AN: Hello guys! I'm back. Does anyone want to know the reason of me not updating yesterday? Well, here's my excuse. I wrote a super, duper, longer than the necessary chapter. So, I hope you enjoy it!
The next update will be on Thursday (Probably, if I don't have a too-long chapter) and make sure to favorite, follow, and leave a review/comment!
======= Previously on The Rise of Night =======
Artemis smiled before they parted and she held out her hand. "Now, let's teach your sister archery before Percy's skills spread to her as well."
Zoë laughed as they walked toward Selyne and Percy. For the first time since she joined the hunt, she finally feels like she is home and that she had a family again.
======= Now =======
Selyne fell asleep the second her head hits the pillow that night. It was a long and tiring day for Selyne, talking to hunter after hunter. Everyone wants to know her.
She smiled in her sleep and Artemis and Percy smiled as well when they watched their daughter. They both kissed her goodnight before leaving the room, closing the light as they did so.
Selyne opened her eyes, only to be met with a bright light. She closed her eyes and wondered aloud. "Where am I?"
"You are everywhere and nowhere," three voices said in harmony, causing Selyne to turned around. She bites back a scream when she saw three old ladies standing there. The fates as her parents have told her.
"Never anger them or they will make your life a living hell," they had advice her.
"What am I doing here?" Selyne asked politely with a small smile.
"Afraid aren't you?" The middle sister asked, walking toward Selyne as she did so.
"Being frighten won't solve your problem," The sister on the left stated, touching Selyne softly on the cheek. Surprisingly, their hand was soft and warm, so unlike how they look.
"What problem?" Selyne asked, only becoming more and more frighten. There was no answer.
"What problem?" She asked again, louder this time. "What problem do I have to face."
The fates didn't answer the girl, only talking in harmony again. "The stormy sky bellow in rage,
The oath of the internal virgin must change.
Aided by wisdom, love, and war,
A child she shall bear.
The lady of night shall plot his doom,
But aided by the heart, he should fend off all gloom."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Selyne asked worriedly. The fates didn't answer her for a while until they spoke again.
"That is a prophecy. The prophecy that determined the future. Your family has an important role to play."
"I have a lot of family members," Selyne replied. "Which one?"
"We can not say," the fates said. "But we are going to give you your domains early."
"Now?" Selyne asked, uncertain.
"Yes, now," the middle sister responded before they said in harmony again. "Selyne, daughter of Perseus and Artemis, goddess of natural beauty, loyalty, hunt, and stars."
"But isn't my mom the goddess of hunt?" Selyne asked, confusion written on her face.
"She is," the sister on the right answered. "But you are the minor goddess of the hunt."
Selyne nodded in understatement before asking the fate one last question. "Is there any more information you could give me about the future?"
They all exchange words in another language before they responded. "Yes. We will give you one last gift. Listen carefully."
Selyne paid attention as she heard her voice pull out from the fates' mouth, scaring her but she still listens carefully, memorizing every word.
"A girl born with a blessing,
she could release everyone from their curse.
Save the boy evil is processing,
Either for better or worse.
/
She has her mother's eyes,
Her father's hair as well.
You will be surprised,
Of the stories she could tell.
/
She's a child of both sky and sea,
The main souls in the war.
But she should eternally be free,
Or she won't be among you anymore.
/
The girl was born with a pure heart,
One that evil can't understand.
She can not be told apart,
Wherever in the crowd she stands.
/
When a love one is threatened,
She would be there for them.
They won't forget and,
Know what hit them.
/
The war will end, the girl will win,
But she may not know she's the one.
She will watch on with a grin,
But have no idea how it all began."
"Thank you," Selyne barely finished her sentence before she awoke.
======= Line Break =======
Artemis pace around the front door of her twin brother's house. She had rung the doorbell ten times already and still, no one has answered.
She sighed before she opened the door and was not surprised when it was not locked. "Apollo?" She called out receiving no answer.
Artemis looked around the room and was surprised when everything was clean. Apollo never keeps his stuff clean. She wandered deeper into the house until she reached his room. When she opened the door, it looked like a crime scene.
