Percy's POV: (Time Skip: Four Years)

The forest was limitless, wet, and thriving. Its canopy was overshadowed by hazel, beech, and pine, and occasional openings in their crowns allowed plenty of light through when the sun shown for vibrant mushrooms to control the brittle leaves on the ground below. Bundled branches clung to every tree, and a hodgepodge of flowers, which were found in the most quiet places, looked almost out of place in the otherwise unvarying forest floor. A mishmash of wild sounds, predominantly those of foraging animals, brightened up the forest, and almost completely muffled the occasional sounds of large animals in the distance. If they were animals. The time of year just so happens to be close to the summer. I think...

I woke up like I would any other day, at the crack of dawn in a random tree. If it wasn't a tree then it was at the bottom of some source of water. Anyway, I woke up and decided to hunt some breakfast, usually a few squirrels and rabbits with any herbs or plants that were accessible. With the traps I laid out the night before. I was usually pretty successful, but there have been times where I didn't catch anything. I'm not perfect. Luckily today was a good haul, three squirrels and four rabbits as well as a variety of edible plants.

So I took them back to my makeshift camp and decided to cook them up. I would like to believe I have become a good cook over the past few years, but I don't have anyone to share my meals with so I'm not really sure. Taking my haul of meat and plants, I skewered them onto a few sticks to form a delicious shish kabob, it seems like it is the only thing I can do without any utensils, but I don't complain. I do however sacrifice portions of my meals to the gods I see fit. Minor or not. It's the little things that make someone's day.

After eating my portion and sacrificing the other to the gods, I stomp out the fire and make my way to gods know where. Maybe. Training as I go. Shooting my one arrow at random targets with the occasional ice dagger throw. Speaking of my accuracy, I have increased so much I am beginning to get scared that I'll never miss even with my bow and arrow. If I wasn't shooting I would be practicing my sword skills to their absolute pinnacle. Just train, train, train. Not a single monster I have came across stood a chance. Oh how the mighty have fallen to a sarcastic child!

I don't like to brag, makes me feel all weird inside, but I do tell the truth. And the truth is I'm good, like really good. The worst thing I came across was a twenty foot long drakon that had a nasty case of acid spitting and paralysis of looked directly into the eyes. I didn't want to check the second part so I avoided looking at his eyes. But man, his scales were incredibly tough. Sprained my wrist while giving it a good whack on the head. After fighting it for an hour I finally managed to kill by drowning. Most people would call that cheating, but I didn't care when he almost snipped me in half!

Geez, and recently it has been getting a lot worse. My scent attracts monsters wherever I go from what seems like miles upon miles in all directions.

Walking slowly I remembered the last time I talked to my family and friends. It just so happens to be a couple of weeks ago. My moms and bestfriend, plus everyone else, were so thrilled to hear from me that they nearly broke our connection with the Iris message trying to hug me. Who knew doing a couple favors for her could go such a long way? Anyway I told them everything that happened and didn't leave any details out. Like the time a hydra nearly melted me into a puddle, falling over the edge of cliff because a chimera was being a bit moody, and the time I accidently fell into a cyclops lair as they ate.

Still don't know how I'm still alive... huh.

And if I wasn't talking to them I would try and send letters to Piper. I don't actually know if she got any of them is the thing. Additionally, I only got to hand out with her twice since the first time I met her. The first time, we spent the entire day by the beach just doing whatever and surfing. I can't even begin saying how much fun it really is. The second time was cut short by a monster. Stupid hound nearly took my hand off as I was reaching for steak. Mmmm... steak... I killed it quickly and ran away after making sure that was the only one. I hoped that they would follow me and leave her the hades alone.

I feel really terrible about it. Since then I haven't heard so much as a peep from her... I miss her... I always apologized in my letters and told her what I could. Still...

In the forest the sky vanishes almost completely, only a few fragments of blue remain- like scattered pieces of an impossible jigsaw puzzle. The air is rich with the fragrance of leaves and loam, damp too. Even so many hours after the rains have passed, the soil remains wet, slowly releasing its heady fog. Outside is the noon daylight, the powerful rays of early summer, but in here everything is cool and the colors have the softness of that time just before twilight. The only movement is the occasional bird, startling in a trees or a squirrel dashing up a nearby trunk. The sound of running water in the brook has the same hypnotic quality as music, I want to stop just to drink in the sound. The huckleberries are mostly red, tart but with just the right amount of sweetness. I take in all the air my lungs will hold and expel it slowly. These hikes in the forest are like a trip out of my normal monster run life, a visit to somewhere the measuring of time is done only by the rising and setting of the sun. I really love it.

'Percy!'

'Damn it Khione! How many times do I have to tell you to not yell in my head!?

'Sorry, but this is urgent! Zeus's Master Bolt has been stolen and he is looking at someone to blame!' The weather has been a little too thunderstormy as of late. So that's why.

