical essence of Athena. The book is little more than an accurate historical account of the Grecian times. Something you all should have in abundance at your camp."

I was about to interject, to let the mortal know that we had already come to this conclusion, but I felt Adrian's hand rest on my uninjured shoulder. As I tore my gaze from the rambling mortal, I saw the shake of Adrian's head and sighed. Slouching slightly, I continued to let the mortal rant.

"I absorbed as much of the essence as I could from the book, becoming a clear-sighted mortal and having it enhance my brain tremendously. The book, the artefact, was practically a blessing of Athena waiting for one of her children to get a hold of it. But now, it's in the hands of a monster, who can likely absorb all of it."

He shook his head, his confidence fading away as he, once again, began muttering to himself.

Adrian and I shared another look.

I smiled. It was a soft one that held the faintest trace of happiness. For the first time since we took this mission, I truly felt as though I wasn't alone. I nudged slightly against Adrian, offering a silent thanks for his being there.

Another moment of silence from the mortal presented itself. A sudden feeling of boisterous determination flourished within me.

"We'll kill it."

Henry stared at me as though I had grown horns and become one of the very creatures we had just fought.

"You'd have to practically be a god to defeat that thing! It's more than just a monster! It's not Athena's raw energy… IT'S HER ESSENCE! What makes Athena, Athena is kept in that book. A sliver of her power could turn a demigod to a god! What do you think it would do to a monster!"

I almost spluttered at the heated barks he responded with. I could feel my face redden at his constant condescending tone.

"What do you know of the gods, mortal? They would never-"

"Even if that was true, it would only mean that they would never, not could never. The gods do more than hide themselves from you demigods. You have no idea the true extent of their power! The Olympians are some of the oldest gods in creation. Power doesn't dissipate as they'd like you to believe. If it truly did, would Zeus have needed to trick his father to kill him? Would the gods not simply be at ease when Kronos began to rise, when Gaea began to take form. The mere fact that these beings needed time after being awake to reach their full power while already doing what they did should be a true testament to the reality of the power of the gods."

He paused, his shoulders relaxing as he panted out a few ragged breaths.

"As to what I know of the gods… Athena's essence came with some of the memories she kept. In many ways, I am much more connected to your mother than you two may ever be. It would be insulting to say that she is a part of me more than that I've become a minute extension of herself."

I shifted slightly, turning again towards Adrian. His face was blank, the dull expression was one that I hadn't seen at all since I had known him. A small part of me felt happy that he could taste this bitter feeling of defeat. Yet it was so strange to see him without his usual confidence.

"I apologise for my outbursts. You may have the blood of the gods, yet they run in the veins, bodies, and minds of teenagers. Mistakes and failures are but a part of life. Learn from this."

A sudden coldness wafted through the air before either of us could respond.

"It comes to finish what it has started." Henry's sombre voice cut through the sudden silence that came with the chill.

"We need to leave then." Adrian said, snapping out of his funk and walking towards Henry to help him to his feet. The mortal took his hand and stood before shaking his head softly with a small smile playing on his lips.

"There is no escaping a being who is attached to me. It will know where I am at all times, and it will seek to retrieve the little bit of essence I have harboured within me. You kids run. Alert your friends. There are only a few demigods capable of dealing with the threats that the gods ignore, fortunately you are led by one such demigod."

A growl sent shivers down my spine as the earth suddenly shivered. I turned to see one massive paw protruding from the shadow of a garbage bin. The head emerged and that alone was the size of a car. It struggled to fit itself in the tight alleyway, the walls creaking on either side as it stood at a menacing fourteen feet in the air.

"There is nothing left but to accept death."

The dismal tone that accompanied Henry's submittance to his faith was infectious as despair clutched my heart instantly.

The hellhound gave an ear shattering howl.

I turned to Adrian and noticed him mouthing something through the sound of the monster, but I decided to wait until the monster stopped for him to repeat. I turned and was startled to find the hellhound's mouth were shut, only quivering in, what seemed to be, a silent growl.

