Running. That was the only thing he had been doing for the past week. Running through woods, towns, mountains, you name it. There was barely any time to eat or rest. It was run or be killed if he stopped. Why? Well, even he couldn't answer that question. The best that he could come up with was…demons? No, that didn't seem right. More like monsters was the correct term. He knew that sounded crazy and it definitely was but that was the only conclusion he could come up with. It started last week when he and his mother had been driving to some sort of camp. He remembered she would keep saying it was time and that he would be protected whatever that meant.
Along the way however, they had crashed in a ditch. The rain pouring down on them, the night offering no visibility and his mother's frantic driving had certainly been their demise. He remembered waking up on the ground, the wet mud seeping into his clothes and the harsh wind slapping against his body was a sensation he would never forget. It had taken some time for him to gather his bearings and get up before he went to go check on his mom. He never wished he did as the image of her mangled corpse in the driver's seat would forever be burnt inside his mind.
He remembered falling to his knees that had given out on him as his mother's lifeless eyes stared up at him. He didn't know what to do or who to call. Not that he could, considering he didn't have a phone. All he could do was stare helplessly. His grieving was cut short however as he heard inhumane screeches coming from deep within the woods in front of him. He remembered the fear that those sounds had instilled into him, rendering his legs immobile. With shaky hands, he tried to get his mother's body out of the car. He wanted to get them both out of there as soon as possible but thanks to just how hard they had crashed, the door was jammed shut. He could hear the screeching getting louder and louder, making his heart thump against his chest heavily. After what seemed like mere seconds, he remembered seeing a spear land to his side, almost making a direct hit with his leg. With a strangled yelp, he had jumped away from the car and looked out to the forest where there were multiple bleadly, yellow eyes staring back at him through the darkness.
He remembered his legs unconsciously taking his body away from the scene as fast as possible, leaving his dead mother still in the car and at the mercy of whatever was in those woods. Turning around one last time as he ran away, he remembered seeing some type of human that had the face of a lizard peering into the car before ripping his mother's head clean off her neck. The sight of the blood dripping down the lizard's eyes as it ate his mother's face was something he would forever have nightmares about.
After that everything seemed to be a blur. He ran for days upon days, miles upon miles as he tried his best to avoid the monsters that had continued to follow him. Now, after what seemed like years of running away from his demise, it seemed his luck had dried up. With his back against a tree and his legs too tired to even try to stand, he was at the mercy of the lizard people. Now that there was no rain to block his sight, he could see just what these monsters were like. Scaly skin, pale yellow eyes and slit mouths, they looked like something out of a shitty Hollywood movie his mother and he would watch before bed.
But with the cool touch of a spear against his throat he knew this wasn't a movie. This was real life. He wasn't the hero or even a side character. He was just meat to the grinder, he knew that. So, with a sigh of regret, sadness, and acceptance, he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable feeling of his own blood pouring out of his neck. But the feeling never came. Instead, he heard the sounds of a flute being played from the woods around them. The sound was intoxicating in a sense. It seemed to charge his body with a foreign energy he had never felt before. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of the monsters dead before him. Some sort of vein had entrapped itself around their bodies and had crushed every bone in them.
"What the hell-"
"You ok, kid?" He could hear a voice ask him from a tree above. Craning his head upward he could see the silhouette of a small person standing on a tree branch. Squinting his eyes, he noticed that the person was indeed holding a flute, but something wasn't right. Their body was way too short thanks to the…goat legs they were sporting? With the figure jumping down from the tree and revealing himself, it was exactly what he had conjured up in his mind. It really was a dude who was half goat!
"Wha-W-Who-What the hell is going on!?" He screamed out with raised hands. He just couldn't catch a break with these monsters. Hopefully this one didn't try to kill him too. He was too weak and tried to take that goat man on, not like he would be given the chance anyway. One note from that flute would have him ending up looking like the monsters dead at his feet.
"Hey, kid. Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you. Quite the opposite in fact." The goat man replied, trying his best to calm the boy down. But seeing the boy's wide eyes and his tense body looking like an animal cornered, he had a feeling he wasn't doing his job too well.
"Kid, if I wanted to kill you, you'd already be in front of the judges in the underworld." The goat man rolled his eyes.
"Judges!? Underworld? What the fuck are you talking about, dude! And what the fuck even are you!? What the fuck were those monsters that are now just fairy dust!? What the absolute fuck is going on!?"
