So this is a chapter. It's been a long road to this point. Things are getting really hectic and stressful in my life so I'm ecstatic to get this chapter out now, with it being the finale of the second act. Obviously the story isn't done, there is a third act to come, but I can't guarantee that'll be done quickly (lol, me saying quickly when this story is over 5 years old).
Overall, I just want to thank everyone for sticking with the story. It's been a genuine pleasure to write. I look forward to writing more :)
Enjoy!
-JustASimpleWriter1
Previous Chapter
Artemis numbly regarded the boy, before she looked over to Thalia and Annabeth who were running over towards them. Then, she looked up, seeing the constellations beginning to appear in the cloudless sky above them. Stars.
What was one more use of her godly powers?
"Gather round." Artemis murmured, clutching Zoë's body to her chest.
The three demigods formed a circle in front of her, each staring at Zoë's body as Artemis held the girl up.
"To the stars, my brave hunter," Artemis murmured, "close your eyes young ones."
She had pushed herself to the brink of her abilities, both during the search for Percy, in the skirmishes that followed, and now she reached once more. She put her intent towards Olympus, so far away from this forsaken mountaintop, and pulled. Her divinity flickered, the silver light that emanated from her form dulled as she flashed the group up through the clouds, rocketing towards Mt. Olympus. And in the process, she felt something tear within her. Some inherent part of her fracture. But she relished the pain, which gave her a grounding to reality instead of losing herself to the void in her soul and the numbness in her heart.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
They flew across the skies, the steadily darkening sky now rapidly encasing them in darkness. Her demigod companions clung to each other and Artemis's own tunic and arms, drying them of sweat and blood from the sheer force of the air around them. Artemis could only stare at Zoë's body, hanging limply in her arms. Artemis felt the residual agony linger in her soul, acting like a tether to her beloved lieutenant.
The sight of Zoë, lifeless, was too much. She had been Artemis's closest friend, a steady presence that tempered her judgment and a voice that Artemis clung to when things seemed pointless over the centuries.
Artemis thought back to all the memories she had of Zoë, the thousands of years flashing by as quickly as the air around them. Above them, the stars bore dazzling contrails of flickering light.
'The stars…" Artemis pain that hurt in her chest bloomed, as the most recent memories came over her. How Zoë argued with her, fighting to shoulder a burden that Artemis never let anyone take away from her. Her lieutenant was a selfless soul, who only wanted the best for everyone, despite the betrayals she had endured in her youth. She was the kindred spirit that Artemis had learned to embrace openly in the world. To cherish more than anything else in an unforgiving world.
And Artemis had to live on when Zoë finally got her rest.
The tears came then, as Artemis shook her head, latching on to her divinity once more. At her core, the shell surrounding her divine stretch was cracked and hollow, but she pulled and pulled again, drawing out whatever she could.
Because Zoë had asked to go to the stars. And Artemis wouldn't dare deny her that wish.
She gave her lieutenant one last look, soaking in her angular features and peaceful expression. In her hair, Artemis saw a glint of metal- a small hair clip that formed a flower. With gentle fingers, Artemis lifted her arm, taking the hair clip from Zoë's head. It was delicate, but Artemis gasped as she felt the residual power within it. Zoë's power.
Holding the piece of Zoë, Artemis slowly let her lieutenant go. But as the body slipped down off her arms, it did not fall to the earth far below, but instead dissolved into shimmering starlight. Thousands of small flickering lights one by one slipped into the fabric of the sky, mingling and forming something new up above in the night tapestry, until Artemis felt the last presence of Zoë leave the world. The pain in heart diminished, until all Artemis could feel was the small spark of Zoë's immortal power clutched in the palm of her hand.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The journey from the west coast to Olympus happened in mere seconds, As Artemis directly traveled down towards the Olympians' seat of power itself: The Throne Room.
Artemis flashed the group down through the top of the wide dome that was positioned right about the primordial hearth of Olympus. The world came into focus, the rushing air that had rendered the demigods she had flashed to Olympus able to blink their eyes open and take in their surroundings.
The massive room was currently empty, which each Olympian throne looming over all of them, godly sized. At the center of the circular room the hearth crackled lightly, the fire warm and comforting.
"Oh gods," Thalia groaned, holding her head in her hands, "I think i'm gonna hurl…"
"This is Olympus!" Annabeth exclaimed, before she hurriedly jogged over to Thalia, stumbling slightly as her gray eyes latched on to every marbled detail in the room around them.
"I hate flying!" Thalia continued, the spunky girl remarkably green, as she began pacing, hands linked behind her head.
But Artemis ignored them for the moment, her eyes looking for the portcullis opening in the domed ceiling above the hearth. Visible in the night sky directly above Olympus, was a constellation. It was the image of a girl, with a flowing silver tunic, wielding a bow, captured mid draw. It was a huntress. Her huntress, placed in the stars.
She stared at it for a long moment, willing herself to stay standing, even as her muscles screamed, and her neck twinged at just the act of looking up. Everything felt heavy, even after bearing the sky itself for days, and the quiet of the chamber around her was unlike the normal buzz of energy with which she was familiar.
But the prick of a sharp object poking her palm brought her back to reality. She opened her hand, revealing the flower hairclip once more.
"Lady Artemis…" Percy coughed at her side, sounding as though those two words were a task in themselves to voice aloud, "Are you… are you ok?"
She turned, about to speak to the boy, when her head began to throb, and her vision went blurry. She clutched her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the room start to spin. Blindly, she reached out for anything for balance, but nothing came, and she fell backwards, utterly spent.
She dimly heard someone call her name as her eyes tried to open, but she only saw darkness.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As night fell over the ancient city of Babylon, Artemis watched the pale moon rise into the darkened sky above her. Even the stars dimmed from the full moon. It was a familiar, but not at all comforting sight. There was an intensity to its pale glow that painted the city street in a soft but piercing white light. Orange lanterns and firelight flickered, uncertain in the darkness. But the moon was ever watchful. The feeling came first from shadowed alleyways, as the Pellians ambled through the quiet of the night. There was a presence around the party.
Artemis could feel it. She watched as Leonphalos whinnied, his ears flicking in subconscious warning, with Perseus unaware on his back. Tantalus was no different, her ears turning to a movement that only she could hear.
The presence walked around her, kicking up dust and sand in small flurries. It moved through the cool night air, the sensation prickling her skin. It was omnipresent. Artemis knew the feeling all too well after traveling as a mortal within the Expedition. An immortal.
It was impossible to know who was watching her at that moment. But in the end, it didn't matter.
Artemis checked her weapons and armor one last time, checking to make sure that nothing was shaken loose while she rode on her faithful donkey.
"Everything alright?" Perseus murmured, his eyes finding hers. He wore armor, with a shield slung across his back, the same sword he had used for years at his side.
"We are being watched," Artemis remarked, studying the long shadows wrapped around mudbrick walls. Even at night, seeing the city this quiet was an irregularity. They had been trudging through Babylon for a fleeting time, passing the Ishtar Gate once twilight had fully set. Ever since, their journey to the western district of the city had revealed only silence.
"I cannot say by who," Artemis continued, glancing back at Perseus who rode at her side. Behind them, the Pellians marched in a loose column, all armed with light shields and their regular skirmisher armaments. As she twisted on Tantalus, looking back her gaze fell on Daxos, who led the Pellian column. He had no javelin or sling at his side, instead wielding a short cavalry sword that was strapped to his hip.
He nodded to her, and the gesture struck a chord in her. A long time ago this man, a boy, stood amongst hundreds of his fellows. Now, there were hardly more than a dozen. Despite the news that had been received, the truth of her identity, the magnitude of the foe they likely faced, they were resolute.
Artemis knew destruction and devastation. She had come into the world amidst the echoes of the Titan War, a conflict that continued to send aftershocks even through the current age. And together, she stood among the few who faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge. The Pellians, even after having questioned everything involving the expedition, were willing to accept this cause. It was an unspoken trust and bond that Artemis had never expected to feel for mortals beyond the Hunt. Men least of all.
Alexander had told her that she was alone, that the Pellians were dead and gone. He had implied that she would be forgotten, and the histories would smother her tale along with all those she had reached during her journeys. But at this moment, there was nothing closer to the truth.
