When Zoe, the most level headed of the trio, didn't wait to fight, Ethan knew this was personal. Instantly an idea was hatched.
"Silena! Zoe mentioned an underground cavern. Maybe we can separate these losers and let Zoe get reacquainted." Silena smiled as she raised her fist and slammed it into the ice. Cracks appeared instantly as the ground they were standing on began to give way. Thinking quickly, Jason grabbed Annabeth by the waist as he began to levitate, avoiding falling into the hole that had just opened up at their feet.
" They are trying to separate us from Lady Artemis." Annabeth said
"She can handle one single hunter. I think the best course of action for now is to ensure that neither of these traitors escape." Jason answered. Slowly descending into the cavern, Jason released Annabeth and came face- to-face with Ethan and Silena. Faster than either could see, Silena activated her necro armor, sped forward, grabbed Annabeth and slammed her into a wall. Leaping to assist his girlfriend, Jason was blocked by a kick in the chest.
"Nope, you're fighting me blondie." Ethan said as he removed his cloak revealing the kevlar beneath it. Jason eyed him warily, drawing his imperial gold gladius.
"Fine, you're out of your league." Jason said as he charged. Swinging his blade he was shocked as his attack passed harmlessly through Ethan.
"Disappointing." Ethan said as he faked a yawn. "We were told you were a special war target." Ethan reached his arm out and struck Jason in the shoulder not enough to wound him but Jason noticed something: he couldn't move his arm.
" I am the leader of the assassins of Chaos. We strike hard and we strike fast. You're probably wondering about your arm, you're probably wondering why it can't move. Your nerves, that strike blocked them, your brain can no longer communicate with that arm." In a rage, Jason struck at the assassin with his good arm. The god was angered even more when his strike phased through his opponent again.
"You don't really learn do you?" Ethan said before landing a flurry of strikes on Jason's left leg. Jason went down to one knee, losing his ability to feel in his leg. Jason felt helpless he couldn't do anything against this monster. Refusing to quit Jason threw his blade at Ethan who sidestepped easily, grabbed the hilt and stabbed the blade into the ground. Ethan was suddenly upon him striking the remaining leg and arm of the god in front of him. The final strike was to Jason's sternum causing him to cough up blood before being flung into the icy wall behind him.
"Do not mistake you still drawing breath as weakness on my part. Percy specifically asked that you and the girl not be killed." Ethan said as he walked back to his cloak. " I don't know what he sees in you." Ethan finished. A cry of pain echoed in the cavern.
" That's probably your girlfriend I should probably go remind Silena about the whole no killing you both thing."
Jason was angry. After the years of training. After finally becoming a god here he was on his back unable to move, alive because a filthy traitor wished it to be so. This would not stand. This COULD NOT STAND. Closing his eyes Jason focused. He suddenly felt it, pure power coursing through his veins. Ethan felt all his hair stand up as he dodged to the left. Where his neck had been a second earlier was now a lightning covered gladius. Ethan took the chance to look over his attacker; Jason stood in front of him with lightning and light blue aura radiating off him.
"You filtered lightning through your nervous system to kickstart your nerves once again. Clever, but what's more interesting is something you probably don't even know." Ethan drew a small knife from its sheath at his waist. As he held the blade darkness pulsed up from the hilt, faster than Jason could follow, Ethan sped towards the god and sliced right above his head. Instantly Jason could feel the power leaving him until the energy to stand was much more than he had left. Ethan stood above Jason with a disappointed look on his face.
"We know all about what Artemis taught you in Michigan and for your information that is not a true form. What you did was force your essence to break through the cosmic barrier and steal some of the cosmic energy left over from when Chaos was creating the universe. You are no better than a thief. You would've had a chance if you were facing anyone else but as Chaos's assassin I can see everything. That includes the influx of cosmic energy to your body, which I severed." Ethan walked over to his cloak and put it back around him.
"Maybe Percy doesn't want you dead because you aren't worth the effort." Those were the last words that Jason heard before he passed out.
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Silena refused to waste any effort on the goddess before her. After grabbing her away from Jason's side and slamming her into the icy wall, Silena allowed the goddess to stand up and catch her breath. Immediately Annabeth drew her knife and stood in a defensive position.