There was ichor everywhere and on the floor... Artemis immediately bend down and looked at the message written on the floor, probably with a sword as the wood floor looked like it could use some fixing.
"We can always find you no matter where you are. Surrounder and you will suffer less. Or you could use this to gather more information about us"
Artemis stared at the marble side machine next to the note. Why would Nyx just tell them how to defeat her?
Artemis sighed before she took the marble side machine and went out of the house, going toward Athena's house.
======= Line Break =======
Artemis knocked on Athena's front door and when she opened to the door a few seconds later, Artemis was so relieved. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Hi, Artemis," Athena greeted her with a smile. "How can I help you?"
"Apollo has been kidnapped," Artemis blurt out. Athena stood there, shocked before she opened the door wider and invited Artemis in.
"We better discuss this inside," Athena suggested. Artemis nodded and they walked into the house. They took a seat in the living room and Athena studied Artemis. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," Artemis said softly. "I'm just worried about him."
"Why didn't you call an emergency council meeting?" Athena asked.
Artemis shrugged. "I'm not sure. I also found this thing."
She held out her hand for Athena to see. Athena took it and examined it with an earnings look on her face. "I've heard about this before-" Athena started but was cut off by fourteen years old looking Selyne, who was visiting her grandparent today. Yesterday she was with the hunters and she thought she should visit her grandparent today.
"I've read about it," she breathed out before taking it out of her grandma's hand. Athena studied Selyne. She really is growing up fast, Athena mused.
"What does it do?" Artemis asked her daughter.
"Well," Selyne started when her eyes widen, and fear crept into her face. "Oh no."
"Oh no, what?" Athena and Artemis asked simultaneously.
"It will be active in about ten seconds," Selyne said, slowly backing away from the device and backing up.
Athena's eyes widen as well. The three of them were about to run out of the room before the machine exploded and a force knocked them out.
======= Line Break =====
Selyne sat up, her mind was foggy but she could make out that they were in the Olympus throne room. The machine was sitting there on the ground and Selyne hurried to get it. It could be their only way home.
She looked around the room and gulped when she saw twelve intense-looking eyes trailed on her. She glanced around and saw her mother and grandmother on the floor, slowly waking up as well.
She walked slowly toward them and hold on tightly to her mother's hand. Her mother's silver eyes looked at her with worry. "What-"
Selyne pointed toward the Olympian around the throne room and some demigods there as well. Athena woke up and stick closely to them.
"Who are you?" Zeus (Or who Selyne thinks is Zeus) thundered.
"Selyne," Selyne introduced herself.
Athena got on her feet as Selyne helped her mother up. "Athena."
Someone in the room gasped and Selyne gasped as well. There, on "Her grandmother's throne" sat another Athena (AN: I'm going to call her Athena with an AU next to it okay?).
"Did we went to the future or the past?" Selyne asked Athena softly.
"No idea," Athena admitted before looking at Artemis.
"Artemis," her mother introduced herself and Artemis (AU) looked at her mother in disbelieve.
"Where did you come from?" Zeus thundered. Selyne rolled her eyes at her grandfather.
"We came from either the past or future," Athena and Selyne said at the same time and Selyne smiled softly while Athena glared half-heartedly at her granddaughter.
"Time travel isn't possible," one of the demigods said with a book in her hand. She looked like a child of Athena.
"You're right, Annabeth (AN: Dun! Dun! Dunnnn!)," Athena (AU) said.
Zeus glared at the three of them. "Now tell us the truth."
"But we are telling the truth as far as we know, grandpa," Selyne said with confusion laced in her voice. People around the throne room gasped.
"I never remember having a granddaughter called Selyne," Zeus snarled. "You can't be my granddaughter."
Tears gathered in Selyne's eyes but she blinks them away and looked toward Athena. "Maybe we're in the past?" She sniffled softly as her mother wrapped her up in a hug.
Hera glared at her husband. "Now you make the girl cried."
Zeus just shrugged. "She was interrupting our meeting."
Athena (AU) studied Selyne with interest. "And who is your parent?"
"Artemis and Percy," Selyne answered as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You lied," Artemis (AU) rebooted. "I will never have a child with a boy."
