Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson nor any of its characters, I just own my own character Antheia/Alyssa.

Sally drove like a maniac through the night along the dark country roads. Wind and rain slammed against the roof, making it almost impossible to see but the car still was going ninety miles per hour.

Percy, Alyssa, and Grover sat in the back with Grover in the middle and Alyssa and Percy on the sides wondering if they had gone insane. The smell of wet barnyard animal filled the small car, making them cringe their noses. Percy broke the uncomfortable silence.

"So, you and my mom... Know each other?"

Grover's eyes flitted to the rearview mirror as if expecting something to be behind them.

"Not exactly, I mean we've never met in person but she knew I was watching you two."

Alyssa whipped her head around so that she was staring dead straight at Grover.

"Watching us?"

"Keeping an eye on you. You know, making sure that you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend. I am still your friend."

Percy cut in, "Um... What exactly are you?"

"Let's just say that I'm half goat, and if either of you give me any grief whatsoever I swear I will personally clobber you with my hooves."

Alyssa and Percy leaned forward to look at each other before both bursting into laughter. Grover gave them each a sharp slap on the shoulder, which only made them laugh harder. Alyssa felt tears form in her eyes from laughing so hard.

Grover let out a sharp Blaa-aa-aa.

"There are satyrs that would trample you for such an insult."

Alyssa laughed even harder, having to clutch her stomach from pain, but Percy froze before recalling, "Whoa, wait. Satyrs. You mean like Mr. Brunner's myths?"

"Were those old ladies or Mrs. Dodds a myth?"

"I..."

Percy was interrupted by a weird bellowing noise coming from somewhere behind them. Whatever was chasing them was close.

"Percy," Mom said, "there's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety."

"Safety from what?"

"Oh nobody," mumbled Grover sarcastically, "just The Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood thirstiest minions."

"Grover!"

"Sorry Mrs. Jackson."

"Mom, where exactly are we going?" Asked Alyssa.

"The place where Percy's father wanted him to go."

"Mom, why do you keep saying Percy's father and not Alyssa's?"

She took a heavy breath as sorrow filled her eyes.

"Alyssa..."

Suddenly a blinding flash, a jaw-rattling boom and the car exploded and turned over, being thrown several feet away.

Percy was crushed against an unconscious Grover while Alyssa looked out the shattered window and glimpsed something giant running towards them.

"Mom!" She shouted, panic filling her voice," what is that!?"

"Percy, Alyssa," she said, deadly serious, "get out of the car, now."

Sally tried to throw herself against the drivers side door, but it was stuck in the mud. Percy tired his door too, but it was also jammed in the mud. He looked up desperately at the whole in the roof. It might have been and exit, but the edges were sizzling and smoking.

"Quickly, climb out of the passenger seat." Sally told them. "You two have to make it to that big tree."

Alyssa looked around wildly, wondering which tree her mother was talking about. Another flash of lightening through the smoking roof and they saw what she meant: a a huge, Christmas tree pine at the crest of the nearest hill.

"That's the property line. Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door."

Percy looked up at her.

"Mom, you're coming too."

Her face was pale, her eyes sad as when she looked at the ocean.

"No!" Alyssa and Percy shouted together."You are coming with us. Now help us carry Grover."

The lumbering beast was still charging towards them, and as Alyssa got a closer look, she gasped with horror.

Its head was a bulky, fuzzy mass with sharp horns. It had huge meaty hands that were swinging at its side and it ran, towering ten feet in the air.

"Look, Percy. He doesn't want us," Sally told them," He wants you two. Besides, I can't cross the border line."

Percy got really mad, mad at his mother, at Grover the goat, at Alyssa, at the things with horns that was lumbering towards them slowly and deliberately, like a bull.

He then raced over to Grover, whose was moaning rather loudly about food and enchiladas, to try and shut him up.

Sally looked around wildly and saw Alyssa standing frozen with shock, not moving from her spot. She raced over to her and grabbed her face.

"Alyssa, you have to listen to me carefully," Sally said forcefully. "Though it pains me, you are NOT my child. I found you completely wiped of memory at the age of five in an old alley. I looked to see if anyone was looking for you, but when nothing came up, I took you in and gave you the name of Alyssa. Another thing is that I found this necklace around your neck.."

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small golden necklace with a small sun on it and thrust it into Alyssa's shaking hand. Her face was lost and confused, a small tear escaping her eye.

"Alyssa, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just wanted to keep you and Percy safe. He doesn't know yet.."

Alyssa interrupted her by throwing her arms around her.

"Thank you Sally for taking care of me.." She said through broken sobs, "now I guess I need to figure out where I came from."

Sally returned the hug, "Your always welcome here with me and Percy, you are still my daughter, no matter what..."

They were cut off by Percy yelling wildly, beckoning them over to help him with Grover. Sally immediately rushed to help and Alyssa took one more look down at the dainty gold necklace, feeling it grow warm in her hands, before shoving it in her pocket and racing off to help her brother.

Sally and Percy were struggling to lift Grover when she arrived. The monster was at their car, sniffing, searching for its prey.

Percy blinked out the rain, "It's that..."

"Pasiphae's son," their mother said. "I wish I'd know how badly they wanted to kill you."

