Chapter 10
A/N: Hey guys sorry it's been so long. It's because I lost all my notes and everything I'd planned for the story. It was all on my phone and when I went on holiday in July, ironically to Crete in Greece of all places, I took my phone in the sea and lost everything. I forgot to back up and so all the plans for this chapter and the next few that were stored on it have all gone and unfortunately my memory is terrible so I can't remember exactly what I'd written I only remember the rough plot etc. that's why it's been so long as I have been trying to rewrite everything and catch up to where I was.
Please read the end AN for info regarding this chapter and future ones. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Adamcoyne: thank you for the review. Glad you like the concept. In terms of the OOC-ness of the Gods I understand where you are coming from that the Gods wouldn't come down to tell stories to the demigods. I had considered this when starting to plan the first few chapters. The alternative was Chiron but Percy in the olden days doesn't really cross paths with Chiron so it would be difficult to put across his POV. I sort of decided that the Gods coming down to narrate Percy's story was more to do with how much they respect Percy rather than for their interaction with other demigods if that makes sense. If not it's fanfiction so I'm allowed some leeway lol. But to be honest I think this way that I write with the God's stories allows me to develop their characters better and makes my story different to others. Hope this makes sense and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
AgellosIsAngel: thank you for your review. I agree that Percy immediately adapting to the hunts ways is a bit farfetched. They are fast and stealthy and it will take Percy a while to reach their level. I also agree that the kid Percy bonds with is also annoying at times so I have not done that-even when some stories include a young hunt member that Percy bonds with it's a bit annoying but to each their own. People can write their stories however they like. In regards to Percy's death being announced to the village it's because the chapter was about Percy's fatal flaw and his motivational qualities as a leader. My thinking behind it was that Percy built a connection with the villagers and in the chapter, I wrote that he revisited numerous times. I thought that Hestia would understand Percy's connection to the villagers and wouldn't want them to think Percy didn't return because he forgot about them so she told them about his death. I entertained the idea of a letter but it seemed unpersonal and they could've just not believed the letter. Also in regards to the divine interference I mean Gods come down and interfere with mortals like all the time to hook up so I thought this brief exchange was fine. I reread what I wrote and I realised that in my rush to get it out I missed out Hestia and Kostas's conversation whoops. Sorry about that I wanted to get something out and missed it whilst editing. Also, about Artemis, Hestia wasn't telling her off she was telling Apollo off but reminding Artemis that he's alone going through tough times the last thing Percy needs is to be isolated. Because the chapter mentions that the hunt weren't rude to him just left him on his own. All Hestia did was say that if it was the other way around Percy would try to not make them feel alone. But maybe that was not clearly written on my part so I apologise. Hope you enjoy the chapter! And sorry for this long paragraph.
Usual disclaimer…I only own plot not the characters in the PJ universe.
The Lieutenant of the Hunt leapt out of the tree she had been perching on during her border shift. Her many years as a hunter had shaped her and her sisters into stealth machines. She landed gracefully before casually shouldering her bow on her left shoulder. It was the campers turn to patrol the borders until nightfall when the daily campfire story began. She called to her sisters, instructing them to proceed back to cabin eight to get some rest before their next shift. She stretched her limbs, sighing in relief as her joints clicked and cracked. She had been still for a long time. She was joined by Phoebe on her way back to the cabin.
Zoë looked at her sister as they made their way to their cabin. Phoebe was big and beefy for a hunter, with long ginger hair. Phoebe was currently the oldest member of the hunt, even older than Zoë herself. The ginger-haired hunter had been at Artemis's side since before the time of Orion and the two of them had become fast friends. In fact, the lieutenant position had been offered to Phoebe, but she had said that Zoë was the better leader out of the two, with Phoebe reluctantly admitted that her anger got the best of her at times. Zoë had been surprised at Phoebe for passing up the opportunity at leading the hunters, for even Zoë admitted that Phoebe was both the best tracker and healer amongst the hunters.
