Chapter Twenty (Sprouts of Despair)

In the midst of despair, the last thing we cling to before sinking into the abyss is hope.

Percy

There was a soft thrumming that hummed in the air.

The metallic rumbling of the engine, rattling in its idle, only ebbed by the heavy steps of another demigod into the contraption.

"Is this really the best idea?"

I flickered my gaze to Sam, who stood skittishly between Satyr Two and Cirius. I let my exasperation leave in a slow exhale. "Have you ever flown with a child of Poseidon? Without Zeus' permission?"

"No, but-"

"What about the sea?"

My eyes shifted between Satyr Two and Cirius. I raised an eyebrow at Cirius, who had interrupted Satyr Two, my respect for him slowly increasing.

"We looked at our maps while we were walking," I motioned towards the entrance to the bus, where Marc, Adrian and Chrysilla were funnelling the demigods onto the bus, "Between pure distances and the directions of the monster scents Sam provided us; it's too much of a risk trying to get there. Of course, I'd have preferred that route, it'd be guaranteed safety. But we're demigods, things don't come easily for us."

"I'd still prefer if we trekked through the forests instead, we'd be better able to cast our woodland magic there."

I hummed as I nodded at Satyr Two, my eyes flickering back to the bus where the last of the demigods had begun to enter. "And I'd prefer if we never met you all."

I turned back to the Satyrs, forcing the fakest smile I could muster at Satyr Two before moving towards the doors of the shaking bus.

"Oh, and by the way," paused, turning to the small group of Satyrs trailing behind me, "The Vanguard doesn't need your protection; you need the protection of the Vanguard."

I stepped up onto the bus, sitting behind the driver. I ignored the Satyrs and the harsh sounds of their hooves against the floor of the bus as I waited for them to take their seat. Taking a quick glance around the bus to ensure everyone had boarded, I nodded to myself. Calling forth the mist with a snap of my fingers and a whispered command, we lurched forward as the driver accelerated while closing the doors.

"Perseus! Monsters!"

I groaned at Satyr Two's use of my full name before following his line of sight. The brush of the forest to our right shook as whatever creature romped around.

"Open the windows on either side and clear some space for the archers."

I let my eyes trail back to the road in front of us, confident in my Vanguard. Instead, I focused on the mortal, weighing my options for keeping him safe.

"It's a lot, Percy!"

I hummed lightly in response to Adrian's words. I felt the presence of Adrian, Marc and Chrysilla beside and behind me. I stood up from the seat and ushered two of them onto it, standing with Chrysilla in the lane before me with the boys on the seat staring eagerly at me.

"What's the next plan?"

They baulked, their eyes trailing between each other before coming back to me.

"What do you mean?"

I groaned lightly, "We can't afford to be on foot no matter what. That amount of monsters suggests that we're still running from the army."

"We get that, it's just… we thought you had an idea."

I hummed lightly, gripping the railing at the entrance as the bus lurched violently. I turned to the bus driver, before staring out the windshield to see that monsters had begun throwing themselves in front of the bus.

"Where's the nearest train station?"

I turned back to Chrysilla and beamed at her, "I love your brain!"

"Driver, to the Amtrak!" Adrian called out, already ahead of me.

Marc stood to his feet, turning to the demigods behind us. "Everyone! This is our warship for the moment, our aim is to take a train from here, so do your best to defend it until then!"

I noticed Zina stand up and instantly slip past Chrysilla, "Not with abilities! Try not to waste energy!"

The daughter of Bia seemed conflicted, but nodded, reclaiming her seat.

Turning back to the squad leaders, I grinned at them. "Well, get everyone a bow or a spear!"

"Fuck!"

I couldn't find a more apt word as I stared out of the windshield. The entrance to the Amtrak was being barred by a small army of monsters. I groaned lightly as I let my eyes flicker back to the Satyr attached to my arm.

"Get us out of here!"

I tilted my head to the side, the bus coming to a halt a few hundred metres away from the waiting horde of monsters. The quivering hand on my arm heavily tugged a few times, bringing me from my internal musing. I peered at Satyr Two who failed to relent in his vicious tugging of my arm.

"We need to leave, there's no way we can-"

He was suddenly pried off of me. I stared, with some amusement, as he was tossed down the aisle of the bus by Adrastea. The daughter of Ares nodded at me before stalking towards the downed Satyr to reprimand him further. I took the moment to peer at the demigods scattered amongst the seats.

Most of my Vanguard were posted up against the windows of the bus, their weapons hanging loosely as the enemy had repositioned. Shaquille was accompanied by Lily and Jerome as they formed a loose circle around the new demigods and comforted them.

"Looks like there's no choice but to fight."

I shifted my gaze back to Marc who rose from the seat behind mine. I grunted in acknowledgement of his statement as I turned to face the monster army. They had held their lines tightly, organised in a similar fashion as they had been at the farmhouse.

"At least it's not the full army."

I nodded at Adrian's words. The son of Athena had decided to remain seated as he simply peered around the seat at the front of the bus.

"You're all mad! You must be! You'll get us all killed!"

I turned to face Satyr Two, who spoke up even as Adrastea held him back. I could see that the girl was struggling with the decision to maim the Satyr struggling in her arms.

"I agree."

I turned to Chrysilla, who stood from her seat across the aisle.

"Thank you! If there was any of you to have sense, it must be-"

Chrysilla snorted, "I was agreeing with them."

Satyr Two watched us in shock, though I decided to ignore him.

"How much do you reckon there are in total? Fifty?"

Sam was quick to respond. "Judging by the scent, I'd say it's between one hundred and fifty to two hundred."

I nodded at him, offering a quick smile as I turned back to the other squad leaders before me.

