Percy's POV:

I knew this was bound to happen at some point. But why in Hades did it have to happen now of all times? Why did it have to happen right when I was onto something? An entire week wasted because of it. Now I'm back to square one. So much for finding out why the Hellhound followed me. Or where he was going to next.

But, of course I'm the unlucky one. Always unlucky.

Artemis and her lively band of huntresses charged towards the group of Hellhounds right as their horn blew. Ten slaughtered. They didn't even know what hit them as the golden dust fluttered to the ground. A beautiful sight to everyone... But me. Because now whatever they wanted was too far out of my reach.

I could runaway and try to start over but, who knows when they'll try to find me next? It doesn't seem they were too adamant at apprehending me at the moment. I have been at this a week and nothing has come of it. Those dogs seemed to have too much patience in tracking me. Something clearly didn't add up.

But now? I don't think I'll ever get the answer. You know because they're dead and all. And I don't plan on going to Tartarus and asking them about it. That's way above my pay grade. And it's not like Artemis and her huntresses knew I was here stalking them. So, are they really to blame? No, of course not. I can see that. I'm not arrogant enough to put the blame on some one who doesn't deserve it.

*Sigh* I jump down from my perch and land silently away from the group of girls. Hades knows what they'll do to me if I was any closer and that is something I'd rather not know. "Please don't shoot! I'm Percy Jackson and I wish to speak to you! Please!" Why am I even doing this? It's not like they'd be willing to help. Actually I know they won't help but, there is something I must know. Nothing happened after a minute. The silence was deafening as I awaited a response.

In an instant I'm in a shower of arrows from all directions. The flying pieces pierced through the air with uncanny precision. I jumped and kicked off the tree behind me and flipped through the air twisted my body through the tiny gaps in between. Everything slowed down to a mere crawl. The arrows sailed as I expertly dodged each and every single one of them.

Until an arrow unlike the rest sailed through the chaos. Faster than the others. Brighter than the others. More power than the others. I can't dodge it... but, I can survive this. It may make things worse though. I arched my back exposing myself to every other expertly aimed arrow. The unique one struck me in the shoulder, barely missing my heart. Three other's got me in the thighs. One got me right below the ribs and the last one got me right in my bicep. I felt like a pin cushion.

I plummeted towards the earth and crashed into a bush pushing the arrow in my bicep out. One arrow in my thigh completely pushed through slicing my flesh forcing it to leak blood.

My head felt heavier and heavier as each pulse of throbbing pain pounded my senses over and over again. I wanted to stop everything I was doing and treat the pain, but I know it'd only make things worse if I tried. There is no doubt more bows trained on me. Several voices echoed through my head. Some telling me everything will be fine, others telling me it won't be. Fighting through the pain was becoming increasingly difficult, but above all else it became increasingly annoying to have to deal with. But I felt sore all over, the injuries was clearly taking its toll on my entire body. But I refused to let this day go to waste, so I'm gonna press onward. "I said don't shoot! I was coming under a truce!" I shouted, leaving a taste of blood in my mouth.

"There is no truce with you boy!" A girl shouted from her own perch somewhere.

"Listen, I just wanted to know something!" The pain was thumping through every nerve as I lay unmoved on the ground.

"Like what? If any of us are free later?!" Another girl shouted.

"What? Why would I want to know that? I came to apologize and ask something. Nothing more." I completely forgot that they loathe men. Especially one that managed to get away.

"Liar!

"Tell us the truth!"

"You're all the same!" They kept shouting. Yet, I haven't heard anything from the goddess herself or her lieutenant. I wonder where they are. They don't have any reason to trust me... So I might as well give them one.

Slowly I pushed myself off the ground. My head pounding, legs wobbling, stomach in agony, my arm felt dead, my shoulder scared ached but, I stood up. I rose my working arm showing that I have no weapon or trick. The other hung limply slowly dripping blood off my middle finger. Drip... Drip... Drip... Every few seconds. The warm thick blood had an odd sensation against the cool night.

The three in my thigh forced my legs to throb and shake with every ounce of weight I put on it. I'm pretty sure I looked like I was having a seizure the way my body shook. Somehow my blood wasn't pouring out and staining my shorts.

I could feel the arrow just below my ribs moving inside me. Any sudden move and I don't even need to paint a picture of what might happen. Gods it hurts.

Also I'm pretty sure I have a small concussion.

I tried to wiggle my fingers on my dead arm but, a shot of pain rushed through me causing me to grunt. Damn that one definitely hurts more than the rest. I finally managed to pull myself into a fully standing position and eyed the surrounding area. I definitely have a concussion because everything is blurry. Damn it. "Listen, I'm sorry," I began. I really hate dealing with arrows.

I pushed the arrow through my bicep slowly. Making sure that I didn't carve into the muscle or accidently slice an artery. Actually there is no way I can be sure. I'm not a doctor. I can't pull it backwards or it would rip and tear making things a whole lot worse, "Back then... When we first met." I moved to the three occupying my thighs. The first one wasn't deep so I just grabbed and pulled tossing it in front of me. "I was alone and needed something that would help me fight."

