Chapter 5: Memories
Artemis' Point of view
I smirked. So much of a happy ending for a hero of two wars. Perseus' reaction was priceless. His face clearly said "really?". Lightning flashed in the sky as the sound shook the building. It was my theatrical father, summoning a meeting. If they knew about this prophecy, this would be by far the most interesting meeting in the history of Olympus.
"Phoebe, I have to go to a council meeting now. Go and wait in my cabin. I'll send your sisters in a few minutes". I whispered into her ear and flashed out after she nodded. I arrived at the hunt and was bombarded with questions, courtesy of my agitated lieutenant. "My Lady, where have you been? I can't find Phoebe anywhere. One of the hunters told me that you called her. Is she fine? Where is she?"
"Slow down, Thalia. Phoebe is fine. As for where I was, I went to rescue the idiot cousin of yours. Thalia, as much I want to explain, I can't. I have a council meet now and all of you are to stay at camp until further orders. Gather the rest of the hunters and pack up the tents. You've got five minutes".
"Ye-Yes milady". She ran off. I walked towards my tent and pulled the small hook at its base. The tent folded up into a small cube two inches long and wide. There was a light breeze and the messenger god stood there.
"Artemis, Zeus wants you at the council immediately. He is going cranky and you better not anger him further".
"I'll be there Hermes. Just give me five minutes. I'll send my Hunters to camp and flash in immediately. They should be ready by now". He nodded and flashed out. Just as I finished saying that, the hunters all arrived and stood shoulder to shoulder with each other. Thalia spoke up. "Milady, we are ready to go".
I stood up and walked towards them. They all held hands and formed a human chain. I placed my hand on my lieutenant's shoulder. "Don't beat up the campers too much". I said, seriously. The hunters all groaned. I seriously couldn't blame them. It was their favorite activity whenever they were at camp. In a flash of silver light, they were all gone.
I looked at the sky and let out a deep breath and flashed out. I reached the throne room, grew to my godly height and sat on my throne. The feeling never gets old. I instantly felt the power of my domains flow through me. I could feel the forest, the animals in it, the serenity of the moon. The glow it emitted, lighting up the night sky. I could feel the power of my huntresses. All tiredness I had vanished in an instant as power surged through me.
Zeus spoke first, clearing the silence that had enveloped the throne room. "A new prophecy has been issued. We need to discuss strategies if war should ever break out".
Athena was looking at me with apprehension clear in her eyes. She looked worried. She raised one eyebrow and I knew immediately what it meant. I gave her a thumbs up sign to which she visibly relaxed. She gave me a sign to tell me to talk to her later and I nodded.
Athena cleared her throat and voiced her opinion. "The prophecy starts with a mention of the son of the sea. So, the only demigod son of Poseidon as of now is Percy, I mean, Perseus". The sea god received many pointed glares mainly from my dad, Athena and Hades. He merely nodded his head. Athena continued "I need to conduct more research on the prophecy. But I can confirm that this will surround all the living children of the big three- Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo and Thalia Grace". That hit the point. All the gods looked stunned. If that much power is required, the rival should be really strong.
Zeus nodded. "Athena, I need you to figure out the prophecy as soon as possible. We need to be ready for whatever hits us". She gave a stiff nod. "COUNCIL DISMISSED". He roared and flashed out.
Athena slipped off her throne and made her way over to mine. "What happened sister? Where is he now?"
"He was kidnapped by Heracles". This earned a snarl from her. "He was ordered to torture him and bring him elsewhere but, we thwarted the plan midway. He was tortured even before we went there. I got Apollo to check on him. He is now fine and in camp half-blood".
"Thank you, sister. Looks like I owe you one". I smirked. "I'll save it for later". I flashed away to my cabin at camp only to be greeted by an anxious lieutenant. "Milady, there you are. What happened to Percy? Why is his body filled with cuts? Why is he sleeping in his cabin now?"
"You might want to sit down for this Thalia". She did. I filled her in with whatever happened on the island and in the underworld. She looked shocked when I told her about the attack in the underworld right under Hades' nose. I added something to her which I didn't tell Athena. "Percy was kidnapped by Heracles on the orders of someone really ancient. My guess is Tartarus. He was tortured at the said god's island. He has faced a lot and I think you should leave him to rest for a while".