"Anyone else has a great idea or do we get to use one of mine?"

"I actually think we all have something similar in mind…"

I raised an eyebrow at Marc suggestively, before shifting my eyes between Chrysilla and Adrian. I felt my lips tug apart as I saw the mischievous grins sprout onto their faces.

"Shields to the windows, weapons inside!"

The Vanguard responded to Marc's words instantly. I paid the shuffling behind me no mind as I drew Riptide. I crouched low, holding onto the railing with my left hand. The bronze edges of my blade gleamed wickedly in the light from the windshield. I drew in a deep breath, my muscles tensing as I let out a stream of air.

"Ready!?"

I felt a warm body press up against my back. I lost my composure for a moment as I melted into the familiarity of the touch. A shield brushed against the seat and floor, giving a harsh sound, as it snaked under my left arm.

"You have your sword out?"

"Are you asking me to poke you from behind?"

I whipped my head around and stared into the twinkling grey eyes staring back at me. I raised an eyebrow at her and she just chuckled in response. I couldn't help the chuckle of my own as I turned back to face the front of the bus.

"Of all times to get snarky, this is it?"

"Ready in the back, boss!"

Despite there being no way for Zina to see me, I nodded in response. Taking another breath, I gave them a few seconds longer to settle in.

"Brace yourselves then!" I called out. Chrysilla's free arm snaked around my waist and held me tightly as I glanced over the shield.

"Reverse!" I called out to the driver. The sudden movement pushed a few members off balance if the sounds of weapons clattering on the floor were anything to go by. The apparent retreat was also enough to break the line of the monsters. They began rushing the bus, unwilling to offer us an easy escape.

"Forward! Full speed to the entrance!"

I tightened my grip on the railing as Chrysilla pulled herself closer to me. I shifted my feet under me as the bus lurched under the sudden shifting of gears. The tyres squealed in protest as they were called to shift directions suddenly. After a few seconds of defiance, the gears shifted again, and we were thundering towards the entrance once more.

"HOLD!"

Marc's voice was the last sound before the windshield shattered under first contact. Chrysilla raised the shield, obscuring my view of whatever creature had crashed through the windshield. The shield pulled close to my face as the creature thudded against it. Chrysilla held fast, despite her groan in protest at the monster's weight. I was quick to alleviate her as I slid Riptide under the shield and pierced the creature from below. Her shield pushed forward as the creature turned to dust but was quickly weighed down again.

"We're pinned all the way down, Percy!"

I grunted as the shield before me caught me in my nose. I raised my right knee to gain some leverage before swinging Riptide beneath the shield.

"Then give the order to get us some room, Adrian!"

"Zina!" The son of Athena cried, not a second later.

"Everyone down!"

"Driver! Stop and drop!" I called out as I felt the air go stale. Chrysilla pulled me backwards and onto the floor of my seat as the hand brakes were pulled. The bus spun out, skidding along the floor as Zina's scream accompanied a massive beam of energy. I groaned from the side of the bus as it was caved in by the impact of some large monster on the outside. Chrysilla pulled my head towards her chest, raising her shield above us once more. I closed my eyes as I fought against the impending nausea from the numerous spins the pirouetting bus had decided to perform.

"Squad Two! On me!" I heard Marc cry the moment the bus came to a halt. There was a lot of shuffling and heavy footsteps that rang out beside me as I took a few seconds to catch myself.

"Are you okay, Percy?"

I forced my eyes open despite the sharp pain that struck my head as light touched my eyes.

"I'll live." I felt the shield move from behind me and began to rise from atop Chrysilla. I groaned lightly, raising a hand to block my eyes as I stood up.

"Here." I peeked out of my hand to find a water bottle in my girlfriend's hand.

"Oh, I don't think I've loved you more than I have right now." I uncapped the bottle and chugged half of the contents before dashing the rest over the top of my head. I sighed as the pain receded, "That's the stuff."

"I'll admit that your plan has kept us alive for the moment, but are you going to let those outside die while you remain idle in here?"

I turned to Satyr Two who had made his way past Adrastea, who was being tended to by Jordon. I let my eyes wander around the bus to see that most of Adrian's squad had already joined the fray outside the bus. Only the archers of each squad had been left behind, either to shoot from the melted windows or tend to the injured.

"I'm almost certain that, between this spinning death trap and the flying death machine that's with us, there is nothing left to worry about."

The Satyr seemed intent on arguing some more, but Chrysilla stepped up to him. "You're alive because of the decisions we've made. That he's made. If you want to keep questioning him at every available moment, then I suggest you get the kids to camp yourself!"

The Satyr shrunk under Chrysilla's heated word, scampering backwards slightly.

"I'm sorry, it's just-"

"Save it. You made sense anyway. We shouldn't linger here too long. Everyone off the bus, save the treatments for on the train."

Satyr Two seemed intent on saying something further but decided against it as Sam and Cirius prodded him off the bus. I took a glance out of the charred window frame to see that the joint efforts of Marc and Adrian's squad had routed the monsters.

I felt Chrysilla nudge me, and I turned my attention back to the interior of the bus. Finding that it was empty, aside from myself and Chrysilla, I nodded.

"Are you sure you're, okay? You seem a bit more out of it than in it."

I chuckled lightly, brushing a loose strand of her dark hair from her eyes, and kissing her softly.

"I'm good. Thanks for worrying. Now we really need to hurry, we have a train to board."

Percy

The building rumbled as an explosion sounded from the entrance.

Zina came flying in behind us, her hair matted with sweat and her face slightly pale as she slowly landed on the floor next to Ajax. The son of Aristaeus caught her as she stumbled into him, quickly handing her crutches to Jerome before helping the daughter of Bia to the train himself.

