章節 4: Chapter 3

"...And that's how Itachi killed all the members of his clan, but was unable to kill the person he cared about the most. The person he loved the most. He was unable to kill his younger brother, Sasuke.

Thalia finished telling the story with an excited and jovial air. She even made hand gestures in the most exciting moments.

She was sitting cross-legged on a mattress that was lying on the floor. In front of her, sitting in the same position, Percy looked at her with a blank expression.

"Thalia... I just asked you if you had a couple of extra blankets...

They both looked at each other for several seconds without looking away from the other, without saying any words. The only sound came from the faint snores emitted by Sammy, who was sleeping peacefully a few meters to his right.

Finally, it was Thalia who broke the silence with a nervous laugh, while scratching the back of her head.

"Hehe... sorry. I think I got a little emotional.

a bit? ' Percy thought 'She's been telling the story for more than ten minutes straight.'

He sighed and looked at Thalia, slightly amused.

"It doesn't matter. Also, your story was kind of cool.

"It's true!" she exclaimed excitedly, causing Percy to cover her mouth while he put a finger on his own lips to keep her silent.

Sammy and Annabeth, who were sleeping peacefully, shifted uncomfortably at the noise. Sammy moved so much that her foot ended up hitting Annabeth's cheek, causing her to frown slightly. Percy sighed in amusement at that. Sammy adopted very strange poses while he slept, I knew this from my own experience.

He was glad that he could see the two girls sleeping peacefully without worries. A week had passed since the accident at the church. When they escaped from the burning place, Luke had...borrowed a car that was parked. Percy was surprised by how quickly he had opened the doors and started the engine. In less than fifteen minutes, the small group was already on the other side of the city as they moved along the road.

Half an hour into the drive, Luke drove them to an old, run-down cabin in the woods. He had told Percy that it was where they had originally been living for the past few days, but they were forced to leave it to find help for Annabeth.

A strange sensation brought Percy out of his thoughts. It was strange, it was something hard and wet that moved constantly in the palm of his hand, causing a slight tickle. His eyes widened when he realized it was Thalia, who was licking the palm of his hand that was pressed against her mouth.

Percy quickly removed his hand and wiped it on the bed sheets, looking at Thalia in annoyance. She only looked back at him in a mocking manner.

"How do you know all that history?" Percy asked, when he finished drying his hand on the sheets.

He still couldn't get used to Thalia's practical jokes.

She looked at the ground for a few seconds as she frowned again. She twisted her face into a grimace of annoyance, but it quickly disappeared.

"I watched a lot of television"she responded simply with a shrug. "There were always great shows on some channels. Mainly during late hours of the night.

"What kind of programs?" Percy asked, curious.

He hadn't watched much television when he lived under a roof. He couldn't because of this man who, under the pretext that "it wasn't good for his education," denied him the distraction he so desperately needed from the shitty world around him.

"Well, all kinds," Thalia responded, adopting a thoughtful pose. "From movies and series, to documentaries and cartoons." But my favorites, without a doubt, were the anime.

"Anime? What's that? Some kind of musical genre?

Thalia shook her head, amused by his assumption.

"No. Anime is an abbreviation for computer animation.

"So... are they something like cartoons?

"Well... yes and no. Anime is for people of all ages. There are many genres within anime. From comedy, romance, action, mystery, drama, fantasy... there are thousands of them.

Percy raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"I see... it's something complicated.

"Yes, I know"Thalia shrugged her shoulders"It's a pretty big topic. Even I still don't know many things, but believe me when I tell you that anime have the best stories.

"You must have spent a lot of time in front of the television to know all that.

"Yeah, well, there wasn't much to do at home," Thalia said grimly. "I had to find my own way to… get away from it all." And the movies, the series, the music, the animes... all those stories... helped me with that. Before I knew it, I had already become a fan of stories.

From the way she talked about it, as if it were a much sadder memory than she let on, it was obvious that she didn't like talking about it. Percy understood that, and decided not to say anything. After all, he was also very secretive about his past.

"How's your shoulder?" Thalia asked, in an attempt to change the conversation that had stalled.

Percy put a hand on his shoulder and massaged it lightly.

"It's... Impressive. He is now completely cured. That strange drink they gave me cured him completely in a few days. Now only a scar remains.

"It's one of the advantages of being a demigod... one of the few," she said that last bit in a whisper, although Percy could hear her. "And how do you feel?"

"I could fight the Minotaur again with bare fists. With one hand tied behind his back, and blindfolded. Just play me Rocky music and you'll watch me mop the floor with his hairy ass.

Thalia covered her mouth with her hands to stop herself from laughing out loud and Percy couldn't stop a small smile from stretching across his lips.

"It's good to know that you have a sense of humor," Thalia said, when she calmed down enough. "By the way, how are you holding up?"

"About what?

"You know... everything. About the gods and discovering the fact of being a demigod.

Percy thought about it for a few seconds, but in the end he just shrugged and replied:

"Well, it really doesn't matter much.

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked, curious about his answer.

Percy's eyes became glassy as he was lost in thought. The images began to flow in his mind like a movie. Shadows that moved and took on strange shapes. The sound of guttural growls and claws being dragged across the floor. Evil laughter, cries of pain and eyes that shone in the darkness of the moonless night.

"For years, I've wondered why I saw things that others couldn't," Percy began, his voice no higher than a whisper. "Why I could see these...monsters." But in the end... the reason doesn't matter.

"What doesn't matter?"Thalia said, incredulously"You discovered that you are, literally, the son of a god!

"And that's the reason why the monsters are chasing me, isn't it?

"Well, yes, but...

"Then it makes no difference whether I know the reason or not. That won't stop the monsters from chasing me. If anything, it only makes me feel guiltier.

"Guilty? About what?

Percy looked for a few seconds at Sammy, who had grabbed Annabeth like a teddy bear and had her firmly captured in a bear hug.

"Because I am a demigod, monsters have been chasing me my entire life. That means that people who have been close to me in some way were always in danger and...

"You feel guilty because Sammy has been in danger all this time because of you," Thalia finished, with a compassionate tone.

Percy didn't say anything. He just clenched his fists and nodded.

That's something that has settled into his mind in the past few days since Thalia and Luke revealed the truth about who he was. Percy always knew he wasn't a normal person. He could see monsters that other people couldn't see and he could do... things that someone else could only dream of doing. And now, that he knew the reason behind it all, the reason why the monsters always chased him, he could only blame himself for putting Sammy in danger.

The monsters were looking for him because he was a demigod, not Sammy. She was just a mortal who could see them, but the monsters weren't specifically after her.

So wouldn't it be safer for Sammy not to be with them? Thalia, Luke and Annabeth were different. They were demigods and the monsters would always come after them, but Sammy was different. She had a chance to escape from them and they wouldn't look for her.

"I know what you think," Thalia said, breaking Percy out of his thoughts. "I know you think Sammy would be safer if she wasn't with someone like us."

"Am I that obvious?" Percy asked, with a small sad smile.

"It's obvious that you care about Sammy, and you want the best for her.

"The best thing for her right now would be not to be close to someone like me. That way, her life would not be in danger.

"Maybe you're right," Thalia acknowledged. "But do you think it would be easy for her?" You have been living on the streets for a long time. Running away from monsters. It wouldn't be easy for her to start a new life when she knows the truth about the things that are out there. She will most likely develop trauma for the rest of her life and will have no one who can support her.

Percy remained silent. Thinking about Thalia's words. He was in conflict with himself because he felt that they were both right. There were no right decisions this time, just decisions. And they were to be taken in the near future. Until now, he had just been putting it off, like an indecisive person.

Like a coward.

"For being only thirteen years old, you are very wise... Thalia," Percy acknowledged, with a small smile.

"I can also break your fingers very easily, for being only thirteen years old," Thalia said, cracking her knuckles threateningly.

"I would prefer to avoid that, but there is something I would like you to do.

"What would that be?

Percy stood up from where he was sitting and went to look for something in his backpack, which was on the other side of the room. He rummaged through it for a few seconds and pulled something out. He returned and sat down again where he was sitting, in front of Thalia, who carefully observed his movements.

"I'd like to hear another of your stories," Percy said, opening a bag of chips and offering it to Thalia with a warm smile on his face, making his eyes stand out even more.

Thalia was stunned for a few seconds. She couldn't understand how a few simple words and such a small gesture could make a pleasant warmth settle in her stomach and run through her entire body to the tips of her feet.

But... it wasn't a very bad feeling. It was nice to have someone listen to you so carefully about the things you were passionate about.

A fleeting image of a blonde boy with a small scar on his lips flashed in her mind for a few seconds, but she quickly pushed it aside. She didn't want to sadden this beautiful moment she shared with Percy.

Thalia extended her hand and took a couple of potatoes, as she began a new story.

"Luke, it's time to go!" Thalia shouted from the passenger seat of the car they had stolen.

