Chapter Eleven (Contents Beats Covers)

View not yourself from the perspective of the outside, but rather from what is within. Otherwise, you are not yourself, but merely an image created by others…

Percy

A shrill screeching siren bleared throughout the confines of my tent.

A groan escaped my lips before my eyelids could part, my body already rolling to the edge of my bed. I sat upright, confusion washing over me for a moment as I slowly gained a better bearing of the situation at hand.

I blinked a few times at the sight of Riptide, already in its sword form, on my bedside table as I quickly remembered the new alarm systems that had been added by Hermes.

I rolled my shoulders, rising from the edge of the bed as I felt the remnants of fatigue melt away from my body. I blinked once again as energy coursed through my body. I quickly made my way to the entrance of the tent, once again grateful for Shaquille's ability to alter the various stages of sleep.

Putting the thought out of my mind, I focused on responding to the alert. I clenched my fingers into a fist around my ring, letting my armour burst forth onto my body in a bluish glow. Grunting slightly at the added weight, I pushed the flaps of the tent out of the way.

I took one step out of the tent and nearly walked straight into the swing of Marc's axe, which cleaved upward through the air before embedding into the chin of a Cyclops.

My body moved before I registered what I was doing.

Despite the cascade of blood and the limpness of the monster, gravity fixed the trajectory of the creature's club towards Marc's head. I pushed my frame against the monster, my head just under Marc's axe and sent the creature to the floor.

As I crashed on top of the Cyclops, I sighed in relief as I heard the club clatter onto the floor to my side. Not letting the monster fully disintegrate beneath me, I rolled over it, ripping Marc's axe free and tossing it to the son of Ares as I pushed myself to my feet.

Riptide quickly flickered above my head to deflect a slash from a Dracaena; before I had time to do anymore, a sword tore through the chest of the creature. It stared down, releasing its grip on its blade as it gave a futile effort to stem the blood flow with its hands. Its shocked face lasted less than a second as an arrow sliced through the back of its head, the head of the arrow poking through its right eye.

I nodded at Adrastea, who flicked her sword clean of the monster's dust as Cassandra came running to a stop in front of me, the teddy bear held tightly in her arms detracting from the armour which she donned, as she yawned. Lily was a bit ahead, shooting at monsters that were getting into dangerous positions alongside Tassos. Their shots were impeccable, but I noticed a monster was sneaking up on them. Before I had time to send a warning, Tassos' roots shot up and tripped the Empousa, pulling it to the floor as the son of Demeter swivelled on his heels and unleashed an arrow into its skull before pivoting and returning his attention to the small horde of invading monsters.

Cassandra stared around before staring at me with pleading eyes.

"Can I go back to sleep?"

I sighed as I smiled softly at her and nodded. She quickly bounded back towards her tent, slipping past attacks as though they weren't even there.

"Duck!"

There was no hesitation, my hands were on my knees as I bent as low as my hips would let me. I tilted my head at an angle to see that a Hellhound had been cleaved in half by Adrastea's sword. A feral grin spread on my lips as I was splashed with its blood. I shifted forward in my bent state, flashing Riptide forward towards the shadow of the creature. As the tip of the blade made to dig into the earth, another Hellhound burst forth, snarling as it ran itself through on my blade.

I stood up as it whimpered, stepping on its neck as I pulled my blade free. I stared at it until it began to dissolve into the usual yellowish dust before letting my gaze shift to the rest of the battlefield.

Everyone was in their own groups, commanding the battlefield as the monsters were forced to split up to approach each group. I chuckled as I saw a few of the members in their pyjamas still. Only Adrian's squad, which had been on guard duty, was fully armoured. Which explained why Shaquille had been so quick to use his powers.

"How long have you all been fighting?"

I called as I pulled Adrastea by the back of her loose pyjama dress, letting a spear pass aimlessly by her before severing the hand. The daughter of Ares snarled at the offending Telkhine, catching its spear before it could hit the floor and launching the weapon through its brain.

"Same as you, the first kill I got was on the Dracaena trying to run you through."

I nodded as she pushed me out of the way of an arrow. Before I could even turn to see where the projectile had come from, two more tore through the air from the opposite direction. I smirked as I heard the painful groan from whatever creature had met its poetic end, my attention instead focused on the Cyclops which had grabbed a hold of Adrastea and flung her into the air.

"Tassos!"

"On it!"

The grass began to grow quickly, rising a few feet off the floor underneath where Adrastea flew to the earth with style.

Ignoring the fascinating magic at work, I ran towards the Cyclops. I threw Riptide into its eye, ignoring its roar in pain and rage as I scooped up Adrastea's sword. I grunted for a moment as the weight of it before slicing off one of the flailing arms of the cyclops. As it continued to swing wildly, I ducked under its thrashing before kicking its stomach, pushing it back a few steps. I heard Adrastea fall onto the shrubbery before planting her sword into the floor and rushed the cyclops once more, using its knee as a platform to grab hold of Riptide as I flipped over the monster, cleaving its head in two before bouncing away from the falling creature.

I turned to see the daughter of Ares spitting on the fallen creature as it dissolved.

"By the way, Adrastea…" The girl stared up at me, her eyes still swirling with rage, "technically that Dracaena was Lily's kill."

She growled at me, flipping me off as I chuckled and slipped back into the battle.

I sat at the hearth as the children of Apollo tended to the injured.

I bit into an apple, chuckling to myself as I thought of how jealous Blackjack would be. Would make it worse if I had some sugar cubes on me…

"It's good to see that you're at least still capable in battle, Perseus."

I gave a deep sigh as I chewed the piece of apple in my mouth. I turned, bowing instantly as I set the fruit on the log which I had previously sat on.

"Rise, Perseus. There is something I wish to discuss with you and my children. Is there any such place we can discuss in private?"

I nodded as I stood to my feet, motioning towards the command tent before turning to search for the members in question.

"Chrysilla! Adrian! Command tent now!"

