N/A: An important point before we begin is that this story was originally written in Spanish and then translated and adapted into English. I have more experience with translation, but I am not an expert in the language, so there may be grammatical or spelling mistakes.

If anyone is interested in being my beta writer, don't hesitate to contact me.

And without further ado... Let's go!

Chapter 1

Percy fails the bullfighting exam and ends up as Swiss cheese.

What makes people go on living?

It was a question that many might consider absurd and irrelevant. Perhaps it was for those people who lived quietly, without worrying about anything other than everyday life, such as studying, working, paying bills, and eventually dying. Maybe that is why they were unable to understand the magnitude and depth of the question.

But for those people who lived with one foot in the grave, who were constantly threatened by the prospect of not knowing if they would live tomorrow, it was a question they constantly asked themselves.

These people can be ordinary people. A person who is terminally ill might understand the depth of that question, or someone who has just had a close encounter with death.

For Percy, who had experienced the latter countless times in his short life, it was a question he had asked himself as often as his life had been in danger. And even though he spent sleepless nights thinking about it, the sad truth was that he didn't have an answer.

And besides, he couldn't sit down and think about it right now.

In fact, no one could as he did his best to run for his life, leaning on the small shoulders of a girl who looked no more than ten years old.

Percy couldn't think clearly. He was about to pass out, he was tired and cold. The only thing keeping him awake was the throbbing pain in his shoulder and the words of support from the little girl who helped him stay on his feet as they walked.

"Come on, it won't be much longer. Just a little bit more," she said, though Percy was sure she meant it more to herself.

He had a feeling that this cold, dark night would be his last. He wanted to chalk this up to his body's weakness clouding his judgment, but he couldn't lie to himself. Lately, Percy saw everything with pessimism and bitterness. Though, oddly enough, he never gave up hope. It was there, deep inside him, burning faintly like a campfire in a snowstorm.

They walked slowly through the cobblestone streets of the park. The streetlights on the side of the road illuminated their path slightly. In the distance, Percy could see lightning streak across the sky, which was filled with dark clouds that seemed to swirl overhead. A storm was approaching, he was reminded of it by the constant, cold wind that sent shivers down his entire body. Maybe he should have gotten something warmer than a simple t-shirt that was currently stained with dirt and blood.

He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming in pain. In all these years, Percy's threshold for pain had been pretty high because of everything he had to endure. But this pain was definitely in the top 3.

But no, he would not give up. He wouldn't give up when someone depended on him. It scared him to think what would happen if he collapsed here and left the little girl alone. So he kept going.

Percy started to cough involuntarily. His throat felt incredibly dry, and when he coughed, a pain would settle in his throat that wouldn't go away for several minutes.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked with concern in her eyes, "We can stop and rest for a moment if you want."

"No," Percy said, "We have to keep going. We don't know if that thing is dead. Maybe we just managed to throw it off."

"Are you sure?... You wounded it badly in the head."

"Yes, but it didn't turn to dust like the others."

A look of fear appeared on the girl's face. She readjusted her grip on Percy and continued forward.

For several minutes, they continued in this manner. Percy leaning on the girl's shoulders. The wind grew wilder as the minutes passed. At any moment, it would rain, and with the strong wind and the lightning that lit up the sky, it seemed that a storm was approaching.

A bolt of lightning ripped through the sky, illuminating the dark night and catching a brief glimpse of the place Percy stood before.

Behind rusty iron gates, the ruins of an abandoned church loomed before them. Most likely it had been abandoned for decades. The windows were broken, the walls were almost completely covered in moss, the grass was ankle deep, and the walls around the church were crumbling.

A question came to Percy's mind: Where would those charitable believers be now, or the leaders of this church? Maybe they got tired of the place and used the money of those who blindly followed God to build a church twice as big and more luxurious. To tell the truth, it didn't matter to Percy, but he still thanked them because they allowed him to use this place as a refuge. They've been doing this for a little over a month now, and it's the best place they've been in the last few months. They had drinking water and even a mattress big enough to share with the little girl next to them.

"Come on," the girl said. "We need to treat your injured shoulder."

She pulled Percy toward the wooden doors of the church. Over the years, termites have feasted on the wood, leaving it barely able to support itself.

They both opened the door and stepped inside.

Inside, the church looked no better than it did on the outside. Cracked cement columns supported a crumbling roof. On a clear night it let in the silvery light of the moon, but tonight all you could see were the dark clouds hanging over the church. The paintings on the walls were faded and covered in graffiti, the wooden pews scattered here and there in no particular order. The floor was full of dirt, garbage, food scraps, and the smell... Well, the air was saturated with urine. It was not a pleasant place for a ten-year-old girl to be. It was fortunate that the room they stayed in was in better condition. There were no strange smells, no residue that reflected the decay of human growth.