Several days had passed since they had left that cabin in the woods. Luke had said it wasn't safe to stay in one place for too long now that they were a large group. As soon as Annabeth had recovered, they decided to ride in the car that, conveniently, was perfect for five people. One at the wheel, another as co"pilot and three in the back seat.

Normally, it was Percy or Luke who drove. Since they were the ones who looked old enough to have a driver's license. They took turns every few hours when one was tired or wanted to take a nap. That's what they had been doing these past few days. Traveling and stopping at night to camp or go to a gas station to get gas, supplies, and go to the bathroom.

They were currently in Lost Creek National Park, Colorado. Why in an area so far from the big cities? Because, according to Percy, it was best for them to stay away from large gatherings of people, since monsters tended to hide in crowds.

They had stopped at a gas station on the side of the road to do just that. While Percy waited behind the wheel, the girls had gone to the bathroom and Luke went to buy whatever he could with the money he had stolen from a careless passerby. The guy looked like a bastard who wiped his ass with money, Thalia's words, so they didn't feel any guilt for stealing his wallet. It was a jackpot. They had obtained two hundred and thirty"five dollars and several credit cards. Credit cards were useless, but cash was more than welcome.

"Why the hell is that idiot taking so long?" Thalia complained, tapping her finger on the armrest of the seat impatiently.

"Maybe he's in trouble?" Annabeth asked worriedly.

"Or... Maybe he's eating the things he bought?" Sammy contributed.

"Selfish bastard. "Knowing him, it's very likely," Thalia said, casting a grumpy look at the gas station.

"I'll go look for him," Percy said. "Thalia, get behind the wheel in case we have to flee quickly." Keep the engine running.

Percy saw Thalia nod before walking out the door.

He stretched his muscles, causing a satisfying crack to come from his joints. Sitting for a couple of hours was somewhat suffocating and even more so with the noisy company he had, although that didn't bother him as much as he thought. Which was somewhat curious.

Percy thought he'd better go find Luke, before Thalia started shooting sparks of electricity out of impatience. He'd already seen it once, and even though she looked great doing that, he didn't want to be around her again when that happened.

The store was not much different from any other. The shelves with the different products and the refrigerators with glass doors pushed against the walls. The manager didn't even look up from his magazine when the bell rang, signaling that someone had entered the store.

Without wasting any time, Percy started looking for Luke, but before that, he had to do something very important. He went to one of the shelves, the ones that held candy, and grabbed a couple of bags of chips. He didn't know when they would return to a store to restock supplies, better safe than sorry.

Percy found Luke in a hidden part of the store. He had his back turned to Percy as he read what looked like a magazine and muttered under his breath.

"Do women really have them that big?" Luke murmured, almost inaudibly. "What would it be like to knead them?" Will they feel soft? They look like marshmallows...

"What do they look like marshmallows...Luke?" Percy asked, crossing his arms.

Luke quickly turned around, pale as a ghost.

"Percy!" I... well... nothing important"Luke laughed nervously, trying to subtly hide the magazine he had in his hands.

Percy squinted at the magazine.

"What were you looking at?" he asked.

"Oh, well... you know. This area of the country is quite famous for its forests, and people frequently come to camp in them, or so the manager told me. So I picked up a survival magazine they sold at the store. It's quite useful for us as we camp in the woods quite often.

Percy was silent for a few seconds, narrowing his gaze at the young teen. Luke felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck, hoping his lie wouldn't be detected.

"I see," Percy responded, nodding his head. "It makes a lot of sense." Can you show it to me?

"Hey?

"You know, the magazine. It would certainly be useful if I read it too.

He held out his hand for Luke to give him the magazine.

If possible, Luke turned even paler. He felt a little intimidated by Percy's gaze, although he wouldn't admit it.

With nowhere to run, Luke resigned himself to his fate and handed the magazine to Percy.

Percy looked at the cover of the magazine and what he saw left his mouth open and a lump in his throat. In front of him was a photo of a woman wearing a seductive piece of lingerie that left little to the imagination. The position in which the woman was found encouraged you to admire her exuberant and tempting figure. Percy's eyes involuntarily went to those elegant curves that continued with her long, defined legs.

He swallowed the lump that settled in his throat and forced himself to speak.

"Where... Where the hell did you get this from?

Luke pointed to the counter where, indeed, those types of magazines were displayed. Percy swallowed again audibly.

"So... it was that kind of marshmallow you were looking at.

"Please don't tell the girls!" Luke pleaded. "Thalia will kill me, and I won't be able to stand the disappointment in Annabeth's eyes!"

Percy watched Luke for a few seconds. He really looked a little, just a little desperate. He couldn't blame him though. If Thalia found out that Luke watched those kinds of magazines... let's just say it wouldn't be pretty. The gentlest thing I could do to him was electrocute his butt.

Percy looked at the magazine, then at Luke, then back at the magazine...at those legs. He swallowed audibly before letting out a long, tired sigh.

"I don't judge you, Luke," Percy said, understandingly. "We're teenagers." And it's normal to have... those kinds of interests. I only ask that you don't see them in front of the girls.

"Thanks, Percy," Luke said, visibly relaxed. "By the way, when you said we're both teenagers, does that mean you have those kinds of interests too?"

Percy didn't answer. He simply turned around and started walking towards the exit.

"Let's go. The girls are waiting for us.

"Hey, Percy, answer me!" Luke insisted, walking behind Percy. "You know about my... likes." It's only fair that I know yours.

"Have you already picked up the things we need?" Percy asked, ignoring Luke's claim.

Luke frowned, annoyed by the evasion.

"Yeah. "I was about to go pay them," he responded.

"Perfect. Add this to the basket.

Percy gave her the bags of chips he had picked up and they went to the counter. The manager was still with his magazine while he casually chewed a piece of gum. When he saw the pair of teenagers, he put the magazine aside with an annoyed expression and began to run the different products through the machine.

Seeing the amount of provisions and snacks they were carrying, the manager raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"By any chance, are you planning to go to the forest to camp?" the manager asked.

"No, we..." Percy began, but remembering what Luke had said, he followed along. "Yes, that's right."

"I wouldn't recommend it," said the manager, disinterestedly as he continued with his work. "Not many people frequent these forests, only campers." But still, last month three campers got lost and were not found.

The manager pointed to the side. There, taped to one of the glass windows, were wanted posters for three different people. Two men and a woman.

"The forests are infested with Grizzly bears. So it's not very safe to go camping, but people don't care about that. And, apparently, neither do you.

Percy and Luke got out when they finished paying and headed to the car where Thalia was waiting behind the wheel, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel in impatience.

"Did you bring the magazine?" Percy asked.

Luke nodded, somewhat uncomfortable.

"It doesn't bother me that you have the magazine. You don't have to be ashamed. But if you pull that thing out in front of Sammy, and she sees it, Thalia will be the least of your worries, okay?

Luke nodded again, this time with a shiver running down his spine.

"Perfect. From today onwards, I proclaim you, Luke, a closet pervert.

Percy has always loved the night. And, in his opinion, nights in the woods were the best.

The pure clean air that filled his lungs. The chirping of crickets, the hoot of owls, and the whisper of the wind in the trees, swaying them in a constant and hypnotizing dance. The darkness of the night helped him stay calm and focused. No matter where he looked, his gaze was always involuntarily directed towards the sky. Towards the stars that adorned the sky, highlighting the beauty of the night, but there was something more. Something that captivated his attention for hours and brought him a peace that filled his heart.

The moon

That beautiful glowing sphere situated high in the dark sky. Percy was captivated and fascinated by that satellite. The millions of stars paled in comparison to the beauty that the moon emitted with that silver shine. Despite being surrounded by absolute darkness, the moon still shone brightly, highlighting its beauty even more.

A series of sounds brought Percy out of his dreamy state. The sound of grass and branches breaking under the weight. He turned and saw someone approaching in the darkness of the forest, faintly illuminated by the crackling fire. He recognized the blonde hair as gold.

"Annabeth," Percy said, in recognition, "What's wrong?" It's not you who has to take the next watch.

"Yes, I know," Annabeth said, her voice low. "I just couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares?

"No. I just couldn't sleep. Can I sit next to you?

"Sure," Percy said, standing up from his position admiring the sky. "A little company wouldn't hurt."

Annabeth smiled slightly and sat next to Percy, staring at the fire.

A strange silence settled between them. Percy found it comforting, as he continued to look at the moon and stars. Annabeth found it slightly uncomfortable. She was an eleven year old girl with ADHD, it was very difficult for her to sit still without doing something. She glanced sideways at Percy, who seemed completely relaxed. How come he did it?

"It's a quiet night," Annabeth commented, breaking the silence that was uncomfortable for her.

"It is," Percy said, nodding and not taking his eyes off the sky.

"Don't you feel tired? You've been driving all day, and yesterday you were the one who stood guard all night without sleeping.

"I'm fine, Annabeth." You don't have to worry.