I turned back to Athena, already prepared for the shrewd gaze which befell upon me.

"It isn't much, my lady, but it's the product of honest work."

The goddess nodded silently as she fell into stride beside me as I led her to the command tent.

I held the flaps for her, earning a small nod of appreciation. I continued to hold the flaps until both Adrian and Chrysilla were inside the tent. I quickly shot a glare at the rest of the Vanguard who were trying to get closer to eavesdrop. As they went back to whatever it was that they were doing, I slipped into the tent.

"I will make this curt," Athena said as her eyes trailed around the room critically. "There is a clear-sighted mortal who works in the Central Library in New York."

I nodded as I took my seat at the head of the table. Chrysilla and Adrian stared at their mother for a moment before following my lead.

"The mortal has stumbled across one of my ancient texts which I had left for one of my children to find. They had lost their father and were distrustful even of the satyr sent to bring them to camp. Unfortunately, they were killed before they could find the book and, before I could reclaim it, the mortal stumbled across it and began to read its contents."

"What was written that's so dangerous, Mother?"

Athena turned to Adrian, her eyes warming for the first time since she arrived.

"It is not the content of the book, which is dangerous, my child. It is the fact that is imbued with my essence."

Chrysilla gasped.

"Wait, was the mortal clear-sighted before reading the book?"

Athena smiled at Chrysilla.

"It seems that the apple doesn't fall that far from the tree."

I cursed at the remark, realizing I had left my apple on the log outside.

When I stared back from my empty hand, I noticed I had gained the attention of the entire room. Athena stared at me with an amused expression before she continued.

"It is true that the mortal became clear-sighted due to my essence and will likely remain so for the rest of his life. The essence within the book still remains a threat, however."

"I'm guessing that if it falls into the wrong hands, they could use the essence to become more powerful?"

Athena stared at me in shock for a moment before composing herself.

"Yes, that is precisely it. Currently, there are a few monsters that are tracking the book down. The mortal has managed to avoid them with a little bit of my help so far, but I fear that it is only a matter of time until he succumbs to a similar fate as my child."

I nodded, humming as I leaned back into my chair.

"We should be able to handle this for you. Do you have an estimate of how long we have to reach him?"

Adrian cursed slightly as he realized the reason behind my question.

"Ah yes, it would take a while to reach New York from Michigan."

Athena stared at us approvingly for a moment before she snapped her fingers and a parchment appeared before us.

"Head to the nearest bus station and show this to the driver. You'll reach there within an hour."

I could see the gears turning in Adrian and Chrysilla's heads, but I chuckled.

"Don't even try to figure it out, you'll go insane."

Athena smiled and offered a soft agreement.

"Before I take my leave, could I have a word with you in private, Perseus?"

"Of course, my lady."

Her children grumbled as they stepped out of the tent.

"What is it about my children that has you so fond of them?"

I paused at the question for a moment.

"Well, they're capable of seeing plans where ther-"

"I meant my daughters, Perseus."

I shifted in my seat as my eyes found a set of papers that suddenly demanded that they be organized.

"I was certain that after your relationship with Annabeth, that would be the end of your intimate involvement with my children, yet here we are…"

I swallowed hard.

"But that is a matter of discussion for another date. I am confident enough in your loyalty and personality that you will treat her well. The reason I wished to talk to you pertains to another matter altogether."

I sighed, sinking back into my chair as the papers spilt out of my hands and across the table. I cleared my throat as my eyes trailed back up to the amused face of Athena.

"What is it you wish to talk about, my lady?"

A throne appeared at the other end of the table, behind the goddess. She took the seat and stared intensely at me for a few moments.

"That comment on insanity from the contemplation of magic… it isn't one that a demigod makes without having a much higher understanding of the workings of it."

I shifted again, peering around the room for a moment. The goddess understood my silent message and clicked her fingers before motioning me to continue. I nodded, confident that the tent was soundproof now.

"I wouldn't say I have much knowledge on anything outside of divine magic. Even then what I know is still minimal."

"But a great deal more than what the average demigod is aware of."

I nodded as I ran my hand through my hair.

The goddess hummed as she stared at the air for a moment.

"I'll assume you've been introduced to Pelagios then."

I let out a breath before chuckling.

"It's scary how perceptive you are."

The goddess gave a small smile.

"I would be out of a job if I wasn't."

My chuckle faded and an uncertain silence fell upon us.

"Introduce my children to whatever it is you have. I am sure that they will be able to assist you in your attempt to understand divinity."

"Why would you want to help me? If you don't mind me asking."

Athena just stared off into the distance.

"Consider it a step towards the amending of my relationship with your father."

The goddess started to glow, but I quickly called out to her, causing her form to resettle in her throne. She stared at me curiously.

"While you're here, how about spending a little bit of time with Chrysilla and Adrian?"

The goddess of wisdom stared at me for a few moments silently.

"So, it is indeed true then."

I stared at her quizzically, but she waved off my query.

"Very well. I am grateful for this opportunity, Perseus."

I couldn't quite shake off my curiosity at her words, but I nodded and left the tent.

"You two can go in and talk to her for a while."

The two children of Athena stopped acting like they weren't trying to listen in as their eyes widened and they rushed past me to talk to their mother.

I chuckled at them before making a beeline towards my apple, cursing as I found it missing.

The bus screeched to a halt.

"Alright, everyone knows what the plan is, right?"

I nodded at them before turning my gaze to Chrysilla and motioning for her to meet me off of the bus. I groaned slightly as I stepped off the bus. The brilliant rays of the sun were harsh after the contrasting shade of the bus.

"What's up, Percy?"

I turned, a small smile pulling at my lips as my hand captured Chrysilla's. I gently led her a little way into the forest.

We walked in silence, our bodies brushing against each other as the sway of our strides grew closer. I couldn't stop the smile from playing on my lips as I felt her hand squeeze mine ever so slightly.