Artemis turned back, looking over the paved road ahead of them. The river cut through the city, where the streetside docks and jetties that surrounded the dark water melded into the cityscape seamlessly. Beyond the riverfront buildings and shops, a domed building loomed at the edge of the city. Its grand structure dominated the surround from its sheer immensity, the dome radiating a power and might that was far greater than anything beyond the Palace itself.
"But I can hazard a guess." Artemis nodded to the temple in the distance.
"That's it?" Perseus followed her eyeline, leaning forwards to give Leonphalos a pat on the neck. "Subtle."
"As for the… watcher," Artemis paused, as they came up to a stone bridge that stretched over the wide river. The reflections in the gently flowing water included a distorted moon in the ripples below. "I would assume it is Ishtar. From the sound of it, Sin wanted to meet me. Us. I hardly suspect that he would be watching so closely when we are so close."
"And if this watcher is not Ishtar?" Perseus ever so carefully placed a hand on the pommel of his sword. The unspoken name clearly on his mind, after the revelations earlier in the evening.
"That would be bold indeed, to hide under the nose of Babylonian deities who are expecting us," Artemis reasoned, keeping her voice steady, clamping down on the instinct to draw her weapons. She had felt Anahita's presence once, before the Battle of Issus. She had been defended by her brother then. There was no such ally here.
And so they continued their trek towards the temple, under an ever-persistent watchful gaze.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
She first heard a voice deep in her mind, droning on in a comfortable rhythm. But something about the voice made her chase the source, as her thoughts tried to burn through the fog of unconsciousness. It was a comfort, a warmth that drew her in like a moth to flame.
"Lady Artemis? Nothing? Right, ok, this plan sounded a lot better coming from Annabeth… How do I even greet someone if they walk in? 'Oh hi! How's it going, rough day at the office? Don't mind me, just relaxing with Artemis at the foot of her throne! Oh why is she unconscious… it's naptime?' Yeah. That'll go well."
The voice suddenly transformed into a pained yell, as the fog of her mind parted. She saw Percy under the sky scream and his body collapsing and breaking under the weight her bore. She saw Zoë's body hitting stone, with Atlas laughing at the sight beneath the reformed Mt. Othrys.
Artemis bolted up; eyes bulged as the vision imprinted itself on her mind. She flailed; eyes wide as she gasped. She heard a startled yelp as Percy leapt like a surprised cat from where he had been pacing in front of her.
She blinked, breathing heavy as she took in her surroundings. The throne room. Her throne above her, her back against the vines that wrapped up the great seat of power. She felt the comfortable presence of her seat, and the mark of divinity therein. But it felt foreign. Detached. There was power flowing through the throne. But not within her. Her limbs were stiff and heavy.
"By the GODS, Artemis," Percy clasped a hand to his chest, "are you alright?"
"Am I?!" Artemis scrambled to her feet, suddenly seeing the circular throne room spin, the thrones and marble pillar contorting. She stumbled, her back hitting the foot on her throne as she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the dizziness to dissipate.
"I'm fine!" Artemis snapped, before the memories of what had just happened fully registered in her mind.
'Oh Zoë…'
She had to see. Artemis pushed off her throne and walked into the middle of the room, willing herself forwards. She ignored the vertigo that almost buckled her legs under her and Percy's presence, as he shadowed her from where he had been pacing.
She arrived at the hearth, which was just embers and ashen remains, Hestia nowhere in sight.
Up above, twinkling through the portcullis in the domed ceiling was Zoë, set amongst the stars.
She knew it was the case, through the flash of memories that throbbing in her mind, but seeing it again felt as if the weight of the sky was pressing down on her shoulders once more. Her knees finally gave in, and she fell to the marble floor, her thigh cracking against the ring of marble that was slightly raised above the central hearth. Her leg throbbed as she sat there, facing back towards her throne, the slight heat of the hearth giving her the barest amount of warmth.
"She's gone," Artemis murmured, "Zoë…Angelina…"
Two hunters. One a companion for thousands of years, another only for a few. But each were family. They were home. She knew what had been looming, what the impending war would bring. But not now. Not because of her.
"I know," Percy's voice finally pierced through her jumbled thoughts.
Artemis glanced up at the boy, the son of Poseidon. She had been avoiding making eye contact, but the tremor in his tone made her finally look at the demigod.
There were tears going down his cheeks, which highlighted how dirtied and grimy the boy was. Percy, covered in bruises and dirt, had sweat and blood stained on his face and arms, as well as his tattered clothes.
"It's my fault," Percy wiped at a freshly formed tear that welled in his eyes before he sat on the two marble steps that led up to her throne. They sat eye to eye with each other, around thirty feet apart.
"What?" Artemis stared at him, seeing the formerly impudent boy so transformed before her now.
"Angelina," Percy said softly, "We were in this junkyard on the way west. Zoë said it was dangerous. We tried to pass through quietly, but we were noticed. A little security construct saw us. I tried to take it out, but…" Percy looked at his hand, making a fist around a weapon that wasn't there, "my sword failed me. Just like Ares said it would. It put an alarm out. Talos came for us. Angelina pushed the rest of us forwards."
"She died because of me."
Artemis felt her soul pang at that admission. It was as if she was looking in a mirror.
"If anyone is to blame it's myself Percy," Artemis responded, "I failed to recognize that your friend was present back in Maine. It is because of that failure that I ended up under the sky. That your camp issued a quest. That my hunters would endeavor to rescue me. That I put them there in danger."
"But—" Perseus started, before he trailed off, the words left unformed.
"But what?" Artemis rest her elbows on her knees, letting her head fall, the throbbing in her mind unceasing. "It's the truth, no matter how you look at it. I had long enough to dwell on that failure, while under the sky."
Silence greeted her words and she let herself begin to slip back into her mind, unable to look back at the constellation that marked the passage of a friend. Of the remaining hunters who likely saw the constellation and knew that she was gone. Of facing the hunt with the news. Of her failings.
"They loved you," Percy cut in.
"I didn't like them at first," Percy continued, after a beat of silence permeated through the throne room, the marble pillars echoing his words, "when I first met them in Maine. But at Camp, they were like a family. When the quest was announced, there was a drive, this purpose. I could tell they hated that campers were joining them on the quest, but after we fought that lion…"
"The nemean lion," Artemis spoke, remembering the vision, "I saw. You gave the pelt to me in sacrifice." She recalled the strength that it had given her. The rush of energy and invulnerability that had borne the weight of the sky for her, until it had been depleted.
"It was nothing," Percy shook his head, "I figured if anyone needed something, it would be you. But Zoë and Angelina thought I'd take the pelt for myself. After that… They were friendly. Well, Zoë was… less hostile."
"Angelina was my newest hunter," Artemis admitted, "she had a rough time growing up in an orphanage that regularly abused the occupants. The hunt found her only because they were selling girls to buyers that ended up being cyclopes looking for an easy meal. So if she opened up to you…"
"I didn't know," Percy murmured after a moment, "She was so lively though. She told us about coming into the hunt. About the bonds she had. Are all your hunters…" He paused and Artemis sensed where his question was directed.
"Not all. But it's a dangerous world," Artemis flicked her eyes up at him, "Angelina was reckless. But she was loyal and a source of life within the Hunt. Her death is not in your hands. I first found her defending a child from a monster with her fists. She would've done whatever it took for anyone in need."
"Then you are not to blame either," Percy met her gaze, before his eyes flicked down to the hairpin that was still clutched in her hand, "I had my sword for a few years. Chiron gave it to me. He said it had a past, but I didn't care at the time. Not until I saw Zoë looking at it. Not until it failed me. I saw it in a dream that night, where Zoë gave that sword to Hercules, the sword you hold now. I knew then that it wasn't mine. It never truly was. So I gave it back to her."
"Zoë was a force of nature. From the second she knew you were missing; she knew. She must've, after the prophecy was read. It concluded with 'The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand.'" Percy leaned back on the pristine stone. "I realized my own role too late. But Zoë…she knew from the very beginning. After fighting the lion, she kept asking me questions. I thought they were invasive at first. Asking about my family. My friends. My goals, dreams even. But I think… She was telling me to reflect on my life. To look back and have no regrets. Because she didn't falter, not once."
