The Son Of Hercules

by Echoxenvy

Follow Matt Beckett, the Son of Hercules, as he and his friends wage war on the Primordial God Ouranos and his wide variety of allies. Love, hardship, battle, loss, and glory are just five of the many things he will experience on his epic journey. Current Book: Bane Of The Seas. OC-Centered.

1. I Wrestle An Invincible Lion

This story follows my OC as the main character, Matt Beckett, the Son of Hercules, goes on a forced "journey" as punishment for something that wasn't even his fault. This is set one year after the events in The Trials of Apollo, and will involve classic characters like Percy, Annabeth, Chiron, Nico, etc.

I will make updates pretty quickly and work on this story everyday until it's done. So expect new chapters to come out at a good speed.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters (except for the OC's) or Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes Of Olympus, and Trials Of Apollo, all of that belongs to Rick Riordan, the genius himself.

Now then, on with the first chapter. I should say, Matt's backstory is pretty tragic.

1. I Wrestle An Invincible Lion

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood.

Sound familiar? Yeah, that's how we all feel.

At least I assume that's how we all feel, I wouldn't know. I haven't spoken to another demigod in years, and the times I did, It was for a few minutes at most. The conversations usually consisted of did you see where that monster went? Or dude, get out of my campsite.

I'm not a social person, but I guess this is the part where I'm supposed to introduce myself.

My name is Matt Beckett. I'm fifteen years old, and I hate my life.

Why, you may ask? Well I already said it, I'm a demigod. And not just any demigod, the son of the almighty Hercules. You know, the buff bearded guy that killed just about every monster in existence like a thousand years ago.

Yay.

Yeah, buff bearded guy is pretty much all I know about him, I've never seen his face in person, not once. Which is fine by me, I don't need his help, he's never offered it. Not to me, not to my mom.

My mom.

Okay, maybe I don't need his help, and I know for a fact that I don't deserve it. But my mom sure does, if there is anyone that deserves any kind of help, it's her.

Her name is Tracy Beckett, and she's the only person in the world that I involve myself with. Which is unfortunate for her.

See, I'm better off keeping to myself. I guess you could call me a loner, a drifter, a introvert, or an anti-social loser as some kids like to call me when they think I can't hear them. I could stand up to them, I could tell them off, but they're right, I am an anti-social loser, I'm the reason that my mom is in a mental hospital suffering from PTSD, I'm the reason why those kids got hurt seven years ago. Wherever I go, whatever I do, monsters find me and attack, and that means everyone around me gets hurt, so I distance myself as much as possible, despite going to school, but I've found out the chances of a monster attack decrease if you don't have an emotional attachment to anybody.

Not that I would have any friends anyway even if I wasn't a demigod.

I first found out something was up when I was seven years old. My mom had taken me to Manhattan Beach for the day, carrying me in her arms, even though I was "too old" for that, she didn't mind. She was a part time bodybuilder and full time personal trainer, so I guess that's why Hercules was so attracted to her.

She was muscular yeah, but it was natural, it fit her perfectly. She never seemed out of place from any of the other women around us. She acted just the same. I still remember the way the ocean breeze used to mess up her long brown hair, all the times she smiled at me when I built a sandcastle, chased the seagulls, or jumped in the water.

I love the sea. I wish I was a Son of Poseidon. It would make more sense, considering it's the only place where I feel truly at peace. All of my troubled thoughts cast away, my worries gone, my stress melting into the sunset.

But the incident at Manhattan beach eight years ago, was anything but peaceful.

I was in the water swimming and trying to grab any kelp that floated by me, my mother was close by. I was having a blast, until I heard screams. I remember looking at the source of the bloodcurdling cries and seeing a huge dorsal fin making it's way to a group of kids. Their parents frantically running to get them, and the children screaming their heads off.

It's hard to explain, I remember feeling a rush of adrenaline inside me, but at the same time, it hurt. My stomach felt like acid had entered it, my skin tingled, and my ears were ringing. Either way, I acted on instinct and did something dumb, I ran towards the shark.

I remember being extremely angry at the shark. These kids are trying to have a fun day at the beach, and you just come along and ruin everything, I probably thought.

I was so angry, the feeling of adrenaline increased, but the pain increased too, I remember seeing an aura of red come across my body, followed by steam. I still can't explain exactly what that was all about, but I do remember moving a lot faster in the water than I should've been able to.

I jumped at the shark before it could hurt anybody. It had to be at least ten feet long. It thrashed and swam at incredible speeds, it had a few scars on its side and back. I would come to learn that this was not a regular shark, It was a sea monster, faster and more dangerous than your average Great White.

But my seven year old self hung on. The dark red aura still around me, steam billowing off of my exposed arms, chest, and legs. I held on too the dorsal fin, and waited until the shark slowed down, but it didn't. It turned and tried to go back towards the group of kids, it got about five feet from them until I took offensive action. I remember yelling NO! and jumping off of it's back, landing in front of it, and catching it by it's mouth. I had stopped it dead in it's tracks, but it wasn't actually dead yet. A few moments of struggle passed, and I almost lost balance, the thing was insanely strong. But I attacked, yelling in defiance, I let go of it's mouth and quickly weaved towards it's side, I reared my fist back and punched it as hard as I could in the gills. The force sent the shark all the way to the shore, a shock wave from the punch spread the water around me. So it looked like a grenade had gone off underwater. I remember swimming to the shore, and seeing the shark dead. The dark red aura around me faded, and the steam stopped coming off of my body, the adrenaline went away, along with the pain. I stumbled, and my mom caught me, I could feel the tears running down her face. I looked at where the shark lay, but didn't see it anymore. Instead, one of it's teeth about the size of my thumb lay there. I didn't know it then, but that was the first monster I had ever killed, and it's tooth was a spoil of war.

I picked it up, and held it gently. "What just happened, mommy?" I remember saying.

She still had tears running down her face, but she said "My brave boy, th-there is something that we have to talk about, let's get home first, and m-maybe on the way we can get some ice cream, huh?"