They walked across the wooden benches. The girl gently helped Percy to sit on the steps of the altar, who made a grimace of pain as he felt the cold floor beneath him running through his entire body.

"How are you feeling?" the girl asked.

"A little better," Percy replied, wincing. "The bleeding has stopped, but the wound is still open, and it hurts."

"We need to treat the wound. I'll get the first aid kit."

"The one we stole from the pharmacy two days ago? "

"That one."

She gave him an amused smile, and Percy wondered how she could smile so nonchalantly in such a desperate situation. Perhaps she was trying to show that all was not lost. That there was still hope to get out of this unfavorable situation alive.

"I'll be right back. Don't move."

"I don't think that's a hard order to follow."

She quickly ran behind the altar, where there was a worn carpet, moved it and a wooden trapdoor appeared. She opened it and climbed down slowly.

Percy sat down and took a deep breath, trying to get as much air into his lungs as possible. With every beat of his heart, he felt a stab of pain in his shoulder.

"Damn..." he said, bitterness in his voice. "After all... it's the same as always."

His bad mood wasn't because of the condition of his body. No, it was something deeper and more unpleasant. A strange feeling. A premonition that the danger had not passed. That they had not escaped this strange creature. That they had simply misled it, and that sooner or later it would find them again if they didn't leave the city immediately.

With every breath he took, he could still feel its hot, foul breath. Percy had faced many strange things in his life, but never anything like this.

He couldn't identify his attacker in the middle of the night, but he knew this thing couldn't be human. It was big, very big, and it smelled terrible. It was accompanied by more than a dozen of those black dogs, hellhounds, that looked at him with hunger and malice.

In the darkness of the alley where they met, he didn't have time to identify the huge beast before it lunged at him with its head. Percy's body reacted before his brain could process, and he managed to cut the creature's head off, though he did manage to kill it. What he did do was kill the dozen hellhounds before grabbing the girl and running through the park, trying to get away from the thing.

In his attempt to escape, Percy had cut the creature deep before it impaled something large, hard, and incredibly sharp on his shoulder. Too small to be a knife or anything else. He later identified it as a horn. A horn that was currently in the girl's backpack. Maybe he could make a weapon out of it.

Percy reached into his right boot, where he kept his only weapon. A tooth, about a foot long, tied with leather to a piece of wood that resembled a hilt.

It was a gift. A weapon given to him by a strange man whose face he could never see because it was always hidden under the hood of a sweatshirt. He owed this man a lot. He taught him how to use the knife properly. He taught him about the monsters that lived in the world and how to fight them. This man had taught him how to survive, and Percy would be forever grateful. Though he never answered the questions Percy really wanted to know the answer to.

Percy wondered where the man was now. If he was still alive.

The knife, which was the only connection he had with the man, was the only effective weapon he had against the monsters. He had had it for years and it had never failed him. More than a weapon, Percy felt it was a part of him. It was comforting to him to hold it in his hands and feel its weight. Holding it made him feel safe.

Lost in his thoughts, Percy looked carefully at the doors of the church they had entered. If his mysterious attacker decided to come in with its full wrath, Percy would be ready. It didn't matter if he was hurt, he would fight.

He heard the creak of a door opening, but it wasn't the entrance to the church. The girl had returned. She was carrying a white box with a red cross on it, a first aid kit.

She walked over and stood beside Percy.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"A little better."

"I brought the first aid kit, can you manage on your own or do you need my help?"

"I need your help with a few things, but I can do most of it myself. Now you have to help me take off my shirt."

The girl nodded and helped Percy remove his tattered shirt.

If you're expecting seventeen-year-old Percy to have the body of a model or Hollywood superstar, you're going to be disappointed. His body was anything but healthy. He was scrawny, with ribs marking the skin of his chest, and so thin you could feel his organs. He knew well that he was not the image of a healthy teenager, but his appearance mattered little to him, nothing, there were more important things to worry about.

"The bleeding has stopped," the girl said as she looked at the wound on Percy's shoulder. "It was good that you applied pressure when we came. The wound is not very deep, but it will need stitches."

Percy winced at that. The idea of a needle going in and out of his body was not pleasant at all.

"First we need to clean it up. I will do that. You don't move."

The girl pulled something out of the pockets of her large sweatshirt: a bottle of water. She uncapped it and gently poured its contents over Percy's shoulder. She watched in wonder as the wound began to close, reducing its size significantly. In turn, she also wiped away any remaining dirt.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's still amazing," she said, fascinated.

When she finished cleaning the wound, she put the bottle away and took out a small curved needle and a small packet of thread. After disinfecting the needle and threading it, she went over to Percy to sew up his wound, her hands shaking slightly.

"No," Percy said, holding her hand. "I'll do it."

He took the needle and thread and looked at his wound. He knew what to do and how to do it. Slowly, Percy inserted the needle into his wound, causing a sting of pain that he ignored and continued his work.

