Chapter 8: Downfall of the mighty
Percy walked forwards as he checked over himself, checking if he had all the weapons.
A movement from his left caught his attention as he paused and after a moment's hesitation, he unsheathed Hyperion's golden sword and walked towards the house.
The door creaked as he opened it and stepped in. He heard nothing and turned around and almost left when a whimper made him turn around.
He walked slowly to the table and kneeled down and saw a girl of about 10 years old, whimpering and crying.
His golden eyes turned sea green for a second before turning back to golden. He sneered but held out his hand and said, "Its okay little one. I am just a demigod. No need to fear me."
The girl peeked and slowly crawled out. Percy grimaced at her internally and held her hand and walked forward. She gladly obliged and followed him.
He asked her, "Where are your parents dear?"
"They said that they have been summoned by the Olympians. Everyone left in a hurry. I was sleeping but then-" Percy didn't hear more and slashed her throat. The girl looked at him in horror and began crying in pain before dying (She was immortal but not a god so she could die).
Percy felt no remorse and rushed to the Olympian Council. As he approached, he felt a huge wave of mist flow through him. He continued to move forward, ignoring several powers till he bumped into a barrier. He pounded on it but it successfully kept him back.
His golden eyes began glowing brightly before releasing a beam of white fire. The barrier began glowing brightly like the beam before blasting, the force of explosion sending Percy flying into a house. The wall shattered as Percy crashed into it and got covered in the debris.
Slowly, removing the debris from over his body, he got up and limped forward, trying to regain his power and energy back.
*Line Break*
The Olympians stood in the back, weapons of power in their hand as they stared at the golden door. The minor gods stood forward, their armour and weapons covering them, making it hard to determine who was which god.
Murmurs were sounded as the minor gods thought about whether they wanted to fight the person who had supported them and had pardoned several of them with their roles in both the wars. There were a few whispers of, "Perseus Jackson is our savior! Why are we fighting him?" and "I'm starting to doubt the Gods' motives…"
The Olympians looked at the gods with doubt as they expected the minor gods to leave them to their demise.
"You really think he will come?" asked Dionysus with a hint of fear in his slurred voice. Even during the 'war', he was still drinking.
"I hope not. He is really powerful with the power of Titans and his own power along with the power of Poseidon and the wits and smartness of Athena. He will be a very dangerous person. Not to mention that he has Gaea's power as well."
Demeter piped up, "I told you that you should have given him some cereal. That would have kept him happy." The gods ignored her like always and Zeus asked, "Where is Hades?"
Demeter replied, "Him? Down there keeping my daughter safe from Perseus." Zeus' beard crackled with electricity but he didn't reply.
The door blasted off the wall and crashed back, making all the gods turn around and stare at the unwanted visitor. Percy stepped in, a fireball in his right hand and an orb of earth on his left as his eyes glowed bright golden.
"Aw I didn't know there was a party going here. Why didn't you invite me?" He said, as he ducked under a sword and shot the fireball at the back of his opponent. Zeus fired his master bolt at Percy but he simply dodged it and threw the earth ball at Zeus. Zeus ducked under it and moved to the side, his master bolt turning into a sword as a shield popped in his other hand.
Percy stepped back from a spear and kicked the owner back, making her stumble into three other gods and goddesses making all of them tumble. Without any hesitation, he sliced their throats and chests, successfully killing them.
Apollo shot an arrow at Percy, which burst in flames, only for Percy to jump over it and shot a fireball at him. Apollo staggered back as his armour released a thin wisp of smoke.
Percy grabbed a god and kneed him in the face, causing a dent in the armour and ichor covered his knee. Using the god as a shield, he rushed forward. Saving himself from the arrows or spears.
Pain erupted from his leg as he looked at a small girl with a dagger in her trembling hand. A vision of a small girl with blue eyes and raven hair popped in his head as he staggered back, his head groaning in pain.
"Your sister? Yes, Yes, she is."
"Estelle. Estelle Blofis."
Percy's eyes turned sea green, which went unnoticed by everyone except a goddess. The said goddess stopped and watched the demigod as he stood frozen in the middle. A god rushed forward and hit Percy in the head with a club. Percy snapped out of his daze as the memory vanished from his head and his eyes snapped back to golden.
He growled loudly and charged at Hercules. Hercules' eyes widened and he tried to block himself but Percy crashed into him hard, making Hercules fly back and crash into a throne. Percy launched forward and punched Hercules on his face till a crack was heard as his skull broke apart.
