Row upon row of dracaena slithered at a slow pace up the mountain behind scouting hellhounds. Percy could see an assortment of weaponry through his scope, but that wasn't what scared him. Nor was it the ranks of Cyclops and other assorted monsters that followed close behind. What scared him was the position of the sun as it set in the sky. The hunters wouldn't be able to make it, he thought as he watched the sun begin to sink beneath the horizon.
He looked over at where the hunters were loading up Artemis' truck. The fact that the chariot was still here would mean that the other side of the world was getting an unscheduled eclipse. Wonder how the mortals will explain that one off?
Taking his eye away from the lens of his scope, he moved away from the edge of the cliff where the hunters were wreaking havoc upon the ranks of monsters as they followed the twisting path up the mountain.
"Let me know when they reach the ninth ridge," he called to Diana as she knocked another arrow and loosed it with deadly precision.
"Kay" the arrow clattered to the ground far beneath them, leaving a puff of golden dust.
Percy walked past the younger huntresses who were loading some supplies and things into Artemis's chariot-truck. He noticed a still unconscious form of Phoebe where she lay bound and gagged against one of the trucks enormous wheels. The hunters moved out of his way as he past; some wary of him after his demonstration of skill in combat, others just not wanting to deal with him at this time. He crossed passed Nikolai, Calypso, and Jacob where they stood discussing what the game plan was. Seeing Tammy was missing he started to look around until he heard the earsplitting crack of her rifle. He didn't even need to look down the cliff to know that a monster (or a few as the case was) exploded into dust. They could hold this position for a little while. How long? He didn't know but he hoped it would be enough time for Artemis to arrive.
He looked once more at the sun falling in the sky and realized that Artemis might not be able to make it this time. Even if she did make it, their team of misfits wouldn't be able to join for the ride. It would violate the whole "no direct interference" thing. The base was already on lockdown, all they needed to do was fall back and close the main door. That would hold for an hour or two unless the monsters brought some serious firepower with them. Even if they did breach the final doors, the vault was something that he doubted even a single god could get into. Whatever protection had been put into the vault it must have taken years. The thing looked ancient, even older than the Nazi caves. With the supplies that they could move to the vault before the main door got breached, they would be able to survive for a few months at least.
They would be fine, if they could hold until the hunters got away. Artemis would never forgive him if he allowed them to die and they wouldn't have the room to fit everyone in the vault and their supplies wouldn't last a week.
Something grabbed him hard on the shoulder and he turned expecting to see Nikolai, only to look into the blue eyes of Thalia.
"Look Percy," she trailed off. He pulled her into a hug, ignoring her thrashes of protest.
"It's okay Thals. She didn't make you do anything regrettable," he said and she returned his hug.
"I just would never have forgiven myself if I had killed you."
"It's okay. Nothing happened, which is probably a good thing. It would have hurt the huntresses morale if they saw their lieutenant get her ass handed to her." He grinned and danced out of the way as Thalia threw a punch at his stomach. "Hey now. Monsters to fight!" He yelped as she drove a fist into his ribs.
Grinning as he rubbed his side, she turned away and her face immediately fell.
"Look at all of them." Percy joined her and looked once more at the monsters. They stretched far past their sight of the mountain.
"It's alright Thals. We'll make it out of this. I'm not going to lose you now that you know where I have been." As they watched the first ranks of the monster army reached the ninth ridge. Percy raised a hand in acknowledgement as Diana called to him. Letting out a long-low whistle he raised an open hand in the air. The hunters stopped firing and everyone fell silent. He forced himself to wait several moments as a third rank walked past the overgrown bunker. Waiting a heartbeat more, he clenched his fist. Not even moments passed before a crack resounded through the silence. Half a second later the mostly hidden bunker exploded. A huge swath of monsters was instantly incinerated. Thalia raised an eyebrow at him as the smoke cleared and part of the mountain sloughed off. The monsters were forced to file down for a moment and he began to hope that they would be slowed for a long time, but no sooner had the thought entered his mind, that the Cyclops reached the destroyed path. They ripped out whole trees and lay them down across the gap effectively letting the monsters continue unimpeded.
"Don't happen to have any more tricks up your sleeve, Perce?" Thalia asked as she restrung her bow. Taking aim she let loose three arrows in quick succession. The Cyclops walking across the tree bridge toppled down the mountain.
"I doubt they'll fall for that twice," Percy said as the army reached the second bunker. This time though they sent a single scout in to check it out. When the monster came back to report that there were indeed explosives in the bunker, several Cyclops just entered the bunker and came out with the sticks of dynamite rigged around the entrance and the detonator for the main charge. Nothing could ever be easy, Percy thought as Tammy shot the dynamite in a cyclops hand, incinerating the surrounding Empousa. Without the detonation of the main charge and the celestial bronze shrapnel, the Cyclops would live. Whoever was in control of this army was too smart for their own good.
"PERCY! LOOK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN!" Tammy yelled from her perch. Percy turned his gaze down the mountain expecting to see piles of monster dust, but where the hunters had rained their fury down on the army, there was only a rag tag band of monsters marching up the mountain.
"How in the hell are they reforming so fast?" He muttered mostly to himself. Something was really wrong with the world right now.

