Chapter 8: New Prophecy
PERCY POV
Darkness surrounded me. Unbearable darkness. 'If someone asked for a picture of my heart before the Hunt and training, this would be what I showed them,' I mused to myself as the darkness began to swirl and change.
I was back in Tartarus. Annabeth and I had just landed next to the Styx again. I relived the entire experience, from the battles to the House of Night to leaving Bob and Damasen to fend for themselves and close the Doors of Death. I dreaded every second of it. It was continuously burned into my mind most nights, but watching it from the outside perspective helped me realize just how terrible it was.
Then the image shifted. I was standing in a forest clearing and my blood froze. Littered throughout the clearing, were the hunters. Some battered beyond recognition, but all discernable from the silver apparel. A lump formed in my throat and I took a step backward. *CRUNCH*. I slowly turned around to see the bow I had stepped on in the hands of Thalia.
I choked down a sob at the sight. Behind my cousin and best friend's corpse. Lora had her neck snapped and her leg had been severed from her body with the ax that I had gifted her. Next to her was Jessica, Kiani, Leah, and Rebecca. Limbs all tangled and protruding at awkward angles. No signs of life in any of their eyes.
I heard crying and my head whipped around. "Brother," Estelle whispered and I ran to her side, but I couldn't speak. I just dropped to my knees, ethereal hands desperate to grasp her fading form. "Why d-did you leave us?" I sobbed so hard that I didn't recognize the scene shift again until the voice of The Pit spoke to me.
"No one escapes me demigod. You should have stayed away. Now I'm going to rip apart everything you hold dear in this world. And after I'm done, I will drag you to Olympus in chains so you can watch as I kill your precious gods one by one." He finished the last part with the humorless laugh of evil incarnate. "This is what awaits you Jackson. This IS YOUR FATE!"
The darkness slowly faded as I came back to consciousness. I was utterly terrified. My dream made Tartarus look like a vacation resort.
3RD PERSON POV
Percy's eyes fluttered open as he gasped awake. Estelle was still laying on his chest and stirred in her sleep. Percy smiled softly at his little sister, but it was quickly replaced with fear and worry after what he had dreamed. He drew a shaky breath and observed his surroundings. Thalia was asleep in a chair at the bedside with her arms folded and snoring lightly.
Just as he was about to attempt to sit up, Artemis came into the tent with her head down and her brows furrowed in concentration. Percy didn't move or say anything, just observing as she heaved a big sigh. 'I wonder what has Artemis so down,' but he broke out of these thoughts as she looked up at him and went wide-eyed.
"Uh, hey," he said to her. "PERCY!" she yelled, making Estelle and Thalia bolt straight up. Thalia rushed to crush him and Estelle into a hug and Estelle started crying again. Though this time they were tears of relief that her brother was okay. Percy hugged Thalia back briefly before comforting Estelle and apologizing repeatedly.
"Is the Hunt okay? Did you kill Echidna?" Percy asked quickly to receive numb nods from Artemis and Thalia. "The Hunt is fine, but Echidna got away," Artemis told him bitterly making Percy look down in frustration. "Worry about yourself. You've been out for 4 days. Everyone has been worried, though they might just be missing your food." Artemis added the last part trying to lighten the mood.
"4 DAYS?!" Percy exclaimed, snapping his head up that resulted in a head rush. He grimaced at the pain and Thalia offered him some nectar. He thanked her quietly and took a long gulp. "What now?" Percy asked looking at Artemis.
"We need to call for a Council meeting and tell them what has occurred. Also, I want Apollo to do a check up on you one last time before you reintegrate into your duties." Percy nodded in confirmation and pushed Estelle off of him before trying to get up. Keyword: trying. As soon as he stood up, another head rush hit and he started to plummet to the ground face-first.
Artemis was at his side in an instant and corrected him. Percy gave a small smile for the assist and Artemis returned it, putting Percy's arm around her shoulder. She turned to Thalia and told her that they would return after the meeting with any updates. Thalia nodded and smacked Percy upside the head. "Be more careful Kelp-Head," she added and the two of them flashed to Olympus.
~On Olympus~
ARTEMIS POV
I sat Percy down in the center of the Throne Room and he began meditating like last time. 'He's seemed off since he woke up. The Chimera's poison isn't anything to sneeze at, but still his first questions upon waking up were about the Hunt and Echidna.' I shook my head at the thoughts and fired a silver arrow into the air to summon the Council.
Five minutes later, all the gods were present. Apollo immediately went to Percy and began his check up to make sure everything was okay. They seemed to have a conversation that I couldn't hear, but I brushed it aside as medical questions.
