The Bane of Artemis
Disclaimer: Like always characters belong to their rightful owner.
Chapter 5:
"You have someone that belongs to me." Artemis immediately responded as she saw her lieutenant gracefully sleeping on the ground.
Perseus looked at the demigod turned hunter with narrowed eyes. Why was this particular hunter more important than the rest? Then it struck him. The silver tiara on her head, the rampant blue eyes. This was none other than the lieutenant of her Hunt, and more importantly the spawn of Zeus. He would never forget those eyes that formed electricity.
"It seems you struck a treasure here Enceladus." Perseus smiled at Artemis teasingly.
"The lieutenant of the Hunt. A daughter of Zeus. Perfect combination." Perseus mocked Artemis who's jaw tensed.
"You would stoop as low as scum and threaten a being beneath you. A demigod is nothing for you." Artemis tried to reason and persuade the giants to free her hunter.
"Of course not. Like most immortals I require a challenge. Without a challenge I would not attack unnecessarily. We still have honor you know." Perseus responded not falling for her guilt tactics.
"Then I challenge you. If you are destroyed, your brother Enceladus must release my lieutenant." Artemis begrudgingly gave a proposal. Knowing that it was not binding by either party.
"Now that's no fun. Perhaps we can do an even exchange. Your scouting party for your lieutenant. I believe that is an even exchange." Enceladus interrupted their conversation with his unfair proposal.
"You are denser than I expected. Perhaps you are not Athena's worst enemy." Artemis insulted Enceladus who became affected by her insult. Readying to attack before calming down once again.
"Enough, enough with the insults. I can very much see that you are very attached to your lieutenant. A fairer option would be for you to exchange yourself for the lieutenant. "Perseus mused knowing that she was going to take the bait.
"Mi lady you cannot do it." One of the hunters in the search party yelled.
"Silence. I am the one that decides my fate no one else." Artemis replied. Her fingers wrapping around her silver bow harshly.
Artemis contemplated to herself. Would she let herself be captured? The same way she was captured by Atlas. Relying on her hunters and the demigods from Camp Half Blood. Would it be worth the risk? Her brother Apollo would try to rescue her, she thought. But he didn't the last time she was captured. She would do anything for her hunters, especially for her lieutenant. If she didn't sacrifice herself for her maidens, was she the protector of maidens at all? What kind of leader would she be if she let her maidens sacrifice themselves if she didn't do the same?
"Very well." Artemis responded after her inner monologue. Her silver bow dropped to the ground as her hunters objected.
Never had she felt so helpless. Almost as if Perseus knew her weakness. Her hunters meant everything to her. Those that had been hurt by the worst of the world. An opportunity for a fresh start for those that wanted it. It was a chance to be the protectors of those who couldn't fight. Yet she felt so helpless, she couldn't stop herself from exchanging herself like a slave to an enemy.
Perseus began to laugh. Almost mockingly as he felt pleasure at the look of defeat and confusion on his nemesis' face. He felt… surprisingly great. As if this was what he was created to do. That deep desire to make his parent's wishes come true, was coming to fruition. It gave him peace that he was doing something right.
"All males are the same. Loving the distress of women." Artemis gritted her teeth as she spoke. The fact that the earthborn were sent to chain her in celestial bronze links made her all the more irritated. Were they so self-absorbed that they would not want to chain them their selves?
"We're not stupid. If you were to try any attempt of escaping, we will not be in the crossfire." Perseus responded to Artemis' loathing as if he could read her mind.
"You're a very proud scum aren't you." Artemis insulted Perseus who smiled in response enjoying her antics.
"Perhaps I'm scum like you said. But what does that make you?" The gigante replied with venom in his voice.
"That makes you the residue that is below my foot. A pestilence that I should've gotten rid of from the commencement." Perseus continued as he neared the goddess.
Artemis eyes darkened as he closed the gap. His eyes like hers were harsh and distant. He wasn't totally within himself. As if he decided to shut off the part of his soul that made him know right from wrong. The part that made Perseus himself.
Perseus grabbed Artemis by the ends of her hair as he forced her up with the nagging pain in her scalp. Her hunters witnessed the gigante pick her up with disregard. As if being a goddess meant nothing to him. That in itself spread fear into them. One who didn't fear his enemies was an enemy to be sincerely afraid of.
"Now huntresses. Take your lieutenant home. Hurry along before the sky darkens further." Perseus teased as he dragged the goddess of the moon along with him. The word huntresses all on purpose to make it more demeaning.
"We will not let you take our Lady like that. Much more after insulting us to the highest degree." One of the hunters screamed from the top of her lungs.
Her other sisters attempting to grab her as they carried Thalia down the summit. Unable to stop her she charged the gigante who was dragging Artemis by her hair. Perseus could sense the little hunter treading dangerous water. He dropped the goddess bound by chains as he turned in time to see the hunter unsheathe her hunting knives.
In the blink of an eye, the hunter was surprised as she saw Perseus in front of her with a stygian iron blade prickling her neck. The aura emitting from the blade itself made her legs weak. As she saw the gigante stare at her with the most apathetic look. As if her outburst was a simple nuisance.
"This is the difference between me and you" Perseus left his statement open ended as the hunter could only marvel how she was still alive. She didn't even witness, no… she didn't even know he had left his original position until the blade was prickling her throat. Dangerously close to breaking her skin. Her heart beating ever so loudly as she swallowed her fear to the pit of her stomach.
Just the fear itself was enough for her legs to give out as she buckled and fell to the ground on her ass. Perseus was amused by her reaction as if he was someone to be afraid of. He very much liked that part. This way no one could ever hurt him if they were afraid of him. The perfect defense and isolation.
