So here is chapter four. I had to rewrite it, because I was unsatisfied with the plot line. I had an idea for the next few chapters, which were incompatible with the plot of this chapter.

Chapter four

Our quest would go on…

Percy POV

I got into a car and drifted to sleep.

Dream

I was floating in the air above myself. I was standing in a forest clearing, probably waiting for somebody to come. After a few moments Artemis strolled into the clearing smiling at me. We hugged and held each other close. I saw me kissing the top of her head.

Suddenly the scene changed and I could see Artemis trapped under the sky, Atlas standing beside her roaring at her "What can you do now little huntress? Your little boyfriend won't come to your aide this time. You were foolish enough to push him away. He is the only person who, has the slightest chance of rescuing you, but the both of you are fighting since his group was slaughtered. Artemis was sobbing by now knowing that she would be trapped there for eternity.

With that my vison went dark and my sleep continued dreamless. There was only one thought in my mind. I still love Artemis the goddess of the hunt. I longed for the close relationship which we had in the past.

Dream end

The next morning we were in the middle of New Mexico. The way we traveled in one night was unreal, for once Apollo had done something useful. As we left the train station we found ourselves in a small village. There was no bus connection or other public transport. So we would have to walk to the next bigger town.

After a while a town came into sight, the only thing that separated us and the town was a huge junkyard.

Thalia went ahead, right into the junkyard of Hephaestus. We followed suit, not wanting to stay behind.

The Prophecy still in my mind I stayed a bit behind the others.

"Hey look" Thalia yelled, as she picked up an automaton head.

"Drop that thing! We are at Lord Hephaestus scrapyard." Zoe shouted, as the screeching sound of metal was audible to our left.

A prototype of Talos emerged from a huge pile of scrap metal. He was about to mash Thalia underneath his foot as Bianca jumped in front of Thalia and pushed her away.

Zoe POV

I saw Bianca push Thalia away. Then the foot of the giant automaton crushed her into pieces.

I was pushed down to the ground by the pure power Perseus was radiating. Even the robot was pressed to the ground. The automaton was ripped into it's very parts. Once the robot was eliminated Perseus broke together. I had pity for this boy, he just lost his sister. Even though they had known each other for such a short time they were still siblings. Children of Hades were known to have a strong bound to each other, because they are normally outsiders.

Regardless everything we had to continue our mission to save Artemis and Perseus knew it well. Artemis had to be rescued until the winter solstice to report to the council about the monster activities in the US. She is the most important goddess on the council. The other god of the hunt was the carefree son of Hades, next to me mourning over his sister.

After he had calmed down he summoned a car so that we could drive the rest of the way to San Francisco. There was an awkward silence during our ride south.

Percy POV

Zoe drove us south. After a few hours we reached the Hoover Dam. We wanted to take a short rest before we would continue our trip to San Francisco to interrogate Nereus. They wanted to ask him what Artemis and I were told to hunt down. Zeus had forbidden me to tell anybody of our mission.

Zoe was tiered and since she was the only one besides me who was old enough to drive, we wanted to get something to eat. As we neared us the Tourist information the group of Sparti stepped out of said building. To the mortals they had to seem like some kind of soldiers. They drew their swords and sprinted towards us. While I defeated my enemy easily the others had much more problems to defend themselves. One of them was about to slice Phoebe into pieces, I hit the sword just in time, so that the Sparti missed her. I shot beams of dark energy at them to send them back into the underworld.

Time skip:

We reached the pier of San Francisco, Nereus was usually staying somewhere near hear. You see there is one problem with this old sea god, he can answer you nearly all questions but you have to catch him before he will answer you one question.

I can't help them since I am a god, Nereus won't answer my questions. So they will be on their own.

Zoe and the others surrounded him and charged simultaneously, they actually managed to pack him and pinned him to the ground. Zoe and he were speaking to another.

"What do you want?"

"What does everybody want from you? Answers."

"Go on I haven't got all time"

"What monster were Lady Artemis and Lord Perseus hunting?"

"That's an easy question. Just look to the shore."

With that Nereus jumped into the ocean and disappeared. In the water near us was the ophiotaurus the beast that could bring the downfall of the era of the gods. It was swimming happily around, the beast is one of the most innocent looking creature you can imagine. I had two options kill the beast know and here or send it to Olympus where we could deal with it to a later time.

"Grover, take the ophiotaurus to Olympus the council has to decide about its fate. You have to hurry" I commanded the Satyr.

"How can such an innocent creature bring the downfall of Olympus. It looks so powerless." Thalia said.

"It holds great power. To slay an innocent gives you giant amounts of potency. This is the reason why it could bring the end for gods and demigods. " I replied.

With that Grover departed to New York to deliver the ophiotaurus to the gods on Olympus.