"We'll be fine, Percy. We've been pretty hard on them on the trip here to make sure they have everything and are sure about this."

I sighed softly at her words, turning to meet her eyes as we continued to stroll through the forest.

"I know that we've done all that we can, I'm still just not sure about the groups that are going."

The daughter of Athena rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face. I stared purposefully at her despite her easy-going aura.

"It's a quest from our mother, Percy. Adrian and I have to do this and it's only right that we take our squads with us." She stepped closer to me, standing on her toes as she cupped my face with her free hand, "Besides, it's not like we aren't used to splitting up the Vanguard when needed."

I smiled at her, gently pulling her hand from my face. I raised the other hand, which was still captured in my right, and pulled it to our other joined hands to hold them as one.

"But this isn't like those times. We don't let your groups go on missions for a reason. You do remember what happened with the Centaur, right?"

Her smile faltered, her eyes straying from mine as she took a step back.

She scoffed into a laugh as she shook her head at me.

"Percy, we literally have to go meet a mortal and get a book for him. We're going book shopping. I get it, and I love that you care, but we'll be fine."

She tried to walk away, but I pulled her back, wrapping my arms around her in a hug. After a few moments, she relented and returned my embrace.

"I'm not treating you differently because we're together. I'm not trying to coddle you because we're together. As your boyfriend, I'd probably rush into this at your side. As the leader of the Vanguard, I need to be firm and to be sure."

A few moments passed in silence as we held each other before she pulled away.

"I know, Percy. I know. I wouldn't have backed this idea if I thought my squad wasn't ready."

I stared deep into her eyes for a few moments before nodding.

"Don't hesitate to contact me. We are one group, even when we're not together."

"Yes, dear." She mockingly said as she leaned up and kissed my cheek.

"And don't forget to come back safely."

She paused slightly, staring up at the sky in contemplation as her index finger tapped her chin.

"Maybe three broken bones at most?"

"At least. Apollo's kids could use all the training they could get."

Chrysilla chuckled for a moment, dropping her hand, and taking the lead back towards the bus where the Vanguard was waiting.

"Finally! Any longer and I might've gotten jealous!"

I rolled my eyes at Chris as laughter accompanied his words.

"Alright, alright." The laughter slowly died at the sound of my voice, "Everyone knows the plan. Squad One and Two, let's go set up camp."

"Aye, captain!"

I shook my head at their response, before shooting another meaningful look at Chrysilla and a nod towards Adrian.

Chrysilla

I groaned as I stepped into the vibrant New York City atmosphere.

I couldn't help the way my nose scrunched up as the air wafted into my nose. There was just something about living in the forest that felt far more… sanitary.

"Ah, the Big Apple!"

I turned to see Crystal with her arms spread out as she soaked in the city as though it weren't as obviously tainted as it were.

"I… I'm going to leave that alone."

"Good choice."

I turned to Adrian, who was inspecting one of his daggers as he came to a halt at my side.

Turning my attention from the ecstatic Crystal who had begun regaling those around her of the successful thefts she pulled off a few blocks down.

"What do you think about this whole thing?"

My eyes trailed back to Adrian, who caught my gaze. He sighed, placing his daggers back into their sheaths at his side.

"After being captured and then getting our asses handed to us by an unusually powerful Centaur, I'm actually quite keen to snatch a book from a mortal."

"That's my leader!"

I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped from my lips at Crystal's outburst. The rest of the group had begun to converge around us, the stories of Hermes' daughter apparently having come to an end.

"So how do we move from here?"

I turned to catch the eyes of Chris before turning back to Adrian.

"I think sticking together as one group is the best idea."

There were mixed mutterings as the idea of a competition between both groups began to surface.

"That's not even fair since you guys have a child of Hermes on your team!"

I rolled my eyes at Oliver's outburst.

"There's not going to be any competition today…"

"Is that because you know that your group isn't better than ours? Alright, understood."

I paused. My eyes trailed to Kerwin before shifting back to shoot a curious gaze towards Adrian.

"Chrysilla's right. Let's make this a quick and easy mission. We're still proving ourselves to Percy after all."

There was a begrudging amount of agreement that trickled amongst the group. I let my eyes roam our surroundings before letting my voice rise over the mutterings of the squads before me. A feat considering the noise pollution around us.

"Let's slip into rank, formation two should be sufficient for this mission."

"Do we really need to take this that seriously?"

Before the heat of my eyes could slip into the words at the edge of my lips, Adrian's voice responded to Crystal.

"Yes! This isn't one of those democracy moments! We left that behind the moment we started this mission, or did you forget what you agreed to after Lady Tyche's mission?"

A hush fell over the group. The heavy silence gained an awkward taint as the honking of horns and the odd curse being belted out swarmed us.

"In any case, Chrysilla has a great point. Form up. Now!"

I felt my lips tighten at the immediate response of both squads. My hand slipped to the hilt of my blade, tightening around it as I took the lead beside Adrian.

It wasn't the first occasion where the weight of my words was outwardly challenged, yet it still came with a wave of displeasure.

A tsunami of annoyance, even.

I took a deep breath and let my expression even out.

"Hey," I raised my eyes to meet Adrian's. "Forget about it. Let's keep our heads in the game and just focus on the mission."

I forced a sickly-sweet smile to splay across my lips and nodded at him. Only when he turned away once again did I give in to my emotions and mimic his words mockingly under my breath.

The decision to form into ranks had been well-founded.

We had been ambushed on our way to the library by a small group of monsters. The four stray hounds from Hades were easily dispatched and, despite not being able to claim a kill, I couldn't help the smug grin that stained my face as we slipped into the public library.

That hadn't lasted too long, however, as the mortal was nowhere to be found.

It wasn't that much of a surprise with all things considered. One day you begin seeing these outrageously hideous creatures and they're suddenly drawn to you with copious amounts of malicious intent… Ah to be a fresh demigod again.

Those weren't the days.

"This should be it, right?"