I turned back to Adrian and noticed his frantic expression as his lips continued to move. With a start, my right hand moved to my right ear as I realised my eardrum had burst. The moment the conclusion came to mind, my hand raised to my ears. I brought my sleek fingers in front of my eyes, stunned, as I inspected the liquid which coated them. Pain instantly coursed through my ears as I realised that it was my own blood which stained my fingers.

I could feel the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. The constant adrenaline rush which I had been on for the last few days was beginning to wash away under the stagnancy of our defeat. I felt Adrian's hand slip into mine and I shifted my gaze to him as he lowered my hand to his side. I felt him squeeze my hand slightly and I fought to compose myself as best as I could.

I suppose I did have a bit more experience in facing the end than him. Steeling my resolve as best as I could, I squeezed his hand back. We would go out as we came into this mission, together.

I began cursing myself as the cold salty drops trailed down my cheeks until I felt a drop of the liquid brush against my forehead. I looked up in shock, confusion taking over me as the droplet multiplied by the dozens until I stood beneath a sudden and silent downpour.

A chill raced down my spine, the biting cold of the rain causing me to shiver. Mere seconds later, another chill sparked up my spine.

I felt as though I were being watched by a predator far more dangerous than the behemoth of a Hellhound before me.

My head turned against my will, my innate curiosity begging to identify the secondary threat before I was eliminated. If I was to die, I should at least know how!

My heart hammered in my chest as my grip on Adrian's hand tightened. My gaze slipped past my brother and over my shoulder.

I noticed Henry first. The previous sombre mortal had a joyous gleam to his eyes as he mouthed something to me. My brain struggled to put together the meaning to the silent words as my gazed trickled past the borderline insane man.

The thick shadows overhead shroud the mysterious figure which stood behind the giddy mortal. I squinted at the shadows, trying desperately to peer through them to identify the entity in view. My eyes widened in shock as the words of the mortal suddenly began to piece together.

"Rejoice, for Olympus has called upon its mightiest hero!"

Percy

The water around me vibrated with energy as it trembled under my enraged control.

The burning rays of the sun still shone obnoxiously in the sky above. An irritation which was shed as the chariot of Apollo shied away behind the bundling of storm clouds. Thunder clapped overhead and Lightning arced in the sky.

Seeing my uncle's response to my interference in his domain, I slunk further into the depths of the sea.

"Percy!"

The image of Adrastea which danced before me momentarily slowed my careening path through the ocean.

"Report."

"We just arrived but Chrysilla and Adrian ran off to find Henry."

I felt the sea bubble, matching the inner rage which continued to sweep through my body.

"Is there any pool of water near you?"

Adrastea looked at me for a moment, confusion etched on her face.

"There is-"

"Show me."

The daughter of Ares nodded, shifting her body so that a pond appeared behind her.

"What's this about, Percy?"

I slowed to a halt, the churning of the ocean around me unrelenting in my presence.

"It took me nearly three days to reach my current location. I could only swim that distance fast enough if I were my father."

Adrastea's eyes widened in shock as she seemed to come to some sort of understanding. The image of her brightening eyes faded to darkness as I closed mine.

"Are you going to control the water from wherever you are?!"

I stayed silent, drawing in the unsurmountable power which awaited my command from the infinite pool around me. The humming of the water grew stronger until I could hear it almost audibly whine at the amount of power I had gathered from it.

I prodded at the magical mist before me, stretching my senses through it. I could feel the resistance as my will collided with another.

'Just this once.'

Suddenly, I felt a connection to the pond on the other side of the IM. The scene behind Adrastea was suddenly before me. I could feel the different body of water, the familiar shapes which shifted the vapour in the air.

The Vanguard.

The way they moved erratically, yet in their own elegant dances, I could tell they were in the midst of a heated battle.

Letting their forms fade into the back of my mind, I began tugging at my physical body. The sound of rushing water filled my ears before they popped.

I was no longer surrounded by trillions of tons of seawater. I was no longer where I belonged.

Yet I had arrived home.

The pull of the freshwater dragged me out of the pond and onto the grassy field behind Adrastea. As I opened my eyes, I could see her turn around in the IM still before me.

All eyes shifted to me as I fished Riptide from my pocket and let it elongate. I could feel my body creak and moan at the strenuous exertion of raw energy, but my anger was yet to be satiated. A smile as wicked as the edges of my blade pulled my lips apart.

