Their battle was fierce, arrow after arrow collided in the brisk Alaskan air. Zoe was a hunter possessed, dodging and flipping through the air all while notching three or even four arrows at a time. Her adversary was just as skilled, intercepting arrows with her own all the while launching counterattacks. Artemis was losing patience: notching two arrows, she sent one and quickly sent the other. Zoe intercepted the first but as the second came towards her, she didn't have time to notch another arrow. Quicker than possible, Zoe reached out and grabbed the second arrow out of the air, twisted and sent it back towards the goddess. The speed with which the titans fought was maddening but soon both warriors were out of arrows, Zoe, however, was nowhere near finished.
"YOU WILL DIE HERE!" Zoe yelled as she held out her hands. Dual hunting knives materialized in her palms, 2 feet long, wickedly sharp and glowing with eerie white light. Artemis followed suit and materialized her silver hunting knives. Faster than thought, the two warriors charged one another. Sparks flew as knife met knife in a flurry of aggression. Artemis was in her element swiping and swinging but this was different: every edge she gained was quickly snatched away. Artemis stabbed at Zoe's stomach but met nothing as Zoe leapt into the air and brought both of her blades in a downward arc, Artemis barely had time to raise her weapons in defense of herself. The strike caused Artemis to stagger back.
"What's wrong goddess? You think I didn't notice? The distinct lack of hunters supporting you? You disbanded them didn't you? Did you tell them why? Where are they?" Zoe questioned. Artemis yelled and sped forward bringing both blades in a sideswipe at her former lieutenant, Zoe simply raised both of her knives to either side and blocked each blade. Without breaking eye contact Zoe leaned forward.
"How. Many. Of. Them. How many of them found you the way I did. How many came to you to live a life of freedom not knowing you played a hand in causing their trauma. You filthy, insufferable, bitch." Zoe asked. Artemis broke eye contact and kicked Zoe in the chest with enough force to send her crashing into a nearby ice formation. Catching her breath, Artemis turned to check on her companions before a sound like crashing ice got her attention. The ice formation exploded under the pressure of Zoe's rage.
"Try again." Zoe charged the tired goddess with unending vigor. Slashing, stabbing, Zoe was a monster in human form tossing up a knife distracting the goddess and landing a viscous elbow to the face of the goddess, ichor exploded from her nose as she was sent flying.
No she doesn't get to rest. Zoe thought as she chased down her body kicking it into the air and in one smooth motion leaping into the air and bringing both fists down upon the back of Artemis sending her plummeting to the ground. Artemis struggled to get to her feet. Millions of thoughts went through her mind, the one at the forefront was pain.
"You can't beat me like this. You lack the power your hunters give you, the worship they laude upon your name is no longer there to fuel you." Zoe sat in front of the battered goddess.
"Enter your true form. I want you at your best when I end your meager, exploitative existence." Artemis looked up in rage. Silver light erupted from the goddess cratering the glacier and steaming the air. Zoe could feel it. The air became heavy with the presence of a fully unleashed immortal. Stepping out of the crater was Artemis in all her glory: The signs of their battle were gone, her usual auburn hair was twice as long and startling silver. Her usual hunting uniform was replaced by silver bodysuit with silver plate armor done in the style of greek hoplites. Scenes of the hunt were engraved into it. As far as Zoe was concerned each scene was a slap in the face. Artemis said nothing but faster than thought, Zoe was met with a punch to the stomach that lifted her off the ground, as she fell, a kick found her chest and sent her flying back only coming to a stop by stabbing her knife in the ground to halt her momentum.
Breathing heavily and spitting out ichor, Zoe stared at her former goddess.
"The day Hercules visited my home he did more than break my heart. He raped me on the coast and left me to die. The worst part? You were there." Artemis stopped cold in her tracks.
" Ouranos told me a century after you put me in the sky. I raised hell until you were summoned to deal with me and how did you do it? By sending me to Tartarus." Zoe rose steadily.
"You were so alone. You wanted a lieutenant so bad, that you watched that pig do what he did to me, a maiden, the one you swore to protect and be a guardian of. Then you came to pick up the pieces…...It will not stand, when this is over you will not stand."
"PERSEUS." Instantly Percy's consciousness invaded her mind.
"Zoe what's going-" Percy saw what she saw
"I see. Do what you will." Zoe's black eyes turned into blue orbs, golden light exploded from her person blinding the goddess. When the light died down, Artemis was shocked by what she saw: White armor adorned her body in the style of ancient greek archers. In her black hair was a golden crown adorned with jewels. The light seemed to bend to her will. Her former lieutenant gave of an aura that could have crushed the olympians without their true forms.