As the pair entered the cabin, they set their weapons on their bunks before approaching their mistress. Artemis was sat in on the floor, cross-legged in her twelve-year-old form, sharpening arrows. Zoë and Phoebe stood in front of the Goddess of the Hunt delivering their report when they noticed that she was not paying attention. The Goddess had a faraway look in her eyes, signalling that she was deep in thought.
"Milady?" Both of the hunters waved their hands in front of Artemis's face, pulling her out of her thoughts. She hummed inquisitively as she looked at her oldest companions. Zoë cleared her throat as she looked at Artemis. "Thou art lost in thought milady."
"I apologise Zoë. I was just thinking about the campfire story for tonight. It seems that Athena is no longer able to attend and she has requested that I take her place in the telling of tonight's tale. I was just contemplating which story I should tell." Phoebe laughed mischievously.
"Thinking about a boy milady?" The word boy didn't hold any anger or disgust, but rather the remark was said in jest causing the Goddess of the Hunt and her lieutenant to laugh. Artemis sighed as she finished laughing, as she regained her serious look.
"You both know better than everyone, that he is gone because he saved us. He gave his life for us; the least we could do is narrate a tale worthy of his actions. I cannot tell the tale of his death; at least not by myself, as I feel as though Apollo holds more right to tell it. He was after all Apollo's Flagbearer." Zoë and Phoebe did indeed remember the day Perseus died, sacrificing his life for theirs. It was the most Perseus thing to do.
"Perhaps thou can tell the story about the first time we all fought together? It was the first time thou were unsure of thyself and without his idea we would have been in some trouble." Zoë looked at Phoebe, who nodded in agreement at her lieutenant's idea. It had been a few months since the incident where Hestia confronted Apollo, and whilst the hunt still left Perseus mostly to himself, they had begun to allow him to train with them so that he was no longer a burden and liability on their travels. He was also allowed into their battle combat training where, whilst pretty much all the hunters didn't want to admit it out loud, they had all learnt from him.
He had been unbeatable in the combat training. The hunters were best known for long distance attacks, but that didn't mean they were useless at close range combat. They were deadly with knives, spears and swords as well, but Perseus was on another level. Zoë had learnt a lot from him on a personal level. She had the weight of leadership on her shoulders, and she could seldom afford to look weak in front of her sisters, and so she had gathered her courage and sought out advice from her counterpart. Perseus was a leader, and the insight he had given her was valuable information that she used even to this day. Zoë was brought out of her musing by Artemis getting to her feet.
"That is a good idea Zoë. I shall see you both at the campfire. For now, I must prepare." And with that the Goddess left the cabin, leaving her hunters to rest after their patrol.
When night had fallen, the campers had made their way as they usually did towards the campfire. The nightly stories of the son of Amphitrite had drawn the campers closer to each other, with cabins eagerly discussing the hero amongst themselves during the day.
The Athena cabin were always in the thick of the discussions, as the Athena cabin members all had brought notepads and had begun compiling the nightly tales into text so that they could keep a record of Perseus's exploits.
Artemis had risen from her seat amongst the hunters and had moved so that she was centrally located. All talking stopped, as all eyes turned to the Goddess.
"Tonight, I shall tell you about the time where I myself was amazed by the intelligence of Perseus. A lot is said about his abilities on the battlefield, but he had a brilliant mind for battle tactics. It is no wonder that Athena was intrigued by him. She always has valued intelligence." Artemis took a breath as she pondered her next words.
"In all fairness, ever since he became the Flagbearer, the army of Apollo had become a more dangerous group. They became for skilled, tactically aware; they were more determined. It could never be said that Perseus wasn't a good leader." Artemis now gained a faraway look in her eyes, as all the Gods did when they relived the past.
"After Prometheus's treason, the Titan's powers of forethought became an advantage for the remains of the Titan army. They planned better. They became smarter when they attacked. We Gods had underestimated them. The Hunt and I along with Perseus were sent to hunt the remains of the monster army, and we spent months chasing them. The Grecian summer switched quickly to Autumn, or Fall whichever you prefer."