'Ok? What does that have to do with me? They think I'm dead.'

'Listen Percy! Zeus has demanded that someone bring him his bolt!... If it isn't brought in by the summer solstice then Zeus has decided to declare war on your father and maybe Hades!'

'What?! How stupid is that old goat!? Does he want world war three!? I should smack him right on his smug face for his stupidity! You know what! I'm gonna do it!' The facial expressions I made would cause normal people to turn their heads. I definitely look like a maniac. Good thing there is no one out here in the middle of nowhere.

"Look who's yelling now.' Khione mumbled. 'But you can't.'

'What? Why!?' I whined, probably like a child... I am a child!

'Because idiot! You have to clear your fathers name by volunteering to take on a quest for the bolt!

'How am I going to get a quest? Answer me that smarty pants.'

'By going to Camp-Half-blood. There you'll get a prophecy from the oracle and either stop the bloodshed of millions of people because Zeus was mad or cause millions of people to lose their lives because you were too selfish to help your dad. No pressure.' Half-blood sounds kinda racist.

'You have such a lovely way with words. You know that?'

'Yep!' Great. Just great.

'B-but I've been running all across America for the past four years. I don't know where I am! I don't even know how I'm suppose to get to camp! Or how to act around all those demigods! I'm only twelve years old for gods sake!'

'Yea, a twelve year old that can control water and a little bit of snow, with the capability of killing mythical beasts and hiding from the gods for twelve years. Because that's a normal twelve year old.' She's got good point. 'Percy it is time to come out of the closet and blow the gods away.' Never mind.

'That sounds gay! I'm not gay! What's the matter with you?!'

'No need to blow that out of proportion.'

'I'm not! It is definitely in proportion!'

'Calm down would you? You're not too far away from camp anyway. Like maayybe a hundred miles east of you.' Changing the subject like that. Damn you. 'Now get going, I don't want to hear any more complaints from you young man.' She just cut off the damn connection! Next Time I see her I'm gonna-

"MOOOOO!" That sound resonated through the woods as thundering footsteps echoed. Shaking the earth as it came closer. A storm was brewing.

"Oh for the love of gods! Now what!" With no warning the thing smashed into a tree and knocked the entire tree over. Showing a hideous monster. A monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man and having fur from about the belly-button on up and naked except for a pair of bright white Fruit of the Loom underwear. The unholy beast wielded a huge axe with blades in the shape of the Greek letter omega. Which means that I'm dealing with the Minotaur. And it isn't even noon! Smirking a little I shouted, "Come and get me ya Llama turd!" That did it. Now rain dropping the from the sky.

Khione wants me to blow the gods away? I think I figured out the best way to leave a first impression. Sprinting east, I began making my getaway. Weaving dangerously in and out of trees and branches, half blinded by the glare of sunlight peeking it's way through the clouds and canopy. As if the sun wanted to watch this spectacle, an onslaught of bullet sized rain drops thundering onto my face, eyes darting over the never ending sheet of water, giving me the energy to stay in front of that cow. I continued my evasive movements for what seemed like forever.

Chasing the smudged path of mud in front of me, before sliding hard down a hill and being dumped onto a road. Right into the path of a moving vehicle. At the last second, I jumped. My body hit the hood of the car and I screamed. My bones and muscles and joints and organs felt like they were being crumbled and smashed into a tiny box. My lungs contracted with such force that I was afraid they would fold into themselves. My torso and head smashed up against the windshield while my arms and legs were flailing, searching for somewhere to hold and stop the forward movement my body was going. The world must have kept flickering its figurative light switch because my vision kept flashing from bitter darkness to blinding white light. The only sound that filled my ears was the crushing of glass mixed with the distinct crackles of my bones. Then suddenly, everything became light. I was flying through the air, my broken body almost limp from the impact that occurred nanoseconds before.

The world rushes by in a blur and I know the pain is coming. It goes by fast, yet slow, almost suspended. Then impact. I feel my bones move in a way they shouldn't, jangled. Without looking I know there is blood seeping from skin that seconds ago was smooth. I don't move - anything to delay the part where I take in what I look like now. Torn and dirty skin, reddened, weeping blood.

Tires squeal behind me as the back end is thrown to the side, flipping the entire car over, rolling to a deafening stop, smashing into a tree. Ear-splitting bang of metal on metal, air-bags deployed, and the ever so quiet groans coming from the within the vehicle.

"They're still alive!?" I seethed in disbelief through my teeth, completely forgetting that I just got into a car wreck myself. I don't have the time to be injured when I know some one might be dying because of me. Damn it you moron! Willing the water to crawl around me, ever so slowly to heal as much as I could... I only managed to lessen the pain. My body stilled mangled from the mess I created. Damn it!