"What is this."
"Perseus made me promise that when the time came I would destroy you with everything I have. This is everything I have, this is my anger, my anguish, my rage. And only your death will sate me. Come goddess. Come and face your end."
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The plan as Abi described it was simple and straightforward. Luke and Clarisse would attack and contain Apollo, Percy would lead the Jaegers against the 2000 metal spartans and Wale, Sarah and Abi would take on Mars. Percy liked the idea immediately; it gave his kids the chance they needed to properly shine. Percy spread his wings and took to the sky he had an ingenious idea based loosely upon the movie 300. Drawing his Katana Entropy, Percy had the demigods form a line: 14 in front 13 behind. Entropy began to smoke as the blade ignited into black flame. Swinging 5 times Percy carved the battlefield into the shape of a funnel, black fire lining the edges, forcing the golden spartans to move in one direction: towards the demigods. Effectively destroying any chance of his recruits being overtaken. Sheathing Entropy, Percy launched to the rear of the golden army and decided he would meet the demigods in the middle. Drawing Infinity and Eternity, Percy sent a burst of black fire each time he pulled the trigger. The demigods were a well oiled machine switching, stabbing and shielding one another. Percy couldn't help but be impressed. Soon enough only 200 golden spartans remained and Percy decided the funnel was no longer needed. Teamwork was great but what about individual combat? Entering the minds of the 27 Jaegers, Percy had but one message.
"200 remain. Break rank and kill them all." The demigods released a vicious war cry and charged the spartans hacking away at the robotic army like they were made of wet tissue. Soon all the foes were scrap metal. In the middle of congratulating his troops, Percy got the familiar neck tingle and sent his mind there instantly. It was Zoe, she looked beaten up which confused him until he saw what she was staring at.
"I see. Do what you must." With that he retreated back and heard a blood curdling scream from a voice that sounded too familiar. Spreading his wings, Percy burst towards the scream. When he arrived what he saw chilled him to the bone.
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Sarah was having the fight of her life. Abi's plan of attack was amazing.
"Wale you'll get in close and fight him sword on sword. From what Percy told us he doesn't have any long range attacks, so get personal with that war god. Sarah you'll be right up there with Wale using your spear however, if he starts getting into a rhythm, blast him with some fire. I'll provide support with the plants and focus on holding him down so the two of you can get a solid hit in."
"Let's do it." Sarah said cracking her neck.
"God killing yay." Wale said cracking his knuckles
The three demigods waited for Mars to rise.
"You miserable, traitorous wastes of divine blood. You will suffer the cold embrace of death for your crim-."
"Oh shut the hell up." All three said in unison. Sarah and Wale charged the god as Mars drew his own weapons: two giant blood red xiphos. Bringing the swords down in a downward strike, Mars was surprised to see his strike had been blocked by the runts. Working in tandem, Sarah and Wale pushed the weapons up and struck at the god, each hoping to draw his attention away from the other. Sarah went for a sideswipe at the gods rib while Wale went for an overhead swipe. Both were blocked by the war god. Mars returned the offense by swiping at Wale who gritted his teeth as the blow made contact, fully blocking it. The war god then tried swiping at Sarah, but Mars couldn't move his arm. Sarah saw what had halted it: vines were holding the arm of Mars. Not missing a beat, Sarah stabbed at the war gods head. Mars barely had time to jerk his head to the left. Not allowing this chance to go to waste, Wale kicked the backend of Sarah's spear forcing it left and across the cheek of Mars.
"Filthy mortals, how dare you strike a god."
"Were you not just swinging at us?" Wale asked the god "Was he not just swinging at us?" Wale asked Sarah.
Mars charged forward with renewed vigor, bringing both of his swords in a diagonal slash towards the pair of Demigods. Before he could make contact however, Wale yelled:
"Weaken your swing!" Mars could feel the loss of power in his strike as it clashed against Wale's own weapon. Looking the god in the eye, Wale pushed off his blades and spun revealing Sarah who had taken a deep breath and blasted the war god with an explosion of blue fire. Mars was sent flying digging a trench with his body as he was blasted back. Struggling to rise, Mars' eyes were inferno's of hate and rage.