I watched them board the train, nodding to myself as I stayed back. I made sure everyone entered before stepping in myself.

The children of Apollo were already hard at work with the injured, though there weren't that many nor that critical.

"Percy!" I turned to find Chris playing with a small pouch in his hands. "I can finish the last few sets of armour on the train."

I raised an eyebrow at the son of Hephaestus who sighed in response to my pressing look.

"I still couldn't figure out some of the more in-depth enchantments from your own, but I've made sets that should be far more durable than what everyone else has right now."

I nodded to the boy, a small smile pulling at my lips. "It's better than nothing. So, get each set to a body, even if it's not up to your standard." Chris nodded sheepishly at me before dropping the pouch. A door was erected and the larger boy wasted no time in slipping into it. I took a deep breath, scanning the cart before I was motioned towards the other cart by Adrastea.

I felt a nudge on my side and turned to find Teucer. He had paused from administering his treatment to Kerwin to hand me a water bottle labelled 'sea water' and I smiled at the boy. Offering him my thanks, I made my way to the second to last cart where the leaders were meeting.

"Are you sure we're going to be okay here? We don't want what happened last time to happen again."

I pushed open the door to the cart when I saw Satyr Two continuing to rain down verbal hell on the exasperated squad leaders.

"This is a meeting place for the head of the Vanguard only. Out."

The Satyr bristled.

"I've had it with you demigods thinking that you can just ignore me! I'm a senior Satyr, I've been in New Greece long before it was the foundation of a city. My entire life, seventy-five years of it, I've been saving you lot. Now, I've been given a higher position of respect among the demigods, chosen for this mission to save you from yourselves and this is how you treat me?!"

"Gerald…" Chrysilla offered in warning.

"No, I've had enough! All you've done is lead them into danger. The flying girl may have her wings, but she's lost her leg! How much further do you have to go? How much more to be sacrificed before you put your ego aside and go back to safety where you belong? Maybe then I'll listen to you. When you're a proper leader and not some rebellious scum!"

I hummed lightly, never letting my eyes trail from the Satyr. Even as I uncorked the bottle before me and threw the contents over my head.

"Are you finished?"

The Satyr drew in a deep breath, his face reddening as he stepped towards me. The water which dripped past my hair and down my face darted in front of me. The droplets conjoined forming a small spear that hung dangerously close to the neck of the Satyr.

"Tell me, Gerald. In your seventy-five years, did you stand before my grandfather? Hmm? What about my great-grandmother? Though she herself wasn't as great as her title might suggest, mind you. Ah, that's right. You save us demigods from the fate of monsters to condemn us to the faith of the gods. Condemned to hide behind walls, locked away from the rest of the world. Until you need us to face it for whatever amusement or needs the gods request. Correct?"

Gerald spluttered lightly, shifting nervously away from the watery blade.

"Now look." I drew the spear back to me, letting the water be absorbed into my body, relishing in the energy it sent coursing through my veins. "You may look down on me. You may look down on my group. It doesn't matter what you think of us. But you should never associate your role in the Camp with some sort of importance in the Vanguard. We aren't rebelling against the camp. We aren't associated with the camp. We are our own entity. We are the Vanguard."

"Of Olympus!"

I clenched my jaw at the Satyr who stood his ground defiantly.

"Once. But not anymore. We are simply the Vanguard."

"Is that the wisest thing to declare, little demigod?"

The lights flickered as the temperature plummeted. The Satyr before me cast a nervous glance upwards at the hanging bulbs. The glass of the sources of light was covered by the slow crawl of frost, just as the windows of the train. I took a deep breath, basking in the small plum of cold air from my exhale. I raised an eye at the cowering Satyr before letting the temperature return to normal.

"Leave or forfeit your life. If you were to be an ambassador of New Greece, consider your actions the deflation of relations between the two parties."

"You'll never be accepted by Greece. You'll always be a rebellious lot."

"Yet it is I that fought to give them the chance to be called New Greece. It is I who fought beside those placing brick and mortar to build the city. It is I who went to the depths of Tartarus to bring out your architect. It is I. You forget more than just your place, nymph chaser. I am the son of Poseidon, Bane of Kronos, One of the Seven, Saviour of Olympus, Prince of Atlantis and, now, the Leader of the Vanguard. Who are you to New Greece, exactly?"

The Satyr faltered, his façade fading as I slipped venom into my withering glare.

Marc decided to hear no more as he hefted the creature by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the other cart.

"And tell Adrastea what happened before you return," I called over my shoulder.

I sighed as I made my way to a seat.

"Was it really the best decision to cut off ties with Olympus now?"

I shifted my eyes to Adrian who stood at the side of the table as Chrysilla brushed past. She sat next to me, her hand rushing to my thigh to offer her comfort.

"I spoke to a few people on the bus before things went south. Fleecy… Iris told me that all contact with the Underworld has been prohibited. I tried to get onto Thalia, but Fleecy informed me that she was pretty badly injured."

Adrian nodded numbly before turning to Chrysilla. "What about the camp? What did they say?"

The daughter of Athena shook her head. "It was the same. I couldn't get onto them."

Adrian scoffed as he took his seat on the other side of us. "So, they force us on mission after mission and then abandon us the moment there's a massive army of monsters after us? Yet we're the ones who are traitors? Unbelievable."

The door to the cart opened and Marc quickly took his seat beside Adrian, who was quick to fill him in on what he missed.

"So, we're fucked?"

I slipped my hand into Chrysilla's hand, squeezing tightly.

"Yeah, it seems so."

"Haven't you faced much worse odds?"