"I can't help it"she said timidly"When I see the circles under your eyes...

"I've always had dark circles under my eyes, Annabeth," Percy said, slightly amused.

"Well you shouldn't! You have to sleep more, and you have to relax.

"Relax? Are you saying I'm too tense?

"Of course. You have to find a hobby.

"A hobby..." Percy reflected, putting a hand to his chin. "Do you have one, Annabeth?"

"Yeah! "I like to read and learn more and more!" the girl exclaimed excitedly.

"I see... Is there something specific you like to learn?

"I like to learn all kinds of things! History... science... mathematics... And architecture!

Percy let out a small laugh at the enthusiasm the girl was emitting. She was very similar to Sammy, and he couldn't help but find the similarities between them. The same emotion, the same innocent smile...

"That's why I say you should find a hobby. Tell me, Percy, is there something you like to do?

Percy thought about it for a few seconds. There weren't many things he liked to do, looking at the night sky was one of the few. I also found looking at the sea equally relaxing and comforting. It was like a longing he had. Other times he enjoyed sleeping for long hours and, if he had the chance, eating junk food like an obese pig.

In short, and in words that are easier to understand, Percy was lazy.

"There aren't many things I like," Percy admitted. "But if I had to decide on something, it would be that."

He pointed to the starry sky above them.

"Do you like to look at the stars?

Percy nodded.

"You said you like history... well the story is on you, Annabeth, up there. Myths and legends about the exploits of our ancestors are immortalized in the stars.

Annabeth looked up at the sky, seeing it in a new light. His gray eyes seemed to shine with a newfound fascination.

"Do you know anything about Astronomy, Percy?" Annabeth asked, excited to learn something she didn't know.

"Just the basics, but I can teach you what I know.

"Oh really?! I would like that very much!

A smile stretched across Percy's lips.

"Let's see... Do you know what the signs of the zodiac are?

Annabeth nodded, not once, but twice.

"Do you know which one is yours?

"Mmm... I was born in July, so my sign is... Cancer?

"Cancer, huh? "Percy reflected, remembering the story behind said constellation. The words began to flow through his mind. Remembering the story they told him all those years ago.

Annabeth listened attentively to Percy as he told the story of Cancer the crab. He was a little upset when she was told that it was considered the faintest constellation, but relaxed when she was told that it was called that because it was the most difficult to see in the sky.

He continued telling the story of the crab that, in Heracles' fight against the Hydra of Lerna, one of his twelve labors, attacked the son of Zeus, biting his ankles with its pincers with the aim of distracting him so that the many"headed beast could kill him Annabeth was disheartened when he told her that the demigod crushed the crab so he could kill the Hydra.

Even though the crab failed in its mission, Hera, wife of Zeus, rewarded the brave action of the little crustacean, and placed it in the sky, so that its small act of bravery could be remembered for centuries to come.

¨Even a small act of bravery can be remembered in history and immortalized in the stars, so that people for centuries to come can come to appreciate it. Remember, Percy, any act, no matter how small, has significant value. Percy remembered the words, and repeated them so that the little girl could hear them.

Annabeth looked at the sky, trying in vain to see the stars that represented her zodiac sign. A few minutes later, she became frustrated and gave up her search.

"I can't see it," she complained, an adorable pout on her small face.

Percy just laughed in amusement and ruffled the girl's blonde hair.

"It is called the weakest constellation for that reason.

Annabeth stood there, trying to look annoyed, but a light laugh escaped her lips involuntarily. She couldn't deny that she liked the small gesture. It caused a flutter in her stomach, making her feel warm inside. It reminded her of when her father would congratulate her for getting good grades in school, before her stepmother came into their lives, and before their family was torn apart.

Watching Percy, he wondered if this was what it felt like to have an older brother.

"Hey, Percy," Annabeth called a little shyly, "Who taught you all that?" The constellations and the stories behind them?

Percy stopped his movement, perplexed by her question. Annabeth raised her eyebrow, confused as to why he stopped moving his hand. She looked up and saw Percy, who seemed lost in thought, a glazed look in his eyes as he looked beyond the trees.

Before Annabeth could get his attention, a thunderous scream echoed through the forest, followed by a deafening silence. Almost immediately, Thalia stood up straight and firmly grabbed her spray can. She looked around for any sign of threat, but saw nothing.

"What the hell was that?" she asked, getting up cautiously.

"Someone is screaming," Percy responded, scanning the surroundings. His hand clenched tightly around his trusty knife.

"I noticed, Sherlock, did you see something?

"No. Nothing.

"Do you think it was some monster?

Percy shook his head.

"It was definitely human.

"So what...?

The question was interrupted by the loud sound of a gunshot, causing Luke and Sammy to wake up abruptly.

"What is...?

Another gunshot, followed by another scream, this time even louder than the last, but it was nowhere near human. It was like a mix between a growl and a roar. Then, there was an afterlife's silence. Nothing could be heard, not the crickets singing, nor the owls hooting. Percy felt a cold sweat run down the back of his neck, as he swallowed to undo the lump that had formed in his throat.

He felt someone clinging tightly to his shirt. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Sammy, seeking the security that Percy had always given him.

"We have to go," Luke said, breaking the silence. "This place isn't safe anymore."

"We can't leave," Thalia said firmly.

"That...? Are you crazy!? Did you hear that thing! She was definitely not human. If we stay here, we will only attract him.

"There are people around here. If that thing is around, they are in danger.

Luke was stunned, looking at his closest friend, not believing what she was saying.

"Are you saying we should help them?" A single look at Thalia's determined eyes was all he needed to know the answer. "I can't believe it." This... this is stupid! Why should we help them!?

"Because it's the right thing to do. I couldn't live with myself knowing that innocent people died and I did nothing to prevent it.

Without another word, Thalia walked forward and disappeared into the trees.

Luke stared at the place where his friend was. He squeezed her hands tightly without being able to understand how she wanted to help the people who had done so much harm to them.

"What... What do we do? "Sammy asked, a little hesitant. Still clinging to Percy's shirt.

"Isn't it obvious!?" Annabeth said, taking a step forward. "We won't leave Thalia alone!" We'll go help her! Right, Luke?

The boy was still silent, staring blankly at the fire dancing in the darkness. When he heard his name, he clenched his teeth tightly.

"Damn! That idiot...!"Luke exclaimed"Come on, Annabeth. She'll probably do something stupid if we're not there to stop her.

They both ran in the same direction Thalia had gone, leaving Percy and Sammy alone.

"Should we go too?" Sammy asked.

Percy let out a long exasperated sigh before grabbing his backpack and putting it on his shoulder.

"Luke is right. They'll probably do something stupid if we're not there. Come on, Sammy.

Thalia moved quickly through the forest undergrowth. It was difficult to see in the darkness of the night, but somehow she didn't hit any trees, although she did trip a couple of times because of the occasional rock. She cursed her luck for not having brought the flashlight she had in her backpack.

She strained her hearing, being alert for any sounds around her since she couldn't trust her eyesight right now due to the lack of light. She tightened her grip on her spray can"turned"spear, her heart hammering in her chest. Was it fear she felt? Yes, she wasn't going to deny it, it would be stupid not to. Thalia was afraid of whatever was capable of letting out a growl like that. A type of growl she had never heard, despite having lived on the streets for over a year.

It wasn't long before Thalia could see a light guiding her path in the forest, a campfire In the distance, she could see a small camp in a slight clearing in the forest. As Thalia got closer, she could see people moving back and forth restlessly, their shadows cast by the fire. When she was just a few meters away from being seen, she stopped abruptly.

She walked slowly through the undergrowth, moving bushes and moving away some branches, causing a noise audible to those present.

"Who's there!?" exclaimed a voice, clearly female.

With her hands raised in a sign of peace, Thalia made her presence known.

"Don't worry, nothing happens. "I won't hurt you," said Thalia, trying to calm the scared people.

"A boy?" asked the same female voice.

Thalia didn't know why, but that comment bothered her. A lot.

"I'm a girl," she said scathingly.

She recognized that, with her short spiked hair and her choice of clothing, she could confuse many people about her gender, but Thalia had always considered herself a girl. A girl who had the tastes, habits and attitude of a boy, but still a girl.

Inspecting the camp, she was able to identify the people. There were three, two teenagers, a girl and a boy, along with an adult man. The teenagers looked no older than sixteen. They were sitting by the fire, looking expectantly and scared at Thalia. The adult man, who was standing in front of her, was holding a hunting rifle and pointing it directly at Thalia.

"I heard the scream," Thalia said, without taking her eyes off the gun. "The shots and the... growl." I came to help.

"Help?" the man asked in a mocking manner. "How would a milk"smelling brat like you help us?" Thalia wanted to kick him in the testicles for that. "Surely you and your stupid friends wanted to play with us." a joke Well let me tell you, I don't find it one bit funny.

The click of the gun ready to be fired was heard.

"Roy, stop it! "said the girl"You also saw and heard that thing. She wasn't human. There's no way she has anything to do with it.

