Percy Jackson

It was nice being able to finally relax. Me and Wise Girl were finally getting some down time, but of course that didn't last long. A camper, one of the youngest ones that had joined after the Giant War, came up to us and said that Chiron needed us in the Big House. As much as I wanted to drag my feet and complain about the interruption, especially on an off day, I knew it had to be important. Chiron had called for both Annabeth and I after all. Or he just knew it would be harder to get me over there if she wasn't coming with…

After a look we headed to the Big House at a jog, unsure of how urgent this would actually be. At the doors of the big house stood Chiron, and next to him was Dionysus with his arms crossed. Either I had somehow pissed him off again, which wouldn't have been a surprise, or something else had set him off. I wasn't sure which one to hope for. One way I was probably going to be turned into a dolphin, and the other meant that something was seriously wrong.

"Please tell me there hasn't been some other prophecy."

"Luckily not, but this is still a matter of utmost importance. The Wardstone has come to our world for the first time in centuries." Annabeth was practically vibrating next to me, and I could tell by the scrunch of her eyebrows that they were all questions. What this stone was, why hadn't she heard of it, why was it important, were all dancing around in her brain and mine as well. "It also brought something with it."

Annabeth opened her mouth, no doubt to ask a question, but Dionysus held a hand up to stop her. "And before you ask, the Wardstone is basically a really old and magical boulder that can pass through time and space."

"...what?" I know, very intelligent remark Percy, but I had never heard about this in any myth. By the looks of it, neither had Annabeth. "So there's some weird wibbly wobbly time-y wimey space rock, why do we have to deal with whatever item brought?" Instead of an answer, I got an elbow to the ribs from Annabeth. I help my hands up to her in surrender.

"We're pretty sure it brought a person, Percy. I need you guys to make sure they aren't a threat, or in danger themselves. There's no doubt that nearby monsters felt the magical shift near where the person was brought."

"So it's not optional then. Do you at least have an area for us to start looking for this alien?"

"Well," started Chiron, "the Wardstone appeared somewhere in Queens and the 'alien,' as you called it, will probably look out of place. It'll most likely be their physical appearance that will give them away. I'm sorry that I can't give you more info Percy, just try to find them before someone else does. We don't need mortals or monsters knowing about this."

"C'mon Seaweed Brain, let's go find them." I reached for her hand and she grabbed it with a roll of her eyes.

We rode to New York with Argus. We talked on the ride to Alley Pond Park, and I lost yet another staring contest with one of his eyes on the way. We got out and looked around at the crowd, trying to find something out of place. Nothing seemed off, but that didn't mean the alien couldn't shape shift into something. Maybe we'd be dealing with a Mystique situation…

I saw two teens around my age entering an alley, and what usually would feel normal felt wrong in a way I hadn't felt before. I kept my eyes on them, trying to see what was wrong, and then I saw a donkey leg. My first thought was that there was a satyr around, but the metal flash of the other leg was when I knew it was an empousa. I nudged Annabeth and pointed towards the duo before we both followed them down the alleyways.

Tom Ward

I awoke with a pounding in my head, it felt like a horse had stomped on my head. My head pulsed, a stabbing sensation throwing itself into the mix now and then. I slowly opened my eyes, the light seemed blinding. Through the haze, I noticed that I was no longer by the Warstone, and that I didn't know where I was. The Wardstone wasn't something predictable or reliable, it would come and go as it pleased. With it gone, I had no idea how to get back, or when I'd be able to. My only hope was finding out where exactly here and when was and see if I'd have a chance of traveling back.

The smell hit me first, of rot, filth, and absence of the smell of grass. I looked down to where the main source of the putrid smell was only to realize that I was in a bin of some sort. Black bags filled with something filled the bin, and whatever was in these weird bags was no doubt the source of the smell.