If only he knew the half of it.

The hunters continued to impede the advance of the monsters but it would only be moments before they reached the final stretch and then it would only be 100 feet from the army and the truck. Percy felt the others join his side and he took strength from them. This would be one hell of a battle. He accepted his crossbow from the extended hand of Calypso. Together they took aim at the rise as the first monsters crested the hill. The path narrowed down so that the monsters could only move ten abreast, but it would slow them down a little.
Their first advance was struck dead by the barrage of arrows from the hunters and for a moment there was hope. Perhaps they could hold here for the next ten minutes. As the second and third ranks were struck down some of the hunters began to smile. They could do this, Percy thought again. Until there was a shout from one of the hunters as the monsters began to reform from the dust.

What in the hell was going on?

Within moments the slain ranks of monsters had reformed and were advancing once more, augmented by the still advancing army as Percy realized exactly how screwed they were. Yargesh threw his crossbow on the ground and unclipped the body armor from his torso. His muscles began to ripple and in a flash of light the giant beast stood by their sides. With a howl at the sun as it disappeared over the horizon, Nikolai charged the closing monsters. Tossing aside his weapon Percy drew out his pen and flicked off the cap as the sword expanded into Anaklusmos in all its bronze glory. He felt Calypso move beside him and he knew that she had joined him with Redemption flashing in the last rays of the disappearing sun. Together they charged at the monsters as Percy's mind entered combat mode and he tuned out the world around him.
They fought for what felt like hours. Pushing forwards and falling backwards so the monsters couldn't flank them, but no matter how many they struck down, more would rise from the dust and drive forwards. Soon they were less than seven feet from Artemis' chariot. A hunter fell to her knees just left of Percy. The towering Dracaena ripped the blade out of her stomach and raised it for the killing blow. The girl closed her eyes, praying for Elysium, but the blow never fell.
Percy yanked the girl to her feet and propelled her towards the truck before spinning around and taking the head of the reforming monster. The monsters began to attack with a new ferocity and it took Percy a moment to determine what the new noise was. THE TRUCK! It was the roar of the military truck's engine!
Artemis had arrived, the hunt would be okay and the rest of them could retreat to the vault. His momentary joy made him lose concentration for less than a second, but that was all it took for the Cyclops to bring its fist forward and throw Percy through the air. He saw Calypso drive her sword through the monster's stomach and turn towards him, but he couldn't yell a warning before his head struck the rocks. He raised a hand and dropped it down with all his might before his vision blacked out and he fell from consciousness.

