LUKAS

The sun was shining bright in the sky; only a single cloud in the sky and yet a thin layer of snow covered the floor. Lukas was standing at the edge of a large field surrounded by a forest. He could feel the cold snow against his jeans yet he could feel the sun's rays on his face – he couldn't figure out why. The trees around him showed no sign of snow, in fact they looked like winter was coming to an end ready for spring. The trees had only a few new leaves on them and yet the flowers and plants at the base of the trees were dying. It was as though it was every season at once. Lukas looked around for an explanation and in the middle of the field he had a feeling he found one. Well four.

Stood in the middle of the field were four women. As Lukas got closer to the ladies he noticed more details in the women. One was a small girl, no more than 6 or 7, her light brown hair lightly brushed against her covered shoulder. She was sitting on the floor; from the looks of it making a single continuous daisy chain then could have easily been two or three metres long. The second girl was older, in her late teens at least. She had long blonde hair that brushed against her lower back in a single braid intertwined with a single daisy chain. She was standing crossed armed facing the other three. Surrounding her feet flowers seem to grow in full bloom around her. Occasionally she would have to kick them off as they started ground around her feet and up her ankles. The third woman was much older than the other two, at least in her forties from what Lukas could tell. Her long auburn hair was unkempt and easily reached all the way down to the ground. Her hair brushed against the ground causing the green grass to slowly wilt and brown. Tangled in her hair were wilted and dying daisy chains that had been broken. The fourth and final woman had to be in her eighties at least - if not older. Her hair was light grey almost snow white, unkempt and uneven. Her hair was long and in a bundle on the floor; branches and dead leaves were tangled in her hair which could have been there for centuries. The branches were covered in a thin layer of frost and the leaves looked like they had been frozen solid. She was resting on a walking stick which caused the surrounding grass to wither and die spreading a thin layer of frost across the ground. All of the women wore the exact same Grecian dress, long and flowing. The younger girl had a white dress and as the girls got older the dress got darker and darker.

As Lukas got closer he was expecting the ladies to be talking, from the looks on their faces it looks as though they should be arguing but he heard nothing. It wasn't until he was a few metres away from the women that they acknowledged him. All four of them looked at him at the same time. Their eyes looked like a mini universe, pure black with small shining bright pin pricks of pure white light. They all spoke in unison but the single voice didn't match any of the women. Instead it was a deep male voice, it sounded dark, dangerous and echoed through the whole field.
"Poor demi-god. You have no idea what is to come. You have spent your life alone and I promise you this. You are going to die alone in the abyss."
The last words faded and with a jolt as Lukas woke up. He opened his eyes and looked around. Nothing had changed. He was still sitting on the bus next to Gruff. The bus was about half full; everybody was spread out and had a whole row to themselves except for Lukas sitting next to the window and Gruff sitting on his left. He wore a tattered denim jacket buttoned up over the top of a bright orange top. His legs were bare showing everybody his hoofs at the end of his hairy legs. Gruff had even take of his hat that was now resting on his lap as he said "his horns need to breathe". It wasn't until Gruff took his hat of that Lukas really understood what he meant but before his eyes resting on top of Gruff's head where two small horns protruding from the side of his head.
"How long was I out for?" Lukas said rubbing his eyes. Gruff was in the middle of reading a local newspaper, tearing of a page once he had read it and ate it like it was a tasty snack.
"Only a few hours. You pretty much knocked out as soon as we left New York City. We're not far away now - only a few miles... maybe. Once we get off of the bus we go the rest on foot." Lukas nodded in acknowledgement. He didn't really know what else he could say, in the past twelve hours he was introduced to a satyr named Gruff, he was taken away from his Dad who agreed to let him go to be taken to a place where children of Gods and Goddesses like him lived in safety. Safe to say it was a lot to take in.

