All rights belong to Rick Riordan and Hi-Rez Studios. The only subjects that belong to me are my OC(s) and this fanfiction.
I would've laughed at myself for thinking too much on such a pathetic topic. Unfortunately, I just don't have the heart to do so. I heaved a sigh, and stared at one of my symbols of power in the sky: the moon. It was dim tonight, as if reflecting what I was experiencing.
"Mortis Kim," I've whispered out. The name itself brought death on the surroundings. The plants near me began to wither, and the air was suddenly thick; it was as if mentioning that man's name brought death to everything around him. It was somewhat entertaining but also unnerving to see the effect that his name brings to the surroundings. It was as if he never died, and he's currently looking over us from somewhere higher up.
Boy, I've corrected myself. Looking around again, and I saw my hunters frolicking with each other. They were having a few laughs, while the others were training against each other. The sight made me smile, and made me feel joy. It was nice to see my followers acting like family. Then, my eyes moved towards the two newly recruited members: Scylla and Weisz Smith. I got the two after the recent prophecy that has been issued by Apollo's oracle. I shook my head, trying not to remember that scene. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case.
When Mortis turned to look at us, I felt my heart being torn to pieces. The way he was smiling was similar to how one would console a person, and it was frustrating me to no end.
"Enough talks, let's get down to business already," Hades hissed out and snapped his fingers. The shadows around Mortis began to raise until it fully engulfed his kneeling form. I can't help but feel unreasonable anger surge through my veins, and also a tinge sadness from seeing a person die like this. Seeing this event transpire before me reminded me of my loss: Zoe Nightshade, my one and only faithful lieutenant.
Once the shadows has disappeared, I inhaled sharply to calm my nerves, but it was proven ineffective after I saw the triumphant grin on Hades' face.
"You people call this Olympian Justice?!" I shouted. All eyes turned to me in shock, and I returned their looks with a harsh glare. All of them seemed to flinch. I balled my fists, and felt myself shaking in anger. "All of you should be ashamed of yourselves! That man didn't deserve such fate, especially after having done such a service to Olympus. Father, have you no respect towards the man who saved me, your own daughter?"
My father flinched, and fiddled in place.
"My daughter, the council has-"
"I don't care about the council's decision!" I snapped. I turned my eyes to face Hades, and he seemed to have paled. "What is the mission you've given to Mortis?" I hissed. Hades narrowed his eyes.
"You dare talk to me like that, niece," growled Hades. I raised an eyebrow. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I swiftly turned towards the person who touched me. It was a girl with pale lilac hair who had her bangs covering her left eye.
"He isn't worth it, Lady Artemis. To answer your question, he ordered Mortis to save his daughter from the prophecy," said the girl with a serious expression. My unreasonable anger once again burst inside me.
"Bring him back, or I will hunt down every children and servant you have for eternity," I've growled under my breath. Hades simply laughed, and disappeared into the shadows.
I sighed again. I wonder what made me want to defend the boy. Is it perhaps that I don't wish for the others to suffer the same as I did? I don't even know the boy's past, yet I stood up for him. Perhaps I don't like being in debt to someone, especially a boy like him. The idea of being in debt of a man was frustrating me. However, I can't repay the debt I owe him since he's… dead. Gods, this is frustrating me to no end. Regardless of gender, I would repay any debt I owe, since I don't like being in someone's favor. I stroked my hand along the surface of the cloth on my hands; the jacket of Mortis which he gave to me during the previous prophecy.
For some reason, I've grown fond of the jacket. I would hang it on my tent, and take a look at it; sometimes, I would find excuses just to wear it. I wonder why I do those.
"My lady, is something wrong?" asked a voice I know too well. I quickly willed the jacket to disappear into my tent, and I turned to face my lieutenant.
"It's nothing, Thalia," I've answered back. I jumped down from the boulder I was sitting on, and stretched my arms. I could sense her opening her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. "How are the new hunters?" I asked to break the tension. At this, Thalia seemed to beam.
"They're doing better than the past few weeks. They're slowly opening up, and I'm quite impressed with the two. I can't help but feel proud of them," answered Thalia. I smiled at her answer.
"I see. Then, that's good," I said, turning to face my lieutenant. She was smiling, but it was replaced with a frown.
"You were thinking of Kim's death again, weren't you?" guessed Thalia. I sighed. If there was one thing Thalia was good at, excluding her abilities, then it would be her ability to guess what people are thinking.
"I can't help myself. Such event was… disgusting, to put it in lighter terms. It left a bad taste in my mouth," I admitted. Thalia chuckled.
"Well, our father is paranoid, so this much should be expected," joked Thalia. I chuckled dryly. She was quite correct on the way she described our father.
"How did you know?" I asked. Thalia frowned, and turned towards the direction of Weisz and Scylla.
