Chapter 2

Challenge of a god


Disclaimer: The scene where Percy goes, "Puny god" and before that when Dinouyous says his line is taken from Avengers


"Who are you?" Artemis snarled, her bow notched and ready to fire, right behind his head.

"Me? I'm just a demigod." he said.

"I heard what you told the Manticore just then." she sneered, "Do not take me for a fool boy."

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant." he replied to her sneer with a kind and gentle voice.

"It is impossible so why don't you stop playing games with me and tell me who are boy before I turn you into a jackalope." she threatened him.

"How can you beat me if you couldn't even beat the Manticore?" he questioned her innocently.

"Tell me your name boy before I shoot this arrow through your head." she snarled again. The boy turned around, his orange eyes blazed as he looked at Artemis in her twelve year old form. They were the same height.

"I am Perseus Jackson, Son of Hera and Juno. Champion of the Norse, Chinese and Japanese Pantheons in the Art of War; Scholar of the Chinese, Japanese and Egyptian gods; Remaining Survivor of the Aztec and Mayan deities. But first and foremost." he said, the suspense heavy in the air as he looked at her straight in the eye, "I am a Psychic."

The silence stretched in the silence as Artemis, goddess of the Hunt tried to understand what this strange boy had just told her.

"Do not test my patients boy." Artemis hissed at him, "Do not lie to my face."

"Did you not just see what happened?" Percy asked her simply, "Does that not testify for myself?" he asked her.

"You wear my patience thin boy tell me who you are before I place this arrow between your eyes." she sneered.

"You think you can do that? Yes you do. Okay how about you try it and -" the moment he said "and" he moved, his right hand coming up, pushing aside the bow and his left fist stopping directly in front of Artemis. He stopped the telekinetic force behind the punch to let her feel the pressure that moved past his fist when he stopped, "You cannot beat me goddess of the Hunt." he informed her. She snarled like an animal before flashing her knives, throwing them when she was just half a meter in front of this boy. Both knives flew past as he cocked his head to one side before bending down and sweeping her off the ground, "Stop trying." he said as though he was talking to a two year old, "You'll get nowhere."

"Do not think you know better than me boy." she hissed.

"Do not let your prejudice of males get over your head." he spoke back, a little hint of frustration coming into his voice.

"How dare you tell me what to do?" she snarled at him.

"I will give you one chance." he hissed at her, red and black runic designs starting to appear on his body, "Or I will make sure you enjoy Tartarus for a while." his eyes now started to change color, tints of red and black entering. Artemis glared at him before moving, her hands were just a mere silver blur. His hands just came up, blocking and pushing each strike away. Each fist with perfect form. He watched as a hand came down with a chop, he grabbed it then pivoted, turning his back to her as he did; and flipped her to the ground, breath being driven out her lungs, "Dead." the demigod said, his feet a few centimeters away from her face. Artemis snarled before spinning, her hands grabbing his feet and spinning out from underneath just as his foot came down. Her fingers stabbed out towards his knee, hoping to get the nerve point. His feet turned around, she grunted in pain when her fingers stabbed straight into his knee, jarring it. Her vision exploded as his knee smashed into her face, crushing her nose and stunning her. His left hand came down behind her head, the soft auburn color hair smooth against his hand, "Dead." as he placed his right hand underneath her chin. He jumped back when she tried to head but him in the place where the sun doesn't shine. His knee then came up from the right, smashing into her temple, he then extended his leg catching her under the chin and blowing her back. He then raised his left hand in a claw, Artemis rose from the ground, her legs kicking like the Manticore. Her hands gripping what seemed like an invisible hand, "Dead." the boy said, emphasising on the point by squeezing his hand tighter before releasing it and watching as Artemis fell to the ground in a heap, "You have no chance Greek god. I am ashamed to call myself kin to you." he spat before looking around.

"Did you have to play around so much?" a female voice asked him, smooth like silk, like velvet black.

"Sorry Bi." Percy said grinning as he turned around to face the twin demigods, his first good look at them that night. The girl had long wavy hair up to her mid back, black onyx eyes that seem to suck in the darkness, a simple black shirt and pants was adorned on her body but her pale skin stood out, "Felt like it."