I quickly refocused on my surroundings. After a glance at the apartment number, I turned and nodded to Katherine.

"Yeah, this is Henry's apartment."

"Henry the Librarian… Why does it work and not work at the same time?"

A smile tugged at my lips at Kerwin's remark, but I did my best to hide it.

"What's more important is what his co-workers were saying." The smile easily melted as I nodded at Adrian's words.

Apparently, in the last few days Henry had shown up for work, he had begun slipping into random spells of incoherency. They were all but ready to admit him to a mental institute before he suddenly vanished and were adamant that we stayed away from the 'senile' man.

I suppose we would also be senile from their viewpoint of the world. We simply knew more, and perceived insanity is often the price of extensive information and understanding.

"Monsters!"

I whipped my head around to see a Hellhound's head being pierced by an arrow. Jordon was already notching another as Kerwin made to enter the fray. Adrian's hand rested on his shoulder, quickly pulling the boy back. I nodded at my half-brother; the unspoken message passing between us clearly.

"Chris! With me. Ajax is in charge!"

"Got it!"

I smiled at the response from the other boys as I turned and followed Adrian and Kerwin, who had already entered the building and were making their way to the staircase.

"Fucking hate stairs!"

"You literally sprinted up a mountain chasing a Dracaena just to have more kills than Adrastea last week!"

Kerwin momentarily paused to stare back at Chris at the bend in the staircase.

"What the fuck does that have to do with stairs?"

Chris chuckled, shooing the son of Ares with his hands.

"Never mind, mission."

It took us about a minute to reach the fourth floor. We quickly found his door and knocked. We were on edge as we nervously awaited a reply, hoping that we weren't too late.

"Ah fuck this."

Despite our protests, Kerwin barged through the door, sending splinters past us, and leaving Henry, the mortal, in an oddly precarious position as he was just about to answer.

Henry stumbled back, his face paling as we quickly filed in and filled the space he left in his hurried retreat. His panicked brown eyes flickered around the room for a moment, before he quickly darted towards a couch.

Chris pulled a work hammer from his pocket and began to work on the door behind us while Adrian and I shared a glance. Mortal or not, letting your guard down as a demigod was never the best option.

Henry rose from behind the couch a moment later, once again backing away from us, but with a book clutched firmly to his chest.

"Henry…" Adrian tried, his hands lowering in a placating manner as he slowly stepped towards the cowering older man. "We're not here to hurt you, we're just here to get the book so you can be safe."

Henry shook his head defiantly.

"This isn't the first time I've been approached by monsters in disguise." I sighed as the mortal clenched the book tighter in his hands, his eyes growing wild as he eyed us warily.

I felt my grip tighten on the hilt of my blade as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was already a bit aggravated by the way the group seemed to bypass my authority in favour of listening to Adrian solely. I didn't have the patience to deal with a paranoid mortal way out of their depth.

"Yes, but if we were monsters, wouldn't we have attacked you already?"

It took a few moments for me to fully comprehend his response. The coarse sound was gruff, and its weight seemed so out of place from the frail man that I glanced back at Chris, only to be further taken aback to find him staring beyond me with the same shocked apprehension.

My eyes slowly trailed back to Henry.

It felt as though a magic trick had just occurred. Gone was the timid coward, clutching desperately at the book in his arms as though they were his only lifeline. Before me stood a composed and regal man. His posture was straight, his aura oozing confidence as his hand, which clutched the book, fell lazily to his side. The sudden shift was disorientating. We were no longer standing before a lowly mortal…

"It's either you're not from the same group or you're the stupid ones they were talking about."

He took a powerful step towards us, and I immediately dropped low into a defensive stance. A quick glance to either side of me showed that my actions had been mirrored. I refocused on Henry, who lazily shifted his glasses to rest more comfortably on the bridge of his nose.

"Choose your next words carefully, mortal."

The sound of Kerwin's growling voice was soothing, sucking me back from my stupor as I shrugged off the sudden wave of anxiety that welled up within me. The mortal simply chuckled in response, his eyes shifting away from us as he hummed and nodded his appreciation at his door being fixed.

"Then what is it that you suggest we do to move forward from here? I clearly have no intention of yielding this book to creatures I know not and trust not."

He raised the book easily as he motioned towards us. The aggravation from earlier latched onto my heart as a cold scowl forced my lips apart.

"Listen closely. That book belongs to our mother," I began as I motioned towards Adrian. "This may sound like a suggestion, but you should simply give us the book and fuck off. As I mentioned before, that was most certainly not a suggestion. It was a declaration of how things will proceed. And be very mindful of the next decision you make, because I didn't come here with the intention of harming a mortal, but I'm feeling oddly adaptable all of a sudden."

I heard Kerwin grunt his approval over my shoulder, his presence increasing my confidence against the anomaly before us.

Like another flip of a switch, Henry's confident demeanour slipped into a pathetic timidity. His shoulders slouched once more as his quivering lips made it difficult to hear his response. I could only stare at him curiously, remaining in my defensive stance as Adrian prodded the man to utter his words coherently.

"Is your mother Echidna?"

Chris' heavy hand kept Adrian from running the mortal through with his daggers. The air around us seemed to condense and I struggled to hold back the growing rage inside of me at the man's words. Adrian shrugged Chris' hand off of him and strode powerfully towards Henry.

"Athena. Athena is our mother. You only get to make that mistake once. Insult our heritage again, and I promise you'll see more than just our monsters, I'll take you personally to see our hell!"

Henry paled, scurrying away from my half-brother until his back hit the window behind him. He shakily reached for his glasses, pushing them back into place before his hand stilled. He stood upright and, again, we were before a man who was certain that his place was above us.

"I must admit, you certainly have the terrorizing aspect perfectly. I am much more than just a timid man, unfortunately for you. You say that Athena has given birth to you. You would merely be the product of two extraordinary minds. I, on the other hand, would be one of the key components required in the supposed creation of one such as yourself. I may have believed you were the kin of Athena had you been able to comprehend that, but alas, I must bid you adieu."