Lukas had been staring out the window for the past half an hour taking in the scenery. A few people had got off the bus already leaving only them and another person. As the bus stopped again the last person got off leaving only Lukas, Gruff and the driver. The bus drove off down a residential street that continued into a road cutting through a large field on the edge of a forest.
"In that forest is where the Camp is." Gruff said as he finished eat his newspaper.
"Wait so "normal" people..." He said in air quotations "...can just walk into Camp?"
"Don't be an idiot! It's protected with magic, by nature spirits and all sorts of mumbo jumbo. Besides, it's a lot bigger than it looks from here. We're only seeing part of it. See those mountains in the distance." Gruff was pointing to what looked like a blurry hill in the distance.
"Yeah..."
"There near the camp."
"Whoa. That's one big forest."
"The Gods do try and protect their kids." There was a short pause before Lukas answered as he contemplated his mother being a great Greek Goddess.
"Oh right... Erm if the Camp is that way then why are we turning left?"
"I don't know. The next stop is straight on. Excuse me driver. Are we on the wrong bus the next stop should be straight on through the forest?"
The bus all of the sudden speed up down a road parallel to the forest in the opposite direction. It must have been a road only used by tractors or other farm vehicles because of how the bus rocked side to side and up and down. All of the sudden as the road stopped the driver slammed on the brakes causing Gruff to flip over onto the seat in front and Lukas to fall of the seat onto the floor.
"What the heck is going on?" Lukas started to panic as he got up rubbing his head. He stood in the aisle and moved forward before the driver casually stood up and blocked his path. He must have been about average height, perhaps a little taller. Clean shaven with short black hair. Looking at that alone it would have been a normal driver but his clothes were mismatched. He wore a white shirt with a black tie and blazer however he was barefoot and wore bright red Hawaiian swim shorts.
"I'm glad I caught your attention little demi-god." The voice that followed was a dark and creepy female voice.
"What's going on?" The driver just ignored Lukas.
"Leave now child of the mother Goddess. Your quest will only end in bloodshed – it is already doomed. I'm doing you a service by telling you this."
"What quest are you talking about? Who are you?"
"Foolish child. I am The Avenger. The Guardian of Tartarus. Tisiphone."
"Tisiphone? The Furie?" Guff got up from the floor. He head was bruised as well as a small cut which was bleeding a little. "What quarrel does Hades have with this demi-god Furie?" Tisiphone snarled at the word Furie like it was an insult.
"Foolish Satyr. Hades is no longer my master I have a new master. Alecto and Megaera may still be loyal to him but my sisters will see the way I see things soon enough." Tisiphone turned away from Gruff and looked straight at Lukas like she was bored with Gruff now.
"My master had forbidden me to kill you just yet but this Satyr is not as lucky. I suggest you listen to your dreams demi-god. Oh yes I know all about your dreams." Gruff looked at Lukas with concern. Lukas hadn't told anyone about his dreams. "Now go home and leave me to rip this Satyr apart."
Tisiphone skin started to crack and peel off, Lukas didn't have to be a genius to realise he was about to see the Furies' true form. Without a seconds hesitation Gruff seemed to come out of nowhere and rammed her out the bus smashing through the windscreen.
"Come with me now Lukas!" Lukas picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder and hurried of the bus flowering Gruff. "Listen to me quickly; it won't be long until she gathers her senses. Head straight in that direction. Were not that far away." Gruff was pointing to the centre of the forest. "Listen to the plants Lukas. Don't look at me like that just do it. Something tells me there on your side. It's been a pleasure knowing you even if it was only for a short time" Lukas saw Gruff smile for the first time. "Now go!"
"B-but..." Lukas stuttered.
"Just go and don't look back."
Gruff pushed Lukas forward and Lukas started running. It was long until he heard screeches and grunts from the two fighting. At one point it sounded like one of them through the bus at the other. Lukas didn't want to look round, he count bring himself to. Someone he only just met was prepared to die for him and who was he? No one special. Lukas was running down the road the bus had driven down and then ran across the main road forgetting to even look if there was a car coming and disappeared into the forest.

