Chapter 10
It felt like there was ice cold water being poured down my back while I was in the arctic circle naked. That's how scared I was. Big evil women god wants to freaking kill me. I was surprised I wasnt paralyzed with fear.
Have you ever been put in a situation where your life is on the line? If so, then bravo because your alive. I'm about to be beaten so hard I'll forget what planet I'm on.
"I choose the fight to the death with you Artemis. I just have one question." I said. Why am I doing this? WHY AM I SAYING THIS?
"Speak boy. Quickly." She said.
"How did you know about me?" NOT THE QUESTION TO ASK!
"Oh? You dont know do you? Pitiful, your mother told me of your existence boy, and I saw... this garbage while charioting the moon. I couldnt be more ashamed now of my hunter right now." Artemis said.
My heart stopped, my mother ratted me out? Son of a bitch! Why! Why does every women except Thalia want to fuck me over? My mother doesnt even KNOW me, but she knows of my existence? Are you fucking kidding me?
Artemis noticed my expression and smirked, then crossed her arms over her chest. "Coming to the realization on how worthless you are boy? Your own mother doesnt even care about you. Why dont you just hurry and die?" She taunted.
Tears of anger and grief flooded my eyes and my knees buckled, Artemis was right... I was worthless... my entire life I have been nothing but a disappointment delinquent. My mother abandoned me, my father doesnt care about me, my stepmother abused me, I have been alone for my entire life...
Something inside me snapped, it felt as if a part of me just cracked and shattered, I felt numb to everything, I wasnt aware of me standing up, I wasnt aware of me drawing my sword, I wasnt aware of the tears flowing across my face. I was aware of one thing.
I was aware of me wanting to die... and fighting a god sounded like a perfect way to go.
"Artemis, I will fight you, I dont care whether or not I die... but I swear on the river styx I wont make it easy for you!" I gave a battle cry and lunged at her, numbly aware of the scream Thalia let out and thunder blasting through the night.
I slashed at Artemis with all my strength, she nimbly jumped out of the way and conjured two silver daggers out of thin air, throwing them both at me, one grazed my face and the other missed completely which clearly shocked Artemis, she definitely wasnt used to missing.
I summoned my golden lightning and tossed it at her, then summoned more and coated my sword with it, swinging the sword a beam of lightning arching out of it, Artemis had dodged my lightning spear but was still in the air when I swung my blade so the beam hit her, she flew back at an incredible speed and hit a nearby tree, a grunt eliciting from her as she hit the ground.
Suddenly she flashed out and materialized behind me, before I could react she kicked me in the spine, I hit the ground and rolled, before she could do more something strange happened with me.
I felt a painful pull in my gut before all the plants around me shot up out of the ground at high speed and attacked Artemis, a clearly stunned goddess had no time to react to the sudden assult and was quickly brought down by the plants, they congealed around her and trapped her in a plant prison.
Suddenly, Thalia Grace was by my side helping me up. "Come on! We have to run back to camp, you cant win against a goddess!" She said and dragged me back through the forest, Artemis yelled in rage as we were running which gave me a sudden burst of fear adrenaline, I suddenly found myself desperately wanting to live instead of die, as a result I pushed myself even harder and ran faster.
A blast of silver radiated behind us, and Artemis yelled again, shit fuckity fuck fuck. Artemis escaped the plant prison thats not good. We both burst out of the woods into the camp again, Percy noticed us and ran over to use with a curious look. While other demigods were giving us strange amused looks.
"Hey guys, whats up? You look like you've seen an angry god." He said.
"We did see an angry goddess! Artemis is trying to kill Damien, we have to do something!" Thalia said.
Percy didnt have time to respond before the trees behind us exploded and Artemis came out of them, her eyes burned a terrifying mercury color, bow in hand she saw me, nocked and arrow and embedded it into my shoulder before I had the time to say crap.
Percy drew his sword and stepped in front of me as did Thalia, some demigods I didnt know drew their weapons aswell, and Chiron galloped up with a bow in hand and the angriest expression on his face I've ever seen.
"What is the meaning of this Lady Artemis?! You do not attack demigods for no reason, that makes us no better than monsters. How could you do something so foolish?" Chiron bellowed.
"QUIET FOOLISH CENTAUR, HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME IN THAT MANNER? ONCE IM FINISHED WITH THE BOY I WILL DEAL WITH YOU!" Artemis yelled.
She nocked another arrow, when she went to fire however her bow was suddenly engulfed in a golden light, and exploded in her hands. Wooden shards cut into her hands and she screamed in pain.
"Gah! Damn you Hera! Why!? I have to kill him, I dont care if he's yours!" She screamed at the sky. Wait. WHAT?!
Suddenly a golden light erupted in front of her, and out came an incredibly beautiful women dressed in white gold, she had a gold tiarra on her head aswell, and had an air of grace around her that demanded attention and silence.
There was stunned silence all around the camp, some fellow demigods were looking at Hera then me, slowly making the same connection I was making. She turned her head towards me and looked dead at me, a kind expression on her face. She flicked her wrist and suddenly a figure appeared over my head, it was a glowing holographic scepter, when the hologram appeared many demigods gasped. Thalia and Percy were bug eyed and staring at me with shock on their faces. Chiron cleared his throat loudly then spoke.