Without warning, the glass of the window slipped away, and the man fell through it, much quicker than Adrian could get to him.

There was a palpable silence which hung in the air.

"Dude, I think you guys just killed your stepdad."

Adrian and I turned and glowered at Kerwin, who managed a shrug for an apology, despite it clearly not being one. The air slowly felt lighter, and I felt my anger give way to annoyance as I stood up, running a hand through my hair as I pondered on our next step.

"We have bigger problems than worrying about a funeral or the logistics behind that statement."

We turned to Chris, who stood, peering out the window which Henry had just fallen out of.

"Good news is that he's alive and running back towards the library."

"And the bad news?"

He turned back to me, his eyes alight with panic despite his, otherwise, calm attitude.

"There are monsters after him again."

"Fuck, we'll handle this one ourselves, Chrysilla. Just stay here in case he comes back here."

My hand instantly rose to Adrian's chest.

"What about sticking together?"

Adrian pushed my hand aside, but I had already stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"We don't have time for this, besides you know the rules, when Percy is not around the next in line takes charge."

I stepped to the side, blocking his attempt to step past me once again.

"Chrysilla! We don-"

"The rule is that, when Percy isn't present, each squad leader can do what they believe is best with their squad. Should there be more than one squad leader the decision is shared."

I kept shifting my head to meet his evasive eyes, his grey orbs shifting around only as much as his body as he tried, once more, to step past me.

"Look! We don't have time for this! You do what you want, and I do what I want, but as the leader of the third squad, I strongly recommend that you stay back in case he returns with a horde of monsters after him!"

I growled as he pushed past me, a feral rage persuading me to unsheathe my sword at the chiding grin Kerwin sent me as he slipped out behind his squad leader.

Cursing slightly as they left the room, I pushed the sword back in its sheath, glancing around the room for a moment.

"What do we do now?"

I could feel the furious heat rise to my cheeks as I turned and stared at Chris for a moment.

"Oh, gee I don't know, how about we twiddle our fucking thumbs before we stick them up our asses and wait."

"I'd prefer my mouth if that's alright?"

My sword was halfway extended as I turned to the door, pausing only as I caught sight of Jordon. The son of Apollo slipped past the entrance to the room, chuckling to himself ignorant of the situation at hand.

"Personally, I'd rather full committing with my whole fist." The sarcastic voice of Chris and the belting laughter of Jordon only further fuelled the flames of rage in my heart. I took a deep breath, tugging at my bracelet and letting my shield form on my arm before returning my attention back to my annoying squad members.

"Get the rest of the squad and head back towards the library."

"Shouldn't we list-"

Chris' response was cut off by the sharp whistling of wind as I dove past the windowsill and through the empty window, shield first.

There was a growing trend within the Vanguard where each squad was being ranked amongst each other. While I wasn't overly put off by the competitive aspect of it, it irked me to no end that I was being looked down upon as a result of it all. It did more than insult just me, it insulted my pride as Athena's daughter. To constantly have Adrian and others put me down or ignore my consul so often was hitting a soft spot for me.

I was more than whatever everyone thought I was.

I slammed into the hood of a car shield first.

How the fuck did Henry pull that off?

I grimaced, biting my lips to hold back a scream of pain as I shimmied off of the car. I felt the shield slip free from my limp left hand and fished a piece of ambrosia out of my pocket as I hobble-sprinted in the direction of the Central Library.

I forced the piece of ambrosia past my tight lips, which trembled as my right hand cradled my either dislocated, fractured or broken left.

Fuck Percy for taking us to watch those fucking Marvel Movies. They were totally fake if even a demigod couldn't tank that.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Fuck you, old man!"

"What was that?"

I groaned, grunting slightly as I bounced off another pedestrian. Biting my lips, I turned my eyes to the streets. Cursing under my breath as another man stumbled into my injured arm, I made up my mind. I turned and darted towards the street.

Someone tried to grab me and pull me back onto the sidewalk, I turned my head to see the same man who I had cursed earlier.

"Yeah, brat. I have time today. Now where's you-"

My boot met with his groin. I didn't even have time to wince as I felt his testicles explode under the weight of the kick as I stumbled out of his grasp and into the road. I grimaced as I bounced off the side of a car stuck in the New York traffic.

Turning, I saw the man on the sidewalk crumpled, his eyes wide as they stared at the mess in his pants in shock. Not willing to be pinned down for what had occurred, I turned and sprinted alongside the cars and towards the library.

"Hey! Come back!"

I turned back, guilt beginning to creep into my stomach before I slammed into a car with my injured arm. I bit my lip as a tear slipped past my tightly closed eyes.

"Are you alright?"

I managed a small, whimpering response before taking off before the taxi driver could ask any more questions. I carefully traced the white lines on the road as I continued to hurry forward towards the library, my arm gently being cradled.

I paused briefly as the traffic light was red. I sucked in a deep breath as I forced my attention away from my injured arm. The drivers on either side of me were staring at me with a mixture of amusement and annoyance as I stood in wait alongside them. I let my eyes shift to the pavement to see if I was being followed for my encounter with that man.

Artemis would be proud.

I winced, both at that thought and a searing pain which jolted down my arm. I heard a car honk at the front of the queue and turned to continue my trek when I caught a glimpse of a Hellhound's tail in an alleyway to my right. I immediately pushed myself onto the hood of the car in between myself and the alley. I was caught off balance as the car suddenly jerked to a stop, but I pushed myself off, careening past pedestrians as I forced my way to the alleyway.

I came to a halt a little way into the gap between buildings, my breathing uneven as I slowly regained my balance and composure. A rue chuckle escaped my lips as I came to the realization that I had lost the monster's trail. My laugh quickly fizzled into a hiss as another sharp pain reminded me of my rashness.

I glanced around, searching for some form of water to try to contact someone, when I noticed the Central Part on the other side. I put aside the thought of an IM, confident that we would regroup at the library, and began trudging to the other side.

