Ch. 6
Perseus watched as Athena glowered up at him. Golden ichor leaked from her mouth thanks to the vicious kick he'd used to shut her up. Perhaps a younger version of himself would have felt some kind of sympathy for his sister but he felt nothing but satisfaction at the fear he saw shining through her brave facade.
He turned his head as he sensed another presence. He immediately looked at Atlas but he seemed too preoccupied with taunting Hermes to feel it. His body melted into shadow and vanished without a sound.
He reappeared some ways down the mountain and his eyes narrowed.
He caight a glimmer of auburn in the waning light behind a large boulder. He moved slowly, taking care to mask his power and scent as he approached. When he was ten feet away, his lips curled into a cruel smile.
"My, my, aren't we the curious cat?"
Artemis spun around and the look on her face was that of a cornered, wild animal.
"No need to run." He assured her. "I have no desire to capture you. After all, I need someone to run back to Daddy and tell him what's happened."
Artemis' silver eyes seemed dull, defeated as she looked at him.
"Percy..."
He moved with speed impossible for mortal eyes to follow. He slammed his forearm into her throat and pinned her against the boulder.
"Say that name again and I will hunt every one of your precious hunters down and give them to Atlas as entertainment!" He snarled at her.
Artemis swallowed with great difficulty but she didn't resist. She seemed almost resigned to whatever Perseus wanted to do to her.
"You lost the right to ever call me that name!" His face was mere inches from hers and she had to close her eyes to keep the tears at bay.
"You... You don't... understand." Each word was pained as she had to push them through the force he had on her throat.
He grabbed her by the shirt and tossed her behind him. She crashed to the ground hard and rolled a few feet before coming to a stop on her hands and knees.
"Be silent," he spat. "I would cut the ears from my own head if it meant I never had to hear your voice again."
Her eyes shined as the tears threatened to break through. But the only thing she found was his dark, unforgiving glare glowering down at her.
"You can't possibly," her voice caught and she swallowed hard. "The Titans will betray you." Her words were pleading, sounding nothing like they'd come from the mouth of the proud and mighty Artemis.
Instead of snapping back, he threw his head back and laughed loudly.
"What's that mortal phrase about people in glass houses?" He sneered.
Artemis' head dropped making him laugh again, though their was no amusement in his voice.
"Exactly. Go! Report of Zeus. Warn him that this is just the beginning. Everything you gods have built over past two millennia will come crashing down. And at the moment when you watch everything you love burn to ash, I'll be there, roasting marshmallows over the burning ruins of Olympus."
The god of night slipped into the shadow of the mountain and left her alone to sob quietly until she disappeared in a flash of silver.
-X-
Thalia sat with her head in her arms, her knees tucked into her chest as the sun began to set on her island prison.
She had tried so many times that her legs had given out. No matter what, she was helpless to escape this cursed beach. When Perseus had grabbed her, she'd thought she was about to die. But to her shock, she appeared in this spot, no sign of her psychotic immortal kidnapper. No matter which direction she ran, she always ended up in this spot.
The two children of Hades had found her there, crying in frustration and immediately ran back to the house after a bolt of lightning had hit the spot between them and her. She felt guilty about it but couldn't control herself as her breaking point was reached. They'd seemingly got the hint and left her to herself. And for hours, she'd sat in this same position, unable to find the will to pick herself up.
"Get. Up."
A shiver ran down her spine. It was the voice she'd been dreading for hours. One she wished she never had to hear again.
"Get up, demigod." The voice snarled.
Before she had a chance to obey, she was yanked up by the back of her shirt, lifted right off her feet. She flinched when she found the cold, dark eyes of Perseus glaring at her.
"I...I'm... I'm sorry." She cried, scared he had decided to come back and follow through on his threat.
"Shut up." He growled. "I have no time for stupid little girls and their stupid little ideas of how the world works."
He dropped her back onto the sand and she scrambled backwards on her hands.
"Please," she whimpered. "I didn't..."
"You want to go back to your camp?" He snapped. "Fine. Get up and you can die with the rest of the pawns."
Before she could respond, he jumped towards her, grabbing her shoulder before her vision turned black until she felt herself land roughly on the ground.
She looked up as Perseus turned away.
"Wait," she blurted out. "What about the other two? Let them go too!"
He froze in his place before slowly turning his eyes back to her.
"Are you telling me what to do, demigod?" He spat, taking a menacing step in her direction.
Before she could answer, a new voice interrupted them.
"Hey!" She turned and immediately felt a surge of panic. One of the older Ares campers, a boy named Jackson was running in their direction. He was one of the few children of Ares who she could actually stand to be around.
