Chapter Title: Defending Everything I Hold Dear (Like A Madman)

Alternative Chapter Title: How I Became The Beast Of Camp Half Blood

(A/N: Three more chapters after this one, including a Kayla POV, until we get to the final part. I hope you've been paying attention to the stuff I have included in the past few chapters, from the whole Typhon crowning Colton the Monster King, to the mysterious figures watching him and Kayla (+ Michael, Caeli, and Austin) in the last chapter. It will all make sense during Part III.

Also, a shout-out to multiple people, including first up -JASONSGRACE for two reasons. One is of course, Belle is in here and the second is that this version of the fight is primarily an amalgamation of my own words and several other versions of the fight, mixed into one narrative. Other versions include Askinar-The-Dark's version from "Demigod?", Annabeth's perspective in Morro11 's version, A03 user Grumpylia's version, and both versions of the fight that Imaginebooks has written. So yeah, definitely a lot of stuff going on.

Also, this chapter is inspired by the legend of Heinrich Severloh, a German Soldier in WWII who became known as the "Beast Of Omaha" who fired on American troops at Omaha Beach with an MG42, claiming to have fired 13,500 rounds in nine hours of combat along with 400 rounds from two Karabiner 98k rifles. While some parts of his account, published in 2000, are considered skeptical or unreliable by historians, the fact that he survived D-Day and lived to tell the tale is remarkable in and of itself, especially since he had been posted in a strongpoint on the
beach where the toughest and fiercest fighting on D-Day was fought.)

There's a mixture of monsters pouring out of the labyrinth - various types. Dracanae, Laistrygonian Giants, Hellhounds, Cyclopes.. you name it. All of them - or whatever portion of the group were not hit by projectiles from other campers - were torn to shreds by rattles of gunfire from the MG42. But they keep pouring out of the labyrinth, straight into the carefully thought out kill-zone. So, what did me and Michael do?

We kept pouring fire down into them, at least until the barrel became hot and we had to change it. With the use of the special asbestos cloth that came with the gun barrels - because keep in mind that after you fire upwards to 250-300 rounds, not at the same time in one go mind you, the barrel of the MG42 is really, really hot due to being air-cooled - we changed out the barrels in as little as ten seconds. A well trained crew could do it in as little as four to seven seconds, but we weren't at that level yet.

We had set up a large bucket on my right to catch the spent round casings, and it did the job quiet well. Michael was on my left, making sure the cartridge belts flowed into where the feed went without any problems, while I simply just nuzzled the butt of the gun into my right shoulder - which on this occasion was protected by some rubber padding wrapped around it by Beckendorf to protect my shoulder from the kick of the gun, because due to the rapid rate of fire, you couldn't really aim this gun at a target for longer than 5 rounds fired - and just kept mowing down monsters left and right.

Apollo had gifted his cabin with explosive arrows recently, and both Caeli and Kayla nearby were definitely putting the bulk of those arrows to good use. Austin had somehow managed to acquire a bolt action M1 Garand during his travels to college with Caeli with plenty of ammo, which had arrived via transport from the air from a friendly monster loyal to the Olympians, and so he was firing on the left of us at the alternate MG position, pouring rounds into the monsters.

To our right, Beckendorf and Jake along with their siblings were having a field day with their catapults, traps, and other devices. With the help of Clarisse and the Stolls, they had also emplaced a few mines in front of the labyrinth entrance, so as a result, when the first wave had exited the labyrinth, some of them had stepped on the mines, resulting in explosions and screams to echo across the valley. Before they had any chance to recover from the shock, I had opened fire into them.

Enemy demigods emerged with the next wave after we had literally mowed down the first. Some of them also stepped on some of the remaining mines, and as a result, we all had to bear witness to some pretty nasty sights that I will not discuss further here. Some of them got entangled on the wire and became sitting ducks for me and Michael to pick off with the MG42. Others fell to Austin's Garand.

By this point, I had lost track of how many rounds we had fired off. I do know we had gone through four to five barrels by this point, so that should give you a reasonable estimate as to how many rounds we had fired off by now. Some of our opponents veered off to the left (their facing of left), intending to find a way around the combination of lethal explosive arrows as well as bullet fire raining down from above on them, only to collide with the rest of those of Apollo's cabin on the front line, plus that of my cabin and the other cabins, including Percy and Annabeth. I did see Grover and his girlfriend, Juniper down in there too. Belle was fighting alongside Percy and Annabeth, and I could see Katie nearby too.

