Update: 25/12/2021
Merry Christmas Everyone. I hope you all have a great and safe Christmas/holiday. Have fun and enjoy yourselves. But take time to think of those who can't be with you by distance, by illness, unable to travel or those that have past on. But also take time to think about the less fortunate.
Have Great Christmas or Holiday
and
A Happy New Year: And I hope it will be a good one!
And on a personal note to my Nan who passed this year. I'll miss you at Christmas the most. I love you and I hope you have quite the celebration in Heaven with the rest of our family and friends that have gone before you. I hope you know we will be thinking about you and everyone else at Christmas.
Love you guys and this Chapter is just as much for you as it is for everyone.
Sorry for the Long Wait everyone. But here is is finally after a year and two weeks!
Chapter .3.
Zoe, Bianca, Thalia, Kayla, Annabeth, Grover, Percy, and Artemis spend the rest of the day and night gathering everything they would need for this quest.
Artemis had informed them she wouldn't be able to use some of her powers on this quest. As this was a quest and it needed to be done the Demigod way.
Artemis, Zoe await for the others to arrive on Half-Blood Hill so they could get going.
"Do you think we will find our brother, your son, alive?" Zoe asks quietly.
"I sure hope so old friend. He is my son. I wouldn't be able to cope without him. I don't know if I would be able to continue on knowing that he took my place and didn't survive", Artemis replies.
"It WAS his CHOICE Milady. He decided to take your place. For whatever the reason. He did and I have to have faith we will find him", Zoe replies.
"I too must have faith and hope we won't be too late", Artemis replies her eyes looking up at the sky.
When she heard the sound of the others coming. All carrying backpacks and whatever else they thought they might be need on this quest.
Chiron was with them.
"Alright you can take the van. But you must make your own way from there. I wish you all the luck that Lady Tyche can give you", Chiron tells them.
"Thank you Chiron", Artemis says quietly.
"You will find your son, Artemis. The lad is strong he can hold out for you", Chiron tells her.
"I hope you are right", Artemis replies.
They go towards the van and Artemis looks at the sky.
'Son I am coming for you'
She didn't know if he heard her as their bond seemed to be muted.
Zoe climbs into the drivers seat and starts it up.
The questers spread out in the van.
Artemis next to Zoe. Percy, Thalia and Annabeth in the next row and Kayla, Bianca and Grover behind them. Soon they were on their way.
"So how can this Voldemort be rising?" Percy asks.
"Who is Voldemort?" Bianca asks confused.
"A wizard who went as dark and evil as you can go. He believes that anyone less of Pure-Blood should be destroyed. He now must think only Gods and Pure-Bloods can survive and this is his way to become a God and never face Hades and Thanatos for his crimes", Artemis tells her.
"Can he become a God?" Kayla asks.
"I don't know. But with the Crooked One you can never be sure", Artemis states grimly.
"What about Wizards and Pure-Bloods?" Bianca asks.
Artemis had to remember Bianca didn't know of their world or the Wizarding World before the other day. So the others all fill her in on things she might need to know.
"So they basically inbred?" Bianca asks disgusted.
"Yes. The more extreme families take it to well the extreme. Voldemort's Mother's family always married their brother and sister. Each get only had two children and they would always marry the other to stay 'Pure'", Zoe tells her with disgust.
"That is just sick", Bianca states.
"I know", Zoe replies.
"Who is Harry, besides your son Artemis?" Bianca asks.
Artemis tells her a little bit about his son. His Birth Mother and Stepfather shipping him off to his Magic Hating relatives that hated him and abused him till he ran away. Found his real father and was adopted by her.
"The Hunters see him as their Little Brother. That is way they are upset about not going on this quest with us", Zoe tells her after Artemis had told some of the story.
"So he will be another brother to me?" Bianca asks.
"Only if you want too", Artemis assures her.
But she knew her Harry was able to win over the most stubborn of her Hunters. Zoe, Atalanta and Phoebe were proof of that.
