Chapter 18:

Whitefall

Percy adjusted the scarf that covered his face. Slowly he lifted it up so his nose had more breathing room. He eyed the soldiers with the gun warrily.

He was mortal, Percy was convinced of that. The soldier looked exactly like Percy imagined someone from the US military would look like. All dressed up in brown camouflage gear, wearing an extra padded vest with several weapons and a big looking rifle hanging on his side.

The soldier met his gaze. Or at least, Percy assumed he was looking at Percy. It was hard to tell with the sunglasses.

Percy prepared himself to fight or run away but the soldier just scoffed at him before looking elsewhere. Seemingly able to draw infinite amusement from watching people. It was his job supposedly.

He saw more soldiers walking around the perimeter. Some of them had the same lazy expression as his guard, others with more focus and determination.

Not all of them wore logos from the US either. He saw a couple Chinese and Japanese soldiers as well. But they too didn't give him a second glance.

He supposed he was just another refugee to them. Another person looking for asylum in their survivors camp. Looking for safety in this mad world of dragons, rampaging Gods and magical sinkholes swallowing cities.

It was the first time Percy had gotten close to other humans. He felt on edge. Like a bomb ready to detonate. The last time he saw another human that was alive was before he'd been banished to Calypso's island. When he got back most of humanity he came across was either dead, or twisted into something completely else. But in the back of his mind he knew there were splinter groups of survivors. It was a thought he kept repeating to himself. There was still something left to fight for. There were others like him, trying to do the right thing. He wasn't the only human left in the world. Not yet at least.

Percy turned his eyes up to the harsh sun in the sky. Colorado was just another hell hole when it came to the weather. And Fort Whitefall was placed in the middle of this hell.

But somehow it still stood.

The military base doubled as both a stray military outpost and a refugee camp. Percy didn't know the exact details. That's why he was here. To gain the most important thing in the world: Knowledge.

The thought immediately made Percy homesick. He missed Annabeth. He missed his friends, his family. His father- Percy twisted his wrist, digging his nails into his own flesh. He had to keep strong. Annabeth would demand he'd get to the bottom of this world ending mystery. He had to keep moving forward, one small step at a time.

The current mission was to obtain intel from the refugees and the military. See if any of them know something about Camp Jupiter, the Olympians or where important key figures were. Anything really.

Kampe and Percy both agreed that aimlessly wandering in the dark was not going to do them any good. Maybe risking a spot in the light as well, but at least, Percy hoped, they would be able to see the path ahead. To see where he needed to go.

Thanks to Kampe's superb smell they managed to sniff out a human settlement fast. One the edge of a major city the military had turned their base into a camp for refugees.

Percy continued to move through the crowd, seemingly unbothered and unnoticed in the stream of faces and melody of cries. The constant noise of people talking and failing to understand was everywhere. The expressions of people who had lost everything and then some more.

Back in the days, Percy had seen those expressions on tv. Usually from places far away from him. People whose house and family were lost because of a falling bomb or a catastrophe.

Percy didn't ever think he'd be one of those faces in the crowd.

While clinging onto his coat and scarf he continued deeper into the camp. Moving past families, soldiers and everything in between. Somewhere he saw a raven haired kid crying for his mother. But his agony was useless. No one present had any energy left to stop and help him.

Percy restrained the urge to swoop in and help. He knew it would only bring trouble to both him and everyone in a 10 mile radius. He hardened his heart and moved on.

The camp was surrounded by wired fences. However, those weren't really able to stop any serious threat. Percy saw a few undead stuck, no nailed- to the fence. But he doubted they had been a threat at any point. Several tents and food supply points were set up. A severely understaffed medical bay constantly spit out a stream of corpses. People came in with broken bodies, and left as nothing but ashes.