"Hurry along. Don't want the monsters to come out, do you?" Perseus asked as she shook her head before shakily getting up and slowly walking down the summit to meet the rest of the hunters.
"You are a bastard." Artemis broke Perseus' sense of accomplishment as he looked at her.
"Such a very nasty mouth you have there. I didn't know it could come from such a well-respected goddess." Perseus looked at Artemis who could only give a wry smile pleased with her insult.
"I only give my respect to those that have earned it. And you are someone who will never gain it." Perseus reacted with a confused look, with a hint of rage in between.
"What has made you believe that I would want your respect? Is it something special?" He responded rather amused by her flustered state of mind.
"When I get out of these chains, I will show you why people fear me." Artemis continued as she tried to find a method of escape.
"If you get out, I will very much accept your demonstration. But for now, I need your silence." Perseus proceeded to cover her mouth with a piece of cloth.
He looked at his brother Enceladus looking for a signal for where to head next. The Bane of Athena signaled him to enter through the doors of death. The youngest gigante followed his directions as he entered the doors of death and proceeded to a different location.
A week had passed since they had captured the goddess of the hunt. Various hunter parties were near their trail but never near enough to threaten them. Perseus had used the doors of death to transport the goddess around the United States. Yet, no god descended the heavens to rescue one of their own. It only reinforced Perseus' belief that the Olympians only cared for themselves.
Artemis had been safe for the most part. No extra torture had occurred during her week in captivity. However, she was kept in isolation in a cage carried by earthborn everywhere they went. She attempted to enter a deep slumber so she wouldn't feel anything if she was tortured or worse. But she was constantly disturbed by the earthborn on Perseus' orders to make sure she would not fall into a deep hibernation.
Perseus had been handling her care, dropping off mortal food. Careful not to give her any godly food to replenish her powers. His actions seemed forced. Yet, he kept arriving for the seven days to drop off her food.
"Here's your meal." Perseus passed the mortal food on a tin tray as he entered the cage alongside the goddess.
Artemis looked at the mortal food on the tin tray and proceeded to pick it up and launch it outside of the cage. Her eyes narrowing at him. As if he had the right to sit in her presence. He had the audacity to believe they were of the same level and respect. She was an Olympian he was another one of Gaea's spawns.
"The demigods will soon come. Their quest makes them travel to our ancient home. Where the final battle will take place. That is where you will meet your downfall." Artemis broke the silence as Perseus looked elsewhere not paying attention to her.
Artemis scoffed at the fact he wasn't paying attention. Or so she believed. From her analysis she could sense that was something was pestering him. Almost as if his plans were being ruined in some way. His eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Perhaps only my brothers will fall. Or perhaps your forces will fall" Perseus responded cryptically.
Artemis disregarded his response as she looked at her dirty and soiled hunting gear. Dirty from the grime of the earthborn and nature itself. She had never felt so disgusted in her life. She expected worse for sure, but it was a welcoming feeling that they did not touch her.
"Why now? What happened during the first Gigantomachy?" Artemis' words slipped from her lips before she registered that she had spoken.
Perseus continued his far away gaze looking in the distance. As If something awaited him. Ever since she had been captured, he had rarely spoken to her. Today's actions were broken from his normal routine of dropping her meal and leaving her cage immediately.
Perseus knew what she was asking. Why had he avoided the first war? Why did he decide to join the second assault? Damasen had a large part in his decisions for sure. Knowing that if he had completed what his parents had asked of him. Damasen would have never perished. Damasen's death lingered over his head. He was the one at fault. The guilt ate away at him every day. His self-loathing was usually reserved when he would be alone. But this particular day was different. All his emotions coming at once.
"It's my duty." Perseus replied half-heartedly. Not believing his own words.
"Your duty to oppose and destroy me." Artemis internally laughed at his childlike mind. Yet that childlike mind was far more intelligent than most immortals she had dealt with.
"Yes" Perseus crossed his arms as his gaze continued to be occupied by the distance.
"Has that duty been altered? IF that has been your sworn duty since your birth why were you such a coward? Running and letting yourself be saved by Gaea. You should've faced your fate willingly." Artemis pressed as she realized that he was more of coward than she had believed. He was no man; he was a shell of a male. A lost one it seemed.
It took a moment for Perseus to interpret Artemis' words. The same theme appeared no matter where he went. The same words or similar words uttered. Why didn't he face his defeat or punishment? Was he that much of a coward? Was he that lost within himself?
"How can an immortal not have purpose? You are the weakest immortal I have ever had the chance to meet. Someone with weak resolve and relying on weak tactics." Artemis continued her criticism without filter. Perseus showing no signs of being affected.
"Even the wicked males I've had the chance to seek vengeance on had their resolve. Their resolve was to destroy the innocence of the ones they decided to hurt." Artemis felt her rage grow as if her own words were being directed at herself. How could he not defend his honor after being insulted? Was he that apathetic of what others thought of him?
"What happened to the Gigante that mocked and teased my hunters and myself? The confident male that had the audacity to lay a hand on me." Perseus closed his eyes as if the words were soothing to him.
"You talk too much." Perseus finally replied as he exited the cage and closed the gate.
Author's Note: A more emotional based chapter. Diving into the depths of how Perseus feels during the current moment. It also dives into how Artemis views Perseus at the current moment. Which as you can see isn't very highly. No matter how much he attempts to put on a façade or mask of being emotionless, deep inside he's breaking. That sense of satisfaction of doing his parent's will is short lived and leaves his system rapidly. Will he be able to recollect himself or fall like a dying star? Who else would the perfect person to judge Perseus? Artemis of course.
Also, can someone volunteer to read over my work. Ugh doing it myself could be such a pain. Anyways I apologize for my grammatical errors.