I nodded, taking her hand, I followed her off the beach and we made our way straight home, completely forgetting about the ice cream.

That night, I found out I was a demigod, the Son of Hercules.

And after that, things went downhill very quickly.

Mom had told me about a place where demigods can be safe, some summer camp called Camp Half Blood. A place where kids like me gather and learn to fight, race chariots, ride winged horses, play Capture The Flag, and a whole bunch of other stuff. But I refused, I didn't want to leave her, not for the summer, and certainly not year round. I remember one night when I was eight, I was almost forced to go. My mom had apparently called the Camp and arranged for a satyr to come pick me up.

Satyrs are half human, half goat by the way, just figured I should throw that out there.

I had been asleep, having some nightmare about a hell hound or something, when I woke up to my mom shaking me, telling me gently that it was time to go to the camp, and that I would be much safer there. I remember seeing a tall guy and a short guy. The tall one wore a sleeveless shirt, with baggy jeans and high tops, he had horns poking out of his curly black hair, I think his name was Luis or Logan, or something like that. The kid next to him wore a Rasta cap, also had on baggy jeans and high tops, I remember him seeming nervous and biting a tin can every few seconds.

"Why are there two of you here?" My mom hissed quietly.

The big satyr looked apologetic. "I'm sorry ma'am, but Grover here made a mistake, and now he's under my supervision."

I remember feeling sorry for the little guy, he wasn't much taller than I was at eight years old, and he had looked like he was about to cry.

"You don't have to keep saying it! I know what happened to Thalia was my fault, I-" he burst into tears.

I didn't know who Thalia was, but apparently something bad had happened to her, and he blamed himself.

I wanted to make him feel better, but then I registered the reason why the satyrs were here in the first place.

"Wait, they're taking me to that camp, the one you talked about?" I remember asking.

"Yes, honey"

I lost it. "NO! I don't wanna leave you, I thought we talked about this!"

She came down to my level, trying to calm me down. "I know honey, but it's for the best, you'll be safe, make some new friends, and it'll only be for the summer."

But I wasn't going no matter what. I dropped to the ground and started wailing, this went on for a few minutes, my mom trying to soothe me, the big satyr standing there awkwardly, and the little one named Grover looking at me with sympathy.

Looking back on it, I was acting clingy. I should've went, it would have changed SO many things. But I didn't, I absolutely would not leave the only person who loved me. After a while, she told the satyrs that she would continue to take care of me, and that we would be safe. They didn't look convinced, but they left, and I didn't know at the time that staying there would be the worst decision of my life.

All that summer, I had a couple of close encounters but I avoided them. And when third grade started, I was going to a new school, I had actually made a couple of friends, even a best friend named Joshua. I can't remember much of what we talked about, but I remember that he was African American, had really short hair, and was the funniest person I had ever met.

Around the end of the school year, he was having a birthday party, and had invited me. I was so excited, I remember trying to reason with my mom, who was concerned about a monster attack. But I assured her that there hadn't been one in months, and that everything would be just fine.

How wrong I was.

For the first couple of hours, everything was awesome. Me, Joshua, and a few of our buddies were playing basketball in his backyard. I was never really good at it, but none of us were, except for Joshua. He was the star player on the school team, and averaged like a million points per game or something. He went easy on us though, and we all had an amazing time. We played in his swimming pool, pulled a few pranks on his older sisters, and then ate cake at a long patio table in the backyard, facing the small forest that surrounded the community.

We had frosting all over our fingers, we were joking about something stupid, when out of nowhere, Joshua gets pulled out of his chair at lightning speed.

I looked up, absolutely stunned. Joshua was being held by a large bird with a bronze beak, what I now know as a Stymphalian Bird. He was screaming with pain, I heard more strange sounds, and a dozen more black blurs came swooping through, pecking at the other kids and going crazy.

I couldn't believe how quickly things had went wrong. I remember wanting to cry. Nothing had gone wrong for months, and what was turning out to be the best day of my life, was now turning into the worst.

I began to think, I focused on Joshua first, since he was the only one actually in a birds mouth, suspended in the air. The life was being squeezed out from him, he screamed in agony. I grabbed a chair and threw it at the bird, it hit it square in the head, dropping Joshua about six feet to the ground. Then I focused on the other kids, they were bleeding now from the spots where they had been pecked.

Joshua's mom and dad came outside then, I remember thinking that they saw what I saw, because they were freaking out, but this was before I knew about the mist. The magical veil that warps mortal minds into seeing monsters as animals, gods as regular people, etc.

They too were trying to fend off birds pecking and cutting them with their razor sharp beaks. I remember feeling a sudden urge to grab my shark tooth necklace. Yes, the same tooth from the story earlier. I had taken the tooth that day and made it into a necklace, Mom said it would keep me safe, and at Joshua's birthday party, I found out how.

I undid it from my neck and had a strange but strong instinct to squeeze it. So I did. After a couple of seconds, it suddenly grew into a five foot long spear, but instead of a metal blade at the end of it, it was the shark tooth. Now much bigger and even pointier than before.

It had to have weighed like thirty pounds, but when I held it, It felt like one. The soft leather grip was perfect in my hand, even though I had never held a weapon before, this seemed to have been made just for me.

I began stabbing and swiping wildly, I was untrained, and all of my attacks missed, but it managed to scare them away for a few moments and give their victims some relief. I ran over to Joshua to see if he was alright, but right before I got there, one of the Stymphalian Birds headbutted him and sent him flying into the backdoor, shattering the glass. I screamed, he lay there unconscious, bleeding.

I was burning with hate. At that moment, I remember wanting nothing more than to annihilate all of these birds, and send them back to wherever they had come from.

That was when it happened again.

The dark red aura surrounded me, glowing off of my body like a small bonfire, the steam was there too, emerging from the pores in my arms, legs, pretty much anything that was exposed and billowed into the sky.

I had no idea why it had appeared again, but I felt the insane rush of strength and adrenaline in my veins, I felt the throbbing pain in my bones, and I looked at the scene before me.

