The Last Stand (LoSP Side Story Ch.8) (Patreon)

Before Percy Jackson became the greatest hero of modern times, there was one other whom even he sought to measure to. A hero who valiantly stood against an army of monsters to save her friends despite the certainty of death. This is her story.

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Lightning speared through the clouds in a brilliant flash of blue, lighting up the storm clouds that covered the sky for miles around. Wind buffeted, tugging against Thalia’s half-torn jacket as she ran, her heart pounding in her chest.

Little droplets of water hit her face, running down her cheeks. Beside her, Luke removed his jacket and threw it over Annabeth’s head, to protect her from the rain.

“We need to get to a safe place!” Luke yelled over the rumble of thunder as they ran beneath the nearest tree. “The weather is worsening.”

“We are going to a safe place.” Their guide turned around, shifting from foot to foot, his teeth chattering slightly. “The camp is the safest place for—” his eyes flicked to Thalia for a moment. “Half-bloods.”

Thalia felt a pang through her chest, like a sharp knife twisting beneath her ribs. Half-Blood. That’s who they all were. Half mortal and half… god.

“Are you sure you are leading us right, goat boy?” Luke scowled. “We’ve been going on forever.”

“I am pretty sure this is the way.” Grover muttered. “The acorns never lie.”

“That’s what you said before and you lead us straight to the cyclopes!” Annabeth stomped her foot, folding her arms. “Don’t you have something better? Like, say, a MAP!?”

Thalia felt a smile tug at her lips. 

Trust little Annabeth to look as scary as she was cute.

“If I had a map, I would’ve handed it to you long ago, I swear!” Grover wilted like a flower in the summer heat. “And trust me, nothing works better than nature magic.”

“If you think nature magic can beat a map, you might be half-donkey.” Annabeth huffed, blowing a strand of her blonde hair away, glaring at Grover through her big-gray eyes.

Thalia stifled a laugh as Grover bleated in indignation. 

“Annabeth, you don’t say such rude things to a friend.” Luke poked the girl on her shoulder and heat crept up Annabeth’s face.

“Sorry,” she muttered, hiding her reddening face with Luke’s jacket. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Its—” Grover stopped short, tilting his head, his eyes widening. “Monsters. They are near.”

Thalia felt her humor drain away like rainwater into a gutter on the side of the street. 

“We should hurry then.” She squared her shoulders. “Get us to the camp as fast as you can, Grover. The rain be damned”

“This way.” Grover kicked off his shoes, revealing his goat legs, and trotted ahead, the trio of demigods following him.

The raindrops pattered on the trees that grew alongside the muddy path they trudged on. Water soaked their clothes and hair, dripping down their faces. A wind buffeted, and the trees swayed, sending shivers up Thalia’s body. Over their heads, storm clouds rumbled.

Thalia’s shoes sank into the mud with a wet squelch as she turned to look at Annabeth, who was shivering, wrapping Luke’s wet jacket tighter around herself.

“We cannot keep going!” Thalia blurted, kicking mud off her shoe. “We need to find a place to take shelter. If we don’t, we are all going to get sick or worse, frozen.”

“If you all don’t get to the camp, you will die.” Grover bit out, turning to meet her gaze with a firmness she had never seen in the satyr. “It is my duty to get you safely to the camp. Monsters are after you. Monsters sent by the lord of the dead himself to get you, Thalia.” 

“Thanks for the reminder.” Thalia crumpled her anger like a can of soda. “But I am not leaving them.”

“Not much point in it now, is there?” Grover turned around and continued ahead. “We are reaching the camp as soon as we can. If gods forbid, any of you get sick, the Apollo cabin will have you back on your feet in no time.”

The three of them shared a look as they followed Grover.

“It is the wise choice.” Annabeth whispered to Thalia trying to control the chattering. “That— a little sickness and cold is better than certain death.”

“You are shivering, Annie.”

“I’ll be alright. We all will be.” Annabeth gave her a small smile. “Our parents are watching over us. You said so yourself.”