"Both of the girls were thinking about it this morning. Still, I can't believe that father let Scylla go."
"We have our uncle to thank for that, since he has vouched for taking the responsibility for Scylla and the Ophiotaurus."
"Still, I'm glad Scylla is still here. If ever Kim was still somehow alive, he wouldn't like to know that one of his friends was dead."
"If that ever happened… I dread to think what will happen to Olympus," I shuddered. Thalia frowned, her voice contorting in confusion.
"Why is Kim so feared by the gods anyways? He's just a demigod, well I get it that he's the son of death himself, but I don't think he poses much of a threat." I shook my head at her statement.
"You've seen him go toe to toe against the General, correct? If he can last that long with the Titan of Endurance, then there's a good chance he can even last against one of the minor gods. If he's trained well enough, he can go toe to toe against that brute god of war." At this, Thalia's eyes seemed to widen.
"Is that why father reacted so badly?"
"That's not all. Since Mortis is the first son of the god of death, then it would be natural for him to inherit his father's… abilities," I let my sentence trail off. Thalia visibly shook in fear.
"Does… that mean…?"
"Yes. It means that he has also inherited the authority to reap souls and bring them to the Underworld. Unfortunately, we, gods, fall under this category. Our father is paranoid of him, because he has the ability to reap our souls; Mortis, not being bound by the Ancient Laws, can literally take our lives at any moment, and not face any consequences." At this, Thalia's expression seemed to have darkened from the realization.
"So our father wished to get rid of him, because he suspects that Kim could betray Olympus, and get rid of the gods once and for all?" I slowly nodded my head, and her eyes widened.
"Kim wouldn't do that, no, he couldn't do that! He knows the pain of betrayal more than anyone else, he would rather die than do something like that," protested Thalia. My interest was piqued at this, and I furrowed my eyebrows in thought. Perhaps this would be a chance to know about his past. I've tried to have Scylla and Weisz tell me about the boy's past, but they wouldn't tell me a single thing. When I've asked them why, Scylla answered one statement:
"Prying is bad taste, my lady."
"Do you have any evidence to prove your point?" I asked. Thalia pondered for a bit, before answering.
"For starters, he was betrayed by a person who he calls his "best friend." And that said person is the girl he's always loved, which dealt a huge blow to his heart," said Thalia. At this, my eyes widened around the same time as Thalia covered her mouth with her hands. I've narrowed my eyes at her.
"I don't believe it. Why would a girl do such a thing to him?" I asked with suspicion. The idea of a girl hurting a man- err, a boy, is unspeakable. Thalia simply shook her head to signify she doesn't know as well.
"That's what I've been told, my lady," whispered Thalia. I raised an eyebrow at her demeanor. She sighed.
"I wasn't supposed to blurt that out. Some friend I am, accidentally blurting out Kim's past without his permission," she muttered. I heaved a tired sigh.
"You might as well finish it now. There's no point in hiding more of it when I already know a part of it," I asserted. Perhaps this will be my chance to know who the boy really is, and the perfect opportunity for me to find out if he's worthy of my acts or not. My lieutenant inhaled sharply, and closed her eyes.
"No offense, Lady Artemis, but please don't tell anyone else about what you're about to hear from me. I don't want to… ruin my promise any further," said Thalia with a sincere tone that made me feel guilty for pushing her.
"You don't have to if it means that much to you," I said, bitterly regretting my decision for forcing my lieutenant, my half-sister, to tell me Kim's story. I sighed mentally. Is this how desperate I've become just to know that boy's past? This is ironic: me. The maiden goddess, thinking about a boy. Thalia bit her lower lip, and I could sense the discomfort from her.
"Thank you, my lady," said Thalia, before excusing herself. I was left alone in again, as I've stared up to the moon.
"I-is something the matter, L-Lady Artemis?" asked a soft voice. I smiled and turned to the goddess' direction.
"It's nice to see you again, Selene. How have you been doing?" I called out to her. Selene was stunning as usual; her beautiful silver hair flowing down to her waist, and her beautiful white dress basking under the moon's light. It should make sense, as she's the goddess of moonlight. Her beautiful light blue were twinkling, but her shy demeanor makes her unique and fragile. I suppose I can blame my brother for that.
"I-I've been doing great. H-how about you? I've… been sensing some discomfort coming from you, my lady," said Selene. I smiled at her, and patted her head. Over the years, I've grown fond over her, and saw her as my little sister.
"You're spot on as usual, Selene. Well, I suppose I suspect no less from the goddess who's under my protection."
"I-I don't deserve your praise," muttered Selene, her voice turning red from embarrassment. Suddenly, her demeanor changed, and the color of her eyes turned to a darker blood shade of red. She shook her head, and tied her hair to a ponytail. "You've been thinking about Mortis, weren't you?" continued Selene with a triumphant grin. My eyes widened.