"Alright! One question at a time. Hades, I forgot just how annoying demigods could be sometimes." The goat man rubbed his brow before sitting down against a stump, pulling out what looked to be sunflower seeds to eat. Quickly and loudly chewing on his snack he continued.
"Kid, to answer your questions as quickly as possible I'm gonna fly through this. Firstly, I'm not a goat. I'm a Satyr. What those things are that I just killed are indeed monsters. The reason why they're chasing after you is because you're a demigod. A demigod is the offspring of a God or Goddess. The Greek Gods are real and so are the Roman Gods but that's a little difficult to explain right now so I'll just leave it at that until I take you to camp. Alright! I think that's it right now, any questions?"
While the satyr expected the boy in front of him to blindly agree with his explanation, instead the demigod before him began to laugh maniacally. It seemed to have broken the poor boy's mind with all the events that had transpired.
"The Gods are real. You really expect me to believe that shit!?" The boy practically screamed out into the air, causing the satyr to awkwardly laugh.
"Well, the evidence is right in front of you. What more does it take to make you believe? Want me to bring more monsters over so they can chase you for another week? I'll explain more along the way but now we need to get you to camp. It isn't safe out here." The satyr replied as he slung his flute over his shoulder.
"Camp? Like the one my mother told me about. For people like me?"
"Yeah. Well, there's multiple camps but that's another story. Right now, however, we need to get a move on. I'm sure the magic I used to kill those monsters is gonna attract more in the area."
And so, the newly formed duo began their trek through the country. Come to find out the boy's name was Fletcher Mahomes who was thirteen and from Colorado. He didn't know anything about the Gods or the mythological world which explains why he was able to survive for so long without any protection. He wasn't really anything special. An average student who was average at sports. That's about it according to him. He was pretty good at archery however which made the satyr's eyebrow raise when he mentioned that.
To Fletcher's estimate, they had probably walked thirty miles before the sun finally set below the horizon, the distant stars and pale moon taking its place instead.
"I'm always glad to see that there are still stars out in the sky. Don't really get to see them much out in New York." The satyr said with a small sigh. Fletcher had to agree with the goat man. Although he was from Colorado, he was born in the city of Denver. Not much could be seen when you have an entire city polluting the night sky with its lights.
"You know, I never got your name." Fletcher took his eyes off the stars and instead directed his gaze to the man sitting across the campfire from him.
"Let's keep it that way. I never give any demigod I bring back to camp my name and I won't start now."
The demigod wanted to ask why but seeing the sad look on the satyr's face, he decided not to push it. Some things are meant to be kept to oneself. Instead, he asked another question that had been plaguing his mind since they had begun their journey.
"What did you mean earlier by more than one camp? My mother spoke of it as only one camp when she was…" His voice died off at the end as he remembered his mother was truly dead. It was the first time since that night that he was able to reflect and grieve without the possibility of a monster chasing after him.
"Well, she was sort of right. There is only one camp for Greek demigods like yourself but there's another one for Roman demigods as well. Just last year I wouldn't have been allowed to tell you that without having my head chopped off but thanks to good ol Jackson and the rest of the seven, we are able to coexist now."
"Will I be able to find my father at this camp for people like me?" Fletcher asked with resentment in his voice. Just the thought of his father made his blood boil. Leaving his mother before he was even born. Leaving them without any sort of chance or help to fend for themselves. Seeing the tense posture of the demigod before him, the satyr decided to answer his question.
"No. The Gods live on Olympus while the demigods live at their respective camps. Rarely do they visit or even speak to their children. Even after Jackson had made them promise to do so."
"You keep on bringing up someone named Jackson. Who is that?"
The satyr gained a smile on his face at the mention of the man named Jackson. He guessed the guy had a lot of influence if he had made the Gods promise him something.
"Jackson. Perseus Jackson. A son of Poseidon. He's probably the greatest demigod to ever grace the Earth. The stories of the legends don't even compare to the feats Perseus has done throughout his years."
"And he's at this camp?"
Once again, the satyr gained a faraway look. "No. He left the camp after the Gods, and he had a…disagreement. The Gods are beginning to rule the camps with an iron fist, and he certainly didn't like that, so he decided to abandon them and make a camp of his own."
"And you're taking me to this camp? The one where the Gods are ruling with an iron fist?" Fletcher asked with a hint of irony. Why in the hell would he want to go there if that was the case? Why would he go there if he couldn't even get to see his father so he could punch his lights out.