My first and only best friend knocked out, all of my other buddies bleeding and crying, shouting at the demon birds to go away, Joshua's mom checking on her son, and his dad trying to fend off a demon bird with a broom.

I felt the pain in my bones increase, the red aura got brighter, the steam got thicker, I got stronger, stronger than when I killed that shark monster.

And I screamed.

The loudest sound I had ever heard, I poured all of my crazy strength into the yell, producing a sound that I imagine was similar to a sonic boom. A shockwave emerged from my yell, destroying every window in Joshua's house, knocking back the birds, my friends, Joshua, and his parents several meters away from where they were, even the trees and the grass surrounding me blew wildly from the force of my shout.

The birds went crazy, flying into each other, they scrambled away into the sky. I guess sound was their weakness, had I known that, I would've screamed sooner.

I dropped to my knees, my vision fuzzy, everyone else was groaning. I looked at them, everyone was hurt, things were going so well, and now it was all ruined.

It's my fault, I led the monsters here with my demigod smell. I had thought.

"Yes, child. It is all your fault" A woman's voice had said.

I jumped, turning and looking at the source of the voice.

Standing before me was a woman. A tall, beautiful woman with long brown hair, kind of like my moms. This woman looked a little older, and for some reason I could tell that she was a mother too. She wore a white dress that seemed to glimmer as the wind blew against it.

"What?" I had asked. I turned back to everyone, to see how they were doing, but time had froze, nobody was moving. Joshua's mom was in place with her hand to her son's head, his dad on one knee with a phone in his hand. I could see who he was talking too, the number said 911, his mouth was open, as if trying to say something, but no words came out.

I turned back to the woman, I could move, she could move. Had she done this?

"Did you freeze everybody?" I asked.

"I simply stopped them from moving momentarily, so that we could talk."

"Oh, o-okay"

"This is not good, Matthias, you caused this attack," she'd said coldly.

Matthias. That was my real full name, not Matthew. No one knew that except for me and my mom, I hadn't even told Joshua.

"How do you know my real name?

"I am Hera, child. Queen of the Heavens."

I knew she was a goddess. I had learned a little about mythology just in case if I encountered a certain monster I would know how to defeat it. At the time, I didn't study on it that much, but I at least knew who the Olympians were.

"Oh" was all I had said.

"You knew that it would be unwise to come to this party, yet you did, putting all of these mortals in danger."

"I-I'm sorry-"

"You're just like your father. Reckless and big headed. Always causing trouble." she'd said with distaste.

"I'm really sorry, I-I'll fix it, I'll do whatever I can" I was on the verge of tears.

"It's too late for that. I shall warp the mist and make them forget about this whole situation, and you of course."

I tried to process that at such a young age, what did she mean?

"Wait, me? What do you mean?"

"Everyone here shall forget you ever existed. It is for your own good. It will keep these mortals out of further danger."

"Wait, e-everyone will forget me?"

She sighed, now annoyed with me. "Yes, child"

"Even my best friend?"

"Especially him, he is close to death as it is, unless those mortal peacekeepers arrive soon."

My mouth quivered. I started to cry, I tried to wipe the tears, but they kept coming. I had finally made a good group of friends, I had finally been happy after discovering the truth about my father, and now everyone that I knew would forget that I ever existed.

I had dropped my spear, it morphed back into a shark tooth necklace. "Th-this isn't fair, yo-you can't do this to me"

She said nothing.

"Please" I begged. "Please, please" I kept crying, warm tears flowing down my cheeks faster than ever, my vision blurry. "I'll explain, I'll help them, I'll fight any more monsters that come back. Just p-please don't take my friends away." I looked up pleadingly at the goddess.

"No" she said, expressionless.

"PLEASE!" I shouted as loud as I could. Which wasn't very loud, considering the yell earlier.

"SILENCE, YOU STUPID BOY!" She yelled. Her voice as loud and dangerous as mine had been. Her eyes flared with fury, I could sense her power radiating from her body. Similar to my red aura, but I had no idea what that was. This, I knew it could kill me.

Why was she so angry? What had my father done to make her treat me like this? Was it his fault?

No, I had thought. It's my fault.

I shouldn't have been born. I shouldn't exist. I caused all of this chaos. The shark smelled me last year, that's why it attacked those kids. And the demon birds smelled me too, that's why they attacked my friends.

It was my fault, she's right.

"Now you understand" She said, I guess she could read my thoughts.

I had no more tears left. But at the time, I had felt so worthless, so alone. If I could've cried anymore, I would have.

"I'm sorry, for...for being born" I'd said.

"Yes, you should be. This is the second time an attack has happened on mortals because of you. You now have two strikes, one more, and you will be punished."

Punished? Haven't I been punished already? She was going to erase my friend's memories of me, what could be worse?

"Oh, there are many, many things worse than that, child. And one more mistake like this, and you shall experience one of those many things."

"O-Okay"

"As soon as I snap my fingers, I will vanish, and they will begin moving again. You are to run away from here and go to your mother. Tell her everything that has happened, and resume with your life. You will not make contact with these children again at school, they will see you as a child that has always been there, but has never gotten involved in anything. That is how you will act, you will not mention this to them, ever. You will not even speak to them, unless they corner and force you, which is doubtful."

My heart had sunk even further after hearing that. "I'll just be a random kid? They won't see me as their friend?"

She huffed, her nostrils flared, she looked at me with an annoyed look, "How many times must I tell you, stupid boy. They will not remember you as their friend, only a reserved child that has never spoken to them before."

I felt like I was going to dissolve into the ground. The strange thing was, at the time, I did not hate Hera. I agreed with her, I was worthless scum that had caused my only friends pain and agony.

I still agree with her to this day. But now I hate her. Along with all the other gods, monsters, and demigods.

I hated myself. The only person I did not hate was my mother.

"Alright" I had said.

"Very well then. Do not make the same mistake again, Son of Hercules. Or it could result in your permanent end." She snapped her fingers, and vanished. I heard groaning again, and people started doing what they were doing before that depressing conversation.