Soon, a forest fire started, which was bad news since it just so happened since it was right near the tree that Juniper drew her life force from. I swung the gun to the right about 20 degrees, surprising Michael who stumbled to the left a little before he recovered, and turned the power of the gun on the monsters attempting to get close to Katie, Percy, Annabeth, Belle, Grover, and Juniper. Travis came rushing in to help them, but with the monsters approaching them still well within range of the MG42, I was able to keep them at bay long enough for Percy to summon a wall of water out of nowhere that flowed across the valley in front of our position and took out the flames, drenching everyone down there. Needless to say, while Grover and Travis were sort of amused, Belle, Annabeth, Katie, and Juniper were not.

Of course, Percy was able to stay dry, no surprise there. But it didn't matter. The crisis - at least around Juniper's tree had passed - and I swung the gun back towards the labyrinth entrance, resuming the action of mowing down monsters and enemy demigods alike. A few explosions went off as some of them stepped on the locations of where the few mines that were left were, and paid the price.. some not immediately though.

The monsters kept coming, no matter how many we cut down. Some of them were caught in the spikes and barbed wire and became just more sitting ducks for archers, Austin's Garand, and the MG42. The Whitworth sat propped up against the wall near the loophole between me and Michael's position and where Austin was, loaded and capped but still at half cock. Others hit a trip wire here or there, and were incinerated by Greek fire. We were all exposed to scenes of death and suffering that probably still haunt us even after this and everything else that happened down the road, but we couldn't stop killing. It was kill or be killed.

The sight of a dozen undead warriors colliding with some of the monsters caught me by surprise, but in the brief moment I turned my head towards it, I knew I didn't have to fire on them. Right behind them was none other than the son of Hades, Nico Di Angelo. He got forward a few steps and then crumpled to his knees, which was concerning. Nevertheless, his undead warriors fought on, tearing monsters apart. Then, I could see Clarisse come into view, taking apart a group of Dracanaes when a few hellhounds leapt out of the labyrinth and went straight for her. I swung the gun again, determined to protect her and everyone else, and unloaded into the hellhounds, killing all seven in a matter of seconds.

One of our demigods, a kid by the name of Zac, was killed by an arrow from an enemy demigod, in the woods. I saw it happen, only moments after I had killed the hellhounds, so I fired on his killer in the woods, and ripped him to pieces before turning back to the monsters and enemy demigods, which still poured forth from Zeus' Fist.

At this point, I'm pretty sure me and Michael had gone through close to 20 barrels by now, but we still had plenty of rounds and spare barrels. The battle had been raging for gods know how long - I had lost track - but we were winning. I could see Castor and Lee helping wounded off of the field together in the woods, and for the most part, we seemed to be holding them pretty well dandy.

But just moments later, that all changed when a haunting, horrible, ear-splitting, inhuman, bone-chilling kind of shriek echoed across the valley, emitting from the labyrinth. Michael hadn't said anything much about how I looked so far during the fight, but since by now my vision was red, I could tell that I had slipped back into that rage mode I had when I fought Tantalus. Why did this matter?

Simple. When I heard that shriek, I didn't freeze up with fear like lots of other people nearby, including Caeli, Kayla, Michael, Austin, Percy, Annabeth - and virtually everyone else on our side, or have a look of horror creep onto their faces. Deep down inside though, I had a gut feeling that the hardest part of this fight was about to begin. Here we go, I thought to himself, knowing full well that given that inhuman screech, whatever was coming through the labyrinth was dangerous.

You could feel the aura of this creature in the air, as it got closer and closer. I, meanwhile, just kept mowing down monsters. Michael and I had just completed another barrel change and we were about ready to resume firing when this creature erupted from the labyrinth.

With a half human body like that of a centaur, but with reptilian skin and gigantic claws on the half that was from a dragon; dark reptilian wings and a huge venom dripping scorpion tale; human head with snakes for hair, as well as morphing, mutating skin at her waist projecting ferocious animal heads that constantly changed shape, as it leapt up into the air and landed on top of Zeus' Fist, there was no doubt in my mind as to their identity.

It was Kampê.

I will admit, while I had felt that facing the fearsome jailer in a battle would be a one in a lifetime opportunity, I don't think I'd imagined that I would get that chance - something which I was not looking for, mind you - in circumstances like this. Even so, she was a fearsome sight. She popped Ariadne's string - signaling to me that Percy and Annabeth had failed to get it from Daedalus - into a lion's mouth at her waist, using it as like a pocket so to speak.. which I thought was a bit cool.