"Thalia, a new prophecy has been issued. I'm afraid you have to play a part in it as well. It concerns you and both your cousins. I suggest you prepare yourself both mentally and physically for the quest ahead. We don't know how long. But when it comes, we cannot afford to lose".
She blinked at me twice, her eyes almost the size of dinner plates. I let out a small chuckle at that. It had been a long time since she went on a quest with the campers. The last to one, to sa-save me and that Athena girl from under the sky. It was also when she discovered that one of her oldest friends turned a traitor, even though he redeemed himself in the end, saving us all.
"Thank you for the warning, my lady. With your permission, I would like to start rigorous training from tomorrow". I nodded. She smiled and left the room. I turned in for bed, considering how long the day had been. I started snoring even before my head hit the pillow. Hey, I know it's not possible but I was dead tired and I don't know if gods feel tired at all. With that, my mind drifted to the realm of Morpheus.
Percy's Point of view
I awoke a long while later to the sound of a conversation between my kidnapper and another person who I recognized to be the supreme lord of the pit. My face was in the sand of the underworld and I have to say, it tasted horrible. Hey! I didn't taste it on purpose. My tongue was on the ground. Maybe Cerebrus' - NO It's NOT. I decided not to reveal that I was awake and eavesdrop on their conversation for a while. You see, it's the part where the villain gives away the plan all while thinking the hero doesn't listen. Though it's a known fact that he is incredibly mistaken.
"-need you to bring him to the cell, young god. Before that, I give you permission to have a piece of him, or two". He chuckled. "Wait for my call before you bring him here. Keep him unconscious if he doesn't obey you. But, DON'T. KILL. HIM. We need him for our plans. We need demigods who are capable of fighting well, it doesn't matter if it is in close combat or long-range fighting. We are currently short of a general for our army. You will fill the post if you bring him down here safe and sound".
"Thank you for the offer, my lord. I am certainly honored to be the general of your mighty army. I will fight with my honor on your side. What can I do with him while I'm on the surface, my lord?" The kidnapper replied. They were speaking through a kind of screen similar to Iris messaging but this was only darker and offered more clarity. I should really find out where these modern-day villains get their technology from. Looking at Tartarus, I could feel my arms go weak for the second time. No. I couldn't let myself go all shivery now. Nico needs me. The gods need me. Oh no! Athena! I'm in for a good telling off and a grounding if she knows whatever happened.
I saw Nico's unconscious form a few feet away from me. He coughed and stirred. Slowly, he opened his eyes. I caught his eyes and gave a small stiff nod. We immediately got on to our feet. I pulled out Riptide and Destroyer while Nico unsheathed his Stygian iron blade. The kidnapper turned around and smiled at us. A small, evil smile. He raised his hands to his hood and flipped it off. It was Heracles. The no-good, power-hungry brat of Zeus. I should have known. He started off by betraying Zoe Nightshade and now, it is the gods. Once a traitor, always a traitor.
"What's up demigods? Looks like you are ready for a fight. Well, I give you a chance to back off. I was not the strongest demigod ever for no reason".
"Enough talk, Heracles. We fight now. Imagine what the gods will do with you if they found out you were siding with the enemy". I bellowed. Honestly, we can't beat him. We need someone stronger. So, back to Annabeth's favorite tactics. Talk and delay till help arrives. Really though, I had no hope that anyone would come to my rescue. Maybe Hades?
"TO HELL WITH THE GODS. I don't care what they think. I have the support of a primordial, you lowly demigods. Doesn't matter how strong the gods are. Tartarus will crush them to pulp and I will be the new king of a new era". That's it. His tone clearly stated that he didn't want any more talk. We ran forward and attacked the god from both sides. Nico swung his sword wildly at the god. I attempted to get one strike at the traitor with Destroyer. I could suck his essence into the sword. He seemed to know the fact and very skillfully, dodged the blade.
He removed his swords, both the color of midnight black. They hissed when he swung the blades. I didn't know if it was due to the speed of the blade or its nature. Mostly the latter, though. He raised both blades and brought them down on our heads. I placed both my swords in an 'X' while Nico blocked it with his sword. The hit was really strong. We took a few steps back and moved in a circle along with the god.