A trail of pond water snaked its way to my leg, letting it begin to rejuvenate me as I stepped through the Iris Message. The monsters took a step back, trembling as the waves of raw power continued to exude from my pores. The Vanguard seemed to catch a second wind as they returned their attention to the enemy.

"I've done something much, much better."

Chrysilla

Percy stepped past Henry.

A faint sea green hue began to emit from his skin, casting a magnificent contrast against the thickening shadows which stretched from the storm clouds which rumbled up above.

Percy stepped past us.

The water around his body darted before him, forming into spikes. They grew denser as they froze over before shooting off like missiles.

The large hellhound was now the one stuck in the trap it had set.

It shuddered, its mouth moving again to howl as it slammed its body against the walls. Its body began sinking into the shadows in a desperate attempt to flee from the treacherous ice spikes.

The ice was far quicker.

Blood dirtied the spears before they dissipated into steam, leaving the wounds to spill the hound's lifeforce freely onto the floor. The creature glared at Percy, but he stood defiantly and protectively before us. My eyes watered, this time I was sure from the contrast of the warmth of the liquid against the cool rainwater.

I knew Percy was saying something completely badass, and I cursed my ears for being so feeble to withhold me from the complete epic which was being written before me.

Percy turned his gaze towards us, staring at us with eyes that held an astonishing amount of softness for a man who had displayed his power in such a destructive manner.

He stared at us as we ignored his words which we couldn't hear.

As he understood that his words were falling on deaf ears, he shook his head slightly. His crooked grin which stretched across his lips was a comforting sight.

As he turned his head to face the Hellhound once more, I could feel the shift in his energy. The rain droplets seemed to careen into the earth with a little more force around us.

The swell of energy reminded me of whenever Zina prepared to fire a bolt.

Percy raised Riptide to the sky, and the heavy pellets of water froze in mid-air. They didn't turn into ice, no they simply stopped as though time had come to a halt.

The only indication that it was not so came from the tremors I felt around me. Shifting my eyes back to the hound, I saw that it had managed to free itself of its self-imposed trap. The sides of the building crumbled around it as it barged through what remained of the structures towards Percy.

I felt Adrian's hand squeeze mine and I shifted my eyes to him. He was staring towards the sky with a comical amount of surprise. I fought the urge to laugh as I let my eyes follow his.

The once still water in the sky began pooling and forming a large Trident.

I felt my own jaw unhinge at the sight before me.

A splay of debris against, and around, me drew my attention back to the hound. The distance between us was rapidly decreasing.

I flicked my gaze back to the Trident in the sky, urging it to completion faster.

My worried gaze fell back upon the Hellhound and saw it open its maw and leap towards Percy.

The world grew sluggish as time seemed to slow to a crawl. It seemed inevitable that Percy would be consumed by the monstrous being, all logic indicated that there was no way he could possibly survive.

Yet a smile began pulling at my lips regardless.

There were very few people meant to constantly defy logic, and Percy Jackson was definitely one of them.

The son of Poseidon dropped his blade.

A cloud of dust, water and ice forced my eyes closed as I felt my body wrapped in a tight embrace. A mute cry of anguish left my lips as my broken bones and battered body wailed at the sudden reminder of its state of disrepair.

The tight hold on my body relinquished and I felt myself pulled back to a sitting position. After a few more moments, I could feel the pain ebb just enough for me to peek past my squinted shut eyelids to see the result of the battle.

The hellhound was pinned in such a way that it could not move at all, but it's vitals were still intact.

The blood of the creature filled the massive water construct, flowing from the open wounds as though it were caught in a sudden current.

A Riptide.

My eyes fell back onto Percy, who was staring behind me and shouting.

I felt a new pair of hands on me before a warm liquid dribbled into my ears, causing me to flinch for a moment. Slowly my eardrums began to meld back together. The sudden sounds of New York mixed with the varying screams of rage and agony, accompanied by the striking of metal on flesh was, altogether, a jarring experience.

I felt my body heat up under the sudden presence of a blanket as Jordon sat behind me with a harsh look on his face.

"You're so lucky Percy is going to chew the shit out of you better than I could have."