Thalia bit back a response, glaring at the sky where the storm clouds rumbled.

“Can you pray to your dad, Thalia?” Luke asked. “To ease up on the storm a little?”

“The storm will hinder the monsters from reaching us though.” Annabeth said shrewdly. “Her father is already helping us.”

“I wish my father could do the same.” Luke scowled. “Send us a taxi or something. He is the god of travelers.”

Up ahead, Grover stilled, and Luke nearly bumped into him. 

“What’s—”

A shadow leaped at them, going straight for Thalia who rolled out of the way, allowing it to soar over her. She rolled in the mud, leaping back to her feet, slamming her fingers against her bracelet which expanded into a heavy, round bronze shield— the Aegis.

The hellhound faltered, backing a step away. That was all Luke needed as he charged forward, impaling his sword into the hellhound’s side.

Thalia raised her shield to cover her face as the hellhound burst into a cloud of golden dust, sending dust billowing all around.

Luke coughed, spitting out the dust and wiping his face, his expression thoroughly disgusted. “Eww.”

“Great job, guys.” Grover gulped. “That’s why we need to reach the camp. Monsters cannot get you there.”

“He’s right.” Annabeth declared before either Thalia or Luke could say anything. “There will be others there. More people like us.”

“Dozens.” Grover nodded in agreement. “And we’re not that far. I recognize this area now. We are barely a mile out— or a little more considering we might have to take a longer path.”

“Why longer?” Thalia blinked.

“Well, you do not exactly want to go by the seashore, do you?” Grover glanced at the sky while Thalia felt a sharp pang in her chest.

Being the daughter of Zeus came with dangers, namely his two brothers, Hades and Poseidon. And being born of a broken oath apparently, made the two of them more likely to kill her if they could. 

“Let’s reach as soon as we can then.” Luke said quietly. “Lead the way. And the rest of us should keep our eyes open.”

Grover nodded, playing a quick tune on his pipes and a warm breeze blew around them, smelling strangely of different fruits and berries. 

“What the fuck was that?” Thalia blurted.

“I scrambled our scents.” Grover heaved. “It would probably buy us some time. I hope it will. They are getting closer.”

“We would have to fight them, wouldn’t we?” Thalia blew out a huff of air.

“Not if we hurry up.” Grover broke into a brisk walk, Luke following him, keeping Annabeth by his side. 

Thalia used her shield to push tangles of branches out of the way as they crossed through a patch of wilderness, Grover not even stopping to look back as he weaved between branches and saplings without breaking his step.

“Who knew being half goat has its advantages?” Thalia mumbled as she snapped another branch to make way for herself.

“How far are we?” Luke pulled out twigs from Annabeth's hair and clothes as they emerged out of it, back onto empty ground. 

Thalia squinted as a flash of lightning lit the sky, highlighting the small hills that rose in the distance, faint pinpricks of light shining from beyond it.

“See the hills in the distance?” Grover pointed at them. “Those are the boundaries—”

A loud howl pierced the night, drowning away in the rumble of thunder.

“—of the camp. RUN!” Grover yelled, running for the hills, Luke following closely behind, holding Annabeth’s hand.

Thalia glanced back before she too sprinted, catching up with them, keeping an eye out for monsters that were looking to eat them as a snack.

A shadow fell over them as lightning flashed in the sky and Thalia’s head snapped up. A dark, bat-like figure shot past them, flapping her huge wings as she landed in their path, her red eyes boring straight in Thalia.

“Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus.” Thunder rumbled in the sky as the fury glared malevolently at her. “I am Megaera, bearing the message of Lord Hades. You must answer for the crimes of your father.”

“I didn’t choose to be born,” Thalia shoved her way forward, putting herself between the fury and her friends. “If Hades has a problem, he can take it up with my father.”

A whip elongated in the fury’s hands; its rope alit with flames that burned despite the rain. “Insolent girl. You are the child of the broken oath, and our Lord demands your head.”

“Tell him I said to fuck the hell off.” Thalia uncapped her mace of canister which elongated into a bronze spear. “And I am not afraid of an overgrown bat.”