"You better listen to her. "She seems smarter than you," Thalia said scathingly to the man named Roy.

"But she's not the one who has the loaded gun," Roy said.

Behind Thalia, the sound of rustling bushes could be heard. Roy immediately pointed the gun in that direction, expecting what might come from there. A series of more sounds and Luke emerged into the clearing, a gun pointed directly at his face. He didn't take his eyes off the cannon, but his face turned sheet"pale and papery and he swallowed audibly.

"Luke?" Thalia asked.

"Hey, Thalia... Could you tell him to put the gun down? I don't want to die being so young and handsome.

A few seconds later, Annabeth appeared, who came next to Sammy and Percy who, looking at the weapon, narrowed his eyes.

"Thalia!" Annabeth said, in a reproachful tone. "Don't leave us behind like that!" You'll make us worry!

"Yes... I'm sorry, Annabeth."

"Alright, brats, it's time for you to talk," Roy said, pointing his gun. "Who are you?" And what the hell are they doing here in the middle of the forest?

Luke looked at the man wanting to punch him or kick him in the balls, either would be fine for him. It would have amused him to know that both Thalia and Percy shared that opinion.

"That's none of your business, old man," Luke said, with a disgusted voice. "You should worry more about what's in these woods."

"Did you see it too?" the girl asked with obvious fear.

"We heard a scream, followed by two gunshots," Annabeth explained. "Then, we heard some kind of growl."

"It was just a grizzly," Roy said condescendingly. "I shot it and it ran away."

"No, that wasn't a grizzly," said the boy, in a weak voice. He was visibly shaking and rubbing his arms to calm himself"That thing was too fast to be one. Also, bears don't jump from tree to tree.

"Did you see it?" Thalia asked with a soft voice that surprised even herself.

The boy looked down at the ground, completely terrified. The girl, who was sitting next to him, put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Tell them, Alan. "You saw it better than us," the girl said in a reassuring tone.

The boy, Alan, bit his lip before speaking slowly.

"I... I was sitting by the fire, cooking some marshmallows." That's when I started hearing something moving in the bushes, I thought it was some kind of animal, or something that was attracted to the smell or the fire, so I ignored it. Until I heard something snort audibly behind me. When I turned around, I saw... I saw that... thing.

"What was it?" Annabeth asked, intrigued.

"I couldn't tell you with certainty... he seemed human, but at the same time not. He was very thin, so thin that I could see his bones. It was almost two meters tall and its arms were incredibly long, with long claws. His teeth were crooked and sharp and his eyes looked like empty sockets. His ears were pointed and his skin seemed to fall off in some parts of his body.

When he finished describing the creature, everyone fell into absolute silence. Luke, Thalia and Percy were the ones who seemed most curious about the description of the creature. They had never seen or heard anything like it, and they were the ones who had seen the most monsters.

'Wait... did he see it? 'Thalia thought. 'If he's a monster, then Alan shouldn't be able to see him, unless he's not a mere mortal.'

"Anything else?" Luke asked. "Did he say or do anything to you?"

Alan shook his head.

"He just stared at me. It was there, right where you came from.

Involuntarily, everyone jumped a little and moved away from the bushes. They didn't want the strange beast to come out and slit their throats with its claws.

"Were you the one who screamed?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes, anyone would do it when seeing a monster for the first time.

Annabeth turned and looked at Roy. He had lowered his weapon, but still looked suspiciously at the small group that appeared.

"I guess it was you who shot it. Did you see anything?

Roy growled in annoyance, before giving the little girl a sour look.

"Yes, it was me. I heard the boy scream and came out armed. There was something in the bushes. So I did what anyone would have done, I shot. Whatever was there... it got away.

Thalia looked at him in disbelief. If that strange roar she heard meant anything, it was that whatever was in those woods was still lurking around. She looked at Luke and Percy, who apparently thought the same as her. Percy shook his head slightly, implying that she shouldn't say anything, he didn't want to scare them even more than they already were.

"Anyway, that thing isn't coming back," Roy continued, as he grabbed his gun and headed inside a small tent that was near the fire. "You brats better go back to your camp." His parents must be worried.

Only Thalia and Annabeth snorted in amusement at the older man's comment. If their parents really cared about them, they wouldn't be in the middle of the forest with a monster roaming around.

"Can we talk?" Thalia asked, looking at Percy and Luke.

They both nodded and went somewhere further away so the teens couldn't hear them, but close enough to keep them in their line of sight. Annabeth and Sammy went to sit alongside the two teens, with Sammy offering them some marshmallows that she had taken from Percy's backpack to break the ice.

"Don't you think it's a little strange?" Thalia asked.

"Not necessarily," said Luke, sitting on a log. "Mortals have always been incredulous and imbeciles when it comes to monsters." They couldn't recognize one, even if they had it in front of them.

"That's what I mean. That boy could see it, isn't he a demigod, or a mortal with clear vision?

"I doubt it," Percy said, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. "Judging by his expression, it was the first time in his life that boy had seen a monster." Besides, he said it, it was the first time he had seen one.

Luke looked curiously at Percy. He knew that, among the three of them, he was the one who had the most experience in dealing with monsters.

"That's impossible," Luke said. "If I could see monsters, then I should have seen them before."

"That's the strange thing," Thalia said, with a thoughtful pose. "Besides, Roy said he shot him and ran away." Monsters are not affected by mortal weapons.

"Then perhaps we are dealing with a monster we have never seen before. It wouldn't be strange, there are thousands of them in the world.

"I've never seen any monster like the one that boy described," Percy said, throwing a sideways glance at Alan, who was currently talking to Sammy.

"Maybe he's just lying," Luke said, dismissively.

Thalia looked at her friend. She understood his disdainful treatment of mortals, she would be lying if she said she didn't do the same sometimes, but Luke had no qualms about showing it openly with everyone. His life, like all of them, had not been easy. And for the most part, that difficult life was the fault of mortals.

"Anyway, regardless of what that boy saw, or thought he saw, I'm sure there is something in these woods.

Luke looked at Percy in disbelief.

"How are you so sure?

"Close your eyes and you'll know. Both of you, do it.

Luke still felt skeptical, but he closed his eyes. Thalia did too.

"Now, tell me, what do you hear?

They both listened, but...

"I don't hear anything," Luke said.

"Exact. Nothing"Percy confirmed."We are in the middle of a forest, surrounded by wild animals and hundreds of insects. And you can't even hear the crickets.

They both raised their eyebrows at that. They hadn't noticed, but he was right. The forest was completely silent, there was no noise of any kind other than the chat Annabeth and Sammy were having with the teenagers.

"Now, concentrate. Put aside all the stupid thoughts you always have...

"Hey!" they both said in unison.

"...And focus on that feeling in the back of your heads. That tingling you feel on the back of your neck. Do you feel it?

Luke and Thalia frowned in concentration. They put aside all useless thoughts and focused on their instincts. Luke felt it first, since he had trusted his instincts for years, and Percy was right. I felt it. There was something that caused a tingling sensation to run down his spine. Like someone is breathing on the back of your neck. And he recognized that feeling very well.

"Someone is watching us," Luke said, opening his eyes.

"Yes," Thalia agreed. "And he's not hiding his malice towards us."

Percy nodded.

"Whatever it is, it's watching us. We don't know why he doesn't attack us, but we can't let our guard down. We must protect ourselves.

"Do we tell the others?" Thalia asked.

"We'd only scare them and make them paranoid," Luke said. "The last thing we need is that old man shooting like a deranged madman."

"Luke's right," Percy said. "We should keep those people as ignorant as possible."

Thalia and Luke nodded, supporting her decision.

"We don't have a chance at night," said Thalia. "Let's wait for dawn and, with luck, we can escape from the forest without encountering that monster."

"That would be best," Luke agreed, as he stood up and headed toward the small camp. "The quicker we leave these people behind, the better for me."

Thalia frowned, even more than usual, as she watched her friend's back walk away.

"It seems there's something bothering him," Percy said, standing next to Thalia. "Do you know what it is?"

"Oh, I know very well. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Thalia said, with a dangerous smile, while cracking her knuckles.

"Just don't hit him... too hard.

When they reached the small campfire, Thalia saw the two teens comforting each other. The boy gently massaged the girl's back while telling her soothing words, while she sobbed softly with her face hidden in her hands.

She watched the scene unfold between them. For her it was, in a way, touching to see two people supporting each other.

Percy looked at the teens and then looked at the girls with an accusatory look.

"What did they do?" he asked in an inquisitive manner.

"We didn't do anything!" said Sammy, offended by the accusation.

Annabeth nodded.

"We were just talking. They told us about... your brother.

"Brother?" Thalia asked, curious.

The girl stopped sobbing and looked up, her eyes red with tears.

"It's the reason why we're here," she said, softly. "Our brother disappeared three days ago."

"When you refer to "our brother", do you mean...?