I smiled softly at the son of Apollo, offering an apology that caught both of us off guard. Myself for the meekness and Jordon for its simple utterance. I turned back to the Hellhound to see that the creature was replaced by a stream of monsters being fended off by the Vanguard.

"Chrysilla."

I froze at the strength in Percy's voice. The sheer authority which I had heard being used to reprimand others finally cast onto me.

"If you're going to die on me, die like a daughter of Athena."

I turned to find Percy sitting with his back against the wall to my side. I felt my breath hitch at the sight of him.

How could he manage to put so much energy into his voice?

His usually tan skin seemed to have paled a few shades and his eyes had sprouted heavy bags beneath them. His hand trembled under the weight of Riptide, which slipped free from his grasp before clattering to a stop beside him.

"Rest." His words caught me off guard, stopping the flow of my own. "And let the others do what they've been trained to do. Let them help."

I stared away from him at the implication of his words. There was a long pause which followed as I listened to the sounds of battle fade away. They were quickly followed by the sounds of the Vanguard taking stock of the wounded and helping them towards us, where the children of Apollo had set up a makeshift infirmary.

"Ah, Athena! I've been awaiting this moment-"

"For approximately three weeks, yes I know."

My eyes snapped towards Henry before bouncing to where he stared. There I found my mother. She stood tall; her chin held high despite the way her eyes scanned the mortal on the floor before her.

"We will talk another time, Henry. We will have all the time in the world to talk, for now, go somewhere safe."

Her eyes flickered away from him as he vanished in a flash of light. Athena's piercing grey eyes roved over the entire alleyway, not dissimilar to the way I had seen Adrian's, and possibly how others had seen mine. After a moment, her eyes settled on Percy in a narrowed gaze.

"Is this how you truly conduct your little group, Perseus?"

Her tone was harsh, earning a wince from me as she stepped towards Percy. The cloth which hugged her body morphed into something indiscernible before settling on a simple grey dress.

"Careful Athena…" my eyes widened at the sass in Percy's voice. "We both know you stand to lose far more than my father should he have reason to reconsider recent events."

The world seemed to still as the two shared an intense look. The barest trace of a smile tugged at my mother's lips and a breath I didn't know I was holding slipped free from my lips.

"I was never fond of his children. The only one to meet my fancy, swooned over me. Now the next one to earn as close to the respect as I'd given Theseus swoons over my daughters."

Percy chuckled but it was dry and cold.

"Something about forbidden love, am I right?"

Athena didn't respond, but I could see a hint of amusement dance in her eyes. I couldn't shake the utter disbelief at their interaction. Despite the calmness of their demeanours, my instincts were on edge throughout their discussion.

"Could you give me a moment to speak with my children?"

"I could use the moment to redress I suppose."

I immediately snapped my gaze towards him, and he was, in fact, shirtless. How hadn't I noticed that before!

"You can ogle later, Chrysilla. I want you both to know of the story of your sibling."

Athena came to a stop before my brother and me. I started shifting to stand up, but my mother quickly placed a gentle hand on my uninjured shoulder. Sighing in relief, I sat back onto the horrifically filthy floor that I had grown attached to.

"As you two know, the book was intended for another of my children." I let my eyes shift upward to my mother as she began to speak, "They had a hard life. But I had much greater intentions for them. Henry was their librarian. One who cared for them far more than any of the other mortals had. My child had told Henry of the book they were looking for, under my advice in a dream, and Henry went in search of it for my child as a gift."

Athena paused for a moment, a small smile donning her lips as her eyes seemed to stare far beyond us. They suddenly refocused and my mother continued her tale.

"Alas, on the day he found it and alerted my child, his curiosity grew too much, and he opened it. It had been an ill-fated moment as my child had fallen into the grasp of the monsters around the same time. As such, rather than simply end my child's life, they instead chose to torture my child to learn more about the sudden energy signature which had been matched to their own. After they obtained their desired information, and murdered my already mutilated child, they began their hunt for Henry."

There was a pregnant pause which followed the end of my mother's brief recounting. I could almost hear the gears turning in Adrian's head as they did in mine as we absorbed the information given to us.