Artemis' eyes widen at her other-self and turned toward Athena. "See, she is totally not me."
Athena rolled her eyes. "I can see that. Did you see me?"
"I think we're pretty alike," Athena (AU) decided.
"Wow," Poseidon smirk. "Owl face doesn't know something."
"And what made you think that?" Athena (AU) snapped back.
"You said think," Poseidon snicked. Athena (AU) gave him a death glare and Athena turned toward Selyne and Artemis.
"See, totally not me," Athena said with a smile, saying what Artemis had said earlier.
"Yeah," Selyne decided. "That is not the Grandpa Z I know. Or the grandpa P I know."
She walked toward Apollo and studied him. "I think you're okay though. You don't act that differently. You don't look too different."
"That's because I'm-" Apollo started before Selyne cut him off with a smirk.
"You're awesome," Selyne finished for him before giving him a smile and turned to her mom. "See mom, this is almost like our Apollo."
She walked toward the demigods and her eyes landed on a boy holding hand with Annabeth. "That's my son you're looking at," Poseidon commented and Selyne studied him.
"What's his name?" Selyne asked as she walked closer to the boy.
"Percy," Poseidon started and Selyne studied him.
"You look like my dad," Selyne finally decided. "But your eyes-"
"What's wrong with my eyes?" Percy asked. Artemis laughed softly and Artemis (AU) stared at her other self in disbelieve.
"My dad has sea-green eyes with sparks of grey in them," Selyne answered honestly. "So you are probably not my dad."
"Grey?" Annabeth asked, shocked.
"Yep," Selyne answered before a smirk made their way up her face. "My dad is a son of Poseidon and Athena."
Both Athena (AU) and Poseidon fainted and the rest have their mouth hanging open in shock. Zeus wasted no time barking orders. "Guards! Take these weird people away!"
Guards pooled in from around the throne room but Athena, Artemis, and Selyne won't have it. Artemis has her bow out and Athena has her spear. Selyne was between them with a bow as well. She heard her mom whispered to her. "Get away. Figure out how to get us back. We'll be fine."
Selyne had tears in her eyes when she saw this and she nodded her head, kissing her mother lightly on the cheek and hugging her grandmother before she disappeared into water vapor.
Athena and Artemis put up a good fight but in the end, they were capture and put into Olympus' most secure cell. And for once, Athena have no plan.
======= Line Break =======
Selyne collapsed on the forest floor after she vapor travel away and broke into tears. She was alone, in the middle of nowhere.
She was alone, with no one there.
She was alone, she has no one she could trust or rely on.
She sobbed quietly and sat against a tree. Her face in her hands and tears pooling out. She started singing softly. It always calms her down for some reason.
"Alone in this unknown world, no one I can count on.
I've never felt more alone, can anyone help me here?
I've always counted on my mother, who has always be there for me.
But now she is captured, I wish she was free.
My father is in my world, I want to see him too.
I am stuck in this world alone, I wish there's a star I could wish upon.
/
Alone in this unknown world, the weight of the world on my shoulder.
My family are all counting on me, could this world be any colder?
I wish someone knows how I feel, and can share my pain.
But I need to bare it all alone, if I want to see my family again.
But the cold only get colder, as minutes pass by,
I felt more alone than ever, and I already know why.
/
Alone in this unknown world, I would hold on to hope.
It's our weapon when we're all alone, I'm very glad that I know.
I'll plan then plan so I won't fail at all, I'll get my family out.
But I wish for a friend, to help me here, so I wouldn't have a doubt.
Nothing will get in my way, I'll get my family back.
That's a promise I will make, even if I get attack."
Selyne smiled at the song she had sung. It always calmed her. She found out she has a natural talent of making songs on the spot when you needed it and her uncle said that she got it from him.
She sighed again when she thinks about her family. What will they be feeling now?
======= Line Break =======
Michael was searching for Artemis, Apollo's sister. When he felt her, he wasn't surprised that she is on Olympus. She was with her daughter and Athena.
Michael sighed when he thoughts about his family. His mother is Hecate and he never knew his father. Nyx told him that he doesn't care about him. That's one of the main reason he joins Nyx, she promises him a family. He snorts at that thought, the closet family he had are the guards, which he won't count as family.
