CHAPTER 3: I MEET THE MOST IMPORTANT VIRGINS OF GREEK MYHTOLOGY.
ZOE POV
Not even half way through and this was already starting to be the best day of my life. For once, there were no complaints from the Hunters. We went to hunt breakfast in the morning and had one of the most pleasant hunts in my four millennia in the hunt. Why? Simple the hunt has never been as close as it was now. Before there was a certain level of detachment between the hunters and Artemis and each other. But now they were like a huge and happy family with the best big sister they could ask for.
The day moved forward and we finally managed to track down and trap (due to the lack of better terminology and Lord Hermes's obsession with the GAME OF THRONES) the Dire Wolf. This thing was huge. We have been dealing with these kinds of things a lot. Lady Artemis along with Lady Demeter with a little bit of help from Lord Poseidon and Lady Hecate managed to hide all the more dangerous and rather rare animals which were believed to be extinct. They produced some kind of protection spell on them allowing them to move freely despite the whole industrialisation and pollution.
Mammoths could bear even the hottest days cause of this blessing while some of the dinosaurs would manage to find some kind of food so as to prevent them from eating humans. They still eat humans sometimes but mostly it's prevented.
Anyway, this wolf was a snow-white wolf during the Ice Age. This allowed it to grow up to five and a half feet. This was rare even in Dire Wolves. The highest they go to is 4 feet. This beast cleared that by one-and-a-half-foot. Not only that it was an intelligent beast. It didn't leave behind a trail any of the hunters could track. It cleared all signs of it killing any beast and above all else it didn't attack us when we were close. Most beasts tend to strike back when they are being cornered. This one didn't. He knew this was not a fight he could win. So, he did his best to distract us and ran.
In all the only reason we were able to keep a track of him was cause our lady was intrigued by him. He must probably remind her of Cernei. Cernei is the Ceryneian Hind. After a whole year tracking the beast, we managed to capture it this morning.
Due to this occasion, Lady Artemis wanted to treat us to something special so she went hunting. Whenever she did something like that, we tended to eat something very delicious like bear, wild boar or a gazelle.
This left all the hunters in a good mood. We were chattering happily and doing the duties and preparing for our amazing lunch and possibly dinner.
Of course, something or rather someone had to ruin this. The sun was right above us indicating that mid-day was around. Suddenly, something came screaming down from quiet literally the sun. It looked like a human or rather a boy who was of fire. He was screaming bloody murder. He was flailing around in the sky covered in fire.
He crashed into the ground and created a crater in the end of the camp. The boom that was emitted from crashing into the ground caused my ears to pop. It quite literally uprooted the tents around him including the tent that was holding the Dire Wolf. The hunt's wolves got scared and ran off. The falcons were all scattered.
Out of the crater smoke was bellowing. As the smoke cleared, we started to stalk forward.
"Nock arrows and hold," I told the Hunters in a low tone so as to not warn whatever it was that fell.
As we closed in the smoke cleared and something rose out of the smoke. A boy. He must 11 maybe twelve but he was tall for his age. He had raven black hair sticking out every which way. His eyes were sea green with a few specks of black. They were beautiful. What really struck out about his eyes were his pupils. They were black like everyone's but they had specks of gold and light blue in them that were constantly moving creating a mesmerizing image.
Concentrate Zoe. Beautiful, mesmerizing. Bad words. Bad words. I managed to knock out my stupor and I aimed the arrow at him. He seemed to be struggling to collect himself. His t-shirt was torn and burned at a few places much like the base of his pants. He had a scar over the eyebrow of his left eye which went until his scalp. I could also make out a faded puncture wound on his left shoulder. He seemed to be wearing a bracelet that looked like it was made of bones on his right hand with a charm of a guitar hanging on it.
My eyes than moved to the leather scabbard on his belt near his left thigh. It was four feet long and touching the ground. He seemed to grasp his surroundings and looked at us ready to kill him. He seemed to realize the predicament he was in and raised his hands in surrender and tried to smile a friendly smile at us. It was oddly reminiscent of Lord Apollo and that didn't sit well with many hunters including myself.
Without even realizing it I said the words that changed the rest of my life.
"Fire"
Bow strings went slack, arrows zoomed forward and Phoebe looked forward with anticipation for what was probably very badly injured male.
The boy went to cover himself with his hands and a shield broke out of it. The shield was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
The shield had a bluish green circumference. The rest of the thing was completely black. It had multiple drawings on it which was golden in colour. It had nine concentric circles with each circle with a different picture. The first one had the sun, moon, earth and constellations. The second one had two cities full of people one was celebrating a marriage while the other was at war, the third a field being ploughed, the fourth a King's estate where the harvest was being reaped, the fifth with a vineyard with grape pickers, sixth of multiple wild animals and the flow of ecosystem and its balance, the seventh had a picture of an animal farm, the eighth of a dance floor with men and woman dancing and partying and the last one of the endless seas. The words Anéndotos in Greek were written on the blue green circumference. It meant Unyielding in English.
The arrows bounced harmlessly off the shield. Some of them managed to nick the boy on his calf, bicep and one on the cheek. The hunters were all in utterly shocked and fascinated by the shield.
The boy managed to look out of the shield at the hunters. He seemed confused by what we were staring at and looked at his shield. His jaw hit the ground when he looked at it.
Words flew out of my mind before I even realize what was happening "The shield of Achilles"
It was indeed a master piece. One of the greatest works of Lord Hephaestus.
The boy looked at me in shock as if he couldn't believe this shield was something so amazing.
We stood there in absolute silence for a few minutes.
During this time the boy managed to collect himself from his shock. He moved the shield around and joined his arms together in front of his abdomen. He made it seem like it was just a subconscious thing but I knew better. His sword was on the other side and this way we couldn't see if he tries to remove the sword from its scabbard and the shield could move either up or down to help him according to the need of the moment if we shot him. Also, he seemed to be protecting himself from what might be possible castration.
Finally, it was Phoebe who broke the silence
"Who are you, boy?"
He looked up at all of us and gazing intently. The gaze wasn't creepy or perverted rather it was curious. It seemed like he was trying to pry information. Suddenly his eyes widened to enormous proportions.
He immediately fell on his knees. He was facing nowhere specifically but it seemed he was speaking to the whole clearing at the same time, "Lady Artemis, I didn't mean to intrude into your hunt. It was a complete accident. It will never happen again. Please don't transform me into a jackalope."
