Chapter 2 : Moon's Proposal
Thalia gracefully climbed the tree next to them and helped Percy up. Percy could hear the rustling of leaves and dogs barking loudly not too far from them, which is worrying.
"These fuckers don't know when to give up." Thalia whispered angrily. "We need to lay low."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Percy whispered back. "I just hope they don't go to where our camps are."
Thalia nodded in agreement. They stayed vigilant in silence on the tree, keeping an eye out for Crusaders.
"Percy, are you okay?" Thalia asked.
Percy raised an eyebrow at her question. "You waited that long to ask me how I'm doing?" Percy asked. "Well as you can see, I'm as fine as I look right now."
"That's not what I meant." Thalia said. "When you mentioned Annabeth's name, I thought-"
An ear-piercing scream shattered the silent night. Thalia's and Percy's head snapped at the direction.
"The Hunters." Thalia's face paled. Immediately, she jumped down the tree and rushed towards the scream, Percy close behind her.
The Crusaders that were on them had gone missing and had found the Hunters' Camp. If what Thalia had said was true, then the Hunters are not going to put up much of a fight.
Percy could hear Thalia muttering while running. "Please be safe. Please be safe. Please be safe." She repeated like an incantation.
When they got there, the Hunters were already surrounded. People in white camouflage outfits holding all kinds of weapons ranging from assault rifles to what looks like spears.
They were scattered around the perimeter, some with German Shepherds on leashes roaming around them.
At the center of it, the Hunters were in a standstill. The guns of the Crusaders were aimed at the Hunters, who were all out and had an arrow nocked on their bows. But they were vastly outnumbered. At a glance, there couldn't have been more than twenty Hunters.
Percy and Thalia hid behind a large tree trunk that had toppled over. Thalia looked like she wanted to go on a rampage, but Percy held her back.
"We can't rush in without a plan." Percy said.
"I need to save them." Thalia said angrily.
"I know, but rushing in and getting killed is not how we save them." Percy said. He peeked his head over the tree trunk. "We're very outnumbered and Artemis is not going to put up a fight."
Thalia steadied her breathing. "We need to take them one by one."
"There's no going around this. We need to kill them." Percy said.
"Easier said than done, Kelp Head." Thalia said. "It's not easy killing mortals. Plus, you don't even have any weapons to kill them. Celestial Bronze is not going to help."
Percy cursed under his breath. At this rate Riptide in pen form can do more damage than in sword form. "Do you have any other weapons?"
Thalia shook her head. "Other than Celestial Bronze tipped arrows, I only have blunt arrows."
"You don't even have normal arrows?"
"Now's not the time to discuss that." Thalia argued. "Best I could do is knock them out."
"Fine." Percy said. "You go high, I go low."
"Do you have a plan?" Thalia asked.
"Somewhat. Stay safe." Percy said before sneaking into enemy territories.
For now, things are in a stalemate but the situation is tense. Both sides are waiting for either of them to make the first move. As Percy inched closer, he could hear who he assumed was the leader talking with one of the Hunters.
The leader laughed heartily. "Look, we can make this very easy for you or very fun for us." He said. "Up to you."
"We do not answer to the likes of you." A Hunter replied in a steely tone as she aimed her bow at the head of the leader.
As they were talking, Percy spotted one of the Crusaders who wandered slightly too far from the pack. Perfect for him to take down. He moved with stealth from one hiding spot to another, using his surroundings as cover. He grabbed a rock that was as large as a baseball. When he was close enough, Percy jumped out of the shadows and whopped the Crusader right on his head. With a sickening crunch, Percy managed to catch the Crusader before he fell and softly lay him on the ground to not make any noise.
He searched the Crusader for any weapons that he could use. He found a Revolver strapped to the Crusader's waist and a combat knife, both of which he took. The Crusader was still alive which is a miracle considering how hard Percy smacked him on the head.
When it comes to guns, Percy had no experience with firing one. What knowledge he had about guns was either common knowledge or he learned from watching movies. He had never fired a gun in his life, but it was better than nothing.
At least he had a knife, which was similar to a dagger, a weapon he was familiar with.
Percy hid again. At the corner of his eye, he could see a Crusader collapse out of nowhere. He assumed it was Thalia doing her sneaky archer stuff.
"Come on now." Percy heard the leader say. "I'm gonna give you one last chance."
"Go to Tartarus." The Hunter said.
The leader shrugged. "I don't even know what that means." He cocked his gun. "But if I pull this trigger, you're joining me."
They needed to get out of this situation. A way to escape. But they were very outnumbered and were underequipped. Then Percy remembered something.
The river.
There is a river not far from where they were. If Percy could somehow use it to cause a distraction, that could create a chance for them to get out.
But he was weak. It's been days since he had a good night's sleep or even a decent meal. If he was going to do this, it's going to take all of his strength and concentration.
He just needs to buy them a few seconds of time for them to escape.
Or you can just kill them.
Percy shook the thoughts of his head. He concentrated so that the water from the river flowed silently from the river bank all the way to where the Hunters were. Percy could feel multiple streams of water slithering their way silently towards the danger zone.