Heracles sheathed his blades and brought forward his throwing knives. It was dripping with some unknown substance, A tranquilizer, maybe. He threw them at us. I swung Riptide in an arc to deflect the blades while Nico dodged them by rolling on the ground. That was a mistake. The moment I turned my head towards my cousin, a blade hit me and I fell unconscious even before I could see where. Some damn hero, right? Now I know how Jason felt aboard the Argo II when he was continuously knocked out with head injuries.
The next time I woke, I could only feel my body burning. I looked down to see a million cuts on my chest, blood flowing freely like a waterfall. I was at the edge of a lake. Perfect planning, Tartarus. I would get cut by this traitor and water would heal me. I am trapped in this never-ending cycle until someone comes to my rescue. No one even knows where I am. Ughh! Suddenly, my back seared with pain. I felt a blade moving on my back and Heracles using it as a canvas. I writhed with pain at the touch of the blade.
"You're awake, eh? I don't want you to be". He plunged a dagger into my shoulder and I blacked out again.
A long time later, I felt a warmth going through my body. I opened my eyes ever so slightly and frowned silver eyes gazing down at me. Eyes that could belong to only one person- Artemis. I felt peaceful. My mind relaxed and I felt myself drift into the realm of Hypnos.
I woke up to Will stuffing my mouth with ambrosia. I groaned and sat up with the pillow supporting my back and chewed on the piece of ambrosia. I felt a bit of my energy return.
"Hey Will, where is Nico and... Is Lady Artemis here?"
"They are outside, Percy. If you are concerned about them, they are absolutely fine".
"Can you call them in? I need to talk to them for a second". He nodded and ran out. A few seconds later, he came back in with both Nico and the goddess at his heels.
The moment I saw the goddess, I tried standing up. I could only do so much as move my feet a couple of inches. I groaned and sat back in bed. She looked at me with pity in her eyes.
"Relax, Perseus. Don't bow now. This is not the time. My lady, how did you know where I was?"
"Athena called me, Perseus. She told me to stop you from doing anything stupid". The goddess said and smirked. I felt my face go blood red at that comment. I desperately tried to get out of this situation. Time for some Percy-level-sass.
"Thank you, My Lady. If it weren't for you, I would be Perseus-on-a-stick". I said, filling my voice with sarcasm, hoping she would get it. Hey! What do you expect? She is one of the most serious maiden goddesses. Any small disrespect would end in me growing antlers and jumping on four legs. Nico rolled his eyes beside me.
She proceeded to narrate the incidents that happened even while I passed out. In the end, I couldn't think of anything better to do than to thank her. She retreated to the back of the room and sat beside her huntress. Phoebe, I think. Nico sat on the edge of my bed.
"Percy... I'm sorry. This is the second time something like this happened to you because of me".
"Don't sweat it, Nico. You're my cousin. I would do this for you or Thalia or anybody, for that matter, in a heartbeat. Think of the advantage the enemy would have if we had one son of Hades less at our disposal. We need you, Nico. I need you". He turned around and hugged me.
The door swung open, revealing my immensely worried friend, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the Oracle of Delphi. She ran over to me and hugged me so tight that I felt air pushed out of my lungs. Suddenly, her body went rigid and green mist flowed out of her mouth. Not another prophecy!
"Sea is lost for more than the gods' span
Only to be found a different man
Three half-bloods shall go under
The sky, the water, the end
The pit of horrors shall they explore
The sea, end the mind of the plans plotted
Come back empty handed
Leave doom to lead forever
Return the one Oh so clever"
Honestly speaking, I don't know what that meant. So, if you ever planned on cornering me for information, get ready to be disappointed. Thunder rumbled in the distance- Zeus' call for a meeting. Artemis looked frustrated. She turned to her huntress and whispered into her ear and flashed out.
The door opened and Will came in, holding a doctor's pad and checking on some sheets of paper.
"You're clear to go, Percy. Try not coming to the infirmary again".
I grinned and walked out. I just closed the door of the infirmary when I saw Chiron gallop towards me. His face relaxed and a smile graced his lips the moment he set his eyes on me.