There was a cadence to his words. Artemis had first judged him brash and clueless, but here he was, speaking as though he were Perseus, comforting her—
Artemis felt the tears fall from her face, leaking from her eyes unbidden. Zoë had spent her final days, knowing her death was fast approaching, but spending that time asking Percy about his life. Percy wasn't the same as Perseus, but nonetheless, he was here. The same soul. And Zoë was still defending her, as was her want.
"She was my greatest friend," Artemis bit back a sob, blinking her tears away, "I can't even feel her presence, not without…"
Her powers.
"Not without?"
"I…" Artemis sat up, concentrating on her divinity. She pulled, feeling the mote of power from her throne just behind Perseus. It was a well of strength, but it didn't respond.
"I used too much. I knew I was tiring, but I—"
Memories of her trial under the sky came pouring in. Of the venom that had poured into her veins. Of the endless energy that had flooded through her body, straining against the sky. Against Atlas. Of flashing to Olympus. Of putting Zoë into the night sky.
"I'm—"
The massive doors that sat closed at the front of the throne room slammed open, sending a blast of cool air through the entire chamber. At her back, the embers flashed, glowing bright as the bronze of the doors crashed into the marble walls.
At the doorway, was an odd sight. The first thing Artemis saw was a floating sphere of water, with a strange creature floating within. It was a half bull, half serpent creature that swam with a surprising gracefulness. Artemis recognized the creature after only a moment- after all, she had just begun her search for it before Atlas had trapped her. It was the Ophiotaurus. Suspended in the air, looking curiously at the sights around it. Innocent, but dangerous.
Poseidon controlled the sphere with the barest flick of his wrist, as it floated through the air, coming to rest in the middle of the throne room as five figures stepped forwards, coming into view. Three were children, figures that she had met before. Thalia and Annabeth were next to one another. The third was the satyr that had been in Maine- Grover, he had called himself. The other two were a welcome sight.
Dressed casually in a Hawaiian shirt and board shots while maneuvering his arms, releasing his hold on the tank, was Poseidon. Just a few feet behind him, dressed in a pristine toga and with elegantly styled hair was Athena, looking at the sight of the Ophiotaurus swimming over the hearth with interest.
"Wait, Dad!?" Percy exclaimed, jumping to his feet, "Oh gods, it's good to see you. And Grover! You got Bessie here!" The Ophiotaurus mooed happily at the mention of its… name?. Artemis had to fight a grin from forming, despite the situation.
"Seaweed Brain, I told you I was getting our parents!" Annabeth shot back with an eye roll.
But Artemis only had eyes for Poseidon and Athena. And sure enough, both of their gazes landed on her after a moment. She nodded to them both, signaling that she was fine, as if she looked as exhausted as she felt, then they would assume the worst.
Like the fact that she had lost her powers.
"Percy, it's great to see you," Poseidon grinned instead, glancing back to his son, "A little more warning next time with both your friend and this cargo would have been nice though."
"I—"
Before she could listen further into the conversation, her half-sister filled her vision.
"Artemis!" In a flutter of owl feathers, the goddess was at her side, kneeling on the marble floor.
"I got your message. But I couldn't have known," Athena rambled before she shook her head, "I am so sorry sister. I heard what happened. I am so sorry."
There was no point in hiding anything anymore.
"My divinity is gone," Artemis said slowly, glancing down at her hands. She finally recognized the feeling. It was so long ago. But she had been reliving those days daily for the past few years. The feeling of being mortal.
"…What?"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
It wasn't often that Artemis had rendered the goddess of wisdom speechless. Not since she had arrived back on Olympus after… after the expedition with her divinity restored. She had told her everything then, the words rushing out like a waterfall, as she clung to the memories as if they would slip away into the ethereal void of nothingness that awaited divine beings.
And now, she was on Olympus once more. Powerless.
There were conversations that had broken out around her in the throne room. Percy greeting his father and Grover. Thalia hugged him and Annabeth as they reunited, their eyes swimming with the memories of their trials, no doubt.
But Athena hadn't joined the conversations. She sat at her side by the hearth. The Goddess of wisdom glowed in the dim light of the chamber, as her gray eyes pierced her very soul.
Artemis didn't meet Athena's gaze.
"I had no idea that you were so strained," Athena finally spoke, her hands clasped in front of her before she smoothed her tunic out. "Why didn't you—hmmm. I suppose that's a redundant question. How long have you felt your energy waning?"
Artemis kept looking at the others in the room, where Poseidon stood amongst the demigods like a chaperone, as the exhaustion of the quest overwhelmed them. She stared at Percy; her gaze being drawn to him unconsciously. Even though he had borne the weight of the sky itself, he stood, even as she saw the tremors in his legs as the act of standing was too great a task. No matter how she tried to deny it, there was a stubbornness in his demeanor that she could only compare to Perseus.
"Artemis?"
"Ah," Artemis shifted her gaze away, "I suppose it's been two years now. Since that night when you came to get me on my feet again, by that lake. I haven't really… stopped to rest since then. Either in my waking moments or in my dreams, I suppose. To rest is to forget. And I didn't want to go back."
"Back? Artemis, you always have me here," Athena murmured, keeping her voice barely above a whisper as the other muted conversations fell away in the background. Even without her powers, Artemis could feel the gaze of Poseidon falling upon her. She barely whispered her words back to Athena.
"I know. But just the thought of falling back into a quiet despair once more—I couldn't. Sometimes over the ages, it's like I would wake up from a sleep, and remember those memories again. And I would scramble to shove Perseus's memory back into the recesses of my mind. A twisted cycle of letting go and latching on."
"That's why I was so afraid," Artemis confessed, "because I knew that if I told that story to the Hunt, then I couldn't hide anymore. Not truly. That I would have to face the world at large and be the goddess that he always told me I could be."
"And this is what he wanted? You made powerless? Burning out your strength without caring about the consequences?" Athena glared at her, "This is what the Titans wanted!"
"Do you think I'm finished?!" Artemis raised her voice, staggering to her feet, shrugging off Athena's outstretched arm. "The Titans can't take my will from me, no matter how hard they try. I won't break! I will fight to the end—I've done it before and I'll do it again! This isn't the first time I've been 'powerless!'"
"Powerless?" Thalia echoed across the throne room from where she stood, wedged inbetween Annabeth, Grover, and Percy, who both looked puzzled as well. Even the Ophiotaurus above her looked down through its suspended ocean habitat with a curious expression on its face.
Ah, that outburst was louder then she had wanted that to be.
"I think it's time that we call the rest of the council, Poseidon," Athena cut in, stepped in front of Artemis, "Children, gather near the hearth, we will be calling our winter solstice meeting a fair bit early."
"For what?" Percy spoke up, glancing up at Poseidon, before turning to Athena and Artemis.
"To decide what to do with you all," Athena said calmly.
Artemis recognized what was about to happen and she quickly walked over to her throne, glancing up at its enormous size, knowing that she couldn't sit there in her godly form. Instead, she leaned against the cool stone, finding a comfortable spot where two vines supported her as she settled in. She ignored Athena, her temper still coursing through her. It didn't matter if the goddess of wisdom was right, or logical. She knew all too well that there wasn't always a time to be logical when doing the right thing.
"Percy, Thalia, Annabeth, Grover," Poseidon gestured over to the hearth, "I'm afraid that the council will have to be briefed on what happened. Speak the truth and don't worry about Zeus. I won't let anything happen to you all."
As the god of the sea spoke the words, his form grew, until he stood over twenty feet tall, as he walked towards his own seat of power. Athena did the same, both Olympians on opposite sides of Zeus's central throne. Artemis was a seat away from Poseidon, her brother's throne placed in between them.
"Look away children," Athena warned as she settled into her throne. A moment later, a deep thrum of energy erupted from the goddess's seat of power, emanating outwards to each individual throne. Vibrations resonated through the marble medium, and the very pillars and ceiling shook slightly, the motions creating a harmonic melody of quaking stone. Despite her exhaustion, Artemis rolled her eyes, knowing that Athena had designed the structures around them to make music when a call was sent out in this way.