When he was done, he breathed a small sigh of relief. It wasn't a job worthy of a surgeon, but it was pretty good. Maybe in a different future he would have studied medicine.

"Not bad, Dr. Percy," the girl said with an amused smile. "I'll put some ointment on it to help it heal, and then I'll bandage it. You relax."

She took what she needed from the medicine cabinet and continued her work. A few minutes later, Percy had his shoulder bandaged, and he felt a comforting warmth on his shoulder from the ointment she had applied. If he could get some sleep, that would be great, but he knew he didn't have that luxury.

"We can't stay here long," Percy said. "It's not safe here anymore, we have to leave as soon as possible."

The girl nodded, determined.

"As we drove, I could see a parking lot with a few cars parked. The place is not very protected. We could... borrow a car."

"Who would have thought you could suggest committing a crime with that innocent little face of yours?" Percy asked, amused.

"Shut up."

Percy laughed and patted the girl lightly on the head. Normally, she would get upset and pout cutely, but her expression only reflected sadness and guilt.

"Sammy, is something wrong?"

The girl, Sammy, refused to meet his eyes. She was clutching the hem of her sweatshirt, which was a few sizes too big for her.

"This is my fault. If I had listened to you and run, you wouldn't have been distracted when that thing attacked you."

Percy thought about what she said for a few seconds. Maybe she was right. Maybe if she had run, Percy would have been able to concentrate on fighting. But when he saw Sammy being chased by a hellhound, none of that mattered. He attacked the beast and killed it, but that didn't stop the huge creature that had appeared from lunging at him and impaling him through the shoulder with an incredibly blunt object.

In the heat of the battle, he managed to make a very deep cut above the eye creature, or what Percy assumed was the eye, and managed to cut through the object the creature had stabbed him with. Then he discovered that it was a horn and didn't hesitate to grab it when the creature let out a howl of pain, and Percy used that brief moment to take Sammy by the hand and flee without looking back.

"Maybe you're right," Percy admitted. "But I prefer to have you with me when we're in danger. At least then I can protect you."

"But, Percy..."

"No. No 'buts.' I know I said we need to get out of here as soon as possible, but I don't think I can drive all night in my condition."

"Then what do we do?"

Percy sighed. He put a hand to his injured shoulder, massaging it gently and refusing to flinch.

"We'll rest for a few hours. Let's get something to eat and then... let's borrow a car before the sun comes up."

Percy's dreams have always been a little weird. But not "strange" in the sense of dreaming about riding unicorns that shoot rainbows out of their butts while smoking pot with Snoop Dogg to the song "I Believe I Can Fly".

No, his dreams were a little more vivid, like watching a movie in high definition. The images passed with such fluidity and realism that more than once he wondered if he was really there.

Usually he dreamed of a random event without much meaning; people he didn't know in a large room where he could see the constellations in the sky, amorphous shadows strutting in the dark and whispering incomprehensibly, a summer camp with a bunch of kids running around here and there, and a small cabin just off the shore of a beach. The last one was his favorite.

But this time was different. He found himself on a wooden dock, watching the sun sink below the horizon of a lake that opened to the sea. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing, but the image filled him with a strange sense of peace and tranquility. A sense of belonging filled him. If he had to describe it in one word, it would be nostalgic.

He heard the sound of footsteps on wood, followed by someone sitting down beside him. Percy tried to turn around to see who it was, but for some strange reason, he couldn't take his eyes off the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice said, cheerful and friendly. "Not many can appreciate the beauty of a sunset or a sunrise. Isn't it amazing just to watch? No matter how many times you look at it, it's never the same twice. This landscape you are seeing now exists only once."

Percy knew he had to be careful. His dreams had never been good, except for one. But this voice, young and friendly, did not tell him to be on guard, it was calm and... strangely familiar. It was like talking to a dear old friend he hadn't seen in a long time, even though Percy never had a friend.

"Is this real? Is this the past? The present? Or maybe... is it the future?"

"It's none of these," the voice said softly. "Just relax and enjoy the scenery, Percy."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Of course I know who you are," the voice laughed softly, as if telling a joke that only it understood, "I have been watching you for a long time. You might say I know more about you than you know about yourself."

A shiver ran down Percy's spine, if that was possible in a dream.

"What is this place? I have never been so aware in a dream."

"What is this place?" the voice repeated quietly, appreciating the words. "If I had to say, I'd say we're in your head, but this is no ordinary dream."

"Isn't it? What makes it so different? Apart from the fact that I am aware that this is not real."

"It's not real? Just because we're in your head doesn't mean this isn't real."

"You still haven't answered my question. Why is this time different from the other dreams I've had?"

"When we meet someone who completely changes our world, a chemical synergy occurs," the voice said instead of answering his question.

Percy wanted to ask what the hell that meant, but decided not to interrupt.

