While Tartarus is an excellent place to stay for short periods of time, the tourist attractions get boring after a few weeks. I would say after a fortnight, but Peribolia tells me that is a forbidden word among mortals. Why that is, I cannot fathom. Fortnight is a very convenient word.

Regardless, after checking in with Damasen and Iapetus, I was cleared to travel to Earth. After exiting Tartarus through his dormant anus, I stumbled out in the forest I did not recognize.

I immediately felt like I was suffocating. The heavy air of Tartarus was lovely for larger monsters like me. I could breathe in as much sulfur as much as my hairy, shriveled heart desired. There was a lot less of that on Earth. I stumbled, a little woozy before forcing myself to adjust.

It was nighttime. I could see Artemis' chariot flying far ahead. Untouchable, as the Olympians themselves have proven to be several times. Fog somewhat obscured my vision, but I was fine otherwise.

The air was abnormally, even for Earth, making me think I was on some sort of mountain.

I pushed two trees down and found a dilapidated road with flickering street lamps I was significantly taller than.

I tried being stealthy to try not to alert the Olympians to my presence, but I could already feel Artemis staring daggers at me up above. Zeus would know I was back in his domain by sunrise. I hoped I would have longer, but I have never been the lucky type.

I started creeping down the road. Everytime my foot met the ground, a giant booming sound echoed around. Normally, I was proud of my hefty weight. But trying to sneak around while weighing forty thousand pounds was a losing battle. I don't recommend it.

I looked behind me and saw my feet were leaving indentations in road, as if an elephantine chicken had strutted across the asphalt.

I shrugged and starting normally.

If I knew one thing about mortals, it's that they were addicted to connections. This path undoubtedly connected with some sort of settlement. The issue was getting there before Artemis was able to tell Zeus I was back.

In my concern about Zeus, I had completely forgotten about her Hunters. While not truly immortal, I could sense them closing in already. Shimmering silvery energy shined above the treetops.

I wished I was lower on Zeus' list of priorities. It truly is a curse to be all that.

The Hunters were closing in from the north and the south, on either side of the road. I decided to continue walking along the road. It was nice and peaceful out. I did not want to fight the Hunt.

I know what you must be thinking. Porphyrion, you're the king of the giants! You could slaughter the entire Hunt with one hand tied behind your back. And you would be correct. However, I am no longer interested in ending lives. Mr. Rodgers saw to that.

Ah, so that was the mortal's name. Rodgers. Funny how that happens sometimes.

The Hunters were never conversational, and not open to negotiation. They viewed anything that wasn't human as a target. Thought, without the support of their patron goddess, there was nothing they could do to harm me.

Nevertheless, I quickened my pace. I was now doing a light jog, though with the length and build of my legs, I was now moving at forty miles per hour.

The Hunters quickly fell behind.

On the horizon, the lights of human civilization appeared. There were not many of them. It was not a very populous settlement I was looking at. I preferred it that way.

I was kidding myself if I was going to be believe that I was going to avoid a confrontation with the Olympians. I could delay it for as long as I could. But another fight with Zeus felt inevitable.

Was that me talking? Or was it Gaea? Was there even a difference?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was Porphyrion. I was master of my own destiny, now. Whether or not that was a good thing, I have yet to see.

An annoying tingling sensation erupted up and down my back. At first, I thought nothing of it. Then I heard the yelling. I whipped my head around and saw a lone Hunter firing off lightning blasts from twin knives. She had spiky hair and had the disposition of a leader. The moment I saw her electric eyes, I knew. This Hunter was the spawn of Zeus.

"Hey, Chicken Legs" called the lieutenant, "Eat voltage!"

In the interest of transparency, I am going to tell you, Gaea and Tartarus formed me with the idea of being the bane of Zeus. This you know. So in order to defeat Zeus, they blessed me with heavy resistance to lightning.

Which is why the Lieutenant's lightning didn't affect me. I could barely feel it.

I adhered to her command, however. I opened my mouth and allowed her blasts to tickle my tastebuds. Her lightning tasted metallic and unappetizing.

"I have no interest in fighting you." I informed her.

"Well, that's too bad. I have a lot of interest in fighting you!" yelled the Lieutenant.

I cracked my knuckles, a deafening sound that shook the treetops and cracked the poorly kempt street. "You are either very brave, very stupid, or a combination of both."

"Try angry." snarled the Lieutenant.

I knelt down and flicked the two knives out of her hands effortlessly, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Thalia!" called another Hunter "What's going on?" The rest of the Hunt started emerging from the treetops and on the mossy ground. Most of them of them had their bows drawn taunt. If I wasn't immortal, I would be severely concerned for my health.

I had heard rumors of a Roman named Reyna taking down Orion without the direct assistance of an Olympian. Perhaps the blessing of Artemis was enough for the Hunt to bring me back down.

The Lieutenant, now identified as Thalia, gazed up at my face curiously. "I thought I was hunting the giant king. Are you a lost Hyperborean or something?"

"No. I am Porphyrion."

Thailia crossed her arms "Are you sure?"

"Would you like me to slaughter all of your friends to prove myself?" I countered. I stamped my foot into the ground and my trusty spear materialized in my hands. It truly was a beautiful weapon, fashioned from birch wood and topped off with an Imperial gold tip. I was never one to name my weapons, though. I always found that tradition a little strange.

That thinking probably started when I realized Polybotes called his Nodiesop. It was just Poseidon backwards. It was difficult to pronounce and sounded lame when pronounced correctly.

Anyways, back to Thalia.

I will give the Hunt credit. I was likely the most powerful opponent they have faced since Kronos' army, but they only wavered for a second.

I counted fifteen Hunters on my left and twelve on my right. And there was Thalia in the middle of the street.

So I did what any reasonable giant would do and teleported out of there and into the little town down the road.

I can't teleport without my spear. Just a little fun fact for you. If you have read that whole Heroes of Olympus debacle, you probably know that I can teleport. However, that is a power my spear has. Not me. Glad we cleared the air.

The town itself was quaint. Building were few and far inbetween. The roads were all crumbling and terribly unkempt. They were simply paths of asphalt, their normally intricate design of white and yellow dashes were absent. The buildings were in somewhat good shape, though.

I willed myself down to the most human form I could manage and entered the nearest building.