"You kept us waiting next to a rock." the boy now spoke, his hair was waved around his head, looking a bit oily, his pale skin also stood out against his black goth shirts and pants.

"Well Nicky -" he began, only to be cut off as the boy glared at him.

"Why are you not afraid?" a Hunter asked, "You do not seemed shocked."

"That is because we already knew about this." the girl said, her black onyx eyes focussing on that Hunter, the chills that it brought made the Hunter shiver in the night. The shadows seemed to crawl towards her.

"I am Bianca Di Angelo." the girl said to the large group there, the earth exploded from the ground up.

"I am Nico Di Angelo." the boy informed them, the shadows wrapped themselves around him and explode into wings like a phoenix.

"We are twin children of Hades." both said at the same time as their powers fell away, "And Apprentice to Perseus, Champion of the Forgotten."

"Impossible. Trake, the satyr, only sensed two powerful demigods." the girl in similar gothic clothing to Nico said. The Spawn of Hades amongst them stumbling back, shocked that he had siblings.

"Oh? And do you sense any power around me right now?" Percy questioned her, "Do you sense any aura of power Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus?" he questioned her.

"No but -"

"Exactly. Percy said looking at her, "There are things that even you Greeks do not know."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Charlene, Daughter of Poseidon snarled.

"What it means. You are not the only mythology alive." he said looking at them in the eye.

"Silence boy. Do not say anymore least you cause chaos." Artemis snarled after she got up.

"Do not let your prejudice of males get the better of you." Percy spoke, "Least it blinds you from the real problem."

"The problem is you." Artemis growled, "Close your eyes!" she commanded, the three demigods and Hunters obeyed closing their eyes as Artemis unleashed her true form. The night sky was light up in silver lights as the power of goddess of the Moon was unleashed upon the world. Yet when the light faded, Percy and the Twins of Hades just stood there looking at her.

"How? No mortal can look at a god in true form without being incinerated." she snarled.

"Are you sure you're a god?" Percy said, smiling before his eyes blazed, "Nico, Bianca deal with it. I have no time for a Greek goddess who cannot see beyond her own feet." he said simply.

"With pleasure." the Twins of Hades said, one of shadows one of earth.

"You would dare defy a goddess?" Artemis hissed, "You would dare defy me, one who could give to you Bianca a shelter against man." she snarled, "I could keep you safe from such beings as this Perseus. I could give you a family."

"Percy is my family." Bianca glared at her, "Your prejudice has gotten the better of you. How many men have you slew in cold blood just because they were men. How many families have you left fatherless, brotherless or sonless."

"You think you can hurt me?" Artemis snarled at them, "I am a goddess of the Olympian Council."

"You disgust me." Bianca snarled.

"Don't send her to Tartarus." Percy called out to them, "We do not want a war now."

"Yes Percy." Bianca said.

"Okay." Nico said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Don't worry there will be plenty of immortals to destroy in this war." Percy told him, "Go once we're done I'll get us there."

"With pleasure." Bianca said, grinning as she started to walk forward with her twin.

"You first or me?" Nico asked as the shadows creeped up his arms, swirling into runes around his body.

"Me, then you can bring the fears." Bianca said as she walked forward, the earth cracking around her. Nico nodded and his shadow runes disappeared.

"You would dare hit me. The one who gives female's a family." she snarled.

"You do give them a new life. I commend you for that." Bianca commented.

"So why are you doing this?" Artemis growled, "Because this boy said so?"

"Because I have seen what you have done to those males. Those families." Bianca growled, the earth began to crack and chips began to spin around her, "Their blood, their death will be avenged."

"I have never killed another female." Artemis said, glaring at Bianca, "But there is always a first time." Bianca's feet spread apart, the earth shifted at her command.

"Don't worry." she growled as the earth rose, earthen fisted hands rising out of the ground surrounding her like an orb, "You won't." Bianca said as she unleashed the stones around her. Artemis eyes narrowed as she dodged each flying fist of the earth.

"You can't hit me. I am -" a pillar of the earth rose up and smashed into her jaw, sending her stumbling back.