"Do you think we till find him Lady Artemis?" Kayla asks her worriedly.
"We already know where he is. The wildcard factor is we have to do this quest the normal way. Otherwise trust me I would have flashed us there in a second", Artemis replies.
"Do we have that sort of time?" Kayla asks.
"I hope so"
There were a few arguments between Zoe and Thalia about where they should start when Artemis said the best place to start would be DC. So her word settled the arguments between everyone.
After a while they arrived at the Washington Monument and Zoe parked on the kerb not far away.
"Everyone out", Artemis orders.
They nod following her orders and they needed to stretch their legs anyway they had been in that van for hours. Only stopping once for food.
Everyone gathers their things and get out and stretch.
They head into one of the big buildings lining the Mall as they wanted to get out of the cold. But Artemis felt like something was wrong.
Finally, they stopped in front of a big building that said, AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.
"The Smithsonian", Artemis states.
"That what?" Bianca asks confused.
"You don't know?" Annabeth asks her.
Bianca shakes her head, "Never heard of it"
"I'll explain later then", Annabeth replies frowning, who hasn't heard of the Smithsonian?
They go in and didn't see too many people. Probably too cold, and it was school holidays. They quickly slip inside.
"Oh I love this! Always wanted to come here!" Annabeth states looking around in wonder.
Percy chuckles, "I am sure you have time to look around another day Wise Girl. How about I take you after all this is over?"
Annabeth's eyes widen "YOU would do that for me? You would come?"
"Yes. For you", Percy replies.
Annabeth blushes at what Percy had said.
Zoe and Thalia roll their eyes. But having noticed the other rolling their eyes quickly stop and look away.
They didn't notice Percy having slipped out. After longer then they cared to admit they DID notice he was missing. And started searching for him.
"He always has to go off doesn't he?" Annabeth mutters.
"He was always like this?" Thalia asks.
"You saw him at Westover. He would", Annabeth replies.
Suddenly Thalia was slammed into knocking her into an Apollo space capsule.
Everyone quickly had their weapons draw thinking it was a foe. But then they realize it was Percy and lower their guard.
"You! How dare you just wonder off!" Zoe yells.
"Why the hell did you wander off?" Artemis asks angrily of having to waste time looking for him.
"Percy! Thank goodness", Grover says.
Then he sees Artemis and Zoe glaring at him.
"I mean, um, Gosh. You're meant to stay with the group", Grover amends his previous statement.
"Luke", he pants.
"What about him? We would be at Mt…", Annabeth asks.
"No! He's here!" Percy bursts out still out of breath.
Their anger melted hearing that. What was Luke doing here when he should be where Harry is? What was his purpose here?
"Where?" Artemis asks her voice like steel.
As capturing Luke would likely help her son.
Percy told them how he found them at the Natural History Museum with Dr Thorn the Manticore, Luke and the General.
Artemis and Zoe pale drastically at hearing the General being here.
"The General is here? That is impossible! You lie!" Zoe growls.
"It can't be him. He is trapped or at least close to his previous prison. As we know Harry is holding the sky. But he can't hold it the entire time", Artemis adds.
"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors –"
"What? How many?" Thalia demands.
"Where?" Kayla asks.
"Twelve", Percy replies, "And that's not all. That guy, the General, he said he was sending something, a 'playmate', to distract us over here. A monster"
"Everyone weapons at the ready", Artemis orders.
"We were following a trail of a powerful monster…", Grover trails off.
"Zoe, Artemis", Bianca states nervously, "if it is the General here and not with Harry then…"
"It cannot be!" Zoe snaps, "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion"
"Zoe old friend calm down. We will deal with this together and if you face him again I'll be by your side", Artemis assures her.
"Illusions don't crack marble", Percy retorts.
"Percy enough", Annabeth says nudging him.
"So if Percy did see skeleton warriors, we have no time to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible . . . We MUST leave now", Artemis tells them urgently.