"Oh... We haven't introduced ourselves yet... My name is Jessica, and this is my little brother, Alan. We came here to look for our older brother, Tommy.

"What is your brother doing in these woods?" Luke asked.

Jessica took a deep breath to calm her sobs, before retelling the story she had previously told the two girls.

"A week ago, he and his friends decided to come camping so they could "connect with nature." I told him it was a stupid idea, but he didn't listen. They came, and decided to stay for a week. Every day, Tommy sent us messages about the things he was doing. Photos and videos about the animals he found, rabbits, deer, even a bear. But, one day, we stopped receiving messages. No photos, no videos, nothing. That was three days ago, and we haven't heard from him since.

Jessica put her hands over her face to stifle her sobs. Her brother, Alan, gently rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. He looked at the small group of young people who had listened silently. His eyes looked tired and very worried.

"When we didn't receive any news from Tommy, we decided to come look for him"Alan continues to say instead of his sister"We asked Roy for help, he is a hunter who knows these forests very well. We've been searching all day, but we couldn't find my brother.

"Didn't you find any clues to his whereabouts?" Luke asked. "I mean, Roy is a hunter." You should be able to trace it to some extent.

"He did. We were able to find the campsite where Tommy and his friends camped, but... we didn't find anyone. The place was in chaos. The tents were torn and scratched. His things were scattered all over the place. It looked like it had been attacked by a wild bear.

'Or maybe...' Thalia thought.

She looked at Percy and Luke and realized that they were both thinking the same thing. Percy shook his head, implying that it wouldn't be the best thing to say that at that moment.

"AID!

Everyone jumped at the scream that was heard in the forest. They began to turn and look around for where the sound was coming from, but it was difficult to see in the darkness of the forest.

"What was...?

"PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!

This time, the scream was heard even closer. Roy came out of the tent, rifle in hand, and began searching the surrounding area. He looked at the group gathered around the fire and noted how confused and disoriented they were.

"HELP!

Roy quickly tightened his grip on his weapon and ran in the direction of the scream, but before leaving the clearing where they were, he turned and spoke urgently:

"Stay here! I'll be right back.

"Roy, wait! It's very dangerous!"Luke shouted, but he was ignored"Damn! Stupid mortals"he turned and looked at his group"I'll go with him. This place is not safe. You stay here.

He ran in Roy's direction, but Thalia's scream stopped him.

"Luke!" Take this!

She threw her spray can and Luke caught it. He took a look at the camouflaged spear and smiled gratefully at Thalia.

Without stopping, he advanced quickly, passing through the bushes and entering the density of the forest. It was difficult to move forward when your vision was limited by the darkness, but Luke was able to manage by walking carefully. Maybe it was an advantage for being the son of the god of thieves and travelers. His steps made almost no sound and he never once stumbled as he ran over the uneven ground.

For a few minutes he didn't hear or see anything. The forest was uncomfortably quiet, that only caused a feeling of dread to grow more and more, causing his hands to tremble around the freed spear. He felt like someone was watching him. She felt his gaze on her neck and, perhaps it was because of fear, she could swear she heard breathing just inches from her ear.

Ignoring the fervent desire to flee in terror, Luke continued forward. Several meters ahead, he could see Roy, who was leaning with his back against a tree, with his rifle clutched firmly to his body. When he was close enough for her to notice him, he raised his hands in a sign of peace. I didn't want to get shot by mistake.

"What the hell are you doing here, kid?" Roy asked in a low whisper.

"It's dangerous to walk alone in this place," Luke said.

"I have a gun, boy. It gives me more security than you.

Luke wanted to tell him two things. The first was to put that weapon where the sun doesn't shine. And, the second, that a weapon made by mortals would not help if they faced what he believed, but before speaking, Roy leaned out of the tree and pointed his weapon beyond the bushes.

"Did you see anything?" Luke asked.

"There's something there, hidden in the bushes, but it's too big. I can see his fur peeking out.

"A grizzly?

"It is very likely. If it is in these surroundings, it is a danger for those who come to camp.

Luke looked at Roy, surprised by what his words implied. It was then that he remembered that whoever was next to him at the moment was a hunter.

"Are you going to kill him?

"That's what I do, kid.

Ignoring Luke's unpleasant gaze, Roy slowly inched forward. When he was several meters from the bush where a hidden figure could be seen, he retracted the bolt of the gun and pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot filled the forest, followed by a pitiful moan from the animal in the bushes.

Roy lowered the gun and looked smug.

"Ha, that was the easy hunt of my life.

He approached the bush and, there lying in his own blood, was an adult grizzly bear. The shot had pierced his chest, causing almost immediate death. When he looked closely, Roy's smug smile slowly disappeared. Something was wrong. The bear was very badly injured. His body was full of cuts, as if he had been cut in various parts of his body with a sword, or something shorter like a knife or...claws.

"Roy, get on top of you!

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Roy looked up and saw a pair of thin arms move quickly towards his neck. A brutal twist and the sound of bones breaking and popping out of place. In the next blink, Roy's body fell face"first onto the floor, like a puppet whose strings were cut.

Luke watched the scene unfold in front of him. Everything happened too quickly, but he was able to process it all in a single second and prepared himself, holding Thalia's spear.

In the darkness of the night, he was able to observe the creature that had easily killed the experienced hunter. It was exactly as Alan had described it. Tall, very thin, with long arms and claws. He couldn't quite identify its face, but if he had, he would have seen the creature's eyes watching him with savage malice.

With speed impossible for a human being, the beast charged towards Luke with an animalistic growl, its claws ready to grab him.

Only because he was a demigod, and possessed reflexes slightly superior to that of a normal human being, Luke was able to narrowly avoid it. He threw himself to the side and rolled across the grass, hitting some rocks and branches, but he ignored them and quickly got back up. In an instinctive move, he swung his spear to pierce the creature's heart, but was left in complete shock when the spear passed through him harmlessly, as if he had stabbed a mirage.

The creature, taking advantage of his state of stupor, hit Luke with the back of his long arm and sent him crashing several meters into a tree. He clashed violently and his spear slipped from his fingers. A groan of pain escaped his mouth and he fell face first onto the floor.

His head felt foggy, and his back throbbed with pain. The last thing he saw before falling into unconsciousness was the beast standing menacingly in front of him.

"Luke!"

The scream alerted the beast and it turned in the direction of the sound. There, panting slightly, was Thalia. It took him only a second to notice Luke, who was in the beast's arms like luggage. His eyes were closed, and blood ran down his face from a cut on his forehead above his eyes.

An expression of complete fury adorned Thalia's face. Sparks of electricity began to lightly emanate from her body, as she clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. She looked at the beast with obvious killing intent and pointed her palm at it, where sparks of electricity began to gather.

"Let him go, you bastard!"

A powerful bolt of lightning shot from his hand and struck the tree that was inches from the beast's face. The force of impact visibly stunned him. With a pitiful moan, the beast dived into the trees, fleeing the scene, with Luke in its arms.

"No!

She tried to chase after him, but only took a few steps before her body gave out and she fell to her knees. She felt her head begin to become cloudy and her breathing became erratic. Thalia closed her eyes to avoid getting even more dizzy because everything was spinning around her. Despite it not being the first time to summon lightning, she was still not used to the sensation of the slight dizziness it caused her.

Thalia clenched her fists, clutching a piece of dirt between her fingers.

"Damn... Damn!"she hit the ground hard."Luke...

Small drops of water hit the ground, but there were no traces of clouds on the clear night.

" That...? Luke was...?

The excitement in the air was almost palpable. Sammy looked at Thalia in utter dismay. She couldn't believe what Thalia had told them. Luke being kidnapped and taken to who knows where by a monster they didn't know.

"I was too late," Thalia continued. "When I saw that monster take him away, I couldn't do anything."

Annabeth, who heard the whole story frowned, trying to understand the behavior of that strange beast.

"You said you found Roy dead, right?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia nodded.

"He was collapsed on the floor, and his neck was in an unnatural position. Most likely, that monster broke his neck. It wouldn't be surprising. He appears to have incredible strength if he is able to carry Luke and flee at high speed.

"But... Why did the monster kill Roy and kidnap Luke?" Sammy asked. "It doesn't make much sense."

"Probably because Roy shot him," Annabeth answered. "And that made him angry." But this presents us with a new possibility. Luke may still be alive.

Thalia looked up in surprise. She didn't want to think about her friend being dead, but she didn't want to have false hope either.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Think about it. It makes sense. If he wanted to, he would have killed Luke at any time, but instead, he went to the trouble of picking him up and carrying him while he was still alive.

"So... he may still be alive," Sammy said, with faint hope in his voice.

"Wait, if your friend can be alive, then so can Tommy, right?" "Jessica asked.

Annabeth gave him a compassionate look.

"I don't want to give you false hope, but... there is that possibility.