Line Break
Perseus was trailing behind the hunt as they chased down the remnants of the Titan army. Sweat was pouring down his face. They were racing through the forest, the leaves on the trees were falling, littering the forest floor with an adornment of green, red and yellow crunchy leaves that were making it hard to keep his steps silent. That wasn't all. It had been raining. That and the morning dew was making it hard not to slip whilst running. They were following a trail that Artemis had picked up.
He had known the Hunt was a formidable unit, but he had underestimated their abilities, their speed and stamina. He raced to catch up with them, his thoughts racing with him.
At first, he thought back to the night when he got back from his day off with the villagers. Apollo had visited him, apologising for leaving him on his own to deal with his grief. The Sun God explained that seeing Perseus reminded him of them all, and that it had been unbearable to deal with, but he knew it was Perseus's fault. Perseus had forgiven him and before Apollo left, he had asked him to fulfil a request. Not from Master to companion, but rather friend to friend. He had asked Perseus to look out for Artemis and look after her as though she was his sister as well. The request had been odd to Perseus seeing as he was a demigod and she was a Goddess, but he had accepted nonetheless. His thoughts shifted to his current situation.
It had been a couple of months since Perseus had joined the hunters, and he could say with ease that it was the most difficult part of his life so far. Not only was he in mourning over his lost brothers, but he was also struggling with the demands of being a proverbial hunter. They covered long distances in days, preferred long ranged combat and relied on stealth. None of which were his strengths. He was holding them back. A lot.
He was better than he had been when he first joined, but Perseus knew that he wasn't going to see significant change in just a couple of months. The only reason he was improving was because for some reason some of the Hunt were helping him. It was usually Zoë or Phoebe but sometimes other hunters would teach him depending on their specialist skill. For example, Britomartis had come by a few times to teach him about the traps and snares the hunters used.
When he had first joined, he had thought he would as alone as he had ever felt. Even more so with the Hunt constantly interacting as a family, only further serving to remind him that he had lost his own. But, a day or two following his day off at the village, the Hunt had started training him and including him in combat training. They still kept him at arm's length away from them, but they didn't outright ignore him as they had before.
He was terrible at the long-ranged combat. He was passable with a spear, but he was absolutely hopeless at archery. Phoebe had tried to teach him at the beginning, but had quickly run out of patience before palming him off the Lieutenant, who was speechless at how bad he was. He was so bad that even a target fifty yards away had somehow become a hundred yards away because Perseus had somehow shot his arrow fifty yards backwards into a wasp nest causing chaos in the Hunters camp, inevitably meaning that the Hunt had to shift campsite in record time. Zoë had decided to just leave him to Artemis, and even the Goddess had given up. Did you know how embarrassing it was for the Goddess of Archery to give up on you? In all fairness he had warned them all that Apollo never let him near a bow after his first and admittedly last attempt.
But when it came to close-range fighting, Perseus was untouchable. Not literally; the Hunt were formidable fighters, but he was better. Granted that this wasn't their specialty, but it was still a difficult fight. They had decided that the Hunt would train Perseus in the ways of the Hunt; i.e., stealth, trap laying, long distance travel etc. whilst Perseus would help them develop in the short-ranged combat.
When he first started the short-ranged combat training, the hunt were confused at why he had his flag in his left hand. Sometimes when he fought with a sword and shield, he would holster the flag on his back, still waving proudly in the air. He told them it was simply because this is how he fought on the battlefield, and they had accepted it.
But that wasn't the only reason. In truth, Perseus didn't have a lot of regrets in his life. In fact, he only had a few. During his time in Apollo's army, they all held one common goal. To become good enough to beat the hunters. They had not been able to accomplish this and it was one of Perseus's biggest regrets. That he had not been able to lead them to this feat. And now they had all fallen. So, when he fought the hunt, flag raised proudly, he dedicated each fight to his fallen brethren. The flag represented each and every one of the Army of Apollo.
When he defeated Phoebe, it was for KD. When he defeated Celyn, it was for Doc. When he defeated Britomartis, it was for Lethe. And so on. The only victory he hadn't dedicated to anyone was when he had disarmed and caused Zoë to yield. That one had been a personal victory. Perseus knew that fighting for a cause increased his battle abilities. He was still exceptional without the added powers bestowed upon him by Lady Fate herself, but he was a different beast with them. He had hoped that his brothers were in Elysium, knowing that he was fighting for them, their goals and wishes.
