Artemis POV:
I refused to speak today. It's 3000 years. 3000 years since he died. Percy Jackson. He was brave and loyal. So loyal that when Father sent him to be my semi-immortal guardian, he wasn't required to swear on the Styx. We didn't see eye to eye, not even close. He was a seventeen, almost eighteen, year old male that was loyal, respectful, and had his heart broken by a girl. He was the perfect man. And I hated that about him. Fifty years he served me. I made it hell for him. He never once complained. And he made me feel like I never did before. And I hated him even more than that. Yet I never told him. I never told him I loved him.
Flashback:
We were on a cliff on the sea shore and facing Hyperion, who was blessed by Kronos sinice the last time Percy fought him.
"Go!" Percy yelled.
The Hunters obliged. Percy had gained their respect, he was their brother, and he could defeat Hyperion.
"No! I can't leave you!" I screamed back.
He was facing me. Hyperion was slowly walking towards him.
"You need to go! I can send him to Tartarus, but you need to be safe from what I'm about to do!" he yelled back.
I shook my head, and he whistled a cab whistle. A dark shadow covered us for a moment, and then his pagasus, Blackjack, arrived. Blackjack stood staring at Percy for a moment, whinnied, and turned to stand beside me.
"I can't leave you!" I screamed.
Percy walked over to me, gently held the back of my neck, and kissed me deeply. I kissed back. It was electrifying. His lips tasted salty like the sea but sweet like a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie. I loved it.
"Go." he breathed once he pulled away.
I was about to say no when he picked me up, put me on Blackjack, and I flew away.
"Percy!" I screamed.
He was facing Hyperion, and I heard him scream. The sea surged towards them and the earth started shaking. I watched for a few more seconds as best as I could. I was too far away and couldn't see anymore.
"My Lady!" Thalia exclaimed as I landed.
The earth was still shaking. It was very powerful, more powerful than something Poseidon ever did. I started running for the cliff again. I couldn't leave him. The Hunt followed. We got to the top just as Percy stabbed Hyperion in the stomach and twisted the blade. Hyperion started turning to dust, but then he smirked, and stabbed Percy in the heart right as he disappeared.
"Percy!" I screamed as I ran towards him.
He was on the ground, deathly pale, taking quick and shallow breaths. He looked up at me and smirked.
"You called me Percy. Twice."
I blushed. It was true.
"I-it was an honor to serve you, My Lady." Percy croaked.
"Don't talk like that Sea Brain. I'll call my brother, he'll heal you..." I trailed off.
He laughed weakly.
"We both know this is my end, Moon Beam."
"It can't be, Sea Brain." I whispered.
"I'm going to miss you, Kelp Head." Thalia whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
All the other Hunters murmured their agreements with tears streaming down their cheeks.
"Artemis, come closer." Percy whispered.
I bent my head closer to him. He cupped my face and kissed me gently again. I kissed back again. It was different. The other kiss held passion. This kiss was a goodbye.
"I love you, Artemis." Percy whispered, almost too quiet for me to hear.
Before I could tell him, he closed his eyes and his body relaxed. He was gone.
-Flashback End-
"My Lady, we've arrived." Thalia said, snapping me out of my memories. I nodded.
I looked around. She was right. had were at Camp Half-Blood. I started walking down the hill, towards the Campfire. The Hunters and I silently sat down. Chiron was telling Percy's story. Reed Turner, the lone Son of Poseidon, kept interrupting, saying he was better. Reed had been conceived when Poseidon was depressed by Percy's death fourteen years ago and had a bit too much to drink. That was around thirty years after the Oracle of Delphi repeated the Great Prophecy about a child of one of the Big Three making a choice at the age sixteen. If it were up to me, he would be a jackalope right now. After the third time he interrupted, I snaped.
"Shut up you arrogant fool! You will never be half as good as Perseus Jackson! Be happy you aren't a jackalope right now!" I hissed.
Reed flinched, and the Campers all stared at me. Chiron looked relieved somebody spoke up.
"Now, continuing with the tale. Percy-"
He was cut off by a sound like waves crashing the shore and a puff of sea-green smoke.
"Wha?" a groggy voice asked from within the smoke.
I shot up. I knew that voice very well. Chiron stared wide-eyed, as did the Hunters.
"What's going on? This isn't Elsyium..." the voice trailed off.
The smoke cleared, and there he stood in all his glory. I quickly stood up, ran to him, and hugged him. The campers watched, flabbergasted.
"Hey Moon Beam. I missed you too." he whispered in my ear.
I just snuggled closer. I missed him. Then I pulled away, and slapped him. He cupped his cheek, but laughed.
"I see you're the same. I'm sorry for leaving." he said.
"You worried me to Hades! They wouldn't let me visit you! Don't you dare do that again!" I snarled.
Percy raised his hands in surrender.
"I'm sorry, I really am." Percy whispered.
Before I could respond, their were multiple flashes. The others. Everybody stared at Percy wide eyed. Poseidon was the first to recover. He ran towards his son and hugged him tightly. Reed shot Percy a glare.
"How! How are you you here, alive? We missed you so much!" Poseidon whispered, tears threatening to fall.
The others all said their hellos. Percy's old friends, who were made immortal, weren't here. They didn't know yet. After everybody welcomed Percy back, Thalia surged forward.
"I misse ya, Kelp Head!" Thalia exclaimed as she tackled her cousin in a hug.
Percy laughed and hugged her back.
"I missed you too, Pincecone Face." Percy said as he laughed.
The campers started whispering.
"You're Percy Jackson, aren't you?" a son of Athena asked in awe.
Percy chuckled and nodded. The campers gaped at him. Percy just continued chuckling, but stopped when a hand connected with his cheek.
"Ow! What is this? Slap Percy Day?" Percy exclaimed.
We all chuckled.
"That's what you get for leaving, Kelp Head!" Thalia said as she hugged him tightly again.
Percy just stroked her hair until she pulled away. Chiron then trotted up to Percy and hugged him.
"Percy, my boy. We've missed you greatly." Chiron murmured as he pulled away.
"I missed you guys too, Chiron." Percy said with a smile.
"Now, does anybody have a clue about how the punk is a live?" Ares asked.
He didn't change. Apollo stared at me.
"I do. Percy is the child of the prophecy again." he said quietly.
"What! No! I'm the child of the Prophecy! He's not even sixteen, he's seventeen!" Reed burst out.
"Prcy came back to life to be the child of the prophecy. He isn't going to age, he's going to...how should I phrase it? Age backwards? Yeah, I'll use that. Age backwards. Next year, on August 18, Percy will turn sixteen." Apollo explained.
All I could do was stare. Percy was back. And was going to save the world. Again. And I can finally tell him how I feel.