"Percy, my boy. You made me worried there. You should have been more careful on your quest to the underworld. I'm glad you're safe".
"Me too, Chiron. By the way, I don't think the gods are going to let me live freely anytime soon. Have you heard of the new prophecy?". He nodded. His face sporting a grim expression. He thought for a while and smiled a little in the end.
"Well, prophecies always have double meanings, Percy. You of all people know that. I suggest you go to your cabin and get a few hours of sleep. I think you've got an angry war goddess searching for you". I paled, but nodded nonetheless. I trudged my way back to my cabin, a small sea breeze hitting me in the face the moment I opened the door. It felt so good to be back. I flopped down on my bunk and closed my eyes. I slipped into a dreamless sleep almost instantly.
I woke up a long time later, feeling completely refreshed and peaceful, only to open my eyes to see Athena glaring down at me. I immediately sat up on my bunk, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked at her.
"Hey!". Her face got a look that immediately signaled my death. She stood up, grabbed me by the throat, lifted me off the ground and clamped me to the wall, my feet hanging one foot above the floor.
"HEY!? HEY? AFTER ALL YOU HAVE DONE, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SAY IS 'HEY!'? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW NERVOUS I WAS AFTER YOU LEFT? WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, PERSEUS JACKSON. I WENT THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE, CONTACTING ARTEMIS, GETTING HER DOWN THERE TO FIND YOU UNCONSCIOUS, BRUTALLY BEATEN UP, SCARRED BY WEAPONS MADE OF AN UNKNOWN MATERIAL. YOU WERE SLEEPING FOR ELEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHEN YOU WOULD WAKE UP. AND ALL YOU'VE GOT TO SAY IS HEY". She shrieked. That's how I knew she was overjoyed to see me. My ears had that ringing sound by the time she finished. I smiled. She released her grip on my throat and I dropped to the ground, on my feet.
"I love you too, Athena". She rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. "At least you're okay now", she said, a lot calmer. "When did you start reading books on Architecture?" She asked, smirking. I was stunned. "Uh... What architecture?" She gestured to a book lying on a bunk at the far end of the cabin. It was Annabeth's. She must have left it behind the last time she was here. I honestly didn't know it was there in my cabin. I'd come here after eight months of my 'abduction'. "Oh! That's Annabeth's. She left it here, probably". I said, voicing my thoughts.
I heard a knock on the door. It swung open. Malcolm, one of Annabeth's half-brothers, stood there with a cardboard box in his hands. By the look on his face, I knew it was heavy. He stopped midway when he saw Athena in the cabin.
"Uh- Hey mom! What are you doing here?" He asked awkwardly. Athena just smiled. "I was here to check on Percy, Malcolm". "Oh! Then I'll come back later, Percy". "It's okay. We've finished talking anyways". Athena placed her hand on my shoulder. "Take care, brother". She flashed away, leaving me and her son in the cabin.
"So, Malcolm, what did you want to talk about?"
"Oh yeah! About that...". He placed the box on my bunk and opened the flaps. My eyes started tearing at what I saw. "These are all Annabeth's belongings. We generally throw them away. I thought you might want to keep it, you know, as her remembrance". His eyes also teared up. As far as I knew, Malcolm was one of the closest to Annabeth among her siblings. She thought of him as her real elder brother.
"Seriously? You want ME to keep them?" He nodded solemnly. "I would be honored, Malcolm. Thank you for giving this to me". He stood silently for a while before he spoke again, a sly grin adorning his face.
"So, you want to explain that little incident with my mother?"
"Uhm... it's a long story, man. You see, after the war, we kind of became closer, like a brother-sister bond. She was worried after she heard about my little quest. And, you could say that I got a good rant after that". He cracked up when I said that.
"Alright, Percy. If you need me anytime, I would be happy to help. You know where to find me". He said a final goodbye and sped off towards his cabin.
I emptied the box of Annabeth's possessions onto my bed. I found her Yankees cap, her laptop which was a gift from Daedalus, a few of her own books, a scribbling book with her architecture works. I could tell they were upgrades for Olympus and the palaces of the Olympians. This book was her life. Earlier, she would kill me if I lay a finger on it. A smile made its way onto my face at the memory. I left the book back in the box. There was a photo album. It had pictures of me and Annabeth on all our dates, the days she came over to my home. A tear leaked from my eyes.