I sighed again as Chrysilla leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I have, Adrian. I have. Those times, however, I stood beside other children of the Big Three or on my own. My abilities are as my name suggests. To level an entire army, with a being as strong as that Cyclops seemed to be. Without damaging my friends…"

I trailed off, letting the shake of my head finish what my words had started.

"We still have more options."

I nodded in response to Chrysilla's optimistic words.

"We do. But we just have to accept that we're out of options that'll let all of us reach the camp safely. We now have a decision to make."

Marc stared at me in shocked expectancy. He knew exactly what the decision was, but I was sure he didn't want to believe it. Adrian gave a low sigh as he said the words that I had been avoiding.

"Either we leave the Satyrs and the demigods to fend for themselves, and the Vanguard takes no casualties. Or we risk our lives to save them."

"Wait. There's no way we're being so pessimistic now. We just took out an army of almost two hundred monsters, with the newbies!"

"With the newbies in cover." Adrian supplied to Marc.

"And the fact that we faced an army of two hundred, after decimating whatever number came after us at the farmhouse… Well, we've figured out where the monsters had been going since we had to start hunting them instead of being ambushed nearly every day."

"A monster army at our heels, with demigods to protect and the gods not at our side. If it ain't broke, I guess."

There was a lull in the conversation after my morbid joke.

"Right!" I said, pulling my hands above the table to clap them. "We've decided to save them, correct?"

"They don't deserve to pay for the sins of people they've never even met," Marc responded.

"Or their parents," Chrysilla added.

"Okay. Then we stick to the plan. As soon as we reach New York, operation 'Four Horsemen' is a go."

Third Person

"Now!"

The arrow sprung forth from Teucer's bow, splitting the skull of a Hellhound. The creature stumbled, tripping the Telkhine behind it before bursting into dust.

Marc stepped out from the cover of the tree. His massive axe tore apart the exposed roots of the tree which had provided him cover. Raised dirt and stone formed part of his mighty upward strike though his furious cry struck the enemy first. The Telkhine could only stare in pure fear as it fell into the swing of the blade.

The rest of the monsters baulked at the sight of their two fallen allies.

The moment they took to recover from the onslaught of fear, and earthen debris, was enough for the son of Ares to slip back into cover.

"Again!"

Another arrow screeched down from the trees, this time to the right of the monsters. Another target fell, and Helen stood up from a thick brush. Two arrows sought to befriend the one descending from the sky before she disappeared once more.

The monster at the front took a step back, pushing the small group backwards. A few monsters fell to the floor as the wave of panic grew more physical.

"Again!"

The monsters with shields raised them to the sky, though there were no arrows.

Jerome darted from the trees behind the monsters, his twin blades slicing the ligaments and joints keeping them upright. Three Cyclops fell to the floor in anguish as their legs could no longer support their weight. The son of Hermes persisted though. His blades found more purchase in the legs of the taller creatures and the necks of those at his height. He pushed out of the small crowd of monsters; his blades sheathed as he jumped. A Telkhine reached out for him, desperate even as it crumpled to the floor.

A hand pulled Jerome out of the reach of the monster. The pair rose higher into the sky, blinding the monsters who dared to look with sunlight before they disappeared in the canopy of leaves overhead.

"End it!"

The monsters drew in the air, suddenly taking quick breaths as it lost its richness. A humming resonated above, drawing the attention of a few. The harsh rays of the sun glared back at them before a massive beam of light tore through the group. They were left believing they had been smote by Apollo himself.

"Clean up!"

The son of Ares stepped from the trees again, Sam standing at his side. Marc wasted no time in clearing the distance between himself and the remaining monsters, freeing them from their suffering with quick blows.

"Jerome, relay the message to Squad Three. They're sending scouting parties."

The son of Hermes was already jogging the moment his name was called, only sprinting once the message was completed. His steps were light, each movement calculated as he darted around trees and over whatever was laid on the floor before him.

"Jerome's back!" Crystal called out the moment she saw her brother.

"Another scouting party has been eliminated, but the main party can't be too far away now."

The daughter of Hermes barely nodded, already sprinting towards the small gathering of demigods behind her. Katherine shifted from the left side of the group in the middle, stepping closer to Jerome to cover him with her bow and he made his way back to his squad.

"Squad Two engaged a scouting party and eliminated them, Percy."

The son of Poseidon stared at Crystal for a few moments. "Thanks, Crystal. Let them know we'll be speeding up into a jog. We'll keep the formation until the scouting parties start to hit around fifty monsters."

The daughter of Hermes nodded before turning and sprinting back in the direction her brother had taken off in.

"Everyone, armour up and weapons at the ready. Lily, give Squad Four the update."

The daughter of Hermes darted past Percy the moment he had begun speaking.

"Why only fifty? They can easily take on much more than that by now."

Percy turned to Tassos who had stepped towards the older boy. Percy stared out at the trees around him, his eyes staring out into the trees that encompassed them.

"Two reasons. If the monsters start sending that many in their advance party, it'll be likely that they'll be sending multiple advance parties. Hopefully, we'll be able to use their last takedown to open a larger gap between us, but we'll need to reinforce the flanks."

Tassos nodded, his eyes temporarily drifting away to the younger boy who clutched his hand tightly. The younger demigod stared up at him in fear, his eyes watering. The son of Demeter sighed to himself before picking the child up into his arms.

"The second reason?" Tassos asked, pausing lightly as he saw the soft smile on Percy's face.

"For them to get some rest in case we face the entire army. If they're exhausted, we lose our second-best powered option, our fastest child of Hermes and our third-strongest melee fighter."

Adrastea grunted her approval of Percy's declaration of her strength.

"But it'll be alright because you'll have me!" Cassandra called from Percy's left. Another new demigod, Maya, was holding her hand as the pair walked.

