Act II Chapter XXII: "Have you ever looked at your friend? Really looked at him?"

"Hmm. Shame," Dionysus commented as he took a sip of his Diet Coke. Percy ignored the god as he turned and ran toward the hill as fast as he could. Clarisse was already making her way up, and Annabeth was right on her heels. Will was a few feet behind with a bow in his hands, but he practically tripped as he tried to climb up the hill.

Percy was the last one up the grassy slope, and he didn't see Luke or Reyna anywhere in sight. He shook his head and made it to the top. It took only a second to process everything in front of him. Will stood a few feet away and had an arrow notched in his raised bow.

Clarisse was halfway down the other side of the hill and charging right into battle. Annabeth was on her flank. And the battle they were charging into seemed to have three demigods involved. They were being chased by what Percy could only describe as bulls.

The bulls had skin made of bronze, but the skin didn't look like that of an animal. More of a machine. Both had silver horns and eyes that were red like rubies. One of the demigods stumbled, and the second one stopped to help them up. The bull sped up as it closed the gap between them.

Clarisse made it first. She jumped over the demigods and slammed her spear into the bull's forehead. Its momentum caused itself to slam into her, and Clarisse dug her heels into the ground, but it didn't matter as she was roughly shoved into the dirt.

The two demigods had stood, and Annabeth made sure to direct them toward the hill. Percy had no time to focus on them as he saw the bull that had knocked Clarisse down stumble back, seemingly stunned by the wound. Then, it shook its head and reared it back. Fire appeared out of its mouth.

The third demigod slammed into the bull, knocking it to the side. The bull hit the ground with a thud as it spewed fire. The third demigod pulled Clarisse to her feet, and he was larger than Clarisse. He had a mop of hair on his head and-

"Tyson!?" Percy yelled. He stared at his friend.

"Get off me you monster!" Clarisse yelled as she shoved Tyson back. Percy stepped forward to say something. Before he could, something slammed into him. Percy felt shattering pain in his arm, followed by his ribs as he was gored by the bull. The force of the blow threw him into the side of the hill.

A gasp of surprise left Percy as he laid on the ground. His side felt warm. Really warm. And sticky. Percy lifted his head to see the bull slowly approaching him.

"Bad bull!" Tyson screamed as he slammed into the monster from the side. He grabbed the horns and looked like he was wrestling it for control. The other bull had stood with the spear in its head making it look like a unicorn.

"Percy!" Annabeth gasped as she knelt by Percy. Both hands shot to his side. "Oh gods. This is bad. This is so bad."

"Just a f...flesh wound," Percy began. Bile built in the back of his throat as Annabeth lifted her hands to show they were covered in blood. "Oh..."

"Just stay with me," Annabeth said quickly. She reached around in her pockets. "I...I..."

"Move," a new voice ordered. Annabeth turned her head and looked like she was going to speak. "Go help them. Now!"

Annabeth looked like she was in a daze as she stood. Percy felt two hands press against his side, but a slow turn on his head showed it was Reyna. She looked at the wound and then grabbed a canteen. It was poured on Percy's side, and he winced at the fresh pain. It felt like tiny little fingers were pressing all over the open wound, but he also swore it made him feel slightly better.

Reyna opened a vial and poured it on Percy's side. He watched some kind of powder fall onto his wound, and there was a tingling sensation inside his body. Percy felt his heart racing in his ears, but it was starting to grow colder. What was happening to him?

"Breath in and out," Reyna ordered as she poured the rest of the vial on the wound. Then, she grabbed another vial and poured it on there. Nectar followed. Percy felt like his insides were closing up. He let out a cry of pain as Reyna pressed both hands to his side hard. "I'm sorry."

"Listen, I think I repaired some of the internal damage, and where the hell is- WILL! GET OVER HERE!"

It was the loudest that Percy had ever heard Reyna talk, and it told him just how serious the situation was. Only a moment passed before Will was at their side. Reyna looked at him, "Heal him."

"What?" Will asked. "Heal?"

Reyna grabbed Will's hands and placed it on Percy's wound. She continued, "Just focus on mending the wound. I know it doesn't make sense, but you should know what to do. Just close your eyes and try."

"O...okay," Will stuttered. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Look out!"

Percy moved his eyes to see that the bull that had gored him was rushing to finish the job, and it was right on them. He tried to grab Will's hands to tell him to leave. Instead, he saw a flash of movement and blinked. There was the sound of a loud grunt, followed by a guttural shriek. He heard a whirling noise like a machine shutting down.

Percy stared as he focused on Reyna. He had not seen a sword on her belt or in her hands, but now, her sword was impaled up into the jaw and through the brain of the bull. If it had one. Reyna's hand gripped the sword, and there was a look of pain and anger on her face.

