New chapter is here folks!
Sorry, I failed to keep to schedule… again…
Anyway, I was on holiday last week where I wrote this, and I then had results day… Let's just say I'm not going to University like I had hoped. So now I must look at alternatives. Not fun at all.
Anyway, I have been itching to write this chapter, some of the scenery inspired by North Wales, where I spent my holiday, which was very beautiful if I may add.
*RANT WARNING*
But before I begin, while the Guest reviewer who told me to "Dear God... If you aregonna write a story about something like it... At least read a book about it!", I thought I might respond here. I have read a material about Angels and Demons, and quite a few other religions, such as Greek, Norse, Egyptian and Mayan. But a fun fact: there are probably hundreds of different forms of each Mythology around. Such as with Greek, there is Homer, but at the same time there was Plato and Socrates also writing, and guess what? They're very different! I just so happened to use some aspects of Dante's Divine Comedy to read up on Angels and Demons, and a little light reading.
Also, I changed some aspects of the religions to fit them into my story, for instance look at Rick Riordan, the author of Percy Jackson; he changed a lot of myths so that they were more child friendly and applied to the stories. I have done something similar. So please, if you're going to be all sarcastic and try and type away like one of those "Equalists" who want to normalise paedophilia, please, don't hide behind anonymity and create an account when criticising. Because I would much rather say all this all in a Private Message, not on one of my chapters for the world to see.
I'm sorry to anyone who reads that, but it's something that needed to be said. Yes, I may have been a bit overly sensitive with it like a Social Justice Warrior is with anything that's even got a hint of offence, but as I said before, it needed to be said.
*RANT OVER*
Lastly, many of you guys will notice the rating has gone up to M. It is still T/M, but I feel like I should put that little boundary there just in case I go any more gruesome with detail. But in future, I will give a little warning at the start of the chapter if there will be a scene like the one last chapter. I have put a warning on that chapter also, just to let you guys know.
I'm not going to keep rambling on and keep you from reading the chapter (if you even read these A/Ns, that is).
Anyhow, lets get on with it! Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a little review at the end, saying if you enjoyed the chapter or not, I would appreciate it!
The Demon Rites
The chariot was silent.
All eyes on board were red from tears and anguish.
Artemis refused to take her eyes off the skies as they gradually approached Olympus, which was above Manhattan Island.
Zoë was continuing to choke on her blood as Grover and the three demigoddesses tried to keep the Lieutenant of the Hunt alive.
The golden city gradually became visible as they sped towards the floating city, and the chariot rose up some more.
Artemis' silver eyes were golden from crying, almost like they were bloodshot like that of a mortal.
Thalia, Annabeth, Bianca and Grover were in awe when they saw the Golden City grow closer. They could make out the enormous structures designed out of marble and gold, especially the huge palace at the centre of the city.
The Throne Room of the Gods, and all its glory. Annabeth was almost drooling over the architecture of the city. It was the stuff of her wildest dreams almost.
The Chariot of Artemis landed and stopped just outside of the Throne Room, and Thalia and Annabeth quickly jumped off the chariot. Artemis turned around and picked up Zoë.
"Milady?" Zoë weakly asked, only managing to open her eyes a little bit.
"Stay with me, my Lieutenant. You'll be all better in a moment." The Goddess of the Hunt spluttered out, stepping down from the chariot and making her way over to the enormous Throne room doors.
She kicked them open, and thirteen pairs of eyes all spun around to look right at the weakened Goddess.
"Sis!" Apollo cried out and leapt off his throne, sprinting over her. She lay down Zoë as he got over to her, and he wrapped her up in a tight hug. And she cried.
Tears just flowed from her eyes, like an endless stream.
"F-f…f-," She could not even get her own words out. "Fix her, please." She sobbed, and the God of the Sun nodded, and crouched down next to the injured Daughter of Atlas.
"STOP!" Zeus thundered, and all eyes turned to him. "She must die. It has been declared so by the Fates."
"Screw fate, Father." Apollo snapped, and his hand began to heal as he held it over Zoë's abdomen, where the bleeding slowed, and green poison began to ooze out of her would before the would slowly seemed to stitch itself back together.
"Apollo, I said to STOP!" Zeus roared, and Poseidon stood up, and looked at the group behind Artemis.
His daughter. Sally was there in Thalia's arms, limp and pale, a dried wound in her abdomen.
"Sally…" He muttered, before too running over to his daughter in Thalia's arms.
Zeus himself even looked concerned when the God of the Seas took his daughter from his niece's arms and sat down, resting her body in his lap. He stroked her hair, pulling water from outside and surrounding her wound in the water.
"She'll be fine now, Sis." Apollo said gently, kissing his sister lightly on the forehead, making her smile through the tears as she leant down and hugged her best friend again.
Apollo turned around to Poseidon, and approached them, crouching down and reached out, putting his glowing hand on the wound on her abdomen.
"Let me take her, Uncle P." He pleaded. Poseidon just nodded, and Apollo gently picked up his cousin and in a flash of light, they had both vanished.