And they didn't wait long for an answer. First, Artemis felt a surge of energy at her side and she instinctively turned away at the last moment, her lack of powers making her feel mortal once more, which carried the dangers of beholding a god's true form.
Apollo was seated in his throne a moment later, radiating a golden glow even while wearing ordinary jeans and t-shirt and completed with a set of open toed sandals.
But before she could say anything and he in turn, there was another flash. And another, one by one, as each throne was filled. Demeter, dressed in stained overalls. Ares, and his battle-scarred armor. Hermes, hunched over his caduceus mobile phone. Hephaestus and Aphrodite, in mid argument, which carried over to the throne room. Dionysus, an omnipresent cup of a liquid that was decidedly non-alcoholic. Hera, always timing her immaculate entrance so that she arrived just before her husband. Hades, arriving just after Hera to prove his indifference to coming. And finally, Zeus, flashing onto his throne with a thunderclap, the sound reverberant, silencing the echoing vibrations in the throne room.
"Daughter, you call the winter solstice early once more," Zeus grumbled, before his eyes settled on the middle of the throne room, where the hearth picked up slightly, the embers crackling, illuminating those who stood before it. And then, one by one, each god in the room looked up at the Ophiotaurus.
Athena intervened before Zeus could speak further.
"Father, Council," Athena stepped off her throne and began to pace in front of the hearth, "I am afraid this meeting cannot wait. These four children are here today, along with Artemis, to tell of a recent occurrence. There can be no delay or brandying of poetic words. The Titans rise once more. The council here knows this, and can feign disinterest no longer. There is no room for ignorance anymore."
Artemis, despite her mortal size, caught each and every expression around the room. The welcomed challenge, the disbelief, the shocked ignorance.
But Artemis paused as she looked to her left, meeting her brother's gaze.
"…Artemis?" Apollo asked, his eyes widening.
"Hello brother," Artemis barely managed a smile.
"How has this been allowed to happen," Zeus growled, "The Titans are imprisoned, their fortress lies sundered in the west."
Artemis stepped forwards.
"Fellow Olympians," Artemis held her head high, as she padded onto the open marble floor, "I am afraid that Athena speaks the truth. I have seen it with my own eyes. A demigod was captured."
She gestured back to Annabeth, where the line of demigods were cowed by the presence of twelve Olympians around them.
"She was forced to bear the weight of the sky, allowing Atlas to go free. I was captured in turn, and chose to bear that burden in order to save her life. I was there next to the ruins of Othrys. I saw the fortress rise before my eyes."
""You bore the weight of the sky?" Ares leaned forwards, his red gaze sneering, "These whelps too? It would kill them instantly."
"Silence," Zeus retorted, "Daughter, why do you retain your mortal form?"
Indeed, Artemis could feel all the eyes in the room fall upon her, but more than that, they were searching for something. A divine presence that wasn't there, lying dormant inside of her.
"I can feel your gazes on me, questioning me," Artemis turned, glancing back at Apollo, nodding slightly as she saw the recognition come to his eyes.
"Once, you all chose to cast me out, to exile me to the mortal world, without powers or divinity. How ironic that this time I cast my divinity aside of my own volition, to protect you now."
"Speak, daughter." Zeus thundered, his eyes narrowed, as storm clouds rumbled high in the night sky. Artemis stared back at her father, unflinching, even though she recognized the restrained fury in his eyes. Zeus did not take kindly to his authority being questioned.
There was a time where Artemis had first come to Olympus with her brother, looking up at Zeus with doe-eyed wonder. The King of the Olympians. Her father. His aura was strong, radiating energy that seemed to crackle and spark at the very air, waiting to unleash a thunderous wrath. Whether it was her exhaustion or the underlying memories of Perseus that caused it, she couldn't be sure.
She bit back the retort on her tongue, pushing her anger deep down.
"Very well, Zeus," Artemis replied, before she turned to the assembled Council.
And she told her story.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
They arrived at the foot of the temple as night had fallen into the depths of darkness. The trek through the city after crossing the river had gone smoothly. In the night air, the gentle sounds of the Euphrates acting as a comforting anchor in the quiet darkness. The river gave Babylon and the surrounding valley its lifeblood to survive admist the hostile environment. And at the edge of the city, the great domed temple awaits them.
From a distance, the domed building had been imposing. Up close, it rivaled the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus in size. The expedition had stopped at the outskirts of the city, with the mausoleum dominating the cityscape. But that had been when Artemis had still had her powers and traveled with the Expedition from her chariot. Though the great Anatolian mausoleum was far taller, the Temple of Sin occupied the entire corner of Babylon itself, giving it a sense of dominance over the sheer breath of space it had been allotted. The great stone walls had been absorbed into the temple exterior, with the gatehouses and battlements serving as walkways and stairways into various parts of the temple itself.
As it stood, the temple occupied four city blocks, with the domed roof of the temple serving as the center structure, with other quarters and offshoots jutting out parallel to the city walls themselves. The palace of Nebuchadnezzar shared much of the architectural designs that were present here, with lush vegetation occupying much of the roofs and walls, where stone reliefs told an unfamiliar story before her eyes. The Temple of Sin, like the Parthenon in Athens, was the pinnacle place of worship. And therefore represented the greatest homage to the gods. But through dim torchlight, Artemis could only wonder at the battles and stories that had been carved into the stone.
Artemis leaned back, drawing her donkey to a stop. Tantalia tilted her head, giving her a baleful eye as she was pulled away from Perseus's own mount, which had been steadily ignoring the donkey's attention.
"Don't give me that look, you are the one that terrorized Leonphalos. It's not my fault he's ignoring you," Artemis said smugly, as she looked at the bigger horse's rider.
Perseus grinned back at her, "I think it's more likely that he is thinking of sleeping in the stables instead of our midnight adventure here."
"Just like his rider then?"
His answering scowl almost made her laugh until she heard the footsteps of the Pellians coming from the road behind them.
She saw Atreon and Daxos leading the men out of the shadows. They all moved silently in the dark, staying out of the nearby torchlight.
"Any sign of guards or priests?" Daxos asked, looking up at Perseus and herself.
"None so far," Perseus responded, "We'll go in on foot from here. Watch our mounts for us. And make sure you cover all the entrances you can find, walls included."
"Sounds good to me, you two decide on a signal if you need help?"
Artemis looked over to Perseus in the dark, before she looked back at Daxos' shadowed form, "If we aren't out by dawn, come on in."
She quickly dismounted from Tantalia and nudged her in the direction of a Pellian who might have been Atreon if his grunt was anything to go by. Perseus did the same with Leonphalos. The animals were visible only for a minute as the Pellians slowly led them in the darkened alleys of the city and they were alone once more.
"Together then?"
"Lead the way," Artemis rolled her eyes, as she and Perseus walked up towards a central convergence of both the stone reliefs as well as a small ring of exterior pillars that were set in front of the walls of the temple itself. Torches hung on the pillars, bathing them in orange light as they emerged from the safety of the darkened streets.
At the crux of the pillars and stone reliefs was a double doorway, with two torches on either side of the wooden entrance. Artemis watched Perseus pause for a moment, as there was no visible blemish or way to open the door.
"I think they are expecting us," Artemis said, stepping up to Perseus's side. She rested a hand on the left door and looked at him. He did the same on the right door.
Together, they pushed, and the doors creaked open.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
She told the council of Maine. Of meeting the demigods and the ancient threat, and the events leading to her capture. She told the council of what she had seen, from the rising ruins of Othrys to the golden sarcophagus of Kronos. Of fighting Atlas himself and retreating from the mountaintop, where an army had assembled.
"And so we come here now, at last," Artemis finished, "I will not tolerate more indecision. The Ophiotaurus is before us now. Two demigods had the ability and means to betray us all in order to bring us to ruin due to your indifference. We are fortunate indeed that they have loyalty to Olympus."
"Fortunate?" Ares echoed, "They are a weakness! If war is upon us, we must—"
"If you are insinuating that we eliminate this 'weakness'," Poseidon narrowed his eyes over to Ares, " then I suggest you don't finish that statement."
"You are blinded by your loyalty to your sired son," Hera said, "We must do what is best for Olympus."