"Demigods, please bow, for who appears before you, is the first ever demigod child of Hera, Damien machiavelli." At his words demigods seemingly forgot about Artemis who was sending me a glare filled with disdain and hatred, and got down on one knee. Suddenly Artemis shouted.
"Yes bow! Bow and watch as I kill this women beater!" She conjured silver daggers out of the air and teleported behind me, I dodged out of the way of her attack faster than I thought I could. Maybe being claimed has made me stronger.
Despite my increased speed she was faster, much faster. She instantly struck out at me again with her daggers and it took a massive amount of effort to block her attack, knocking me on my back I knew if it kept like this i'd be wore out eventually and my guard would slip which would be the end of me.
Luckily though Hera flicked her hand at Artemis and she was flung into a tree at high speed, I heard a sharp crack and a pained grunt, I didnt know if the tree broke or one of her bones, but I didnt plan to figure it out, I gathered myself and went to lunge at her, but Hera grabbed me and wrapped her arms around me holding me back.
"Damien! Damien! It's okay, it's okay, she's unconscious." She said, I realized she was right, Hera knocked her out with that attack.
My mother protected me... i dont know how I feel about that. I wiggled out of her grip and turned to look at everyone.
They were looking at me as if I was some sort of new creature they wanted to examine, their calculating gazes made me feel rather awkward and I unconciously gripped the purple necklace I was wearing then turned my gaze unto my mother.
"Why are you here? After all this time why now?" I asked, I was stunned by how calm I felt, I couldnt tell if I was still in shock at everything or if I was genuinely calm. Either way I still wanted answers to my questions.
"All in due time Damien. You will know why I waited until now, I can tell you this, Artemis attacking you was not part of the plan." Hera answered.
"Wh-what the heck is that supposed to mean? That doesnt tell me anything!" I said trying to control my frustration. Hera made a sound that sounded like a chuckle and my face reddened.
"As I just said all in due time Damien. Be patient. As for Percy and... The daughter of Zeus, well.. they will be involved aswell." She said patiently.
"Aww come on! Why do I have to be a part of another dangerous quest? Havent I done enough?" Percy complained, but with a smile so I dont know if he was actually annoyed or not. And why didnt Hera just say Thalia? Whats the history there?
Hera glared at Percy, but Percy just kept smiling, except this time there was an edge to it. I had a brief thought that Percy and my mother might also have history, most likely actually if what I've heard about him is true. But if it's true why doesnt she like him? Why am I asking all these questions to myself when I can ask directly?
Hera snapped her fingers suddenly and I teleported. Not even a comfortabel teleport like in the movies, a teleport that made me feel like I was being folded into origami pieces. Then folded back out to my normal size.
I landed on my feet but a wave of dizziness so powerful hit me I fell to my knees willing myself not to vomit. I felt someone patting my back and slowly looked up to see Percy smiling with sympathy and Thalia with a smug look.
They had never looked so punchable until just now.
"Flash travel always does that the first few times its done. Good job not vomiting by the way, Thalia spewed hardcore the first time it happened to her." He said chuckling at the memory.
Thalia's smug look was one replaced with embarrassment and she punched Percy. One down one to go.
"Shut up you stupid Kelp for brains! I didnt want him to know that!" Thalia said.
Percy was about to respond but a voice cleared their throat. I turned and saw Hera looking at us with an impatient look on her face. It was then I realized where we were.
Without a doubt in my mind, we were on Olympus, I dont know what tipped me off. Maybe it was the fact it was a massive castle on a mountain above the clouds, maybe it was the fact that that people in non modern clothing were roaming the streets with light shimmers around their bodies with street vendors trying to goad them all. Maybe it was the flying pegasus. Pegasi? Pegaseus? Whatever it was. Or maybe it was all of the above. Probably all of the above.
I was marveled and in awe at my surroundings and I said the first thing that came to mind at all of this stuff.
"Holy shi-"
"Enough of that language! Your not a delinquent Damien." Hera interrupted.
I gave her the have you met me? look, then realized no actually she hadnt met me. She hasnt been in my life so who the hell is she to tell me what to do?
"I dont have to listen to you! You've never been there for me! You dont even know me!" I snapped at her. Her jaw dropped but she didnt respond, she couldn't respond to something that was the truth.
"The ancient laws-"
"Screw the laws! I'm your son. If you actually cared about me you would have been in my life, I wouldnt be a pawn in some stupid game your trying to play, and when I ask you give me this 'all in due time' bullshit and expect me to go along with it. Well that's not how this is going to play out, I'm going to do what I want... It's my life, you have no part of it." I said nearly whispering the last bit.
She wasnt even looking at me, Percy and Thalia were fidgeting, clearly awkward from my rageful outburst, I took a deep breath and rubbed at a headache slowly forming in an attempt to regain some composure.
"Why are we here? Answer me that mother." I asked quietly, careful not to raise my voice again lest I say more thing's I may regret.
Hera still wasnt looking at me, and she waited a long awkward moment before responding.
"Zeus... He knows of your existence now because of my careless actions... He is angry, and I brought you here... Because you are about to be on trial for your life." She explained solemly.
Percy gasped and Thalia made a strange choking noise. All I could do was stare.
"What?!" I yelled out.
A/N: Hey... sorry for not updating, just havent been motivated... Kind of lost my spark and my drive to keep going. But I dont want to give up. Idk when the next update will be. But thanks for all the readers regardless. Peace out guys.