Megaera bared her fangs, springing straight for Thalia, her fiery whip lashing through the air. Thalia twisted out of the way, the water on her arm sizzling as she surged forward, slamming the Aegis into the fury.

The monster went sprawling, her wings flapping in the air while her face contorted into rage. Thalia thrust her spear, only for the fury to bat it away with her whip, darting forward in a blur. 

Thalia barely raised her shield in time to protect herself as the Fury’s claws screeched against the bronze, sending sparks cascading to the ground.

Thalia felt a thrum of electricity run up her arm as fear and rage welled in her chest. In a flash of white, the Fury was sent soaring through the air like a ragdoll and rolling on the ground, into a puddle.

Before she could get up, Thalia leaped forward, the wind carrying her straight to the place where the monster lay. With a yell, she thrust her spear down, its tip sinking into Megaera’s heart.

“My… sisters… will get you.” The Fury exploded into a cloud of dust, sinking into the water, while Thalia stumbled back.

Luke was by her side before she could fall to her knees. “Easy, Thals. Are you alright?”

Thalia nodded feebly. “We should get to the camp before her sisters and the other monsters come for us. Stay with Annie.”

“Drink this.” Grover removed a small bottle of golden liquid from his pocket.

“Is that… alcohol?” Thalia narrowed her eyes.

“No, nectar.” Grover glanced over his shoulder. “Godly food, only meant for emergencies only. It will give you a boost.”

Thalia nodded and uncapped the bottle, gulping the golden liquid down which tasted suspiciously like cotton candy. Immediately, warmth spread through her body and her tiredness faded away.

“Whoa,” she breathed. 

“I don’t have any more.” Grover said quietly. “It is only to be used sparingly and only in need. You do not want to burn up.”

“Umm…” Annabeth thrust her hand up and snapped her fingers. “Are those… monsters?”

Thalia turned and squinted in the distance where several indistinct figures had begun to appear.

“Yes.” Grover sniffed the air. 

“Run?” Luke asked. 

“As fast as you can.” Thalia grabbed Annabeth’s arm and broke into a run toward the camp.

Her boots sank into the mud, slipping over the wet, moss-covered stones while she did her best to make it to the hill, keeping Annabeth in tow. Water dripped down her face and over her eyes before she shook her head and wiped her face with her sleeve, clearing the water away.

“We can make it!” Luke yelled from behind, his voice drowned by a loud howl that echoed through the night. “We just—”

Another hellhound sprang from the shadows, pouncing onto Luke, who had not even managed to draw his sword.

“LUKE!” Annabeth screamed, wrenching her arm out of Thalia’s grip and hurtling toward the monster, drawing her bronze knife.

Luke rolled on the ground, holding the hellhound’s mouth away from his neck, his muscles straining. His body dug into the ground against the hellhound’s might, sinking into the muck.

Before the hellhound could do anymore damage, Annabeth leaped up, bringing her knife down onto the neck of the monster, sinking the blade in till its hilt. The hellhound exploded in a cloud of dust, raining down upon Luke who spluttered, coughing up dust, wiping it off his tongue and face. 

“Why is it always the monster dust?” Luke spat, trying to clear the dust. “Disgusting.”

“We are only a little away now.” Grover interrupted them. “We should get going.”

In the distance, Thalia could see the lights from the camp and the hill seemed a little larger up close. On the other hand, so did the monsters that seemed to be after them.

‘We are not going to make it.’ Thalia felt a chill go down her spine as she saw the army of monsters approach through the haze of rain and wind. Two bat-like creatures flew in the sky above the army, leading them. ‘Not unless one of us distracts them long enough to get help from the campers.’

“Go!” She yelled. “Luke, help Annabeth. She can’t run as fast as us and she is tired. Grover get up there as fast as you can and get help. You can climb the hill the fastest and know your way around the camp. Go!”

Grover obeyed without question, his hooves splashing into little puddles and clopping against stones as he ran.