I scrambled out of the bin and the alleyway. I brought a hand up to shield my eyes as the building next to me was no longer shielding me from the daylight. I looked around, and a sense of utter wrong entered my gut. The buildings were tall, made of bricks and metal and glass, all just oh so wrong. The staggering amount of people in one place was wrong, the clothes they wore was wrong, and the metal contraptions that people were riding in and how they moved were all so wrong. Nothing felt right, not the streets, not the sky, not the absence of rolling green hills. Nothing felt right, and my head pulsed harder as I tried to understand anything that was happening.

I didn't know how long I would be able to keep myself going in this state, so I tapped the shoulder of a nearby girl to get her attention. Her blonde hair was tucked over one shoulder, and her skirt was the shortest thing I had ever seen. She turned around, and I was struck with a wave of cold. She smiled wide, her teeth sharp and her eyes glowing red against her pale skin.

"I haven't seen you around here before…" I managed to control my surprise when her hair blazed to life. "What'cha need, handsome?"

I had no idea what kind of creature she was, and I couldn't help but long for the books that used to belong in the Chipenden library before the fire. I could only hope she wasn't fully on the side of the dark. If she was, I was sure I had the energy to use my chain or sword if necessary.

"Do you know what the fastest way to Chipenden is?"

She looked ready to answer, but the conversation was forgotten when I noticed another foreign smell wafting towards my nose. It wasn't coming from the girl, but beyond her, and it smelled like some sort of food. She must have noticed the smell as well as she had turned towards it salivating. I tried to properly place it, but it was overwhelmed by the smell of trash.

She turned back to me with a smirk. "I know the way. Just follow me."

I decided to follow, as she was my only current lead. She lead my away from the smell and back into the alleyways, twisting and turning. I was becoming more certain that this was a trap, but I could at least defend myself better than the other people she might have tried to ensnare. I tried to keep my eyes trained on her arms for any sudden movements, but something shiny drew my attention towards her legs. It was her leg, and it was made of a bronze-like metal. It contrasted her other, more hairy leg, that looked like it belonged to a donkey. A strange combination I had never seen before, but it was a hint to what she was. She must be an abhuman, a creature born from a witch and the Fiend. It would explain her fiery hair, but I couldn't sense any witch in her.

She continued walking through the maze like alleyways until we reached a dead end. She turned around, her eyes hungry, and I knew for sure that she couldn't be anything but an ally to the dark. I slowly started to reach for my sword hidden under my black, tattered cloak.

"Sorry sweetheart, but you won't be making it to wherever your Chipenden is. I'm rather hungry you see, and only a half-blood would have a chance at resisting my pull."

My eyes widened, I had no idea how she was able to sense that I wasn't a full mortal.

"How did you know? I've never met a creature that was able to tell…"

"Oh you silly little half-blood. Just because I can't smell you doesn't mean I don't know your kind. I'm not just some creature, I'm an empousa, and I know what to look for in a tasty meal. Now keep still as I rip your heart out!"

As she started to lunge I drew my sword from its scabbard. Her mouth and eyes opened wide at the sight of it, and I took advantage of her hesitation to swing. I had never fought whatever an empousa was, but I knew where the weak spot of most monsters was, the neck. Surprisingly, it cut through her like a hot knife through butter. Her head fell to the ground, the fire flickering in her eyes and hair until the flames died out. Suddenly, her head and body puffed into clouds of golden dust.

I put my hands on my knees to stabilize myself as I took in hefty breaths. The haziness from my head was getting worse, and the smell of food was getting stronger. Some of the dust entered my lungs, and the tickling sensation sent me into a coughing fit.

"Yeah, that stuff isn't something you really want to breathe in buddy."

I coughed again, "No kidding." I looked up to the voice, and the only thing that I registered was the shifting sea-green of his eyes. Something about him felt familiar, and with a jolt I realized what it was.

"You look Greek..." I said before the haze overtook me. I wasn't able to see or hear his reaction as the throbbing in my head finally made me pass out.