"Nope. If things come to it, I'm going to need you to lead the demigods and the Satyrs to camp yourself." The daughter of Tyche seemed ready to protest but Percy quickly cut her off. "No arguments."

Cassandra huffed in annoyance, locking Percy in a heated staring contest of wills. One that she lost for the first time. She pouted to herself as Maya tried to console the aggravated girl.

"They've already started to jog, Percy."

The son of Poseidon nodded to the returning Lily. "Alright, everyone! You heard her!"

The demigods around him sped up, closing the distance to Adrian. The son of Athena waited, Cirius at his side, for Percy before falling in stride with him.

"It might be a good idea to reinforce the flanks with Squad Four to give Squad Two some more time behind."

"And risk a potential ambush being set up in front of us?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow at Percy, shaking his head before sighing. "I'm just on edge. I'll feel more comfortable if I can see everyone. This whole thing just rubs me the wrong way."

"Which is exactly why we're choosing this formation?"

"I think, strategically, it's very sound." Cirius spoke up, his gravelly voice catching the attention of those around him, "I just don't get why we didn't start booking it as soon as we got off the train."

The sound of measured breathing filled the silence as Percy and Adrian focused on navigating the forest around them.

A few minutes passed before Adrian finally found the words that the two leaders had been looking for. "We need you and the kids to conserve as much energy as possible."

The Satyr stumbled over his feet as he heard the words.

"You don't mean-"

"Yes, we do mean. That's precisely what we mean as well. Now make sure that everyone is ready on your side to make the transition happen smoothly on command."

The Satyr grew quiet for a few moments before numbly nodding at Percy's words.

"Ambush ahead!"

Jordon cried out as he skidded to a stop about a hundred metres in front of the demigods.

"You're up, Adrian." Percy said, his eyes betraying his best efforts to hide his thoughts of 'I told you so.'

"On it. Kerwin and Shaquille, on me!"

The pair responded only by speeding up from either side of Squad One. They slowly closed into either side of Adrian, barely meeting up with the son of Athena as he drew his sword and dagger. Shaquille's staff extended into a spear, crashing down onto the sword darting towards Adrian's rushed defence. Kerwin's polearm flashed in front of Adrian, slipping past the shield of the Dracaena, and piercing its skull.

The pair had no moment of respite as a Cyclops crashed into Chris. A Hellhound bounded past the opening left from the wrestling pair towards the demigods. An arrow rained down from the trees, ripping through the back of the monster's neck. The three took the chance to sprint through the golden dust of the hound and join the fray.

Chris groaned as he pulled at the arm of the Cyclops. The son of Hephaestus sat with his legs across the massive chest of the creature, his feet pushing at the clawing left hand of the monster. He roared as he threw his head back, his grip forcing the monster's arm with him even at its odd angle. Chris gave a demented chuckle as he pushed off the monster's chin and twisted, the arm still in his grip. The ligament was torn off, the Cyclops crying out in anguish as its remaining arm was struck by two arrows. Pinned to the floor, the creature was helpless as the son of Hephaestus began pummelling it with its own hand.

"Duck!"

Chrysilla responded just in time to avoid the thrust of a spear aimed at her head. The daughter of Athena grunted lightly, pivoting and driving the face of her shield into the stomach of the Dracaena. She quickly turned to face the kneeling Cyclops clutching at its knee. Her blade slit its throat and she held the momentum as she twisted and decapitated the Dracaena.

Adrian stepped past the disintegrating monster, his eyes briefly staring at it before shifting back to his sister. "I thought you guys needed help."

"We did," She started before pointing towards the figure of Chris obliterating the face of a Cyclops with its own hand, "Until he went berserk after I gave the order to Jordon."

"Are we sure he's Hephaestus' kid?" Kerwin questioned as he stepped next to the leaders. Adrian and Chrysilla shared a question look between them before shrugging in response. Shaquille and Jordon had grabbed Chris by his shoulders, pulling the massive boy to the floor to break him from his rage.

"Another party is-"

A massive swarm of icicles whizzed past the heads of the demigods in the clearing. A chorus of cries of agony resounded from the trees before them. They stared in shock for a moment as a few Telkhines and Cyclops stumbled forward slowly, collapsing, and sending the ice spike further into their bodies.

"Double time! Marc's squad just eliminated a party of around sixty-five!"

Percy's words were met with an instant response. The demigods cleared to either side of Percy's squad, completing the semicircle as Marc's squad came barrelling through the forest behind them a few seconds later.

Squad four slowed their sprint as they formed up closer behind Percy's squad. Marc detached from the group, panting slightly as he caught stride with Percy. "How close are we?"

"The road before the hill should be a few hundred metres in front of us," Gerald called out, stepping aside from Chrysilla and Sam. "It might be time to implement that secret little plan of yours."

Percy shook his head, ignoring the animosity in the Satyr's tone. "It needs to be done at the right time and before you ask, you'll know when you hear the command."

"Yes, well what exactly is the command?"

"You'll fucking know it when it happens! Now if you're going to benefit from this, at least give us the time to ourselves you piece of shit!"

The Satyr baulked at Marc's outburst, offering a soft apology, and trotting back to Sam's side.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I should-"

"No. Thank you. I agree. Go to Helen."

Marc nodded, though the action was lost on Percy. The son of Ares' presence was filled with Chrysilla's instantly.

"I'd have deserved it."

Percy shook his head, "Death isn't the only acceptable punishment, nor is it the only way to atone. Keep living and fighting to spite them. Beside the Vanguard. Beside me."

"I should've listened to my mother sooner, but I'll be where my heart lies until the end. With you."

Chrysilla shot a teary smile towards Percy, who held her gaze and returned a smile of his own.