Alyssa spoke up, "But he's the Min.."

"Don't say his name," she warned, "Names have power."

The pine tree was still too far away, at least a hundred yards away.

The bull man bellowed in rage below them. He picked up Gabe's car by the torn roof, the chassis creaking and groaning. He raised the car over his head and threw it down the road and the gas tank exploded.

"Percy, Alyssa," Sally said. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way-directly sideways. He can't change directions very well."

Another bellow of rage, the bull man started tromping uphill.

He'd smelled them.

Sally gave on last feeble shoved towards her children, taking the full weight if Grover.

"Move! Separate and remember what I told you."

They didn't want to split up, but they each had the feeling she was right- it was their only chance.

Alyssa sprinted to the right and Percy sprinted to the left. But when he turned, and saw the creature bearing down on him. His black eyes glowing with hate. He reeked like rotten meat.

He lowered his head and charged at Percy, his razor sharp horns aimed at his chest. Alyssa could only watch in horror at the beast charged closer to a fear-struck Percy, but surprisingly he held his ground until the last second, and at the last moment, he jumped to the side.

The bull man stormed past like a freight train and turned to his next victim, their mom struggling to carry the still unconscious Grover.

Alyssa and Percy had reached the crest of the hill. Seeing that there was a valley and lights of a farmhouse glowing yellow through the rain, but they probably oh wouldn't make it.

The bull man grunted, eyeing the fleeting figure of Sally who was trying to lead him away from them.

"Run!" She yelled, "I can't go any farther. Please run!"

But they just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged towards her. She tried to sidestep, but she was too slow, and the monster grabbed her and lifted her as she struggled, kicking and pummeling the air.

"MOM!" Percy yelled, attempting to run towards her.

She caught Alyssa's, silently pleading for her to take of Percy before catching Percy's eyes and choked out one more word: "Go!" before the beast closed his fists, making the only mother Percy and Alyssa ever knew dissolve into a shimmering golden form, like a holograph, before a blinding flash and she was simply gone...

"NO!"

Anger replaced the fear that was in Alyssa and Percy's heart. Energy filled them and they both raced towards the monster who was looking at a helpless Grover.

Percy reached bull man first, pulling off his red jacket and waving it around, leading it away from Grover and the charging figure of Alyssa.

The bull man charged at Percy too fast, it's arms out to grab him whichever way he dodged. Percy tensed, Alyssa stopped running, watching as her brother leapt straight up, kicking off from the creature's bowed head, using it as a springboard launching himself into the air before landing on the creature's neck.

The bull man staggered around, trying to shake Percy off, but he kept his his arms around the horns for support. Lightening and thunder still was going strong around them, rain poured down into their eyes.

The monster was running around crazily trying to get the unwanted intruder off when Grover suddenly bleated "Food!" Really loudly, causing the beast to whirl towards him.

Alyssa started running again, desperate to get to Grover before the creature.

Percy grabbed one horn with both of his hands and with a loud snap! Percy was flung off and landed on the ground with a loud thud, holding in his hand a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife, the horn. The monster turned to Percy and charged and without thinking, shoved the horn through the monster's rib cage, where it fell down.

Alyssa finally reached her brother and pulled him into her arms, hugging him with all of her might. They looked back at Grover who was still laying helplessly on the ground. Percy started over to him with Alyssa close behind. When Percy leaned down to pick up Grover, Alyssa heard a noise, and turned to see the Minotaur once again lumbering towards them, clutching his chest. She did a half second look at Percy, who was still distracted by Grover, and turned to the monster, anger and rage filling her eyes. She thought of Sally, who turned out to not be her real mother, but still cared for her like a daughter; she thought of Percy, the brother whom she loved dearly with all her heart.

She felt a stirring deep in her stomach, like something was tugging, trying to come out. With a loud scream, she exploded, throwing her arms up, feeling pure energy leave her and race towards the monster. The whole forest erupted: trees, vines, creatures coming out, wrapping around the monster. The sky literally seemed to come down in a flash of lightening, rain, hail, any kind of terrible weather available, and swallowed it, consuming it whole in a bright flash of light.

And suddenly, the trees went back to normal, the vines that were so wild, fell to the ground, the sky went back to a light rain with some faint lightening and thunder in the distance.

Alyssa looked down at her hands in horror, trying to figure out what happened. She heard a small gasp and turned around to see Percy staring her, his mouth agape, his eyes filled with disbelief. Grover lay forgotten on the ground by his feet.

"Whaa... What was... That?"

Alyssa reached forward and offered her hand, he flinched back a little, but soon reached out and took her hand. They both exhaustingly dragged Grover down the valley to the farmhouse,but they collapsed when they reached the front door.

Percy looked up to see a blonde girl, her hair curled around her face staring down at him before he closed his eyes.

Alyssa looked up to see a familiar-looking man with a beard and a girl leaning over Percy. She slowly reached into her pocket and felt the familiar object of the necklace her mother gave her before she...

Alyssa's eyes winced at the memory, her head pounding, any energy from before was slowly disappearing. She closed her eyes and the last thing she heard was the girl.

"There the ones. They must be. One of them at least."

"Silence, Annabeth." The bearded man said. "Help me bring them inside."