Rise of the King

Chapter 7

Uneasy Olympians

Artemis stumbled into the throne room of Olympus, golden blood dripping onto the ground. Tears filled her vision and she collapsed in the center, the other eleven Olympians staring at her wounds in shock. Wounds covered the goddess head to toe, she looked like she had taken a bath in her own ichor. The dull silver eyes of Artemis could barely make out her father bellowing in rage.

"Apollo, heal her." The King of Olympus roared, his face filled with utter rage. She turned to see her younger brother lean down with worry in his eyes. He placed a hand on her and a golden aura passed over the goddess, her wounds knitting themselves back together and the golden ichor flowing vanishing from sight. Artemis felt the color return to her and her vision sharpened. The goddess sighed in contentment before her cries began to flow more freely.

She was a coward, she had ran and now her hunters surely have all perished. It was all her fault and she had led them all straight to slaughter. "Sister." She barely heard over her own mulling of thoughts. Her gaze turned to a pale and sweaty Apollo. Who was looking at her, concern etched deeply in his darkening blue eyes. Before she could speak, Zeus growled angrily.

"Artemis return to your throne." Her father demanded coldly, his master bolt in hand. Crackling with power and energy. The stern look on his face told Artemis now was not the time to anger him further and in a bright silver flash she returned to her throne as her brother did as well. "What has happened?" He demanded. The lord of the skies did not seem to care that Artemis had been wounded, but worried at what could cause such harm to an Olympian goddess. "Who did this?"

Artemis started with a deep breath. Her eyes welling with tears at the thoughts once again, she steeled her resolve and turned to face her father, whose blue eyes were glowing in anger.

"He has returned." Her words were ominous and sent a shiver down the spines of all of the Olympians. All knew who she was speaking of, but it could not be possible. Could it? He had been gone for millenia, believed to have faded. They all knew yet none wanted to believe her words. Yet despite their best, the eleven Olympians other than Artemis all paled in fear.

"Who?" Zeus demanded, fearing the answer, his master bolt crackling at the lord of the skies uneasiness.

"Perseus." She stated simply, her face going white in both guilt and fear.

Zeus bellowed in rage and slammed his master bolt to the ground. Shaking the throne room to its foundations. "You lie." He snarled before rising from his throne and aiming his weapon at the goddess of the moon. "He has faded." He snarled.

"Father." Athena rose from her throne as Zeus' enraged blue eyes turned to her. Her hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "Perhaps we should let Artemis tell her story." The other Olympian gods all nodded their head as the goddess of wisdom continued. Her grey eyes stormier than usual. "We should not ignore a threat that could have defeated an Olympian."

Zeus growled, his master bolt vanishing from his grip. "Very well." He snapped. "Carry on, daughter."

Artemis took in a deep breath. "It all started in Maine, when you ordered us to capture the two children of Hades."

Snow fell to the ground in vast amounts, lightening the dark night. The black sky twinkling with stars and the silver light of the moon. The dark forest surrounded a clearing ominously, the snow so thick the school in the background was only an outline. Three demigods and a Satyr were battling for their lives in the clearing. Nearing the edge and towards the churning ocean below. Led by the manticore, these demigods were struggling to defeat the monsters and protect the two young demigods they hid behind them.

"Surrender." The voice of the manticore growled. "We will take you to the Titans, where you can live and help us overthrow the tyranny of the gods." He offered as he blocked a strike from Thalia with his tail.

Luke seemed hesitant after the offer, clearly interested. While Thalia seemed indifferent, her loyalty residing with her father and not the Olympians. Nobody knew this of course. Young Annabeth, however was the only one who spoke. "Never." She growled in defiance.

The manticore sighed, as if their refusal saddened him. He turned to the monsters. "Kill them, spare the two children of the underworld." He turned back to the group and launched a volley of spikes at the demigods. Luke deflected a couple off his sword, but he wasn't fast enough. One pierced his leg and he fell to a knee. His sword raised ahead of him, parrying off the encroaching monsters.

Thalia raised her shield and the spikes connected in a shower of sparks and spiraled to the ground useless. Annabeth in her small and lithe form jumped out of the way. Her small bronze knife not much against the vast army of monsters.

Luke rose and shifted his weight onto his left. Battling multiple dracaena, worried the manticore would strike them when they were not able to defend themselves. But the glint he noticed in the eyes of the monster told him that it was content to watch him waste away his energy on smaller monsters.

