Chapter 6: To Save a Family

Author's P.O.V

"WHAT THE HADES WAS THAT?!" Yelled Thalia, her body was covered with the bright red color of the Scorpion's Blood. She angrily approached Aiden.

"I-I have no idea…. Maybe it's like the ultimate skills with your bow?" Aiden said while casually walking over to her.

"No! That's not possible! I've held that bow for so many years and I've never seen such power!" She said.

What just happened was definitely not normal, yes, even for the Olympian's standard. The moment when Aiden pulled the strings, he felt something… abnormal. It wasn't something he ever felt before. He's not even sure if there's an English word for it. It felt like a rush. Thalia just stared sharply at him.

"Aiden, is there something you're not telling me?" Thalia's word broke his train of thought.

"Let me see… have I ever told you that I like chocolate ice cream?" Aiden joked, much to Thalia's annoyance.

"I'm not in the mood for playing around. These whole situations, even this quest itself, it doesn't make sense." She said.

"Well, only a couple months ago I found out that Greek Gods actually exist, saying something doesn't make sense is a bit of a stretch isn't it?" Aiden said.

"No, you don't understand. How come someone like Lady Artemis got captured, how come the prophecy said she is only to be saved by a boy, and on top of it, how come YOU out of all people conveniently stood up to fulfill the quest criteria? It's just seem too... convenient" She said, there was an edge in her words.

"What are you saying?" Aiden asked back, his patient also getting thin, and he doesn't like where she was going.

"You see Aiden, I've had my share with betrayal. Heck, I can sense it miles away. So here's the deal, tell me a good reason why I shouldn't just knock you out cold, tied you to a nearby tree, and continue this quest myself" Said Thalia.

He couldn't believe what he just heard, he can't believe she actually accused him of treachery. His eyes turned sharp, matching Thalia's, he took a deep breath.

"Well, first of all, if you do so, you'll be going against the prophecy. And even though I'm new with these Godly things, I'm pretty sure the result won't be pleasant. And second of all, I know who we're up against." Answered Aiden.

"Really? Who?" Asked Thalia with a tone of skepticism.

"It's Orion. He did all this" He answered.

Thalia frowned, "No, that's not possible, he died a long time ago!" she said.

"What did I say about something being impossible? This might sound weird, but just then he just… appeared in my dream. He told me that he'll be waiting for us…" Aiden said. He intentionally didn't mention the part where Orion asked him to join him. With the suspicion directed toward him, it's not a wise choice to tell that part to her.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" asked Thalia again.

"How do you know anyone is telling the truth?" Answered Aiden.

"Look, Thalia, this whole interrogation session will get us nowhere, so let's just stop waste out freaking time and go save your mistress, and you don't have to hear anymore from me, alright?"

Thalia thought about that for a second before finally decided to trust him. "Fine. Pack up. We're continuing our journey" She said.

"Pffffttt… did you just said 'journey'? Wow! Now I really feel like I'm in a -" Aiden quickly shut his mouth after seeing Thalia's death glare.


Just like Thalia said, the journey continued. It was already high noon by the time they finally arrived in front of the Statue of Liberty.

"So… what now? Do we need to get to the top?" asked Aiden.

"Yeah, because there's so much space up there to hide and hold hostage a Goddess" Answered Thalia sarcastically. "No, there must be a secret passage, there's always one in every landmark building" She continued.

They were putting a lot of bets here. The day was September 30th, which means they didn't have much time until it's the end of September, 'the last night of nine' as the prophecy said. And they didn't even have 100% guarantee that this building is the building they're looking for.

"You sure she's here? I mean, I can see the empire state building from here, and that's like where the Gods live right? Not sure if I wanna kidnap someone and hide it several blocks from their house" Aiden said.

"Which is what makes it so perfect" Said Thalia.

"There!" Thalia said, pointing at a hidden button with an owl symbol on it.

She pressed it and the button opened up a floor, revealing a long stairs to the underground level. "I knew Annabeth's trivia would come in handy someday" She said.

"Wait, I don't get it. What's an owl having anything to do with the Statue of Liberty?" asked Aiden.

"Owl is the symbol of Athena, and this statue was made by one of her sons to resemble her. Surely there's a secret room for a temple or some kind" Answered Thalia.

"Wait a minute, I thought the Statue of Liberty is based on Libertas, the Roman embodiment of freedom" Said Aiden, but Thalia just ignored him and walk downstairs.