Perseus was pulled out of his musing when he noticed that the Hunt had stopped. He also seemed to notice that they were out of the forest. In fact, he was so out of it that, as he looked around, he realised that there was no forest for miles in any direction.
They now stood in a relatively open area. There was one large, wide hill in a clear open space, and a couple of smaller knolls, but other than that, there was just grass, trees and dead leaves on the floor as far as the eye could see. There was something not quite right.
"The trail ends here." Artemis looked around suspiciously. It seemed that she shared his worries. There was nothing here. "Hunters, stay alert. We must be weary. There is something not quite right."
There was a flash in the clearing and instantly all weapons were out and facing the intruder. Hermes stood stock still, hands raised. The look of fear on his face would've been hilarious if he hadn't just appeared out of nowhere whilst they were on edge.
"For the Gods sake Hermes. Give us a bit of warning next time will you." It was Perseus that broke the tension. Hermes at least had the sense to look sheepish and sorry. Hermes dropped his hands and relaxed, his face turning jovial and friendly.
"Sorry Perseus. You know how it is. I'm as busy as ever so I try to just get everything as fast as possible. I forgot how on edge you all get whilst you're on the hunt. How've you been holding up?" Perseus didn't get the chance to reply as Artemis sighed and walked in between the two males.
"Now's not the time Hermes. There's something not right about us being here. We are out in the open. Now why are you here?" And just like that, Hermes became all business. The God cleared his throat as he pulled out a letter from his sack.
"Sorry Artemis. Apollo told me to send an urgent message. He said that whilst he was on his chariot, he saw that there were monsters heading towards you all from all directions. He says that they'll be here in a couple of hours." Artemis swore. She nodded at Hermes in thanks before the messenger God vanished in a flash of light.
"It's a trap. I should've seen this coming. This trail has been strange ever since we started following it." Artemis was pacing now, frantically trying to think of a plan. It had been before dawn when they started their hunt and it was still the early hours of the morning. If Apollo had been correct, then the monsters would be here around midday. "Perhaps we should head back the way we came. Apollo says they are headed towards us in all directions. If we head back one way, counter one part of their army, the one coming from the forest, then we can at least use the forest as cover. We will need to be fast though. It's still a big risk."
Artemis looked around at her hunters. They were all looking at her, nodding in approval with determined faces. As they all turned to leave, they all noticed that Perseus was no longer within their ranks. They turned once more to find him squatting at the base of the tall, wide hill.
"For Hades's sake Perseus, for once can you just keep up with us. It's literally a matter of our survival. Life and death." It was Phoebe who was yelling at the son of Amphitrite. They were in a rush and he was daydreaming. Phoebe was stopped from yelling again by Artemis raising her hand. The Goddess was curious.
"What is it Flagbearer of Apollo's Army?" Perseus winced as he stood up, his eyes clouding with grief for a brief moment. It was only a few seconds before he let loose a short laugh that lacked mirth. Artemis narrowed her eyes in anger. He was laughing at her.
"Do I or this situation amuse you in any way Perseus?" Her words were met with a small sad sigh.
"No milady. It's just that you refer to me as the Flagbearer of Apollo's army. Where is the army milady? Which army are you referring to? There is no army, therefore how am I their Flagbearer?" Artemis winced. She realised what she had said, yet she had no response to his outburst. She decided that she needed to steer this conversation away for now. They were running out of time.
"I apologise Perseus. Right now, we must leave." Perseus once again turned towards the hill.
"About that. I think I have an idea that I think you might dig." Artemis nodded although the mischievous smile that Perseus's face adorned was slightly nerve-wracking. She thought as much though. He hadn't just been squatting at the base of the hill. He had been examining it.
"Speak." She waved her hand, gesturing him to go ahead.