" 600 years and you can still only fight with a knife? I'm disappointed." Silena walked forward. As Annabeth slashed at her, Silena simply dodged to the left and landed a vicious punch to her cheek sending her to the ground.
" Get up Athena spawn. I have questions that require answers."
"Go to Tartarus." Annabeth answered. Standing the goddess up, Silena landed another punch this time to the stomach that made Annabeth double over in pain. Silena picked the goddess up and threw her into the icy wall with enough force to crater it. As Annabeth hit the ground, Silena grabbed her arm and held it out.
"You feel like talking yet?"
"Bite me."
Shrugging, Silena brought her fist down upon the arm breaking it entirely. Annabeth released a cry of pain that could be heard for miles.
"Percy loved you. He dove into Tartarus for you. He declined immortality for you. So why? Why did you break his heart?"
"He was a means to an end. Immortality was always the goal. When I got that, there wasn't a point." Annabeth choked out.
"So did you ever really love him?"
"Children of Athena rarely get recognized, if riding his coattail was what it took I didn't care." Silena grabbed the goddesses other arm and broke it. Another cry of pain escaped.
"I TOLD YOU WHAT YOU WANTED."
" I didn't care." Squatting down, Silena grabbed the hair of the goddess and pulled up to force her to make eye contact.
"Far down in Elysium, I felt a heartbreak. I would have picked up on it if you didn't love Percy. The emotions would be unequal but I couldn't. There are only 2 possibilities. Either you're lying and you did love him or Percy loved you so much that it cancelled out your lack of love. As The rider of Chaos and Daughter of Erebus I can abide by neither." Silena said before driving the head of the goddess into the ground effectively knocking her out. Seconds later Ethan walked into her cave.
"She still alive?" Ethan asked
" Fractured jaw, broken ribs, both arms broken, fractured skull and a mild concussion. She'll live. What about Jason."
"Extensive nervous system damage and depleted energy tank courtesy of a severed cosmic line. He'll be out for 2 days minimum. Did you get the answers?"
"Yes I did. They weren't satisfying. But look at us. Following orders and shit I'm proud of us."
"Right?! I definitely thought you were going to kill her." Ethan laughed. Silena chuckled as she approached her companion.
"Should we go check on Zoe now?"
"Yeah, she could use the emotional support or at the very least an audience."
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Artemis can only stare at the being in front of her. What used to be her huntress was now a warrior of frightening presence. Zoe held her hand up and beckoned for the goddess to attack. Artemis snarled and pushed off the ground with such force that a crater formed as she sped towards her former Lieutenant. Cocking her fist back Artemis aimed for a straight punch to the nose but her confidence quickly vanished as Zoe simply sidestepped the attack, lifting her knee into the gut of the goddess. Spinning on her heel, Zoe crashed her elbow into the cheek of the goddess and sent her flying into a nearby ice formation. Exhaling deeply, Zoe jumped into the sky aiming to bring her fist down upon the goddess but was met with disappointment as Artemis simply rolled out of the way. Jumping to her feet, Artemis adopted her stance. Zoe, mirroring the action, adopted a stance of her own. Surging forward, Zoe stepped into the goddesses guard, their faces close enough for Artemis to see the pulsating blue of her pupils. Before the goddess could react Zoe held both of her arms and slammed her head into the goddess's nose. Staggering back Artemis's hand instinctively went to her nose. Met with warmth and liquid Artemis knew that something had been broken. Rage quickly filled her bones as she charged her former comrade once again, aiming for a kick with enough strength to take the head off a regular mortal. Zoe disappointed her expectations by catching the foot and using it as a means to slam the body of the goddess into the ice repeatedly before throwing her back onto the ground.
"For all those millennia I trusted you. I thought you were the greatest fighter that Olympus had to offer and the only thing that I've learned since exchanging blows with you is that you fight like shit." Zoe snarled. Artemis rose, anger and hatred flowed off her in waves. Zoe stood unaffected as Artemis charged. Shaking her head, Zoe dodged the blow meant for her temple countering with a flat kick that sent Artemis skidding back.