"Well, it's either that or I can take you to Perseus's camp but be warned if you do, you'll be labeled an enemy of Olympus. You'll never be able to set foot in the mainland United States without being hunted down and killed."
The way Fletcher saw it was he could go to camp and be miserable under the reign of the Gods or he could take his chances with this so-called greatest hero of all. Maybe Perseus could actually let him live a life worth living. It sounded like he did try his best for demigods unlike the Gods if what the satyr had told him was true.
"Where is Perseus's camp? I think I'd like to go there instead." The demigod asked but gained a confused look when the satyr shook his head.
"I've already told you way too much. Telling you where the camp is would put all those people at risk. If I'm going to take you there, I'll need you to swear on the River Styx that if you change your mind, you cannot speak a word about Perseus's camp or his whereabouts." The satyr said, his eyes turning into a fierce stare that made the hairs on Fletcher's arms stand up.
"Swear on the what?" The demigod tilted his head.
"The River Styx. It's a promise that cannot be broken. If you do go back on your word, you could end up with serious repercussions or even death. So, think carefully if you really want to do this because if you do, there's no going back."
Fletcher's mouth went dry as he realized just how serious this situation was. It was something that he never thought in a million years would happen to him but here he was. Demigods. Gods. Heroes. It was too much for his brain and now he has to decide where he wants to go. What his future will be. Go to camp where the Gods apparently rule with an iron fist or go to Perseus's camp where maybe he could have a shot of growing into the person he truly wanted to be.
"I…I swear on the River Styx to abide by your terms." The demigod stated after a minute of internally debating with himself. Immediately, there was an ear splitting clap of thunder overhead that shook the very dirt beneath him. Fletcher frantically looked up at the night sky while the satyr across from him simply looked bored.
"Don't worry, kid. It's part of the whole shabang. Now let's get some rest. We have a long way to go if we're gonna get to Alaska."
"Alaska!? That's where Perseus's camp is?" The demigod practically screamed out. Alaska was the last place he expected the greatest demigod of all time to live.
"Shut up! Why don't you just announce it to the whole world why don't ya." The satyr said with a fiery whisper. Fletcher mouthed a quick sorry as the satyr continued to speak.
"Yeah, Alaska. Perseus and all the demigods that live with him are enemies of Olympus since they abandoned the Gods. They can't just simply live in the mainland U.S since the Gods control that part."
"But Alaska is also part of the U.S?"
"Yeah, but it's not the mainland and since it's not, the Gods don't have dominion over it."
Fletcher slowly nodded his head as the pieces came together. It was smart to be honest. The Gods are well…Gods! Perseus couldn't simply outrun them. He needed to go somewhere where they didn't have eyes. And if what the satyr said was true then Alaska truly was the best option. How in the world would they get there though? Seeing the goat man turn to his side and begin to eat for the night, Fletcher realized his question wouldn't be answered at least till the morning. That is if they didn't get snuck up on by monsters and get stabbed in the throat while they slept.
Deciding it was best to get rest himself before they hit the road again in the morning, the demigod laid down close to the fire and closed his eyes. The events from the past week flashed through his mind as he finally had a moment to reflect. Monsters eating his mother's corpse, running through a seemingly endless forest, the fear that his body would still sometimes feel. Fletcher could feel a lone tear roll down his cheek as he tried to get the horrific images out of his head.
But he knew that he would never be able to forget. He didn't know if he wanted to, to be honest. He needed something to drive him forward, to compel him to fight and not give up the next time he faced a monster like he did earlier today. Maybe when he met this Perseus dude, he could help him become a warrior like he was. Without realizing it, the boy had finally managed to relax his body and let the sweet embrace of sleep take him away. But as a newly realized demigod would soon come to learn, sleep doesn't come with consequences.
Opening his eyes, he realized he was standing in the middle of the street of a large city. Craning his head, he noticed the towering Empire State Building looming above him.
"New York?" What in the hell was he doing here? Looking around some more, it seemed that the place was abandoned which really set his internal alarms off. This was the city that never sleeps. People constantly walk up and down these sidewalks. There should be no reason as to why he couldn't see anyone. Without warning, his body was suddenly jerked upward towards the top of the Empire State Building. He gritted his teeth as the sinking feeling in his stomach grew more and more as he soared high into the sky past the clouds. Before he knew it, the sight of a beautiful floating city soon came into view. It was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen in his life. It looked like something out of a movie. Streets paved with gold, temples and palaces everywhere, even the air smelt pure. It was a place of pure beauty.