I ran as fast as I could. No tears came, they didn't need to, it felt like my shark tooth spear had went right through my heart, destroying it completely, never to come back again.

I told my mom what happened, just like Hera said. I also did not speak to Joshua or any of my old friends ever again, like Hera said. A couple of times they would look at me, confused. One time they even asked me to play basketball with them, I declined immediately and ran off, fighting the tears threatening to fall down my face.

After that year, I went to another school, then another after that, and another after that.

I never made friends, I never got involved in anything. No sports, no surfing, no skateboarding. Nothing. Just me passing the time by poorly sketching superheroes, playing on an old PlayStation I found in the dumpster, and sitting on the beach when I could, watching the sunset.

About two years ago, when I was thirteen. I'd had an awful day at this stupid public school I was going to at the time and I was in a bad mood. Combined with the hormones and mood swings of a new teenager...well, I was a lot to handle.

I'd swung my backpack on the couch in our apartment, "Stupid jocks" I'd said.

My mom was there for some reason. She usually didn't get off until later.

"I'm guessing you didn't have a good day at school?"

I turned, she was in the kitchen, I was surprised she was there, but didn't question it yet.

"Nah, it's those douchebags Zach and Prick. Well, his real name's Richard, but everybody calls him Rick, and I call him Prick, because that's exactly what he is."

She pursed her lips. "You know how I feel about that language, Matt."

I paused. I was in too much of a mood, I hadn't caught myself. What was I doing? Disrespecting my mom like that with that language?

"You're right, I'm sorry"

I sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'll tell you what, I took off today so we could spend some time together. What do you say we go to the movies? I hear they're playing that new Metal Man movie"

"Mom, it's Iron Man. and... I don't know, don't you think I'm too old to be going to movies with my mom?"

"Well, we don't have to go. Unless you've got a girlfriend you aren't telling me about and you want to go with her, I can buy the-"

"I do not have a girlfriend. You know the stupid rules, no contact."

"I-I know, I'm sorry Matt" her voice breaking. My mom was a seriously tough woman, but she could be sensitive.

"Besides, even if I wasn't a demigod, no girl would ever be caught dead talking to me"

"That is not true Matt! You're very handsome, just like your fa-" She stopped herself. Her eyes turned wistful.

I decided not to say anything. How could she still care about the jerk? The guy that got her pregnant, and abandoned us. Making me a beacon for monsters and making my life miserable.

You bring a lot of it on yourself, I'd thought.

"Alright Mom, I'm in. Let's go see Metal Man" I joked.

Her eyes lit up, and we left.

It was actually pretty great. The movie was good, the popcorn was good, everything was good, until we were almost home.

We'd taken a taxi, and had another one drop us off near our apartment complex. We walked down the sidewalk, I was talking about how awesome the movie was, and she was smiling, listening intently.

"And the effects, WOW! Seriously, I've never seen anything like it. I thought the villain was kinda lame, but his actor was really good! I hope they bring him back for the sequel."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it" She laughed.

We walked in silence a little longer.

"Thanks, Mom...ever since that day on the beach, it's been hard, really hard. What happened at Joshua's party was the worst time of my life, and it's been no easier having to exclude myself from having friends again. But you've made it better...so thanks." I'd meant every word. My life when I was little was good, I was normal, I had a mother that loved me, I had friends. But after that day on the beach, I've been miserable, alone, and scared. My mom was the light in this seemingly never-ending dark tunnel.

"You're welcome, honey. I would do anything for you. I love you." We hugged.

"I love you too, Mom"

Little did I know those would be the last words I ever spoke to her when she was in a right state of mind.

Because at that moment, I heard a roar, and then my mom pulled away from my arms.

I saw her getting dragged away by a part lion, part goat, part something else thing. I didn't have time to guess what monster it was, It had my mom.

I yelled, chasing after them as fast as I could run. Sprinting with big strides to cover as much distance as possible. My mom was screaming her head off, the monster roared and made other strange sounds. It was dragging her pretty fast, I hoped that it didn't hurt her.

"HEY, STOP!" I yelled.

But it didn't stop. It went down an alleyway with my mom. I ran after it, turning the corner, but it was gone, along with my mom.

"No, no, no, no, no, no" I was shaking with fear. "NO, NOT HER TOO!" I screamed at the sky. "HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH?"

No response, just the sound of distant thunder.

"ZEUS? DAD? ANYONE? HELP ME!"

Nothing.

"Fine" I growled. "Just like everything else, I'll do this myself"

I ran rampant, searching everywhere for her, it was nighttime, probably eleven o clock, so that didn't help the search.

I went everywhere for an hour, thinking the whole time that I would find her dead. The only person I cared about, the only one that had not been taken from me yet, and I would find her dead, I would truly be alone then. What would I do? Would I be homeless? Would I just say whatever and start socializing with people to be happy? And take on any monster that tried to hurt them? Would I go to Camp Half-Blood? Would I kill mys-

No, I'd thought. It's not gonna come to that, I will find her alive.

But then another thought occurred to me. Something Hera had said years ago.

"This is the second time an attack has happened on mortals because of you. You now have two strikes, one more, and you will be punished."

Would this count as a third strike? Would I be punished? What could she possibly do to make me suffer any further.

I didn't care, because just as I thought that, If found my mom in an alleyway, cornered by what I now know as a Chimera. She was a little bruised and cut, but nothing major. However, her eyes were filled with terror, she was paralyzed with fear.

I felt rage rise in my chest.

"HEY! LIONZILLA!"

The Chimera turned, snarling, it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It was a lion, a goat and something else mixed together in a heap of fur and muscle. I resisted the urge to vomit.

It prowled toward me, I reached for my necklace, took it off and gave it a squeeze. The shark tooth became a five foot long spear with the giant tooth at the end, just like last month, when I had killed that snake lady.