"Even at this moment, encounters are taking place that will change each person's world," the voice continued. "It may be in a distant country. Maybe it will be on the other side of the world, we won't know. You asked me why this dream was different; there are two reasons. The first is that this is the first time we are talking. And the second is that at this moment your meeting is about to take place."

Percy studied the words. He didn't understand them, but he knew they meant something. Something deep. Before he could ask what it meant, a strange force began to push him back. He felt as if the horizon was becoming more distant and harder to distinguish.

"Come back soon, Percy. I look forward to the next time we can talk."

Then he woke up.

"Wake up, Percy!" a child's voice whispered. "Wake up!"

Percy slowly opened his eyes. The muscles in his body felt like lead, and he had a strange numb feeling in his shoulder, but he didn't feel any pain, not much. Beside him, Sammy shook him gently. An expression of fear graced her cute little face.

"Sammy, what's wrong?" Percy asked, slightly worried.

"I think I heard someone upstairs."

They were both in a small church basement. It was just below the altar and could be accessed through a small trapdoor hidden just below the large cross. It was not a very large room, but it was large enough for several people to fit in, and it provided shelter from the cold and rain. Most importantly of all, it kept the nauseating smell of the upstairs from reaching them.

Percy walked over to the trapdoor and pricked up his ears. He heard footsteps and wooden benches being dragged across the floor.

"Couldn't you find a better place?" a female voice complained. "This place reeks of urine and shit!"

"There was no other place," replied another voice, clearly male. "Besides, we can't be choosy. It's about to rain, and we needed a place to rest."

"Did you check that no one is around? I don't want any stupid cops chasing us again."

"I didn't see anyone around. Besides, who would come to this place?"

'Actually, there are two people here,' Percy thought, 'And we're right under your.'

Percy decided to listen a little longer. There were only two people, a boy and a girl, and judging by their voices, they were about his age. Maybe they were just a couple of teenagers looking for a place to do something behind their parents' backs; drink beer, smoke, take drugs, or maybe have sex. If they dared to do the latter, Percy would come out and give them the scare of their lives.

"Put it over here," the boy said again. Percy listened as they placed something on the wood a few feet from where the trapdoor was. "How is she?"

"She still has a fever," the girl replied, "And it has gotten worse in the last few hours. Her breathing is irregular, and she doesn't have enough strength to get up."

'Is there someone else? A third person. A girl. And apparently she is sick.'

Percy was a little relieved. These were not two hormonal adolescents doing dirty things.

"Damn," the boy said, "We don't have any medicine, and I couldn't find a pharmacy nearby. Maybe we should take her to a hospital..."

"No! If we take her to a hospital, they will start asking questions and take her away from us."

"What other choice do we have? We can't leave her like this."

"I'm going to find a pharmacy."

"Are you crazy?! It's about to rain, and we barely managed to throw those hellhounds off the scent. We have to keep moving!"

'Hellhounds? They can see them too...'

Beside him, Sammy stepped back in surprise and knocked over a couple of tins of food. The sound echoed throughout the place, alerting the teenagers above them.

"What was that noise? Who's there?" the girl shouted.

Percy didn't want to risk being spotted. He found the conversation between the two teenagers somewhat intriguing. And the fact that they mentioned hellhounds was the most curious thing.

He turned to Sammy and spoke to her in a low voice:

"Stay here. Don't make any noise and don't come out unless I tell you to."

She nodded.

Percy patted the back of his worn jeans. When he felt the object against his back, he felt somewhat comforted. Even if they were only teenagers, he could never let his guard down. After all, humans were worse than monsters.

He climbed the wooden stairs, which creaked under his weight, and opened the small trapdoor.

The first thing he noticed were the two teenagers looking at the place he had come from. They both looked injured, hungry, in ragged and dirty clothes. They stood, studying Percy's movements.

The boy, who appeared to be the older of the two, slowly approached Percy with...

'Was that a golf club strapped to his back?'

He had a mischievous, calculating look on his face, as if he was deciding whether to kill him or steal his money. If it was the latter, he was going to be a big disappointment.

Percy approached them slowly, making no sudden moves. When he got close enough, he got a good look at the young teenager; he had sandy blond hair, disheveled and dirty. Blue eyes and torn clothes that were a bit baggy. He seemed to be the same age as Percy, fifteen or maybe sixteen, but that didn't make him any less dangerous, he was scarier than any of the thugs he'd met on the streets.

"There really is someone here," the boy said to no one in particular.

"I told you to check if someone was here, you idiot!" the girl yelled at him, obviously in a bad mood.

The girl gave Percy a bad vibe. She had punk spiked black hair, menacing electric blue eyes with heavy black eyeliner, and freckles running down her nose. From the looks of her, she didn't seem to be more than seventeen, maybe sixteen. But the scowl on her face gave her an older look, one that would break your legs and then laugh about it.

The girl was holding a spray tube in her hand, like she was holding some kind of weapon.