"You talk too much." Bianca stated. Three spikes rose from the ground, "Be thankful I'm not here to kill." Artemis eyes blazed from her remark before she dashed forward. To everyone in the clearing besides Percy and Nico, she was a mere blur of silver images running across to stab a knife into the female which just insulted her and a lifetime of work. The knife froze over her head, "Stupid goddess." Bianca said before blasting her back with a force of telekinesis.

"How?" Artemis said, her eyes narrowed.

"Did you think we were just Twins of Hades?" Bianca replied, shaking her head, "Foolish goddess. Not even knowing your own past." her voice was anything but sad as she unleashed a barrage of stones going faster and faster till the point where Artemis could no longer block them, and was getting barraged over and over again. Ichor began to leak out of the rips on her skin, golden bruises the size of dinner plates appearing.

"Hunters engage!" Artemis screamed, shielding her face as the stones continued smashing into her at the speed of guns.

"No you don't." Nico said his eyes turning entirely black as the shadow runes appeared again. He appeared in front of all the Hunters, ready.

"Move out of the way boy." a Hunter snarled.

"How about … no." Nico said simply before flicking his wrist and watched as the Hunter fell to the ground screaming. Her greatest fears unleashed within her own mind.

"What did you do boy." the Hunter next to her snarled an arrow notched.

"Bring her greatest fears alive, like this." Nico said before he looked at her and she fell to her knees screaming in agony.

"Fire!" the leading Hunter screamed, the Lieutenant Hunter just stood there in shock.

"Fear the shadows Hunters." Nico whispered as his body turned into a shadow and disappeared, the arrows falling to the ground as they pierced nothing but air, "See that?" Nico whispered into the ear of a Hunter he appeared behind, "See that Hunter? Now watch." he whispered again as he made her fears, her past, come to life. She screamed and fired off an arrow, right into the shoulder of the Hunter next to her. Her screams fueled him, "Painful isn't it, let me show you something worse." he whispered as he pressed up against her body, she tried to squirm but his hold on her mind was total. He reached into her mind, and dragged out her worst fear. Rape. He watched as a shadow outline rose up from the ground and walked close to her, standing there. Not doing anything but just standing there. She screamed and Nico let her go, disappearing into the shadow for his next target. He reappeared in front of all of them. They were wary now. Extremely wary.

"What dark magic is this?" a Hunter sneered.

"No dark magic. Just your fears." Nico said before he raised his hands. and dropped them. Immediately all the Hunters fell to their knees screaming as shadows rose in front of them, changing into different shapes and sizes.

"Stop this now." The boy growled at Nico.

"And who are you?" he asked, "The Son of Hades?"

"Yes. And you will bow before your older brother." the boy snarled at him.

"Right. Right. So what's your name again?" Nico asked turning around, the shadows slipped back into the ground. Hunters law strewed like leaves in the Autumn on the floor of the night forest. Panting like dogs.

"I am Alexander, Eldest Son of Hades." Alexander growled at Nico, "Now bow."

"No." Nico said, folding his arms.

"Bow." Alexander spoke, the shadows swirled around him, ready to lash out.

"How about this." Nico retorted, "You stop being an idiot and I won't have to show you the true powers of a Son of Hades." shadowy vines spread themselves across his face, his eyes morphed into black silts.

"If you will not bow. I will make you bow!" Alexander roared as he flung out a wave of shadows. They morphed and changed shape's in mid air, twisting and turning so that people couldn't follow a pattern.

"Pathetic." Nico growled as each one stopped in their tracks, before turning back on the origin and started to float slowly towards it, Alexander's forehead began to sweat as he tried to stop the spikes.

"What is this!" he cried out when the shadow shafts reached his neck.

"This? The true power of a Son of Hades." Nico spoke before stabbing the shafts around his body, pinning him back to a tree.

"Nico!" Percy roared as a second group of Hunters opened fire at them. The rain of silver arrows was all Nico saw before Percy pushed him out of the way. Immediately Percy raised one hand and the arrows stopped before him. His eyes narrowed, before he clenched his hand into a fist and they watched as each arrow, one after another, turned to dust. He left one arrow untouched and reached out to it. He grabbed it, twirling it around in his hand like a baton, fun to play with, "Hunter that was a bad mistake." Percy growled before throwing the shaft back at the leading Hunter and watching as it stabbed deep into her tigh.