I had definitely gotten better with it. My strikes were far more accurate, and it didn't feel awkward at all swinging. In the five years since Joshua's birthday party, I'd killed about fifty monsters, half with my spear, and half bare handed, and none with my red aura, steam thing, strangely. But I didn't let that create an ego. I still had no training, no technique, and there were definitely monsters out there that could kill me, like this Chimera.

It didn't hesitate when it saw my spear, not a good sign. They usually hesitate.

It leapt at me, I was quick enough to roll under it and stab upward. It hit right under the front right leg, in it's...armpit? Or was it pawpit? Doesn't matter. I had landed my attack, the Chimera howled in pain, but landed on the asphalt, and turned toward me, very angry.

So it's gonna take more than that huh?

I looked at my mom, she was still paralyzed with fear, her eyes hadn't moved. What happened? The Chimera didn't kill her, which is great, but also strange. Maybe it...oh, no. It tortured her! It must've messed her mind up, so much fear caused her to shut down!

No, this isn't real, this isn't real, this is some insanely long nightmare. I will wake up in my bed, my mom will be fine, I'll see Joshua again, I'll have a normal life, I'll have friends.

I pinched myself.

I did not wake up.

Unfortunately, the Chimera wasn't stupid, so when I was preoccupied, it charged me and it's head caught me square in the chest, sending me backwards twenty feet into a dumpster.

I hit it hard. My chest throbbed a little, but it wasn't too bad. I was tougher, harder to kill with physical attacks like punching, kicking, or headbutting. I guess it's one of my dad's attributes. The only good thing he's ever given me.

I looked at my mom again, still in the same position. I was boiling with rage. If she didn't change, if she stayed like that...it was basically the same as losing her. And this ugly mashup of fur and flesh caused that.

I felt a sensation I hadn't felt in a long time. A pain throughout my whole body, but at the same time, a feeling of insane strength, like I could do anything. I saw the dark red aura around me, steam billowed off of my exposed skin, I had only done this twice before, and here I was again, and I still had no idea what it was.

That doesn't matter, I'd thought. It makes you more powerful, now attack!

And I did.

I immediately threw my spear at it. The sharp point of the giant shark tooth hitting it in the eye, it howled in rage and agony. I ran toward it, jumped at the last second and kicked it from above it's head, sending it face first on the ground.

I landed on my feet, but it was fast, and it caught me with a claw to the face. I screamed in pain. It hadn't even made much contact, it was just one single claw that got me, making a cut from my right jaw, below my ear, to about three inches across my face. When I looked at the scar later, It looked like a scratch from a big dog, it was noticeable, but not big at all.

Still, it felt like the worst physical pain I'd ever felt, or ever would feel.

Imagine magma being poured on your face, then imagine someone taking a knife and stabbing your cheek a thousand times, then multiply that by two, and you'll be just about where I was on that day.

I was screaming like crazy, clutching my face, with my hands. Steam coming out of the cut like a campfire.

It was only later that I figured it must be some kind of handicap. Whenever I get really angry and do the red aura steam thing, I get a lot stronger, faster, the whole nine yards. But I also become far more vulnerable. If I am injured in that state, It will be amplified one hundred fold. When I used it against that shark, I didn't take any damage. When I used it against the demon birds, I didn't take any damage, aside from the throbbing in my bones. But this third time, I got a small cut on the cheek, and it felt like the absolute worst thing in the world.

I told myself not to get hit again.

The overwhelming pain was still there, but I fought it, and stared down the Chimera.

"This ends now, you hurt my mom, and now I am going to destroy you"

It roared in response.

I was amazed at how no one had woken up and come to see what the heck was going on, but it was New York, people are used to crazy stuff.

We ran at each other, closing the distance, I grabbed the spear from it's left eye, it roared with pain, I sidestepped it's swipe, and swung my fist at it's rib cage, it landed in an uppercut and the beast went airborne. I jumped after it, aiming my spear right at it's heart. I thought about my mom, I thought about this cruel world, and how the gods were jerks. I breathed, and threw.

The spear impaled it's heart, the Chimera tried to roar, but it dissolved in mid air. Leaving a shower of dust that looked a little like sand.

I reached for my spear, tapped the point, and it morphed back into a necklace, which I put on.

I ran over to my mom, and tried to help her up, but she wouldn't move, wouldn't say a word.

"Mom, come on" I begged. "Mom, come on please"

I knew it was pointless. She had been traumatized for life, mentally scarred, she would never be the same again. I felt my eyes sting, tears threatening to emerge.

I took her to the hospital, they said she was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and transferred her to a mental facility.

That's how it's been for two years.

Me visiting her as much as I can bear to see her face. Sometimes remembering me, having a pleasant conversation, and then other times, thinking I'm a monster and trying to kill me.

I was truly alone.

Everything taken from me.

Long explanation? Yeah, I know. But I hope that explains why I hate everything and distance myself from people as much as possible.

Fast forward to today, the last day of my freshman year at William McKinley High School.

Seriously, why were so many schools named after presidents?

I had woken up from a nightmare this morning. Having nightmares almost every night is basically a part of the demigod package, at least I assume that's true. Like I said, I've spoken to about two other demigods in my life, and the conversations weren't long, we especially didn't share details about our horrifying visions.

Anyway, the usual nightmares consist of some sort of monster attacking me, and right before it slashes, bites, or squashes me, etc, I wake up. Normal stuff, nothing I can't handle.

But the nightmare last night was different.

I was on Manhattan Beach, the same one where I killed the shark at seven years old. It was night, the skies were gray, storm clouds encompassing the sky, constant flashes of lightning made it look like a strobe light was being pointed toward a thick layer of evil fog.

Then I saw the face.

In the the middle of my line of sight, a huge storm cloud was swirling, blue bolts of lightning crashing across the sky in all directions. It was like a hurricane that hadn't touched the ground yet, in the center of the darkness, was a face. I can't really explain it, but it looked like the clouds had formed the figure of a giant bearded face, and where it's eyes should've been were two circles of blue energy, I realized it was lightning inside, swirling around to make it look like eyes. I could feel the intensity from miles away, whatever that thing was, It had more power than any monster I'd ever faced, combined.