Everyone remained silent. They knew they were holding on to a tightrope, but they couldn't help it. Their loved ones were in mortal danger, or dead, no one knew. Despite Annabeth's encouraging words, Thalia couldn't help but look at everything pessimistically. Misfortunes seemed to constantly haunt her in her life, and she seemed to do nothing but harm the people around her. To the people she cared about.

"It's my fault," Thalia said, with self"loathing. "If I had gone with him..."

She kept her head down, with a firm grip on her hands and her jaw tightly closed. She didn't realize someone was walking towards her until she could see their feet in front of her. She looked up and met Percy's disapproving gaze.

"Percy...?"

"How long do you plan to be there wallowing in your self"pity?" he asked, his voice hard.

"What?" Thalia asked, frowning. More confused than upset.

"You heard me. There is a chance that Luke is still alive, hold on to that. It's better than sitting there, wallowing in your own misery. What we have to do is clear, find that damn son of a bitch and send him to Tartarus as a pincushion. Now, are you going to get up and do something about it or am I going to have to kick your ass again to get you to do something?

Thalia looked at Percy in shock. It was the first time she was scolded like that. Luke had never said anything like that to her for fear of her kicking his ass. She had always been the one with the more dominant personality between the two of them, but that clearly didn't matter to Percy.

She looked away and smiled amusedly. She scratched the back of her head, a gesture she did whenever she felt embarrassed, although she didn't know it herself.

"Alright. I understand. Gods, sometimes you are impossible. If we were in any other situation, I'd kick that skinny ass of yours.

Percy smiled cheekily at him.

"The last time you tried, it ended with your ass getting kicked. Also... "Percy turned around and showed his butt"My butt is not skinny. It's sexy and it's one of my biggest charms, isn't it, Annabeth?

The girl was surprised and a strong blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Hey? Well... I... it's just..."she mumbled in an incomprehensible way.

"Yeah! "I think Percy's butt is the sexiest!" Sammy exclaimed, amused.

"Oh, please," Thalia said, rolling her eyes. "You're obviously favoring him."

"That's not true! If you don't believe me, why don't you play it yourself?

"Huh!?" Thalia said, this time with a strong blush.

"Yes, go ahead, Thalia, do it," Percy said, with a cheeky smile as he brought her sexy ass closer to him. "Give it a good squeeze." Don't blame me if you like it later.

If possible, Thalia's blush increased twice as much.

"Idiot!" she shouted and began to chase him to hit him.

As Percy ran away from an angry but blushing Thalia, the pair of siblings looked on with varying expressions of shock. It seemed incredible to them how just a few minutes ago they were in a somber mood, but right now they were having fun like the children and teenagers they seemed to be.

A wistful smile graced Jessica's features.

"They remind me of us," she said, as she watched as Thalia jumped on Percy in an attempt to choke him. "We used to fight the same way when we were kids."

"Back then, it was Tommy who always used to bother you," Alan said, sharing the same smile.

Jessica looked at the ground sadly. Alan, noticing this, placed a comforting hand on hers.

"It'll be fine," he said, "Tommy has always been the strongest of the three." Do you remember those times when you came home late from work because you worked overtime? He always came back with a stupid smile on his face. This time it won't be different.

His words seemed to have the desired effect, as a smile stretched Jessica's lips.

"Yes you're right. I have to believe in that.

She looked at the group of children one last time and didn't know how to react when she saw Thalia being spanked by Percy while she apologized.

That group of kids were weird.

The next morning, when the sun illuminated the dark forest and they could see clearly around them, Thalia and Percy moved forward slowly, looking for any sign or clue as to the whereabouts of the beast or their friend.

It had been difficult to convince Sammy and Annabeth that they should take the two brothers to the truck that was hidden on the side of the road. They had both been incredibly stubborn, but after being told that they had to get mortals to safety and that it was too dangerous for two girls to search the forest for a monster, they reluctantly agreed. They recognized that they would only be a burden in that situation.

Percy apologized to them, but promised them that they would return safely to Luke. He also told Jessica that if she found her brother, she would save him. She was quite skeptical at first, but it only took a demonstration of lightning from Thalia for her doubts to disappear.

Thalia had been chuckling ever since when she saw the expression of utter shock that the mortals had, they looked like fish just out of water.

When she and Percy reached the clearing where she had confronted the beast, all signs of humor disappeared from her face, replaced by her usual scowl. Percy felt like hitting that frown with a finger, but he didn't want to get a shock of electricity on his sexy ass.

"It happened here," Thalia said, scanning the surroundings with her eyes.

"Are you sure?

Thalia pointed her finger to the side. Percy followed her with his eyes and there he found Roy's lifeless body.

"Okay, you're right," he said, without giving the corpse a second glance. It wasn't the first time he had seen a corpse, and it won't be the last either.

"The monster went this way. Keep your eyes and ears open.

Nodding, Percy followed Thalia as they scanned the forest for any clues. Scratches of claws, footprints, broken branches, signs of bodies dragged in the dirt, anything would work. The more they searched, the more frustrated they became. There was nothing. Whatever that thing was, it was a very good predator.

After what Thalia felt like hours, they finally got something.

"I found something!" she heard Percy exclaim several meters away from her.

She quickly went in search of him, her heart hammering in her chest with slight hope. When he got to where Percy was, he found him kneeling on the ground, staring at something. It looked like a piece of paper with a picture on it, but she couldn't make it out well because it was balled up.

She picked it up and unfolded it. Seeing that for what it was, Thalia's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Who the hell leaves their porn in the middle of the forest!?" Thalia shouted, throwing the piece of paper to the ground in anger.

Percy ignored her complaints and picked up the paper to examine it. Thalia looked at him with wide eyes. How dare she see a pornographic magazine in front of her, a girl? Before she could complain to him about that, Percy threw the blade away.

"You degenerate bastard," Percy said, with a grimace, but then it turned into a proud smile, "I'm proud of you."

"Percy, what the hell are you saying?" Thalia asked, obviously upset.

"This magazine is Luke's. He is guiding us, like the breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel.

"That? That doesn't make any sense!

"He has it for me. Believe me. Look around for pieces of these magazines. They will guide us.

Thalia was still quite skeptical and upset, but decided to listen to Percy. For a few minutes she was searching through the woods for pages of a porn magazine... Gods, she felt incredibly stupid and ridiculous doing this! Imagine her surprise when she actually found a sheet of those magazines.

Against her will, Thalia unfolded the blade and, there with a seductive pose, was a completely naked model! Thalia wanted to shove all the pages of the magazine into Luke's mouth, but first she had to find him.

"Percy, I found another page!" she exclaimed, disgusted.

Percy quickly arrived, but before he could check the authenticity of the page, Thalia tore it to pieces. The look on her face clearly said she wouldn't let Percy see those leaves if she was here. She didn't feel comfortable with that.

Twenty minutes after following the trail, and Thalia snatching them out of Percy's hands before he even glanced at them, they arrived at what they assumed was the monster's lair. It was the entrance to an abandoned mine. The wood seemed to be falling apart because it was so old and worn. There was a sign that said "Danger" but the letters were deteriorated and almost illegible. The entrance was paneled with wooden planks, but one had been removed, giving enough space for an adult person to enter.

Thalia and Percy approached carefully. They saw a last page of the magazine at the foot of the entrance, but decided to ignore it. It was clear that he knew where they should be heading next.

"Listen, Thalia," Percy said quietly, "Our priority is to save Luke and that mortal's brother, if he's alive." We won't face the monster until we know Luke is safe.

"Why don't we kill the monster first and then find Luke? "Thalia questioned.

"Because you don't know if there is only one. There could be several more. Remember that monsters almost always travel in groups.

Thalia nodded, convinced by Percy's logic. She glanced at the dark cave entrance. She had the feeling that she was walking towards her own death. She could almost smell the rot that place emitted. That tickling that she felt on her neck that warned her of danger and her whole body screamed at her that she should run away, but she didn't. Luke was in danger and she wouldn't abandon him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Percy, but couldn't find a hint of fear or doubt in his eyes. She couldn't help but admire him and internally feel calmer.

"Come on," Thalia said, her voice sounding more confident than she felt. "Let's save that pervert and kill that son of a bitch."

The inside of the cave was dark, damp and cold. Visibility was very dim, but small rays of light filtered through the holes in the ceiling. It was lucky that they found this place during the day, because at night it would be impossible to take a single step without tripping over the different stones that were all over the place. The tunnel was wide enough for several people to pass through, but it was worn out and obviously abandoned.

Both demigods advanced in absolute silence. The only noises they made were their breathing and the slight patter generated by their steps as they walked. Thalia felt her heart pounding in her chest and her hands sweating in the grip she had on her spear. She kept her eyes focused forward and attentive to any sound she could hear.

A couple of minutes later, the sound of a growl put them on alert. At the end of the corridor, a shadow could be seen slowly advancing. The figure looked human, but distorted and elongated, but they could make out the silhouette of long claws on its arms.

"Damn, he's here," Thalia whispered.