What was she going to do? Paint some graffiti on the walls and then play golf with the club the boy had on his back?

"How was I supposed to know someone was hiding under the floor?" the blond boy defended himself.

"Well, that's exactly why you should have checked, genius! If they find us now, he will be in danger too," the punk girl said.

"You know very well that monsters do not attack mortals."

'Monsters?'

"Don't say that, you'll scare him," the punk girl said, pointing her finger at Percy.

As if aware of his presence, they both turned and studied Percy. Their eyes rested for a second on the wound he had on his shoulder, but they didn't say anything about it. Instead, the girl pointed the spray can at Percy.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice firm and authoritative.

Percy didn't flinch. He narrowed his eyes and stared at her, never taking his eyes off her.

"Are you fucking deaf?" the girl insisted again, "I asked you a question!"

"Why would I talk back to someone pointing that thing at me?" Percy said, referring to the squirt bottle.

"Because if you don't, I'm going to shove that thing up your ass. Now answer me!"

"Hey, calm down," the blond boy said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "That's no way to talk to someone," he looked at Percy, "Forgive my friend, she's a bit temperamental."

"I can see that," Percy said.

The punk girl looked at him as if she wanted to cut his tongue out, but she didn't say anything.

"Let's start again," the boy said more calmly, "My name is Luke, this is Thalia," he pointed to the grumpy girl, "and this little girl over here is called Annabeth," he pointed to the girl next to him.

Percy looked at the girl lying on the floor. She was obviously sick, judging by the way her chest was heaving, and she was struggling to breathe. The girl's curly blonde hair clung to her face from the light sweat. Her cheeks were a deep shade of red, and her small body shivered slightly under a tattered blanket that tried to keep her warm and prevent the cold night air from seeping through her body.

"We're looking for a place to rest and shelter from the rain," he continued, Luke, "Our friend is sick and..."

"I don't care," Percy cut him off abruptly, "Go away."

Both teenagers looked at him in disbelief, unable to believe what he was telling them. Their disbelief quickly gave way to anger. Thalia approached Percy and stood threateningly in front of him.

"What did you just say?" she asked in a dangerous voice, her eyes flashing with suppressed anger.

Percy met her gaze without flinching.

"I said go away. Perhaps you do not understand me? Or do you want me to draw you a picture?"

Thalia clenched her fists furiously, her knuckles turning white from her strength.

"We just want a place to stay until our friend is sufficiently recovered..." Luke tried to reason with him.

"I already told you. I... Don't... Fucking... Care," Percy interrupted in a harsh voice. "I don't want you here."

If looks could kill, Percy would be buried ten feet under the ground from the death glare Thalia gave him.

"Then the answer is easy," Thalia said. "I'll beat you up and throw you out on the street."

"I'd like to see you try," Percy replied defiantly. "I don't care if you're a girl, I'll kick your pretty ass."

Perhaps Percy was hallucinating, but for a second he could have sworn he saw a flash of electricity in the girl's eyes. She quickly drew her arm back and threw a punch at Percy's face. He stepped aside at the last second and, taking advantage of the fact that the girl's momentum pushed her forward, Percy slammed the sole of his foot into her buttocks. The girl crashed into the pews of the church, kicking up dust.

"I told you I'd kick your ass."

Thalia stood up quickly in anger. Her face was red with anger and her clothes were covered in dust.

"You son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you!" she shouted.

"Thalia, stop it!" Luke shouted. "Don't attack him."

"But that bastard kicked me. In the ass!"

"You attacked first, so don't complain."

Thalia grumbled for a few moments and lowered her arms.

"This is the worst. Why the hell did Amalthea lead us to this place?" she muttered.

Percy raised an eyebrow, curious about the teenager's words.

'Did someone bring them here? Did anyone know I lived here?'

That was not a good sign. Generally, if someone knew him, it was because they wanted to kill him, it had always been that way.

"Who is Amalthea?" he asked.

If it was some kind of monster, he had to be careful.

"Oh, she's a magical goat with Pepsi dripping from her udders," Luke said, waving his hands as if it didn't matter.

Percy watched them carefully with a poker face, blinked for a few seconds and finally said:

"Are you two on drugs?"

They both looked at him, offended by the statement.

Thalia started to say something to him, but stopped when she heard the sound of a hatch opening. Those present turned their eyes to where the sound came from and saw a little girl emerge from the same place where Percy had emerged earlier.

"Percy... Are you okay?" she asked shyly.

The two teenagers were shocked to see the girl, who looked no more than ten-years-old. She was wearing old, worn out jeans and a sweatshirt that covered most of her body, almost down to her knees. Her long brown hair was loose and unkempt. Her honey-colored eyes, forever adorned with a look of concern, looked out at those present.

"A... child?" Luke asked.

"Sammy! I told you not to go out unless I told you to!"

Percy quickly walked over to her and put her behind him in a sign of protection.