I thought for second it was Zeus. He was lord of the sky, right? But I wasn't sure. This thing felt...evil. Not saying I'm a big Zeus fan, or that he's a great guy, but the thing in the sky seemed like it wanted to kill, it was filled with malevolence and hate, I could sense it's thirst for revenge, and I didn't know of anybody that Zeus wanted revenge on, let alone what he would want with me.

Thunder boomed across the landscape, eight foot tall waves crashed against the shore, the wind blew sand everywhere, palm trees barely staying put in the ground. The face seemed to stare at me, or well, stare at us, because at that moment in my nightmare, I realized I wasn't alone.

I couldn't make out their faces or their features, but I could tell that there were three of them, all wearing orange t-shirts with words that I couldn't make out written on the front. The one standing next to me, on my right, was a girl with black hair, she held two long knives in her hands, they glowed, I guessed they were celestial bronze. I'd heard about it, it was supposedly what most demigod weapons were made out of.

I still couldn't make out her skin color, or her face. I turned to my left, and two people were standing there, facing the storm giant.

One was a boy, maybe an inch taller than me, he had black hair, like the girl to my right, except hers came down to her shoulder blades in a ponytail. This guys hair was much shorter, but a little long and unkempt in the front. He held a sword that also glowed celestial bronze, about three feet long I'd guess. It had words written near the hilt, but I couldn't make out what they said. I also couldn't make out his face, it seemed to be covered in a shadow, like a veil blocking me from seeing it. However, I could've sworn where his eyes were, there was a faint glow of green.

Then I looked a little farther, and standing next to him, was a tall girl with blonde hair, her eyes seemed to be the same color as the storm, and she held a white sword, it was not made of celestial bronze, it looked like it might be ivory or something.

I had no idea who they might've been, but they were standing next to me, facing the monster in the clouds, so I guessed they were on my side.

"Wh-what the heck is that up there?" I had grunted, trying to keep myself from being knocked over by the force of the wind.

"We were hoping you would know, Shark boy" the girl with black hair on my right said impatiently, struggling to stand up from the wind.

Shark Boy?

Normally, I would get mad, I don't like nicknames, and I didn't even know who this girl was, but I was too focused on the cloud behemoth.

"Uh, I don't"

I couldn't make out her face, but I guessed she was rolling her eyes. "Ugh, fine, as usual, we'll just go in and wing it"

As usual? "Look, I don't even know who you are, much less what's going on here"

I imagined she rolled her eyes again. "Oh great, now he's got amnesia"

"I had amnesia once...not fun" the guy on my left said.

The blonde girl looked at us. "Guys, calm down. We just need a plan-"

But I didn't hear the rest. In an instant, I was lifted off the ground. The wind picked up, carrying me toward the giant face in the sky. I flailed around, kicking and swinging my spear wildly, trying to hit the invisible hands that were pulling me. But nothing made contact, I was moving through the air at one hundred miles an hour, my eyes watering and the wind whistled in my ears. I couldn't scream, no sound would come out. I got closer and closer to the storm giant's face, the blue eyes of lightning flashing and blinding me like two suns, piercing my very essence, seemingly siphoning my soul from my body. I got about fifty feet from it's face, when two bolts of lightning flew from it's eyes and connected halfway between me and the source. The arc soared toward me, then it hit me in the chest, and I woke up. I was covered in sweat, everything was hot, but I didn't feel any pain. It was a dream after all, but It seemed so real, I knew that if it was, I would have disintegrated on the spot from that lightning bolt.

I ended up having an uneasy feeling. What if that was a vision of something that will happen? Who the heck were those other people?

It didn't matter at the moment, I just wanted to get through the school day. I was currently in the bathroom, washing my hands, the five minute break in between classes was almost over, and the last period was next.

I looked in the mirror. I guess I should describe myself, so I don't just appear as a blank face. But be warned, I'm probably gonna sound like a douchebag.

I looked like a stereotypical country club kid. Picture a jock football player in your school, the kind that chest bumps his bros and parties all the time. Imagine that, and then mix it with the main character of that show Vampire Diaries, put a small scar on that guy's right cheek, give him brown eyes, and you got a pretty good idea of my face.

Does that make me handsome? I have no idea, and I don't really care either. I'm too worried about surviving the next monster attack to care what girls think about how I look.

I was white, with a decent tan. I spend a lot of time in the evenings on the beach, so that's expected. I'm a little under six foot, so probably five-eleven or something. Pretty tall for my age I guess, but I hoped that I'd stopped growing, if I got to be around six foot three or something, I would be too noticeable, and that was not what I wanted.

I had built a lot of muscle recently from fighting monsters. I guess my body has reached the point where it'll start getting buff if I lift heavy things, punch monsters and avoid certain death.

My hair was brown, kind of like chocolate, and it was pretty short. I always spike it up a little bit, but if I didn't, and let it straight down, It would almost touch my eyes.

I was wearing jeans and sneakers, a light black jacket with a thin white stripe down the left arm that I had gotten about a year ago, it still fit perfectly, so I wore it most days. Underneath that, was a solid red t-shirt, no logos or images on it, and I had my shark tooth necklace on, as always. The only time I took it off was when I needed it to become the spear, I didn't even take it off before showering, or sleep.

So there you go, I hope I don't sound too repulsive.

I finished washing my hands and left the bathroom. Making my way to English class, which sucked. I had Dyslexia, and English involves words and reading and stuff like that, so you can imagine why it's not my favorite subject.

I walked down the hall, my head lowered a little, staring at the ground, not making eye contact with anybody, as I always did. I found the room and went in, most of the kids already in their seats. The guys pushing each other and making dumb noises, the girls either texting or talking to each other with smiles on their faces. Probably asking each other what they were going to do for the summer. Most of them would probably go on a vacation with their parents, have fun at the beach, go to each other's houses, hang out with their boyfriends. Meanwhile, I would be fighting off monsters and visiting my mom in the mental hospital twice a week, while living off of government money in our small apartment. I hadn't been put in foster care, or anything like that because of the mist. I guess the social workers thought I was eighteen or something, cause they just left me alone, and that was good, If I went to an orphanage, the place would be wrecked by monsters within the week of my arrival.

