PART 1: The City Of Gold

CHAPTER 2: Embraced By The Shadows

As the barrier collapsed, the monsters charged toward the few demigods that awaited at the base of the hill. Behind the monsters were 25 men, each holding a sword. They didn't move, even as the rest of their army advanced.

Percy slowly started retreating back towards the forest, making sure that he was always the one closest to the hill, compared to the other demigods with him. He fought off the monsters that were at an arm's length from him, cutting them with his blade, and watching as golden dust leaked out of them.

It wasn't long before he was forced into the forest, his goal to get to the river as soon as possible. A hellhound chased him, but the son of Poseidon held his ground and sidestepped, before impaling the hellhound in the stomach as it ran past him. Percy grinned, as the monsters began entering the forest, arrows flying from the trees and turning them to dust at impact.

A dracaenae charged towards him, but the son of Poseidon summoned water from the nearby river and slammed it into the snake lady, before running his sword through her, withdrawing it a moment later.

As the number of monsters dwindled, so did Percy's energy level, it wasn't long before there were just a few monsters left. However, as the archers had long since run out of arrows, they weren't able to do anything when the armed men entered the forest and attacked.

One of them grabbed the son of Poseidon by his shirt and threw him to the ground.

"Hey, what?" Percy said confused before realizing that the men weren't campers and were in fact a part of the enemy.

Three of them surrounded the son of Poseidon who pulled himself to his feet and backed up into the water, letting it soak his socks, as it filled him with energy.

" Who do you serve? You should reconsider your employment if they regularly make you attack kids." Percy said half joking, half serious, hoping that they would spill information about whoever was paying them to attack the camp.

The men didn't speak but one of them walked towards Percy, removing his helmet, revealing a man with pale skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. " I have come for you son of Poseidon, and as for your questions, we'll let those be answered by Hades when you meet him shortly in the underworld."

Percy scowled and activated his shield, it burst into life just in time to block a strike from the second man. He took another step backward before jabbing riptide at him, the second man parried the strike with his blade and pushed Percy towards the water.

The third man ran at Percy from the side and Percy managed to weakly stick his shield up to block the attack. He kicked Percy in the stomach and the son of Poseidon fell into the water. The first man brought his sword down towards Percy's neck, but the son of Poseidon formed a fist out of the water and punched the man in the face, he stumbled backward, giving Percy time to roll away from them and get onto his feet. The other two ran at Percy and swung their blades at Percy simultaneously, he blocked the attacks with his blade, taking the opportunity to move out of the way of their attack. He pulled his hand away and brought his sword down on the second man's foot. He screamed out in agony and blindly swung at Percy, catching the son of Poseidon by surprise, the blade cut his arm, and blood immediately began oozing out.

Percy pulled his sword out and threw it at the third man, the force of the blade flying through the air, cut through his armor, and slammed him into the ground. Percy staggered backward, summoning water to soak his injured arm. The skin quickly healed and the blood disappeared. Within a few moments, riptide returned to Percy's pocket and he pulled it out again. As the first man walked towards him, one of his teeth missing.

" You saw what happened to your companions, the same thing will happen to you if you don't leave right now," Percy warned.

The man smiled "They aren't dead, and you won't be able to kill them." as he spoke, shadows wrapped around the two injured men, and they disappeared.

"Are you a son of Hades?" Percy asked a hint of fear evident in his voice. Fighting another child of the big 3, after all, he had already been through today would be a bit of a challenge.

" I am not the child of any of your petty little gods, no my father is much more powerful than they could ever be." the man said arrogantly.

" Primordial then?" Percy asked cautiously

" I am glad you realized, I suppose you can warn them once you meet Hades in the underworld," he said, his sword drawn.

"Percy rolled his eyes "That's getting old man, use different threats."

The man charged toward Percy who blocked his first strike and activated his shield while pressing it to his opponent's stomach. It sliced through the armor but didn't penetrate his skin. The man growled in frustration and allowed the shadows to embrace him, he disappeared for a moment before appearing behind Percy. The son of Poseidon whirled around and slashed at the man. Their swords connected and the water from the river slowly rose up and began slamming into the man from both sides. His balance began to waver and he stumbled for a moment, during which Percy stabbed his stomach and forced him to the ground. The man glowered at him and when Percy withdrew his sword, the man shadow traveled away.

Percy made his way to the river and fell to his knees, cupping water with his hand and splashing it over his face and around his body. His shirt was tattered, rips visible in his jeans. Riptide lay on the ground next to him. After a minute, Percy stood up and grabbed his sword, venturing towards where he heard the sounds of battle. Reinvigorated he hurried towards the fight.

The son of Poseidon found Annabeth leaning on a tree, exhaustion visible on her face. "What happened?" he asked, scanning their surroundings. There was a large number of vines and roots coming out of the ground, evidence of a child of Demeter's involvement.

"There was a man here, with Katie's help, I was able to fight him off, the monsters are all gone as far as I am aware, but there are a few more of the men in the forest," Annabeth said, walking towards the sound of swords clanging.

Percy followed her, not thinking about what he had just been through. They found the rest of the campers seated around a man, who was tied to the ground, vines stopping him from using his limbs. A slight smile appeared on Chiron's face when he saw Percy and Annabeth appear.

"He is the only hostage we were able to capture, the rest all fled. But he isn't speaking." Chiron said.

Percy shook his head "I conversed with one of the men who attacked me, he was the son of a primordial and controlled the shadows." /

Chiron's eyes widened "The ones who fled were all taken by the shadows."

"I am surprised this one is still here," Percy remarked as he walked towards the prisoner.

I don't think he is can be saved, which I suppose is why he is refusing to talk, and why he hasn't been rescued," Chiron explained./

Percy growled in frustration and pointed Riptide at the prisoner. To Percy's surprise, his eyes widened and he choked out a laugh.

" Poseidon's son. Congratulations on surviving Acrisias's attack. He's a highly skilled warrior." the prisoner whispered, blood spurting from his mouth.

Percy sneered at him "Congratulations on being a few minutes from dead."

The man smiled " I know I am going to die, just know that very soon your time too will come."

Percy nodded "You aren't the first to have said that and certainly won't be the last. Who is your master?"

The man shook his head and closed his eyes, his breathing stopped and his head rolled over to the side.

Percy turned his head away from the dead man and looked at Chiron and Annabeth " I am going to Olympus, I need to have a word with the gods."