Percy looked around for a place where they could hide. His eyes landed on a crack in the wall large enough for him to hide in.

"This way, quick!" he said urgently.

She grabbed Thalia's wrist and dragged her towards the crevice. He pushed her first and then he entered. The place was incredibly narrow and both of them could barely fit into the hole, and they could only do so because their bodies were pressed together, tighter than either of them were comfortable with.

Thalia's movements are so limited that she couldn't even turn her head to look away from what was in front of her, Percy's body. For a brief moment, she was grateful for the fact that she was shorter than him, because she couldn't look them in the eye right now. She could only stare at his collarbone exposed by the folds of his shirt. A scar peeked out from the edges. The scar he got in his fight with the Minotaur.

Thalia listened to the beast's footsteps and the light, constant growls it made. He was getting closer and closer to where they were. Thalia closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm her labored breathing along with the frantic beating of her heart. She didn't know why her heart was beating so fast, because of the proximity of Percy's body, or because of the beast that was getting closer and closer. She wanted to believe it was the latter, but the strong blush on her cheeks revealed otherwise.

After what seemed like hours, the noise made by the beast's footsteps began to disappear. When they heard nothing more, they struggled for a few minutes to get out of that hole.

Once they were free, Thalia began to take deep breaths. She just hoped she wouldn't have to spit her heart out of her mouth after how hard it was beating.

"Let's hurry before that thing comes back," Percy said.

Deciding not to talk about the brief awkward moment, they both moved forward in silence. Thalia was starting to get impatient as they found nothing but remains of an abandoned excavation. The constant tapping of the water drops that filtered on the walls irritated her greatly. Ten minutes after finding nothing, a smell seeped into her nostrils that made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. He looked at Percy out of the corner of his eye and saw that he had smelled it too.

"Something tells me we're close," Percy said.

And he was right. They walked for a few more minutes until the tunnel opened into a small cave. The sunlight filtered through small gaps in the ceiling, allowing the first thing they both could see was a large number of bones, a closer look and they were able to identify that they were human bones. But that wasn't the worst. In the dark corners of the cave, there were human remains that still had flesh clinging to their bones. Flies, maggots and rats crowded on them, providing the sound of meat being chewed and swallowed. Both Thalia and Percy had to resist the urge to vomit, either from the image of decay or from the nauseating smell that filled the cave.

Instead, they focused on what was at the bottom of the cave. A pair of human bodies hanging by their hands a few centimeters above the ground. The ropes that were firmly attached to his wrists were supported by wooden beams located on the ceiling of the cave. They were able to distinguish two complete bodies, while a third body hung inertly on the floor. The absence of his right leg made it clear that he was dead.

Thalia recognized one of the complete bodies as Luke.

"Oh my god... Luke! "Thalia said, approaching them.

Thalia felt her heart seem to stop for a few seconds when she thought the dead body was her friend's, but she was glad it wasn't. Luke was unconscious, mumbling nonsense about marshmallows.

"Luke, Luke, wake up," she said, shaking him by the shoulders to wake him up, but he didn't. "Wake up, damn it!"

She slapped him lightly to wake him up, but it still didn't work.

"Mmm, yes... harder, baby," he continued murmuring unconsciously.

At any other time, Thalia would have burst out laughing, but this was a life or death moment, so it only angered her even more. She slapped him even harder this time, causing the sound of her palm hitting his cheek.

"But what...!?" Luke exclaimed, still sleepy. He looked around with sleep"clouded eyes"Huh?... Where did the tits go?

This time he earned a hard blow to the head instead of a slap.

"Oh! But what...!? Thalia... is that you?"he asked, squinting to focus his vision.

"No, I'm your fairy godmother.

"But you look like Thalia. And you don't have tits.

That did bother Thalia and she hit him hard in the stomach.

"Are you awake enough yet? Or do you need an electric shock to come back to your senses?"she asked, cracking her knuckles with a malicious smile.

"I'm not well. "I'm already awake," Luke said, with a pained voice.

"Good. Now, shut up. I'm going to put you down.

Thalia used her spear to count the ropes holding them together. Luke almost collapsed to the floor. He massaged the spot where his wrists were tied and scanned the room.

"Wow, this place reminds me of the dragon cave where we met.

Thalia looked around. He was right. She couldn't help but find the similarities with that cave.

"Yes, but instead of corpses and bones, there was gold and jewels.

"If you two are done gossiping like chatterboxes, we have to get out of here," said Percy, who was carrying a man on his shoulders. "This guy is still alive." Maybe he is the brother of those mortals.

"We must avoid that monster. "It's not... normal," Luke said, remembering his encounter with the beast.

"Is there a normal monster?" Thalia asked, her eyebrows raised.

"I mean we can't hurt him. I stabbed him with your spear, Thalia, but it only went through. Like a mirage. If we can't damage him with a monster"killing spear, then we have no chance.

"We still have Percy's knife." It is made from a hellhound fang, maybe it can damage it.

Fire...

The three of them were stunned. It was like the blowing of the wind, a whisper. Turning their heads in all directions to search for the origin of the voice, they found nothing but human remains.

"What was that?" Luke asked.

"Fire?" Percy asked.

"Did you hear it too?" Thalia asked.

'Fire...'"the whisper was heard again in the void". ´Use the fire...´

Upon hearing the voice again, they were able to identify that it was coming from inside their minds. Thalia still couldn't get used to that. She had heard the same voice before. It was undoubtedly a man's voice, thick and imposing. It should have scared her, but for some strange reason it felt comforting.

"Okay, this is kind of scary," Luke said, looking around the cave in fear. "What do you mean by using fire?"

"Maybe... we have to use fire to kill that thing," Thalia asked.

"How can you be sure it will work? Also, what was that voice? How can we be sure we can trust her?

"We can... it's not the first time I've heard it.

"That...!?

"Shhh! "Keep your voice down!" Thalia whispered loudly, lightly hitting Luke on the head. "Just... trust me, okay?"

Luke looked at her a little doubtfully, but nodded anyway.

"Fire, huh? "Percy mused. If he had his hands free, Thalia knew he would bring them to his chin in a thoughtful pose. "If we have to use fire then… Lightning!" Thalia!

Thalia looked at him for a few seconds, a defiant smile slowly spreading across her lips.

"Leave it to me!

Percy could swear he saw a flash of electricity in her eyes. And, once again, he thought it was incredibly cool.

They walked silently, or as silently as they could, through the dark tunnel, with all their senses alert. Thalia held on tightly to her spear, ready to channel all her power through it and fry anything that came close. Percy remained alert, carrying the unconscious mortal on his back. Thalia was surprised by his strength. With how skinny and scrawny he looked, he was surprised when he easily carried a man weighing more than 80 kilograms on his back and walked without problems without making any noise. Luke, who had Percy's knife in hand, had a conflicted look on his face, as if something was bothering him.

"Why did you do it?" he asked, after a few minutes of walking in silence. "Why did you come back for me?"

Thalia looked over her shoulders with her classic scowl.

"Looks like that monster hit you pretty hard on the head," Thalia said. "You're more idiotic than I remember."

"It's a serious question, Thalia!" Luke said, annoyed by her indifference.

"No. It's a stupid question. And stupid questions deserve stupid answers.

"And why is it a stupid question!?

"Because it's stupid to ask something obvious!

"And what is the obvious?!

Before they started beating each other up, Percy decided to intervene.

"I think what Thalia is trying to say, in her own strange way, is that we won't abandon you, Luke." You are our friend. We only have each other, and we will do whatever it takes to keep each other safe.

They both looked at him with wide eyes, being stunned by his words. His words were simple and sincere. Thalia felt a warmth in the pit of her stomach as she looked at the honesty in his eyes. She glanced at Luke, and could see a smile forming on his lips.

"Do you consider us your friends, Percy?" he asked, hopefully.

Percy gave him an amused smile.

"I considered you both my friends when I shared my bag of chips with you. Now, play your role as damsel in distress and be quiet and calm.

Thalia snorted in amusement, while Luke looked at him in annoyance, though you could see the obvious amusement in his eyes, but that amusement quickly disappeared when they heard a roar echo through the cave.

"Brilliant. "Surely her screams attracted him," Percy said.

"But isn't that what we wanted?" Thalia asked, her defiant smile once again on her face.

"We have to move to a more open place. Get out of this cave, if possible"Luke recommended.

"I have a plan," Percy said.

Thalia and Luke looked at him, then at each other, and then back at Percy.

"You? "A plan?" Luke asked, skeptically.

"Any problem?" Percy asked, annoyed by his lack of faith.

"No, none," said Thalia. "You don't look like a guy who plans."

"Well, you dress and act like a boy. And you are a girl.

"Touch. Low blow, but touché.

"Okay, the plan is this...

"This is a stupid plan," Thalia said.

"And suicidal," Luke added. "So it will work."

"Hey, monster! I know you're there! "Get your festering ass over here so I can kick it!" Percy shouted.