But as he touched down on the golden roads, his body grew heavy. Sinking to one knee and grimacing in pain, his brain screamed at him to run away. He wasn't welcomed here. He tried to stand up and run away but his feet were firmly planted on the ground. Once more his body involuntarily moved towards a grand temple with two double oak doors. As he was brought forward, the scene around him shifted. Gone was the beautiful scenery around him. Instead, fire encompassed the entirety of the city. Shouts and screams of fear could be heard in the air. Craning his head, he noticed what looked to be two armies of armor-clad warriors fighting in the streets. One side, dressed in silver, desperately trying their best to hold back the other side that was dressed in black.
It was a sight to behold watching these warriors battle it out. The screams, the sound of metal clashing against each other, the blood pooling onto the ground. It was something that caused Fletcher's knees to go weak. No way in hell could he ever join in the fray of something like that. He'd be killed in an instant. As he continued to watch, he realized that the side dressed in silver armor was slowly beginning to be pushed back towards the grand temple he was currently standing in front of. Before long, it was the black armored warriors left standing over the bodies of the people they had just fought.
The sight of them brought fear into his heart. With blood covering the entirety of their armor, and swords dripping with it, they all began to make their way towards him. Their fierce glares pierced his very soul as they walked up the steps of the temple. He tried to move away but his feet were firmly planted.
"P-Please. I-I'm not part of them. I don't know what's going on. J-Just let me live." He begged as they got closer and closer. But instead of striking him down like he expected, the warriors instead walked right past him or rather…through him.
"Right. This is just a dream." He shakily reminded himself as he watched the warriors surround the double oak doors. It seemed they were waiting for something before they went inside.
"Are we ready?" A gruff, deep voice that oozed power said from behind him. Turning around, he was greeted with the sight of a magnificent warrior that seemed to materialize out of thin air. His armor was similar to that of the others besides the golden skull mask he had on. Something about it seemed to radiate power. As he walked closer, the army parted like the Red Sea as they made a path for him to the doors. Fletcher could feel the air become dense as the man approached. With a startling realization, he concurred that it was the warrior's power that caused the air to become the way it was. The feeling of it pressing down on his shoulders caused him to drop to his knees.
This wasn't an ordinary warrior. No, he was something more. He had to be God. There was no other explanation. With his mouth drying up and his hands becoming shaky, Fletcher avoided eye contact with the man as he drew near.
"Yes, my Lord. We're ready on your command." Someone said from the crowd.
Filled with endless thoughts about what was happening around him, Fletcher didn't realize that a pair of armored boots had stopped right in front of him. His eyes slowly drew upwards until they met the ones of the leader. With their gazes connecting, he could feel the warrior's green eyes pierce into his very soul. But something about them made him feel at ease? Hope? He didn't know but whatever it was made him unconsciously stand up. The weight of power seemed to dissipate from his shoulders as he stared at the man.
"I'll see you soon at camp." The leader said. Fletcher's eyes widened as he realized that the warrior could actually see him! With those final words, the man's gaze was torn away as he began his walk towards the doors. Fletcher watched as the man drew a bronze sword that shined with pure power before opening the entrance doors. Immediately, his dream self was thrown back from a powerful blast that radiated from the room. He could feel himself being dragged backwards towards the edge of the city before being violently thrown off. Screaming with pure fear, he watched as the streets of New York got closer and closer. At the very last second before he became a pancake, he awoke back into reality. With quick breaths, he jumped from his spot on the ground like a spooked rabbit.
He could hear the satyr's voice say something to him but with the blood rushing inside his head, all he could hear was ringing. With shaky knees, the demigod sat back down as he tried to gather himself. The dream…it had felt so real. And so scary.
"Had your first demigod dream I see? How'd it go?" The satyr asked once his breath had finally slowed down.
"What?" Fletcher asked as he took a pot of stew the goat man had handed him for breakfast.
"Judging by how you were tossing and turning all night, I assume you had a demigod dream. They're pretty rough for your kind from what I hear. Glad I don't have to deal with that." The satyr replied with a mouthful of food. So that was what that was. A demigod dream. They must be more intense than ordinary dreams because that was certainly the most scary and real one, he had ever experienced in his life.
"It was something I don't think I could ever forget. There were two armies fighting in this beautiful city! And then there was some guy, a warrior, who just radiated absolute power. And the crazy part was that he could see me even though it was a dream. He told me he would see me at camp whatever that means." Fletcher replied, causing the goat to spit out his food and begin to violently cough.
