Chapter 21 – The Third
Artemis woke up to a lash of pain as something struck her across the chest. She was being held by chains that had forced her upright, digging into her wrists where gravity was constantly pulling her down. Looking around all she could see was darkness before her eyes finally set upon a man chains with tainted black wings. They were large but held none of the grace and beauty that Percy's wings had. There was something about this being that screamed danger to her.
'As it has been foretold.' A quiet whisper spoke out to Artemis' mind but it was gone almost just as fast. It was strange, like a mixture of all different voices all gently caressing at her mind.
"So the Goddess has awoken. I must admit I never thought it would be this easy to capture you. I released myself from the mortal coil and rose above this cosy little frozen lake and then I found you simply sleeping alone in that chariot of yours." His blazing red eyes held such malice and aggression that she didn't know what to say. This man was dangerous and held extreme power.
'That when the youngest reclaims his soul, the oldest shall awaken.' There was that strange choir of whispers that only she seemed to be able to hear. Was there someone trying to speak to her.
"Lucifer..." Artemis whispered gravely, his voice was hoarse and her throat hurt immensely from where it felt like she'd been put on a greatly tight leash and forced to follow. Her situation was finally dawning on her, she'd been kidnapped by Lucifer right from her moon chariot.
'That when HE returns, then I shall awaken. The beginning of the siblings of creation, the father of all.' Artemis was no longer even sure where this voice was coming from or why only she could hear it, she was almost entirely certain that it wasn't Lucifer playing mind games, that wasn't his style, at least, not in this creepy manner.
"Indeed. So good to see you again Artemis, I'm sure you're probably aching from your recent activities so I shant be worrying about any attempted escapes." Lucifer let out a sultry chuckle at his own amusement, something that Artemis didn't share.
'I am the one that you Gods had named as the end of all. Where do immortals go to die?' Artemis gasped, she'd finally figured it all out. When Percy had been mumbling about their being a third primordial that had been around since himself and Chaos, this was it! She didn't know why it was choosing to speak to her of all people either.
Why the Void had become vocal to the Goddess of the Hunt was something that she doubted even Percy knew. Only those three were impervious to each other's sense of omnipotence.
"What's the matter dear Artemis? You look disturbed, perplexed even." Lucifer mocked casually before pacing to the side for a few seconds.
"Nothing that you need to worry about. What you do need to worry about is the fact that my sin is starting to pull, it's growing stronger and that only ever happens when HE is around. He's on his way Lucifer, and his wrath is returning." Artemis' grin was wiped off when Lucifer's crimson hand slammed across her cheek, sending rivulets of golden ichor flying away.
"I know the situation better than you do Goddess so don't pretend that you can bluff me into anything." Lucifer told her with a heavy scowl set into his features. The wrath was becoming far harder to control than anything else.
She doubted that he really did know more than her, she could already feel a distinct lack of sloth from Conquest, as was the reason that he was able to go more than ten minutes without the need to smoke something. That meant that bit by bit all of the sins were naturally returning to Percy.
"I wouldn't be holding out for your hero for long bitch. When he gets here, I shall rip out his celestial life force and claim it as my own. I shall show him the true power of the devil-" Before Lucifer could get much further with his fist wound back as he'd gone to strike Artemis again, the air had suddenly dropped many degrees colder and things had gotten extremely tense where Artemis could only see a pale hand gripping Lucifer's wrist from behind.
"Oh Death. Won't you spare me over another?" A sultry female voice sang melodically as Famine walked into the light from the side. Lucifer's confidence dropped through the ground. They were well below the frozen ice of the cocytus so how had they gotten in so quietly!?
"You took something very precious to me and I'm here to get it back. Now, let me show you the devil in I!" Percy's voice echoed with power so much that the ice in the ceiling started to crack and rupture. Things were failing everywhere around them just from his one statement.
"Firstly." He held his hand towards Artemis, a constant stream of gold wispy energy erupted from her chest and shot straight towards his outstretched hand, at the same time a similar effect was happening from Lucifer's wrist to Percy's body. The Fallen Angel was brought to his knees in pain.
When the flow of raw power had stopped, Artemis could tell that Percy was finally whole again, DEATH was finally whole again. She thought back to what the voice had said mere moments earlier.
"The slow gentle rumbling of the ceiling is probably a sure sign that the other one is coming back." Famine commented, the worry that was stuck across her face didn't provide Artemis with any semblance of reassurance but the Horseman did release the Hunter from her chains.
"Lucifer." Percy's voice was low, extremely deep and held such a rich authority to it. "I sentence you to complete erasure from reality. You have committed a cardinal crime against the balance." With that, Percy finger tapped Lucifer's head before he exploded in a shower of black liquid. Then there was nothing left of the Fallen Angel that thought he could kill Death.
Now the Horseman had his soul back and his complete power was unleashed and ready at his command. In the Soul Forge Conquest was staring in disbelief at the case which held Percy's silver sword as the missing fragments started to fade into reality and slowly meld themselves together to form what was his scythe in it's true form.
The Lord and Lady of the Last Day had awoken at the same time when Death's soul had been revived but that wasn't the end of it.
The Void had returned, and it was coming straight for Death.
A/N: Really short chapter, I'm sorry, but I wrote this in an hour and now I need to go to work. Bye, love you guys and gals!