Authors Note: So, I'm pretty sure authors know about this but there's this traffic graph that lets us authors know how many people have read a story. And we have officially hit 5K+ views! Though I'm not sure how accurate it is or how it works, but that's still cool. Also, a mini disclaimer, there is a hunting segment in this so yeah just getting that out of the way.
Chapter 8: Domains and a wild hunting chase.
CLANG!
CLANG!
These were the noises that rudely woke up a sleeping Perseus, who did not waste time in yelling at Apollo to quite it down. Not the first time it happened which is why Perseus targeted him specifically. It wasn't until he realized that the clanging noises still continued that he opened his eyes to see that he was definitely not in his bedroom up in Olympus.
Instead, he was lying on the floor of a massive forge, bigger than the ones his Uncle Hades had. The walls were lined with a large assortment of tools used for forging with one side being completely covered with lava. There was a large furnace, burning with a strange white colored fire that Perseus had never seen before but oddly felt connected to it. Large noises were suddenly heard and Perseus turned around to see large metal doors being slowly opened. Not knowing what in the world was happening, but not taking the risk of being caught, Perseus ran and hid behind a rather large drawer, next to the doors. The doors then opened and a lone cyclops came inside muttering to himself.
"The best set of armor he has ever seen...and for what?! He's only impressing Mother Gaia, not galivanting off for some fight. Or is it their thing? *sniff*, all I know is that the armor is going to lay forgotten in less than five minutes once they meet, that's for sure."
The cyclops picked up a slab of metal and threw it into the furnace, the metal melting within seconds. The cyclops then approached the drawer, not noticing a shaking and pale godling behind it. He momentarily paused, but then shook his head and pulled out a mold of what looked to be of some type of armor from the drawer and placed it beneath the furnace. He then pulled a lever which opened a slot, allowing the molten substance to seep into the mold from the furnace. The doors of the room were opened once again, revealing an earthborn.
"Boss wants you to know that the armor should have drakon skulls as shoulder pads. And the inside should be padded with hellhound fur." said the earthborn.
The cyclops frowned on hearing this. "Drakon skulls?! This armor is going to look so badass but ultimately forgotten like the last one. Barely two weeks and he wanted one made of dracaena skin and stygian iron. But hey, if you're the master of these lands, you wouldn't have to worry." he said, shaking his head.
"If I may be so blunt, what happened to that war we had against Nyx's forces all those months back? I'm surprised our lord just...abandoned it." the earthborn asked.
The cyclops snorted. "Oh he's not over it, he may claim to have gotten over it in favor for going with Gaia's plan but he's still shifty about that cube thingy, whatever that is. He's been sending a monster every month just to find it even though no one knows how it looks like. All it has going for it is that it has the scent of Lady Night, and that's about it really. And no breakthroughs yet."
The earthborn just looked at him expectantly until the cyclops sighed. "You won't get more information, now tell our lord that it'll be done, and scram!" he shouted.
The earthborn merely bowed his head and went away. But as he was closing the doors, he momentarily stopped as he sniffed the air. "Kylotes, is it just me, or can you smell something absolutely delicious in here?" he asked the cyclops.
Kylotes narrowed his eye as he sniffed the air. "I couldn't notice because of the metal, but yes, I can smell something so appetizing. As if it's a... god..." he then whirled around to face the drawer and his eye widened. "It's coming from there!" he shouted.
Perseus was full on hyperventilating now due to being so powerless right now as booming footsteps came his way. He tried to shadow travel but was paralyzed on the spot. A groaning noise could be heard as the drawer was slowly being pulled forward, excited noises coming from the other side. Suddenly, a large inky blanket of darkness consumed the entire room, making everything go black. Standing right at the center was figure a figure glowing an eerie purple who rested her hand on Perseus's face, warmth immediately rushing through him.
"Open your eyes."
"Wake up Perseus."
Perseus's eyes flew wide open as he scrambled up from his bed, panting loudly. Warm hands immediately circled around him, brushing his hair and rocking him back and forth.
"It's alright sweetie, I got you. You're alright, no one's going to harm you." Hestia whispered to her distressed son. She had gone to wake him up, only to find him thrashing on his bed, sweating bullets. She honestly didn't know what was happening to him, immortals rarely slept much less ending up distressed after it. She continued her ministrations on Perseus wondering what set him off. It must have a been a nightmare she though. But then again, immortals never got dreams, much less nightmares.