"Good idea", Percy states.
Artemis gives him a look.
"You boy need to…"
But she stopped as they heard a loud growl. That sounded like one of those rocket engines. Below them a few adults screamed.
A little kids voice reached them screeching with delight, "Kitty!"
Artemis hoped it wasn't…
Then something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur.
"Shit I have seen it before on the quest for the Lightning Bolt", Percy tells them.
"The Nemean Lion", Artemis breaths, "Don't any of you move!"
The lion roared loudly. His fangs gleamed like stainless steel. Artemis knew this was going to be a challenge even with her here.
"Separate on my cue and try to distract it", Artemis orders.
"On your command Milady", Zoe states.
"Until when?" Grover asks nervously.
"Until we find its weak spot. I seem to not remember at the moment", Artemis replies.
"How can you not remember?" Kayla asks.
"I have a lot on my mind", Artemis snaps, "Now separate!"
They all have their weapons at the ready. Arrows whistled in the air going for the lion. Grover played a sharp tweet-tweet cadence on his pipe reeds.
Zoe, Bianca, Kayla and Artemis were firing arrows on it. All shattering harmlessly against the lions metallic fur. The lion swiped the Apollo Capsule and tipped it on its side. Causing the Hunters and Kayla to back off.
Grover was playing a horrible turn.
Thalia had her spear out and Aegis out.
Annabeth and Percy were teaming up to distract it from Artemis and Zoe at least so they could figure out how to kill it.
"ROOOAAAR!"
"Hi-yah!" Thalia says, "Back!"
The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if Thalia's Aegis shield was blazing with fire,
Some thought for a second Thalia had it under control. Then the lion crouched, its leg muscles tensing. Artemis knew it was about to go for Thalia and they won't turn out well.
Before she could say anything Percy does.
"Hey!" he yells and chargers the beast.
Percy slashed Riptide at it and it clanged harmlessly on its fur and it actually created sparks. And the lion managed to rip of a piece of his coat, backing him against the railing. It sprang at him and he had no choice but to jump.
He landed on the wing of an old-fashioned silver aeroplane., which pitched and almost spilled him to the floor. The girls shoot arrows at it trying to get a lucky shot. As Artemis jumps onto the aeroplane too and it seemed like it would snap with their weight.
But the lion then jumps onto the aeroplane, and the cords began to groan.
"PERCY!"
"MILADY!"
The Lion swiped at them as Artemis had pulled him up, and it dropped them onto the next exhibit which was a looking spaceship.
They looked up and saw the lion roar – inside its maw, a pink tongue and throat.
Suddenly Artemis remembered how to kill it.
"It's the mouth", Artemis whispers to Percy.
He looks at her.
"THAT is his weak spot. ZOE! Target the mouth!"
Arrows zipped past it and missed it completely. They dropped from the spacecraft onto the top of a floor exhibit, a huge model of earth.
The Nemean Lion growled as they got farer away from him. But it was so angry it didn't notice that the spacecraft he was one couldn't take its weight any longer. One of the cords snapped. As the display swung down like a pendulum.
"GROVER! Clear the area!" Percy yells noticing people were screaming around them.
Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing with Annabeth and landed across from Percy and Artemis. That seemed to have confused the Lion as he didn't know which group to go after.
Zoe, Bianca and Kayla were still above them.
"We haven't got a clear shot!" Kayla yells.
"Get it to open its mouth more", Zoe yells.
Artemis dodged its claws how can they get it to open its mouth more?
Suddenly Percy grabs her.
"Annabeth and I have an idea", he tells her urgently, "Can you and Thalia keep it distracted?"
"This better be a good idea", Artemis grumbles but nods as well.
She motions for Thalia to join her and they began a hit and run attack. As Zoe, Bianca and Kayla showered him with arrows.
But the lion seemed to know what they were trying to do.
Thalia jabbed the monster and the monsters goes at her only for Artemis to pull Thalia out of harms way.