The sounds of the battle faded into the distance. He didn't know if it was because he was too far away or if it meant the battle was over. Lukas didn't want to think too much about the outcome. He didn't know too much about Greek myths but he had heard of the Furies and he knew they weren't easily defeated. After a few minutes of running in the forest he stopped and looked around him. He had no idea where he was going, how far he had ran and how far he still had to go. He imagined a Camp like this would be hidden deep in the forest away from mortals. He remember what Gruff had said – listen to the plants, whatever that meant. So he stopped and listened. At first he heard nothing he didn't expect. Wind rustled through the trees, buzzing of flies and maybe a chirp of a grass hopper. He didn't know what he expected to be honest, a face to appear in a tree and tell him directions, what would the tree even say? "Turn right at that dandelion that looks like all other dandelion's, then jump over a few roots mind some braches and turn left at that tree that looks like all the others and then your there." Instead he stopped running and tried to catch his breath as he walked through the forest. If it wasn't for what happened in the last 20 minutes it would have been a nice day. The sun was still shinning high in the sky; some of the sun's rays shone through the trees illuminated the forest. The forest was a beautiful shade of green and the flowers all seemed to be in full bloom but then he looked ahead of him. In front of him the forest faded into a washed out green, flowers were closed and even the grass was dying. He was confused. How could there be such a difference in the space of only a few metres.

He didn't have much time to ponder as he was quickly distracted by a large shadow sweeping across the forest floor.
"There you are demi-god!" Tisiphone shouted from above the trees. Without a seconds hesitation Lukas started running again. Lukas weaved in and out the trees, ducking from low hanging branches and jumping over tree roots, he didn't know how he knew where there were but somehow he did. Lukas was fast but Tisiphone was a lot faster. Within minutes Tisiphone has landed in front of Lukas in her true form.
Her skin was dry and cracked with the texture of sandpaper. Where once it had been a pale skin tone in colour it was now a dark grey with flecks of black all over her body. The bus drivers uniform was gone leaving behind a tattered white dress full of rips and from the waist down covered in blood. Her feet were bare, however in place where her feet should have been were razor sharp talons that matched the dark black wings protruding from her back. Her upper arms were normal however the further down the arm the blacker it became. From her fingers grew razor sharp metallic nails that still had remnants of blood on them – Lucas gut wrenched at the thought of that being Gruff's. The worst part of her however was her face. Her eyes were pure white to contrast her dark skin. Her mouth was full of razor sharp teeth and her lips were missing. Her long black hair seemed to have a life of its own; each unkempt clump seemed to move and coil on its own like a serpent.

"You can't hide from me little demi-god. Even in your mother's domain." She slowly moved closer, everywhere she stepped the plant life withered and died, the ground around her dried up as though her skin oozed poison.
"What do you mean my mother? How do you know who my mother is?" Lukas tried to stand his ground but it was hard to do against a monster when your weapon and powerless.
"Oh the demi-god doesn't know – how sweet." A smirked formed on her face. "Doesn't matter. You didn't head my warning and now you must die!"
Tisiphone lunged at Lukas who quickly jumped out the way slamming into a tree. Tisiphone quickly composed herself and struck a second time. Lukas quickly slid down the tree meaning her talons sliced the tree instead leaving deep groves. Lukas looked and felt pained by the sight of tree. Tisiphone stood over Lukas.
"Good try. Not many demi-gods have evaded my attacks. I may give you a quick death... maybe."
"Concentrate on the tree roots... imagine them encircling her body." Lukas had no idea what was going on but he did it. As Tisiphone rose her hand to strike the tree started to creak. The ground cracked which made way for a tree root to shoot up and circle around Tisiphone's raised wrist.
"What?" Lukas couldn't believe what he was seeing. Roots kept being uplifted and surrounding Tisiphone's body. He couldn't believe the tree was bending to his will. He figured Tisiphone was stronger than the roots so he quickly got to his feet and ran. He tried to focus on the trees as he ran. He tried to see what else he could do that would help him. He tried to make the branches bend to his will to form a barrier but they didn't move. Then he noticed it. The flowers. As he ran the flowers close by bloomed and they all faced the same direction. It was a crazy idea but today had been crazy. He was to follow the flowers. He quickly changed his course and ran as fast as he could. The trees started to thin out until Lukas got to a large clearing.
"I was sure this was the way." Lukas muttered to himself. How had he run through the entire forest? The forest lay behind him and all that was ahead of him was a hill with a tree at the top. Then he looked again. The tree was glowing? It was warm and inviting and seemed to call Lukas forward and he obliged. It wasn't until he was half way that he heard a familiar voiced that he didn't want to hear.
"There you are!" Tisiphone landed in front of Lukas, ready to pounce. "That trick won't work again!" Tisiphone slashed at Lukas who barely evaded the attacks. Lukas t-shirt was slashed but his skin unharmed. Lukas focused on the grass to grow around Tisiphone's feet which obliged but Tisiphone easily cut through it.
"Why. Won't. You. Die." Tisiphone shouted at Lukas. Her wings outstretched as she jumped and slammed down her claws digging deep into the earth. From the point of impact the grass started to wither and die across the field. Lukas watched as the plant died, he could feel something inside him cry out for help, he knew he had to do something. He knew he could do something but what. "My children have power over the earth; use this to your advantage. Use it to kill this monster." It was the same female voice as earlier but it didn't help him decide what to do.
"That angers you demi-god doesn't it? Killing your mother's precious plants." Lukas could feel the anger in him building up; he had once last chance to kill this monster. It was now or never. Beneath Lukas's feet the grass started to grow back which seemed to amuse Tisiphone. Instead of grass he focused on more. A vine shoot shot up and grabbed onto Tisiphone's wrist and started to grow around it.
"This... again?" Tisiphone spoke sounding bored. As she went to slash herself free another vine grabbed onto the other one. More and more vines started to encase her whole body, and then he started to let his anger out. The vines started tightening around her body focusing on her neck. He made the vines grow thorns and puncture her skin causing a scream more of anger than pain. He knew that if he could get nearer to the tree he would be able to finish her off – crush her with it or something but he was starting to feel weak but he had no choice. Lukas ran to the tree as Tisiphone struggled in her temporary prison of vines. Lukas ran up the hill, he finally made it to the tree and placed his hands on it when he heard a noise worse than the Furies scream.