Sensing that her son had calm down considerably, Hestia got him to face her, worry etched on her face. Perseus's eyes were dark, the little blue around his pupil barely visible.
"Sweetie, what happened? Did you have a nightmare or...?" Hestia asked, her question trailing off.
Perseus shook his head. "I don't know, but it felt so real. I was their mom, it felt so real, it was so sc-scary I-"
"It wasn't real, you're still here, right? No one's going to harm you up here, not under my watch."
"I know" Perseus said, a faint smile on his face. "I know."
"Now, seeing that Apollo is not here to wake you up, he will now not make you eat sunny side-up eggs for the fourth time in a row. So how about I make you your favorite black currant pancakes?" Hestia asked.
"With whipped cream?" Perseus asked, making sure to make his eyes big and to pout.
"Damn Poseidon for teaching my son his baby seal look." Hestia thought as her resolve crumbled. "Yes, you can have it with whipped cream." she said, sighing.
"Yaay, thank you mom!" Perseus replied, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and rushing to the bathroom to get changed. Hestia shook her head fondly and went to the kitchen to prepare their meal.
Twenty minutes later, a rather energetic godling was waiting for his mother to take him to the island of Delos, where his two new best friends stayed. While Artemis and Apollo were given the option to stay in Olympus with Athena, since she already knew how to handle them Much to her dismay and chagrin, they ultimately decided to remain back in their home island with their mother until they got their domains. Not to mention, Hera was still not ready to accept them in cause of obvious reasons. Hestia met Perseus in the living room, took his hand and flashed them over to the island, just outside, the twin's home. Artemis was outside, whetting her arrows, immediately noticed their presence and got up to greet them.
"Hey Perseus, hi Hestia" she said.
"Hey Artemis, still sharpening your arrows from the last competition I see." Perseus said grinning.
Artemis huffed. "Well, it not like I have full access to a weapon shed in this place you know. And since I'm your best friend, you would give me some arrows to use riiight?"
"What makes you that..." Perseus started to say, but on catching his mother's pointed look, he sighed. "Fine, you can use them."
"Thank you, now come help me wake up my oaf of a brother, already morning but surprised to still see him asleep."
"Yeah, I was wondering what happened to him since he didn't come over to wake me up."
"And force you to eat sunny side-up eggs." Artemis said, snickering at the blanched look on Perseus's face.
"I'll be taking my leave then, stay safe kids. And no shadow travelling Perseus!" Hestia called out, flashing away.
Inside the twin's house, Artemis and Apollo's mother, Leto was looking over a pot containing some weird looking mixture, stirring it when it turned green.
"Hey Ms. Leto, what are you cooking?" Perseus asked.
Leto looked up and smiled at him. "Not me, my son." she said. "He was up all night with me, finding different plants and herbs in the forest, muttering about some medicine, don't even know what he is talking about. Its why he hasn't woken up today, all tuckered out that's for sure."
Artemis wrinkled her nose. "It smells, that's for sure. Is it even edible?" she asked.
Leto took a spoonful of the mixture and gulped it down and frowned. "The taste is bearable, but I wouldn't have it for meals." she replied.
Artemis shook her head. "Typical him, come on Perseus let's go hunting. I bet you I can hit a rabbit this time."
Perseus grinned. "You're on. And if I hit a rabbit, you would have to give my arrows back."
"No fair." Artemis grumbled. But then her eyes lit up and she grinned evilly. "Fine. But if I hit, you would have to drink Apollo's weird soup. The entire pot."
Perseus audibly gulped but then steeled himself, "Deal. Shall we?"
Artemis smiled. "We shall." And the two bounded out of the house, excited shouts following all while leaving a disgruntled Apollo who just woke up because of the noise.
Perseus was crouching slowly as he was going through the forest. Even though he had started hunting here with the twins for almost a week now, the forest was still quite large to go through and quite possibly get lost in. Not to mention, there was a wild boar that resided here that would have definitely chased them down if it weren't for Artemis's tune with wild animals and Perseus's knowledge on boars (Ares made sure to get everything on his sacred animal in his head). There was a rustling sound behind him and he whirled around, pointing his bow on a lone squirrel. He relaxed but noticed a pair of foot prints that definitely did not come from a squirrel. And they were fresh.