"Why have you called this meeting, Daughter?" Zeus asked, looking rather annoyed. I began recounting the event from 4 days ago, leaving out the conversation I had with Percy. Upon hearing about Percy defeating the Chimera but getting bitten by the poisonous snake head, Posiedon, Hestia, and Hera all rushed out of their thrones and hugged and checked on him. He smiled softly at all of them and I read his lips. "I'm okay. Don't worry." was what I had picked up.
After a few minutes of checking on him and a kiss on the forehead and cheek from Hera and Hestia respectfully, they returned to their thrones. "So who is this enemy?" Hermes asked and all the gods looked to Athena. The gears were turning in her head, but she had nothing. Percy and I looked at each other and I nodded to him.
"It's Tartarus," he said almost too softly to hear. The Council paled significantly as their eyes bugged out of their skulls. "He's coming for me. He wants revenge on me for escaping him and then he's coming for you." Arguments erupted in the Throne Room amongst everyone present.
Then Apollo stiffened in his throne and the sickly green mist of the Oracle began to ooze out of his eyes and mouth.
Thrown again into the fray
The Bane of All musn't delay
Enemies of old rising as they see fit
All will come to serve The Pit
Huntresses alike must take a dive
If Olympus wishes to survive
Apollo collapsed into a heap at the foot of his throne and Hermes and I quickly ran to help him back into his throne and he stirred awake shortly after. Silence reigned throughout the Council as they all processed the Third Great Prophecy in a decade.
PERCY POV
As Apollo collapsed, I just stood there. Frozen in the middle of the Throne Room in dead silence. Then I began to laugh. A humorless and cold laugh full of disbelief and self-pity. All of the gods just stared at me as my laughing subsided and I spoke.
"Of fucking course," I sighed sadly. "What is it Percy?" my father asked with concern. I looked at him and offered a sad smile. "The Fates haven't deemed my services enough for them yet." It must have clicked in Athena's head as she spoke out, "The Bane of All," I turned to look at her. "That's you, isn't it?" She asked which I nodded to and she went back to analyzing the remaining lines.
"Enemies of old," Zeus said. "It's the Titans again," he grumbled with disgust clearly evident in his voice and on his face. Surprisingly, Ares spoke up, "It could also be the Giants." "Or a combination of the two," Mom added, making everyone shift uneasily. I glanced at every one of them in their thrones and stopped at Artemis. She had her brows furrowed further than I thought possible.
"What about 'Huntresses alike must take a dive'?" Aphrodite voiced aloud to everyone's surprise. Athena shared her thoughts next, "It could mean several things. It could be referring to a risk they must take," Artemis frowned at that. 'Of course she doesn't want them to take any unnecessary risks,' I thought as Athena continued. "Or it could mean…" she trailed off looking at Artemis uneasily.
"It could mean what, Daughter?" Zeus added leaning forward in his Throne. Athena composed herself and finished the thought, "Or it could mean that the Hunt must venture into Tartarus." Artemis was the first one to rise and shout at Athena, sparking a chain reaction amongst the rest of the Council all shouting. I took this time to return to the center of the Throne Room and sit down to meditate, tuning out the arguing.
'Mustn't delay. I have to act sooner than later. I can't do it with the Hunt though. They're stealthy sure, but I can't put them in danger like that. I've trained to mask my aura for a reason. Only I can do this. I have to do this,' I thought as the arguing went on.
Zeus had enough and called attention to the Council with his Master Bolt. "Enough. We cannot afford to overanalyze the prophecy as they often have double meanings." Everyone nodded in agreement and I decided to rise and voice my plan of action.
"Uncle," I started, getting everyone's eyes on me. "I believe the first step should be for me to venture out alone and begin reconnaissance." "NO!" Father, Hestia, Hera, and Artemis all screamed in unison. "I will NOT let you go out there alone. Not after I just got you back," my father spoke first, getting nods from Mom and my patron. "You also have a duty to the Hunt. You took an oath and you cannot abandon it unless I release you from it." Artemis added, raising a few eyebrows from Apollo, Hermes, and Aphrodite.
I collected my thoughts and tried to reason with them. "I understand that Milady, but the second line of the prophecy calls for my immediate action. I'm not so stupid as to charge into enemy territories and fight them all. I trained for 2 years in Japan to overcome my weaknesses and they can be perfectly utilized now to gather information." All of the gods must have been shocked at the logic I had just displayed because they all looked at me funny.