Zeus huffed upon his throne, but then sighed. He knew that his brother cared for his daughter a lot – especially where she is his first demigod daughter in many millennia.
Artemis stood up, covered in the blood of her best friend, who had too vanished with Apollo.
Zeus stood, and looked around the throne room. "We will continue this meeting without Apollo." He declared, and Poseidon nodded, turning to his niece and helping her over to her throne, where she grew to 12 feet tall and sat down, as to which Poseidon sat down on his own throne on the other side of the throne room, wiping his nose and his eyes before looking up at the council members.
Artemis looked across from her and noticed that a second throne was empty: Ares.
"What happened to Ares, father?" She asked, turning to Zeus.
"He was injured protecting the quest, he drew the Demon onslaught that left him seriously injured. He flashed here, took three steps, and collapsed, nearly dead. Apollo barely saved him." Zeus answered, and looked at the three demigods and satyr.
"Where is the Grandson of Poseidon?" He bellowed, and Thalia looked down to the ground.
Poseidon looked at her, his sea green eyes almost cutting into the Daughter of Zeus. "Where is he?" He asked slowly, almost shaking with rage.
Artemis was the one to speak up, drawing Poseidon's rage. "We came under attack and crashed my chariot, one of my deer killed," She began. "An army of demons had surrounded us, and Percy and I were thrown from the chariot wreckage. He broke his leg –" She chocked on her next words, and Poseidon leant forward. Tears were beginning to roll down Artemis' cheek once again. "He told me to run and held off this demon. It used Percy's sword, well, and ripped him apart." She full on cried as she said that, the image of the boy having his heart ripped out forever etched into her brain.
Poseidon's eyes darkened, and both of Zeus and Hades looked at their brother.
"Calm down, brother." Hades said, "You are losing control of your domain."
Poseidon sat back in his fishing-chair-styled throne, taking deep, calming breaths.
"Demigods and Satyr!" Zeus called, and all four of them took a step forward. "What can you tell us of this rising threat?"
All eyes turned to the group, and then to Thalia as she stepped forward. "The army was being led by Luke Castellan, Son of Hermes. He died in the ending battle, as Atlas was too returned under the sky. They still have a cruise ship, the Princess Andromeda, filled with monsters from their ranks, and demons. The only thing that has kept the demons dead so far is Percy's sword – Enoch or something like that he's called it." She told her father, and the King of the Gods nodded, before turning to his brothers.
"Hades, you will check up on all of the Titans and make sure that none of them escape the pit." Zeus said, turning to Poseidon. "The two of us will commit an onslaught upon that cruise ship – we must try and stop this rebellion in its tracks." Zeus then turned to Athena. "Daughter," He began, "Will you research that sword, or the name Enoch? If it has that power, to kill demons, and poison gods from what Apollo has told us beforehand, it could lead to the end of us all."
Athena nodded at her father, acknowledging that this task would be her new priority.
Zeus looked almost exasperated, all the culminating threats finally taking their toll on him. It was like Dionysus was making him mad. He leads an entire army of gods, all of them at his disposal. Yet even Zeus himself, felt small in comparison to the combined Demon and Titan threat that was rapidly approaching them.
Artemis turns to Thalia and Annabeth. "You two, Daughter of Athena and Daughter of Zeus." She called, and both demigoddesses turned to her, taking a step forward. "I will offer you both a one-time deal: will the both of you consider joining the Hunt? Thalia," She turned to the Daughter of Zeus in question, "Will you be my honorary lieutenant as Zoë heals and is well enough to take back the mantle?"
Both looked flabbergasted by the offer and looked at each other. Thalia's 16th birthday was around the corner – making her the first in line for the infamous prophecy she's heard about. But then, that would make Sally the one who was supposed to carry out the prophecy – and didn't.
In Annabeth's mind, the main thing going through it was the promise of immortality. She would never age or die. She would be part of a sisterhood – a stable family. Something she had never fully had but had always desired. But then she could have no lover. Plus, she could not become the Architect of Olympus; which was her dream.
"I accept, Milady." Thalia called out without a second thought. She had lost too much in her regular demigod life – she wanted this small chance to be able to make a difference.
Annabeth was now torn. Thalia was her best friend, she couldn't just leave her. But she couldn't walk away from the Hunt, the offer was too good to be true. She didn't think with her next words, but she followed purely what her heart was telling her: "I accept too, Milady."
Thalia turned to her and beamed. They could be sisters forever now.
Hermes turned to Grover before Zeus could say anything.
"You felt it, didn't you? The call?" He asked. Grover nodded in response and Hermes sighed. His son was still alive after all this time.
"Now leave us, return to Camp Half-Blood. Thank you for returning Artemis here safely, you three." Zeus announced, nodding to Bianca, Thalia and Grover.
Not needing to hear another word, the four turned and left the Throne Room, the huge golden doors slamming shut as they left.
Hades turned to his fellow gods.