As he watched them from the window, he suddenly got knocked backward by a force and the blackout.
When Michael opened his eyes again, he was on a forest floor. He heard a girl's voice singing and he couldn't help but listen. He crept closer to her and it saddens him to see her cry. Michael wanted to run forward and hug her for some reason as if she was a magnet and she is pulling him toward her.
"Hello," her voiced sounded throughout the forest as the girl with long black hair and silver eyes stood in front of him. Her voice sounding like a soft melody.
"Hi," Michael waved nervously. He has never really talked to anyone other than the guards before. And most of the guards are monsters.
"What's your name?" She asked softly as she wiped away a tear on her eyes.
"Michael," he replied with a soft smile. He was surprised that she didn't run off yet. Most people are too scared to talk to him. "What's yours?"
"Selyne," she said shyly. The name sounded familiar but Michael couldn't remember where he heard it from. He shook her extended hand and felt sparks.
Only then did they realize how close they were standing and how their face was only inches apart. They jumped apart, blushing hard as Selyne dropped to the floor and Michael sat down beside her.
"So," Michael started. "How did you get here?"
"I can ask you the same thing," Selyne replied stubbornly.
"I asked first," Michael said, crossing his arms.
"I asked as well," Selyne rebooted, crossing her arms as well.
"But not first," Michael said, almost pouting now.
"But I heard once, first the worst, second the best," Selyne said with a triumphant grin on her face.
"Where did you even heard that?" Michael asked, pouting now.
"My uncle," Selyne answered proudly.
"Fine," Michael pouted. "I'll go first. I came here because of this forced thing and then I blackout. When I woke up I was here."
Selyne gasped. Michael came here the same way she did? "Me too!" She examined.
"Do you know how to get back?" Michael asked.
"No," Selyne answered sadly. "Plus, I need to find my mom and grandma first. They got captured by the Olympians."
"Oh," Michael replied, unsure what to say. They stood in awkward silence until Selyne suddenly have her bow out and Michael looked toward where she was pointing.
"The Olympians," Selyne breathe out and grabbed his arms. "We need to go now."
Michael listened to her without hesitation and they started running. Selyne saw a cave up ahead and she held onto Micheal's hand tighter without even realizing it. They dashed toward the cave and went in, hoping the Olympian won't sense them.
"Can you block your aura?" Michael whispered quietly to Selyne. She shooked her head. "I'll teach you later, right now I'll help you."
"Thanks," Selyne smiled softly at him as Michael closed his eyes, focusing on the task at hand. He needs to block their aura so the gods can't track them. It's the most important task right now. A soft glow surrounded them before it disappeared again. Michael let out a sigh of relief.
"Are you feeling okay?" Selyne asked with a concerned look on her face when she saw sweat dripping down his forehead. She touched his skin softly before quickly pulling her hand away. "You're burning."
"I know," Michael agreed. "That usually happens when I do the aura things."
Selyne put her hands in her pocket before fishing out a square of ambrosia and giving it to Michael. "Here, it would make you feel better-" She looked at him. "You can eat ambrosia right?"
"Of course," Michael chuckles softly. "I'm a son of Hecate."
"Cool," Selyne said with interest, studying him. "What kind of magic can you do?"
"Well, I can summon things, control mist, and lots of other cool things," Michael said as he leaned back against the wall of the cave. "What about you, any magic?"
"Well," Selyne hesitated before saying. "I'm the goddess of natural beauty, loyalty, stars, and hunt."
Michael gave her a teasing grin. "Should I bow to you, milady?"
Selyne giggles. "Nope. And don't call me milady."
"Whatever you say, milady," Michael said again with a smirk.
Selyne hit him playfully. "Seriously, stop with this milady thing."
"Never!" Michael exclaimed.
Selyne fake sighed before shooking her head. "What should I do with you?"
Michael shrugged and suggested. "You could keep me and I could be your pet."
They both burst out laughing and Michael felt the happiest he had ever felt ever since he was born. Suddenly, Selyne took out the small marble machine in her palm and Michael gasped.