"Get away from her!" He yelled, a broadsword gripped in his hand. Perseus didn't even acknowledge him, keeping his harsh gaze on Thalia.
"Wait!" She yelled to Jackson. "Jack stop!" Her warning was too late. The child of Ares put the point of his sword into Perseus' back. She watched as the god's eyes narrowed, somehow appearing to darken.
"You best be prepared to use that, child. Or that stupid head of yours is going to be separated from the rest of your body."
Jackson prodded him in the back, "Get away from her or I'll run you through!"
Thalia's mouth opened to warn him but Perseus' eyes flashed and her voice was gone. His lips curled into an evil smile, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Oh my, is that a challenge I hear?" His words were calm, his tone even.
"If you want a fight..." The son of Ares said before Perseus spun around, his sword appearing in his hands and moving so fast that it was almost imperceptible. Thalia's mouth dropped open as Jackson opened his mouth to respond. But instead of speaking, a sliver of red appeared in a straight line across his throat, slowly thickening before his head tilted to the right. His body though, its collapsed the complete opposite direction, his head sliding off and toppling to the ground and rolling a few feet away.
It came to a stop, his eyes still open and wide, staring right at Thalia who was frozen in place.
"I guess old Chiron never warned him about challenging an immortal." Perseus' smile was cruel, mocking.
That was when she screamed.
Her voice had returned and the blood curdling sound carried through the relatively quiet camp.
Demigods came scrambling from all directions. Their weapons were drawn, letting out battle cries as they saw Perseus looming over Thalia.
"NO!" Chiron's voice carried over all others. He galloped ahead of the campers and spread his arms as he came to a skidding halt a few yards from Perseus.
To his great relief, the campers heeded his word and stopped before they got any closer, some of them screaming when they saw the decapitated body of Jackson lying on the ground, blood pooling around it.
Perseus slowly turned, his smile big and his arms open.
"Chiron, Chiron," he wagged his finger at the centaur who held his bow in hand but was careful not to draw and arrow. "Demigod training 101. Never challenge an immortal unless you plan to fight them to the death." He chided, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"By the gods," Chiron looked from the dead child of Ares back to Perseus. "What have you done?"
Perseus' smile grew and he spread his arms, "Me? I'm only here to help. The gods would keep their heroes in the dark, I am here to enlighten these fine half-bloods."
Chiron cantered back and forth, his eyes darting around to make sure none of his students did something foolish.
"Leave this place!" Chiron demanded. "You no longer have a place amongst the gods!"
Perseus frowned though it was a feigned expression.
"Of course, my old friend, but first, a warning." Perseus turned his eyes and scanned the crowd of demigods, all watching the exchange between Chiron and this strange being warily. "An important choice approaches heroes. A new power is rising and sides must be chosen. I have already captured Hermes and Athena, more gods will soon fall. They will hide behind you mortals and make you fight their war."
When he said Hermes and Athena had been captured, the demigods let out a collective gasp; some calling him a liar, others looking nervously at the demigod children of both gods.
"Many of you will follow the course of young Thalia." He continued over their nervous murmuring. "And most of you, will die. I offer a different choice. You need not fight the wars of immortals! Lay down arms and let Zeus come fight his own battle!"
Thunder boomed overhead. Perseus looked up at the sky briefly, then just smiled.
"Think on my words. Every drop of demigod blood breaks my heart. I wish none of you harm. But also know, I will slay every single demigod on earth, if I must, to rid the world of the gods' rule."
Perseus vanished just as a monstrous bolt of lightning dropped from the sky. It hit the spot where he'd been standing and blasted back anything within twenty feet. Dozens of demigods were injured; some bleeding; some with limbs bent in unnatural angles; most singed and dazed; a few unmoving. Thalia had been knocked backwards but was unfazed by the lightning. She looked in horror at her friends. Many lay screaming in pain while others lay lifeless. Her heart broke at the sight of such destruction.
"Do you not see?" A voice whispered in her ear. "Zeus cares so little for the mortals that serve him that he would fell dozens just in an attempt to injure me."
Thalia's head spun around, searching for Perseus but finding no sign of him.
"What I do, I do for the betterment of the world. Tread lightly daughter of Zeus because he shall soon send you to die in his fruitless attempts to stop me."
The voice trailed off until it was just a faint whisper, floating through the air and being carried away.
Thalia looked around, her eyes moist as she saw first hand what the gods were capable of, all of them.
A.N: Short chapter.. But I had a full chapter written for my Destinies book, then accidently deleted it on that stupid FF app. That got deleted. Fuck FF dot net. Wattpad FTW!