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing followed by everyone. His voice started out normal and confident but by the end of it became shrill, fast and barely audible. He didn't lift his head. He seemed to not know what to do.
Suddenly someone came running into the clearing.
"Oh my god, if something happens to him Hermes is going to kill me. Out of all the places he could crash it had to be my sister's hunt. Why is his luck so bad?" Apollo said facepalming and breathing fast and sharp. He pushed through not even sparing a second glance at us and ran into the crater. The kid looked up at Apollo and he immediately smashed into him and started punching him.
The boy said something similar to
"You idiot, who pushes someone out of the sun chariot while it was flying? What kind of moron doesn't lock his car doors? I should probably shove you into Hermes's bag and throw you into the Bermuda triangle and be done with it."
"I get you. … ow….ow. I am sorry Percy. Ow. I won't do something like that …OW…" Apollo couldn't continue cause the kid who was apparently named Percy hit him a little too hard in his gut.
The kid stopped after that and got off Apollo. He gave Apollo his arm and Apollo pulled himself up. He started to dust his clothes of while the kid did the same thing.
Lady Artemis flashed herself into the camp at that very moment. She was carrying a huge dead bear on her shoulder which meant we had it for both the afternoon and night. She looked around at the dishevelled tent, the crater and most importantly Lord Apollo and the kid Percy.
Apollo looked up while the kid's ears perked up quite literally as soon as Lady Artemis arrived into camp. He looked up and immediately bowed deeply.
"Lady Artemis it's honour to meet you" said the kid named Percy.
Lord Apollo looked at the kid and said, "All I and Hermes got was an oh while you bow to my little sister and say it's an honour to meet her."
"I guess it wasn't an honour to meet you than" replied the kid cheekily. He then continued "I though Lady Artemis was older or at least that was what the book said."
"Finally, someone who acknowledges the truth" said Lady Artemis clearly exasperated.
Apollo scowled at the kid and kid gave him a cheeky grin. I was too busy trying not to laugh at his first statement. The other hunters weren't trying so much. Joanne was laughing heavily along with some others. While some of the other hunters were a little less noisy.
"Why are you here Apollo?" Lady Artemis asked her twin who gave her a smile. He said "Can't a brother visit his siter once in a while"
Lady Artemis said "I am not in the mood Apollo. That damn wolf got away again so tell me or get the hell out of here."
So, the tent collapsed and the wolf did get out. If she found out what happened she might kill these two.
Before Apollo could say anything, the kid looked up excited "Wolf. What wolf?"
The wolf in question howled from behind the kid. Apollo and the kid turned back and Apollo gulped while the kid looked at the wolf in awe. That was the first time I had seen it. His sword Pommel was that of a wolf and it was made of the horn of the Marathoinan Bull. The fact that he had its horn either meant he managed to kill it or he found it somewhere. My biased mind didn't accept the fact that he could kill such a powerful monster and chalked it up as something he found somewhere.
Apollo took a step back while the kid stepped forward closer to the wolf. "It's beautiful" he mumbled as he took another step forward. The wolf that was growling slightly looked surprised by this. He let the kid take another step forward before moving forward himself.
The wolf then tensed and got ready to pounce and the kid held his nerve. Everyone including Lady Artemis were watching with baited breaths. The wolf pounced on the kid and the kid did the same thing.
What followed was the most intense match of wrestling as a 11-year-old who was barely 5 feet tall managed to subdue a five and a half feet tall white wolf while 25 well trained hunters and two Olympians watched.
The kid was now sitting on the wolf which was down and had its mouth tied up with rope. It didn't move and accepted defeat. The kid got off the beast.
He took out a celestial bronze dagger. Lady Artemis was about to stop the kid when Lord Apollo stopped her and told her to watch.
The kid got down in front of the beast to his eye level and cut the ropes open. The wolf seemed surprised by this. He immediately turned around and the wolf was standing tall and composing himself
Joanne seemed to ask Phoebe "He turned his back to the wolf. It might attack him."
But the wolf didn't pounce. He stood up and sat on his hunches and waited. The kid turned around and stretched his hand out and asked "Can I?"
The wolf obliged and moved its head and placed it in his palms. He stroked his face fondly.
"You were a worthy opponent, an honourable fighter, a magnificent beast and above all else you are free. You aren't supposed to die or be chained. You are supposed to be a free spirit. Roam the wilds with freedom. Nothing out there has the strength to stop you unless you run into the Nemean lion. Go" he said and for the first time in almost two millennia my mistress was left speechless by a male.
Apollo was grinning a megawatt grin and his eyes were filled with pride. The wolf didn't move while the boy turned around and seemed to be ready to cry. The wolf moved forward and snuggled in between his side and hand. He caught the hem of his shirt with his mouth and turned him around. The wolf took a sniff of him and his eyes widened. He suddenly pounced on him and licked him on the face and wherever else he could.
Realization dawned upon Percy. Percy what the hell? The boy. Yes, the boy. "Winter" the boy asked in shock.
The wolf got off him and chased its tail once and sat on its hunches once again and woofed like a dog as if to say yes. His tail was wagging.
The boy crashed into the wolf and cried. "I'd never thought I would see you again"
The wolf seemed just as happy as the kid was and barked happily.
My day just kept getting weirder and weirder.
APOLLO POV
I didn't expect him to catch fire and fall. I really didn't.
We started simple in the flying shoes department. With simple flights in the sun chariot that I managed to transform into a truck so that he could fly around. He was pretty decently and came to sit with me again and we were talking.
Stupid ungrateful brat. How dare he say call my chariot weird cause it could transform? In retrospect I think he just wanted to rile me up. I came to know he was really in awe when he saw it transform or move.
Anyway, I pushed him a little too hard and he sort of fell down the door because I don't lock the door because I don't have too.
And off all the places he could fall in it had to be my sister's camp. Of course, I wanted to get my sister to meet Percy and help me and Hermes in the training but still I wasn't prepared for this.
All thoughts of escaping without my sister noticing went out the window when she flashed into the camp. Then that big dumb white wolf came up again. My sister doesn't shut up about that wolf. It was like that time she found that stupid deer. But Percy heard about the wolf and there was no stopping him. I didn't understand his obsession with wolves. I really didn't.