They both looked in disbelief at the entrance to the cave. It was easy to find the exit in the light of day. Percy had told them his plan, and in Thalia's opinion, it wasn't even one. Percy would act as bait and wait at the entrance of the cave, trying to get the monster's attention, while Thalia waited for him ready to fry him with lightning.

Although Thalia saw a plus point. Being outside, she could summon lightning directly from the sky, making it more powerful and deadlier. For a few minutes, Eklla had been concentrating so that the electrically charged clouds in the skies would swirl above them, all that was needed was to make a maneuver for them to fall. She had to stay focused so as not to lose the power that had accumulated.

And, for a second, she almost lost all concentration when she saw what Percy was doing to get the monster's attention.

"I can't believe what that idiot is doing..." Thalia said, with a deep blush on her cheeks, unable to say what she was seeing.

"He's crazy," Luke said, just as incredulous.

They both couldn't believe what they were seeing. Percy, their friend, their partner, that boy who had helped them in their most desperate moment, was with his pants slightly lowered, showing his butt to the world, and shaking it as if it were some kind of high"quality merchandise.

"I can't believe I have to agree with him about his sexy butt," Thalia thought.

"Come on, I know you want a nice piece of juicy meat! Come closer, I'm very tasty! And in more ways than one!

"He's an idiot," Thalia thought. Just at that moment, a loud roar was heard coming from the cave. "A clever idiot."

"Oh, shit!" Percy exclaimed, lifting up his pants. "Thalia, get ready!"

Thalia was unprepared for what happened next.

Percy was launched more than five meters with the speed of a cannonball. All Thalia and Luke could see was a blur that crashed into Percy. They rolled across the grass in a jumbled mass of arms and legs, each trying to dominate the other.

There was a moment where the beast overpowered Percy and almost skewered him with its claws, but at the last second he dodged to the side and hit him with his elbow so hard that he knocked out a couple of his teeth. That seemed to bother the beast more than hurt him, because it attacked Percy with more fervor.

Thalia and Luke wanted to help him, but they couldn't do anything as they watched their friend fight bare"knuckle with a monster. Percy had a wild look in his eyes. And his face took on a grimace of pure anger. He received scratches that didn't seem to bother him in the slightest and sent devastating blows that left the beast stunned for a few seconds. More than once they heard the sound of bone hitting bone.

After almost five minutes of fighting, Percy managed to land a strong blow on his ribs, causing a noticeable snap of the bone breaking that was heard throughout the place. The beast howled in pain and Percy took advantage of that moment. As the beast was on him, he used both legs and pushed it several meters with a force that sent him crashing into a tree, causing the bark to crack.

"Thalia, now!" Percy shouted.

Without wasting a single second, Thalia raised an arm to the sky. The clouds answered his call and swirled furiously like a vortex and, right in the center of it, a bolt of lightning shot straight at Thalia's outstretched arm.

Thalia gritted her teeth as the lightning touched her palm to avoid biting her tongue. It was incredibly powerful. He had never summoned lightning so strong and it took all of his willpower not to lose control over it. Her legs trembled and her hands bled slightly as the electricity hit her. He directed all his attention to the beast that stood up, ready to attack again.

Despite how serious and dangerous the moment was, Thalia couldn't stop a predatory smile from spreading across her lips and her eyes shining with power as she remembered that she was in such a similar position with one of her characters she once saw. .

"Disappear with the roar of thunder," she murmured.

With a single movement, the lightning that Thalia had accumulated in her hand shot out in the direction of the beast. The monster couldn't even blink as, in a matter of milli seconds, thousands of volts of electricity hit it in the chest, sending it flying several meters, destroying the trees in its path. The beast growled in absolute pain as the electricity burned every part of its body. In just seconds, his entire body was fried. His limp body, charred by lightning, was smoking on the ground.

Thalia fell to her knees, unable to support herself any longer. Her breathing was heavy, and her vision was cloudy. Luke quickly walked over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Thalia. "It's over," he reassured her.

Thalia smiled slightly, but still felt quite tired.

They heard footsteps and looked up, fearing that the creature had survived, but it was only Percy, who was staring at Thalia with wide eyes. He looked slightly bruised and had slight cuts, but nothing too worrying.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen in my entire fucking life.

Thalia blushed at the compliment. She tried to get up, but her legs still felt weak. Percy walked over to her and helped her. He grabbed her good arm, since the other was hurt by the lightning, and placed it around his own shoulder. When Percy grabbed her waist to steady himself, Thalia tried not to flinch from his touch.

"Remind me never to fight you hand to hand," Thalia said with a tired smile. "For a moment, I didn't know which of us was the monster."

"Only if you promise not to throw lightning at me like that," Percy said. "I don't think I'll survive that."

They both nodded in agreement and turned to Luke, who looked tired, but happy that it was over.

"Come on," Luke said. "The girls are probably worried."

When they reached the small camp where the small group of demigods, and Sammy, had camped, they were tackled to the ground by the hugs of a slightly tearful Annabeth and Sammy. They had been incredibly worried, only thanks to Alan and Jessica's interventions did they avoid running through the woods to find them.

But what took the icing on the cake was that when Luke showed up carrying Tommy, Alan and Jessica jumped for their brother, crying with happiness, grateful that he was alive. In a fit of happiness, Jessica covered Luke's face with kisses, causing the young demigod to turn red as a tomato. Percy and Thalia's mocking and mischievous smiles didn't help matters.

When they took the three brothers in the truck, they didn't stop thanking him. Thalia simply dismissed it, saying it was nothing. Luke accepted the compliment, looking dreamily at Jessica, perhaps expecting another kiss. While Percy just drove, happily eating the fries he shared with Sammy.

"Seriously, you don't know how much we appreciate it," Jessica said for the tenth time today when they got out of the car.

They arrived at the cabin where the rangers were. They had to take Tommy to a hospital, so they would call an ambulance. They would also notify the authorities that there was a "bear" loose in the surrounding area and that it had attacked them, unfortunately attacking Roy and killing him.

"We already told you that thanks are unnecessary," Thalia said, downplaying the matter. "Just... stay safe, okay?" And be there for your brother. He will need you, now more than ever.

Percy glanced at Thalia, her words seeming strangely curious because he could sense the longing in them.

"We'll do that," Jessica said, giving Thalia a quick hug.

She did the same with Percy, but when he stood in front of Luke, she shrugged and before anyone could react, she grabbed Luke by the face and gave him a deep kiss on the lips. When they broke apart, Luke's face was like a fish out of water and the same color as a tomato.

"Thanks for helping my brother, handsome," Jessica said, winking at Luke.

"It was my pleasure," Luke said, his voice slightly squeaky.

With that said, she turned and walked towards her brother who was talking to one of the rangers.

Everyone looked at Luke, who was staring at Jessica's back, although it could also have been her butt. His mouth was still open and his face was flushed. Thalia walked up to him and lifted her jaw, closing her mouth.

"Keep your mouth shut so the flies don't get in, Romeo," Thalia said mockingly. "I'll ride in the back seat." I need to take a necessary nap.

Luke snapped out of his stupor and leaned on the hood of the car, letting out a long sigh. Percy walked over to him and leaned next to him.

"What a day, huh?" Percy said.

"No way to say it. There goes my first kiss.

Percy looked at Luke dumbfounded.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Luke asked, frowning.

"Nothing. It's no big deal. It's just kind of... surprising.

"Amazing? Because? How was your first kiss?

"Well, I... I haven't kissed anyone yet.

Luke looked at him for a few seconds with a poker face, then burst out laughing.

"How... How is it possible that you haven't kissed anyone yet?" Luke asked, laughing.

Percy's eyebrow twitched annoyingly. That little brat thinks that because he just kissed a girl he thinks he's superior to him.

"Hey, it's not my fault," Percy said defensively. "Kissing someone is the last thing you worry about when you live on the streets for years."

"Yes... you're right," Luke said, adopting a slightly sad expression. "When I fainted in front of that monster, I really thought I would die."

"Well, it's lucky that didn't happen, right?

"Yes, thanks to you.

"We told you, we are friends. We will not abandon you. I can't afford to lose the first friend I've ever had.

Luke looked at him with obvious surprise. Percy wasn't looking at him, his gaze was fixed on the sky where the sun was beginning to set, turning everything an orange color.

"Luke, we're going to survive," Percy said, without taking his eyes off the sky. "Whatever it takes." And we will find a way out of all this.

"Yes, I know," Luke said, looking at the sky with a smile. "But, in the meantime, I'm driving."

Percy smiled. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his car keys and tossed them to Luke, who caught them out of the air.

"Let's get out of this place.

[T/N: If you see any mistakes don't hesitate to comment on them, I don't trust this new editing style all that much so if there are too many mistakes I may just switch back to my old style. If you like this chapter then leave a comment, drop some stones, and write a review! If you want to read some advanced chapters then check out my Patreon!]

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