Figuring out which direction they came from, making sure not to thank Artemis in his mind after accidently sending similar to her in their first hunting spree, effectively making her win, he walked on ahead and finally came across a rabbit, eating some plant. Nocking an arrow, Perseus steadied his bow, breathing slowly as he focused on his target. Taking aim, he then let go off the arrow and it struck its target.
"FATALITY" he shouted in a deep voice, grinning. He liked saying that, it sounded cool. He got off from his hiding spot and put his kill in a leather bag, tying it up. He then summoned a ball of glowing with a bluish-black light and launched it in the air where it burst into sparks. This was the system Apollo came up with to signify that they finished and won the hunt. Gold and silver sparks were Apollo's and Artemis's respectively.
As Perseus was waiting for Artemis to come over, he heard the nearby bushes rustling. Quickly climbing up a tree to take cover in case it was the boar, Perseus received a shock when it was a male deer that came out of the bush, Artemis hot on its tail.
"Stop *pant* running *pant* for one second!" she shouted, nocking an arrow and letting it loose at the deer. However, the deer was quite fast and it easily dodged the arrows. It quickly left the clearing, leaving a royally pissed of young goddess.
"AAGH!" I don't believe this! Perseus come down from that tree now!" Artemis shouted.
Perseus jumped down from the tree branch he was on and nervously smiled at her. "Hey, did you notice my-"
"Save what you're going to say for later. I need you to help me catch that deer." Artemis said, cutting him off.
"O...kay? But why this deer so suddenly?" Perseus asked.
"Because I don't like the fact that I can't hunt it by myself so I need your help. And we are going to use our powers this time so it'll be easier." Artemis replied.
"Oh. But then why can you use your wildlife powers to like, I don't know, make it friendly with you?" he asked.
Artemis just stared at him as if he had spoken an unknown language. "You want me to act friendly to the deer so he won't be scared to approach me...and then kill it?" she said bluntly.
Perseus cringed. "Um yeah, when you put it like that...it sounds horrible, my bad, sorry."
Artemis sighed. "Come on ash-for-brains, let's move. I can sense that the deer is not far off, let's catch up with it."
Perseus nodded and slung his bow behind his back. As the two trudged through the forest, Artemis spoke up softly.
"You know, I never really got your powers, in a sense related to what your domains are."
Perseus merely shrugged. "Even I don't know all my powers. The only thing I can basically do is controlling shadows, going through them and what not. All I feel are just these...connections. Like, they are obviously in a sense going to be my domains which would then let me know my powers but even after basically growing at my own pace, I'm still stuck with square one since I was like a baby. I haven't even developed the traditional added strength and agility which the gods have, it's really frustrating."
Artemis had as sympathetic look on her face as she gave her friend a hug. "Hey, I know all your powers will develop soon, and I bet you are going to get some, I can't believe I'm going to say this, awesome and crazy powers. Your shadow powers are already crazy cool, imagine the others, especially since you're like the son of a primordial goddess, Hestia, and I guess unknown father rolled into one!"
Perseus gave a small smile. "Yeah, probably. Maybe I'll have-" but he stopped what he was going to say as he had a weird look on his face. "I can sense something weird" he said.
Artemis raised an eyebrow when she felt something as well. "The deer. It's close." she said, nocking an arrow on her bow.
Perseus frowned. "Is it? I'm sure it feels really weird. I think it's coming from there." he said, pointing at a shady spot to their left.
Artemis scoffed. "No, it's coming from behind that shrub, there's a grove there as well." she said, walking slowly towards her target. Her eyes lit up and she gestured frantically towards Perseus. "The deer is here! Can you shadow wrap it or something?"
"Artemis, I have a really bad feeling about this. Can we maybe not-" but whatever Perseus was going to say was interrupted by a golden flash of light that came from the shady area. The light died down to reveal Apollo, who was for some reason wearing his tunic inside out.
"What's the deal you two?! First you interrupt my sleep, then leave without me while also having a hunting competition without me! I mean I suck at it but it's our past time so-" but whatever Apollo was going to say was also interrupted by shout of rage as Artemis stalked over to her brother, fury in her eyes.