“You’re not thinking of staying behind, are you?” Annabeth asked as Luke lifted her up in his arms. “Also, put me down!”

“Let’s get going.” Thalia ignored her. “Up the hill, Luke. You think you can carry Annie all the way up?”

“As my life depends on it, yes.” 

“Let’s get going.” Thalia threw a glance over her shoulder. 

She could almost see the beady eyes of the monsters on her, waiting to devour her and her friends. The screech of furies rang over the rumble of thunder, followed by howls of monsters of all sorts from the depths of the underworld.

“Father, give me strength.” Thalia muttered, hurling herself after Luke who was carrying Annabeth over his shoulder, the young girl being as unobtrusive to him as possible save for protests that she could fight.

Her dagger was clutched in her hand, her knuckles white, her gray eyes calculating as she kept looking past Thalia’s shoulder.

‘Seven and yet so very brave.’ Thalia felt a fire burn through her breast, a tendril of electricity sparking between her fingers. ‘She will be a menace for monsters when she gets older.’

By now, she could hear the distinct clops of hooves and heavy splashes as monsters neared. Her gut twisted into knots, her heart bludgeoning against her ribcage. Above her, the clouds swirled and lightning lit up the surroundings, the rumble of thunder drowning out the pounding in Thalia’s ears.

She felt a chill race down her spine as the flap of wings reached her ears. Ahead of her, Annabeth looked up, patting frantically on Luke’s back.

Thalia pumped speed into her legs as she glanced at the descending monster, angling her shield. 

“Thalia, no!” Luke yelled.

“DIE HALF—” Thalia rammed into the Fury, pushing her onto the ground. The monster’s wings flapped, beating against Thalia’s side, tearing thin lines into her skin. With a growl, she hammered her Aegis into the fury’s face.

The fury screeched in indignation, her red eyes burning with hatred. Her claws raked down Thalia’s arm, tearing into her jacket and drawing blood.

“Die, bitch!” Thalia brought the edge of the shield down on the Fury's neck with all the force she could muster.

A snap echoed and the Fury’s wings slumped as she began crumbling to dust. Thalia smiled triumphantly, and rose to her feet, breathing heavily, smothering the pain that crept up her arm.

“LOOK OUT!” Annabeth’s shrill scream had her turning.

The third Fury was swooping toward Luke and Annabeth, brandishing her flaming whip. Luke dropped Annabeth to the ground, whirling around, his hands white against his sword. 

“RUN, ANNABETH!” He slashed his sword, meeting the whip which wrapped around the bronze blade.

The Fury yanked the blade out of Luke’s grip, the weapon clattered against a rock, rolling down the hill. The Fury gave him a fang-filled grin, her whip lashing out to hit Luke straight in the chest.

Luke yelled in pain as his flesh sizzled, falling to the ground.

“Die, honey.” She lunged for Luke, only for a heavy shield to hit her face.

Thalia yelled, charging with reckless abandon, her spear raised, cracking with electricity. The fury leaped, flapping her wings and rising in the air, wisely out of the demigod’s reach.

A screech rattled Thalia’s ears as the Fury rose higher, pointing toward them.

“She’s calling for help.” Annabeth said. “She is heralding the other monsters.”

“Annabeth, take Luke and get to the camp.” Thalia swallowed the wild fear that rose in her. “I’ll keep them busy. Go!”

“Thalia—” Luke began weakly.

“YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME. GET YOUR ASS UP AND GET OVER THE HILL.” Thalia slammed her foot into her shield, which bounced up into her hand. “GO!”

Annabeth helped Luke up and they scrambled up the hill, using rocks to steady themselves over the wet slope. Thalia turned around to see monsters climbing up the hill, charging toward them. Overhead, the Fury screeched, directing the monsters toward her.

“YOU WANT TO KILL ME?” Thalia slammed the butt of her spear onto a rock. “COME AND GET ME!”

The first to reach her was a cyclops who swung his club at her. Thalia ducked under the club, thrusting her spear straight through the monster's chest, flinging his body away. Two hellhounds raced up the hill toward her and Thalia shifted, drawing on her powers.