That was the device Nyx had sent to Apollo's house. He keeps repeating the name Selyne in his head and suddenly, he understood. Selyne was Percy and Artemis' daughter, making her an enemy. But when Michael looked at her, all he sees was a sweet and innocent girl. Nyx told him that she is mean, that's why they are attacking her. But as he continued to study her, he can't see the monster Nyx had describe.
Could she be lying? Michael asked himself before Selyne snapped him out of his thoughts. "You okay there? You know how to use this machine?"
"No," Michael replied and he wasn't lying. From what Nyx had told him, this machine designed to trapped people into this world because she never finished the machine. "It doesn't look completed."
Selyne looked up at her new friend in surprise. "No wonder it looked weird." She studied the machine as she asked Michael. "Does that mean that we could never go back to our world?"
"We just need to complete the machine," Michael suggested. "If I know how..."
"Do you know how?" Selyne asked hopefully. Michael shooked his head and Selyne felt her body dropped. She doesn't want to be stuck in this place. She wants to go home to her family.
Suddenly, a bright light fills the room. Words appeared on top of the machine. "In order to go home, you must complete the machine. You only need to complete one more step for the machine to complete."
Michael and Selyne looked at each other. "Do you know the last step?"
"Nope," Selyne replied but was cut off when another sentence appeared on the machine.
"Do you want a clue?"
"Yes!" Both Selyne and Michael said simultaneously.
A name appeared. "Athena."
"What does my grandmother have to do with anything?" Selyne asked she covered her mouth and she had a suspicious look in her eyes when she saw that Michael wasn't surprised at all. "How are you not surprised? I don't think any demigod knows I excited. Grandpa didn't tell anyone yet."
She had her bow out instantly and she pointed in at Michael. "Who are you?"
"Michael?" He tried but Selyne wasn't having any of it. She released the string a little.
"Who are you really?" Selyne demanded again. "I know you are Michael, son of Hecate. But give me more information."
Michael sighed and when he answered her, he knew he would regret it. "I'm the commander for Nyx's army."
Selyne released the bowstring without hesitation but Michael ducked just in time. She circled him with a glare on her face.
"So you gave the order to kidnapped my uncle," she snarled and Michael sighed. Why must all women before snaring at him? "You attacked my family before I was born. You attack the demigod-"
Michael cut her off. "I know I did all those stuff but Nyx asked me to do it."
"And you did it without hesitation?" Selyne asked, her tone slightly calmer. "Did you think about what would happen? Did you know my grandmother almost die because of your order? Did you know that my father has to step in to save the demigods? Did you know-"
Michael cut her off again. "I know. But-"
"There is no but," Selyne growled lowly at him. "Think about all the children you're killing. Everyone you're harming. People's love ones. How about your father, what would he think?"
"He left me to die," Michael answered bitterly. "I don't care about him. Nyx took me in and I'll pay the debt by helping her with the war."
"I'm sorry about your father," Selyne said sincerely. "But, that doesn't mean you have to join her. What good does it do to destroy the Olympians?"
"Power," Michael answered honestly. "We want power."
Selyne sighed. "What does power do you? What do you get from power?"
"I don't want power," Michael corrected. "Nyx wants power. I want a family and Nyx promise me one."
Selyne sighed again. She could hear the bitterness in his voice. She learned from her grandmother. There are five things everyone needs in life, it's like a pyramid.
At the bottom, there are physiological needs. Then, there are safety needs. You need to feel save or else you can't live a happy life. Looking over your shoulder every few moments shouldn't be a way to live. Love and belonging are after that. That's the thing Michael lacked. And safety, Selyne thought to herself.
"But destroying home shouldn't be a way to get a family you want. Think about all the family you will be destroying. Can you imagine that? Would you want more people to feel the way you do?"
"If I feel like this, they should as well," Michael snarled. "Why could they have a family when I don't have a family?"
"That's call revenge, Michael," Selyne said softly as she looked down at her hands. "Revenge isn't good. A family should be there for you, was Nyx there for you? Did you get the family you ask for by working with Nyx?"
Before Michael can answer, Selyne continued. "Family can't be brought, so even if you work for Nyx, you won't get the family you wanted after. The older you get, the more you realize that it isn't about material things, or pride, or ego. It's about our heart and who they beat for."