Time skip

Zoe, Thalia and Phoebe parked the Truck just as the road began to get rough, throug the mist Mount Othrys could be seen. They had a good hour of walking ahead of them.

As they neared the entrance of the garden of the Hesperides I looked towards Zoe, she was pale as a sheet of paper.

"Don't worry you're not alone in this. We will stay right behind you." I tried to sooth her.

Zoe nodded slowly as we walked further towards her old home. A head of them was a meadow of shadows and beautiful flowers, in the back was a tree with golden apples. The dragon Ladon was guarding it.

"Sisters" Zoe adressed the Hesperides coldly.

"You are no sister of us traitor. You will face you certain death." They hissed at her.

"Ladon wake" the sisters yelled.

Said dragon got up and stared at us. Just as he was about to strike at us I shadow teleported us behind him. From there we sprinted up the mountain.

"This shouldn't be here. I thought it was destroyed after the first titan war." Zoe pointed at the ruins of the former titan fortress.

"Since Atlas is roaming around freely someone has to hold up the sky" I said warningly.

"Artemis?" Thalia asked.

Zoe nodded solemnly before she stopped abruptly as we reached the summit.

"My lady" she yelled as she rushed towards the goddess.

"Stop you have to leave! It's a trap." Artemis said with a strained voice.

Zoe ignored her mistress and started pulling at the chains that bound Artemis.

"How touching. You will die all in front of your lady, while she can't do anything but watch you getting slaughtered." A voice boomed from behind of us.

Thalia POV

Perseus turned around and faced Atlas "Do you remember who put you under that goddam sky oh so mighty General? I will bring you back under your prison Atlas." He was shaking in rage. " Thalia, Zoe go and stop Luke I will face Atlas."

Everything went blur as we attacked Luke. I had considered him a friend and now after all we went through together he joined Kronos. He will pay for what he has done to me and more important Annabeth.

I tapped at my wrist band and aegis my trusty shield sprang out. I grabbed my canister of mace and it transformed into my spear. I charged at my former friend. He hit Phoebe at the neck and she went to the ground motionless.

"Nooo" Artemis screamed

Percy POV

There we were again. Atlas and I were fighting again, just like in the first titan war we were facing each other. The last time I had won and he was punished to hold the sky for eternity.

Atlas summoned his javelin I summoned my scythe. He instantly charged at me. I blocked his strike, but was blown back. Before I could recover he tried again to impale me with his javelin. I rolled to the side and he missed me barely. Zoe turned around from Luke to send a volley of silver arrows at her father. He landed a powerful punch at her chest and sent her flying right into a pillar.

His weapon was jammed in the ground so I could wound him massively. He was struggling to stand his ground as I pushed him further towards the location where Artemis was holding the sky.

I spoke in her head "Artemis loose your grip. You just have to hold out a moment longer."

With that I sent Atlas flying towards her with a powerful punch to the stomach.

He landed in front of Artemis, she dropped the sky and rolled away from Atlas.

"Not again! You! I will make you pay!" he bellowed.

I turned around to Thalia, only to see her kicking Luke down the cliff. She stepped to the edge and looked down to ensure that he was gone. Afterwards She ran towards the ruins.

"Perseus what are you doing here?" I heard Artemis from behind me. Her voice was nearly inaudible. "I am here to rescue you obviously. You may hate me, but I still can't let you die. You're way too important to be a prisoner of the titans. Zeus would have my head if anything would happen to you. Can you walk?" I replied to her.

"Can you support me I am very weak. Holding the sky isn't very pleasant." Artemis answered.

I picked her up, since I didn't want her to use her remaining power. I was shocked as she leaned herself against my chest. That was a feeling I hadn't experienced in.. centuries. "Don't you think to make this permanent Perseus! I will shoot you an arrow there where the sun doesn't shine.

We made our way towards Zoe, who had crashed into the ruins of the titan fortress. She was heavily wounded and had lost consciousness. I dropped Artemis next to Zoe and she bend over her old friend to examine her.

"We have to bring her to Olympus, Apollo will know what to do. We have to hurry winter solstice is starting and we both have to be present at this meeting. Can you flash the demigods to camp? I want Phoebe to be buried like a hero." the goddess stated.

I flashed Thalia and the now freed Annabeth to Camp Half-Blood. The Hunters at camp would prepare the burial for Phoebe. I picked up Zoe and teleported us to Olympus.

We reappeared in the middle of the throneroom, where the gods were waiting for us.

"Apollo can you look after Zoe please, she is heavily wounded." I spoke to the sungod.

He took Zoe and flashed to his palace to treat her wounds. I escorted Artemis to her throne before I sat down in a guest throne next to my father.

After a few minutes Apollo came back and the meeting begun.

So this was chapter four. I hope you are pleased with the outcome. i will have to rewrite the part of chaptter five I allready have, so the next chapter will take some time to be released.

-Rene-