Annabeth wielded her dagger expertly, slashing and bringing monsters to dust easily. But the vast amount of monsters caused her to struggle.

Thalia's face gave away nothing as she battled monster after monster.

The satyr Grover played his reed pipes, flowing strength and energy into each of the three demigods in front of him.

The two demigod children of Hades behind them were cowering in fear as the group was slowly pushed back towards the cliff, with each monster slain it seemed like a dozen would take its place. The snow only making it harder to see but the vast amount of outlines told them this was an army. One that had sensed both the powerful aura of the children of Hades, but also the daughter of Perseus.

Just when it seemed like the demigods were about to be defeated. A hunting horn sounded in the distance. A low rumbling sounded deep in both the manticore' and Thalia's throat. A scowl working itself onto her beautiful features.

A volley of silver arrows flew from the darkness of the forest, each glowing under the light of the moon. Each hitting their marks as dozens upon dozens of monsters dissolved into dust within seconds. The manticore roared as more monsters took the place of the perished ones. But their attention was diverted away from the demigods on the cliff.

"NO!." The manticore roared, launching a volley of spikes into the forest. Immediately his attack was brought with an even larger volley of arrows, slicing the thorns in half. Their shots perfect as more monsters dissolved into dust. Thalia growled as she noticed the silver clad girls watching from a distance.

"Direct interference is forbidden. You are breaking the ancient laws." The monster snarled into the dark, the much smaller group of monsters ceasing movement at his words. Now realizing who was standing before them. Looks of fear crossing their faces as they knew the goddess of the hunt and her handmaidens were merciless.

A girl stepped out of the forest. Her auburn hair bright under the moon, her eyes glowing silver with power seen even in the distance of the blizzard. A dangerous and smug smirk graced her face. Despite looking around the age of twelve, Thalia knew this goddess was powerful. She could feel her aura and it made her want to fall to her knees immediately.

"Not so." She said, her voice oozing with power. "The hunting of wild animals is within my sphere, and you are a wild animal."

"Permission to kill my lady?" A voice questioned from the goddesses left. Without even seeing the face of who spoke, Thalia's blood boiled with rage and anger.

"Permission granted Zoe." The goddess said.

The hunters raised their bows to launch a volley of silver arrows but the manticore was quicker. Without words he launched at the group of demigods, its claws coming forward to slash them to bits. However, before he could reach the nearest demigod it stopped in midair, small visible shadows restraining the monster in the air.

The night air became so thick, so venomous the hunters and Artemis all began to cough violently along with the monsters. The air becoming hard to breath and filling with power. The goddess of the hunt and her handmaidens collapsed to their knees, wheezing and spluttering before it ceased. Air filling their lungs normally and each greedily suck oxygen into their lungs.

Artemis' silver eyes widened as she noticed the manitcore restrained in the darkness. Her face overcoming with an expression of worry before her jaw dropped as a man stepped out of the shadows. His form hard to discern from such a distance, even with her enhanced vision. It seemed he was made of darkness, completely shrouded in the shadows. Several thoughts ran through the goddesses head. Hades? Erebus? Nyx? Each making her more nervous and scared than the last.

But the one that cropped up the most and made her the most worried and scared was Perseus. The former King of the gods. The one she betrayed. She knew very few deities that had control over the darkness. It narrowed this figure down to just a few deities and the aura of power that radiated from the being. Even from here was palpable. While also seeming familiar, and she knew that she may have just killed all of her hunters. If he had returned, surely he would desire revenge.

Or perhaps it was just Hades coming to protect his children. Gods, she hoped that was true. But the feeling in her gut was telling her she was just trying to fool herself.

A pitch black blade appeared in the figures hands and without a word, he sliced through the neck of the manticore like butter. It dissolved into golden dust. The figure turned to the remaining monsters that had not fallen at the hands of the hunters. Each stared at the newcomer with wide eyes, fear making them shake in their places. Before each simultaneously turned and made to flee. They all made it barely a step before each were restrained by shadows.

Artemis heard a few gasps to her right. Her elder huntresses seemed to be thinking along the same lines as her.

The figure of darkness stepped to each monster and sliced the head from each one. A large pile of golden dust left in his wake as the sword vanished from his grip. The deity turned to face the group of demigods and Artemis knew that despite her instincts screaming not to make mention of both hers and her huntresses attention that she needed to. If Perseus had truly returned, she needed to make sure of it. Then war would surely be on the horizon. For it seemed that far more beings than just the Titans were rising.

