The Vanishing Hero

chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Prodigal Son Returns

3RD PERSON POV

Percy and the Hunt met in Artemis's tent to review the plans for the "ambush" that was awaiting them about 12 miles to the east. There was a sense of nervousness in the air, but mixed in with that was the determination of 30 or so pre-teen man-haters that was ever present considering this was Artemis' Hunt.

"This is where they are likely to strike," Percy said gesturing to the map. "With the Hunt's mobility in the trees, you can easily outflank them, but I'll need to draw them into the killbox," Percy finished and looked around the Hunt to gauge their reactions.

"A force that size... how will you spring their trap with just yourself? They're expecting the entire Hunt," Thalia added to her cousin. Percy's signature lopsided grin was plastered on his face as he said, "Let me handle that. I've been working on something since training with Khione." Thalia couldn't help but reciprocate his grin and they finalized their plans.

The group packed up camp and was about to move out, but Percy pulled his trainees aside. "Now, I know I have been training you and you've made a lot of improvement, but STAY BACK and pick them off with your arrows. Do. Not. Engage. Unless absolutely necessary. Understood?" The girls rolled their eyes at their Guardian, but with a stiff glance from him, nodded their heads vigorously.

THALIA POV

We had moved into position, all of the Hunt in the trees surrounding the trap. I looked around and saw all of the hunters were ready. With a deep breath, I looked onward to Percy, err 'Theo' standing alone waiting for the monsters. What I saw next, I still have trouble believing.

The air chilled and a cold breeze found its way through the trees. Standing with Theo were a dozen ice sculptures, but as I looked on closer, they were clones of Theo. Before I could comment, the assault started. Arrows galore rained down from the trees as monsters fell continuously.

Theo was a demon. His ice clones, while not very formidable, took a handful of monsters each and moved autonomous to Theo just like Hephestus's automatons. Once the last of the clones fell, Theo sheathed his katana and drew his twin swords, continuing his arc of destruction.

Theo charged a cyclops in the blink of an eye, slicing the tendons in its legs causing it to drop to its knees. He severed its head and kicked it like a soccer ball towards a pack of unsuspecting hellhounds, who let out a yelp in surprise. He quickly made his way through the remaining cyclops, throwing Riptide into one of their eyes and creating an ice sword to replace it and hacked the other two to dust.

He then moved to dracnae who fired arrows at him that he easily dodged and blocked before willing his new ice sword to rocket toward one, piercing its head. He threw knives at the other four, hitting them between the eyes. The absolute grace and precision he exhibited sent shivers down my spine.

With the archers seemingly ended, I decided to join my cousin in the carnage, as did Artemis and some of the older hunters. I carved my way to my cousin with my spear and shield, ending any monster unfortunate enough to find themselves in my path. As I got to Theo, we stood back to back and I couldn't help the nostalgia wash over me as we fought the force as a two-demigod army.

"Reminds you of Manhattan, doesn't it?" I called out to him as a hyperborean lunged toward me too far and I bashed my shield into his knee, buckling him and pierced his throat with my spear. I heard him chuckle in between the clangs of metal and he said, "Yeah except not quite as life or death!" I laughed in response, as another empousai was unfortunate enough to jump right into one of my lightning strikes.

I turned to face him briefly, "New armor?" I asked quickly and dodged another strike. "Yeah a gift from Dad and Tyson!" he said as he sliced a cyclops shoulder to hip. "Why must you get all the cool shit?" I asked him with a huff. "LOOK OUT!" he yelled, but before I could turn, he threw a trident like a bullet out of a gun at a hellhound that had leapt toward my back. "Also a gift from Dad," he said with a shrug and I rolled my eyes at him.