"But I heard them talking about monsters and then chairs being pushed. I thought the hellhounds had found us again, and I was worried."

"Wait, hellhounds?" Thalia asked, confused. "Do you see them too?"

Sammy nodded shyly and hid behind Percy.

"Are they demigods too, or just mortals who can see through the mist?" Luke asked.

'Demigods?' Percy thought.

"That doesn't matter now," Thalia condemned, then looked at Percy. "You have a little girl with you, you should understand our situation. Our friend is sick, and suffering and you won't help us. You are a hypocrite."

"I am not a hypocrite," Percy said. "But if you want a reason why I won't help you, it's simple; I don't trust you. You come to this place, threaten me, and say you can see monsters and magical goats that secrete Pepsi from their udders. Why should I help you?"

"Because you see monsters too! Or at least she does," Thalia said, pointing at Sammy.

"Well, that's another reason not to help you. If you say you see the same things we do, then you know how dangerous they are. And that they are always in a group, looking for us, following us. If we are a large group, it will be easier for them to find us."

"Then if we get rid of you two, we can keep this place."

At that statement, Percy clenched his fists tightly. He felt something familiar coursing through his veins, making his body tremble slightly. He knew this feeling well, he had felt it countless times, but he had learned to control it.

He drew the knife hidden behind his back and pointed it firmly at Thalia.

"If you dare lay a finger on Sammy... I'll kill you," Percy said, his voice cold as ice, charged with real threat.

Both teenagers were surprised by such a statement. The atmosphere was tense and silence filled the room. The only audible sound was the wind whipping against the walls. It was at that moment of tension that Luke was able to discern something.

"You're hurt," he said, pointing to Percy's bloodied shoulder. "You said you saw monsters too, did they hurt you?"

Percy watched Luke closely, trying to discern his intentions. Sensing no ill intent, he relaxed slightly and lowered the knife. But even though he was alert, he didn't trust his partner to be more reasonable. The fact that she looked at him like she wanted to kick his ass was a clear sign of that.

"Yeah, but this one was different from the ones we usually see," Percy said, lightly rubbing his injured shoulder. "I've never seen a creature like this before."

Thalia's frown relaxed slightly at his words.

"What kind of monster was it?" she asked.

Percy eyed his suspiciously. Of the two teenagers, Thalia seemed the more dangerous, and not because of her bad-girl looks, but because of her eyes. There was something about them that made Percy uncomfortable and made him wary of her.

"I didn't get a good look," Percy said. "It was tall, at least seven feet. It looked like a rugby player on steroids. It didn't talk, just growled like an animal. And it had what looked like a pair of horns on its head. It was one of those horns that did this to me," he finished, pointing to his injured shoulder.

Both teenagers looked worried and a little scared after hearing this. Thalia's arm, holding her spray can, shook slightly.

"Did you... did you kill it?" she asked hopefully.

Percy shook his head bitterly.

"No, I couldn't. We were attacked by a pack of hellhounds and Sammy was in danger. I only got to stab it in the eye before it escaped... and then some. That was hours ago."

The information fell on the room like a bucket of cold water. Thalia and Luke understood Percy, after all, they had been through the same thing countless times. At that moment, they wondered if Percy was like them, if he was a demigod as well.

"That's why I want you to leave," Percy said in a low tone.

"What?" Thalia and Luke said in unison.

"If that thing is still alive, it will come for me. They have always been able to find me by my scent, and once they pick it up, they never stop until they find me."

"So... you say you're worried about us?" Thalia asked, doubting her own words.

"No," Percy replied flatly. "But at least you were warned."

"Hey, you said you hurt him," Luke said. "How did you do that? Monsters can't be hurt by normal weapons."

Percy showed them the knife he still hadn't dropped. Thalia and Luke looked at it with interest.

"That's not Celestial Bronze," Luke said, looking closer. "But it's not a mortal weapon. It looks strangely familiar, if I may say so..."

"It looks like a tooth: a fang," Thalia finished.

Percy nodded.

"It's a hellhound fang. Someone gave it to me years ago." They both looked at him curiously, but he just shrugged. "Long story."

"I didn't know you could use monster parts to kill other monsters," Luke said, fascinated.

"Well, you know what they say. Only a monster can kill another monster."

"Interesting," Thalia said thoughtfully with a hand on her chin.

Sammy tugged on Percy's shirt that she was holding to get his attention. He turned and looked at her.

"What's wrong, Sammy?"

"What's wrong with that girl?" Sammy asked, pointing to the ground where Annabeth lay. "Is she okay?"

"She's sick."

"Then... we can help her."

"Wait, can you do that?" Thalia asked.

"We have medicine," Sammy replied sheepishly. "The other day, Percy... he picked up a few things from a pharmacy."

Thalia looked at Percy questioningly and frowned again.

"So all this time you were able to help our friend, and you didn't say anything?"

"Yes," Percy replied cheekily.