"But how could they do that? Monsters aren't that smart!"

Adrian's question was mirrored by mine as we spoke simultaneously once again. It took me a few seconds to decipher his question.

"You would have made that child immortal?"

Athena stared at us for a few moments. Her eyes softened greatly as she seemed to refocus on our faces for the first time since beginning her story. Her eyes shifted to the sky briefly.

"I believe you've often been told that there is much more to the world beyond the border of camp." Her words came as soft whispers that barely traced their presence in my ears. She slowly lowered her chin such that her eyes could recapture mine. I felt as though I had her undivided attention for the first time, and I was completely enraptured by the presence of my mother.

"Monsters under the influence of a Titan or a Giant are far different from a monster acting on its own accord. These creatures are as old as many of the gods. Did you assume they would remain mindless forever?"

I couldn't speak, but my head shook in response as though it were the only obvious answer. Suddenly, her enamoured gaze shifted towards my brother.

"Yes, my child. That was the intention. Certain things had required their mind. Unfortunately, things will have to be restructured."

Another pause took hold of us, and I registered, for the first time, that the previously ambient sounds of cursing and honking horns were out of my earshot. I flickered my gaze from my brother and back to my mother.

Was she shielding our conversation? Could I truly ask her anything?

I felt a flurry of affection towards my mother as my mind was flooded with a torrent of desired questions.

Prying myself free of my internal debate, I refocused on the paused conversation at hand.

"Then why are so many monsters so easily defeated?"

I almost cursed myself aloud at the chosen question. It was something that had plagued my mind endlessly since we had left them camp. There had been spectacular moments of sudden insurmountable odds, yet they were so far and few between that I had begun to truly doubt the weight of the fears that had been forced upon prior and during our journeys.

"You are my children. The daughter and son of an Olympian god, surrounded by many other children of other Olympian gods. Just because your abilities pale in comparison to the gods does little justice to your abilities."

I was about to nod when my mother spoke up once again.

"Be wary yet, however. Just as the side of the gods has creatures such as dryads and satyrs before the level of demigods, so too do the monsters."

There was an intensity behind the words spoken that sent a chill down my spine. I was about to question my mother further when Adrian's mouth suddenly cut through the momentary silence.

"I just don't get how you can just make a demigod immortal! What about the laws!"

Athena offered him only a sly smile. She extended her right hand, which was enclosed in a tight fist. A bright light shone out of the gaps of her fingers before they unravelled. In the palm of her hand was a pouch, similar to that of Hermes'.

"There are still things which you are not privy to know. This pouch contains a fully equipped command tent. It has been blessed to provide an atmosphere that is conducive for research and reading. It will clear your minds should you need to alienate the distractions of the outside world. Use this wisely to avoid future mistakes."

I felt my eyes widened as I stared at the pouch with a burning desire to have its effects wash over me. Adrian was the first to regain his composure.

"Why are you gifting us instead of punishing us for failing?"

Athena chuckled lightly, her eyes shifting to the, now fully clothed, son of Poseidon who was checking up on all of the members of the Vanguard.

"I saw the look in Perseus' eyes. You fear the wrath of the wrong individual."

As I continued to stare at Percy, I saw Cassandra rush towards him and hug his leg tightly. He smiled down on the daughter of Tyche, playing with her hair lightly. The girl laughed at something he said before he took her hand in his. The pair then continued the self-assigned task of the son of Poseidon and walked over to the next member of the Vanguard to check on them.

I frowned slightly as the sight of them prodded a question to the fore of my mind.

"Why didn't you mention the name of our sibling?"

Athena stared at one of the destroyed walls as she offered a frown unlike mine. Whereas mine formed under the formulation of my curiosity, hers portrayed the raw emotions of what I assumed was sadness.

"I am still a mother. The story hurts to tell, but the name pains me even more…"

The goddess shook her head slightly. Her frown dissipated suddenly as her eyes fell onto us once again. "My time with you is nearing its end, children. You would do well not to dwell too heavily on this failure. Instead, learn from it and from Perseus. He may not have the intellect as a child of mine, but his experience and battle instincts rival that of a child of war."

My eyes widened at the compliment, but I nodded all the same.