"ACK! A-Are you sure, kid? Are you sure you truly saw this in your dream?" The satyr asked once he had enough air to breathe again.
"As sure as the sun that rises every morning. I know what I saw." He replied.
"I saw a God."
-X-
It had taken them close to a week but eventually the satyr demigod duo had finally arrived at the west coast. Along the way, Fletcher was taught everything that needed to be known about this new world he was violently introduced to. The Gods, the demigods, history of the camps, the recent wars, stories of old. It was honestly too much but he did try his best to pack it all into his head. He was taught the basics of survival which would not only come in handy considering he was going to the Alaskan wilderness but also because it was necessary for a demigod to know. According to the satyr, a person's life is dictated only by the amount of responsibility they put into it.
Among these survival lessons, he was shown how to wield a sword. They had acquired one from a monster the satyr had killed. With his new weapon, he was taught what little knowledge the satyr had on how to properly wield one. Fletcher knew it wasn't much, but it was better to go into Perseus's camp with some experience rather than none. He had even managed to kill a lowly monster that was half blind and deaf thanks to the goat man's magic.
Before he knew it, they were in the state of Washington. The constant downpour of rain and dreary clouds was certainly a constant reminder. Fletcher had wanted to visit California along the way but in the satyr's own words they needed to avoid the Roman camp which was apparently there. According to him, the Romans were fiercely loyal to the Gods even after they began to rule with an iron fist. Only a handful of Romans left their camp to join Perseus. If they were caught, then they would be executed on sight for betraying the commands of the Lord Zeus.
But that didn't stop them from continuing their journey. He felt confident that they would succeed, and he trusted his faithful goat companion to get him where he needed to be. Right now, he had led them to a pier, but he noticed that there were no boats which confused him. He had originally suspected crossing the ocean to get to Alaska but now he was having doubts.
"Well, kid. This is as far as I can get you."
"Wait, what?" Fletcher alarmingly replied.
"Yup." The satyr said, popping the p. "It's not practical for me to take you all the way up there. That's why we have her." He said before pointing to a woman that suddenly appeared from the water. Startled, the demigod jumped back as he watched the water nymph emerge with a smile written across her face.
"Hi!" She happily greeted the pair. Looking to his side for an explanation from the satyr, instead he saw the look of a love-struck man giddy with happiness.
"Oh no. Please don't tell me he's in love." Fletcher thought to himself as he watched the man practically skip around in delight. But he couldn't deny that the water spirit was pretty. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen in fact. Black, sleekish long hair, pale skin that practically glowed and blue eyes that he could look into forever. Hell, he mise well link arms with the satyr and skip around with him.
"Get a hold of yourself, Fletcher." The goatman suddenly cleared his throat as he tried his best to look cool in front of the woman. The demigod rolled his eyes but held his tongue. There was no need to embarrass the older man in front of the girl.
"What can I do for you two?" The water nymph asked while petting the fish that swam around her, drawled in by her calm aura.
"Hello, Thetis. It's been a while." The satyr began, trying his best not to stumble over his words. The demigod's eyes widened as he recognized the name. Thetis as in the goddess Thetis!? The mother of Achillies!? That's absolutely crazy! This is the first immortal he's ever encountered, and it happens to be the mother of one of the most prolific characters in all of Greek history. He didn't expect her to look so…young, however.
"Indeed, it has. I see you've brought another demigod. I assume he's going to my prince's camp." The woman presumed in which the satyr nodded his head in reply.
"Very well. Say your goodbyes and let us depart, young demigod. If we stay any longer the eyes of the Olympians will soon spot us." The Goddess said to him, giving him a moment with the satyr. Turning his head, Fletcher outstretched his hand.
"Thank you for getting me this far. Without you, I would've died in those woods." He said, almost tearing up at the thought of splitting up from the man he had grown accustomed to.
"Don't worry about it, kid. It's my job. Promise me one thing though. Don't go dying off as soon as you get to Alaska. It would make my work pretty useless." The goatman replied, shaking hands with the younger demigod. Nodding his head and with a shaky breath, Fletcher jumped down below into the water with the nymph. He expected the water to be ice cold considering they were all the way in Washington but to his surprise it was warm. It had even reenergized him which he guessed could be contributed to by the Goddess beside him. Taking his hand, the nymph began to pull him under the water but not before saying one last thing to the satyr above.
