A/N – Over the past year, I have gone over where I want to go with my stories and I have finally seen a clear vision for them. Expect the second half of this story to become its own thing and for now, enjoy The Hunter (and check out the Blackfire Series as well)

The Hunter

Chapter 10: Six Will Journey

Perseus

Mount Orthys, that's where they have her. For the past few nights, I have had dreams of mother. I now have sleepless nights, frightened by the thought of even closing my eyes to see my mother in pain or him. Does that make me a coward?

I swear I will rescue you, mother, I thought and lifted my head up at the night sky to the moon. It glowed brighter than I had ever seen it.

Only a few days to go to our destination with our little party of six. Zoe, a recovered Thalia, the satyr Grover, and finally the siblings Nico and Bianca. Grover told me he brought them to the camp a few weeks ago and that Bianca has aspirations to become a Hunter.

We also decoded a few more parts of the prophecy, or at least we think we did. "The seat of time," was Mount Orthys because it was basically the Titan's Mount Olympus. "Six will Journey," is obviously us and finally "To relieve the burden on the mother's shoulders," had to be talking about mother, but whatever this burden was we had no clue.

Zoe told me two days maximum until we get to San Francisco at the current speed we are going at. However, it is night time and we are all staying in a small motel to get some rest for the long days ahead.

Line Break

"We have to drive through here," Zoe pointed out on the map, "The Junkyard of the Gods." I had heard that this Junkyard was used by mother a few times in the past. To be honest it was quite a shame that we had to drive straight through it. I would have loved to see what cool and unusual things were littered throughout the place.

For hours I sat in my seat in total silence. My mind was lost until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Thalia with a concerned face looking straight at me. "Thinking about her aren't you?" She asked and I just nodded while looking out the car window. "We'll get her, no doubt just stay with us."

I looked back to the daughter of Zeus and smiled. "Thanks, I'm sorry for being a bit glum this whole time," I responded.

"Don't be, I understand what you're feeling right now."

It was nice to have someone other than Zoe to console in. "It's just that my mother has always been the one to save me and now that she needs me, I just freeze," I told Thalia and covered the mark I had on my neck. I haven't told anyone about it yet.

I can't worry anyone right now. I have to focus on the mission, the quest, on saving mother.

Line Break

We stopped at an old but functioning gas station in the vast junkyard. While we were waiting for the car to be filled up I wandered around to look at some of the stuff the gods had throw away here. Most of it was just some rusty old inventions from Hephaestus, but one thing did catch my eye. A broken bow, it looked similar to mother's; but it couldn't be hers had a different design and everything. This silver bow had an image carved into it…

As soon as I laid eyes on it I froze. It was him, the hulking monster who gave me this mark on my neck. The mask of ice terrified me to my core and against my better judgment, I grabbed the snapped pieces of the bow. I headed back to the car and we started to leave the Junkyard after driving for a few minutes.

Before we could leave a huge automaton rose from the piles of trash. "It looks like, Talos," Zoe said as she stepped on the brakes. I couldn't help but think that me taking the bow made this happen, but I pushed those thoughts aside. If we get held up here, we will be delayed on this journey even longer. I can't leave mother waiting, I won't let this damn machine stop me!

I summoned my bow and pulled the string back. "Get out of the way!" I yelled as I loosed the arrow which pierced straight through the giant, causing it to collapse in defeat. Everyone just stared at me with an expression of shock.

"We don't have time to fight useless things like that. Come on let's go." I rushed back into the car and we left the Junkyard of the Gods behind us.

Line Break

We finally made it, Mount Tamalpais. "I can try and get up as far as I can, but it seems we'll have to hike the rest of the way." Zoe began traversing the roads that lead up the mountain. The further up we went the mist became stronger and we were forced to finally abandon the car. It took about an hour before we reached our destination.

I saw it, where the earth met the sky. I saw mother holding the burden of Atlas on her shoulders, sweat dripping down her profusely and her occasional scream of pain. I was about to run to her before I was stopped by Zoe.