"Jackson! Annabeth! Whatever you are doing do it faster!" Artemis yells.
"Yeh Kelp Head, Annie do you want me to become a chew toy?" Thalia yells.
Suddenly it catches they and swatted them like a cat toy, sending them flying into the side of a Titan Rocket. Thalia hits the metal and she slide to the floor semi-conscious. Artemis herself was a bit more lucky but she was dazed.
Suddenly she hears a shout over the ringing in her ears.
"HEY!" Annabeth yells.
"Come and get us you great hairball!" Percy yells.
The monsters attention urns to them snarling. Then the pair charge and the lion leaps to intercept them. They chucked something in its maw.
The lions eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball.
"ZOE! BIANCA! KAYLA! Lady Artemis! Get ready!" Annabeth yells.
Behind them people were still running and screaming. Grover continued to try and get them to move with another horrible song.
Percy and Annabeth scramble away from the lion. As it managed to choke down the food and it looked at Percy and Annabeth with pure hatred.
"Snack time!" Percy yells.
"Come and get it!" Annabeth yells at the same time.
Those two comments made it make a mistake of roaring at them. And they throw another pack in its mouth and it chokes and before the lion could stop gagging they shot four more into it's mouth.
The lions eyes bugged out. It opened its mouth wide and reared up on its back paws, trying to get away from them.
"NOW!" Percy yells.
Immediately, arrows sprouted from the lions maw – two, four, six. Zoe, Bianca and Kayla did it from above and Artemis had managed from its own level and sent another eight more as she was really pissed off.
The lion thrashed wildly, turned and fell backwards. And then it was still.
Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security Guards running around in panic not having a clue what was going on.
Grover got to Thalia's side and helped her up as Kayla rushed over.
"You ok?" the daughter of the God of Healing asks.
"Just a little headache", Thalia says wincing, "And a bit sore"
"That was an interesting way to get it to open its mouth. What was in that food?" Artemis asks them.
"It was cellophane-wrapped freeze-dried strawberry parfait", Annabeth states.
"And space food. Then different flavours of ice-cream with freeze-dried spaghetti dinner", Percy replies smugly.
"That had to be the weirdest thing I ever heard", Kayla states.
"But the most creative", Thalia points out.
"At least it worked", Artemis states, "That could have gone a few ways and most of them not in our favour"
The lions melted away, unto it left a glittering fur coat, and it shrunk to the size of a normal lions pelt.
"What do we do with it?" Bianca asks.
"Take it", Artemis says to Percy and Annabeth.
"The lions fur…"
"No Seaweed she means it is a spoil of war", Annabeth states.
"And it is yours. Both of you", Artemis tells them.
"We all helped kill it", Percy points out.
"You two figured out how to open its mouth. It is fair the right goes to both of you Perseus Jackson, Annabeth Chase", Artemis tells them.
Percy and Annabeth go over to the fur and they have a silent conversation and a hushed whisper so nobody could hear it.
"Lady Artemis is your son immortal or Godly?" Annabeth asks.
"Yes…", Artemis trails off not knowing where they were going with it.
Percy picks it up and puts it in a bin while Annabeth pulls out matches.
"What…", many of they say thinking they were crazy.
Annabeth drops the matches on the pelt and it explodes.
"FOR HARRY POTTER, son of Artemis!" they yell.
The fire glows and a flash and the fire and pelt had disappeared.
They turned to Artemis who had tears in her eyes. So does Kayla the girlfriend of the hero who saved Annabeth.
"Thank you for your sacrifice. But I don't know if it will work"
Mt Othrys…
At Mount Othrys former home of the Titans a teenager boy struggled under an impossible weight. They had given him a break from torturing him they though it was enough him just being under the sky with his wounds not being healed.
He was struggling but he wasn't one to give up.
Suddenly the teenager felt power flow into him and knowledge of its origin.
And he gives a strained smile.
"Thank you. I suppose I should return the favour…"
Author's Note: What do you think? Please Review:)