She rose from her knees, signalling her her huntresses to ready their bows. "Halt!" She exclaimed, her voice demanding and brimming with power. The deity ignored her and continued on towards the demigods. A silver arrow flew from one of her huntresses bows and she should have warned them not to fire unless she said so. If they angered who she suspected, then there was a possibility they would all perish. The deity didn't even turn towards the arrow as it faded from view into the shadows.

However, he did stop in his tracks. Pausing as he stared towards the demigods. He ignored the goddesses words. "Stop." Artemis snapped again, flowing with enough power to make the demigods near the deity shiver. What she noticed peculiarly was that none held their weapons at the ready. As if they knew that he wasn't there to harm them, but rather protect them. Did they know of Perseus? Had he escaped from Tartarus earlier than she believed?

Instead of replying he took another step towards the demigods and another silver arrow flew towards him. This time from Artemis' own bow. Time seemed to slow as the man turned and caught the arrow calmly between his fingers and he heard gasps of surprise from some of huntresses as he stopped the goddess of archery's' arrow.

"Fire one more arrow, little goddess," The man began his threat in a cold tone and she shivered involuntarily. The voice confirmed her suspicions as it was nearly exactly the same as she remembered. Except it was far more colder and harsher. Filled with raw fury and power that made her weak in the knees. "And I shall make you regret it." There was no bluff in his threat, that much Artemis could tell. She knew Perseus could defeat her. The shifting of bows

"Stop." She shrieked, this time to her younger huntresses who did not yet realize the danger that they were all in right now. One wrong move and they would all be dead. She heard growls from her huntresses at the mans blatant disrespect but they nevertheless listened to her words.

"Perseus..." Artemis began and she heard a deep low growl warning her to be silent. The shadows that surrounded he deity vanished from view and the blizzard of the night lightened considerably. His face finally able to be seen and despite already assuming who it was, Artemis paused and recoiled at the sight of his handsome face. One which held an angry and hateful scowl directed towards her. His black orbs that matched the night sky above them glowed with power and rage.

"Silence your tongue, goddess." His voice so full of venom that Artemis recoiled slightly.

"How dare you?" One of her more angry and less patient hunters growled. "Insolent male," She sneered. "I'll put you down like the dog you are."

Perseus turned to the huntress who held her bow at the ready and aimed at him. "Is that a challenge?" He asked. Artemis turned as white as the snow.

"I forbid you from speaking, Naomi." She growled out quickly, her voice tinged with fear. Something her huntresses noted, she was a goddess, their patron she was not suppose to be afraid of anything.

Naomi's jaw snapped shut with an audible click, the rage present on her face.

Perseus chuckled, although there was no humor in it.

"Ah, yes. Artemis, mighty goddess of the hunt. Perhaps you should warn you hunters about challenging a god."

"You're a god?" One of her hunters asked, her tone nervous for whatever could make Artemis act the way she was currently, was truly something to fear.

Perseus smirked coldly. "Yes, I am." He assured her.

"Why are you here?" Artemis asked shaking nervously, was he here for revenge, the demigods or something else?

"To save my brothers children of course. You don't think I would let my dear youngest brother harm them would you?" He asked the goddess of the hunt who paled at her words. Did he know of the great prophecy? Did Hades know he had returned and send him to fetch his children? There were so many questions that she needed to know and her father would surely demand from her.

"Brother?" One of the hunters croaked, piecing the clues together.

"What?" Perseus' eyes widened in surprise. "You've never heard of me?" He gasped in mock surprise as he placed his hands on his chest. "The eldest child of Kronos and Rhea." He sighed, shaking his head. "What do they teach you imbeciles these days?" He asked aloud.

The hunters just stared at him with wide eyes, unable to discern whether or not he was telling the truth. Their goddess had not denied the fact, so it seemed true.

"You lie." One of Artemis' hunters finally hissed. Raising her bow once again, quicker than Artemis was able to stop. A silver arrow flew through the night, and towards the eldest god.

A victorious smirk crossed Perseus' face and he caught the arrow again, this time snapping it in between in his fingers. "You poor, stupid ignorant girl. Trust me, you are far out of your league." He said with a cruel smile, his eyes glinting with excitement. "I guess I can show you just how outmatched you truly are."

The wicked looking black sword reappeared in his hands, and Artemis knew that her hunt and she would be in for the fight of her lives. Her foolish huntress would most likely pay with her life.