"Wha- How do you know him?" I've asked. She slyly smiled at me.
"I was his patron during his quest. You see, Mortis has good intuition, but he lacks the sense of direction. If it wasn't for me, you would've stayed over at Mt. Orthys. Also… I owe him a few favors, and unfortunately, he died right before I can repay them. Also, you were stroking his jacket."
"I… see," I've answered, a little shocked that Selene helped him out; followed by the blood coming up to my cheeks. "If you dare tell this to anyone, including my brother, I'll make sure to make your tasks harder." Selene laughed at my threat.
"You wish to know of his past, correct?" She asked, folding her arms. I nodded my head, eager to have this lingering question in my head answered. "I've heard the story from Weisz. Don't let her know that I told you, by the way."
Weisz Smith, a fine hunter. When she first joined the hunt, I had high hopes for her. I've seen how she fought back at Mt. Orthys, and I was deeply impressed. She had the skills of a hunter, and it felt like she has been fighting for years. When I found out that she was the daughter of Selene from Selene. who was thanking me nonstop, my hopes were further raised; since her mother is the mother of vampires, she should've inherited some of her abilities. However, she seemed to have taken her mother's split personality which made it quite challenging to get her to open up, or fight.
"Mortis Kim, the son of Thanatos and a mortal woman, whose identity is currently unknown." I raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?" I asked, finding it suspicious that the boy didn't disclose the information about his mother.
"The boy never got to be with his mother. The mother's relatives forced her to live with them, and leave the boy alone. The boy never learned his mother's name, nor had the chance to learn how to walk nor to talk with his mother's guidance. He lived most of his childhood in an orphanage, where he was ridiculed and humiliated. Being the son of death, he had the capacity to bring death everywhere around him; which unfortunately included mortals. They've ridiculed him so much, they even wished for his death." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Doesn't that make Mortis a son of Thanatos' sisters?" I've asked. Thanatos was a peaceful god, it would be impossible for Mortis to inherit such a thing. At this, Selene smiled at me.
"I thought so as well, and I still don't have the answer for that question. I wish to ask Athena, but I suppose that it will only cause more problems. Back to the topic at hand, he was then adopted by his Aunt by the age of 12. Again, the name wasn't given but I suppose I can understand why. Despite moving in with his aunt, nothing much has changed. Apparently, his classmates were only nice to him since they were afraid of him. The next part is… oh." Selene stopped, suddenly fidgeting in place.
"What's wrong?" I've asked. She gulped, giving me the impression that I'm not going to like what she's going to say next.
"Then he met a girl named Lira, and fell in love with the girl," At this, I immediately felt angry at myself. The boy was still a boy after all. I'm so stupid for even thinking of the possibility that the boy was different from the others from how he acted. "Before you jump the gun, what you're thinking didn't happen. In fact, it's quite the opposite." At this, my eyes widened.
"Do you mean that the girl tricked the boy?" I've asked. Selene's expression darkened, one that shows that she's serious about the matter. She slowly nodded, making my jaw drop open.
"Mortis did everything for her, and didn't ask for anything in return. According to my daughter, he didn't confess to her, but I feel like he did. From what I can gather, the girl rejected him, but he continued living by her side. This, unfortunately included, helping her be with her boyfriend, Jensen." At this, I let out a gasp.
"Why would he do that? It will only hurt him on the long run," I asked. Selene sighed, and simply shook her head.
"That's what I said as well. Weisz thinks that Mortis loved her so much, he would even risk his own happiness for the girl. Now THAT is devotion," said Selene with an approving smile, before it turned into a frown. "Then, things escalated to Jensen and Lira getting engaged. However, they've done it in the worst way possible."
"… And that is?" I asked since she suddenly turned silent.
"On Mortis' 18th Birthday, Lira invited him over to "celebrate" his birthday; however, that was simply a lie. The true celebration Lira was hosting was her engagement party with Jensen." At this, I've trembled in rage.
"On this point on, I vow to shoot that girl, and her boyfriend if ever I get the chance to see them," I hissed.
"You don't have to worry about the boy. Mortis has already killed him; it's the girl you should worry about." She snarled, and her body glowed with a dim light.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw how it all went down, since it was nighttime, and I was looming over Brighton when it happened. At first, I was wondering who that person was back then. After meeting Mortis in person, I was a little surprised that he looked like that boy. I suspected that person to be him, and Weisz confirmed my suspicions. The girl managed to convince the police that Mortis is a killer on the loose. The police agreed since Mortis was also held responsible for the 6 people he killed after he broke the dam."
"He… killed 6 people?"
"That's including Jensen, and no. Jensen is the only person he killed directly; the others were already dying, and his very presence reaped their souls. For some reason as well, several gas tanks exploded. It seems like his ability isn't only limited to living things."