"I believe Perseus is correct," Athena said, snapping all attention to her. "Information wins wars. If he can get some and get out undetected to report to us, it'll prove invaluable." Dad, Mom, Hestia, and Artemis wanted to protest, but even they had to admit it was a sound plan in theory.
Zeus sat on his throne scratching his beard in thought before coming to a decision. "Nephew, are you certain you can do this?" I looked at him with determination in my eyes. 'I will not let my dream be a reality. I have to do this to protect them all,' I thought as I nodded. "Very well. You will infiltrate and destroy when necessary and gather us intel." I knelt at his throne in confirmation. "However, your duties to the Hunt and my Daughter cannot be neglected. You will operate from there, starting with Camp Half-Blood. You will need to report the Prophecy to them and prepare them for war."
I flinched at the assignment to camp. 'Definitely wanted to wait longer before I had to go back, but I guess it can't be helped.' "Yes Lord Zeus."
3RD PERSON POV
The remainder of the meeting ironed out the details of the plan. Percy was allowed to remain anonymous when venturing to camp and operate alone from the Hunt. He didn't want to risk endangering any of the hunters or Artemis. The Hunt would be traveling to camp over the next month, with Percy scouting ahead for any of Tartarus' forces along the way and carrying out his mission.
Artemis was worried slightly for Percy returning to camp. She knew it was the last place he wanted to return to, but Percy covered it well with his warrior persona. Hermes was tasked with notifying the Roman camp and Hera the Amazons as Olympus would need all the forces they could muster to survive this war. Percy's assignment was to be known only by the Council and the hunters unless the circumstances called for him to reveal it.
The meeting concluded and everyone flashed out except for Poseidon, Hestia, Hera, and Artemis. Poseidon walked up to Percy first and gave him a hug. Percy returned it with a smile on his face and Poseidon gripped his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Be safe my son. The seas are always with you," he said. "I will, Dad, and I know. We can't be contained," Percy replied with a wink, making Poseidon smirk before he flashed out.
Hestia approached him next and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'm proud of you, my Champion. If you ever need to talk, come to the hearth." Percy smiled at her and said, "I will Auntie." Hestia gave him one last smile and flashed away. Hera was next.
"I don't like this at all," she said with tears in her eyes. Percy pulled her into a tight embrace and said, "It'll be fine, Mom. This is what I have been training for." Hera sighed and placed a kiss on his forehead before looking him in the eyes. "Protect yourself and your sister and make sure both of you come back to me," she said sternly, but with all of the love a mother has for her child. "I promise, Mom." Percy replied to receive a delicate hand caressing his cheek before she too flashed out.
ARTEMIS POV
"Are you okay Percy?" I asked him after it was just the two of us left in the Throne Room. He looked right into my eyes, swirling sea green staring into piercing silver, and smiled, "Of course, Milady." But his eyes held worry. "Percy." I said sternly, wanting the truth. He caved under my gaze, looked away and sighed. "I don't know. But I know what I must do and I know I will manage. So save your worry for the Hunt. This is what I have trained for." I could hear the determination in his voice so I smiled.
I placed a hand underneath his chin and lifted his head up so that he was looking at me. "You are a part of the Hunt now too and as such I will worry about you." He gaped at me for lifting his head up tenderly to meet my gaze and gaped even wider at my words. But then he smiled and chuckled softly. "Yes, Milady."
"Good. Now, let's get back and inform the Hunt," I said, feeling victorious in the exchange.
3RD PERSON POV
Artemis and Percy flashed back to the Hunt and gathered the hunters. Once everyone was seated, they explained the situation and what was to happen over the next month, helping each other explain the details as they went. After everything was explained, there was apprehensiveness on each of the hunters' faces, but that was betrayed by the fiery determination in each one of their eyes.
Percy and Artemis smiled at this and then turned to each other and nodded. Percy then shifted his appearance to 'Theo', thinking, 'If I'm going to be infiltrating his forces and going to camp, it's better to not have to worry about my identity from nosy monsters and demigods.'
The Hunt went to bed shortly after. Significant change is coming with the war looming overhead. And they all need to be on top of their game if they are to survive what is to come.
AN: That's Chapter 8! The enemy has been revealed and the plot is in motion! The prophecy (totally made up on the fly so I apologize if its ass) could have multiple meanings. Huntresses alike taking a dive? Is Percy going to get captured? Is the Hunt going to venture into Tartarus? Is it a leap of faith? Is it more literal in that the Hunt's numbers will dwindle due to the war? If so, who should die?
I genuinely don't know what I want it to mean so leave your comments on what you think should happen! Maybe all of them will, maybe some, maybe none! What is important, is that you let me know what you think!
Until next time!