The underground room is dim and consists of a very long corridor with torches hanging on the wall. Aiden can't shake the feeling that the place is like something coming out of a horror movie.

They were walking on a long corridor when Aiden said "Damn this is creepy, what if-" Aiden stopped mid-sentence. "Someone's here" just after he said that sentence, an arrow flew past him, it's managed to miss him just by a hair.

"Who's there?!" Thalia said with her bow and arrow drawn.

"Thalia" Aiden said from behind him, he picked the arrow that landed on a floor nearby. "It's a silver arrow" He continued.

"Hey, sister!" Suddenly came a voice from the end of the corridor. The owner of that voice is a man, carrying a silver bow in his hand.

"Who are you and where do you get that silver bow?" Thalia said.

It is more than unusual for a male to carrying silver archery equipment since those things are exclusive to the Hunter of Artemis.

"The name is Hippolytos!" announced the man proudly.

"Um… Who?" Aiden said.

"Come on man… Hippolytos! The second male hunter of Artemis!" Said the man with annoyance.

"Nope, sorry, doesn't ring a bell" Thalia said.

"Ok, never mind about that. What's important is why I am here" Said the man.

"Well, why are you here?!" Demanded Thalia.

"Thalia, no offense, but I think it's pretty obvious that he is one of the bad guy" Aiden said, but the other two demigods in the room just ignore his remark.

"Be patient will ya. You see, back there Orion wanted the both of you dead. But I have a better idea! YOU Aiden, I know your story, how you ran away from your orphanage because you don't have a place in there, how you just looking for a new family, a REAL family. Well, I've been through what you've been through. Feeling like you has never belonged, feeling like no one WANTS YOU!" Said Hyppolytos, there is an eerie tone of anger in his voice. It's intimidating for a strange reason.

"I guess… what do you expect? I was the only male in a room full of male hating people. But right now, the table has turned, Artemis is not the only one who has her own little girl scout right now!" Right after he said that, about 12 men jump down and surrounds Thalia and Aiden from every direction. Every one of them has wounds on a part of their body

"Who are these people?!" asked Thalia.

"How many men do you think your mistress had turned into stag hmm? How many of them have died because of a petty mistake? Well, here we got… Um, I don't even think we have 1% of 'em here" He said.

"You see Aiden? The Goddess you're trying to save is not so much of an angel isn't it? Join us! You know you belong with us!" Hyppolytos continued.

Thalia just stares at Aiden, fearing that he will listen to what Hyppolytos said.

"You're probably right, it's no denying that she would kill any man without looking at them twice. But I believe most of them are not as innocent as you put it." Aiden finally spoke up.

"And one last thing, I might be looking for a place where I belong, a family. But the goddess you're capturing right now, that's HER family" Aiden said pointing his thumb at Thalia. "And I'm not cruel enough to letting someone lose their family just so I can get mine" He continued.

And with that, Aiden pointed his bow to a still shocked Hyppolytos and shot him right in the head. As soon as that happens, Orion's army charged at them. A roar can be heard everywhere as Orion's army began to attack the pair in the middle.

"It's probably the right time to use that ultimate skill with that bow of yours!" Yelled Aiden.

"I told you there's no such thing!" Thalia yelled back.

Thus, the two of them just do what they do best. Keeping a safe distance while shooting the down one by one. One after another man fell to the ground as bronze and silver arrow pierced their body. It's obvious that Orion's army were a bunch of amateur, it wouldn't surprise Thalia if it hasn't even been one month since they wield a weapon.

Despite what seems to be an eternity, Aiden and Thalia are the only two left standing, surrounded by a pile of body. Aiden walks up to Hyppolytos' lifeless body.

"I'll be taking that thank you very much" Aiden said while picking up Hyppolytos bow and arrow.

"You can't use that, you're not a hunter" Thalia said.

"Why not? I used it back at the scorpions" He said.

"Well, that is the weird part. I guess that means Artemis began to lose some of her control?" Thalia wondered.

"Then I guess we better hurry then" Aiden said.

And thus, they continue to explore the underground room, in search of the Goddess. Unknowingly to them, a certain archer Goliath is patiently watching them.


And that was chapter 6 folks!.

Please leave a review about this chapter and I wish I can finish the next chapter a lot sooner.

Bye for now.