"These kids did a good thing!" Apollo interceded, "I think we should hear them out first in order to pass judgment on anything."
Artemis heard a few murmuring agreements, with no audible dissention. But she knew better than to allow herself to believe that the demigods were safe.
"Indeed," Zeus leaned back, glaring down at Artemis, as he waved her away, "You. Daughter of Athena, tell your side of things.
Artemis clenched her fists, staring up at Zeus. She refused to show even the slightest hint of weakness to him, especially as he didn't even view her as a threat anymore, with her divinity silenced.
She turned and walked back to her throne, but in doing so, she looked over at the demigods. Annabeth had stumbled forwards, her eyes locked on Zeus and Athena, but Thalia Grover and Percy were giving her wide gazes.
She hadn't left any event out in her retelling of events; from the moment she had encountered demigods in Maine through flashing onto Olympus. They knew her power was gone, in definitive terms. The pain of losing two hunters. The torture she had endured.
She avoided their gazes, as one by one, each was called to tell their stories. First it was Annabeth, who filled in the gaps for Artemis, as she described how she had been tricked under the weight of the sky, how Luke had borne it before she took the weight from him. That had caused murmurs from the council. Hermes looked particularly guilt stricken at the mention of his son.
Grover came next, but as he was telling the council of his side of events, a familiar voice crept into her mind. It was Apollo, speaking conversationally, save for his serious tone.
"Artemis, I knew that you were in danger, but…"
Artemis quickly snapped her gaze over the Apollo, but she only saw him gazing thoughtfully down toward Grover's commentary.
"I helped the quest along to free you. I would've done more had I known…"
"Known that I was weakening?" Artemis supplied, trying to project her thoughts to her brother. While she could not communicate, she knew he would be able to read her thoughts. "It wouldn't have changed anything. What could you have done? You are bound to the ancient laws."
"I would've helped you. Against Atlas," Apollo insisted, "I felt the change in the skies, Artemis. I'm so sorry."
Even though her sibling always took every opportunity to annoy and provoke her, she could always rely on him in the moments that mattered.
"Thank you," Artemis sighed, as she looked towards the portcullis, where gathering clouds now blocked the sight of the new constellation from view. "I know I can't be the best sister to have, but I do love you Apollo. I don't think I can tell you that enough."
"Well now I know you aren't Artemis anymore," Apollo's voice teased in her mind, "I'll make sure to remind you that you said that next time you give me a long-winded rant."
She paused, a sad smile twitching on her face as she looked at him. Her brother was perceptive, but not enough. She locked away her mind, focusing on her strength within, latching on to whatever was left of her divinity to shield her thoughts for a brief moment. She had never told him of her times in the east, at least, nothing in detail. He knew only that she had spent her time punching men who flirted with her and killing exotic monsters that threatened her.
For a time, in the years following the expedition, she had worried that Apollo knew, while she was in the process of shoving every memory down into an oblivion even stronger than the waters of the Lethe itself. But Apollo had never asked, nor questioned her about Perseus. The two had never met, but Artemis knew that Apollo must have known about him. Perseus was an influential person in the Macedonian campaign. She wondered what his reaction would be if it was all revealed to him.
Because, as she stared over the council room chambers, where the Olympian Council sat, listening to the demigod accounts, Artemis found that she was tired.
The exhaustion, however, was just the physical side of things. She would recover, that was sure. Her powers acted like a well, barren at the moment, but storm clouds brewing overhead signaled a resurgence of her strength. Worship from demigods across the country would come with conflict brewing and monsters run rampant. Fresh rain to bring life to her divinity once more.
But her thoughts lingered on Athena, where the Wisdom Goddess sat neatly on her throne, her eyes intently following the demigods in the center of the chamber. She had lashed out at her, not a moment ago in the very chamber they sat in now about how she wasn't finished. About how the Titans hadn't won.
But she knew in her heart that she had lied.
She recognized the weariness in her bones all too well to let it slip by unnoticed once more. War was coming. It was as unavoidable as the time itself. There was no running, no staving off its arrival in any meaningful way. The Great Prophecy was upon Olympus. The Elder Demigods standing in the throne room only acting as a testament to its imminence.
But try as she might, Artemis couldn't muster the will to fight. An image of Zoë's broken body flashed in her mind, followed by Angelina from a memory of her laughing amidst the Hunt's daily dinner campsite. More appeared, one by one, lost souls that had found their way beyond the veil into Elysium over a millennia of fighting. Until she finally toyed at a particular memory in her mind. A dark memory.
Because Perseus had said it best, all those years ago. He'd told her that he was tired. And every day that passed in Babylon, Artemis had watched him try to recover from the war they had fought, but never truly succeeding.
She hadn't understood then, especially when she had yearned for a future after the Expedition was over, but she had come to understand what he had meant in the centuries that followed. There comes a price to loss that can never truly be paid. Every lost hunter, from the recruit to the veteran—to the lifelong friend.
She thought of Phoebe once more and the bond that Zoë had shared with the spartan girl. Artemis knew what would unfold when the news became known. Phoebe would rage with all the fury of her ancestry, with her bloodline fueling her call to battle. Her aura would inspire the others; the Hunt would march into battle and accomplish feats of legendary renown in the war to come, using the conflict as an outlet for their mourning and rage. More would die. Others would live, their eyes reflecting the loss over the remainder of their immortal days until they found bliss in the beyond.
But come the conflict's end, in victory or defeat, Artemis would linger in the resulting ashes of the world. It was easy to stand against the unknown with Perseus at her side. It was easy to whisper words of meaning with his presence next to her still. Now, she felt the weight of his memory, leaning against her throne besides her. But without even paying it a glance, she knew that his presence was empty, his memories nothing more than dust in the wind.
"Percy Jackson," Zeus's voice thundered, cutting through Artemis's internal thoughts, "Step forwards. What account do you bring to this council?"
Artemis snapped her gaze over to the demigods, seeing Thalia stepping back into line with Annabeth and Grover, having just finished speaking. Artemis dimly realized that minutes must've passed, before she focused on the young demigod of Poseidon.
Because even though Perseus had faded, Percy was here.
From her vantage point, she couldn't help but compare the two in her mind. Percy looked as though he would fit right into the Pellians. His entire body was caked in dust, blood, and sweat, as though he had marched twenty miles through the arid deserts of Persia, fighting off manticores and simurghs at every turn. Even at his age, Artemis knew younger Pellians in the beginning months of the Expedition.
She had called Percy rash before, but now, he stood firm, even though his very bones shook just from standing upright.
"Right," Percy started, a tremor in his voice quickly suppressed as the boy cleared his throat, "I don't have anything to add that my friends haven't already mentioned. I only want to say that I couldn't have asked for better companions in this quest. Both from my friends…"
Percy turned quickly to glance back at the three figures who stood behind him, nodding to them, before he turned towards her, his green eyes meeting her gaze, "—and the hunters of Artemis. While I had only known Angelina and Zoë for mere days, they were true comrades, if I am even allowed to consider them as such. I am so sorry for their sacrifice."
Artemis felt her throat dry as a weight pressed against the back of her eyes. She held Percy's gaze for a moment, before his eyes twisted into Perseus's own eyes, full of longing and comfort. She bowed her head. I'm so tired Artemis. I'm so tired.
"Is that all?" Zeus leaned back on his throne, "Very well. No matter the circumstances, I find that this quest has shown the perils of the looming Great Prophecy. A titan unleashed. An Olympian left powerless. Demigods, of elder blood, tempted with treachery."
"Tempted?" Percy echoed, "I wouldn't harm the plankton in the water over there, let alone Bessie herself—ah sorry, himself!"
From behind the demigod of Poseidon, the Ophiotaurus mooed quietly, the sound warbling over the council chamber.
"Bessie?" Zeus glanced over to the half serpent that swum with a languid grace despite its current accommodations. "The Ophiotaurus is a direct threat to our very existence. The fact that you and my daughter have brought it here changes little."
"As it stands Thalia," Zeus turned his gaze to the equally weathered demigod, "You are turning sixteen tomorrow where you will have the potential to raze Olympus to the ground. You said to yourself that Kronos tried today to turn you."