Calypso watched, helpless, as Percy hit his head on the rocks next to the cave entrance. She almost didn't react as the Dracaena thrust a spear towards her. Her sword came up as if it had a mind of its own and turned the offending weapon aside before burrowing itself in the monster's heart. She pulled the blade free and moved to Thalia's side. They stood together, holding the monsters at bay as the hunters began to climb into the truck. It was taking too much time; they wouldn't have the time to load before the monsters overran their dwindling numbers. For every huntress that climbed onto the truck they lost a fighter. A new sound reverberated through the air, but she tuned it out and slashed another monster.
To her right, Thalia stumbled as a Cyclops brought its club down on Aegis and Calypso threw a knife into its exposed throat as it raised its club to crush the fallen lieutenant. She spun to attack the hellhound that leapt at her, but before she had turned Yargesh flew into the beast. The hellhound whimpered as Yargesh tore into its throat. He started to rise, but a Cyclops slammed its foot down, pinning the wolf as several Dracaena rushed forwards with silver arrows clenched in their fists. Calypso tried to charge forwards, but a Dracaena interposed herself in between Calypso and her friend. She wanted to scream when the rocks beneath her feet began to shake. Yargesh took the distraction to kick the cyclops off himself and jump back away from the silver weapons. Calypso and the hunters stumbled back as the rocks in in front them erupted into the air. Somehow the ground was arching up, creating a rift as the earth reared up. It continued to grow until it towered twenty feet in the air, a jumble of jagged rocks that separated us from the monster army.
Together they turned to Artemis, but she was gaping towards Percy where he lay, unconscious in a pool of sweat and blood. Calypso ran to him before dropping at his side. Clutching his hand in hers, she felt his pulse and started to cry. She felt the others at her side as they slumped next to her. Yargesh took a sniff at Percy and whirled towards the hunters. Growling he crouched down and raised his hackles. He started to move, but something grabbed his toe. With a gasp Percy lurched upright. He took in the faces around him.
"Well this is a pretty lame welcoming committee," he quipped and grunted in surprise as Calypso dove onto him. The group cheered and Percy noticed a few of the hunters chime in.
"But you had no pulse," Calypso cried as she hugged him. He could only grin, trying to speak into her shoulder. Realizing she was crushing him she pulled back a bit.
"Live to die another day," he coughed and tried to sit up. Failing miserably he slumped down and pulled the now sobbing Calypso into a hug. Rubbing small circles into her back he looked around himself. The hunters and Artemis were staring at him in awe. Wait Artemis was staring at him? What was this! He quickly looked away in case she caught him looking and grew angry. His gaze focused on what was behind the hunters. It looked like the earth had grown up and created a wall between the monster army and the cave. Had his father intervened? It didn't see like something that Poseidon would do, and earth wasn't one of Artemis' domains.
He turned his head back to Calypso. "What's up with the mountain?" He whispered softly. Calypso just smirked through her tears and gave him the patented 'you're so dense' look. She took his hand and closed it into a fist before placing it at the ground at his side. There was a perfect fist imprint in the stone. It took him a moment to grasp what had happened. Somehow before he had passed out he made the ground erupt to protect the others.
Well that's something I guess, he thought and pulled Calypso closer. "It's okay, shush now." He soothed her, or tried to as she just burrowed into his shoulder. Well he wasn't going to complain, he hated seeing her like this but he enjoyed their closeness. Whispering soothing things to her, he met Artemis eye and she started to walk over.
Calypso pulled herself together by the time the goddess arrived, but she didn't move away from Percy. "I doubt these hills will hold them back for long," Artemis said. "I thank you for defending my huntresses Perseus, but I hope you know I can't take any of you with us."
"Yeah, we know Lady Artemis." Percy gestured towards the door. "We'll be fine for a while. Even if they can get in, the vault has some heavy protection on it." Even though he tried to sound calm he worried if it would keep the monsters out. Sure there was some crazy protections imbued into it, but how long would it take for the creatures beyond the stone walls to get in?
"Know this, we will return with help. The demigods will storm this mountain when they hear about your entrapment," Thalia stopped next to her mistress. "The Cyclops are beginning to break through and we're all loaded up." Artemis nodded and with a final look they started away. Calypso rose and moved to where Nikolai was helping Jacob through the doors. Percy started to rise as well when someone grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. It was Artemis.
"Thank you. Thank you for protecting the hunters." She turned away once more and Percy was too dumbfounded to say anything. The man hating goddess had just thanked him, not once but twice! And then she had forgiven him for berating her! "Oh and Perseus," she paused. "Hurt Calypso and I'll kill you, then send you to her sister." It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when it hit him he blushed.
"Yes ma'am," he said ignoring the small voice in his mind screaming for him to object to her thinking he would hurt her. He knew she had meant it semi-lightheartedly, but everything she said always rubbed on the fact that they thought men were disgusting. Sighing to himself he started walking towards the cave entrance.
The roar of the engine announced the truck taking off. As the door closed, Percy turned and watched as the army broke through the rocks. The truck rose into the air and began to speed away, but not before a furious looking huntress pushed past the blocking arms of Thalia and took aim. Before the arrow could fly, the truck jerked to the side as Artemis dodged a hurled boulder, and Phoebe plummeted into the waiting arms of the monsters. The huntresses watched on without an arrow drawn as the truck sped away into the sky.