"Fuck!"

I skipped backwards, out of the way of a Hellhound which melted out of the shadows on my right. My eyes stayed on the creature as I bit back a wince as I dropped my injured arm in favour of drawing my blade. The hound had skidded into a garbage bin and had fallen. I took a few cautious steps to its right so that it didn't leave me with only one exit option as it shook its head, stumbling as it stood again.

A low hissing laughter trickled into my ear from the right, where Central Park was, and I turned to find a Dracaena slithering around the corner. I groaned at my luck as the passageway was slowly filled with a small horde of monsters.

I shifted my gaze between the Hellhound and the group of monsters, weighing my options before slowly making small steps in retreat back in the direction I had come from. An oddly familiar, yet extremely harsh and odd language drew my attention back to the group of monsters. The Dracaena was conversing with a Cyclops. I paid it little mind, instead opting to use the distraction to further the distance between us.

The Hellhound snarled at me, catching my attention as I immediately stopped and dropped into a defensive stance, my right shoulder in front of me as my left arm hung limply on my bent left leg. The celestial bronze tip of my sword shone with a wicked gleam that kept the Hellhound at bay.

"A daughter of Athena so far from your little camp? How kind of you to come so far to die at my hands!"

I warily turned my attention to the Dracaena that was now a few steps behind the hound. I glanced behind it to see that the Cyclops and a few other of the monsters had disengaged from the group. I narrowed my eyes as they shifted back to the Dracaena that was now beyond the Hellhound. An idea popped up in my head, one that came from the events with the Centaur.

"Does the Vanguard sound familiar to you?"

The creature tilted its head in confusion, the action alerting me to the golden crown which it donned on its head. For the first time since their arrival, I noticed the double-sided axe which hung low, almost in a non-threatening manner, in her hand. The creature made a tsking sound before it regarded me once more.

"I have no time for the cheap tricks of an Athena spawn."

It raised the axe, its malicious intent clear as the monsters behind it instantly tensed up in response to the action. Trying to buy more time as I continued to inch my way backwards, I pressed on.

"Then have you heard of Percy Jackson leaving camp with a group?"

The response was immediate. The Dracaena turned her yellow gaze back to me, peering at me with intensity.

"Who are you to the son of Poseidon? You don't look like the daughter of Athena he was pining for."

"I'm the leader of the fourth squad of the Vanguard. And yes, I am not that daughter of Athena, yet I am the one to take her place in his heart."

The monsters behind her became unsettled at my words as she stared deep into my eyes for a few moments. The Dracaena turned back, her axe still hefted resolutely in the air, as she muttered something that calmed them instantly. I chanced a glance behind me, I was about twenty metres from the entrance of the alleyway.

"Yet you stand before us, by yourself, without your lover at your side. Your death will only pave the path of retribution against the sea spawn and his actions against the true ruler of this world!"

I turned back to see her axe fall, the twin-bladed weapon baring its eye at me as the monsters responded to the signal of their leader.

The Hellhound was still the closest, and it snarled viciously as it leapt over the Dracaena towards me.

I stepped forward, enticing it to lunge at me before shifting to the right and swinging at its exposed underside. Mere inches before my blade could expose its innards, I fell to the side, instead, tumbling under the hound.

I fell into an uncontrolled roll, grunting in agony each time my injured arm caught against the floor at the whims of momentum. I groaned as I rose to a knee, my sword, miraculously still in my hand.

I swayed slightly as I pushed myself to my feet, my eyes shifting from the horde, now to my left, and the Hellhound which was now accompanied by a Telkhine. I felt the back of my shirt, beneath my armour, dampen as my head spun for a moment. I cursed under my breath as I raised my sword higher, ignoring the spark of searing pain which stung at my lower back.

"The claws of a Hellhound are mighty sharp, aren't they dear?"

I ignored the quip from the Dracaena, instead letting my eyes shift to where I was planning to make my exit, only to chuckle in disbelief as I realized where the Telkhine had come from. The small group which had detached from the horde earlier were now blocking my exit. The Cyclops from before stood, its arms crossed as the monsters around it remained still.

They were toying with me.

Growling, I pushed through the pain and darted towards the Hellhound. The Telkhine stepped in front of it, its dagger raised in defence. I batted the blade away, kicking at it and forcing it back. I quickly scrambled backwards as the Hound pounced around the seal-like creature. As it closed the distance between us, my back hit the wall behind me, the dumpster now to my left. Making the most of my injuries, I dropped to a knee once more. The Hound bought the bait and bared its fangs at me with no regard for itself. I pushed myself to the dumpster, groaning as my left arm collided with it, and raised my sword to catch the Hellhound under its opened maw.

A horrible screeching was obscured by the dissolving hound impaled at the edge of my blade. I gave a huff of exertion as I pushed the creature to my right to regain sight of the other enemy before me. The movement and the trial of golden dust the hound left in its wake, kept the Telkhine obscured from my sight until the last moment.

The sea demon's dagger was aimed low, aimed to remain out of sight as long as possible. Without much time to respond, I pulled myself to my feet and tried to jump onto the dumpster. The dagger bit into my right leg from the side, but I ignored the sensation as I brought my sword down against the creature's neck. Throwing my body against the dissolving, decapitated body, cushioned my fall back to the floor.

I shifted onto my backside, pulling myself back against the wall as my frenzied gaze shifted to the monsters to discern my next opponent. Without taking my eyes off of the creatures around me, I dropped my sword to my side before ripping the dagger free from my leg, a low wince slipping past my lips as I did so. I gave the weapon a glance before tossing it to the side, satisfied it hadn't been poisoned.