I watched my feet take steps across the glossy asphalt, my bloody feet next to the shined, scrapped, wrecked metal littered across the road. Before reaching a divot between the road and the forest beyond and passing a sign that read some jumbled nonsense that I didn't have the energy to read. That doesn't matter though. Limping my way to the driver's side of the car, I looked through the shattered window to find two bodies...

A tall man with curly brown hair, and a wispy beard somehow managed to keep the cap on his head from falling off. With baggy pants and sneakers. There was blood dripping from his mouth and his arm was clearly broken. Probably had some other things broken as well. Reaching for his neck, I placed two fingers and found a shallow pulse. Good. The other person seemed much better off, with many cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious I hope. She had wavy brown hair and wore a plain blue blouse with torn jeans and tennis-shoes- "MOOOO!"

My eyes widened and I turned my head. I saw the mongrel across the road at the top of the hill sniffing the air. Axe in hand. "Must...top...tree..." The wispy bearded man mumbled as he was fading between consciousness and a coma. I don't have a clue what he was talking about, but I must save them and get to the top of the hill. Oh look a massive pine tree.

Thank the gods that the Minotaur is practically blind or this would be hard. Well, harder. Trying the doors, I soon find that they all were jammed shut. Glancing back, the Minotaur was getting closer. Picking away the distance between us.

Getting back to the passenger, I take out my frozen blade and cut the seatbelt off of her. Leaving her limp in the passenger seat. Risking it, I drag her through the window, no doubt giving her another cut or few. I drop her off at a tree a few feet away and get to the driver. My body aching and muscles hurting, all the while the Minotaur was already at the bottom, at the edge of the road. Damn! Slashing at the seatbelt, the man falls forward-"HOONNKKKK!" Alerting that smelly alpaca directly at us. Charging with his hooves, leaving me no time to think.

On instinct and adrenaline alone, I drag the man out of the car and toss him aside and roll away. Just as the Minotaur shot passed us and slammed himself into the wreckage. Dismantling the car even more so than it already was. That was close.

Jumping on my feet before he has time to recover, I rush over to the man and plopped his body on my shoulder before getting the girl. I reached her as the cowman roared an unearthly roar and slammed his axe in the car. Furious that he missed. Placing my arms under her knees and arms, I lifted her up and walked up the hill. Not bothering to even glance back at the monster still throwing a fit and smashing the car to pieces. Well, more pieces.

"M-monster!" The plopped body on my shoulders shouted and pointed, finally waking up from his daze. Only to fall right back to sleep and alert axe face to my position about half way up the hill.

"ROAAARRRR!" The beast let loose so loud that my ears rung and the two deadweights stirred in their unconscious state. An unfamiliar sound of bells sprung up in the distance. Why can't anything ever go according to plan? My legs were in agonizing pain and my body was slowly giving up on itself. I made it another quarter of the way up, but he was faster. Reaching me in no time and zoomed past my left side, his horn grazing my arm. Yet, sharp enough to cut me good. Continuing on his path, impaling a horn right into the trunk of a tree. I would have laughed, but now was definitely not the time.

With the two bodies still being carried by yours truly, past the massive gremlin, I sprinted with what little energy I had left towards the top. His roar of absolute rage filled the hillside and beyond. As I continued I heard him dislodge himself from his situation rush forward again...

Only this time I was already at the top and set the two carefully down by a massive pine tree and faced the beast head on with two frozen blades in my hands. I heard shouts coming from below, in the valley and the continuous ringing of bells. But this was my fight.

Rushing down the hill, I ignored the shouts of pain storming my body and pushed forward. A child and half cow meeting somewhere in the middle. The cow carrying his axe with his head bowed and charging with intent to kill. I held both my swords in hand and stared down the steroid filled cow. Time became nothing.

There was absolute stillness. No air stirred the grass or leaves. No clouds drifted in the sea of grey above. No water dripped or flowed. Not a sound could be heard either close at hand or in the far off distance. Even my own breath seemed to die as soon as it left my mouth. It was an eerie sort of tranquility, so instead of being soothed my senses became heightened. I felt like the predator even though I was the one being hunted. It was as if the world were encased in a cocoon, a bubble, and there was no way out. I stood head to head with one of the most recognizable monsters in all of Greek mythology.

Time resumed and I jumped over him and glid my swords down in his back, slicing him up. Knocking him completely off balance and crashing face first into the ground. I however landed just as ungracefully and rolled down the hill, slamming into a tree with my back. Knocking the air out of my lungs with blood mixed saliva. Looking up in a haze, everything was blurred. I could only make the Minotaur and some silhouettes lined up at the top of the hill.

There was a problem though, the cow recovered much quicker than I and faced me with a hungry look in his eye. I barely had the energy to stand, the rain being of little help. Using the tree as support I propped myself up...