"I remember thinking that among the Olympians you stood out as a pillar of absolute good. I could not have been more wrong. Come now goddess this can't be all you have." Zoe wanted more? Fine. Artemis would give her more. Artemis smiled as a beam of pure moonlight descended from the sky in front of her. Sticking her hand in, Artemis retrieved a bow that seemed to glow with silver energy, the handgrip made of celestial bronze and the string seemed to be made of pure moonlight. Zoe smiled. The sun began to shine brighter and brighter until the goddess was blinded by the light. As it dissipated, Artemis saw Zoe holding what looked to be a briefcase made entirely out of light. Artemis shook her confusion as she pulled back on the bowstring, a silver arrow appeared and as she held the string the silver light in the arrow began to glow, vibrating and humming with pure power. Zoe stood unfazed. Finally, Artemis released the arrow with a grunt. Zoe's arm was a blur as she caught the arrow out of the air and looked at Artemis in a manner that screamed of condescension.
"And just what the fu-" An explosion with the force of an atomic bomb went off with Zoe hand being the epicenter. Artemis finally had time to catch her breath but her relief was short lived. Zoe walked out of the silver explosion with her hand mutilated and scrapes all over her body.
"Clever bitch." Artemis could only stare in fear as light pulsed around Zoe and when it finally retreated, Zoe looked as if nothing had happened. Zoe laid the briefcase down on the air as if it refused to touch the filthy ground. As she opened it Artemis felt a weight of pressure as the sky brightened. Inside was an insanely beautiful golden hunters rifle. When her hand touched the weapon power exploded forth threatening to flatten her.
"This can't be real." Artemis thought. "It doesn't make any sense."
Before Artemis could blink her left leg exploded in pain. When she looked down she was met with a sizzling hole through her thigh. Before she could react her other thigh experienced another explosion of pain. Then both her shoulders. Then the palms of her hands. Then the soles of her feet. Artemis cried out in anguish. She tried to stand but found her strength waning, it was all she could do to remain upright on her knees. Then she felt it. The pressure was all encompassing. Zoe stood in front of her. She tried to flash away but found herself trapped by the pressure. The energy she needed refused to gather. She wanted to be anywhere but here. With her brother, her mother or even her father. Tears streamed down her face as fear closed around her heart suffocating her.
"Don't look so sad." Zoe said "Allow me to introduce you. This is Ra, named after the Egyptian god of Light. It shoots super heated particles of light. When Percy saw it he just had to have his own guns. You know how boys are. It was a gift from my mother, the Primordial Goddess of Day, Hemera. And my symbol of power."
"YOU LIE. THE PRIMORDIALS HAVE FADED."
"Yes, that's what we want you to think. In reality all of them are still well and kicking. The best part?" Zoe pointed to her two companions. A million thoughts flowed through Artemis's mind.
"The boy's mother is Nyx, Primordial of the Night. The girl's father is Erebus, Primordial of darkness and he just adores her, Clarisse is the Daughter of Tartarus, Primordial of the pit. Luke is the Son of Chronus, Primordial god of Time no surprise there and Percy? Well he's stronger than all of us combined."
"Please."
"Please? The great goddess Artemis stares death in the face and says "please"? I'm disgusted." Raising Ra to the forehead of the goddess, Zoe pulled the trigger. Artemis's body began to crumble into dust as she whispered one final sentence. With that she faded. Zoe eyed the dust as she returned Ra to its briefcase and watched it shine brightly and vanish. Exhaling, Zoe returned to her mortal form as she was tackled in a hug from Ethan and Silena.
"We are so proud of you." Ethan said.
"Facing your abuser like that ugh it was so badass." Tears built up in Zoe's eyes as the pair helped her to her feet.
"Thank you both so much." Ethan and Silena just nodded.
"Okay." Zoe said "Let's get back to base."
I Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Also special shout out to HoO Storys, chimera629, Falconfighter1427, someonefamous99, Tom and a bunch of guests I honestly just sit and write everytime I get a review also we've had very dope convo. So as always read review and ask as many questions as you want, I'm quarantined I got nothing else to do. Later,
Peacoat.