Third Person

Zina's wings furled into her back as she careened towards the earth.

"Ambush!" She called as her wings unfurled, beating furiously to prevent her from smashing into the floor.

"Form up! Form up!" Adrian instructed instantly, as the daughter of Bia landed on her leg; in between Chrysilla and Percy. She grabbed a hand from each of them and pushed off the floor before either could question it.

"Scatter!" She cried out as her wings took them narrowly away from a massive boulder which obliterated upon contact with the earth.

"Percy, the Pegasi!" Chrysilla called over to the son of Poseidon.

Another boulder soared through the sky towards Zina. The daughter of Bia yelped, dropping the two demigods in her hands. Percy's arms wrapped around Chrysilla's waist, pulling the girl close to him as he called the water in the air to him. The water slammed into the underside of the rock, blasting it further into the sky above the forest, away from the demigods. At the same time, the son of Poseidon slipped his fingers into his mouth and whistled as loudly as he could.

Chrysilla stuck her hand out, twisting her body as she saw Zina's signal to her. The momentum flipped them suddenly, catching Percy by surprise as he had already begun calling water beneath them. The daughter of Bia caught Chrysilla's hand, dragging them a few feet in the air as they prepared to hit the floor.

"More fucking rocks!"

Zina cried out as she tucked her wings in to avoid another massive boulder. Chrysilla pulled the girl towards Percy's back as he called forth a small geyser. The son of Poseidon shifted them with a grunt to let his feet face the stream of water rushing from the earth below. With a quick comment, he was freed from his position between the girls as the water pillar formed small steps. Zina pulled Chrysilla to fill the gap left by Percy, letting her wings unfurl. The girls landed on the floor gently as Percy crashed to their side, another rock obliterating his watery staircase behind him.

"Cover us!" Zina called out, her right palm pointing upward to the blocked sun. Percy let out a low curse as the pooling water rose. A resounding explosion blasted the debris from the splintered rock onto the watery dome shielding the three demigods.

Tassos dashed his bow to the side as a Hellhound drew too close to one of the new demigods. He flicked his wrist upward, groaning as a thin tree shot up from the ground. The Hound whimpered as the slender trunk dug into the underside of its maw. Tassos released a massive puff of air as he stumbled forward to the demigod. His back was pressed against the earth as he tried to scurry away from the Hellhound. The creature shook its head, flicking blood in every direction. The son of Demeter came to a stop next to the demigod, his face slowly regaining some colour.

"Are you alright?"

The younger demigod looked up at Tassos, tears brimming in his blue eyes as he nodded. A vicious snarl drew Tassos' attention back to the hound. The son of Demeter cursed, throwing himself over the little kid as the Hound sailed over him. A thick brush formed around the two demigods, pushing the, now, cautious Hellhound back.

"Hey, you still have that knife that we gave you?"

The little boy nodded numbly, his quivering hands offering the small celestial bronze blade to the older demigod.

"Great, you just saved us, kid."

The boy managed a small smile as he watched Tassos with desperate hope. The thick brush formed by the son of Demeter had been reduced to a thin, crudely formed shield of thin sticks and branches by the aggravated Hellhound. The creature snarled menacingly, rising onto its hind legs as its blood-red eyes peered hungrily at the barely hidden demigods before it. Before its paws could crush the remaining shrubby under its weight, they suddenly parted. The small knife glinted as it sailed through the air and caught in the throat of the beast.

The younger demigod cheered behind Tassos. The son of Demeter smirked, moving to rise from his knee when the brush he formed behind him rustled as it gave way. He swivelled quickly, plucking the smaller demigod from the ground and into his chest. His legs pushed heavily off the ground, and he lurched backwards onto the floor. He grunted as his back bounced off the floor, his eyes peeking over the head of the demigod at the second Hellhound looming over their crushed brush.

"Where the fuck are the Pegasi!" Tassos cried out as he pulled himself to his feet, pushing the kid behind him as he scanned the forest floor for any loose weapons. The sensation of the branches being crushed drew his attention back to the charging hound. Tassos cursed again, grabbing behind him until he felt the shirt of the younger demigod. He sank low, bending his knees as he measured the impending creature.

The heavy sound of an arrow being slapped from a bowstring caught the son of Demeter unaware. Startled by the sudden appearance of Lily, he barely had any time to register the appearance of Adrastea. The daughter of Ares stepped across him, her eyes almost glowing with rage as her massive sword swung across her body. The length of the blade caught in the jaws of another pouncing hound from Tassos' left. The son of Demeter flicked his gaze back to the sole Hound that had held his attention to find only an arrow in its place.

A slimy, hot liquid splattered across his left cheek, drawing his attention. Adrastea had stepped further to the right of the hound, leaving her blade as the only barrier between the creature and him. Before he could complain, the daughter of Ares let out a massive cry as her feet pivoted. Her blade shattered the teeth of the creature before catching at the edges of its mouth. Its eyes widened in panic at the sudden penetration. It tried to push off of its front legs, but the initial movement had already dug the blade further into its skin.

The Hellhound got to move no further.

Adrastea's blade suddenly felt no resistance as it slid through the creature and left it in half. The daughter of Ares completed her pivot, her eyes almost as blood red as the dissolving hounds. "Don't play the victim! Slaughter everything that charges you until there is nothing left or death!"

Adrastea slipped past the stunned boys. Tassos quickly realised that Lily had darted away from them. Despite her distance, her arrows still cleaved through monsters aiming for them. A heavy blow pushed Tassos a few steps back. He coughed as the wind was pulled from his lungs.

"Don't lose this again unless you have another weapon to wield. Don't go out like such a bitch!"