I sat down, folded my hands and rest my chin on them. I noticed our teacher, a guy named Mr. Ellison on his computer, and a couple of the "cool" guys looking in my direction and snickering at me. That happened a lot, I never talked to anybody, I just did my work and kept my mouth shut unless I was asked a question by the teacher. I looked athletic, but didn't play any sports, which I guess they thought was strange. I ignored them and looked at the back of the class, I saw someone that looked familiar, yet I had never seen them In this class before now.

He was sitting in the farthest corner of desks by himself. He wore a...a Rasta cap, baggy jeans, and high tops. He also had a strange necklace, it looked like a string of small instruments, like a bunch of little pipes.

No way, I thought. There was no way that it was the same guy. The same little satyr as the one so long ago when I was eight years old, crying on the living room floor, begging my mom not to make me leave her.

He definitely looked older now. He had a wispy goatee, and a timid look, but something told me that in a fight, he was anything but timid.

What was his name? I can't remember. I had thought the older satyr said it or something.

Grover.

That was it, that was his name. And he was sad about some girl named Thalia. It all came back to me, and I almost called out his name, but Mr. Ellison got up from his desk and told us to be quiet.

After for what seemed like five hours, class was dismissed. During that whole time, I thought about why he was here. Satyrs usually attend school with a demigod, and keep an eye on him, they're like protectors or something. Then when the time is right, they tell you you're a demigod and take you to Camp Half-Blood. Maybe that's why he was here, to take me there.

I thought about that a lot.

I regretted not going at eight years old. I would've been away from Joshua and my mom, and they wouldn't have gotten hurt. But if I had went to the camp, I probably would have made friends, and then monsters would have attacked them, and then they would have gotten hurt. Even if it was a demigod camp with good defenses, the universe would send so many monsters at me, it wouldn't matter.

But now I was alone, and this was a chance at something different...

No. I don't even know why he's here, I should just wait until he approaches me.

Everyone was going crazy outside at the entrance, celebrating the end of school. I just kept walking, Grover not too far behind me. I kept going, until I heard.

"Hey Matt, wait up!"

I had no friends, so this was very unexpected, but one of the jocks came up to me, I think his name was Noel. He had light blonde hair that came down to his shoulders, he wore a white tee with a fishing shirt over it, and also had on a shark tooth necklace, though I don't think it was from a monster.

"Uh, hey"

"Hey, man. Me and the guys were just about to go down to the beach and surf a little bit. Wanna come?"

I was shocked. Noel was one of the "cool" guys. But I also knew he wasn't a total jerk like his friends. He said yes ma'am and sir to teachers and actually cared about his girlfriend and didn't cheat on her every chance he got. If I was going to be friends with anybody, I guess he would be it.

"I mean, I don't know how to surf. I did a little boogey boarding when I was little but I doubt that's the same"

"Nah, man! It's not much different. I'll teach you! I've been doing it for years, my dad taught me."

I was really tempted to go. Noel seemed cool, and maybe I could have another real friend for the first time since Joshua. But I knew it would end badly, something awful would happen, and it would be all my fault.

"I appreciate it, but I'm going to see my mom in the hospital. If I bail on her...well, I can't do that"

His look went from cheerful to concerned, "Oh, man. Totally, yeah I totally get it. I'm sorry man. What's the problem, if you don't mind me asking."

I was never prepared for that question from anybody. I never talked to anyone, so I assumed I wouldn't have to answer it. I had no cover story, so I just told the truth.

"She's got Post Traumatic Stress Disorder"

He nodded. "Oh man, I'm sorry"

I shouldn't have said it, I knew it was rude, but I did. "Why do you care?"

He looked at me. "Oh, my mom had breast cancer for a while. It was a really tough time, but she pulled through. I was just seeing if you're mom had it too. It...feels better to talk about it with someone who knows what it's like"

I was stunned. I really wished I could be this guy's friend. He was genuine, not at all like those other guys he hangs out with. Why did he hang out with them anyway?

"Oh...I'm glad she's alright, and...thanks." I held out my hand.

He smiled and shook it.

And the instant after, as usual, everything went wrong.

Noel get headbutted by a giant blur of yellow fur, a roar erupted from the beast's mouth. It was a lion.

Every kid started running and screaming. Noel went flying across the courtyard and landed hard on his back, next to the bushes, unconscious.

"NO!" I yelled. Not another person hurt. Not because of me. No, no, no...I was stupid and selfish. I should have kept walking when he called my name, then he wouldn't have gotten injured.

I looked at the lion, it was huge, twice the size of a regular one. I noticed Grover was gone, but I heard a strange sound, like music.

Then I noticed plants emerging from the ground, the grass had grown and stretched to wrap around the lion's legs. I saw Grover, behind the monster, playing his necklace pipes frantically.

He took his mouth off for a second to shout "HEY, HELP ME OUT HERE PLEASE!"

It took me a second to realize he meant me. But when I did, I took action. I ran towards it and leapt into the air, rearing my fist back and punch it in the snout as hard as I could. The punch sent it face first into the ground, breaking the concrete and creating cracks in the ground around us. The lion was unfazed though, swiped at me with it's claws.

Good news, the claws missed me. The bad news, his paw didn't.

It caught me in my shoulder and sent me skidding across the pavement. My jacket and jeans keeping me from getting any scrapes. I got up, and looked at the lion. It had taken no damage. In fact, when I punched it, it felt like I was punching steel.

"It's the Nemean Lion" Grover said, suddenly next to me. "It's immune to attacks on the outside of it's body"

"How do you know?"

"I encountered it with some of my friends a few years ago. We beat it by attacking the inside of it's mouth"

"Gross" I said.

"Yeah, but it's the only way...LOOK OUT!"