"I think we should make a stand at the top of this hill." At his statement, the entire hunt started to voice their concerns. Even Artemis made a noise of annoyance, as if she couldn't believe she had even let him speak, only for him to mutter this absurdity. "Hear me out. I know you all prefer long-ranged fighting under the cover of the forest, but I think we can use your strengths well here." Now they were all curious again.
"Here's what I was thinking…"
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It had been a few hours and the majority of the hunt and Perseus were at the base of the hill, save for four hunters who were stationed as sentries at the top. The sentries all jumped at once as they saw the hordes of monsters coming from all direction. They shouted a warning to the rest of them, causing the others to race to the top of the hill, bows drawn.
The monsters advanced quickly, cheering as they saw the hunters and Perseus race to the top of the hill in panic. They all licked their lips as they saw the hunters stand in a circle firing arrows at the oncoming beasts. They were going to eat good tonight.
The monsters raced closer and closer to the hill until they were only metres away from the hill from all directions. The hordes from all sides converged until they surrounded the hill from all sides. The Titan Hyperion held his hand up, causing the monsters to stop in their place. He stepped forward and grinned at the Goddess of the Hunt.
"Puny Goddess. You shall fall today." And with that the Titan waved his army forward, a cheer emanating through their ranks as they advanced forward once more.
Suddenly, the monsters all started falling as the ground beneath their feet gave way. They had known Perseus was here, but he had not yet done anything. The ground had not shaken one bit. And yet as Hyperion watched, all around the hill, the Earth had caved in. The grass and leaves and mud had collapsed into itself.
There was a ditch surrounding the hill, around fifteen feet wide and perhaps twenty feet deep causing the advancing monsters to fall into it. Some of the monsters that had fallen in burst into gold as they impaled themselves on their weapons, or weapons of other monsters. That wasn't all. The ditch was riddled with traps and snares that the hunters were famous for.
The monsters that had miraculously not fallen into the ditch tried jumping across, only to realise that this was a foolish attempt and ended up in the ditch themselves. The Hunters were now finding it easy to just pick off the remaining monsters that were alive both in the ditch and outside. The monsters had all been contained, and none of the hunters had been hurt. In fact, they had barely even broken a sweat.
Perseus watched on in content. He wasn't going to get involved. He'd probably end up being a danger to the hunt than to anyone else. He had always wanted to try this plan, but the Army of Apollo were more attuned to short-range combat like him and so he had shelved it, hoping to bring it out one day. In fact, he had planned to pitch it to his brothers the next time they were going to face the hunters. He sighed as he realised that was never going to happen again. At least the plan had been useful. He had been torn between two names for this plan and in the end, he was unable to choose between the ironically named plans "The Last Ditch Attempt" or "We are in the Trenches Boys". He had thought the names were quite funny but was leaning more towards the first name.
Hyperion growled as he looked around. His numbers were severely depleted. The battle was nearly lost unless he intervened some way. He was sure that the hunters would retreat into the forest for some sort of shelter. Why had they not done so? It was then that Hyperion spotted the boy. It must have been his idea. There was no signature hunter tricks here aside from the traps inside the ditch. But the ditch itself must have been the boy's idea. The famous Flagbearer.
Hyperion retreated a few steps before taking a run up and leaping over the ditch. There was a BOOM as the Titan landed on the other side. The firing of arrows halted momentarily as they realised that the hill ditch defence had been breached. The majority of the monsters had been taken care of. Only those that had yet to advance towards the ditch had remained, and they watched the Titan carefully.
The Titan advanced languidly towards the top of the hill unopposed. They all knew he wouldn't attack unless they attacked first. It was the divine rule all immortals had to follow. The Titan ignored the hunters and even their Goddess. His burning eyes locked solely on the Flagbearer. A vicious smile etched on the Titan's face.
"Flagbearer. I applaud you for this ingenious plan. Surely it had to be you. The hunters, whilst skilled are disappointingly predictable. They love their trees you see. So, we assumed that that is exactly where they would head. Imagine our surprise when there was no hunt in the forest. It's also a big achievement that the Artemis listened to a male of all people." The Titan had stopped a fair distance away from Perseus.