Tassos gripped at the bow, forcing his eyes to open and meet Adrastea's. The son of Demeter nodded, heaving in a breath as the girl returned his nod.

"Something's stopping him. There's no way he wouldn't respond to me."

"Let's focus on regrouping first. We were prepared for this to happen anyway."

Percy nodded at Chrysilla's words which had fought against the whistling winds to reach his ears. The pair had a hand extended upward as they flew through the air.

"First stop is yours, Chrysilla," Zina called from above the pair. Chrysilla gave her affirmation to the daughter of Bia as they swooped closer to the ground. As the girls released each other's hands, Zina formed a beam of energy in her palm. The moment they flew past the falling form of Chrysilla, she let the beam go. The blast eviscerated the monsters directly under the daughter of Athena and blasted those around backwards.

"Nice shot!"

Zina grinned at Percy's praise.

"Out of ten?"

Percy hummed, his eyes scanning the monsters beneath him.

"A solid six. We weren't that far from the ground. Great timing though."

"You're a tough critic, boss. You're up next though."

A small smile formed on his lips despite the situation. He grunted his acknowledgement as the girl let his hand go.

"Percy's coming!" He heard through the whistling winds. A small puddle of water had begun forming on the floor and suddenly expanded under his will. It darted away from the dirt and grass to his feet. The small layer of water receded to the floor under his weight.

Percy instantly ducked as he felt the water give way to earth. Adrastea's massive sword swung through the air where his head had just been. Slipping under her swing, Riptide sprung free barely a second after being freed from his pocket. The blade slid through the throat of an Empousa trying to get the jump on the daughter of Ares. An arrow sailed past him, catching the eye of a Cyclops. The massive creature stumbled back, slipping on a loose, crudely made, club and crushing a few Hellhounds as it fell. Another arrow swished past Percy's head, flying over Adrastea's shoulder and through the disintegrating arm of the Telkhine before her. The projectile seared a hole through the mouth and skull of a sly Hellhound.

"We need to regroup and get the demigods across the street!" Percy called out. There was no immediate response as the members of his squad faced another monster.

"Help!"

Ajax cried out as a Hellhound rushed him before he could draw his next arrow. He scurried backwards desperately to create some more distance as his hand continued their panicked wrestle for another arrow. The hound snarled as it pounced. Ajax grunted as the claws raked across his chest. He sank to his knees in agony but pried an arrow free from his quiver. He jammed the projectile into the bottom of the hound's maw. Both the creature and the son of Aristaeus drew back from each other.

The red orbs glared back in unbridled fury, stunning the demigod still clutching at his wounded chest. The hound darted forward, eager to claim vengeance for its own wound. A small gust of wind slammed into the side of the hound, forcing it to stumble slightly to Ajax's right. It snapped its head towards the direction of the unnatural wind flow. Oliver had already closed the distance, slamming his shield into the skull of the hound before driving his blade repeatedly over the top until it burst into golden dust.

Oliver slipped low, turning to Ajax who was already being treated by Jordon. "Try not to need help again! I'm not a freak of nature like Zina and Percy."

The son of Aristaeus gave a pained chuckle as he was force-fed some ambrosia and told to suck it up. Jordon nodded to himself as Ajax quickly swallowed the Ambrosia he gave him. The son of Apollo's eyes scanned around the injured demigod to see that a small defensive wall had formed around them.

"You good to fight?" Chrysilla called over her shoulder. Ajax nodded, pulling himself to his feet and drawing four arrows. He placed three between his lips and notched the remaining. The arrow was whipped away from the bow, fizzing the air as it shot past Adrian's ear. The arrow caught a Cyclops in its right armpit, causing its raised club to slip free from its grip. Adrian was quick to take the chance, his dagger flicking across the right thigh of the beast before his sword found purchase in the cut.

Before the giant could drop its uninjured arm to its wound, Adrian had his dagger embedded in the inner side of its left thigh. Pushing away from his dagger, he raised his armoured foot and slammed it against the side of his sword. The blade bit deeper into the leg of the Cyclops. The creature began to fall, its uninjured arm sluggishly swinging past the swift form of Adrian. The son of Athena darted out of the beast's reach, slipping back towards his dagger to rip the blade free. Stepping aside from another desperate swipe, his dagger slipped into the back of the Cyclops' retreating hand. The creature cried out in pain, stumbling forward. Adrian took advantage of the situation, gripping at the handle of his sword with both hands and forcing it to cleave the Cyclops' leg off.

Another arrow crashed into the eye of the creature, freeing it from its suffering.

Chrysilla slipped to Adrian's side, throwing her arm over his left shoulder to deflect an arrow aimed at his skull with her shield. She threw her blade to the floor behind her and pulled Adrian back. Taking his spot, she crouched low.

"Enemy archers forty-five degrees to the right! About three hundred metres away!" Adrian cried out before slipping behind his sister again, just in time to hear the thump of arrows against her shield.

Crystal slipped from behind the cover of a tree, flicking her bow and arrow to the direction called out and releasing instantly. She stumbled back the moment the arrow was released, her left shoulder impaled by an arrow. She cursed under her breath as she slammed her back to the tree, sinking low to magnify the scant cover it provided.

"I'm hit!"

Katherine's eyes darted towards the downed form of Crystal. Three arrows flew from the string of her bow almost instantaneously. They pushed back the flanking monsters threatening to encroach on the injured daughter of Hermes.

Katherine dropped her bow for a second, her free hand pulling at Chris' shoulder. "Defensive wall! Crystal needs treatment!"

