Chapter 6: The Journey to Camp

Narrator's Pov

After Luke calmed down, Luke, Thalia, Annabeth, followed Anthony as he led them to Camp Half-Blood. As they continued down to New York, they came across many monsters, the number of monsters they encountered were staggering.

Anthony thought," No wonder why they were that beaten up, they had to deal with so many monsters coming after them," As he was in a battle against 10 or so hellhounds with Luke and Thalia protecting Annabeth and watching any hellhound that was flanking him.

His shield and spear moving franticly to protect him from the fangs and claws of the hellhounds, his body aching and his bones screaming from the exhaustion of the fight. He expertly called out strategies that Luke and Thalia would execute perfectly. While Annabeth analyzed and broke down the strategies of her older brother.

Then recreating them in her mind. After they defeated the hellhounds, Anthony would sit Annabeth down, then recreating the scene, but if Annabeth was in his position, what would she do differently and how would they affect her and her allies. While Thalia and Luke watched the siblings at work from the side, awed at their brain power, and envious of their familial bond.

Thalia thinking of her own little sibling, while Luke was thinking of his mother, and how she was before she tried to become the oracle of Delphi. This small feeling of resentment and jealousy will grow, and his once kind heart will grow sour, and his mind slowly manipulated into rebelling against the gods.

But for now, he was still the broken kindhearted Luke, the Luke who would give his knife to Annabeth because he was impressed by her bravery. The one who promised Anthony to watch his back, and the boy who would take care of every single unclaimed that entered his father's cabin.

As the night faded away, and the morning sun came into view, they trekked onwards. Towards New York City, where they would come into contact with many more monsters. Where they were attacked and ambushed by countless monsters, and after every battle they came out a little more battered.

So, Anthony made them take a quick visit to a river. Where he healed them from their visible wounds and then went on from there towards Long Island. It was on this path that they meet a future ally of theirs, and a close friend they would go through tough times with. 

They were in a forest nearby New York City, and then unexpectedly they heard screaming in the distance. Luke told them to ignore it, saying," we have enough problems as is, let's not get into the habit of adding more,"

Thalia agreeing with him, and Annabeth agreeing with the older girl, the only one who felt that they needed to help the person screaming was Anthony. His thoughts never being said though, he convinced himself that they were alright, and they were probably okay, maybe they tripped or something," yeah that was it," he thought, as he then looked to the direction of more screaming. Thalia and Luke knowing the older son of Athena looked at him with a look. That look saying," not-to-do-anything-you-heroic-suicidal-bastard", he then looked at them apologetically before sprinting in the direction of the screams of fear, hoping that he could still make it time.

They quickly followed him, to make sure he doesn't do something stupid, while Annabeth just sighed at her older brother's actions. They burst forth into a clearing where they saw a boy with horns, a human top half with the bottom half of his body goat legs. Behind him were 4 hell hounds chasing him, looking for a quick snack.

Anthony made quick work of them, finishing them off, leaving only gold dust in the air. The boy he saved look at him with awe, before then sniffing the air, a habit that Anthony notice immediately. He then said," Thank you for the help, my name is Grover, Grover Underwood and it might be confusing since your the ones that save me,"

The demigods watch as the," Satyr," Anthony mentally noted, ranted a bit before saying," I was sent by Camp Half Blood to find, guide, and protect any demigod I found, but, seeing as I was the one who got saved, I might as well be dead weight," Grover looked down, shoulders slumped in defeat.

The two older demigods looked at him like he was making a joke, considering the screaming and yelling for help, while Annabeth looked fascinated by the idea of Satyr's being sent out to protect demigods. 

All the while Anthony looked at him with respect and admiration in his eyes, his dark greys gaining a little shimmer, as he said," You may think that way, but all I can see is someone who, even if afraid, faced all the dangers to come here, following your great sense of smell in hope to find a demigod you could protect," the others finding truth in those words, while Grover just looked at him with awe.

He then offered his hand to shake Grover's saying," and that my friend is not what I call dead weight," he said smiling. Grover shook his hand, while Anthony introduced himself saying," My name is Anthony, Son of Athena, Legacy Of Poseidon, self proclaimed Trap Maker of Athena and it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Anthony's eyes were shining now, his dark cloudy grey pools turning into a much brighter, clearer stormy grey. A smile that hasn't graced his face since his dad died, and a demeanor that radiated a self-confidence that said nothing about his skills, but said everything about him as a person.