"Goodbye, Reginald. Hope to see you again soon!" Thetis exclaimed with a smile, knowing all too well that the satyr didn't like people knowing his name. The goat however, was too giddy to notice that his name had been revealed to Fletcher as he waved back at him. The demigod laughed as the last sight of his protector was of him stumping up and down on the ground as he realized what the Goddess had done.
With his head fully submerged beneath the waves, he held his breath until the Goddess had summoned an air pocket around his head, allowing him to breathe as she guided him deeper into the ocean. He honestly had expected himself to freak out as they delved deeper into the water but with the Goddess holding his hand, he found it hard to do so. She had a calmness about her that leaked onto others. Thanks to that, he was able not to have a heart attack and instead strike up a conversation.
"So, this is what you do? Bring new demigods to Perseus's camp?" He asked, his voice sounding a bit strange thanks to the water pressure and air pocket around him.
"Yes." The Goddess hummed in reply. "After the prince had left Olympus and had begun to build his camp and bring in new demigods, Lord Poseidon had ordered me to help out in the effort."
"This is a lot of work to bring in new demigods, no? From what I understand, don't satyrs typically bring the demigods to camp?" He asked, deep in thought.
"Typically so, but as you know this is no ordinary camp. If the satyrs did bring demigods to Perseus's camp, the Gods would soon learn of that one way or another. It's better to have allies of the sea finish the remainder of the journey so that way the camp's location can still be safeguarded." Thetis said as she picked up the speed of their swimming.
"Is there anything I should know or not do before I arrive? Like not talk about the Gods or not ask this Perseus guy a lot of questions that would annoy him?"
"No. My prince is a very kindhearted person who welcomes anyone into his camp. Your arrival or questions will not annoy him in the slightest." Thetis giggled. Fletcher could feel his nerves lessen when she had said that. All this build up about arriving at camp and meeting this famous hero was certainly making him anxious.
"One last question. How long is it gonna take us to get there? Washington is a pretty long way from Alaska."
"Not to worry, young hero. Because we have already arrived." She said much to his shock as she guided him to the surface. Raising his head above the water, he realized that she was right! The geography, the clearer water, even the air was totally different from where he had been just moments ago.
"H-How?" He exclaimed, turning his head to look at the Goddess who only showed her pearly white teeth in reply.
"I'm a Goddess. You think this is like mortal traveling by boat or airplane?" She asked with a huff of indignation. With amazement written all over his face, the demigod stepped out of the water and onto the sandy banks of Alaska.
"It's amazing." He couldn't help but exclaim. The air smelt of pine, the mountains miles away were towering and even the ground just felt pristine. Untouched by civilization. They must be miles upon miles out from any sort of town or city.
"Indeed, it is. My prince certainly did well picking out the spot for you to live. But it's time for me to leave and for you to meet him and the others, young Fletcher." Thetis said to him as she slowly began to disappear into a fine sheet of mist.
"Wait, where do I go from here!? How do I get to camp?" The demigod asked but the nymph only shook her head in reply.
"Even I am not privileged enough to know the exact spot of Perseus's camp. It is up to you. Follow your instincts. It will lead you to where you need to go." She replied, giving one last amazing smile to him before disappearing from his sight.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Fletcher exclaimed, leaning his head upwards in exasperation. Why take him all the way to a state he's never visited and expect him to just find his way to a camp that not even a Goddess knows the location of!? Opening his eyes after a couple of minutes of seething silently, the young demigod realized that the sun was close to setting behind the horizon. Guessing that he only had somewhere of two hours left until night took over, he once again felt anger rise in his chest. If he didn't find this camp before night, he really could be screwed. Who knew how cold it could get in the darkness not to mention just how many monsters could possibly be out there, hunting for demigod flesh.
Deciding that it was best not to stay still longer than necessary, he got a move on, electing to walk inwards from the shoreline towards the woods. He didn't feel any gut feeling or instincts guiding him like Thetis had told him to listen to so that was just great! He was effectively going in blind with a very, very minuscule chance of stumbling upon a camp meant for people like him. The situation he was currently in reminded of the movies he would watch with his mother. More times than not, it typically didn't go in the main character's favor, and he expected the same outcome to fall upon him as well. Like he said earlier when those monsters had him cornered against a tree with a spear at his throat, he wasn't the main character.
"Nothing's ever easy for a demigod." Fletcher muttered to himself as he stepped over a large rock in his path. He hadn't even realized he was a demigod until last week and already he was dealing with shit no ordinary person would ever experience. He dreaded what was to come later down the road if he even lived that long. This self-pity and doubt ran through his mind for almost two hours as he walked through the woods in search of his new home. Walking through seemingly endless forests, climbing towering hills and avoiding animals that could tear him into shreds, it was all for naught however as he wasn't any closer to finding the camp. And now it was nighttime. The stars shone brightly overhead, and the trees swayed fiercely from the wind that howled against his ear.