Artemis had disowned the girl, Percy realized. They had left her to the monsters. They watched as the monsters overran the girl. Her screams split the air. Sickened, Percy turned away. He started to close the doors once more when Nikolai rushed past him, drawing his kukri from the sheath across his chest. The son of Lycaon tore through the monsters as the rest of them moved to back him up.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!" Percy shouted as he slashed through a reforming Cyclops. Nikolai was insane. "What are you doing" he grunted as Nikolai shoved him away. The wolf boy had lost his weapons and was fighting with his bare hands. He caught a dracaena's head in-between his palms and slammed them together. The monster's head popped and the beast dissolved into dust only to start reforming beneath Nikolai's moving body. The wolf tore through another line of monsters.
He finally reached his destination and slashed through a Cyclop's throat with a stolen dagger. The monster gasped in surprise and crumbled into dust dropping the now silent huntress.
Phoebe looked up into the eyes of the furious werewolf.

"Please...I'm sorry," she whimpered.

Percy tried to make his way to Nikolai, but the reforming monsters were pressing them back. He could barely see what was happening and had to look away to stop a blade from taking Calypso in the back. Blocking the blade with his sword, Percy drove his fist into the face of the Dracaena wielding it. Riptide slashed through the shaft of a spear and buried itself in the offending Empousa's face. The battle raged on. Every monster they killed would be replaced by two more as they reformed. Jacob was fighting with a broken wrist and it was all Tammy could do to protect them both. Percy and Calypso began the dance of death, spinning and hacking past each other, ripping the monsters apart as fast as they could reform. Yet even with the synchronization and grace that existed as they fought together, the monsters were still driving them further and further back.
Through the battle Percy saw a wolf towering above the dead body of the huntress, its forelegs drenched in blood. Percy's attention returned to the task at hand as he barely blocked a spear thrust meant for Calypso's side. As his sword turned the blade of a dagger, he felt an intense pain erupt in his lower back. He felt a Calypso grab his shoulder and spin around him kicking the offending monster in the face. It didn't have a moment to recover before her blade tore its throat out.
Percy heard her gasp as she drew the spiked metal length out of his back. And gods did it hurt. Whatever the weapon had been, it had cut several major muscle groups. He could feel his strength fading as a howl split the air. The wolf was bounding across the battle field. It knocked monsters this way and that as it barreled through the group that had Jacob and Tammy surrounded. Silver tipped weapons hit the beast as it flew into the Cyclops behind Calypso. Stopping for little more than a moment, the wolf took off towards the blast doors as they retreated.
They ran through the base as the emergency doors began to close and as the vault doors closed behind them and Percy began to fade from consciousness he could have sworn he saw a brilliant light flood the room.

AN: So It's only 3.5k words and sorry this is late, but I sent it to Anaklusmos a little late after New Years and he's been busy. Sorry guys, I'm already working on chapter 7, but I have a few (a lot) of exams this week. Busy busy busy. Hope you guys are doing well!

Recommendations: Anaklusmos14's collected works and Pulto's Daughter 11's stories. Also if anyone can find Blueper and bring his ass back kicking and screaming that'd be great.

Tell me what you guy like or dislike.