The wolf showed up and I now understood why Artemis said it had to be hunted. That thing was huge. It was five and a half feet tall. It was pure white in colour and had intelligent black eyes. All in all, it painted an intimidating picture.
It made me gulp and step back while that brat stepped forward. I didn't understand what he found beautiful about the wolf. It scared me half to death. He went ahead and they fought. Much like he said wolves respected strength and when he managed to defeat the wolf it accepted it. When he pulled out Sneaky (now this was a really stupid name unlike Silence). I knew what he was doing so I stopped my sister from attacking him or something.
I didn't see my sister so surprised by a male since Arthur's wish to sacrifice himself to save his fellow man and Lancelot's loyalty to his king (It later went out the drain when Aphrodite got her daughter involved).
Then the most bizarre thing happened the wolf licked him and started to behave like a dog. I know they were related but this was weird.
Percy started calling the wolf Winter and kept saying how much he missed him. I was not able to understand what was happening here but I at least knew who Percy was. The hunters and my sister were completely clueless and it was looking like my father was trying to cast his eye here.
"Artemis, can we take this somewhere more private" I asked I think I looked desperate enough cause she nodded and said "I want Zoe, Phoebe and Joanne with me."
That was understandable. They were her oldest hunters. I nodded and she started walking towards her tent. I looked at Percy and told him "follow me". The wolf named Winter seemed reluctant to let him go but he did it nonetheless.
Percy followed me to Artemis tent where the four of them were already seated. I looked back to see Percy and the wolf right behind me. Percy slipped in and the wolf stationed himself right in front of the tent flap.
I slipped inside and my sister looked at me expectantly. This was going to be a long day.
PERCY POV
Like I said the day had its plus points. I met Winter again and I also got to meet Lady Artemis and her hunters.
"Explain" Lady Artemis said looking at Apollo who just came in expectantly.
"Can anyone other than us hear this conversation?" asked Apollo.
Lady Artemis was not sure what Apollo was playing at but nodded nonetheless and said "No, they can't."
"Well," Apollo pointed to me and said "The kid here is Perseus Achilles Jackson, Champion of Hermes and student of Apollo and son of Poseidon."
The girl with the tiara who had long black hair, volcanic black eyes and a regal face seemed to be shocked by this. The ginger haired girl on the back almost fell off the chair. Lady Artemis raised an eyebrow and hid her shock well and the last girl with dark blue hair and sea green eyes looked at me and had a small smile on her face. I don't know why but I smiled back at her. She seemed so familiar.
"Are you sure he is a son of Poseidon?" asked the ginger hair girl. I seriously must have asked for their names. Stupid.
"Unless you know some other god whose children can talk to horses he is," answered Apollo.
"So, dad broke the pact huh. I though he wouldn't" mused the girl named green-eyes girl. Dad. Half-Sister. That was why she smiled. I will have to get to know her better.
"He is Hermes's champion and your student. How did that happen?" asked Artemis.
Now all four of them were looking at us or rather Apollo with rapt attention.
"Well, it happened about 11 months ago. Remember that day when we discovered about Peter Benet in a meeting. I met Percy that day."
"Percy" asked the tiara wearing girl. I didn't know why she seemed to say that but apparently Apollo caught on.
"He prefers it as Percy and not Perseus, Zoe. That's all. Anyway, that day I wanted to get drunk so I went to a bar with Hermes, Ares and Aphrodite" Lady Artemis's face changed to disgust at the love goddess mention. "We wanted to get drunk but as it turned out Dionysus was in that bar cause of party time and his influence stopped us from getting drunk. I left to Central Park for a walk and to clear my head but once there I heard the roar of the Chimera. I crept around to see what was happening. Percy here who ten years old than was facing of the Chimera and her mother. I watched from afar when Echidna revealed he was a son of Poseidon but I think he was too busy dodging to realize. He insulted Echidna and made her join the fray. This worked to his advantage because Echidna was fat, stupid and slow. She was obstructing the Chimera who got frustrated which made him sloppy. Percy dodged an attack and pulled a huge wooden log off the ground. The log was 10 feet in length and he smacked the Chimera with it. The log broke in two and he struck one end into Echidna killing her. But the Chimera recovered quickly and sunk his fangs into Percy. It spread poison into him. Percy went on to rip the snake head in two with its jaws. The Chimera jumped back and breathed fire onto him. He slid under the fire and used the other half of the log to choke the Chimera by throwing it into his mouth. The log was too deep to burn with fire and it chocked the Chimera and killed it. Percy collapsed from the poison effects. In the middle of the fight, I managed to figure out Hermes was watching too. With his help I managed to heal him and then took him to my palace. I placed him in a salt water tank and left him to sleep. I and Hermes decided to train him for the Prophecy because he was older than Peter by three months and honestly, he was a better choice than a wannabe Hercules."
Apollo finished and the four of them were shocked.
"Did he actually kill the Chimera?" asked the red head. She was less curious and more suspicious.
"He did Phoebe. I think he carries the pelt and gloves in his backpack. Show them Percy," said Apollo.
I didn't want to show them. It made me feel like a show-off. It didn't feel like much of an achievement if I couldn't save my mother. I scowled at Apollo and pulled the pelt and gloves out of the backpack.
The red head was shocked. Her mouth was wide open and her eyes were the size of dinner plates. My sister who I now assume is Joanne was looking at me with pride and a bright smile. The pride in her eyes almost made me blush. The other hunter Zoe was just surprised but she did well to hide it.
I placed it back in the pack.
Lady Artemis was looking at me and Apollo with calculated eyes as if she was trying to find holes in our story. She then said not taking her eyes off me "You said he taunted the mother of monsters. What exactly did he say? More exactly how did he know she was Echidna? If he didn't hear his parentage, he mustn't have heard her name when she was being her obnoxious and introducing herself."
Lady Artemis turned to Apollo at the end of the sentence.
Apollo straitened himself a little and spoke again, "That was because he knew about the monsters and Greek Mythology already. He has been fighting monsters since he was six. He is crazy strong like uproot trees and hit people with them strong. He didn't realize what they were at first but a cyclops picked up his scent and attacked him. He finished off the full-grown cyclops with his own hands. He freaked out and ran. Later on, when he went back to the streets he was attacked by a hellhound. He managed to defend himself. Its teeth snapped out when he delivered an uppercut to that thing and then he went on to stab it with its own teeth. He decided to kill monsters because they were horrible creatures. He used his spoils as weapons to kill them. Horns, nails, claws, teeth anything he could find. Percy show Artemis your sword" Apollo said suddenly turning to me.