"Now I'm going to kill you, you bastard," Thalia said, approaching Percy angrily, but she was quickly stopped by Luke, who grabbed her by the waist. "Let go of me, Luke! I'm going to hit this bastard!"

"Calm down, Thalia. Hitting him won't solve anything." He looked at Percy with an almost pleading expression. "Please help our friend. When she's well enough to walk, we'll leave quietly. I promise."

Percy looked at the two teenagers before him. All he wanted now was for them to go away and be left alone, for the good of everyone present. He didn't want any trouble, and they clearly represented that. And the fact that they also saw monsters bothered him a lot. He knew that he could protect Sammy if they were found by a group of monsters, but they...

He felt a tug on the side of his shirt and turned to see Sammy looking at him worriedly. Percy knew that look, and he knew it was what she wanted. She was an innocent and sweet girl who would do anything to help others.

Sammy was Percy's opposite.

She represented everything he chose to throw away in order to survive in this cruel world full of creatures that wanted him dead.

She represented his most human side.

And because of that, he would do whatever she wanted. Because he wouldn't forget his humanity. He wouldn't forget that he was still human.

"Sammy, get the first aid kit," Percy said. "Also bring a blanket, a bucket and a small cloth."

Sammy nodded, happy that she had convinced Percy to help others. And she did so without saying a word! She left quickly and disappeared into the small trapdoor.

Percy walked over to the girl who was still on the ground, breathing easily. The girl's blonde hair was clinging to her forehead from the sweat, and her cheeks were red. He placed a hand on the girl's forehead and took her temperature.

"How long has she been feverish?" Percy asked both teenagers.

"Two, maybe three days," Luke replied.

"Has she had any other symptoms?"

"Well... she looked tired, and she kept complaining that her body hurt. She also coughed quite a bit."

Percy nodded.

"At best, it's probably just the flu. If so, there is nothing to worry about."

"Why do you say that?" Thalia asked.

"The flu can cure itself. She just needs to rest for a few days and she'll be fine. The best we can do for her is to make her as comfortable as possible."

"And in the worst case?"

"It could be something more serious. Pray it's not, or you'll have to take her to the hospital."

At that moment, Sammy arrived with the first aid kit, a small metal bucket, and some blankets that looked old and worn, but could still be used. She handed the materials to Percy and stepped to the girl's side. Percy opened the medicine cabinet and rummaged through it for a few seconds until he pulled out a tablet of pills.

"I'm going to give her something to bring her fever down," Percy informed them. "Sammy, get the water in the bucket. You, blond boy, pick up the girl and take her to a more comfortable place."

Sammy immediately went to fetch water, dragging the bucket, while Luke gently lifted Annabeth like a princess. She moaned slightly at the movement, but her eyes remained closed.

"Follow me," Percy said.

He walked to the trapdoor where he had first appeared, followed by Thalia and Luke carrying Annabeth. He opened the small trapdoor and climbed down the ladder, which was about six feet high.

"Why would we take Annabeth there?" Thalia asked, looking cautiously up the stairs.

"She needs to rest somewhere warm," Percy replied. "Unless you want to leave her out in the cold at night, I suggest you shut up."

Thalia looked at him, wanting to punch him as she gritted her teeth.

Luke said nothing as he slowly climbed down with Annabeth on his back. When his feet hit the ground he turned around and could see the room they were in. Though he hadn't expected it, it was larger than he had first thought. It was large enough to accommodate the five of them without any problems. The place was dimly lit by various candles scattered around the room. There were a few boxes stacked in the corners, covered with white sheets. A few small shelves, each about three feet long, held dusty books that didn't look like they had been opened in years. There were several gallons of water on one side of the room, along with a wooden box containing a large amount of canned food.

"How long have you been living here?" Luke asked, scanning the room.

"A little over a month," Percy replied, looking over his shoulder. "Put her down there," he pointed to a mattress in a corner of the room.

Luke walked over and gently placed Annabeth on the mattress. The little girl was still fast asleep.

"Percy... right? Thank you for your help. If it wasn't for you, we probably would have had to take our friend to the hospital. And that's not something we can do unless the situation is desperate."

"Don't thank me, thank Sammy," Percy said in a cold tone without even looking at him, "If it was up to me, I'd leave you on the street."

Thalia went over to say something to Percy, but Luke stepped in her way.

"Thank you anyway."

Percy didn't answer. He looked at the girl lying on the mattress where he and Sammy had slept the last few weeks. The place where he had slept just a few minutes ago.

The creaking of the wood caught the attention of those present, and they turned to see Sammy coming down the stairs with a bucket of water. She walked over to Percy and placed the bucket at his feet, a proud smile on her face.

"Thank you, Sammy," Percy said, placing a hand on her head as she smiled back slightly. Then he looked at the two teenagers and his smile faded. "When your friend wakes up, you need to tell her that she needs to take a bath and remove all the dirt from her body. It is important that she is clean so that she can heal faster."