"I care very deeply for you both. Chrysilla," I raised my head surprised at the warm smile on Athena's face. She pulled me close to her into a tight embrace before whispering in my ear, "My dear. You are your own harshest critic. You aren't overwhelmed with pride; you're overwhelmed with self-doubt. Have some pride in yourself and what you want to achieve. Do as you wish to do, and people will remember you for it. Be the leader you desire to be, so long as you respect the oath made to the son of the sea. These things will make your life much easier."

I stared at her for a few moments after she pulled away. My eyes began watering as she pulled Adrian into a similar embrace. A few moments later, they separated, and he took the pouch from my mother.

"You two have already made me proud. Surviving beyond the border for as long as you have is more of an achievement than you'll truly realise. Perseus could have only done so much; you all have much to be proud of."

We nodded before closing our eyes as our mother disappeared in a flash of light. The soft embrace of my mother shattered under the oppressive and boisterous droning from beyond the edges of the alleyway.

"When are you going to learn?"

I paled at the sound of Percy's voice. It was unbearingly heavy despite his soft utterance of the words. I turned slowly to see his face was contorted in a twisted concoction of anger and agony.

"When will you learn that this is far more than just some little game? This is your life, the lives of everyone else that you're playing with. When will you learn that?"

My mouth hung open as words failed to spill from my lips. I could only stare apologetically at the man before me, but my eyes could do little to quell the oceanic orbs of swirling emotions.

"I've been lenient these past few months, despite the horrific showing against the centaur. I chose to be impartial due to Hermes' words, yet it seems that you're desperate to call me to action." His hand fell to his side as his powerful, swirling green eyes peered into my soul. "Tell me why it is I received an IM from one of my members that a fucking squad leader had gone rouge?"

I flinched at the quietness of his voice. It failed to raise even a single octave, yet the words pierced my very being.

"We are one group. One team. One unit. One Vanguard."

The light pattering of water gave way to the traffic of New York as the rain ceased entirely.

"If you have a burden, we all have a burden. If you're crippled, then we're all crippled. If you can't move, then we can't move. So, if you become a selfish, arrogant, impudent thick-headed asshole, what happens to us all?"

Percy paused, pinching the bridge of his nose.

A few soft moments passed, as I sat in silence. My eyes were glued to the shoddy asphalt which was spread around me. The ostentatious and belligerent curses which spilled over into the unbearable lull in our scolding somewhat soothing my racing mind. I took particular notice of each curse word, jotting down a few that I hadn't heard before mentally.

"Are all the injured secured?"

I stared up at Percy, only to see his back facing me. A few replies later, he turned once again. He came to my side before slipping his hand behind my back and under my legs.

"If I were to be overly harsh on you for running off to complete a mission by yourself, I'd be a hypocrite. Just don't die doing it if you fully believe it's the right thing to do."

His whispers earned a small, shocked glance as I stared up at him. Through the parting clouds the radiant rays of the sun slipped free and unto the earth. A sudden warmth spread through my body, and the dryness of my skin nearly startled me. I peered at my dried arm before staring back at Percy. The way the droplets of water collected above his head allowed the light to refract through them.

It truly seemed as though I were in the arms and presence of a god.

"And whatever you do, don't die."

A/N: Why hello there! I've been missing in action for a hot minute now at the time of writing this. This should be coming out for the second week in a row when I post this, but this is what the impromptu break was for. I guess I ran out of motivation to write this a little, but I'm kind of catching it back. I'm probably going to write a few more chapters before posting again, but I'll make it a habit of keeping tabs of things when I'm done with the chapters until I'm posting again.

Anyway, I'm on discord now! I'm part of The Emerald Library.

discord. gg/AsqJUDTqMG

That's the link if you're interested. You can check me out over there and I can keep you all up to date with what I'm doing regarding the story and when I'm posting or taking time off! There are a bunch of really great authors there so feel free to check their channels and content as well.

Anyway, I've waffled enough. Thank you all for taking the time to read my little story, I'm still determined to finish this and I'm going through the remaining chapters slowly but surely.

That's all for this week though. I hope you're having a great day whenever you're reading this and I'll see you all next week!

-ZedricSOZ