Huddled up close to the small fire he made, the demigod tightly gripped his sword in case anything came out of the shadows to attack him. His teeth clattered against each other as he tried his best to retain an ounce of warmth.
"Why?"
That word kept replaying itself in his head over and over again. Why was he put in this situation? Why did his mother have to die? Why was he a demigod? Why couldn't he just be back at home watching movies with his mother. He had friends that he wanted to see again. We wanted to go to school and live a normal life. He wanted to get a girlfriend one day. He just wanted to be normal.
Instead, here he was, in the Alaska wilderness in front of fire, starving, thirsty and cold.
Deep in his loathing, Fletcher failed to realize that there was something in the darkness, silently stalking and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Its menacing red eyes shone brightly in the blackness as it eyed the demigod. Suddenly, it let out a howl so loud it shook the very ground beneath, causing Fletcher to sharply look up in fright.
"Wolves!?" He wondered to himself, standing up with his sword raised as he scanned the perimeter for any signs of movement. The howls were beginning to multiply more and more. With the fierce winds overhead also having a similar sound, it made it hard to differentiate just how many were out there. Hell, the animals were probably already surrounding him, and he wouldn't know until it was too late. Deciding that he needed more light, the demigod picked up a stick before sticking it into the fire. Watching the flames lick around the branch, he quickly threw it out into the woods, watching the orange blaze encompass the thick blanket of darkness.
"Oh shit." Fletcher whispered, his voice shaking as he looked at the sudden appearance of the biggest wolf he had ever seen. Its face and eyes were the only things he could see thanks to the lit branch that was slowly beginning to lose its light. As the two stared at one another in silence, he realized that this thing was no wolf. It was too big, too menacing. Its red, unflinching eyes stared into his very soul just like the man's green eyes he saw in his dream. No, this wasn't a wolf. This was a hellhound. The dog of the underworld. And it was hungry for demigod. With its teeth bared out in all its glory, it took all of Fletcher's will power to stand his ground and not run away. With his eyes still locked with the beast, he began to slowly walk backwards with his sword in a defensive position. Any sudden movements and the hellhound would pounce without any hesitation. He needed to get away quickly, but he needed to be smart in this situation or he could forget going to Perseus's camp. He'd be visiting the underworld instead.
With the light of the fiery branch extinguishing its flame, the beast melted back into the darkness. The two red eyes were the only thing he could see out there, still unblinking and staring right at him. Backing the opposite away, he thought he would be able to get enough distance between the dog and him to have a chance of surviving, but it seemed fate or luck wasn't in his favor.
SNAP The loud crack of a branch breaking beneath his foot reverberated across the entirety of the forest. Cringing at the sound, he looked back up to notice that the red eyes of the hellhound were nowhere to be seen. It took only a second for him to realize he was in deep shit before he was hit by something that felt like a freight truck going fifty miles an hour! He wasn't even able to let out a scream as all the air in his lungs had been knocked out of him. Instead, instincts took over as he shielded himself from the hellhound's fangs sinking into his throat. His sword that he recovered from that monster Reginald had killed lodged in between the fangs, being the only thing that was separating him from death.
Desperately using all the strength, he had in him, Fletcher tried to slip away from underneath the monster but its weight and grip it had on his sword prevented him in doing so. All he could do it seemed was delay the inevitable as his sword hand began to slowly lose strength, the monster's fangs inch closer and closer to his neck. With slobber dripping onto his face, the demigod screamed out for help, desperately hoping that someone, anyone, would come to his aid. But after a minute of being in the same position, he knew that his screams fell on deaf ears. No one would be coming to save him. It was him and him alone that could get him out of this situation. So, with adrenaline coursing through his veins and seeing death's door right in front of him, Fletcher did the only thing he could think of that would give him a chance of getting out of this alive.
"FUCKKKK!" The demigod cried out in pain as he stuck his left arm into the hellhound's mouth, replacing his sword hand that was there moments ago. With no weapon blocking the fangs, his forearm was subject to the immense amount of bite force the dog had. He could feel and hear his bone being crushed, the pain almost making him pass out but the adrenaline preventing him from doing so. With his vision beginning to blacken, he knew he only had so much time left so with his weapon now free he raised it high into the air before stabbing down into the monster's neck. Its thick fur absorbed most of the strike, but he knew that if he kept driving the sword downwards, it would eventually begin to wear the dog down. So again, and again and again, the demigod drove his sword into the beast, its golden blood and dust leaking heavily onto his face.