The smell of ozone wafted in the air as the hellhounds neared. Thalia’s spear cracked with electricity as she thrust it forward, a flash of white lighting up the hillside. The monsters burst into dust and Thalia stumbled back. Looking over her shoulder, she realized she was halfway up the hill already. 

A flash of bronze caught her eye, and she twisted. Pain exploded in her shoulder as an arrow sank in, courtesy of a line of dracaena who were wielding bows.

Thalia raised her shield and two more arrows pinged off Medusa’s head. Four cyclopes lumbered toward her from her right as she began to back away, up the hill. Swinging her spear, she knocked away a club that one of the smaller cyclopes had thrown at her, taking a deep breath. 

Lightning flickered on the tip of her spear. “Eat voltage, cyclopes!”

A bolt of lightning shot from her spear toward the cyclopes, sending all of them flying down the hill, one of them turning to dust on the way down. A searing pain suddenly shot up her thigh as an arrow dug into her flesh, another bouncing off the edge of her shield.

“Fuck.” She cursed, limping her way up, glancing over her shoulder.

She pushed down the fatigue that was crawling up her body, a deep ache flitting through her muscles. Her right arm was covered and dripping with blood that ran down the length of her spear, which she held onto tight.

As she reached the top of the hill, the camp spreading out below, something sharp slammed against her back and she screamed, fiery pain exploding all over her body.

“Not so fast, daughter of Zeus.” The Fury landed behind her as she fell, her shield the only thing between a sharp rock and her face.

Thalia immediately rolled onto her back, hissing in pain as she felt the cool mud stick to her wound. 

In the valley below, lights had flickered on, and a hunting horn was blown.

“I am going to kill you, Thalia Grace” The Fury planted her foot on Thalia’s chest. “I shall avenge my sisters.”

“It’s too late.” Thalia spat a mouthful of blood onto the fury’s face and gave her a bloody grin. “You stand no chance.”

“They won’t save you for long.” The Fury hissed. “My army will overrun the little camp if need be to get my Lord’s revenge.”

“Is he pissed that he had to make an oath to stop cheating on his wife?” Thalia sneered before screaming as the fury’s claws dug into her shoulder.

“I am going to let my army of monsters kill you, Thalia Grace. And then I am going to torture your soul for eternity.”

Thalia looked past the Fury’s thighs and saw a score of monsters trudging up the hill.

“And once they are done killing you, I will extend the same courtesy to your two other friends. They have been a gre—”

The Fury stopped short as Thalia’s arm cracked with lightning.

“You. Will. Do. No. Such. Thing.” The Fury dove out of the way as a bolt of lightning leaped from Thalia’s hand, arcing onto the monsters below, sending them scrambling.

The daughter of Zeus leaped to her feet, her wounds dripping with blood, running down her body in tiny rivulets, mixing with the rainwater, turning it red.

“You stand no chance,” the Fury sneered, flapping her wings to stay airborne. “You will die.”

“Then I shall take you all with me.”

The sky rumbled as the fury shot forward, her claws sinking into Thalia’s abdomen just as a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens, onto Thalia’s spear, shaking the very valley in a flash of white that seared the eyes of those watching. The thunderclap shook the world as monsters were torn to dust under the power of the bolt, leaving a barren hill in its wake.

Thalia fell to her knees, slumping onto the ground, feeling the cool drops of rain fall on her face, rolling down her cheeks with tears and blood. 

‘At least Luke and Annabeth reached safely.’ Her vision grew hazy, and pain took over, searing across her body.

Her breathing slowed and she closed her eyes. The last thing she knew was a huge boom of thunder in the sky and then... nothing.

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AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the story!

This story is both compliant with the canon and LoSP. Thus, it can be considered both a short piece and a side story. I’ve wanted to write this for a while, and it was fun to do so.

A huge thanks to Mughil and Nanu for betaing this story/chapter.

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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

HPfanfictioner66