While Thalia shifted under his gaze, Annabeth stepped in front of her.
"You have to trust us! We stand here now because we are loyal. Kronos has taken a friend that Thalia and I love dearly. The fact that we are here now should show you how committed we are to saving Olympus, not razing it!"
"You say this child," Demeter spoke up from her throne of woven tree branches, all in distinct stages of life, "but even the most loyal of friends have a price. A turning point. While your friends may truly choose Olympus and its preservation, their minds are easily manipulated. I believe that you would never consciously betray us. But I cannot deny the risks that you represent."
"We can't act on the risk they represent," Poseidon cut in, "To do so would make us no better than Kronos himself."
"While perfectly reasonable that statement may be, Hera calmly spoke from Zeus's side, "I can't help but notice that your own son is one of the demigods in question here."
"Hera is correct," Zeus turned to his wife, "I cannot push for a decision, neither can Poseidon. Our own children are the subject of this very meeting. I have already delayed my daughter's fate once. I will not infer again."
"Brother—" Poseidon narrowed his eyes, his hand clenching over the staff of his trident.
"I think, there may be a potential solution here," Athena spoke, silencing the rebuttal on Poseidon's lips as the god of the sea watched Athena stand from her throne.
"My daughter speaks a simple, logical truth. These demigods are loyal. They fought Ancient monsters, a Titan, and come here now at our mercy. We cannot annihilate our strongest weapons in a coming war. Yet, their threat is undeniable," Athena effortlessly commanded the council's attention, as she walked in a semicircle around the central dais. "Our solution, therefore, is equally simple. The Great Prophecy states that a half-blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds. We cannot control the prophecies' outcome, but we may control to whom it refers."
"We aren't ready for a war," Hephaestus scratched his beard, "weapons need to be made. Armor forged. And if this one," the god of the forge gestured over to Thalia, "ends up being the lucky subject of the prophecy, then we are at a disadvantage."
"Don't call me unprepared," Ares sneered, "Unlike the rest of you, I am ready for this. I find however, it's important to eliminate threats rather than offer them potential boons."
"Ares," Apollo shook his head, "no one is offering them boons. But there are measures that should be considered."
"Actually," Artemis found herself speaking up, "I think I may offer just that."
Having heard Athena speak, Artemis had found herself rapidly evolving an idea that had formed in her mind. It only took a few seconds to ponder the feasibility of the plan, before she considered it a neat solution to the proposed problem.
The entire room turned to look at her, as she shifted her weight from her leaning position. She walked towards the center of the chamber, where Athena's towering godly figure stood. Artemis nodded to her and watched as Athena retook her throne.
"I have seen these heroes' deeds firsthand. To even dwell on their disintegration is hypocrisy in its purest form, for who are we to lecture demigods about potential threats while we debate their own destruction in front of their very eyes," Artemis glared up at Demeter in her verdant throne.
"I vote that we honor these heroes for their actions, which has shown how pressing the matter of war is. Hephaestus speaks the truth and dare I say it, so does Ares. Furthermore, I vote to propose a solution to the immediacy of the looming Prophecy."
Artemis turned away from her fellow Olympians, ignoring the shock in Ares' eyes and the scowl on Demeter's face.
"Thalia," Artemis began, "I have no right to ask you this, but this situation calls for this option. I hereby offer you a place in my Hunt's ranks. Should you accept and swear by my oath of maidenhood, I will grant you an eternal place as my companion."
Against the sudden silence that permeated through the chamber, Thalia's quiet laughter echoed off the marble walls.
"Believe it or not," Thalia shook her head, the unsure expression she had worn earlier now gone, replaced with a fiery determination, "I was about to ask for an invite."
"Daughter—"
Thalia turned to face her father, "I know the ramifications of what tomorrow could bring. And I refuse to allow the possibility of being a pawn used to destroy the world my friends rely on." At her side, Annabeth squeezed Thalia's shoulder and the two shared a look. Percy and Grover however, looked on in surprise.
In front of the council, Thalia stepped forwards and kneeled at Artemis's feet.
Artemis watched as the daughter of Zeus spoke without hesitation the Hunter's Oath. And though she was powerless, there was a shift in the air. All around, Artemis felt each Olympian sit upright. Energy swirled amidst the chamber as Thalia spoke an ancient oath. With her words, Artemis, out of the corner of her eye, noticed her glow slightly. Energy bloomed and was released, flowing towards her. But rather than replenish her lost power, it flowed through her.
And as Thalia uttered the final words, from deep within, Artemis felt a tug in her immortal soul as a bond was forged. The marble below Thalia's feet flickered under a sputtering silver light, as if it were a flame struggling to survive. But it refused to die, glowing like a newborn star in the night sky.
"Welcome to the Hunt," Artemis smiled, as the ache in her soul subsided for the moment as she regarded Thalia at her feet.
Thalia rose to her feet, the grime and dust on her clothes contrasted by the flush glow to her skin. She had previously shared the blood and sweat stains that Percy had on him, but her skin now was smooth and her spiky hair glossy under the torchlight.
The new hunter nodded to her, as Artemis saw questions dancing in her eyes. But Artemis knew that this wasn't the time nor place to answer them. Thalia, too, noticed the unspoken we'll talk later message in her eyes, and she instead turned back around and walked over to Percy, giving him a hug. Artemis watched as Percy's eyes widened in fear before he laughed quietly exchanging quiet words that Artemis didn't care to eavesdrop on.
Instead, she took a breath as she quietly walked back towards her throne. There would be time to talk with Thalia privately, before they both would return to the Hunt.
But then Thalia's voice carried over the council chamber.
"It has to be you Percy, you will be the child of the prophecy," Thalia said, as she wrapped both Annabeth and Grover into a sort of group hug amidst the throne room.
"Ahem," Zeus leaned forwards, "Despite having bought us time, I do not believe this quite solves the dilemma before this council. We have a son of Poseidon, poised to reach sixteen in a few years' time. And the subject of the Ophiotaurus remains. While my daughter will be watched by Artemis and the Hunt, a freely roaming demigod can falter to Kronos' deceptions."
Artemis scowled at the implication that her offer had stemmed from a need to control Thalia, but Percy, of all those present, beat her to challenge Zeus.
"Wait! We can't kill Bessie!" Percy exclaimed, "I know im a threat, but killing it will just put it back into the world somewhere right? What's the time inbetween Bessie reforming?"
"Hmm—the boy raises a good point," Athena reasoned, "It could be better to contain the creature here, under our combined protection."
"That is all well in theory," Aphrodite leaned forwards, breaking her unusual silence in the proceedings thus far, "But as Zeus has said, how does this solve the aspect of temptation? I know the boy has felt it."
"I'm quite confident that I can help in the design and function of a facility for the Ophiotaurus that is quite impervious to subterfuges," Hermes sighed, a saddened look over taking his normally more jovial appearance, "I can hardly imagine that any demigod could succeed, even if aided by Kronos, against the combined might of Olympus."
"It seems we are in a rare agreement then?" Zeus looked around the chamber, where no one voiced measures of dissent, "Very well, Poseidon and Athena, I'm sure you can design a habitable environment for the creature. Hermes, assist them in protecting it from any and all threat of being stolen or killed."
"Very well, Zeus clapped his hands, causing a booming shockwave to echo across the throne room. At the far side of the room, the great golden doors creaked open. "Demigods, by the decree of this council, you are free to go. Poseidon, I want you to bring word to your kingdom. Mobilize your cities for war. Bring the wrath of the seas down upon the ship Princess Andromeda. I shall assist from the skies. Apollo, in your sister's absence, hunt down—"
"Father," Dionysus interrupted, "Apologies, but something still needs to be discussed concerning the demigods."
"What do you mean?" Zeus glanced over to Dionysus after having begun to discuss the preparations for war. The children had only made it about two steps towards the doors before they paused, as Dionysus's words stopped them in their tracks.
"I would have spoken up earlier, but i'm afraid I was conversing with Hades. There is an opportunity that we can use to our advantage.
Zeus looked over to Hades, who had been the only one to remain completely silent until this point in the council.
"Brother, is this true?"