I didn't want. Apollo was making it sound like I did something great. Anyone else would have done the same thing. That guy who died he tried to help too. I reluctantly pulled out my sword.
I spun it around and gave it to Lady Artemis hilt first. She took it into her hand and inspected it along with her hunter. After a few seconds the girl Zoe her face had turned into a scowl. Lady Artemis recognized the sword or rather what it was made off.
"Is this…" the girl Phoebe tried to ask.
"Yes, it's the tusk of a Erymanthian Boar. It's shaping has been well done too. Did you make this?" Lady Artemis asked turning to me. There was a silver of accusation and a silver of surprise but mostly curiosity.
Both my sister and Phoebe were looking at the sword like it was the coolest thing ever. Sure, they hated men but even they had to agree-Bone Collector was a masterpiece.
"He did" answered Apollo for me. "It was very vague in the start but Hermes trained him in carving and other kinds of activities. He perfected the sword and also managed to make a bow from his spoils."
They didn't need to know that. This was exactly what I needed more attention. As if I wasn't uncomfortable already.
"Where is the bow?" asked Lady Artemis.
I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to show them but Apollo was making me do this for some reason. I trusted him so I took off the guitar and placed it to the side and pulled on the bracelet. It extended into the beautiful bow called Silence.
Phoebe let out an "oh damn" after looking at the bow. Lady Artemis nodded to it while Joanne was admiring it while Zoe looked at me with a critical eye.
"Why were you reluctant to pull them out?" asked Zoe.
"Pull what out?" I asked Zoe.
"The weapons or the hide. You seemed reluctant to pull them out. Why?" she asked me accusingly.
"It made me uncomfortable" I said in a low voice.
"I am sorry, What?" asked Zoe.
"It makes me uncomfortable. It makes me feel like a show-off." I answered a little higher and more confident.
Silence condensed back into its resting form. I placed Bone Collector back in the scabbard. I looked back at the four of them. Joanne looked at me proudly. Phoebe was trying to be indifferent while, Zoe scowled at me.
I honestly could care less what they thought. If Joanne would allow me, I would talk to her and get to know her. I don't care about the other hunters. I looked at Lady Artemis. She seemed to be looking at Apollo who was not meeting her eyes. He was nervous.
ARTEMIS POV
I didn't know what to make of the boy. He managed to befriend the wolf which apparently is named Winter. He seemed humble and nice which was good or he was a wonderful actor. What I did know were true was the fact that he killed the boar, he killed the Marathonian Bull and also the Chimera I could fell the kill that occurred through the Spoils.
He crafted the weapons I could say that to cause the bow was unique and handmade. The kid also didn't react to some of the Hunter's harsher acts which also seemed like a good thing. My brain seemed to be saying remember Orion. They had the same father. What makes him any different? Men are horrible, abusive, chauvinistic pigs. But another part of my brain said remember Arthur, remember Napoleon Bonaparte (given Napoleon was a roman but still). They had the same fathers too.
I looked over at the demigod and he seemed to be smiling at Joanne and she was smiling back. Understandable Joanne or she was better known as Joan of Arc. She had a little brother who no one recorded. He was completely mortal and he joined his sister in the conquest. He was also burned along with her. Poseidon only managed to save her. He wasn't quick enough to save him. He might remind her off him. Actually, the hundred-year war was between the Greeks and Roman. The Greeks were French and wanted to rule themselves. The families were a huge legacy of Romans. The Greek moved around more than the Romans. The Greek Gods moved from Greece to Rome where we got our Roman persona. We than moved to Camelot and then France and then Spain. For some time, we hoped around in Austria, Italy and Vatican City and we went to America for the most of the 19th century and fought the most horrible civil war ever forcing us to forever separate the Greeks and Romans forever. We came back to Germany after the war and things seemed stable for some time until the First World War. This helped us move to the America after and we didn't move since then. The Romans didn't follow us. They stayed in United Kingdom after Camelot and didn't move until the time to go to the US for the first time. Napoleon was already born by the time they moved and this led to him moving to France and taking control of it.
I let go of this and looked at Apollo. He didn't meet my eyes. He was nervous. That wasn't something he was. Cocky yes, stupid yes, disgusting yes but nervous never.
The kid Percy also seemed to realize this and looked at Apollo. He lifted his head up and met my eyes. He was asking to talk. In private. I am not really someone to do this but his expression said this was important.
I obliged. "Phoebe, Joanne explains whatever you have learnt here to the hunt. Zoe escort Perseus to the lake and let him wash of the ash and soot all over himself and also make sure the Hunters don't kill him"
Zoe wasn't really okay with this but nodded nonetheless. Joanne was possibly deflated by not getting to talk to Percy but followed my order.
The boy mumbled something about it being only Percy but I paid no mind to it. He looked at Apollo and Apollo nodded to him.
He got up and followed Zoe to the lake.
I looked at Apollo and asked "what did you want to talk about?"
"I am not really good at this stuff. Artemis, I want your help to train Percy" Apollo said bluntly.
"What?" I croaked out because I couldn't believe my ears.
"Hermes and I want your help us train Percy" said Apollo slowly.
"Are you stupid? He is boy," I all but screamed but I didn't say no. Something about this Percy intrigued me.
"I am not really good at this convincing stuff. I must have let Hermes talk to you" Apollo said to himself. He pulled out his phone and called Hermes.
During this time my thoughts went back to Percy Jackson. He was okay, I guess. He was nice enough and it looked like he was modest too. Didn't like to show off. That would be good when he was in the hunt. What the hell? Artemis wait you didn't take him under your wing yet. Don't start assuming stuff.
During my internal musing, Apollo and Hermes had a chat and as soon as Apollo said the words Percy Hermes flashed into and started speaking
"where is he? What's wrong? What did you?" asked Hermes looking pointedly at Apollo.
"He sorts of crashed into the hunter's campsite" he stopped himself and then continued a little lower then before "from the sun chariot while he set himself on fire" Apollo answered sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
Hermes looked at Apollo for a few seconds and then started to massage his temples.
"Sorry Artemis for flashing into your camp without your permission," said Hermes. He took a seat next to Apollo and started.
"I am guessing Apollo already told you how Percy came under your care. I am just going to pick up from there. We need your help you to train him"
"What exactly can I teach him that either of you can't?" I asked them not yet dismissing the idea.