I was expecting to see a whip, per the myths and legends, but instead she drew out two scimitars that glowed green with poison. I will admit, I definitely wondered who had trained her in swords for her to be able to use such weapons. But the thought passed as things got chaotic in the valley. Some of the campers screamed while others turned around in panic and ran full tilt in terror to the rear, among them being Caeli, Kayla, and Austin.. which caused the monsters and enemy demigods to surge forward, the only thing holding them back from advancing at full speed being me and Michael cutting them down like grain with the MG42. Travis, Katie, Belle, Juniper, and others also fled in terror - leaving Grover, Percy, and Annabeth down there in the woods.

Even so, something had to be done about Kampê. Her presence was undermining everything we were doing. She had to be dealt with. After firing another burst, I gave the gun to him. "I'll take care of Kampê.." I hollered, rushing for the Whitworth. "Keep them back!"

Michael nodded, and continued firing into them much the same way I had all of this time. I grabbed the Whitworth and hauled ass to the alternate MG position. Fully cocking the piece, I arrived just to see Kampê leap into the air off of Zeus' Fist. Something in my mind said that she was aiming for the command tent. That was where some of Athena's kids were, Annabeth's siblings. I could not allow her to get there.

I aimed the rifle up in the air at her, knowing that I had one shot and I had to make it count otherwise, people would die. One second passed between me leveling it at Kampê and what happened next, but that single second might as well have felt like an entirety because for that brief moment, time passed at a rate which was like time had almost stopped completely.

I fired.

BLAM!

I was dead-on. The bullet hit Kampê's head from diagonally below in the middle of the left side of her head, passed up through her brain, and exited out of the middle of the top right side of her head. A clean through and through headshot. The jailer had no chance, she was dead before she even hit the ground. Killed instantly by a single shot from me. In mid-air no less.

Michael had grabbed Caeli's bow and was firing explosive arrows in an attempt to keep the monsters and enemy demigods away, so I put down the Whitworth, ran back to the MG42, cocked it and continued pouring rounds into the mass of targets in front of me.

At this point, Quintus and what seemed to be Briares fought their way out of the labyrinth, and attacked some of the monsters from behind. Even so, the fight still raged. A Laistrygonian Giant gave Chiron a blow to the back legs, and he fell. The remaining giants let out a cry of joy and surged forward. I swung the gun to the right and emptied what was left of the current belt of ammo I had into them, killing all six of them. I was in the process of hastily fitting another 250 round belt into the gun when Michael called out, "WATCH OUT!"

I didn't have enough time to turn before something hard whacked me in the back, and I fell unconscious just as I saw fire rushing along the floor of the trench towards me.

- — - — - — - — -

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't dead. I was in the infirmary, sort of a familiar situation given my past bouts. But not like this. While I did have bandages along my chest and back, and my legs, as well as my arms and hands, from what I could see, when I moved my limbs in the hospital bed, nothing seemed to be broken honestly. Just some bruised limbs.

I heard a voice from the right say, "It's a miracle you made it out alive.. given the burns you received." I turned to my right, and there was Chiron, sitting in a wheelchair. His legs were in casts, indicating that the blow he suffered had broken them.

"Clarisse and the Apollo kids are still alive, right?" I asked, and he nodded. Deep down inside, I felt relieved. I had upheld my end of the deal I made with Ares. My sister and my girlfriend and her siblings were all still alive.

"How long was I out?" I asked him. "A few hours.." he replied. "We won. Grover let out a sound of pure fear that caused what was left from them to turn tail and run. Quintus turned out to be Daedalus and sacrificed himself to destroy the labyrinth."

I was surprised by the revelation of who Quintus really was, but the fact that the labyrinth was gone now.. put a smile on my face. "Guess we really owe it to Grover for helping us win, do we?" I asked.

He shrugged his head no.

I was confused.

"We all owe it to you.. and Michael.." he said, just as the door to the infirmary burst open, and in rushed the girl that I loved, tears in her eyes.

Her heart must have leapt for joy upon seeing me, because as soon as I got out of bed, she ran up, hugged me - gently since I had received burns, and after I gently put one hand behind her to cup the back of her beautiful head, and the other to hold one of her hands which had released itself from my back, we kissed. Right there in front of Chiron, which to be honest, I didn't really care if he was looking at all.

I had survived the odds once, and I still had Kayla. But I had one more hurdle to clear before the two of us were done with this prophecy.

Beware, Monster King. Porphyrion is coming.