Percy couldn't help but to pause and take a moment to watch. A girl, maybe his age, was lying on one of the beds. She lay naked, her bare skin exposed to the suffocating summer air. Her skin had taken on a greenish swamp like color, with sparks of yellow and black in between. Suddenly, something on her skull began to turn green. Part of her eyes were-

Percy looked away, repressing the urge to gag. He immediately tried to erase the image out of his head. The way mushy vegetation was growing on that girl's body was just too horrifying.

From the corner of his eyes he saw a man, completely covered in a hazmat suit, look at her. He shook his head and spat a command. The curtains were closed, but black smoke, the smell of roasted meat and desperate cries for help managed to escape from underneath it.

The military base itself was not that big. Maybe the size of two hangars. Judging the scale was hard for Percy. The building itself almost seems to glow under the sun, a dizzying object to look at.

He saw several unmanned helicopters, trucks and fuel tanks. What stood out most to him was a turret mounted on the roof. Percy had not much knowledge on military bases but this one felt rather small. Maybe that's why they managed to remain untouched and unnoticed by the gods. It was a mystery Percy wanted to find out.

The part of the refugees was clearly cut off and separated from the military side. Like two neighbors that barely tolerated each other. Segregated by an electric fence. The sign warned that trespassers would be shot.

Percy stopped a few meters away from the gate. Here, the crowd had died down a little. Most of them gave a wide berth to the gate that led deeper into the settlement. A pair of women in tactical gear guarded the gate. One leaning against a minigun. The other smoking while shooting Percy a concerned look. Percy didn't recognize the flags they wore on their uniform.

Briefly Percy considered his options of breaching through the gate. He already saw that the refugee area wouldn't bring him anything useful. Everyone else there was just as in the dark as he was.

Before a decision could be made screams started to come from all the way back in camp. It first started as one single cry. It was followed by a scream and 2 more. Then gunshots, an angry roar, followed by more screams. A domino of shouts and wails.

Percy turned away from the gates and rushed back. Stumbling through crates, trucks and tents to reach the chaos as soon as possible.

When Percy blinked again he found himself already back at the heart of Whitefall. Running past were people. They were blindly running, a livid expression scarred on their faces.

Percy slowly stepped forward, twirling around the pen in his palm. Not yet unsheeted.

The ground around him was coloured red. Gunshots ran in the distance. Smoke came from ahead.

He saw a small child lying on the concrete. His head was torn open and the surrounding pavement painted a deep red. A woman was wailing next to it, she was trying to get the child to get up and flee with her. Not realizing the child could no longer listen.

Kampê? No, it was definitely not her. She promised she would wait for him. Her blades and claws were far too big to damage a small skull like that.

Percy got closer to the gunfire. One person walked into him but Percy merely stepped to the side and continued. Each step he took was cautious one, careful to hide his presence for whatever caused this new nightmare.

A person suddenly was launched his way. Percy scrambled away to dodge him.

The child he had seen earlier landed on the pavement with a loud crack and a cry. He tried to get up but something slithered towards the soldier with an inhumane speed.

Next second a figure was kneeling beside the child, its head pressed against his neck. He screamed and scrambled but the thing held on tight. Percy saw a pair of fangs digging into his skin, tearing it open. The figure hungrily started sucking from the wound, allowing blood to spill inside her mouth.
"Hey!" Percy yelled.

The figure finally noticed Percy and looked up. Her eyes widened and her dripping smile red. She lurched forward.

Percy uncapped Riptide but as he brought it up the woman was already in his face. Her fangs dangerously close to his own. He dove out of the way.

She skidded past him but before she left he could feel a sharp pain in his arm.

He dropped Riptide as a sharp wave of cold pain pulsed from his left arm. He looked and saw his underarm had been torn open by three claws.

He looked at the attacker who, now he saw, was armed with not only a sharp pair of fangs but also a set of claws on each hand.

Percy grimaced and bit his lip, fighting through the pain, he still lifted up his sword. "Who the fuck are you?!" He yelled.

The woman smiled, her red coloured lips parting in an impossible gap. "Oh! I thought I sensed something sweet over here. A demigod! For me?" She smiled, a drunken look on her face. "I'll enjoy slaughtering all of you."