"Multiple things," said Apollo. Apollo continued "Percy is strong and has a good reach. He is quick on his feet with the inclusion of both Uncle P and Hermes's blessing. Hunting knives would be good for him. Hunting and stealth. He is fast but he is like a bull in a china shop. He leaves trails behind everywhere. Above all else we need you to teach him to be a demigod. He needs to learn to deal with monsters. He has dealt with them before but they were never in a group and they were all mindless monsters. If he deals with some kind of intelligent monster he might fail. He can duel me and Hermes as many times as he wants but it wouldn't be the same. Travelling with your hunt will open him to multiple opponents and monsters and a different kind of fighting style curtesy of you."
Hermes added with a cough "He might finally learn archery also since Apollo seems to be unable teach him."
I couldn't help but smile. The god of Archery unable to teach archery that was hilarious. Apollo scowled at Hermes and Hermes gave him a mischievous grin.
"What exactly did you teach him?" I asked Apollo and Hermes after I composed myself.
Apollo started, "I thought him music and will move him to combat music some time moving forward. I though him archery but it wasn't going so well. Only recently was Percy able to achieve something in that field. I also put him through some dodging and evasion training of fast projectiles and I am proud to say he moves at speeds that could make Hermes's children jealous. I also thought him mist manipulation and multiple healing techniques from basic use of herbs to powerful healing spells with nectar and ambrosia. I also though him how to use some of my other abilities like plagues and prophecy. It is very slow progress because he doesn't seem to grasp it. I might start him out on the solar flames training."
I nodded and turned to Hermes. He started "I thought him swordplay and use of dagger in fighting and carving. I also thought him control of expensive metals and money manipulation. He is not as good as Uncle H's children but he can manage should he need it. I also thought him efficient packing, lockpicking and a little fighting with flying shoes. He has a talent for them. Sooner than later, he will grasp the whole thing. I plan on teaching him a little illusion magic when I have time."
That was indeed an impressive list. Hermes might be a trickster and jester but he was an absolute slave driver. If he was complimenting Percy no Perseus, he was talented.
"This doesn't change anything. He is still a male. I can't have boys in my hunt" I said but my will to not do it was crumbling.
Apollo and Hermes looked at each other and Apollo nodded.
Hermes took a deep breathe, "Artemis at first the reason I and Apollo took Percy in was because we wanted to train him to save Olympus because Apollo thought he might be the prophecy child. Even if he isn't he has an important role to play in the prophecy that much Apollo was sure off. But Artemis his life was too horrible to end in a horrible death. His stepfather was an abusive drunk and he went around killing monsters after school hours because he didn't want to get hit by him. He was whipped and burned by his stepfather. He has scars all over his back curtesy of him and he wasn't even seven before most of the abuse was done. He then went on to lose his mother when he was 10. He was on the run for a month after that with no proper food and dodging and killing monsters. I couldn't allow him such a fate. I wanted to save him. Artemis that's why I am here. I am asking you to help us train him. Just so his chances of survival increase. Even if there was a slightest chance of this increasing his chance of survival, I want to take it. Please Artemis. I don't know what else to do and who else to ask."
I knew all about abusive drunks. Some of my newer hunters were here because of them. The fact that he suffered under one was only making it difficult to hold off the inevitable yes.
Apollo spoke next, "He first freaked out when he managed to kill the cyclops this caused him to run from the hellhound. It was chasing him and a homeless guy tried to help him and the hellhound ate him. This angered him and he attacked it and killed it. The reason he went and killed monsters was to make sure they didn't hurt anyone. There was no self-defenses. He went looking for the monsters to keep the mortals safe."
I saw into Apollo's eyes. He was speaking the truth.
Hermes started again, "He killed the Colchian Drakon. It was rampaging around New Orleans Swamp because he thought it was the groove of the Golden fleece. He called a lightning strike into its mouth while dodging the whole beast. He chalks it off as luck. He doesn't take any compliments from anyone."
The mystery of that beast's death had troubled me for the past three years. That thing was very hard to kill since it never had to rest and was always ready to fight and breathed fire. When I went to investigate its death. I found it's golden colored skin left behind. I tried to find how it died and who killed it. I could find out how it died. Lightning strike. Who did it? I didn't know. Now I did and I knew why I couldn't find out. Simple, the killer didn't take credit for it. Chalked it off as luck. I looked into Hermes's eyes and there were no signs of deceit in it either.
Even if any of my hunters did that they would brag and he chalked it up as luck. My will to not to train him was crumbling. Something else about him and I might just agree.
Apollo started again, "We considered asking Athena also but we decided that she would have told on us to dear daddy immediately."
All of us snorted at once. Athena might arguably be the strongest second-generation Olympian Goddess but she was a goody two shoes and a huge daddy's girl. She would report it immediately.
I looked at Apollo and Hermes and took a deep breath. I steeled my nerves and nodded my head in yes. I than continued, "I will do it."
PERCY POV
There was no denying this.
The hunt was so cool. If I was a girl, I would have joined immediately. Alas, I am not.
The most amazing thing about the hunt was the animals. Sure, there was immortality but things might get boring if you lived for a bazillion years.
Other than the falcons and the wolves (so precious) there were the random animals that came and went as they pleased. As I was walking through the camp a sabretooth tiger just went walking through the camp. A group of Gazelles went hopping by and a Black Panther strolled into the camp and sat at Phoebe's leg while she patted it.
The hunters were either glaring or looking at me suspiciously. I wasn't really bothered by this. I walked to the stream and Winter followed me all the way there. I was about to remove my t-shirt when I realized Zoe was still in the clearing. I looked at her and she didn't move an inch.
"Would you mind going someplace else. I am going to remove my t-shirt." I told her.
"My lady asked me to watch over you. You don't know the hunters like I do. They wouldn't mind attacking you even when you were in the stream," said Zoe. She settled down and pulled out her knifes. She started sharpening her knife using a whetstone.
I was not as okay with this as Zoe. The situation was embarrassing enough but the scars would only increase the embarrassment. I didn't want anyone's pity either. This was why I liked Hermes. He didn't show me pity. He moved on from it. He was there for me and let me do things on the own. Apollo later on realized that was the right approach so he started to do it in a very annoying way which infuriated me.
I removed the T-shirt and waded into the stream slowly. I was suddenly thrown into the stream by Winter who followed me inside.