The son of Hephaestus relayed her order as her bow raised once more to pin the enemy back from the injured girl. Taking quick strides, she threw her bow close to Crystal's feet. A short celestial bronze blade was freed from the sheath at her hip and was sheathed in the skull of a rushing Dracaena. Sliding under the blow of a spear thrust at her head, the daughter of Apollo spun and sliced the ankles of the Empousa. Scrambling onto the back of the fallen monster, Katherine slipped her blade into its skull before it could struggle.

Chris' hammer smashed into the ribs of a shorter Cyclops, heaving it off of its feet and sending it careening into the monsters to its side. Shaquille quickly slipped past the taller boy, his staff spinning rapidly as he targeted the downed creatures. Chris turned to Katherine for a moment and urged her to treat the daughter of Hermes before he shifted his attention back to the regrouping monsters.

Katherine nodded her gratitude before she pushed herself to her feet and started to Crystal's side. Her hands moved with gentle precision over the girl's shoulder. The daughter of Hermes' face had paled tremendously in the time it took for Katherine to reach, sweat poured down her face as her eyes held a glistening veil over the pupils.

Katherine shook her head defiantly, reaching into a pouch at her hip and pulling a small canteen out. "Poison isn't enough to take you away from me, don't worry." She held the girl's dropping head with one hand and let the contents of the canteen trickle past her loosely hanging lips.

"Fuck!" Chris cried out as he was launched off of his feet by a massive Telkhine. Three Hellhounds darted past the gigantic creature towards the rolling demigod. The Telkhine gave a low grunt as its eyes peered maliciously at the two girls at the base of the tree. It dropped the hammer it had pried from Chris' grip and drew a slender silver sword.

The low hiss of the blade drew Katherine's attention to the beast. Her lips parted in shock at the sight of its towering figure, but she forced her hands to remain steady in their application of the medication. Her eyes flickered to her bow a few feet away before darting to her short sword. She cursed under her breath, tilting the canteen further as she prepared to make a move.

The Telkhine's sword flicked dirt as it slithered into the discarded short sword. The celestial bronze blade slid away from the daughters of the gods. The Telkhine's grin morphed as its twisted joy grew at the sight of the girl's despair. Its blade rose to the sky once more, the odd grip it held sought to pierce the medic at work.

Katherine closed her eyes in preparation for her demise.

The sickening sound of steel rending flesh was quickly accompanied by a colossal outcry of rage.

Katherine's eyes flickered open in surprise. Kerwin stood before her; the silver blade had bit through the palm of his left hand. Despite the damage, he had managed to redirect the blade, pulling the Telkhine off balance towards him. His polearm stopped the stumbling monster as it pierced its throat. The son of Ares grunted as the spear of an Empousa caught him in the side of his right leg. He had abandoned his duel with her to save the two girls, but the monster's persistence had granted it an opening.

Kerwin fell to his left knee, freeing his grip on his polearm which held the disintegrating corpse of the Telkhine upright. A wave of hot air permeated the area as his eyes simmered in red rage. The Empousa took a step back, her grip on the spear loosening for a moment. Kerwin's lip formed a monstrous smirk that put the Telkhine's to shame. Two arrows sailed over Kerwin's shoulders and into the Empousa's eyes.

Katherine knelt at Kerwin's side and stared at the spear in shock. The son of Ares turned to her; his eyes glowed with the embers of a burning red flame. "Wrap it." His lips tightened as he ripped the spear free from his thigh with a low groan. He spun the spear to force the tip away from him and slashed a deadly arc that pushed the pressing monsters back. The moment the spearhead came to the end of its swing, the shaft was pushed upwards. Holding the spear as a javelin, he heaved the weapon into the torso of another Empousa.

The son of Ares grunted as Katherine pressed some herbs heavily into his wound.

"You stupid fuck! It would have been so much easier if you didn't rip the fucking thing out of your leg!"

Kerwin caught his polearm, which had lost the corpse holding it up. "I'd rather be a cripple than let you die."

His polearm flickered out, severing the head of a brave Dracaena. The sight of the disintegrating monster was enough for the others to baulk at the injured, but deadly demigod before them.

"I'm proud of the way you've chosen to die, brother!"

Adrastea's sword cleaved a path through the stunned monsters. She flicked the drying blood from the length of her blade as she came to a stop before her brother and Katherine. Her smile waned at the sight of the prone figure of Crystal.

"Not dead. Not yet. I did what I could to buy her time, but she needs an immediate exfil."

Adrastea nodded as the daughter of Apollo squeezed a bandage around the wound of Kerwin's thigh.

"Good thing that's Percy's plan then. We got the satyrs and newbies here; Marc's squad is still in the thick of it trying to create a path to the other side of the street."

"Then we book it for camp?"

Adrastea frowned down at Katherine's hopeful words. "Then we take our final stand to defend the newbies' retreat while Percy and Zina fuck up the monsters from the middle."

"So, it's all up to the campers to save us then?"

Adrastea's sword flicked out as she twisted, catching a creeping Hellhound in the skull.

"Percy and Zina will be giving their all. We just need to do the same."

The daughter of Ares offered no room for further conversation. Chris came stumbling back, a gash over his right eye and a few trenches shaped like claws on his side. The son of Hephaestus quickly followed Adrastea's orders and gently picked up Crystal.

Their stony faces belied their internal turmoil as they struggled to accept their situation.

A/N: This chapter is a little late because I was not home this weekend and forgot my laptop. So, another Tuesday update day it is.

One thing to note, I'm going to make my own Discord server, but that link will drop in the next chapter on Sunday because I've been away from home for so long.

All of that aside, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Kind of a cliffhanger? Excited for the next chapter? Leave a review and let me know if you've read this entire AN.

I'll leave it here though; I hope you're all having a great day whenever you're reading this. See you all next week!

-ZedricSOZ