A volley of silver arrows launched themselves towards Perseus, with Artemis noticing her elder three huntresses were not moving nor making any attempts to fight the former King of Olympus. Each just staring at him with shock and sadness.

Artemis herself launched a volley of arrows, but Perseus was far to powerful. Time seemed to slow once more and Artemis knew it was possible. He was the god of time after all. His sword deflected half a dozen arrows, while his left hand crushed just as many to dust without so much as a scream of pain. Once more she was in awe of the speed in which Perseus showed. His time in Tartarus only seeming to hone his skills even more not degrade them.

She briefly noticed that the demigods vanished into shadows. She had failed her mission. Father would not be pleased.

As the volley ceased, Perseus vanished from view. Reappearing in front of the huntress that had first launched the arrow. The blessing of Artemis was the only reason she was quick enough to bring out her hunting knives and jump away from being cleaved in two. But quicker than possible, her weapons were slapped out of her hands and buried into the snow.

The huntress stared at him, her eyes wide in fear and Artemis knew she had to intervene. She flashed in front of her huntress just as Perseus brought his blade down and caught his strike. But the power behind the blow caused her to stumble backwards.

"Run." She yelled to her huntress. But they ignored her words instead choosing to launch another volley of arrows at him. They were easily swallowed into shadows.

Artemis jumped backwards from another strike one that was only a blur in the night as she heard groans and yells of pain. She chanced a look and saw that each of her huntresses, except her eldest three were all laying on the forest floor. Arrows sprouted from their legs and arms. Their own silver arrows.

The clash of immortals was truly terrifying for all the spectators. A god, enraged and glowing with power, battling a goddess of the hunt who seemed to be on her heels. Seemingly outmatched by the powerful being. Artemis barely parried a strike away from her face, not expecting the fist that slammed into her nose with an audible crunch. She groaned as golden ichor poured from her nostrils and her vision darkening momentarily.

She stumbled backwards and a strike slashed across her stomach. She screamed as another strike slashed long up her right arm. One of her hunting knives spiraled out of view and her left hand nearly severed from her body. Artemis screamed in pain as in a blur of motion, three, four more gashes were opened onto her arms and legs. Her remaining hunting knife knocked from her hands.

Perseus raised his blade to finish off the goddess of the hunt. But stopped as Artemis began to speak, tears were crawling down her face and her teeth were stained with golden liquid.

"Perseus, please." She pleaded, trying to placate the enraged god. "I'm sor..."

The god released a bellow of rage. "Shut the fuck up bitch." He sneered. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say. Send Tartarus my hospitality, I miss it dearly." He prepared himself to strike the goddess of the hunt down, but in a bright flash of silver she vanished.

Artemis turned towards her father who had turned deathly pale. She observed the rest of the Olympians and noticed they had all lost their color as well. Fear and uneasiness plastered onto each of their faces. Perseus had been relentless and nearly killed a goddess who he had liked in the past. What would he do to the rest of them? Were they all going to meet the same fate?

Then all of a sudden, angry roars of rage exploded between all of the gods. Zeus raising his master bolt at Poseidon while the god of the seas leveled his trident towards the lord of the skies. The Olympians all knew that their future was going to be bleak and weary. Suddenly Zeus rose from his throne and slammed his master bolt into the ground. Silencing the room as all of the Olympians looked at the king of Olympus.

"Silence." He bellowed. "Do you think he was preparing for war against Olympus?" Zeus asked Artemis slowly, gluping in fear of the answer.

Artemis swallowed thickly before nodding. "Yes, father. He took both children of Hades. I believe he knows of the prophecy and is going to convince them into helping his cause. He had no other reason to be there in Maine tonight."

"Was there anyone else?"

"No, he seemed to be alone. But he is just as powerful, if not more so than I can remember." Zeus' blue eyes widened at his daughters words, expecting Tartarus to have weakened the god instead of strengthening.

"Athena, what can we do?" Zeus asked with a scowl towards the goddess of wisdom. Said goddess seemed very displeased at his words and distressed about Perseus' return. She racked her brain of what to do.

"We must secure as many immortal alliances as we can. Summon the minor gods and goddesses, should Perseus join forces with the Titan threat we may be facing a war that would be impossible to win." She reasoned while her father scowled at her words. Not liking that he would need the help of beings beneath him.

"Hermes, Apollo." Zeus barked. "Go, bring as many minor gods and goddesses as you can."

Both gods vanished in golden lights.

None of the gods noticed the figure of shadow in the corner of the throne room, a cruel smirk plastered onto his face.