"Oh." was all Nico could say.

"Lower your bows." Percy's voice resonated, eyes pulsing, as the Hunters lowered the bows.

"Done." Bianca said, they turned their heads to see a bruised and cut up Artemis as she lay on the ground panting.

"We leave." Percy said as Nico and Bianca stepped up behind him, placing their hands on him, and he Apparated disappearing entirely.

"How are we going to get back?" the Daughter of Poseidon, Charlene, asked.

Line Break

They appeared at an entrance, a wooden arch standing in front of them. Engraved on the wood were Greek symbols, then they shifted, melting and changing before english words replaced them. Camp Half Blood.

"We're here guys." Percy told them.

"We figured." Bianca responded.

"Gee aren't you nice." Percy rolled his eyes as he walked through the arch.

They continued walking, the giant tree's stretching out on every side. Leaves crunching underfoot like dry chocolate, flaking away after you step on it. The dim light surrounded them, only a little sunlight pierced the tree tops. Suddenly it got brighter, and brighter. Percy ignored that as he saw buildings explode in his vision. A tent appeared to his left, an Arena appeared at his right. A giant two story house stood to the far end of the clearing and around it was twelve cabins in an Omega symbol. A giant lake receded behind the left of those houses, canoes and boats beached on their beach. Yellow stand and sparkling blue water stood out against the green grass and grey gravel that surrounded those houses. At the center of this Omega symbol was a single fire place and at the opposite end of the giant house was the mess hall.

"Woah." Nico said.

"Yeah, woah." Bianca agreed, awe shocked. Suddenly Percy's head snapped to one side.

"Impossible." he breathed.

"What Percy?" Bianca asked him.

"That presence." he breathed.

"What presence?" Nico asked.

"Stretch your senses out. Never drop them." Percy informed both of them.

"We sense nothing." they replied to him in unison.

"Do not worry in time you will." Percy said, his voice soft as he began to move towards the big building. His feet carefully being placed, the cabins around him all silent, as though they were watching him. Waiting. Silent ghost that were not even there.

When he got to the huge building Percy flung out his hand, the door slammed back to reveal two suprised face's. The one on the left was wearing a purple shirt with jeans which did nothing to hide his rolls of fat, a staff was left to lean against the wall lazily whilst an empty wine bottle held in his hand. The other man was in a wheelchair, his feet covered by a blanket, brown hair that waved down a little, reaching his shoulders, a brown beard and sideburns that made its way up his face, a staff held in his hands.

"Who are you?" the man on the left asked lazily, swirling the wine bottle in his hand.

"Dinouyus was it?" Percy asked, his eyes filled with discontempt, "What was it? Oh yeah god of ass?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Watch it boy I'm an -"

"Yes an Olympian Council Member yes yes good for you. Now sit down and shut up." Percy growled, "Oh I forgot you're already sitting down so why don't you shut your mouth and let the people who want to stop this war talk." he snarled at the god, eyes pulsing orange as power flowed.

"You dare insult me?" his voice went into a higher pitch. Easily one octave higher, "I am a god you puny little human!" he roared rising up, the other man just sighed and shook his head. Percy flung out his hand gripping the god in a telekinetic force and slammed him down on the ground, the wooden floor did not break. He smashed him against the ceiling, then the right wall and the left wall before throwing him against the back of the room. Where he slumped and fell to the ground in shock and daze.

"Puny god." Percy spat before turning to the other man, "I never expected something like you to be here."

"What do you mean something like me?" the man asked him.

"You know what I mean." Percy spoke to him.

"Why are you here?" the man asked him, his voice was deep and resonated a sense of calmness.

"Not me, you." Percy said looking at him, his pure neon orange eyes shining at the man.

"I do not understand." the man tried to squirm out.

"I think you do." Percy said as his eyes turned back to normal, "Chiron, the First Centaur."


Note to all of my readers I may be posting a little later now as school work is beginning to flood it, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Till Later

The Author