I pulled myself up against the wall, trying to use it to return to my feet, but I was forced to fall to my right as a spear dug into the wall where my head had just been. I grunted as the debris sprayed at the back of my head. Feigning unconscious, I discreetly grasped the hilt of my blade. As soon as the Empousa stood before me, its arm outstretched to pry its spear free, I reacted. The celestial bronze of my sword created a wicked arc of light as it trailed upwards and seamlessly through the arm of the Empousa. It screeched horribly as its dismembered limb flopped to the floor.

I grinned maliciously in triumph at catching the creature out, but it was short-lived as its head quickly followed its arm on the floor. I shifted my eyes to see that I was being towered by a Cyclops. Its misshapen sword dripped the blood of the Empousa as it revealed its yellow teeth at me in a disgusting grin.

My sword found purchase in its knee before it could move its weapon again. As its smile gave way to a cry of pain, I ripped the blade free horizontally, forcing the creature to the floor. As it thudded heavily against the dirty alley floor, my sword exposed its intestines. I panted heavily as the Cyclops dropped its chunk of metal to force its intestines back into its body. I leaned back against the wall, the sharp stinging upon contact reminding me of one of my many injuries. The Cyclops, now at eye level, stared at me with deep hatred as my sword tore through its glare.

"Yes, Athena spawn! Thin my forces of the weakest!"

A hissing laughter and applause accompanied the harsh words of the Dracaena. My hair was matted with a mixture of sweat and blood as my eyes continued to rove through the enemies on either side of me.

"Where are all of your conning words now? No snarky remark?"

I ignored the taunts of the Dracaena as I ducked. An arrow bit into the wall above my head. Before I could rise, I saw the lower body of a Telkhine. Using the dumpster once again, I slammed to the side of it, swinging my blade through its leg before pushing back to my right and cleaving its body in half with a roar of exertion.

My right leg finally gave out on me as I crashed onto my left knee. I bit my lip as another Hellhound split off from the group to my right, giving me no respite.

I shakily raised my blade when the hound was batted to the side. Another Telkhine took its place, its eyes filled with rage at me. Probably just lost its kin of some sort, I deliriously noted. I leaned back against the wall, slumping to the floor as my sword arm fell to my side. The horrendous pain which wracked my body came in shuddering waves as I stared blankly at the approaching Telkhine which muttered something which was oddly faint against my ears.

It raised its sword in a high arc, grinning viciously and victoriously at me. As it was about to drop its blade, the hellhound from before slashed across its skull, tearing the head of the creature to shreds. I gave a snort of bewildered amusement as the sea demon disintegrated before me.

The hellhound turned to my left again, growling at something to my left. I didn't have the energy to turn and see, despite the embers of my curiosity sparking in response. The hound turned to me once again and I sighed. I pulled my sword in front of me, my natural instincts refusing to become a meal for the monsters around me.

I was only a snack for Percy.

My body trembled as a laugh slowly bubbled past my lips. The Hellhound paused for a moment as I continued to laugh carelessly at my thoughts.

Brushing off its trepidation, the hound lunged at me. I stared at it in confusion as it bit down around the edge of my blade. I could've sworn it should've been impaled by how I was holding the sword. I giggled as I realized my arm had a lapse in strength, causing it to fall to the left.

The hound tried to pull back and I felt my back leave the wall behind me. My eyes widened and my laughter caught in my throat. Just as my sword was caught between the edges of its lips and its back teeth. I grunted as the Hellhound came to this realization itself, slamming me back against the wall.

It placed one of its paws heavily on my injured leg, earning a bellow of anguish as it tried to dislodge the blade from its maw. I tried to raise my left hand to hold the blade steady, tired of being rag-dolled, but I got no response from the appendage. After what felt like eternity, my right arm gave out again.

I saw my blade clatter against the floor, skidding behind the hound after it jerked away from my weakened grip.

My eyes grew heavy as I caught the last visage of the Hellhound howling to the sky.

My eyes closed.

Suddenly I felt weightless.

Peace was something that I had very little experience with. From shifting from orphanage to orphanage. To joining camp and being all but shunned by the rest of my cabin. To being the leader that was easily brushed off and aside.

The only peace I had truly known was in the arms of Percy. Was when Cassandra came up to me with a wide smile to talk or ask for my help. Was when I was busy training my squad. Or listening to Helen's stories about love and making fun of them with Adrastea.

I was sure that I'd be laughing if I could.

I was supposed to be angry at the Vanguard.

"Get her the fuck up even if you have to kill Thanatos, Jordon!"

I groaned internally. There was no way I was still alive. I didn't want to be. I wanted to die. It was too much. I gave it my best shot. There was no need for me to come back and be faced with the consequences of my decisions. I should just go to the Underworld.

I didn't want to see Percy's face when he found out what I had done.

"You think I'm worried about a god? What the fuck do you think Percy would do if he found out she died?!"

Ah… that was Adrian's voice. Did he care for me, or did he care what Percy would think about him and do to him and his precious position at the helm of the Vanguard? Despite the bitterness that welled up in my chest, I felt a warmth fluttering in my stomach at the concern in his voice.

Or was that an injury?

"Chrysilla! You better wake the fuck up! You hear me!"

I couldn't place the voice again. I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to try anymore. I had already tried so hard!

"We're going to get through this together!"

Adrian…

I groaned as the sounds of battle suddenly swarmed my senses.

"She's up! Fucked all the way up too, but still up!"

I felt my head sway slightly.

"L…et…. me… die…"

My voice didn't even sound like my own as it croaked free from my throat.

"No can do ma'am."

Jordon's voice was soft and strained as he whispered above me.

"Katherine!"

"Coming!"

"Let me die!"

"Then who will represent the females of the squad and keep the men from leading us astray?"

I gave a small chortle as I felt a soft, damp fabric slip onto my face. It trailed across and I felt the grime and blood clear. The strong scent of strawberries lingered from the cloth but was quickly overwhelmed by the stench of the monsters and the grimy alleyway we were in.

"You do know that I'm literally right here, right?"

Katherine chuckled at Jordon's response as the two continued to work on my wounds.

"Careful with the arm, Katherine! It's broken."