A great roar echoed throughout the field. Wrapped round the tree was a large copper dragon, its yellow eyes looking down onto Lukas then behind him to the Furie now breaking free. Lukas was sure he was going to die – whether by being eaten by a dragon or shredded by a Furie. It was a lose-lose situation. With a growl the dragon pounced and to Lukas's surprised right over his head and seemed to guard him. "His an alley, together you can kill her." The voice was back and this was the best thing she had said so far. Tisiphone had broke free from the vines, they continued to keep trying to grown around her but she simple cut them away.
"Don't think this dragon will help you. I do not fall easily." Her skin and dress had puncher marks from the thorns but only some of them where bleeding. Tisiphone started to run at the pair, the dragon was quick and responded with fire which Tisiphone quickly dodged but the dragon was quicker. It spun round and knocked her with its tail sending her flying through the air landing with a thud. Lukas thought of a plan. If he could catch her attention for long enough then it will give the dragon time to kill her once and for all. Lukas took off running trying to get behind Tisiphone while she and the dragon were engaged in battle. Lukas went to run up behind her but she kicked back her talons punchering Lukas's waist and upper body. Lukas fell to the floor with a thud, his wounds bleeding and staining his clothes. Lukas sent a thorned vine up from the earth and around Tisiphone's neck gripping tight. She quickly turned round to face Lukas forgetting about the dragon leaving herself venerable. The dragon bit down on one of her wings and ripped it of causing a loud scream to erupt from the Fury. She fell to the floor clutching her back where her wing once was.
"I'll kill you both for this!" She roared but she didn't get up.
The dragon was breathing heavy next to Lucas like he was ready to end this.
"I don't know if you can understand me dragon but I'll hold her down and you finish her." The dragon blew smoke from its nostrils which Lucas took as "I understand."
Lukas focused all his strength on the ground around Tisiphone. He needed more than vines he needed thick tree roots like before. He focused on the forest around him trying to summon the roots deep underground. At first it seemed hopeless nothing was happened but Lukas kept trying. Tisiphone rose to her feet with pure hate in her eyes, she was about to lunged but the ground burst between her feet. Thick roots tied round her waist and legs holding her down. The dragon pounced at the perfect time; his jaw locked around Tisiphone's neck and pulled her head clean off causing her body to turn into black vapour that faded away.
"Well that was anticlimactic. What now?" Lukas wasn't sure if he was talking to the dragon or just himself either way the dragon ignored him and retreated back up the hill like nothing had happened. Lukas followed nervously unsure what he would find. The dragon curled back around the tree and closed its eyes once again. Lukas reached the top of the hill and looked at the site in front of him.
"So this must be Camp Half Blood."