I picked up her Yankees cap. Grey light enveloped the cap. When the light died down, a piece of paper fell into my hand. I opened it. My eyes were instantly filled with tears. It was a letter from Annabeth. Maybe her last. It was addressed to me.
Dear Seaweed Brain,
If you are reading this letter, the circumstances may not be in your favor and I know I am long since gone. Percy, you were the light of my life. You always stood by me and I genuinely thank you for that. I know you would beat yourself over my death. I swear on the Styx, Seaweed Brain, if I hear anything like that, I'll come back from the dead and kill you. My death is not your fault. It's my choice and don't you dare take it away from me. I asked Malcolm to give my belongings to you before we came searching for you in New Rome. The cap still works by the way. And don't you dare use my drawing book for anything else. They now belong to you. All of them.
I have to admit, the last few months with you were the best of my short, demigod life. Don't worry. All the time we spent together, from the moment you stepped into camp make a close second. You remember the first time we met? 'You drool when you sleep'. I had strong feelings towards you from that moment itself. I'm sorry they took five years to build up. I told you when we were under the water in the Siren bay during our quest to the Sea of Monsters. But you, being the Seaweed Brain, you are, didn't get what I meant. My feelings skyrocketed when you quested across the continent to save me from Atlas. It made me feel special around you, Percy. YOU made me feel special. I was abandoned by my dad early in my life and you helped me get him back. I owe you for that, Percy.
The battle of the Labyrinth was a whole new story. Sure, I led the quest. But I am telling this from the bottom of my heart. I wouldn't have gone a single step forward if it weren't for you. You backed up all my decisions. You were my pillar of support. In the end, when you were 'lost' (A vacation on Calypso's island), I realized I loved you. I LOVED MY BEST FRIEND. I was devastated with you being gone. Only to come back and annoy the shit out of me.
The time you went to bomb Kronos' ship, I was scared out of my wits. The time we told you the Prophecy, our small fight afterwards and you being gone again. That was the time I felt the loneliest. I don't know what got into me. I couldn't think straight, Percy. When you came back alone, I was overjoyed. I couldn't imagine the situation where you had... died in place of Beckendorf. Anyways, enough of the emotional part.
I love you, Seaweed Brain. Move on for my sake. Find a new girl. Love her with all your heart. Accept immortality or godhood if ever offered. DON'T EVER BLAME YOURSELF FOR MY DEATH.
Earth or Elysium, until we part.
Love,
Your Wise Girl.
I wrapped up the paper and placed it in my pocket along with Riptide. Placing all her belongings back in the box, I made my way to the beach.
The beach always cleared my mind up. The salty air, the fine sand beneath my feet, the sound of the waves gently lapping the shore. But this time, the opposite happened.
'What's going on? I heard you calling for help!'
'Percy, we have to do the quest'.
Annabeth's voice said. Memories played in my head. I couldn't do that to myself anymore. I had to stop it.
The air in front of me shimmered and a swirling mass of clouds opened up. Only, they were spinning vertically. A woman stepped out of it. Her skin was pale, but not overly so. She had a black robe that flowed down to her ankles. Eyes that symbolized swirling galaxies and held a high amount of power. Her face owned a confident smile that was certainly heartwarming. She let out an aura of authority. Her gait showed she wasn't someone to mess with.
She looked at me and chuckled. I realized I had been staring at her. I instantly got on one knee, bent my head facing the ground.
"Lady Chaos..."
Happy birthday to our very own Percy Jackson! (Going by the time zone here) Thanks a lot to all those who spent time reviewing my story. I do understand that the characters in the story are OOC but that's how I wanted them to be for a couple of reasons- 1. It's PERCY we're talking about, 2. Call it laziness or whatever but portraying them accurately as in canon will take up way more chapters resulting in a dragged, less appealing story. However, taking your suggestion into account, I will try to stick to canon as much as I can in the forthcoming chapters.
If you want to tell me anything-about the story or my writing style, you can leave it in the comments or feel free to PM me anytime. I will reply at the earliest possible. Keep the reviews coming guys and let's together make this one hell of a story... Thanks, Cheers and lots of Love!