ZOE POV
Stupid, Disgusting, Vile Boy.
What did he think? I was going to see or something. No, I am a hunter. I must just shoot him for thinking such a thing and I probably would if it wasn't for the fact that milady told me to keep him alive. Maybe I can maim him a little.
I was broken out of my musings when the boy screamed and I heard a huge splash and then followed by another splash. I turned back to see the boy in the stream and so was the wolf. He was scowling at the wolf and the wolf looked amused.
The boy said "If that's how you want it..."
He didn't finish the statement cause a ten-foot-tall wave just sprung out of the stream and clashed with Winter. He drowned and flew towards Percy who jumped on it and they started roughhousing and playing with the water.
The wolf caught Percy by the hem of his trousers and threw him over himself. He started running and jumping around the stream splashing water everywhere. Percy was laughing out loud and the wolf also seemed to enjoy this.
That's when I saw it. His body looked like no 11-year-olds should. It was riddled with scars and puncture wounds. The scars were off claws, and snakes. There were some burns on his body. But his back was even worse. They were full off scars too. Scars from a belt or whip. How did I know? Some of the hunters had them. Abusive parents or family relatives.
He was embarrassed to show his scars. He didn't want me to see and if he was anything like Joanne, he didn't want the pity either. He suddenly turned towards the direction I was in and I immediately turned around. I didn't know if he saw me staring or not. I didn't want to know what kind of monster struck him like this.
The wolf seemed to climb out of the stream because he shook his mane trying to rid himself of the water. Percy climbed off the wolf because I could hear him land. I didn't know how long I stood there but he spoke suddenly "Shall we move, Miss Zoe."
"It's Nightshade. Zoe Nightshade" I said turning around. I didn't know why I said that. He changed into a different T-shirt. This one was blue and had a Trident on it. He nodded and stretched out his hand and said "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zoe Nightshade. My name is Perseus Achilles Jackson."
PERCY POV
It has been nine months since I met Lady Artemis and the hunt and for the past six months, I have been travelling with them.
The dummy I was practicing on looked like it went through a blender which had its blades on fire. Apollo had though me the basics of summoning Solar flame but before we could go further, I was sent away. At least I got to learn some combat music on my guitar.
I was practicing in the Hunt's combat training circle. They had weapon duels here. I looked into the watch on my hand and it showed 1 in the night. The shield of Achilles or Anéndotos was simply amazing. That thing was a tank and could withstand anything. It was light and packed quiet a punch if we wanted to use it to hit someone. It would also return to my hand like the Captain America's shield. The only problem I had to practice with the shield. I failed about a hundred times and had to suffer the taunts from Apollo and Hermes for a whole month.
Hermes and Apollo. I miss them. Tensions were high in Olympus since my father was threatened by Zeus. Zeus accused him of scheming under the sea when he didn't show up for the Winter Solstice. Apollo said it was hilarious when my father showed up after his threat and Zeus quiet literally shrunk into his throne when the Trident was levelled at him. The master bolt that was thrown around was deflected by my father with his bare hand and he said "You have to do better than a shiny firework show to threaten or hurt me little brother."
He also said he didn't have time for Zeus's cuckoo paranoia stories. He flashed out causing a quiet literal earthquake and hurricane.
Ever since Olympus was on high alert. This caused me to have to stay with the hunt for the past six months since everyone was moving around and I might get discovered.
This was what lead me to be dragging a practice post to set up in the training ground. The day immediately after my birthday Apollo and Hermes together dropped me off at the hunt. When the hunt was told of their mistress decision, they were very livid. They kept giving me the evil eyes and disgusted glares except for my half-sister Joanne and to my surprise Zoe. Joanne was an incredible person and she was really the only person whose company I enjoyed in the hunt. She helped me get a better control on my powers and though me some new tricks. We bonded and started to behave like real brother and sister.
In the first month I spent most of my time with Joanne or Lady Artemis. She took care of my training. Lady Artemis had given me a pair of hunting knives which I named Alpha and Beta. They were generally Bronze but became silver on turning the hilt clockwise. This was just in case I ran into werewolves.
Not only did I train in the hunting knives she also made me practice sword fighting and hunting in the woods. I could shoot a bow lot better now and also; I was much quicker and a lot stronger cause of my time with the hunt and the strict training regime Lady Artemis gave me.
I found myself bonding with Lady Artemis during my training and she seemed to be okay with me even though I was a 'filthy male'. I thought maybe one month with the hunt won't be so bad as I left at the end of September.
I went back to Hermes after the one month stronger and faster and more experienced in dealing with monsters. We trained and also did other things. Apollo thought me combat music and Hermes trained me better in the use of my flying shoes. Apollo's volleys got quicker during dodging practice.
This was not all. Hermes and Apollo were starting to feel like actual cousins. Apollo the goofy and fun cousin and Hermes the more sarcastic and caring cousin. I was at a happy place and hence all hell broke loose.
Zeus happened and the high alert forced Hermes to have to drop me off in the middle of November, instead of the planned end of December, in the hunt and the six months that followed to this day were the absolute worst. At first, they were fine but even Lady Artemis had to leave and returned only once every week and helped me train. The rest of the time was absolute nightmare.
The hunters were obviously trying to drive me away and they started pranking and attacking me. They never did anything direct fearing Joanne or Winter's reaction but stuff kept happening. I sheathed Bone Collector in its scabbard on my back and pull out my hunting knives Alpha and Beta strapped to my legs. I strapped Sneaky horizontally to the waist band of my jeans.
I started practicing with my knives on a fresh training post. Just yesterday the hunter set off a wild bear on me which had my scent. I killed it using my bow. I didn't tell on them because it would have made things worse. I didn't leave because I am not scared and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction. I ripped the training posts head off with my bear hands after I stabbed and left the knifes in what can be called his arms had they not been so shredded.
I looked at Winter. God I never thought I would see him again. When I was seven, I befriended Winter. He was wounded and I healed him and protected him. He was still small than only two feet tall but now he was close to six feet tall. We bonded and played and I gave him his name Winter. I left the park that day because it was late and he followed me. He got lost on our way and I forgot about him. Hermes and Apollo said it was Artemis's blessing to save such creatures. Until I met him on my 11th birthday, I didn't remember him. This explained my weird obsession with wolves.