Grover then became surprised, the thought of Athena tolerating anything Poseidon did was anything but a miracle in of itself, but her making a brainchild with a legacy of Poseidon was astronomically harder to believe. But here he was, a child of Athena with Poseidon's black hair and features with Athena's demeanor and intimidating grey eyes.

But before he could hear the other's introduce themselves, he could smell something he couldn't for the life of him know why so many had come, but he then blurted out," introductions later! There's a horde of hell hounds and Cyclopes gunning right towards us!" And without much convincing, all of them bolted, Grover leading the way, with Annabeth on Anthony's back right behind him, while Thalia and Luke were at the rear.

They rushed through the forest, hearing barks and howls behind them, while loud thundering footsteps followed. Thunder sounded in the sky as rain fell, heavy breathing was all their minds registered as their bodies flared in pain. Then, after climbing a hill as fast as they could, Grover yelled," There it is, We can make it if we run a little faster!"

Grover looked behind, only for fear to and desperation take hold as the scene behind registered in his mind. Anthony was alright, even after hours of running with Annabeth on his back, he still looked okay. Annabeth was fine, seeing as she was on her brothers back the whole time.

It was Luke and Thalia, that made him give pause, they looked tired, Thalia being in a better condition of the two. This was fine and all if they weren't being chased by so many monsters. And by the stench, they were not far behind them.

Anthony's Pov

I knew the situation was bad when Grover looked at us like we were already dead. I looked back at Luke and Thalia, haggard as they were, I knew that they could make it, but we needed time. Time that we didn't have if one of us didn't stay behind to distract our pursuers.

I looked at Thalia, seeing her come to the same conclusion, but, she didn't have the energy to fight off that horde and stay alive. So, I had Annabeth get off my back before saying," I handle that horde of monsters, you guys go on ahead!" Thalia went to protest, while Luke and Grover held back Annabeth from doing anything.

I looked straight into her eyes saying," Go, grow to be the strong and intellectual woman I know you can be," I looked at Luke before saying," You better hold that promise, or I'll haunt you from the grave," Luke looked defeated, before nodding his head.

I then looked at Thalia, she looked at me like I was the idiot she always said I was, before she said," It shouldn't be you going! We all know that out of all of us I'm the strongest here," she said. Her voice trembling as the rain fell on her face. I knew that she was right, but that was when she wasn't exhausted. I then twisted my pendent, my shield and spear fitting my hands easily, before saying," Go now! I'll hold them off!"

Narrator's Pov

He said this before sprinting in the direction of the horde, not noticing that ,Thalia, had ignored his command and followed after him. She didn't want him to die, and she didn't want to break the promise that she made to Annabeth, to make sure that she had Anthony's back no matter what. 

Grover and Luke hesitated before taking Annabeth towards camp. All the while she fought back, trying to get to her stupid older brother, to knock some sense into him. That they could've made it to camp before they got caught in the horde. What they all didn't think of, was that Anthony was not just thinking of them, but the demigods that were no doubt inside the camp.

They got there as the sun was just coming up, and chances were that the demigods, while formidable fighters in their own right, wouldn't be prepared if a horde of monsters came through camp. So, with that in mind, he went into the direction he knew was suicide, and it'll probably kill him. But he was never one to buckle under the weight of a monster before, nor did he think he'll gain the favor of the gods for doing this.

He did this because when his father died protecting him, he did it because he wanted him to live. So, this life that got saved, will save others just like it. Because he was a son of a protector, and he'll damn himself to Tartarus if he didn't follow in his footsteps. 

And as he looked at the sky, he prayed to the gods to give him strength one last time, before seeing the horde charging at him. He didn't stop his momentum, crashing into the horde with his spear and shield moving as fast as possible, cutting hellhound after hellhound before only the Cyclopes were left.

He looked at them before saying," I'm Anthony, Son of Athena, Legacy of Poseidon, and I ain't letting you pass until either you end up in the deepest part of Tartarus, or I end up dead, and trust me, I can do this all day," he smirked. As his intimidating dark grey pools stared at the Cyclopes before charging at them. All the while Thalia hid behind the trees, readying herself if anything happens.