"Do you know what you just did!" Artemis yelled.
"Um...hey sis!" Apollo replied with a cheerful face though his voice didn't match it.
"YOU MADE ME LOSE MY KILL! I was so close!" Artemis lamented, sinking down on her feet. "But your stupid flashy entrance had to ruin it. And you know that no flashy entrances when doing a hunt! We made that rule for you!"
"But the hunt was over! I saw Perseus's sparks, so that meant the hunt was over. And I didn't see any green sparks to signify a new hunt had happened." Apollo countered.
Perseus sighed as he witnessed the twins arguing. "They are worse than Ares and Athena, that's for sure. Maybe because they are directly related?" he thought. Perseus wondered if he should use his shadow wraps to shut them up (though he didn't want to end up with arrows on his backside. Suddenly, Perseus felt a shiver run up his spine, his head suddenly hurting. He clutched his head as he cried out in pain, gaining the attention of his friends.
"Percy? What's wrong cousin?" Apollo asked, sensing a domain of his act up.
"I'm fine, just felt a slight pain really..." Perseus said but trailed off, confusing the twins.
"Perseus-" Artemis said only to be cut off by him.
"Guys, is it just me but can you'll see two glowing red orbs, where Apollo appeared from." he said with a shaky voice.
The twins were confused but looked at where he was staring at, only to see there was something in the shadows. "Percy, you might not be the only one..." Apollo said nervously.
"Guys, I couldn't sense it. I don't think this is a wild animal." Artemis said, fear laced in her voice.
To confirm her sentence, a loud monstrous growl was heard. Suddenly, a large black dog came out of the shadows, landing behind the trio. It was the size of a rhinoceros, with sharp white teeth blaring at them. The trio were paralyzed in fear, not daring to move a muscle as they stared at something they thought didn't exist on the island at all.
"Apollo, go to mother and get her here now." Artemis told her brother telepathically.
"What?! I can't leave you and Perseus alone!" Apollo communicated back.
"We'll distract it with arrows or something, or hide on the treetops. But you can't, but you can teleport easily so go and please get mother." Artemis told him.
"...Fine. Distract it once I flash, that's your signal got it? In three, two..."
"One. NOW!" at that moment, Apollo flashed away, Artemis jumped and simultaneously kicked Perseus out of the way while readying her bow with an arrow and the monster leaped forward. Perseus, immediately understanding what was happening also got out his bow to attack the monster. Artemis was firing one successive shot after the other, but since the arrows were made of stone, they were only able to slightly injure him. Perseus's steel arrows managed more damage though that led the monster to focus on him more.
"Hey you big brute, over here!" Artemis shouted, this time using two arrows at once to get the monsters attention which worked, but also resulted in the monster leaping at her, it's claws already out. Artemis was cornered, as she stared in fear at the approaching strike.
"NO!" Perseus yelled, raising his hands. The shadows nearby were drawn close to the monster and large shadowy wisps emerged, grabbing the monster mid-air and sending it crashing it on the ground. The monster tried to get up was pinned down again, the wisps wrapping themselves tightly around its limbs and neck.
"You. Won't. Hurt. Anyone. Not. Her." Perseus growled out, his eyes glowing purple. As he raised his hands, the wisps also did, lifting the hellhound. Swinging his arms around, Perseus made the monster crash through several trees and then making it crash on the ground as well. A cracking noise was then heard, and the monster went limp while it was up in the air. It then slowly disintegrated into dust with the only thing left of it being its claws. The wisps also disappeared as well, leaving a really exhausted Perseus slumping on the ground and a flabbergasted Artemis.
Perseus glanced at his friend grinning slightly. "That...was crazy." he rasped out and then promptly fainted.
MWAHAHAHA! That's a cliffhanger!...Right? Maybe minor but I think it is one. And I'm so sorry for posting a bit late, it's just that I only started writing today itself, yep on the day the story is supposed to be posted. Very responsible of me I know. But yesterday was actually my birthday so...free day, and before that, I was completing assignments so I could be free for my birthday lol. Oh and no need to wish me or anything. You guys reading and supporting this story is enough for me so thank you. I also hope you'll didn't mind the little hunting segment also; I hope I didn't make it graphic. Anyways, see you'll in the next update, bye!...\/