"Wait, Perseus, it could be a trap." She said, but I couldn't process it. All that was on my mind was saving mother. I was going to push pass Zoe when I heard a slow clap from the distance. It came from a giant man, he was built like a brick shit house. His muscles bulged and he stared a hole through my head.

Zoe pushed me back and drew her bow. The man bellowed and began speaking, "Truly, you don't believe you can hurt me, daughter."

I looked at Zoe in shock and saw her eyes full of anger. Who is he? "Atlas, the Titan of Strength. My father." Zoe answered the question I didn't even ask yet. Atlas approached and Zoe fired her arrow. It missed the Titan, but that wasn't its target.

Her arrow pierced an invisible barrier and slowly the dome cracked to reveal the obsidian black fortress of Mount Orthys. However, that wasn't it just yet; behind Atlas stood a grand army of monsters and demigods led by Luke Castellan. "Traitors! All of you!" Thalia shouted to them, but mostly toward Luke himself.

"They betrayed no one! Most of them weren't even claimed and the ones who were, they are left ABANDONED! FORGOTTEN! By parents who could give less of a shit!" Luke shout back at Thalia with an equal amount of rage.

"Enough! This chatter has gone on long enough. Bring them to me dead or alive." Atlas commanded and his army charged. Luke stayed by Atlas, the two top dogs were to much of cowards to fight.

Let the battle begin.

Zoe and Thalia could hold their own, but Grover and the siblings; I wasn't so sure. "You three stick with Thalia and back her up, I'll be right back," I told them as I fired 3 arrows to incapacitate the demigods running at me.

I dashed pass as many combatants as I could and crippled a few to get them out of my way. I needed to free mother, she was our only hope.

Artemis

I felt like I could pass out at any moment. But the battle that raged in front of me had me in awe. It was 6 against easily 40 demigods and 100 monsters, but the 6 were holding there own. From the corner of my eye, I saw one of my would-be rescuers dashing through the army and throwing them around like ragdolls.

My eyesight may have suffered while holding the sky, but I could tell who it was. I felt tears roll down my face as Perseus came up to me. His words I couldn't understand until I saw him pull out a jar of ambrosia. He fed me the cubes and I felt like a brand new person.

Before I could process it though, I was pushed to the ground and Perseus took the burden from me. He fell to his knees instantly, "Go. Save. Them." He struggled to hold the weight of the world of his shoulders.

I broke inside to see my son like that, but he was right. I needed to help and not be so helpless like I have been. I focused and summoned my bow.

Time to hunt.

Line Break

The goddess of the Hunt joined the fray and as expected; left a thick cloud of golden dust in her wake. She effectively executed 1/3 of the current number of monsters and incapacitated many demigods. She couldn't kill them. They may be traitors, but they must stand trial. However, they only needed to speak at these trials. No need for legs.

It was a horrid sight to see. Artemis aimed to either injury or paralyze. "Fall back! All of you into the portal!" The son of Hermes, Luke, commanded them all as he sliced the air with his sword to create a rift for them to escape through. They left the injured behind and soon the only ones left on the enemy side were many monsters, useless injured demigods, and the commanders of this force: Atlas and Castellan.

"Thalia, you handle Luke. I will assist Lady Artemis with my father." Zoe dashed to help the goddess and Thalia to Luke.

"I'm not surprised you survived Thalia. Guess I was sloppy in not sticking around, but I will this time." The blonde traitor taunted the daughter of Zeus who remained silent. She simply shot a bolt from her hand to the ground. A smokescreen blocked Luke's vision and out came Thalia Grace. Spear in hand, she aimed for a killing blow straight away.

Luke sidestepped and countered her strike; attempting to slice her open with Backbiter. Their battle raged on as Thalia saw nothing, but red. How could you! She thought and as she attacked a lone tear rolled down her face.

Percy

Thalia fought Luke and seemed to be holding her own pretty well. Mom and Zoe struggled against Atlas, while the other 3 were trying to hold off some hellhounds. I still was being crushed by the overwhelming weight of the sky. My body seemed to crack like an egg as the sky got lower and lower.

That is when I heard him. The voice from before. The one who marked my neck.

"Shall we make a deal."