Artemis and Apollo shot Percy on the back, making him step forward as the two arrows stood upright on his back. Zeus fired his Master Bolt at Percy followed by a fireball, courtesy of Hephaestus. Demeter and Dionysus summoned a mass of thick roots that coiled around Percy's hand and feet as he was stunned, keeping him bound. Hermes sprinted around the Olympian council room, gathering the wounded gods and handing them ambrosia and nectar. Hestia stood at the back with Hera and spread hope to the gods as she stared sadly at Percy. She could feel a sliver of thin hope inside him but she feared that if she gave him hope then it might affect him wrong and he would lose that tiny bit of hope.
Percy shook his head of the stun and looked as the Gods glowered at him. He glared back as he tried to move his body, only to find them rooted to the spot… literally.
Zeus struck him with his Master Bolt, which hit him full force. He gritted his teeth to avoid screaming in pain.
All the gods followed Zeus' direction and released their power at the evil demigod. Percy finally screamed out loud as his body began glowing as he was burning up. Artemis flinched at his scream, something which went unnoticed by all of the others.
Everyone stopped and stood shocked to see Percy still hanging on the roots as he continued screaming.
"What? You are supposed to be dead. No demigod can last even a second against my Master Bolt, lest the power of every god," screamed Zeus. Percy chuckled as he looked up, his eyes landing on Zeus and said, in a chilly voice, "That's the thing Zeus. I am no demigod"
He pulled his hands, the roots snapping as if made of nothing but water. He charged forward, moving as a blur as gods and goddesses began falling to the ground as the demigod started killing them brutally.
Zeus, realising that he would fade, turned to Artemis, Hephaestus and Hermes and said, "Artemis, Hermes and Hephaestus. You need to hurry up. Hephaestus, I know you must have something that will allow you to stop this and somehow reverse this. Hermes, use your speed and run as fast as you can and try to help the two."
Artemis looked confused and asked, "What about me?" Zeus sighed and hugged her, something that shocked her, and he whispered, "You are the stealthiest goddess and you can help hide from Percy long enough to change this outcome."
Artemis nodded grimly but determination shone through her eyes. Hermes grabbed her by the shoulder and grabbed Hephaestus and ran fast. Zeus turned around as the fight continued on. Demeter fell down as the sword stabbed through her stomach and came out from her back.
Zeus looked around and spotted some minor gods and goddesses and Apollo, Hera and Hestia standing as the others lay on the ground, dead or glowing. Percy turned to look at them and stepped forward.
Apollo shot an arrow but Percy simply caught it and snapped it with his fingers. Apollo looked at him in surprise and failed to notice the earth covering his ankles till it was too late. He looked down to see he had been covered till his waist. Hera, uncharacteristically, tried to pull him out but it was solid and didn't budge. Percy ran at him, his sword burning as he slashed at Apollo. The force of the slash broke the mound of earth as he flew back and crashed on his throne which broke apart. Hera picked a spear and threw it at Percy who swiftly avoided it and caught it in mid-air and threw it back at Hera, which struck her chest as she fell back, the spear standing upright on her chest.
Apollo held his hand as he tried to stand up and watched as Percy jumped at Hera and pulled the spear from her chest. Hera screamed loudly in pain making Percy grin sadistically. Zeus slashed Percy from the back, which made Percy glide to the side. He knelt forward and looked over his wife.
"I am sorry dear. I am sorry for cheating on you so many times," Zeus said as tears slid down his cheeks. Hera simply smiled at him as her trembling hands caressed his cheek before her body stilled.
Zeus stayed in the position as Percy stepped behind him and cut his neck, making his head fall over on the ground. Apollo staggered, only to fall back as a figure crashed into him. He looked down to notice Hestia lying on his chest, blood pouring out of the corner of mouth. Other than that, she seemed absolutely fine.
Percy stalked towards them. Apollo's bow and arrow turned into golden hunting knives and he leapt at Percy.
*Line Break*
Hephaestus looked at his forge and began building a figure similar to an hourglass. Without turning, he said, "Artemis, take Hermes and go to Tartarus and get Kronos' essence. We need it to complete this."
Artemis nodded reluctantly and Hermes grabbed her and rushed to DOA studios.
"I'll go in alone. I'll be back soon. Just wait here and if Perseus shows up, run away. This is not your fight Hermes." Hermes nodded and walked to the side as Artemis hopped inside the Pit.
Artemis continued falling into the pit as determination showed on her face. Finally, she reached the bottom where she landed with the hunter's grace. Rushing forward she searched for the golden sarcophagus where Kronos' titan remains are trapped.
She spotted a temple to her right and took out her bow and notched an arrow and shot it inside to warn any monsters inside that she was there. A hellhound rushed out of the temple and bared its fangs at her.
She rolled her eyes and shot an arrow at the hellhound and moved forward, ignoring the golden dust the hellhound burst into. She approached the golden sarcophagus and knelt before and said, "I am sorry Kronos but I need your essence. This cannot be the end of Olympians or the end of the Western Civilisation."
