[Third Person's PoV]
Lucian, Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke were seen sitting around a campfire with an exhausted look over their faces.
With bandages wrapped around some parts of their bodies, they have already drunk all the healing potions available but it wasn't enough, even if they did have more they would have been too tired for it to have been beneficial.
"Sorry" Lucian said while looking at Luke's bandaged hand with a hint of guilt in his eyes.
Luke just shook his head, "Don't worry about it, It's thanks to it that I was able to fight and only leave with a few claw marks"
"You sure are forgetful, huh?" Annabeth said while laying on her back looking at the stars.
"It's not my fault I'm so smart okay" Lucian retorted.
"What? Isn't it supposed to me that you're dumb since you're so forgetful" Thalia asked confusedly while feeding Luke a piece of meat since he couldn't use his hands at the moment.
Lucian looks at Thalia with a smug expression, "That's where you're wrong. I have so many ideas and smart thoughts that useless information escapes my head and doesn't have storage for it"
"Yeah like that only people related to the Underworld are allowed to wield Stygian steel weapons, wow such useless knowledge" Annabeth scoffed with a playful expression.
"It's really not that bad guys, all it did was burn my hands. One thing I notice is that we demi-gods heal faster, so it should be gone by morning at the earliest or in two days at most" Luke said in-between bites looking at his hands.
Annabeth turns and looks at Lucian, "So how many more shadowy thingies did you get overall."
"120 harpies and 140 hellhounds. And although the bulls can't become my shadows they still left me a little gift. I was able to use what remained of their bodies and turn it into Celestial Bronze ingots, which I should be able to use to make Luke a temporary sword."
"Thanks man" Luke said looking at Lucian gratefully.
"Don't thank me yet, thank me when it's done."
Luke just smiled and nodded his head.
Thalia then looked over everyone, "So what are we going to do for the night watch, we need to figure out the order"
"There's actually no need, I'll just leave some of my shadow birds to stay and watch our surroundings" Lucian willing Bartholomew to come out from his shadow.
It flew around for a bit before perching itself on his shoulder.
"Won't they simply disappear if you fall asleep or something and leave us defenseless?" Thalia asked with a questioning look, as if deciding whether it's a good idea to leave her back open to a bird.
"Already tried it, don't worry." Lucian said, reassuring her. Which she responded with a nod.
Lucian summoned most of his air related shadows and had them stay out and keep watch.
Lucian summoned his bag and used it as a pillow and pulled out a sweater and used it as a blanket, the unluckily for them it was the winter so they were cold.
Lucian laid his head on his bag and closed his eyes and fell asleep.
…
1 month later…
"We're close by! Just a few feet Away!" Luke shouted as his lips were pale blue and his teeth were chattering while he was shivering due to the giant snow storm and blizzard that descended upon them.
"DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE YOUR EYES ANNABETH" Lucian shouted with gritted teeth, while shivering as well, as he saw her slowly closing her eyes on top of her griffin.
Lucian clicked his tongue and willed his griffin to approach hers. He jumped from his ride and landed behind Annabeth where he proceeded to wrap his arms around her sharing his body heat.
'If this was a regular blizzard I would have just used my magic to warm us all up but it's clearly not, I'll get him back for this!' Lucian thought of doing anything possible, even trying to make the griffins run faster.
Which wasn't a very good idea as he felt like his skin was about to peel off If It went any faster.
After a few minutes they all arrived at the ridge, they looked down to the other side and there it was a white colonial style house, in other words, May Castellan's house, Luke's home.
Luke gritted his teeth, he doesn't know if it's because of the cold weather or his emotions and feelings upon seeing his home, the place he ran away from.
"We're here, come on!" Luke shouted and made his griffin go forward making the others follow close behind.
A brilliant golden flash illuminated through the woods causing everyone to wince, which was followed by the booming voice of a man.
"LUKE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HOME"
(Hermes)
"YOU THINK IF I HAD A CHOICE I WOULD HAVE DECIDED TO COME HERE! THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I KNEW YOU AT LEAST NOTICED THAT I CAME BY AND THE ONLY PLACE WHERE MY FRIENDS CAN STAY FOR A BIT"
Luke didn't say anything else and just continued riding the griffin to the front door of the white colonial house.
He got off griffin which was followed by everyone else. Lucian went and carried Annabeth in a princess carry close behind Luke.
While Thalia looked at Luke worriedly since he hasn't been acting the same since they started getting closer to this place.
Luke went towards the front door and started knocking after a bit of hesitation.
An old woman who was as thin as a scarecrow, her gray white sticking out like tufts all over her head, opened the door,
(May Castellan)
May gasped in surprise when she saw Luke, "Luke! My baby you must be freezing cold in this weather, quickly come in and invite your friends inside. I told you playing in the cold isn't good for your health. Luckily I have a fireplace set up"
Luke didn't respond and just looked down on the ground as he was unable to look his mother in the eyes.