I shoved the other two through and nearly collapsed against the pain. However, through sheer willpower I still stood, "I didn't want my moms to suffer because of me so I left. I saw you guys and was bewildered by your capacity to take care of yourselves." I forced the one beneath my ribs through and gasped. One of the edges cut at my intestines' with an unimaginable pain. "I was in awe..." I pulled the arrow in my shoulder all the way through and forced down a cough, tossing the goddesses arrow onto the pile. "You probably don't care but, fair is fair. Artemis you caught me and and as such I give back you arrow." I reached behind my back with my working arm and carefully withdrew the arrow I stole from long ago. I looked down at it and tossed it in front of me. "I apologize for wasting your time and will continue on my way." I tried to walked without stumbling but, that didn't work.

Hopefully now they'll leave me alone. I'm not too optimistic on that though.

After a few steps an arrow whizzed past my ear, getting stuck in the ground in front of me. What now? I sighed and didn't move. Every movement shot tendrils of pain throughout my walking corpse. Damn do those arrows hurt. Even if they were no longer kill shots. "What were you even doing here?" Yep that was definitely Artemis asking in a threatening manner.

"Where else would I be? I can't go back to camp or home. My father's domain has been acting up. And to top it all off I was followed by one of the Hellhounds you so precisely killed." Also, Khione has been pretty silent recently and that has got me worried. I know she's a goddess and all but, she is still my sister. No matter how many times I say it, it still sounds weird.

"Why?" Her tone was laced a hint of venom.

"I don't know why. Maybe Luke wanted something. I was waiting for them to make a move so I could follow and see what gives... Also to get the monster away from camp." I spewed that out quite quickly. I just want to be on my way right now. This was not how I wanted my day to be going. Or how I expected it to go.

"That's not what I meant." She shot. I still haven't turned around and faced her.

"I can't read minds, you know." I mumbled catching a slight glimmer of silver above me. So they are out there.

" *Scoff* Why can't you go back to camp? What did you do?" She asked slowly like I was a moron.

"What do you mean? I've been banished for over a year now. I can't even say hello to my moms because of it." I didn't mean to to sound sad. That's just the plain truth of it.

"You really care about them that much?" Her tone changed slightly to a more caring one.

"Why wouldn't I? They taught me everything I know and then some; I'd be long dead if it weren't for them." I sighed. I turned to look at her with an unfaltering conviction. Twisting back around I took another step forward. I heard the ever so prevalent sound of multiple bows being drawn. Yet- I didn't stop and kept shuffling along. My blood dripped and dropped. "The monsters have been growing bolder while growing in strength and numbers... But, I didn't have to tell you that. Did I?" No one answered and no shot was fired. "Good luck on your endeavors!" I shouted behind me waving my hand.

Making it only a few more feet.

"You're not banished anymore!" Artemis shouted.

...

...

...

So many emotions flashed through in quick succession. I leapt into the air as if a volcano had gone off. My voice shrieked in excitement before hitching in a dead stop. Then it hit me like a freight train. Wild eyed, I stared at the darkness filled void of the forest, bewildered at the information that processed in my mind. I cupped my hands over my mouth as a sense of relief filled me. Wait, a minute. My nostrils flared and blood drained from my face. Why didn't anyone tell me!? An insensible amount of anger fueled me.

This has happened before and gods does it terrify me. I've always loved storm-cloud-grey but, when it's me I feel like I lose control. To see them swirling in the heavens brings a kind of inner agony. If I could reach up and bring down a handful of that cosmic swirl, if I could make a fabric from it that was ever-changing as the sky above is right now, I'd wear it forever. As much as my soul is renewed by the power and feeling of freedom, I was built for the fight, the sort that brings the soul cleansing rain. But this? This storm brings an unruly side of me that needs to be tamed. I will fight this.

My eyes grew frantic while my body stay still as a statue, ridged as a board, face stuck in an incredulous expression. With an unblinking stare I force myself to calm down and disperse the freak storm above me. Shaking my head in disbelief, my brain desperately scrambled to make sense of it all. Those four words rendered me speechless, temporarily incapacitated. All the pain I experienced varied from tenfold to minuscule. I stood as if paralyzed from the neck up, gibbering nonsense, unable to comprehend what had just occurred. Four words changed everything.

I am going home.

The scream tore through me like a great shard of glass. I felt my eyes widen and pulse quicken, my heart thudding like a rock rattling in box. The scream came again, desperate, terrified... cruel. The blood drained from my face, before I was even aware of making a conscious decision my legs collapsed furiously on the uneven muddy track, my ears straining for more sounds, more clues as to what I'm going to do. What in the hades just happened!?

I lurched forward and coughed up... blood? More blood. Oh gods... Why did I scream? I spared a glance at my chest and saw the pointed tip of a sword. A celestial bronze sword. Covered in my blood. My blood.

The pain exploded with the force of a tsunami. My nerves shot flashes of hot spikes while simultaneously numbing the point of impact. My chest burned. To add to the overwhelming sense of agony, the sword dug through my flesh, soft and pudgy, and made a horrifying squish as the blade sank deep enough where I felt the hilt struck my back. The deranged lunatic twisted the blade in his hands. My skin was tearing to shreds as the knife rotated, the sound of my muscles and nerves being gouged growing louder. Soon it became to deafening to overhear, engrained into my skull. Then, without warning, it jerked all the way out of my back, until the shiny metal had reappeared with a fresh coat of mortal ichor.