You've done it before. You've done it to Akhlys. You can do it.
Percy scowled at his thoughts. He had to keep focusing. If he could get enough water at their feet, he could literally swipe them off of their feet, creating a long enough distraction for the Hunters to run.
Think of your friends. You think they will stop just because you ran? You think this will be over after tonight? Those who are evil deserve to be punished.
It was almost done. Percy could create a distraction right now.
Prove yourself. Do not be weak. Kill them. Save your friends. Take vengeance for those who have fallen.
Something suddenly snapped in Percy as he let loose. His control over the water took on a demonic urge.
What happened next was gruesome and yet beautiful in some way.
Streams of water had flowed near the feet of all of the Crusaders here. Percy had willed it so that they transformed into sharp spikes. Water, when fast enough, can cut through anything. And so Percy erupted the water spikes straight from behind each Crusader, impaling them through the head.
The death was instant which was merciful, to say the least. All of the Crusaders dropped dead instantly in a horrifying turn of events.
The Hunters stood in disbelief. Everyone had just dropped dead in front of them. Percy saw Thalia climbing down one of the trees next to him.
The voice inside his head had quieted down. There was a sense of uneasiness in his heart. It wasn't from the fact that he had used his powers to that degree.
But it was the fact that he had just killed a bunch of people.
"Percy." Thalia said softly as she approached him. "Are you okay?"
Percy's mind was still in overdrive. He was still taking in everything at a hundred and ten. "I've just killed people." Percy muttered.
"Hey, Percy, look at me." Thalia said, trying to comfort him.
"Oh gods what have I done?" Percy collapsed to his knees. He hadn't realized how badly his hands were trembling until he saw it for himself. "Oh gods, I'm a killer."
"No, no, no." Thalia rushed to him and held his hands tightly. "Percy, you were defending us. It had to be done." Thalia said softly.
Percy was on the verge of having a freak out. "This is not right. This is not right." Percy muttered to himself. He could feel himself tearing up. "What have I done? I'm not like this. This is not me."
Thalia pulled Percy into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Percy." Thalia said. Her voice was cracking as well. "I'm sorry I put you through that. It's going to be fine."
That somehow calmed him down a bit. He took deep breaths as he tried to recompose himself. "Thank you, Thalia."
Thalia sobbed. "Come. I need to check on everyone." Thalia stood up and offered her hand to Percy. Percy accepted it as she helped him stand up. The both of them went to where the Hunters were.
"Phoebe, what's the report?" Thalia asked the gutsy Hunter who talked back with their leader.
"No casualties from our side." Phoebe said. "But for them, well." She gestured at their surroundings.
"Yeah, bit of a mess." Thalia said. "Search their bodies. Get what weapons you can to fight against these mortals. Bows and arrows won't do it anymore."
Phoebe nodded. "I thought as much. I'm sorry, Thalia. I didn't notice that-" Phoebe was cut short when the flaps of one of their tents flung open. All heads turned towards the tent.
It was Artemis.
If Percy didn't know that it was Artemis, he could have mistaken her as a homeless person. Her initially fair skin had turned pale. Her cheeks were sunken and she looked malnourished. Percy knew that gods choose how they want to look and if Artemis decided that she wanted to look like this, something must be wrong.
"Milady!" The Hunters rushed to their goddesses' side. "You should be resting."
Artemis gestured for them to relax. She slowly shuffled towards Percy. He didn't want to say it out loud, but Artemis did not look like a goddess right now. She looked sad and pathetic.
"Artemis," Thalia said. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Artemis smiled weakly at Thalia before turning her attention towards Percy. "Perseus." She said softly.
"Yes, Milady?" Percy asked.
"Thank you, for saving my Hunters." She said softly. "Remember that I am forever in your debt."
Percy shook his head. "I would've done it regardless. I would not abandon my comrades. Especially in times like this."
Artemis nodded absently. "The times are dark indeed." Artemis said. "Olympus is . . . out of service, as you would put it."
There was a stunned silence around them. It was not until a minute had passed when a Hunter asked. "What do you mean?"
"People's beliefs are what powers us." Artemis explained weakly. "When the Crusade happens, our powers have been diminishing significantly and continue to diminish until now."
"But we still believe in you." Phoebe said.
"Which is why I'm still here." Artemis said. "All of you are the reason I'm here. You Hunters have my eternal gratitude."
Percy could hear the Hunters sobbing when they heard what Artemis had said. "The gods are weak right now," Artemis continued. "Their powers have been reduced significantly. Olympus has been empty for months. Most have returned to their own resting places."
"My father . . . is he?" Percy asked.
Artemis shook her head. "I do not know, Perseus. When we are separated, we have no means of contacting each other. I do not know how well the other Olympians are."
Percy looks down in disappointment. "I see."
"So, this is the state we're in now." Thalia said angrily. "Thanks to those wretched humans."
"Calm, sister." Artemis said. "I do have a proposal for you, Percy. A way for us to fight back."
Percy's ears perked up.
"Would you like to hear it?"