Pain sears through my abdomen better than a branding iron, my mind conceding to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. Without meaning to my body curls, something primeval and all the while the pain burns and radiates. I grasp at the exposed back of the Minotaur and shout out in agony. The stupid bastard.

My body flew into a frenzy and with no control I grab his other horn and snap it off like it was nothing... Newfound strength coursing through my veins and undying urge to live."ROO-" His roar was cut short as I plunged his own horn through his back directly stabbing him in the heart. Falling as all monsters do. In a pile of dust. Back to Tartarus...

Sliding back down the tree I felt cold. This is the end, isn't it? Blood keeps dripping to the floor beneath me, hundreds of drops like a crimson rain of death. Yes, this is it, this is the end. The only thing holding me up is this stupid tree behind me. Maybe I can use it to stand up, walk away and find help. No, it's no use. I'm too weak. Wait, where am I? Oh. Right. Still here, alone. Why hasn't anybody found me yet? Am I really that lost? I can't take this much longer. My entire body screams, telling me to lie down and sleep. I must resist. If I sleep I'll surely die, but I can't take this much longer. I'll just.. I'll just lie down for a little while. Save my energy, I'll make it out of this mess soon enough. This is it. I know it. This is the end of me, there's no saving me, not anymore. So be it. I'm going to die, I accept it. I have no choice anyway, so I might as well. Just let it be over quickly, I don't want to linger. I'm exhausted, my eyes are heavy and my body is numb. I'm going to take a quick nap, I hope it's just a quick nap. But I really need to close my eyes and rest for a while...

"NOOOOOO!" Screaming, I force my eyes open and shove all my willpower into one last trick. Feeling the normal tug in my gut, only this time it was agonizing, I call for the water to pool on my abdomen and heal me. Please. I-I can feel it. My skin mending itself like it did when mom died. The blood stopping and leaving no trace of a hole in my gut anywhere. Except for the blood outside of my body.

I will not fall asleep… Over my dead body. Feeling a nudge on my shoulder, my hand shot up and grasped it. "Wow! Calm down, I'm here to help." Somebody said, but I was too tuckered out to make out who it was. My head bowed down from over exerting myself.

"No. Go and help the others first, I'll be fine."

"You're pretty far from fine-"

"I said go and help them! Or so help me gods I will castrate you where you stand!" Making my point I grabbed my sword and swung it around. I could make out the sound of whoever it was rushing off. That sound was replaced however with the sound of hooves smacking away at the ground. Nearing my location. "Great. Now what?"

"We need to get you inside the barrier. It isn't safe out here." He said. Definitely a he. He sounded wise, but man is he dumb.

I chuckled a little, "Really? It felt like sunshine and rainbows to me." This guy or whatever grabbed me by my hand and lifted my off the ground and placed my on a horse. Weird, horses usually talk to me whenever I'm near them. "What about the other two?"

"You must really care about your friends a lot to put yourself in that much danger for them. Even when you were almost killed."

"Friends? I have never met them before in my life. At least I don't think I have." I couldn't tell if he was shocked, startled, or what, but he kept silent for the rest of the ride. Which took no more than a few minutes. The scent of strawberries filled my nose and it relaxed me. It made me close my eyes and just take it in.

As soon as we stopped, I was picked off the horse and carried inside someplace. Gods I hope it isn't a hospital. What kind of hospital deliveries patients by horse? That's just awesome. Ow my ribs. Next thing I know, I'm being placed gently on a bed and I open my eyes. Yep, definitely an infirmary. Beds lined up side by side and the others were laying unconscious already being looked after. "Where am I?" I asked no one in particular. Just eyeing the place.

"You're in the infirmary."

"No I meant, am I at Camp Half-blood?" Again with the silence, I guess I'm in the right place.

"How did you know?" How does anybody know of a safe place for demigods?

"Never mind how I know, just give me some nectar and ambrosia and I let me talk to the man in charge of this place. Please."

"Somebody get Chiron in here now! He needs to know what's going on and get me nectar and ambrosia!" The teenager ordered and as soon as he was finished two boys left the room. The first one came back quickly and had squares in a bag plus a canister. He put the stuff down and I reached for them taking a little piece and a drink. It tastes like... I miss home. I felt my body begin to mend, but it would take a little to actually be back to a hundred percent.

Entering the room next was an old man in a wheelchair and a girl by his side. She had the audacity to stare me down all the way to my bed. "Yes?" The old guy asked.

"I'm sorry if I come off rude, but are you Chiron? Trainer of heroes? The centaur?" They had perplexed faces and were not expecting that to come flying out if my mouth.

"I am." Must be a magical wheelchair or something. "And who might you be my boy?"

I smiled and opened my mouth "My name is Percy and I'm a son of Poseidon." Among other relations. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." I said finishing with a mock bow through my pain filled body. Every one stood there mouth agape.