"Got it."

"We can't do much about that one, that's Teucer's area of expertise."

Katherine agreed with him, and the sounds of their voices began to slip away once again as I focused on the fact that I could see the light of the sun through my eyelids.

I slowly opened them, shocked at the clarity of my vision as I grimaced at the harshness of the light.

"That's normal, don't worry. To the mortals, you'd be clinically dead, and most would have given up. But we don't stop until a Death God arrives."

I nodded softly at the son of Apollo. The information meant nothing to me, but his voice was comforting to hear as I began to come to terms with the fact that I was alive.

"Henry?"

Jordon stared at Katherine for a moment, and the girl just shrugged at him.

"We don't know, Chrysilla."

"But since so many of the monsters were gathered here for you, it's very likely that he got away somehow."

I nodded slowly, yawning despite my best efforts.

"Good, she's falling asleep." I felt Katherine's hand rest gently on my forehead. "Rest, Chrysilla. You'll be out for some time. We'll come back and finish this later."

I was about to protest, but he called for Shaquille, and I couldn't keep my eyes open to even hear the boy's response.

Third Person

There was a quietness as the two squads trod back into camp.

The soft laughter, clashes of steel and thudding of arrows on targets all faded away as the third and fourth squads returned. The silence of the forest gave way to the steady crunches of leaves beneath the downtrodden steps of the returning members of the mission.

Percy was at Chrysilla's side in an instant, his question sparking the first bit of sound from the group.

"She was ambushed by a group of monsters."

Percy's eyes were trained on the unconscious form of Chrysilla even as the words left Adrian's mouth.

"The mission?"

Adrian shook his head, but the movement was missed by the distracted and worried eyes of his leader.

"We think he escaped, but we're not sure."

Percy sighed, closing his eyes, and letting the pair walk into the makeshift infirmary. He ran a hand through his hair as he stared at the group who returned his gaze with muted astonishment and intrigue.

"Marc. You're in charge for the moment. Help the returning squad; prepare their meals for them and ensure they take a bath in the river before they return to their tents. Make sure there isn't even a scratch left unchecked."

"Got it, boss."

Percy slipped into the tent, confident in Marc to fulfil his role dutifully.

"She's up, Percy."

The son of Poseidon nodded softly at the daughter of Apollo.

"Why aren't there any others who are as injured as she is?"

He was met with no response.

"Where was the rest of her squad? Why isn't Jordon here?"

A silence hung in the air as the second slowly ticked by. Percy started pacing, and Adrian tensed up immediately. The temperature rapidly began to drop as the silence was sustained.

"If I don't get an answer soon…"

"It was all my fault, Percy."

Percy stilled, staring at Chrysilla from near the entrance as he motioned for her, or anyone, to elaborate.

"Henry escaped from us, and a group of monsters began chasing him. I chased them on my own and got ambushed."

Percy chuckled lightly; the sound heavy against the quiet as his breath became visible in the frigid temperature within the tent. His green eyes, a faint glow surrounding them, peered intensely at the members before him as his laughter ceased. The temperature began to slowly climb back to normal as the trio breathed a sigh of relief at the returning warmth.

"A squad leader rushing into battle without her squad…"

His voice was barely louder than a gentle whisper, yet his words resounded heavily. He shook his head as his eyes bounced between the three before him.

"We'll talk when you're all rested."

Percy turned and opened the entrance flap before pausing.

"Katherine, go see to your squad and get Jordon to help his squad leader."

"He's unconscious, Percy. He overexerted himself, practically bringing her back to life."

"Ah, so now you can answer my question? Very well. Let him sleep. Is there anyone else that needs to be treated?"

"No, there weren't that many casualties after we arrived."

"Figures seeing as you were attacking the monsters as one unit…"

"Some monsters escaped though…"

Percy turned his eyes to Adrian, the sea green swirled in a viscous concoction of fascination and rage.

"Did they have a leader?"

Adrian shook his head, but Chrysilla quickly interjected.

"A Dracaena with a crown. She knew about you too."

Percy hummed, turning back to the entrance of the tent.

"Queen Sess has returned. Understood. As long as they are on the move, the chances of the mortal surviving decreases. Very well."

He left the tent without another word and the three let out a sigh.

"I couldn't even speak…"

Adrian moved to Katherine's side as he consoled the girl.

"It's okay, he was only angry at me."

The daughter of Apollo shook her head at Chrysilla.

"He wasn't, but that's the point. He was only angry at the monsters that did this to you, but I was too scared to speak."

"What exactly are you trying to say, Katherine?"

The girl turned back to Adrian, with a watery smile.

"I'm really glad to be on his side."

Percy

"SQUAD ONE! ON ME RIGHT NOW!"

It took less than a minute before I was staring at everyone in my team.

"Cassandra, you can sit this one out if you want."

The daughter of Tyche shook her head defiantly, her steely look doing little to detract from her cuteness.

I chuckled at her despite the raging emotions within me.

"Okay then." I turned and spotted Marc in the distance. The son of Ares was questioning Chris about the unconscious Jordon who was being checked over by Teucer at the Hearth.

"Marc, squad one will be leaving. You're in charge until we return. Keep this place in order."

"No problem, Percy. Where are you going?"

I gave him my best wolf grin.

"To hunt."

A/N: This chapter was so close to being fifteen to twenty thousand words long! I had to do a lot of shifting around to make sure I didn't overwrite for this one lol. There's just a lot that I want to put into all of this, but it can't quite fit in the format I've decided on, unfortunately. These next few chapters are ones that have been fighting me for a while. I have every intention of meeting the weekly uploads, but I am only human after all.

Also… I love seeing your reviews, they all help me think of new ways to push this story and how to make things work better in the future. I'm really grateful for all of the reviews I've gotten so far, and I'd love to see how you all feel about this chapter.

That's going to be it for this week. I hope you're all having a great day whenever you're reading this. See you all next time!
-ZedricSOZ