"From his makeshift folding chair, Hades nodded, "It is. The fact remains that the Underworld is in turmoil. Monsters reform at a noticeably faster rate. While nothing has changed dramatically so far, it lends us insight into Kronos' plans. With the rate at which monsters are forming and their gathering around Kronos' host, it's clear that Kronos wants war to happen quickly, while we are unprepared."
"In Kronos' ideal world, the Great Prophecy happens tomorrow. Having been robbed of this notion," Hades nodded his head in Artemis's direction, "I can only surmise that he will take the next best option."
"Hmm—that is very good to say," Poseidon said thoughtfully, "two years would allow us to build up our forces and prepare. Given more time, we could match his efforts to mobilize errant children and wage war on their armies."
"Precisely," Hades nodded, "We may be ready in two years' time. But in four? Or six? Our options are better rounded."
"It does allow Kronos to prepare even longer, more opportunities to tempt demigods away from Olympus, Jackson here prime among them," Ares grunted.
Athena waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "Diminishing returns. If we are given six years to Kronos gaining six years, we gain infinitely more from our position. Kronos has been planning for this war since the Great Prophecy was revealed. Six years in minuscule in the overall scope."
"That does, however, suggest there is a proposed solution to Percy Jackson turning sixteen, and having one of Hades' children assume the mantle of the Great Prophecy," Zeus glanced at Hades, who gestured over to Dionysus.
At Hades' gesture, Dionysus looked a bit nervous, as he wore a familiar expression that Artemis recognized over the recent decades.
"Father, I know that I have brought this up before—" Dionysus began, the grape vines around him almost wilting from how he gripped the arms of his throne.
"Enough!" Zeus's eyes flashed, lightning crackling from his irises, "I will not hear another excuse to escape your punishment."
"This is no excuse!" Dionysus rose, stepping forwards, in a rare burst of energy.
"I accept my punishment and will serve it in any way you see fit beyond Camp Half-Blood. I only mention this because of the need for the camp's protection. The defensive capabilities of Camp Half-Blood have diminished over the years. The mechanical dragon is lost. The tree," Dionysus waved his hand over to Thalia, "is no longer serving its purpose. I may be a its guardian, but I am limited in my capabilities to assist the demigods should the war come to the camp."
"…Very well," Zeus leaned back, "What do you propose?"
Artemis narrowed her eyes, genuinely unsure where Dionysus was going with his argument. Thus far, this was the furthest he had gotten in trying to appease Zeus into getting out of his punishment to watch over Camp Half-Blood
"Having seen Artemis bestow immortality to your daughter, I vote that we bestow Percy Jackson with immortality."
Artemis felt her mouth gape open in shock as the room filled with silence before Percy nervously spoke.
"Wait… did you say Percy Jackson?"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Quiet!" Zeus thundered, cutting through a rush of conversations that had erupted. Artemis could only stare in shock as she took in the throne room around her. Poseidon and Athena had immediately approached Zeus and cornered him on his throne, while Ares argued with Aphrodite, Demeter and Hera had been talking in hushed tones.
Dimly, she heard Apollo's voice in her mind, but even that was drowned out from a roaring noise flooding her eardrums.
"Back to your thrones!" Zeus ordered, "You, Percy Jackson, step forwards."
"Again?" Percy had shrunk in on himself looking smaller than he had just moments before.
"Indeed," Zeus turned to Dionysus, "You propose to make Percy Jackson a god. On what grounds?"
"Under ordinary circumstances, I would not suggest such a thing," Dionysus began wearily, "I have no love for demigods. But they are not without their uses. The idea came to me when Artemis inducted the Tree girl into the Hunt. I thought that of all the demigods, Perry might have his uses in leading them in a comparable manner."
"As an Olympian?" Zeus clenched a fist, his fingers grasping nothing as the air ionized in his palm, sparks of lightning flickering outwards.
"Not at all," Dionysus snorted, waving his arm aside, "a minor god to be sure. A guardian. Or something. I am bound by the ancient laws. As are most on this council. Artemis has a backdoor to directly aiding her companions. A new god watching over Camp Half-Blood would potentially give us that advantage as well."
"Zeus, you can't be considering this," Poseidon began, "My son could hardly leave his friends and family behind—"
"Give that brat godhood!?" Ares shouted, "I'd rather fight the Titans tomorrow!"
"I have to agree with Poseidon," Athena glanced nervously over at Artemis, "this is unprecedented and is a volatile move. It would weaken our strength to induct a new god into the pantheon, even a minor one."
But Artemis could only watch in growing concern that of the objections that came, far more of the council were silent—Zeus included.
"I'd like to hear the boy's opinions," Zeus finally spoke after processing Dionysus's words.
"Ah," Percy gulped, feeling the entire room fixate on him, with a higher degree of scrutiny than before. "I am—flattered? But I mean, I can't—"
Percy glanced back at his companions and Artemis watched each of their expressions Grover seemed conflicted, which was mirrored in Thalia's posture as well. But Annabeth… Annabeth was smiling. It was the same smile that she had Thalia had shared when Thalia had taken the Hunter's Oath just a moment before, which seemed like a lifetime at this point.
It didn't make sense, Artemis thought back to Percy's reactions to Annabeth going missing. Surely their connection was strong? Too strong even, for friendship?
The answer came flooding to her mind when she had seen the broken look on Annabeth's face at Mt. Othrys. Of Luke's pain and Annabeth pleading with him. She wanted him to let her go.
"I mean," Percy glanced up at Zeus, "Can I say no? I'd like to say no."
"You would give up that chance to be a god? To defend your fellow demigods?" Zeus looked genuinely taken aback. Artemis felt relieved. Even the idea of Percy being a god… it couldn't happen. Just the idea of Percy being immortal, taunting her with what could have been in his other life…
"No!" Percy shook his head, "Of course I want to help them, but as a god? That's—"
"Dionysus's suggestion has merit," Hera spoke up, speaking over Percy's ramble of words, "We have no control over what domains a new god receives on Olympus, but this could be a way to control the outcome. Camp Half-Blood is indeed weakened. A new god would surely either fill this void or address the problems that would arise with war on the horizon."
"Not to mention the need for a figure that can guide demigods into Camp Half-Blood with Artemis currently powerless," Hermes pointed out.
"Unlike you, I don't need powers to patrol my domains!" Artemis snarled, stepping forwards off of her throne, "I wished to honor these heroes. But this idea is a dangerous precedent. We cannot make gods whenever a need arises. This is a shortcut, when we should be looking to prepare our charges, not developing more methods to stave off the Great Prophecy."
"Excuse you? You staved off the Prophecy by enlisting that girl just now! I didn't see you offer her much of a choice in the matter. I for one am all for inducting a new god to Olympus. I look forward to his domains," Aphrodite smiled, her eyes blazing with anger.
"You—" Artemis just then noticed that she was only feet away from Percy, from where he had stepped forwards from the dais.
"I—" Percy furrowed his brow, his eyes blinking rapidly, as he rubbed his forehead, "I—" Artemis cocked her head, looking over at him.
'What was he doing?'
"Speak boy!" Zeus rose from his throne, quieting the discordant arguments amongst the gods once more.
"Percy, don't listen to him, you can choose your own path," Poseidon rose from his throne as well.
"Let the boy decide for himself!" Zeus turned on the god of the sea.
"Why are you so eager for my son to accept godhood?" Poseidon retorted, "You wouldn't shut up for a century after Triton was born—"
"We can't pressure a demigod into accepting godhood," Athena began, before Demeter arched an eyebrow in her direction.
"What do you mean? I didn't hear you object to Thalia enlisting herself as a hunter. How is this different?"
"I accept!"
Artemis felt her heart constrict as Percy's shout resounded through the chamber, hitting her ears first as the echoes rebounded his words back on her over and over again.
"I," Percy shook his head, glancing over to her once, back at his companions, and then forward up at Zeus, "I accept, if the council agrees."
"Percy, what are you doing," Artemis turned to him, a tremor running through her hands, barely contained as she clenched her fists, "You can't be a god—" She looked at Percy feeling herself unravel, as if the exhaustion had broken down all her defenses.
"Artemis, back to your throne!" Zeus ordered, "We will call a vote."
Artemis snapped.