My cry was a a brilliant sound, sobbed chokes mixed with an agonized roar. My mouth hung open with blood gurgling in my throat. I sank onto my back, I continued to scream...Why? I wasn't dead yet. I shifted my eyes to the figure that struck me... Strange, strong, and on the ground hunched over.

My body began involuntarily convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal with thick blood flowing freely from the gaping hole through me. The cascade of the my life source seeping out in all directions, scarlet liquid squirting up all over me. With all the blood quickly draining from me, I felt cold and tired. Oh man, I want to sleep... and eat. Triton and Amphitrite's food sounds really good about now.

The sad brush of lips breathed into my ear, "Don't worry..." I faintly made out as while the darkness overtook me.

Third Person POV:

"Why did you tell him Mi'lady?" Artemis's lieutenant, Zoe Nightshade asked her. She was never one to share some information. Especially with a lowlife. A sudden shift in the wind caught their attention. Above them storm clouds gathered.

"His eyes." She answered honestly. The rest of her troop appeared out of the woods. This has been probably the nicest she's been with a boy ever since... Well that doesn't matter anymore. The only ones who know anything about it were the ones who were there.

"Mi'lady?" Zoe spoke in a questioning tone. What did his eyes have to do with anything? The storm swiftly died out. Leaving no sign that it ever appeared.

"He truly cares for his family. Above all else. No matter how much someone tries to lie, the eyes will always give you away..." Artemis answered. This has been the highest praise she has given a male. The absolute highest.

"I see..." Zoe breathed out. It just seems so hard to understand. It just doesn't make any sense to her.

"But, there was something else hidden behind the sea green... " Artemis's tone shifted to a stern one. It didn't sit well with her, what she saw. It put her on edge.

"I knew it. A lust for something he can't have. He really is no different from the rest." Phoebe spat crossing her arms glaring in the direction Percy ran off towards.

"That's not it. Underneath that overwhelming sense of loyalty is a cold undertone. Worse than a wolf stare." The goddess mentioned hating every word she spoke. She hated that she was giving a compliment, to a male nonetheless. But, she couldn't help but do so. And it infuriated her. Even after the thing he pulled on her girls.

"Crossing me will be the end of you." Another hunter stepped in. They all had the same stare down, but saying it was worse, had put them all on edge.

"Precisely." Artemis confirmed. If she could confirm this then it definitely has some need for concern. The question being, how did he manage to get it down to such a level.

...

"That doesn't bode well for some." Atlanta didn't need to finish her statement. The underlying tone mentioning a certain king. And a few other's that don't need to be mentioned. They are all well aware of the boy's defiance against the higher ups, so to say. Some nodded their heads while the rest wouldn't acknowledge it, still knowing that it to be true.

Phoebe opened her mouth to retort but, was cut off by a gurgled scream. Immediately the girls were put on edge as they tried to figure out where it came from. "It came from the brat's direction!" Another hunter called out. She was roughly the same age as the boy she just spat about.

"Dammit." Artemis muttered. Something was up and she was getting a vague idea of what is was. "Let's go!" She ordered and without any doubt they followed her lead.

With their enhanced training and abilities because of her blessing, they made quick work shortening the distance. "Why are we even doing this? I bet the clumsy boy just slipped and fell in the woods." Again Phoebe spat. She didn't have a problem voicing her opinion. It has become a norm that began to sound wrong when she didn't say anything. A few of them giggled, but that was all.

As they neared where they thought Percy was going to be. They stopped dead in their tracks.

No one said anything in response... Not even the spunk Phoebe.

Had the wood not been so aged and rotted the blood trail might have been missed. It was almost past mid-night and the moon was bright, unshielded by clouds. The splatters were close together in pools, suggesting that either the bleeding was heavy or there was more than one victim. Zoe crouched to take a closer look. From the splatter pattern she assumed it was the former, and that could mean the victim didn't get too far. They spread out and tried to pick up on anything else.

A moment passed before a young huntress, twelve looking gasped.

Against the green leafage the blood trail was stark. Small droplets had tumbled and spread onto the green making arcs of scarlet. She looked down at the drag marks and called everyone else over. Their minds took the evidence and recreated a picture, a small man with injuries to their arms, blood pouring out of whatever other injury they sustained. The ground was obviously disturbed enough that whoever did it was clearly an amateur or didn't care that this was found. Neither a good sign.

The trail of blood soon disappeared into the forest floor, the reddish brown drops quite invisible to the human eye. Artemis stood to one side, allowing the girls to take in all in, calling in for her best tracker. She sighed and wondered what this boy has gotten himself into. "Mi'lady? There is nothing else here. All signs point to him vanishing... Just completely disappearing... Except this." She pointed out a item in the dirt. Artemis walked over and glanced down at it.

A flute?

Shit. She went to pick it up when she noticed something else. A patch of frost quickly melting.