"I propose this now to you Perseus. You fight me one on one. Otherwise, I kill all the hunters." Hyperion laughed madly. There was confusion amongst their ranks. The Titan couldn't attack unless attacked or challenged first.
"I see you are confused. Well, you see I can attack everyone but you Perseus. For they all shot arrows at me and my army as we approached. Granted they were not aiming at me, but under ancient rules, this attack does suffice. However, you did not attack, therefore I cannot attack you. I already know you will attack once I strike at them, but can you guarantee that I wont at least harm them before we engage in battle? So, what will it be? You? Or them?"
The son of Amphitrite was garnering a reputation in the Godly World. And as such it was beginning to be known that he would do anything for the sake of others. Hyperion seemed to understand this too. He was leaving Perseus with no choice.
The hunters were also angry. They were being ignored. They were all thinking one thing. If there was a technicality, and they had technically "attacked" the Titan, then why weren't they firing at him. But they all stayed still because Artemis had not attacked. They would follow their mistress's orders.
Artemis knew this was a tricky situation. They were in a circle formation, with Perseus and Hyperion in the middle. One missed shot could injure another hunter or Perseus. That wasn't the only thing to consider. Hyperion was the Titan of the East as well as the Titan of Light, and he could make himself glow bright, causing their eyesight to be compromised. And no one wanted to fight a Titan, let alone fight one blinded. It was safer to let Hyperion talk whilst she thought of a plan.
Perseus took in the Titan's appearance. Hyperion was muscular, tall and bearded, with fiercely glowing skin. His golden eyes blazed with a blinding light, like miniature suns. He was wearing blazing golden armour and wielded a long golden sword. He slightly reminded Perseus of Apollo, but the light Hyperion emitted was much harsher.
"I accept." Perseus didn't even hesitate. He knew that he would rather the Hunt were safe than put them in harms way. The Hunt shifted unsteadily as they saw a male fight on their behalf. They didn't like it one bit. They all looked at Artemis, who herself looked like she was displeased. But there was nothing she could do. The challenge had been issued and accepted.
The two started circling each other. The Hunters stayed in a circle, yet some faced outwards, raising their bows at the monsters still unable to cross the ditch, daring them to make a move.
Perseus racked his brain for more information on Hyperion so that he could formulate a plan. He knew Hyperion was an incredibly strong Titan. He was the strongest on the four Titans that received the North, East, South and West. His prowess in battle was known to be second only to Kronos and Atlas. He was going to be a fierce and skilled adversary.
"Come then Perseus. I will even let you have the first strike." The Titan was goading him and Perseus resisted the urge to strike. Hyperion grew impatient. "Very well foolish demigod, I will strike first. In a battle those that strike first and fast end up winning. You have given up an advantage."
And with that the Titan struck as he said he would. The Titan covered the distance in astonishing speed. Perseus only just about managed to counter the strike in time. Enhanced speed. The Titan possessed enhanced speed faster than even some Gods. Perseus kept a note of it in his mind. He knew he was only able to counter because of the powers Lady Ananke had granted him. He was a weapon that was stronger when fighting for a cause, and he was fighting to keep the hunters safe. Even then he struggled to counter. He knew he couldn't just rely on his extra powers and he knew that the extra training with the Hunters had helped him somewhat.
Perseus watched the Titan closely. Hyperion had backed off to where he had started, looking seemingly well pleased that Perseus had survived the first strike.
"In a fight, it matters not who strikes first Titan. But rather who falls first." Hyperion hummed in agreement, eyes gleaming at the prospect of battle. Perseus used this brief time as a distraction and hurled a vial of Greek fire from his belt towards the Titan of the East.
Hyperion laughed as he caught the Greek Fire bomb, effectively putting it out with his hand. The vial falling to the floor before Hyperion crushed it beneath his feet.
"Foolish boy." Hyperion had some kind of power over fire. Great, thought Perseus. It was then that Hyperion set himself on fire. Literally on fire. Meaning that not only did he have some kind of power of fire, he had pyrokinesis, meaning divine authority and complete control over fire.