"Fine, you mortals wish to fight your better? I will answer in kind." The gods' weapons vanished, Mars put both hands behind his back as a red portal opened to his left. Faster than either could blink a sword blasted from the portal slicing the cheek of both demigods and as their blood dripped, Mars spoke.
"Pýles tou Ári. The Gates of Mars. All those who wage war enter my domain, in order to leave whether it be dead or alive the spirit of their weapon is left behind. I can materialize it from my domain and blast it forth. Your lives are forfeit traitors."
Before another sword could be blasted from the portal a giant wall of vine rose between the demigods and Mars. Two more vines wrapped around the two demigods and yanked them back towards Abi. When they landed Abi erected another wall of vine.
"So turns out he has long range attacks." Abi said
"You think?" Sarah asked
"I can follow them. I saw it coming, I just couldn't move. I'm running on empty here." said Wale
"I still have plenty of juice." Sarah said.
"Same here." Abi replied "I think I have a plan."
"Let's hear it, nature lady."
Mars tore through the vines in front of him and when he finally caught sight of his target the brats had arranged themselves in a weird way. The fire one was in front, followed by the vine girl and then the boy. It didn't matter. Two portals opened on either side of him and launched spears at the demigods. Instead of the sound of impalement Mars was met with violent blue explosions.
"What the-." Dumb luck. Paying closer attention this time Mars launched 2 more swords. The same effect occurred but this time Mars saw it all.
"Wale can see but can't react. I can't see but my reaction time is perfect. Sarah has lots of fire power left. So Wale will use charmspeak on me to set my vine spears in the right directions, Sarah you heat up the air so as soon as the vine spears are launched they catch on fire, the ensuing explosion should knock the weapons back."
"Yes ma'am." Wale said
"I trust your judgement." Sarah said.
All three demigods stood before Mars, smiling. This did nothing but anger the god. Opening 20 portals Mars blasted them with successive weapons. The demigods reflected each and every one. They even began to go on the offensive, sending such a barrage of flaming projectiles at the god that it was all he could do to block them in time with his own. Rage filled Mars, releasing a yell of pure power Mars grabbed a spear from one of the portals and opened two vertical portals in front of him and connected them. Dropping the spear into the first portal and watching it enter and exit. As the spear went between portals it began picking up more and more speed. When it appeared to Mars to just be a line he opened a third portal and sent it at the three demigods. His aim was true catching the vine demigod in the abdomen right through her armor. Abi released a cry of pure pain and before she could fall into Wale's arms, her soul was gone. Sarah blasted over as fast as she could. Both demigods were by her side, Wale was speaking as fast as he could telling her she would be okay. Unknown to the demigods Mars had walked right up to them and raised a spear to finish the job. Before he could, a hand grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground causing a crater to form in the earth. It was Percy.
" Right here, right now, you will die Ares" Red portals opened all around Percy but he was faster, using eternity, he shot each and every one of the portals before anything could come through.
Wale was looking at his comrade with tears in his eyes. He had no idea what to do but Sarah grabbed him and looked him in the eye.
"Do you remember the story Percy told us on the first day of training? You have to dig down deep, Wale please, bring our sister home." Wale took a shaky breath exhale and pulled the spear from the abdomen of his fallen sister, as he began speaking his entire body was engulfed in a pink flame.
"Abi, please come back to life, you cannot die now we made promises to one another and we swore that we wouldn't die until we reached our goals. The world is counting on us. WAKE UP." Wale poured every ounce of emotion he had within him into those last two words. At first he thought nothing was going to happen but then Abi's eyes flickered open glowing green. As she stood, green energy began to leak off Abi's body sealing her wound, Wale and Sarah engulfed her in a bear hug. Abi could only stare at Wale.
"You brought me back didn't you, I was gone but you saved me."
"You can pay me back later, we still have a god to kill."
Percy had only felt rage this deep, once before, materializing a knife he stabbed Mars's hand into the ground. Still holding the war gods neck Percy shoved eternity into the mouth of Mars. Darkness and blue fire began building up upon his arms, just as he was about to fire he felt three hands to touch his back. What he saw astounded him: Wale was cloaked in a pink fire the entirety of his armor was stripped off leaving only the jumpsuit underneath, Sarah had had a similar experience with her armor except the fire that covered her was a dark blue, the final and most surprising person he saw was Abi, he could have sworn he had felt her soul leave this place but here she was in front of him. Armor gone and clocked in an eerie green light.
"We aren't done with him yet." the three demigods said in unison.
Hey guys I got really excited and had to crank to this out to you. As always read and review, any questions just ask