"Heal. Him," Reyna ordered. She twisted the sword and slowly shoved the bull down, not that the dead weight needed much help. Percy felt a warmth come from Will's hands, and the boy above him gasped in surprise. Percy felt like his insides were moving slightly, fixing the damage. His skin started to close as well.

After a few moments, Will lifted his hands. He sat back and had sweat on his face. Heavy breaths left him as he looked exhausted. Reyna looked just as if not more exhausted than Will as she tried to pull the sword out of the bull's jaw.

"It closed," Will said in shock. Percy slowly felt his side. There was a ragged line there, but he wasn't bleeding out anymore. Will swallowed painfully. Percy tried to sit up, but his body still felt weak. "Are you okay?"

"I am," Percy promised. "Thank you, Will. I don't know what-"

"Clarisse, put the spear down!"

"He's a monster!"

Percy's head shot up, and he saw that Clarisse was holding her spear to Tyson's throat. The other bull had been destroyed, and Luke stood over it. Annabeth stood a few feet away. Luke spoke again, "He saved your life."

"That doesn't change the fact that he's a monster!" Clarisse snapped.

"Leave him alone!" Percy shouted. He placed both hands to the ground to stand, but the second that pressure hit his right arm, he yelled in pain and collapsed.

Will caught him the best he could, "Your arm!"

Percy made a noise in the back of his throat. He melted back to the ground. Will placed a hand to his back. Clarisse growled, "He is a monster!"

"He's not!" Percy protested.

"He is," Luke confirmed. "But, he saved you, Clarisse. That has to mean something."

Tyson made a noise like a whimper, and he tried to step back. Clarisse moved closer with the spear. Luke made it closer to them and held up a hand. Percy stared at them. He would have already rushed between over if his arm didn't hurt so bad.

"Clarisse, put the spear down," Luke ordered. Clarisse shook her head. "Clarisse!"

"He's a monster," Clarisse repeated.

"Stop calling him that!" Percy protested. Annabeth looked at him. "He's my friend!"

"Percy, you know about the Mist, right?" Annabeth asked as she walked toward them. Percy slowly nodded. "Have you ever looked at your friend? Really looked at him?"

"I... no," Percy began. His gaze moved to Tyson. He always averted meeting his eyes because Tyson was ugly, but that didn't make him a monster. Percy took a deep breath, winced as his side was still tender, and focused on Tyson's crooked teeth. Then, his crooked nose. His gaze moved to meet Tyson's eyes.

No.

Eye.

"What?" Percy slowly asked. "How?"

"He's a Cyclops," Annabeth said gently. Percy heard hooves and saw Chiron rushing down the hill. He looked between all of them. "The only Cyclops I ran into was a monster. It... it..."

Annabeth trailed off and stared ahead. Chiron cleared his throat and looked at Percy. His eyes widened as he saw all the blood, and he spoke, "Percy! Are you okay?"

"I healed him," Will began. "I don't know how. His arm is still hurt, though."

"Let's all take a breath," Chiron began as he raised his hands. "Luke, there are two demigods up the hill who are stuck in a conversation with Lord Dionysus and Lady Lupa. Please make sure they don't run them away. Clarisse, put the weapon down. Drew, are you okay?"

"I am," Drew replied as she stood from the other side of the bull. There was a look of surprise on her face, and there seemed to be ash marks all over her. "Why can they breathe fire?"

"They are Colchis Bulls," Chiron informed. "Annabeth, can you help Drew clean up?"

Chiron turned toward Percy. His gaze moved to Reyna, "Are you okay, dear?"

"My shoulder," Reyna began. She slowly made it to her feet. Will started to help Percy stand, and Chiron grabbed his other side. They steadied him.

"Steady," Chiron said gently. He turned his head to look at Reyna. "The one you dislocated?"

"I think I did the opposite this time," Reyna answered. "I can help Percy walk. He's more injured than me."

"Lupa and I will handle cleaning this up," Chiron announced. He walked toward one of the fallen bulls and grabbed Reyna's sword from it. A small frown came to his face as he studied the sword. Then, he smiled at Reyna and handed it to her.

Reyna took the sword and nodded. She winced in pain again. Reyna slowly spoke, "M...maybe you should help Percy."

"I will look at your shoulder in a few minutes," Chiron promised. Reyna nodded and slowly made her way up the hill. Chiron looked at Percy and Will. "Great job, Will. You save Percy's life."

"You did," Percy said as he looked at Will. "Thank you so much."

"If Reyna hadn't told me what to do," Will began. He looked at Percy. "I'm just happy you're okay."

"Mostly," Percy said with a small smile. He moved his gaze to Tyson. "How can Tyson be a Cyclops, and what are we going to do about him?"

"I don't know," Chiron answered after a moment. "For now, he can come into the camp, but he will most likely have to leave."

"He's a friend," Percy argued.

"We don't know, Percy. But, we shall see," Chiron said. His gaze moved off to the distance. "We shall see."