Whilst this wasn't the greatest situation for Perseus to be in, it did trigger an idea in his head. What was fires biggest weakness. Easy. Water. And he was the son of a Sea God. Lucky him.
Perseus knew this was both good news and bad news for him. Good news was that he had found a weakness. Bad news, there were no sources of water anywhere close to here. Unlike the last few battles, there were no conveniently places rivers, lakes or creeks dotted about. That meant he would have to draw water from himself, which was difficult and taxing on his body. He would become tired very, very fast.
Before he could initiate his plan, Hyperion had sent a projectile blast of flame towards him. he couldn't dodge, as it would hit the hunter behind him. He felt that familiar tug in his gut, calmness overcoming his senses. His gut clenched again as he shot his hands up, firing off a blast of water at the oncoming flames.
The two battled on firing blasts of water and fire at each other until they reach a close distance, before meeting in a clash of blades. On and on it went, strike and fire, strike and fire. Perseus had tried to douse Hyperion on a number of occasions and had failed. He was tiring rapidly. The lack of water source taking its toll on his body. Suddenly, Hyperion got a lucky strike, sending Perseus sprawling across the top of the hill.
"It was a valiant attempt demigod. But alas, you have fallen. It was inevitable. However, the time for playing is over. It is time to die. But for putting up a good fight I shall grant you some mercy. I shall blind the hunters so that they will not see as I cut your head off your body." And with that, the Titan let loose a luminous aura. A blinding, harsh light encompassed Hyperion's body. Perseus's eyes swan with tears. His vision was rendered useless, and the cries from the hunters meant they had probably been blinded too.
Perseus's mind raced. He couldn't use his Earthshaker powers as it would destroy the hill. Flattening the hill would mean that the hunters would be at the mercy of either the ditch or the monsters still at the bottom of the hill. That option was out of the question.
He couldn't use his storm powers right now either. He couldn't see. Even if he could, it would still be dangerous. The winds were usually uncontrollable and he didn't want to knock the hunters of the hill. Maybe if he could restore his sight, he might be able to use his Storm bringer powers.
That left his hydro-kinesis. But he physically couldn't summon anymore water. He was tired and his body was hurting. Even though he couldn't see, he would look death in the eye and meet his end with pride. He had lived a life better than most, and he had lived it the way he had wanted to. He followed his morals and principles and he hoped he would join his brothers in Elysium.
Perseus groaned as he knelt. He could hear Hyperion advancing. And that's when he felt it. Wet grass. It had rained last night and the morning dew that had caused him problems this morning could be his saviour. He could use it to quash the Titan's light and reduce his flames. The feeling in his gut returned, and he urged the water covering the grass and leaves to rise and swirl around the Titan, suffocating both the light and the flames. The Titan roared in anger.
"ARRGHH! Stop this trickery." Perseus's eyesight returned to see the Titan struggle as the water swirled and struck, dimming his light and his flames until both were extinguished. He urged the winds to pick up speeds, adding to his assault on the Titan of the East. The wind was violent. The water and wind churned and swirled together, wrapping Hyperion in a hurricane.
Perseus held his hands out in concentration. He couldn't let it go out of control. The Hunters safety depended on it. He turned one eye towards the Goddess of the Hunt.
"Milady. Please summon Lord Pan. We are going to need him soon." Without acknowledging whether or not Artemis understood and was carrying out his request, Perseus turned towards Phoebe and Zoë and in the nicest way possible, muttered just one word. "Move!" The strain and urgency of his words must have sprung them into action as they parted to the side, breaking the circle formation. A gap had formed, and Perseus forced his powers to take Hyperion through it.
He was half aware that a flash of light had appeared in his peripheral vision as he used his powers to toss Hyperion off the hill. The Titan roared as he fell down the hill, straight into the ditch. The traps and snares that hadn't activated quickly wrapped around the Titan of Light, encasing him in ropes and snares. The Titan struggled to break free. Perseus looked around, seeing that Pan had arrived, bowed before addressing the old Goat.
"Lord Pan, any chance you can cover the ditch?" Pan looked around, and upon noticing that a few of the hunters were nymphs and nature spirits, he nodded.