At that moment the Lion pounced at us, I knew I was quick enough, but I wasn't sure about Grover, so I grabbed him and pulled him with me, falling to the side.

We lay there on the concrete, him groaning something about enchiladas.

"Thank you" he breathed heavily

"Don't mention it"

He started to play his pipes again like crazy, and I noticed the Nemean Lion was leaping at us again. Grover's magic was too late, the grass was too far away to stop the monster. So I acted on instinct and stood up, myself between the lion and Grover.

It's jaws came down, and I grabbed it with both hands by the top and bottom of it's mouth, keeping it pried open so it couldn't bite me, just like the shark when I was seven.

It was strong, but I was stronger. I strained and pushed it back, stepping forward slowly, while it struggled to keep it's footing.

I looked behind me, and saw Grover staring at me, dumbfounded. His eyes were wide and his jaw was almost to the concrete.

I got his attention, I needed him if I was going to kill this monster.

"GROVER!" I yelled.

He shook his head and exited his trance. He must've thought it was a bad time to ask how I knew his name. Because he started playing his pipes, understanding my plan. He had obviously been in battle, because only an experienced fighter would understand to get moving after a single glance.

More plants besides grass burst through the concrete, flowers and vines wrapped around the Nemean Lion, keeping it still. I let go of it and it's jaws snapped shut, missing my fingers by an inch.

The plants wrapped around the lion's body and just kept coming. The lion struggled, but it couldn't break free. I took the chance and undid my necklace, quickly squeezing it and next thing I knew I was holding my familiar spear.

Grover kept frantically playing, more plants wrapped around the monster. I didn't know how long this magic would last, but I didn't need any more time.

The monster roared. It's mouth wide open. I took my chance and closed the few feet distance between me and it in a matter of seconds. I used all of my strength and jabbed the roof of it's mouth with the point of the sharktooth. Half of it lodged in there, it roared and then disintegrated, leaving behind a trail of golden sand like dust behind. The Nemean Lion was no more.

I breathed heavily and looked around me, seeing nobody but Grover. Noel must have been taken by his buddies, to the hospital. At least that's what I hoped.

Grover was standing still, too still. His eyes weren't moving, and he wasn't making a sound.

I had no idea if he was playing some poorly timed joke on me. Until after a few moments, It hit me.

Hera.

"Correct, child." Said a female voice behind me.

I turned and it was the same woman I saw seven years ago at Joshua's birthday party. The one who wiped the memories of my friends and told me everything was my fault.

"Hera" I growled.

"Yes, you foolish child. We both knew that we would meet again, that you would mess up and cause another attack. It may have taken longer than I thought, but you did."

"I already know it's my fault. I already know I'm worthless"

"Well, anyone with common sense would know that you are worthless, boy. But that is not why I am here. I think you are forgetting an important part of our conversation seven years ago."

It hit me. The three strikes. The shark monster at the beach had been strike one, the demon birds had been strike two. And now, the Nemean Lion had been strike three.

I was to be punished.

"Whatever. I've suffered too much to be worried or even care, just tell me what it is, send me to the underworld or something."

"I wouldn't act so nonchalant about this, Son of Hercules. You will face many dangerous things on your journey."

"Journey?"

She scowled at me. "Not as much of a journey, more of a death trip. You most likely won't survive these tasks."

"Wait, tasks? What tasks?"

She stood up straight and announced "Matthias Beckett, Son of Hercules and Tracy Beckett. For disturbing the mortal world and endangering the lives of several of it's inhabitants, you are sentenced to carry out six labors. Half as many as your father, due to your age. But that does not make it much better. These tasks will be hellish and nigh-impossible. You're first task is to kill the Nemean Lion, which I see has already been completed. You're second task is to kill the Lernean Hydra, you're third task is to capture the Cerynian Hind, your fourth task is to capture the Cretan Bull, and your final task, the most difficult, is to capture the guardian of Hades' palace, Cerberus."

I processed all of that. I wasn't a myth buff, but I knew that those were insanely hard. I mean killing the hydra? a nine headed dragon. Or capturing Cerberus, the three headed dog that literally guards the underworld.

"I can't do all of that, it's impossible. Queen Hera..." I tried to stay as respectful as possible. "Please give me another chance, nobody here died! I promise it won't happen again. I'll do better, I'll try my best to fix everything and make sure anyone that got hurt is okay" I thought about Noel. "Please"

She glared at me, and held out her hand. I felt a heat, like a flame come over me, and I flew back on my bottom, landing on the concrete. I looked up and saw her before me, looking down with her eyes full of hate.

"You have had enough chances. You have caused enough madness, and now you deserve to be punished. You will carry out those labors, or the consequences will result in your death."

I knew she meant it. I knew she could kill me on the spot. My life couldn't get much worse, so I just said "Okay, fine, but there is no way I can do all of that alone, can't I have at least a couple of companions, or three?"

She considered this, but didn't look happy about it. "Very well. It's not like your chances will be any better."

I didn't thank her, she didn't deserve it. But I was relieved.

She snapped her fingers and disappeared, leaving me sitting on the ground and Grover walking over to me.

"That was...INCREDIBLE! Wow you were awesome! How are you so strong? Who's your godly parent?"

"Hercules, unfortunately" I said.

His face shifted from awe, to horror. "Oh man, oh man, oh no, oh this is bad" He pulled out a tin can and started chewing on it.

"Well yeah, but why do you think" I had the feeling he knew something I didn't.

He paused, as if he was going to tell me, but stopped himself. He looked very nervous. "I'll explain on the way, we've got to get to Camp Half-Blood"

I expected that. If I was going on this super dangerous labor quest, I would need training and some companions. Although no one will probably go with me, since I suck at talking to other people, but if there was any place to try, it would be at Camp Half-Blood.

"Alright. I'm Matt Beckett by the way" I held out my hand.

He shook it. "Grover Underwood, but you seem to already know that. That's another thing we gotta talk about on the way to Camp." He let go, and took off toward the forest.

I followed. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I knew that it would be a wild ride.