The demigod gazed around, seizing the area. His field of view was blocked by several big tents. But most mortals had made their escape. The ones that didn't were already dead. From the corners of his eyes however he saw movement.

Percy lifted his blade, angling it the right way. Behind him he heard the kid mutter something incomprehensible. He couldn't afford to pay him much attention. "You're Lamia." Percy declared.

A blood sucking vampire. The original one. He'd expected Olympus to unleash someone like her upon the world. Someone to prey on the weak.

Percy struggled to recall anything about her. But seeing how her eyes were buzzing with power and how she'd been drinking and consuming the flesh of her victims. Percy imagined she might be a whole lot stronger.
Forming something almost resembling a plan, the Demigod lunged forward with a loud cry. Holding Riptide in front of him. He prepared to cut down the former queen.

Lamia rethreated, slithering back between some tents. Percy followed, not wanting to let the witch out of sight for even a single second.

When this thought passed something lunged at Percy from behind a tent canvas. He turned around and sliced through the fabric. The other side was empty.

It was almost completely silent. But he closed his eyes. He heard slithering from behind and spun around.

Just in time did his blade block 2 swipes from her claws.

Percy struck back, swinging his blade but he in turn was blocked by a pair of claws.

Something heavy moved. Percy looked down and the flash of a tail being rammed into his side.

He was thrown off his feet and crashed into a small camp. His back hit the ground. An electric jolt of pain shot through his nerve system.

The tail came down upon him again.

Percy blocked it with Riptide. His arm burned with pain but he held firm. Pushing back on the heavy tail. The tail slowly retreated.

"Mmm, good shot Demigod." Lamia lazily slithered towards him. "If it were any other day I don't think I'd stand much of a chance." She wiped an arm over her mouth in an attempt to clean up the blood.

Percy coughed. "Now would be a good time."

"Good time for what?" Lamia leaned closer. Trying to catch what the young Demigod was saying.
"Wasn't talking to you." He spat out.

Lamia opened her mouth to say something but a gunshot followed.

Her brains exploded as she opened her mouth. A salvo of gun shots followed. Bright flashes like fireworks came from all directions. Each one pumping another bullet into Lamia's snake body. Her body jolted and shook, like a rag doll it was torn apart. Scale by scale. Flesh for flesh. All the while a shocked expression was on the vampire's face.

Percy slowly backed away from the vampire. Having only his faith protecting him from the bullet hell.

When Lamia finally stopped moving did the crossfire slow down. Her body full of gaping holes, leaking both gold and black substance from her wounds.

"Hold it!" A voice called out.

Percy looked around. His ears were still ringing. His vision was still recovering from all the flashes.

He blinked the flashes away.

Finally he could see again, the ringing disappeared.

Around him several figures were positioned. All of them pointing their arms at him. He counted at least a dozen men surrounding him, even more on the roof.

Percy raised his arms above his head as the soldiers moved in on him.

A/N I wanted to show a little of what the humans were up to. The last few chapters were all a bit to detached from civilization. Time to welcome Percy back into it.

Also, Finale, I updated. Now gimme at least 2 weeks rest. I literally have 2 other fics to update, 3 video scripts to write and 5 kids to feed.

Leave me alone.

All the other reviewers, thanks tho. Appreciate it.

(Reviews)

Guest:

but... why?

A: To kill Humanity.

Alice Fairchild:

Glad to see an update.

Honestly, I can't see any way for Percy to "win" this. I suppose his win condition would be to find out just WHY the Gods decided to wipe out all of humanity.

Also, will Gods from other pantheons appear? I'm just curious as to whether the decision to wipe out humanity was a collective decision made by ALL the Gods or was it somehow the Greek Gods imposing their will over the other Gods.

Regardless, thanks for great chapter and looking forward to the next one!

A: Gods from other Pantheons won't make a physical appearance.

-CaptainMoonShine-