"You will not order me to do anything! Not after what you've done!" Artemis snapped, glaring up at Zeus. She felt her face flush and her pulse go wild. She was trapped, backed into a corner like a starving animal.
"Sit. Down." Zeus stepped forwards; his hand whitened with rage as a crack of thunder sounded through the throne room. In the same instance, a white blue bolt of lightning crackled and sparked into existence in his hand, causing her hair to stand up on her arms and the back of her neck.
"Or WHAT!?" Artemis shouted, "You'll blast me into the mortal world again?! You'll leave me there for ten years, and welcome me back like nothing has happened!?"
"You act as if time in the mortal world is truly that terrible," Dionysus yawned, "It's—"
Artemis whipped her gaze over to Dionysus, "Like your adventures, where you fucked, drank, and slept your was into the far east, bowing out when you had grown tired of sand and dust? You wouldn't have survived a day."
"Daughter, you are not yourself, I will not ask again," Zeus seethed, bolts of lightning flashing into the marble ground at the foot of his throne.
"Artemis," Artemis felt a sudden presence at her side as Athena was there, in her mortal form, "Go back to your throne, I will manage this."
"All in favor of making Percy Jackson a god?"
"Brother, be reasonable, you don't know what you are doing!" Poseidon rushed off his throne, standing face to face with Zeus.
But the vote was called.
"No!" Artemis shouted, even as Athena pulled her by the arm.
"I vote no," Athena said, as she looked back over the throne room. Artemis blinked and looked over the throne room, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, as if she had been freshly blasted by Zeus's master bolt once again.
"I vote no," Poseidon spoke next, his eyes not leaving Zeus.
"That brat?" Ares sneered, "Not a chance.
"I vote… No." Apollo spoke slowly, Artemis finally letting her vision rest on her brother, seeing the confusion and worries plastered over his face.
But Artemis was counting. That was five votes no.
"I vote yes," Aphrodite grinned, nodding her head.
"Yes," Hephaestus grunted.
"For Olympus, I vote yes," Demeter raised her chin, glaring over at Artemis.
"For our children," Hermes said, "Yes."
"Yes," Dionysus glared over at her too.
"Yes," Hera looked at Zeus with a small smile.
Hades glanced at Percy before he looked at her, "Yes."
Artemis froze, her hopes dashed one by one, as history unraveled before her eyes once more. She turned, the pounding in her ears suddenly silent as she waited. Five no. Eight yes.
Zeus looked around the room, before he spoke. "I abstain."
By this council, it is decreed. Percy Jackson. Prepare yourself."
"No!" Artemis tried to move forward, but a vibration behind her froze her in place.
Once more, her throne behind her vibrated, shaking the ground while radiating energy. This time, however, the sound was compounded, as eleven other thrones rumbled as well, harmonic and in unison. At her side, Athena vanished and reappeared at her own throne. The demigods and Grover covered their eyes as each god began to glow, one by one, bursting into their divine forms. Artemis felt energy surge into her again, felt her consciousness flood with power, only for the feeling to vanish as she slipped into her true self, radiating silver light.
Zeus's voice thundered, his form wreathed in lightning and energy that billowed off of his silhouette.
"το μήτε αρχήν έχον μήτε τελευτήν"
The primordial phrase echoed in the chamber, as each chanted the words, one by one, as their power flowed into the center of the room. She couldn't fight it. It was Olympus. It was the fates weaving their webs. She could only watch.
And Percy stood there his eyes closed, as threads of light weaved through the air latching onto him. They burrowed into his skin, small threads of power like needles. He winced, his expressions and jerks easily seen as twelve spotlights of divinity shown on him like twelve suns.
Behind him, the hearth on the dais roared to life, as flames crackled and burned bright, consuming Percy in their sudden inferno.
The beads of divinity retracted, one by one going back to their owners and one by one, the divine forms flickered out.
Artemis felt the world rush back into her mortal senses, as her powers left her once more, twice now retreating into her throne.
"No," Artemis whispered, a feeling of dread coming over her. Perseus was gone. Percy was a god, his soul forever anchored. She felt everything wash over her in that moment, every trial and hardship. Every memory. Every agony of remembrance. What was it all for?
Artemis pressed her back to her throne and slid down to the ground holding her head in her hands.
The last light flickered out and Zeus sat down on his throne.
"It is done. Percy Jackson, welcome to Olympus, walk these hallowed halls as one of our pantheon."
"Percy? Is that you?" Poseidon said slowly, "…Percy?"
"Wow he looks older," Hermes laughed.
"I looked the same when I was granted godhood," Dionysus scoffed.
"Oh my gods…" Athena gasped.
"It can't be!" Why was Aphrodite surprised? Artemis tried to drown the voices out.
"Wait… you look familiar…" That was… Apollo?
"…" Artemis raised her head, blinked her eyes open, seeing Athena across the room from her.
"Poseidon, wait," Artemis watched Athena stand up across the room from her, a look of amazement on her face, "…Perseus?"
"What—what is happening?" Perseus replied.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Perseus?" Zeus echoed, "Very well, What are your domains?"
"I can't," Perseus shook his head.
Percy had been just fourteen. In his place, a man stood, just over six feet tall, wearing worn sandals, with battered metal greaves and vambraces covering his arms and legs. A simple brown tunic was worn underneath a similarly battered bronze chest piece, which was emblazoned with the royal Argead star. His face was weathered, his dark black hair and slightly rough beard sun scorched. His green eyes were bleary, as if he had just woken up.
"Why am I here?" Perseus asked, looking around the room.
His eyes traveled over the decorated marble pillars, the golden doors, Bessie floating in his sphere of water. He looked up towards Zeus on his high throne. "Am I in Greece?"
"Greece?" Zeus echoed.
"Is this…" Perseus looked down at his hands, "Argh—I my head hurts. Is this the afterlife? I remember sand. And walking. And walking for so long. There was a river?"
Artemis didn't dare breathe.
She pushed her left foot under her.
Perseus glanced up, looking to his right, directly towards Athena and Poseidon, his gaze flicking between them.
"Wait, I know both of you."
"Percy. Perseus," Poseidon slowly took a step forward, "I'm—I'm your father."
"You are?" Perseus questioned; his brow furrowed.
She pushed her right foot down, straining to stand.
"Perseus, what do you remember?" Athena spoke, holding her arm out against Demeter, Hera, and Zeus who looked on in confusion.
"I remember… a city. A pipe player sitting on a market corner. That was my father?"
She pushed with all her strength, her muscles screaming, having given out from her ordeals in the past few days. But she couldn't rest. Not now.
"Pausanias… wait," Perseus shook his head, "No, no." His eyes closed and Artemis watched as his eyes flicked back and forth underneath his eyelids in rapid motions.
She rose to her feet, her back pressed against her throne. She pressed her palms onto the cool stone behind her.
"I remember…" Perseus opened his eyes, looking up at Zeus, his eyes green narrowed, "Alexander?"
"No," Zeus replied, "You seem to have troubles with your memory, are you alright… Perseus?"
"I think so," Perseus looked down at himself once more, "is this the Underworld? Am I dead?"
"Of course not," Poseidon stepped forward, not quite walking up to Perseus.
"Poseidon!" Perseus' eyes brightened, as he turned to Athena as well, "and Athena… Why am I here? Did the Expedition end? I was in Babylon with…" Perseus turned, looking over the assembled council and demigods with a searching gaze.
Artemis pushed herself off of her throne, taking a step towards him.
After a moment, his eyes found hers. It was as if she had spent a millennia without water as she drowned his green gaze. She watched as he formed her name on his lips, silently calling to her.
"Artemis."
Perseus surged forwards, and Artemis only managed two steps before she threw her arms outwards and melted into his approaching embrace. The metal of his armor bit into her skin on her arms and her collarbone, but she just sobbed and squeezed him as much as she could.
"Has it been that long?" Perseus teased, and he held her, a hand stroking her hair, before he paused, looking down at her fondly.
And against her better judgment and failing strength, Artemis gripped the back of his neck and kissed him there in the middle of the throne room.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
P.S. It feels good to write this reveal that I storyboarded FIVE YEARS AGO NOW AHHHHHHHHHHH