The Lightning Theif

Chapter 3

It was 3 years later before I had run into my first monster, thankfully after a lot of practice and meditating I had lowered my scent down to what would look like a child of a minor god. As I went into the dense forest, I was stopped by a monster that loomed before me. It resembled a Rottweiler, but the size of two tanks. Its red eyes glowed with malevolent intent, and its jaws were open in a snarl showing its sharp canines.

Fear gripped me, I could feel its hot, fetid breath on my skin as it lunged, fangs bared, determined to rip me apart. I did not expect my first monster to be a hellhound so big!

"Damn dude! what do they feed you!" I asked as I summoned Atlan and the ring glowed as it transformed into the Draupnir Spear.

The Hellhound lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut with horrifying speed. I barely dodged the deadly bite, feeling the searing heat of its breath. The Hellhound's momentum sent it crashing into the underbrush, tearing through trees and rocks.

Seizing the moment, I raised Atlan high, using my demigod abilities to summon a torrent of water. With a swift motion, I launched the watery crescent toward the Hellhound's flank. The pressurized water struck, causing the beast to howl in pain.

But the Hellhound was far from finished. It surged forward, claws extended, and I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its brutal assault. However, the sheer force of the attack sent me sprawling to the forest floor.

Despite the struggle, I clung to Atlan, rolling to my feet in time to parry another vicious strike. The Hellhound's relentless attacks pushed me to my limits, testing my resolve.

Minutes turned into an eternity as the battle wore on. I fought to defend myself, but exhaustion weighed me down. My muscles screamed, and my breath came in ragged gasps. This body was not used to combat. God's, I will have to train it so much.

But then, in a moment of sheer desperation, I stumbled, tripping over an errant root. Atlan went flying, impaling the Hellhound through the head. The monstrous creature let out a deafening roar as it burst into golden dust, on top of the dust sat a single black card.

I bent down and picked it up, on one side was a vivid image of the Hellhound I had just defeated, its fierce visage frozen in a snarl. The other side of the card listed information on it.

Name: ShadowFang

Title: King of the Hellhounds

ShadowFang the second son of Former King, Cerberus, he loathes humans and declares all hellhounds shall kill and eat them. He has two sisters, one who he killed and the other who is hiding. He is mated with Helena the new Queen of the Hellhounds and they have a single cub named Redbone.

I was amazed by the knowledge as I tried to think of how to summon ShadowFang as my follower, there had to be a key word.

I watched in anticipation as my hand hovered over the golden dust left behind by the vanquished King of the Hellhounds, ShadowFang. The forest remained eerily quiet, with only the distant rustling of leaves breaking the silence. My heart pounded in my chest as I muttered, "Rise."

For a moment, nothing happened, and doubt crept into my mind. Maybe I had misunderstood something. Perhaps there was no way to summon ShadowFang as my follower. Just as I was about to lower my hand in disappointment, a subtle change began to take place.

Dark shadows, like inky tendrils, began to collect around the pile of dust. They swirled and twirled, dancing in a macabre display. I watched in awe and trepidation as they merged with the dust, gradually taking on a more solid form.

The transformation was astonishing. The once lifeless pile of golden dust began to coalesce into a shadowy silhouette. The form became clearer and more defined with each passing second. I could see the outlines of a massive, hulking creature, and the red glow of malevolent eyes slowly took shape.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, the shadows solidified into the imposing figure of ShadowFang, the King of the Hellhounds. He stood before me, his massive frame still intimidating, but his demeanor was different. His red eyes, which had once glowed with malice, now held a touch of curiosity and uncertainty.

ShadowFang lowered his head in a gesture of submission, bowing before me. I took a step closer, my heart still racing with a mix of awe and apprehension.

"ShadowFang, King of the Hellhounds," I began, choosing my words carefully, "My name is Perseus and from now on the two of us are going to be partners, from today on, your name will be Lucifer"

Lucifer's eyes met mine, and for a moment, it seemed as if he was evaluating my sincerity. Then, he let out a deep, rumbling growl, which I took as a sign of agreement. It was a tense moment, but it felt like the beginning of a unique alliance.

"Come, Lucifer, I will show you your new home."

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That night, when I went to bed, I had no inkling of the extraordinary journey that awaited me. As I drifted into sleep, my surroundings underwent a surreal transformation. I found myself standing in the heart of a colossal, ancient forest, a place both enchanting and primal. Towering cedar, cottonwood, and Buxus trees formed a majestic canopy overhead, their leaves casting a dappled pattern of dancing lights upon the moss-covered forest floor. It was a realm where nature held dominion.

Before me, a mysterious cave beckoned. At its entrance, I beheld shelves laden with an assortment of weapons and training equipment. Confusion and wonder swirled within me as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.

"Where am I?" I muttered to myself, my voice tinged with bewilderment.

"Hahaha, you must be a perplexed child. Welcome to my Training Camp," a resonant voice boomed from behind me. I spun around, my eyes widening in disbelief. There, standing before me, was a figure unlike any I had ever seen—an amalgamation of man and beast. He possessed the upper body of an African American man with long, braided hair and a goatee, while his lower half melded seamlessly into that of a majestic black Shire horse.

"It seems the fates have blessed me with a new student. Greetings, young demigod," the centaur-like figure introduced himself with a warm smile. "My name is Adias, and long ago, I was the trainer of heroes. You may know my older brother, Chiron. He is the immortal trainer, after all."

My head was still spinning from the revelation of my surreal surroundings when I turned to Adias, he was never mentioned in Greek mythology or in the Pjo books, "But why am I here? What's going on?"

Adias regarded me with a knowing smile, as though he had anticipated my confusion. "Ah, young demigod, you are here because of a pact between the Fates and myself. We made an agreement long ago that when a potential great hero arrived, I would have the privilege of training them."

"So, you're saying the Fates are basically trying to help me train?" I asked,

Adias nodded. "Indeed, young one. The Fates have seen potential in you, and they have chosen me as your guide on this journey."

My curiosity piqued, I inquired further, "But how will this training work?"

Adias chuckled heartily, the sound echoing through the forest. "Training in this realm operates on a different time scale. For every hour you spend here, only ten minutes will pass in the world you come from. It allows us to accelerate your training and make the most of our time together."

I couldn't help but groan at the thought of such intense training, but determination blazed in my eyes. "Alright, let's do it. I'm ready to begin."

Adias nodded in approval, and with a flick of his equine tail, he gestured for me to follow him deeper into the forest. "Very well, Percy. Prepare yourself, for our training begins now."