The remains in the sarcophagus glowed, something Artemis considered as affirmation and grimaced as she took out a vial, Hephaestus had handed her and filled Kronos' essence inside it.
She hurriedly flashed out of the Tartarus and crashed on the ground as it took almost all of her strength. She looked up and saw Hermes hauled up by Percy. Percy's gaze turned to her and she saw his golden eyes glowing brightly.
"Perseus, leave him. He is just a messenger. You want me and Hephaestus," Artemis said as she notched an arrow on her bow. Percy left Hermes who crashed to the ground and began breathing heavy breaths. Percy, without a second's hesitation, charged at Artemis who ducked under his blow and kicked his unprotected back. Percy stumbled forward before turning to her and letting out an electric bolt at her.
Her eyes widened in surprise and she flew back as the bolt hit her straight in the stomach. Her hunter's parka seemed to be charred and revealed her pale stomach covered in smoke. Artemis swiftly leapt up and shot an arrow at Percy who caught it and snapped it.
Artemis ducked again right as he let out a golden beam at her, the heat similar to Apollo's, as she ducked under it and noticed a strand of her hair burning slightly. Artemis' bow and arrow transformed into hunting knives as she slashed at his chest. The knives bounced off harmlessly, making Percy chuckle as he slapped her on the face, making her stagger to the side.
Percy took out his sword, Riptide and stabbed at where Artemis stood. Artemis watched the sword come right towards her chest and closed her eyes, waiting for pain to overcome her consciousness. When she didn't feel anything, she opened her eyes and saw Hermes in front of her, Riptide buried deep inside his chest.
Artemis growled in anger and released a beam of pure moonlight at Percy which made him fly back and get knocked out.
Artemis knelt down next to the heavily breathing god as he stared at her. "This wasn't your fight Hermes. Why?"
He simply grinned and replied, "Because you are family. Now go and make sure that this doesn't happen."
Artemis nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks and noticed Hermes glow brightly and the glow flew to Percy as he absorbed it. Percy's form glowed bright golden before going back to his tanned normal form. He began stirring and Artemis took it as her cue and flashed to Hephaestus' forge.
He stood there, sweat pouring down his scarred face as he continued building something. Noticing Artemis, he said, "Good you are here. The hourglass is almost over. Did you get the essence?"
Artemis nodded and handed him the vial. Hephaestus looked it over before pouring it on the fire. The fire glowed gold as it burnt up. Artemis' eyes flashed bright silver as she hauled Hephaestus up and said, "Why did you do that?"
Hephaestus simply pointed at the fire which continued burning gold and seemed to get lower and lower as it began to extinguish. Soon, the fire extinguished and in the middle lay an hourglass glowing bright golden. Artemis let Hephaestus down and picked the hourglass and looked at it. Before she could do anything, the gate of the forge blasted in as the duo looked at the invader.
Percy stepped in and glared at Artemis and sprinted super fast towards her. Shoving her back, he grabbed the hourglass and looked over it.
"You are changing the time? I am afraid I cannot let you do it Artemis," he said as he held the hourglass in his hand. Suddenly, he grunted and stumbled forward, dropping the hourglass as a sword was etched on his back. Artemis hurriedly picked the hourglass and noticed from the corner of her eyes, Percy stabbing Hephaestus in his face.
She turned the hourglass and it glowed bright silver, recognising Artemis as its master and the whole world seemed to light up. All of a sudden, Artemis felt herself fly in air and saw different versions of herself. A time when she had been young. A time where she was hunting alone. A time when she was under the sky. A time when she was cuddling in someone's embrace. A time when she saw herself with a spear through her back.
A hand grabbed her feet as she looked at Percy who was grabbing onto her ankles. He pulled her down and punched her in the face making Artemis tumble back before she gained balance and flew at him and grabbed him and threw him away. She focused on the fight with Gaea but her focus diverted as Percy grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close.
Artemis kneed him in the stomach and using him as a platform, propelled herself higher. The scene changed and she found herself on a ground, ichor leaking out of her mouth.
She looked up and saw a pair of striking grey eyes analysing her. Athena.
M/N: I had to skip the fight of Apollo and Hestia against Perseus because I really couldn't. Even writing the part of Hestia having blood from her mouth was hard to write because whenever I tried to write it, I imagined her as a child and I couldn't. I am a human and I have a heart and I couldn't do it. Sorry if you looked forward to Hestia versus Perseus but I just couldn't. Anyways, there was the time travel. Artemis is in the PAST. Now the real plot starts and its about time. And damn this is a long author's note. Ok, REVIEW! FOLLOW! FAVORITE! And make us happy to write the next chapter early.
T/N: Hey Guys! This will be the longest chapter for a while :(. We like to keep the chapters shorter so we can crank them out a little faster. For the next few chapters, the story will follow mainly Artemis instead of Percy, so it should be interesting.