"Think about it," Selyne told Michael before walking out of the cave.
Michael sat there thinking about what Selyne said. He was surprised when she didn't even threaten him or anything, she didn't tie him up. She just let him stay there and she wasn't afraid of him killing her.
He thinks about Nyx and the rest of the people there. Does anyone care for him? Can he consider any of them family? At first, he would answer with a yes. But the more he thinks about it, the more he thinks it's a no.
None of them really care. Nyx mostly snarled at him and he's pretty sure family isn't supposed to make you feel intimated. He thinks about the guard he sometimes talks to, they feel more like strangers than family. None of the people there ever show any affection for him.
Michael thinks about the last sentence Selyne said to him. It's about our heart and who they beat for. Who did his heart beat for?
No one, would be his answer a few hours ago but after talking to Selyne, she somehow made their way into his heart. She is the first one who had done that. She is the first person Michael had ever cared for. The first person he opened himself to.
He wants to tell Selyne that he will stop helping Nyx, but he knows that would probably result in his death. He sighed before walking out of the cave after Selyne to get some fresh air and clear his mind.
He went out and saw Selyne on the forest floor, curled up against a tree, and using a rock as a pillow. Michael did the nice thing and summon a pillow and blanket for her.
He gently put a pillow under her head, careful not to wake her before he dreaps the blanket around her. He saw her smile in her sleep and for the first time, he felt like he did the right thing.
======= Line Break =======
Selyne woke up to the sunlight. She was surprised when she woke up in one piece and didn't get killed by Michael. The thing is though, she feels like she could trust him. She feels like she could make him see the reason for being on the good side.
She sat up and immediately spotted Michael. He was eating something a few feets away from Selyne. Selyne smiled for some reason before she walked toward him.
"Good morning," Michael said when he felt her approach.
"Good morning to you too," Selyne replied before she saw what Michael was eating.
"Can I have one?" Selyne asked somehow shyly. Michael grinned and handed her one. She opened her mouth. "Why aren't-"
"You dead yet?" Michael asked her. Selyne nodded. "Well, I thinking about what you've said and... I realize that Nyx isn't really a family. That she can't really grant me family."
"What are you going to do now?" Selyne asked. "Are you going to leave them?"
"The army?" Michael asked.
"Yeah," Selyne agreed. "The army. And won't Nyx kill you for leaving?"
"She would," Michael agreed. "So I was thinking I could be the spy."
"Really?" Selyne asked in disbelieve.
"Yep," Michael answered before taking a bite off his bread. "And I think we would rescue Artemis and Athena and find out how to get back home while we're at it."
"What does the clue means though?" Selyne wondered before an idea popped to mind. "Maybe Athena has the answer!"
"Your grandmother who is stuck in a cell?" Michael asked, waving his bread around.
"No," Selyne explained. "The Athena from this world. I think she should have something in the library-" Selyne finished her sentence before both of their eyes widen.
"Ther will be all kinds of books in Athena' library and-" Michael started and Selyne continued.
"-There could be a book on how to fix the machine."
"But we have another problem here," Selyne addressed. "How will we get into her library with a wanted poster around Olympus looking for me?"
"I could go," Michael suggested as Selyne gave him a frown.
"Are you sure? You don't have to risk your life for me."
"I'm sure," Michael replied sternly. "I could do it. Plus, I could use the mist to cover myself."
"Okay then," Selyne agreed slowly. "So you will go find the book in Athena's library and I will stay here and wait for you."
"Sounds like a plan," Michael agreed as he snapped his fingers, and every trace of them being here disappeared. "I'll go right now."
"Be careful," Selyne said before surprising herself by planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "I don't want my only way back home to disappear right?"
"Are you sure that's the reason?" Michael teased even though his cheek was bright red as well.
"I'm sure," Selyne said with a grin. "Now go you pretty little head. Don't worry about me."
"Pretty little head?" Michael deadpanned and Selyne shrugged. "Glad to see you care too."
He disappeared into a black mist as Selyne slumped down onto the ground, a bunch of emotions running through her veins.