I sheathed Alpha and Beta and left the training ground. I was walking towards my tent. I looked to my left and saw the point where I fought the fire breathing snake. That snake was smart and did it's best to kill me but Winter and I managed to kill it. That was about three months ago. We have been stuck in this Campsite since then cause Lady Artemis stays in the hunt for lesser and lesser time.
That day I also found out that the gloves I got from Chimera can form actual paws and have claws coming out of them too. They were like Wolverine from the X-Men. That was going to give me a few more techniques in fighting. I always wore them after that encounter since I wore them that time because it was cold.
I looked at the campfire that was barely burning as I was going to my tent. A girl no older than eight was seated on one of the logs and was tending to the fire. She wore a cloak. I recognized the figure. Hermes, Apollo and Artemis talked about her a lot. They said she was the best aunt in the whole world. I walked towards the figure who seemed oblivious to her surroundings.
I bowed in from of her and said, "Hello Lady Hestia."
Winter had gone to sleep near the hearth. The eight-year-old goddess seemed startled by me speaking but that didn't fool me. I remember what Hermes and Apollo told him about her other than her very delicious Thanksgiving dinner is that Hestia knows all. They don't know how she does but she tends to know everything happening around the Greek world.
She turned towards me. She looked beautiful. Her face was calm and serene. She looked regal like a princess but she didn't seem high and mighty like Zoe did. Zoe Nightshade confused me. She was neither bad nor good to me. It seemed like she tolerated me cause Lady Artemis asked her to. Aunt Hestia had long brown hair flowing to her waist. Her eyes were a wonderful shade of reddish brown like the cinders of a campfire.
After she composed herself, Lady Hestia spoke, "A rare occurrence. A boy alive in my nieces' camp. Especially after the sun has set. People might consider you suicidal but given who your parent is I am not surprised."
This was not what I was expecting while a kind and wonder woman and goddess Apollo said she had a weird sense of humour. Hermes said it wasn't exactly weird. He said it was unique. Hestia knew what we needed with her and she also knew it was something embarrassing too. She would tease and corner them into spilling the beans.
My three mentors also said that I would run into her sooner than later so when I imagined I would meet her I wanted to do everything in my power to not give her the amusement she wanted.
The fact she directly got to the point caught me off guard. She gave out a hearty laugh at my expense.
"Sit Percy Jackson" she said and I did as I was told.
We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. The hearth started burning a little brighter and it was filling me with warmth and good memories.
"So, what troubles you my young nephew?" asked Hestia.
"What makes you think something is troubling me?" I replied back a little too quickly. The warmth was making it difficult for me not to spill my gut out. Lady Hestia also had an aura, I guess, of calmness and serenity.
"You are a lot like your father. The eyes, the hair, the fierce protectiveness, the loyalty and above all your stubbornness and unyielding nature. I guess the shield suits you in that matter" said Lady Hestia.
I didn't know how to respond to that.
She continued, "I remember during the Titan War before we the final fight he was anxious and a lot was weighing on his mind. He was stabbing trees with his Trident and destroying mountains with his earthquakes. He didn't go to sleep until Demeter smacked him up the head and dragged him inside. You are doing the same thing. You just destroyed those poor posts and now you would probably be going to burn or drown the forest. I couldn't let that happen could I. I'd rather not destroy this place in a forest fire."
I just blurted it out after she was done "The hunters are mean."
"They indeed are" she wanted me to continue and I obliged.
"I thought it would not hurt to be around the hunt so much. The first month was okay but these past six months have been absolute torture. They have pranking me and honestly, they were simple at start but they are getting more horrible and dangerous as times goes on. Just yesterday they set off a rabid bear on me. Three days ago, I got catapulted by a pulled down tree. I almost got burned alive ten days ago."
"That is natural considering who they are but this is not what bothers you. It's something else. I know from my infinite wisdom that you are no new customer in the pain department" said Lady Hestia.
I guess that was true. I was used to much worst from Gabe. I mean that piece of trash once burned me on my peck using an iron pan every day for a whole week. The pain was not what troubled me. I knew what troubled me now.
"It's their lack of effort that troubles me not the pain. I have been doing my best to get their approval. I have not told on them. I have treated them with respect. I helped them wherever and whenever I could. Heck I took an arrow for their lieutenant in my thigh. This only seemed to make them hate me even more" I said.
We were attacked by a bunch of Dracaena who were organized in a phalanx about four weeks ago. There were archers behind the shield walls. I quiet literally slammed into the wall with Bone Collector and Anéndotos and broke it away after we weren't able to do much damage with bows or hunting knives. During the Chaos on of the monsters managed to aim an arrow at Zoe. I saw what was happening and pushed her out of the way to save her from being hit by the arrow but it managed to strike me in my left thigh.
Hestia chuckled after my tirade and murmured something about me being so much like my father. "Percy, you have to understand the hunters are creature of habit. For years they have been hating men like Gabe and their hatred only grew as a new hunter joined or one fell to the blade of a male. Suddenly you come around. You were powerful and they expected an arrogant boastful pig not a kind hearted, generous and humble demigod. Respecting them, being decent, being nice helping them. They don't know how to react. Honestly, if I am right, they would have preferred if you didn't try to get their approval. They would prefer if you were disgusting because it fit their ideals perfectly so they want to see you as such. Over time the younger one has been swayed away seeing you were to put it in their terms bearable. This only aggravated the older ones into more desperate methods. You have been patient so long. A little longer and they will cool down."
I nodded. "I guess I understand what you say."
"Anyway, that was not why I was here. I have an overdue birthday present to deliver to my young nephew" said Hestia smiling at me.
During the conversation I didn't realize Hestia became a thirty-year-old and now the scene might have looked like an actual aunt giving her nephew some advice and a gift. Only if their talks were about something normal and not about me gaining the approval of some stereotypical man heating maidens who were immortal.
But the gift part caught me off guard.
"Gift, what Gift" I asked Lady Hestia.
Hestia smiled and pulled out a pen from her pocket in her cloak.
I looked at the pen. It looked well-made like the designer took great detail in making it. It was made off a silver cap and a bronze body.
"This is called Riptide or much better as Anaklusmos"
"The current that takes on by surprise" I translated.