"Leave it to me Perseus. Anyone who is a nymph or nature spirit, follow my lead. Use your powers as soon as I start playing." The Satyr God had pulled out his reed pipes and started playing a jaunty melody, causing the ground to reseal itself.
"Nooooooo!" The Titan's cries were the last thing he heard before he passed out from exhaustion.
When Perseus awoke, he noticed Phoebe replacing the warm cloth on his forehead. She was after all the best healer in the camp. She noticed that he had regained consciousness, and made her way to exit the tent.
"Thank you," Perseus managed to croak out. The huntress nodded before gesturing at him to follow her.
"Come. Milady requested your presence once you had awoken." The pair walked towards the dinner area that the hunters had set up. Sure enough, the hunters had started gathering for dinner, with Artemis sitting at the head of the table. She glanced up as she saw them coming, a small smile gracing her face.
"Phoebe, Perseus. Come join us." Perseus was confused. He must have been dreaming. This is the first time he had been able to join them for a meal. Artemis saw his confusion. "You are not dreaming Perseus. We usually celebrate a successful hunt; and tonight's celebration is down to you. Had it not been for your idea and bravery, we might not be sat here right now. Come and join us."
Perseus felt a strange warmth go through him as his eyes gained a slight moisture. He nodded his thanks, and whilst they didn't sit that close to him, he was still sat at the same table. It was a nice, touching gesture. One he appreciated more than they knew.
Artemis was still curious though. She had seen how his mind worked in terms of his intelligence and battle strategy, but she had also previously seen his positive mindset. His inability to give up, to stand down. Her hunters had beaten his men countless times and every time, he came back, he motivated his men, their tenacity and determination doubled from the previous occasion. Yet he had gone through so much pain. How was he so positive? How was he still fighting? She had to know what drove him. She was no stranger to loss. It hurt, sometimes more than she could bare. For example, turning her former best friend Kallisto into a bear had taken nearly all of her will power. Yet she had not lost all her hunters at once. What heart did this man have?
So, she did the only thing she could, she asked him. She had turned to him and asked.
"Perseus." He and her hunters looked up as she had addressed him. "I am curious. I was wondering if you could answer it for me." He nodded, so she continued. "You have gone through so much. Yet you still stand strong. Your mindset is positive. You still fight. My question may seem difficult. But I would like to understand. You mortals, your hearts are so small. They are almost invisible. How can you place such big sorrows upon it?"
The Hunt turned to look at the man as he let loose a melancholic laugh. He paused in thought. Artemis almost regretted the question, but she was glad she did ask him. For the answer she received impressed her. It was an answer she and her hunters would always remember. He had uttered one simple sentence in response, yet it spoke volumes about the man, his thinking and his resolve. He had simply said:
"Milady, our eyes are even smaller than our hearts, yet they behold the world."
A/N: hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Longer than usual. Hopefully worth the wait. Please, please review and let me know how it went, it really helps.
Battle scenes are very hard to write. Let me know what you thought. Was it good? No? In all honesty I struggled writing the fighting. It's the hardest part for me so I delayed posting the chapter last time I posted. Read below for explanations regarding the rest of the story and this chapter.
Firstly, Zoe's English. She has old English so will try attempt that when the timelines converge. In the olden days she would've been speaking in Greek so I have just written it as normal English.
Second, the Hyperion fight. Percy was always going to struggle. He struggled in canon when he was bathed in the Styx so not an easy fight. The power boost he gets from Ananke's powers aren't going to be a cheat code like he has them so every fight is easy. Percy will still grow a=in strength as a character. Hope you enjoyed the fight. Took forever to write, then rewrite coz I lost everything.
Thirdly, we saw that Percy has been with the Hunt for a bit. He is still struggling to find his way. His interactions with the Hunt and Artemis are awkward and brief. He's not going to integrate himself immediately. It will take some time. I just laid out how I think they hunt and Percy would think and act etc. So let me know what you thought.
Going forward, there are four chapters, including his "death" chapter before the timelines are merged. So, lots to look forward to. Hope to see you all soon! Until next time!