"The Titans are all free." He said, and that was it. The Gods were in uproar.
The Demon Rites
A loud crash echoed through the air.
Percy's eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, looking around his surroundings like he was the prey, and whatever was out there was the predator.
He looked around once more, taking in his surroundings.
He was on a mountain, and all around him was a mountain range. The grass was green, some of the mountains having signs of ancient civilisation dotted around the mountain across from him. A small windy stream crept through the valley between the mountain he was on, and the mountain across from him. There was no air where he was – not a single breeze, not a single bird tweeting in the trees. There was no life there. He looked up, and saw that the sky was heavy and white, as if there were clouds cutting off the mountain tops from his visibility.
"Argh!" Percy grunted in pain and clutched his head, curling up in a ball.
The image of his heart being ripped out, as if he was watching it happen through an old video tape, and then him slowly dying, impaled by his own sword.
He snapped back into reality and looked around once again.
Where was he? He was dead surely – that was the last thing he remembered. Well, he didn't even remember dying, it was as if the memory had been stripped from his memory.
This was not good.
The clouds seemed to gradually come closer to him, swallowing more of the mountain tops as they slowly descended, as if they were trying to envelope him.
He slowly stood up and entered a defensive pose, almost as if he was ready fight an imaginary threat.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Percy shouted, and reached behind to his back where his sword usually is.
It wasn't there. Of course, it wasn't.
He was dead, after all.
The mist slowly began to lift, the clouds returning to their original positions as serving as a thick canopy that hung over him, and he began to see his surrounds more clearly.
Rolling plains of succulent, green grass covered the landscape beneath the mountains, the two mountains being separated by a stream of fresh, clear blue water.
Suddenly, Percy's throat started to feel a bit dry, so he decided to walk down the mountain, carefully watching his every step so he didn't step on any loose rock and tumble to his second death.
Was that even possible? To die after dying?
There were so many questions he had, but nobody to answer them.
Percy finally reached the bottom of the mountain, and lugged himself over to the stream, and collapsed down to his knees as he reached the shoreline. Hastily, he bowed down and reached his hands into the icy water, shivering as the freezing water bit at his skin, as if it was meant to be frozen.
Cupping his hands, he raised them out of the water, holding a small amount in them, and splashed the water over his face, almost gasping as the water scattered across his face, leaving it scattered in little almost-crystalline droplets of fresh water.
A small gust of wind brushed past Percy, almost pushing him into the shallow stream.
Quickly regaining his balance, he turned around and saw a bright white light in front of him.
"Who are you?" Percy asked, slowly picking himself up off the ground and onto his feet. "Where am I?"
"Who I am, that is not to be known for now, child. But we are in Limbo, a world between worlds. You chose this place well, almost like North Wales, in the Snowdonia Park. Where I was reborn." A sound echoed from the Light, almost like a white noise. But somehow, Percy understood it perfectly.
"If not then who, then what, are you?" Percy asked, taking a step towards the light.
"Someone from above. We're called Enochians by the old tongues, and you can clearly hear our language." The Light explained, but Percy was still confused.
"And why can I hear this, Enoch language?" Percy asked, taking another step forward.
"Enochian. Enoch was another beast different from us Enochians. And your father, of course, was an Enochian. Only your DNA allows you to understand our calls." The Light further explained.
"You know who my father was?" Percy asked. He was half Enochian. That was new to him. But all that mattered to him, was who? Who was the man who fathered him? Did he know about the Demon Rites?
"Yes, we knew of the Rites, but could never prove them. But now we know, we can start to intervene upon the Demon threat." The Light said, almost as if it knew that Percy was the Champion.
"So, my father; he knew of the Demon Rites?" Percy began to shake.
"He bargained with a Demon Prince, yes. He would sire one child that would be sent to Hell, to attempt to build a bridge between the different worlds, unifying them." The Light spoke, almost apologetically. As if it had not gone to plan.
"What happened? Who was my father?" Percy demanded, taking another step.
"You know too much. It was not your time to die anyway. Goodbye, maybe we'll meet again one day." The Light spoke.
"Wait a sec-!" Percy began to shout, but suddenly, a bright white light enveloped him and the entire world around him went white.
And from white, the darkness set in.
The cold empty darkness.
The Demon Rites
The field was devoid of life, beautiful, miniscule crystals of snow floating down from the dark, heavy sky above, thickening the blanket of snow that had already covered the ground.
GASP!
Percy suddenly shot awake, his sea green eyes open and burning with a renewed vigour.
He tried to sit up, but an enormous pain erupted from his entire torso. The dark, evil sword had fallen as the tree he was once impaled on was long-since dead, so he was now laying in the snow, almost covered in a blanket of it himself.
He looked down to his abdomen, and saw his chest would slowly stitching itself together, as if his skin was cloth being knitted into skin, muscles, organs and bones. His heart began to repair itself from nothing in his chest, and suddenly, he gasped again.
He was alive!
The Demon Rites
~The Prince of Souls