With his arm beginning to feel like it was almost about to fall off, the boy let out a loud primal scream of desperation before driving the sword directly into the hellhound's eyes, sickly twisting it deep into its skull. He watched as the light in the dog's eyes faded and fell limp on top of him, its weight almost suffocating him. Eventually, it exploded into a golden dust, leaving only his sword that was now shattered into two halves on the ground. Coughing up dust, Fletcher slowly and unsteadily got to his feet as he picked up his now broken sword. His arm was bleeding heavily at this point and his vision was tunneled, meaning he only had a few minutes until exhaustion and blood loss overtook him.
As if that wasn't bad enough, he could hear the crunching of twigs behind him and the low growl of more hellhounds. Almost laughing in delirium at his shitty luck, he did the only thing he could think of in the moment. Fucking run! Dodging and weaving in between trees, he did his best to avoid the swipes of the hellhounds close behind him. He could feel their breath and the air of their missed swipes against his neck, driving him to run even faster. He could feel his legs burn as they were exerted to their absolute limit. But the exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him. His blood was leaking at a faster rate, and it wouldn't be too long now until the hellhounds would be on him, clawing his organs out.
Effectively running blind thanks to no light besides the stars that shone overhead, Fletcher failed to realize there was a steep cliff in front of him until it was too late, running straight off it at top speed.
"SHITTTT!" He screamed, failing his arms as he hit the rocky slopes and being tossed around like a rag doll. He could feel every hit from the ground, every rock driving deep against his body. It was excruciating as he felt his skin being scraped off from the speed he was descending. After a minute, he somehow had managed to stay alive as he hit the bottom of the cliff but not without consequence. Dazed, he picked up his head to see blood, mud and dirt all over his road burnt skin. His forearm was practically hanging on by a thread and his entire foot was turned in a way that shouldn't be physically possible. Wanting to throw but unable to, the boy instead groaned out as he let his head hit the ground again. At least he escaped the death of being torn to shreds. Maybe he could just die here on his own and not to five-inch fangs. But hearing the rocks fall down the cliff and the sound of snarls, he knew that wouldn't be the case.
Picking up his head once more, he watched as two hellhounds descended down the cliff, their fierce red eyes glued to him like a prized meal. At this point he really did laugh aloud. He couldn't believe just how shitty his luck was! Could he just die to blunt force trauma instead of being mauled to death! Was that too much to ask for!
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" He groaned, spitting out blood as the hellhounds inched closer to him. He knew demigods had tough lives, but this was just too much. He wasn't even able to live like a demigod for more than a week and now here he was at death's door! He would've thought he could've been able to live just a little bit longer, but it seems the Fates clearly had it out for him. Closing his eyes, he could practically feel the hellhounds out breath around his neck. Deciding it was best to try to get it over with as quick as possible, he gripped his broken sword that he somehow still had before pressing it against his heart. He would rather die quickly than be subject to such a brutal death. Taking one last deep breath, he prepared to end his life.
"I'll see you soon, mom." He whispered.
TWANG!
The loud piercing sound interrupted his would-be death, causing his eyes to open and witness one hellhound being hit in the face with an arrow before exploding into a golden dust. Craning his head to look for his savior, he forgot that there was another hellhound still alive. The beast roared before charging, hoping to get at least one swipe in and finally get his kill. Unfortunately for the monster, another arrow that was much faster than he, came out from the woodline before making a direct hit in its heart. Fletcher watched as the golden dust floated away into the wind with a smile on his face despite the pain, he was in. Now that his body realized it was out of danger for the moment, the adrenaline wore off and shock set in. His eyelids began to feel heavy as his body began to shut down forcibly. He couldn't hear much besides the roar of blood rushing inside his head, but he could make out the sounds of footsteps rushing towards him. With tunnel vision, he could faintly make the silhouette of a boy and girl looking down at him. They both had bows in their hands, but he couldn't make out more than that. He tried to open his mouth and thank them but that took too much energy. Energy he didn't have. Instead, he shakily outstretched his hand towards them, hoping that they could help him survive. And with that final image of the two people above him, he shut his eyes for good. The last thing he could feel before passing out was his hand being grasped by his saviors.