Luke nodded in agreement, while Thalia looked at him with slight curiosity.

"Wait... Is there a bathroom in this place?" she asked curiously.

"That's where I got the water," Sammy said, pointing to the bucket of water.

Thalia looked uncomfortable for a few seconds. She rubbed the back of her head as she looked from side to side.

"Well... I... we've been wandering aimlessly lately, and we haven't had a place to rest properly. We're covered in dirt, we stink of sweat and... Do you mind if we use the shower?" she finished, slightly uncomfortable.

Sammy looked at Percy as if asking for his approval. He just sighed and rubbed his injured shoulder.

"Okay. You can use it," he said reluctantly. "But be sure to clean up when you're done. Sammy, go with her. Make sure she doesn't do anything funny."

"I won't!" Thalia exclaimed sheepishly.

A slightly amused Sammy walked up the stairs accompanied by Thalia, who turned around for a moment to see her friend lying on the bed. The punk girl's frown visibly relaxed, and her face took on a worried expression. All this was observed by Percy, who raised an eyebrow, curious about the behavior of the girl who had seemed so violent and aggressive just a few minutes ago.

As the two girls walked away, Percy turned his attention to the blonde girl who was lying down. She looked a little better. She was no longer shivering from the cold, and her breathing was no longer erratic.

He walked over and sat down on the floor next to the bed.

"Okay, blondie, here's the deal," Percy said, turning his cold gaze on Luke. "We're going to take care of your little friend until she recovers from her illness."

"Really?! Thank you very much...!"

"Don't get so excited," Percy interrupted. "Don't think I'm going to help you without getting something in return."

Luke was surprised at his words. He looked around, and his eyes fell on Annabeth, who was resting quietly. They were in a desperate situation. One of his friends, the one he had sworn to protect, was in serious condition. Not because of her illness, but because of the situation itself. The fact that she couldn't move made it difficult for them to keep moving away from the danger of the monsters. If Annabeth couldn't move on her own, the monsters would catch up sooner or later.

He had many options in his mind, but at this moment he decided to choose the one with the highest chance of survival.

He looked at Percy, who was sitting on the side of Annabeth's bed. One knee bent where his arm rested. His green eyes looked at him impassively, as if his presence did not bother him in the least. Looking into those eyes that seemed to shine in the dimly lit room, a feeling reverberated in the depths of his being, causing a shiver to run through his entire body.

He knew this feeling very well.

Fear.

Luke felt like a rabbit under the watchful eye of a predator. This man was dangerous, very dangerous, his instincts told him. The same instincts that had kept him alive these past few years.

"What... what do you want?" Luke asked, a little afraid.

Percy showed no expression, his face seemed to be carved out of marble.

"I want your favor. During the time it takes for your friend to heal, you will help me keep the monsters away from this place, even if the thing that attacked me comes back for us. You will also help me... get the necessary supplies to live in this place; food, water, clothing, hygiene items, whatever we need."

Luke nodded in understanding. Percy's demands were reasonable, and it was nothing he hadn't done before, only he would have to do it in greater numbers than before, since it was a larger group, and he would have the help of someone who seemed to have quite a bit of experience in fighting monsters. He even had a weapon to fight them with. Luke only had a damn golf club.

"One last thing, and the most important," Percy said, changing his tone to a much colder, more dangerous one. Luke felt a chill run through his body as he watched the menacing glow of his green eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. "If Sammy is hurt in any way by any of you, I'll make sure the last thing you see before I kill you is the cold corpse of your friends soaked in their own blood. Was I clear enough?"

Luke felt a lump in his throat as he imagined the lifeless bodies of Thalia and Annabeth. He clenched his fists in impotence. He knew Percy's threat was real, and he feared the consequences, but he didn't have much of a choice. Despite Percy's death threat, his help was more beneficial than the other options he had. He offered them shelter, food, water, even a bath. How long had it been since he had all that at his fingertips? He couldn't remember. The only thing Percy asked for in return was help in getting supplies and that the little girl accompanying him would not get hurt.

"What's your answer?" Percy insisted. "If you want to find another shelter or go to a hospital, I won't stop you."

Luke thought again. At crucial moments, Thalia and Annabeth had always turned to him. They had never put it into words, but they considered Luke their leader and the one who had the last word, because his decisions had kept them alive these past few months.

Strengthening his resolve, he gave Percy a determined look.

"I accept the deal."

...

..

.

Ladies, Gentlemen and Demigods, welcome to the beginning of this story.

In this part, the first chapters, I will focus on the adventures Percy and Sammy will have when they meet Thalia, Luke and Annabeth, along with the bond they will slowly begin to form. The arrival at Camp Half-Blood will be much later in the story.

I would love to hear your suggestions or opinions.

And with nothing more to say... Until next time, beautiful people!