She uncapped the pen and it became a six-foot-long spear. She gave it to me and weighed it in my hand and it felt perfectly balanced. It seemed the right weight good for throwing and fighting in close quarters. It had its name inscribed near the blade of the spear. The spear was hollow in the centre and made completely of celestial bronze. This meant it couldn't be snapped. It looked beautiful with a bunch sea wave designs on it with a bunch of sea creatures inscribed on. At the base a trident was inscribed. The blade was about a foot long and looked pretty sharp.
I looked at Hestia with disbelief written on my face. "This is for me." I asked it as more of a question.
Hestia chuckled and ruffled my hair, "It is. It had a long and tragic history. It has been multiple things over the course of time but I guess it was time it came to the right user for it. Use it wisely Percy"
"I will milady, I won't let you down" I said standing straight.
"Oh, none of that of that milady stuff. Call me Aunt Hestia" she said with a smile.
I smiled back at her and nodded.
"Thank you, Aunt Hestia."
She nodded and hugged me before leaving. The hug filled me with warmth and without me even knowing I started drifting off to sleep.
I heard my aunt say "Sleep well Percy Jackson you have a long road ahead of you."
Line Break (Next Morning)
The next morning, I woke up to Winter's howling some gasps of shock an outrageous scream and some high snickering.
Joanne was being restrained by Zoe while Phoebe and Atlanta were in one corner looking towards my tent. The youngsters of the hunt were all gasping and taking deep breaths.
I got up and watched towards the direction they were looking to see my tent. My instincts kicked in. No, Please no.
Please don't let it burn. No.
I was muttering the same thing again and again as I ran towards my tent that was being burnt.
ZOE POV
This was taking it too far.
The hunters had pulled another prank on him. I knew of most of their doing like the prank ten days ago like the magic pit that they dug for Perseus or the kitchen accident with his eyebrows but this might have been too much. I could see the poor kid running towards the burning tent in fear of something. Why was he scared I didn't know? He was about to enter the flaming tent and Joanne screamed for him not to go into the burning tent. The wolf Winter got to him before and pulled him away before he could. We watched in silence as the tent collapsed and there was nothing but ash left of it.
I than heard it. A scream. A scream of anger and anguish and Perseus turned towards the Hunters. The winds were picking up and lake nearby started churning. The sky darkened and the ground started freezing.
He let out a growl of animalistic rage and thunderclap followed. It started raining horribly and the rain drops felt powerful slaps against our skin. He started walking towards us and sparks were flying of his body. He started glowing in the solar flames of Apollo as vapour gathered around him due to the contact between the rain and fire.
"I saved you. I saved all your worthless lives from that stupid snake and those monsters. I must have let them kill you all."
Winter was standing behind him and growling at us.
He took one more step forward and his eyes started glowing the rain got harder and a few pieces of ice came down too. We flinched and moved back. An arc of pure electricity fell from the sky behind and made us yelp.
"Don't move." He said simply in a cool and commanding tone that made even me flinch. "I have been nothing but nice too you but if you are two narrow minded and stupid to see I am helping I can't help you."
"How dare you boy?" screamed Phoebe that was barely audible over the howling winds.
A spear appeared out of nowhere and he threw it at Phoebe pinning her shirt to a tree.
"I was not done yet" he said in barely restrained fury.
"What gave you the right to even come anywhere near my tent? Not only did you come near it you burned it. I have stayed away from you. Never even touched you. What gave you the right?" tears started to spill from his eyes as he cried. This only made things worse. The hail got bigger and trees were starting to be uprooted and another lightning strike set the medical tent on fire.
For the first time in my life. I was scared. We always had Lady Artemis around we were never really in any danger but the amount of power this single demigod was releasing and the chaos he was bringing was there was no other word for it terrifying.
"It was the only thing I had of her" Perseus said.
He screamed the same thing again
"IT WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD OFF HER." He fell to his knees and banged his hand on the ground hard.
The stream roared and hit some of us dousing us completely and putting the fire on the medical tent out. The ground rumbled like an Earthquake was about to hit. Some of the hunters were hit by the hail pieces. Slight scraps nothing major. But the occurrence of the earthquake scared me. When her brother died Joanne unleashed an earthquake. The whole island she was on broke in two and submerged due to it. If he did something like that we were doomed.
"You took her away from me" he screamed. The scream was so loud it left boom around it wake. The grass rippled and the closer hunters got blown back by it's loudness.
"Canary scream" I heard Miat mutter in fear and awe. Whoever this she was apparently very important. After the scream, the earth unleashed a huge tremor.
Instantly everything went back to normal. Percy's anger evaporated and he looked around as realization dawned upon him. He saw the injured hunters, the burned tent the scorched earth the burning and uprooted trees. He looked away in shame and guilt.
He ran and jumped into the stream and swam at speeds I couldn't comprehend. Joanne looked ready to follow but a growl from Winter told her to stay away. He ran after his master. I remembered something Percy told Joanne when they were near the stream and I was around too.
"He is no one's slave for me to be his master we are companions and friends" I heard him tell Joanne.
How could I have doubted such a person. Why did I turn a blind eye? This was not good.
Two minutes later Lord Hermes and Lord Apollo showed up at the camp site along with Lady Artemis.
"What did you do?" Lord Hermes asked pointing his Caduceus at us as the snake hissed at us threateningly.
NO ONES POV
A woman in her mid-twenties could be seen walking on the beach in Montauk.
She had long brown hair and piercing grey eyes. She looked at the beach and sighed. She was dreading something.
She slowly walked to a beach cabin near the beach. She discovered the place three years ago. It was secluded and she could afford to let herself down a little. It was also the place no one would look for her.
She went into the cabin and found something which scared her more than spiders and that was saying something. A boy about 12 years old looking at her with red puffy eyes. He has been crying.
He had sea green eyes that were bloodshot. His hair was raven black and windswept. He had a scar on his fore head running from his left eyebrow to his scalp.
Could he be...? No, don't jump to conclusion without facts. She decided to start with a diplomatic approach.
She moved towards him and he flinched. He had bluish green watch on his left arm and bracelet which seemed to be made of bones. A guitar charm and a skull charm hung of the bone bracelet.
She said in what she though was a soothing tone "Shh! Relax, I am not going to hurt you. What's your name?"
"Percy. Percy Jackson" the boy replied.
She must extend curtsey. She could introduce her as herself but something made her stop.
She decided for a different approach. She might hate that form but finally it was coming off some use.
"I am Minevra. Minevra Chase. Nice to meet you, Percy Jackson." she extended her hand.
The kid grasped it.