When I've heard what Mortis did, it sent shivers down my spine. While I do understand how strong Mortis can be, it doesn't mean that I can't be afraid of him, even in the slightest. However, I would rather die than to admit that.
"He was put to jail after that, but he was brought out later on by his father. Lira blamed him for Jensen's death, and despised him to the very end, you see. Mortis understood that, but the way he acted… It was as if all emotions were sucked out of him."
I nodded in agreement. It was possible for a person to feel nothing, especially having gone through an ordeal like that. Now, I can't help but feel pity for the man. He has gone through so much, only to suffer a bitter fate on the hands of Hades after failing his "mission" that was completely impossible in the first place.
"He deserved a better life, not something unfair like this," I said through my gritted teeth. Selene simply shook her head.
"Nothing comes without a price, you should know that out of all people, Artemis. Still, I'm quite surprised with his choice of company," said Selene. I frowned.
"What do you mean?" I've asked. Selene rolled her eyes
"Well, he did have THE Scylla accompany him during his prophecy, who is now one of your hunters."
"Oh, so that's what you meant." I have to admit, I'm quite surprised as well. During Scylla's first stay in the hunt, she told us that she's none other than THE Scylla from the Sea of Monsters. We didn't believe her at first, but our thoughts were changed otherwise by her when she stood in her full form. She was expecting us to shoot her down, but she was surprised when we didn't. When she asked me why, all I've said was:
"You're a maiden who was wronged by a man. You're welcome here in the hunt, sister."
"I have to take my leave now, Lady Artemis. I'll see you tomorrow," said Selene before flashing away.
Upon reaching the camp, I was fairly surprised from the silent atmosphere. It seems like they've tucked in to bed during my talk with Selene.
"I suppose I should also get some rest," I thought to myself. After all, we'll be busy moving across the country for the next few days.
It has been 4 days since I had my last talk with Selene. Currently, I'm watching my hunters pulverize the very little army that was left from our ambush. Fortunately, they don't find the creatures a problem to deal with; it's the half-blood that makes this hard for them, and I'm in no position to help them. Curse the Ancient Laws.
I growled in frustration. The boy was grudgingly a good fighter, since he was able to last my hunters; especially Thalia. The boy whirled around in a deathly arc, and parried every boy the hunters were able to deliver. He hadn't a scratch on him, nor the hunters. It was as if he was purposely missing his attacks; no, that WAS the case. Only a person with a trained eye can observe it; it frustrates me and, at the same time, thankful of the boy.
"Stand back!" yelled the boy. He had a fiery red hair with the bangs almost covering his eyes, and piercing blue eyes that looks oddly similar to my brother's. He had an athletic build, and was around the same height as Thalia. He was wearing a white hoodie with straps of armor on. His pants were a straight cut, but had slice marks on them. He blocked a blow from Phoebe, and took a leap backwards.
"Just surrender already!" Shouted Thalia as she'd rushed forwards with her spear. Scylla was backing them up by throwing greek fire at the boy, while Weisz was busy with treating the newer hunters. The boy seemed to have flinched on the spot, before snarling. Why would he flinch? He parried Thalia's spear, but was quickly met with Phoebe's knives. Elizabeth charged as well, but the boy roundhouse kicked her before she could get any closer. Larraine growled, obviously displeased that this boy was able to last them.
"He's good," panted Scylla. I can't help but agree. However, there was one thing that has been bothering me… The way he fought was similar to Achilles'. The boy looked at the sky, and growled.
"We'll have to continue this to another time. I'll see you around, girls," hissed the boy before running towards a tree. At first, I was surprised at how much malice was present in the boy's voice when he said the word "girls". Then, my eyes widened when I've realized what was about to happen.
"Stop him!" I've yelled, drawing out my bow. Unfortunately, it was too late already as the boy disappeared into a bright light. Upon his withdrawal, the girls fell flat on their bum and caught their breath.
"That boy… How was he so strong?" asked Atlanta.
"A—are you guys alright? H-here, have some water," said Weisz, handing over a bottle of water to Thalia.
"Thanks," said Thalia, gulping down the entire drink in almost one go. Weisz handed the other bottles over, while I sat on the grass to think. I sighed.
"Still, the way he said the word girls is similar to how we say the word boys," Elizabeth pointed out. At this, Phoebe frowned with displeasure.
"No, it's not; for us, we say boys in disgust. For him, he said girls with such… malice," said Phoebe.
"Do you think that something happened to him with a girl that caused him to behave that way?" asked Larraine.
"No way, that's totally impossible," said Alice.
"It's possible," I thought, but I knew better than to speak. There was one person who can act like that, and it's none other than Mortis. But… It's impossible. He should be dead. If he was ever given reincarnation for some odd chance, it would still be impossible… Unless…
If he didn't die in the first place.
Without a second's hesitation, I flashed myself to my brother's palace in Olympus.