Well, hello everyone! From this chapter and on, the things will be different since Johanna Nightshade will beta them before release so I think, and hope, they will be better, but they may delay, so sorry for that!
Again I want to thank you for your reviews, reads, favorites, follows. Really, you are awesome and it means so much to me!
Almost 50000 views! Amazing!
Also I am sorry for this the delay. Again, too little time! Do not worry. I do not forget my stories… and also I am preparing something new.
(*There was a mistake about where Thalia was. She was with the Hunt when the incident with Anna occurred, in the newest version)
Anyway, off to the new chapter .Hope you like it!
*small changes*
Bob
Having to torture Percy, after all he had done for me, almost broke my resolve. I had worked with Tartarus as there wasn't another way to stay alive. After Percy and Annabeth left with the elevator, Damasen lost the battle with him and joined my brothers in his chest plate. Till that moment, I had remembered everything, and I had to do something. I knew that Tartarus wouldn't leave the mortal world in peace.
Tartarus leaped to me and was ready to kill me so I had to do something, and I did. I pleaded for my life. I had to do it, if I wanted to help my friends. I told him that without my memories I couldn't know what was the right thing to do, but with them I could torture Percy Jackson for what he did to me and all the monsters. But still I was tortured and went through many tests, in order to earn his trust and learn his plans for the Gods and their spawns.
Tartarus was evil, but he wasn't stupid. It was harder than I thought it would be to earn his trust; he told me that I had to prove that I was who I once was.
And so I had to hurt Percy in the worst possible way, showing Tartarus that I had become Iapetus again. Seeing Percy being crushed physically and emotionally was the hardest. As I was about to help him my brother came in and I had to continue this act. It destroyed me. But I had a goal, and that was to help Percy, in whatever way I could, even meaning torturing him. I hope he understands. The only thing that justifies my actions to a certain extent is my intention, and even then I know that sometimes the ends don't justify the means.
Right now I am patching him up as I am left alone with him. I am his guard after all, which gives me a certain freedom. But I can only heal the internal wounds. And from a brief talk I knew that I had a lot of work ahead of me; he hated me. I would too, if I were in his place. But I have to make him trust me again in the short amount of time we had. I have to reassure him for my intentions and plans, and he has to trust me.
That was the only way for his survival, and the world's.
Thalia
With the change in circumstance the plans changed as well. I would accompany the first search team in Alaska, consisting of would accompany Jason, Nico, Frank, Leo, Hazel, Piper, Reyna and Hylla. Right now we all were at the throne room. Frank and Hazel thought that our best chance was the iceberg in Alaska, where they released Thanatos, because the release of Thanatos would make the spot significant. So that's where we would begin our search.
The gods flashed us out to the borders of Alaska, where Arion was waiting with a large chariot. It was so old that it looked like it would fall apart. When I saw it I was afraid for the team safety.
"I know it looks ancient. But it isn't. I created this baby just for this purpose, and it has some neat hidden tricks," said Leo, grinning flirtatiously at me. Boys. As always. I may have to talk to Calypso when we get back, after Percy is with us again. She might want to know about it.
"Let's get going then" said Hazel as she summoned a piece of gold from the ground, giving it to Arion.
The trip was fairly quick and in total silence. Luckily, no one vomited, although Arion's speed made me feel as if my stomach had been left behind during the journey. We all hoped to find Percy safe but we all feared for what we might find. Lost in our thoughts, Hazel's voice startled us.
"We are approaching the glacier. And I see someone."
That sent chills on my back. I wouldn't admit it, but I was afraid of what Percy could do to Arianna. The last time he was this angry, he destroyed a Titan. And the last time I saw him, he seemed furious.
As we were approaching I saw that the figure was a girl and that was lying in the ground in a weird position. What happened? Could Percy possibly have killed her and gone into hiding? But as quickly the idea came to my mind, so quickly it left. Percy wasn't a murderer, at least not in cold blood. In fact, he is one of the best males ever lived. I can see that from the way Artemis thinks of him, something I had to investigate more. But right now I had to find out what happened-for the sake of the Hunt, Olympus and Percy.
As the chariot stopped I was the first one to step down, bow ready for any danger. But it was all peaceful. When the team was ready we moved together, each one watching the back of the other.
Near Arianna's body was a strange crack on the ground, like someone had cut it violently. And when I approached it I felt drawn to it. The opening called to me and I felt a familiar power radiating from it.
I knew where it led. I had felt something like that when I was near Kronos. It led to Tartarus. It radiated pure evil, and that was not a good sign. For the sake of the mission I didn't say anything, but I saw the other looking the crack suspiciously.
I bent over her and found a pulse. She wasn't dead and she didn't have any external wounds only a small cut on her head.
"We take her to Olympus?" asked Jason.
"And what about Percy?" asked Frank.
"We won't find him here," Hazel commented. "This leads to deep down" she continued pointing to the crack. And my worst fears came true. Percy was for the second time in Tartarus. Alone. And we all knew what that meant. We kept looking at the hole, in an awkward and painful quiet. We all hoped it would open up and Percy would be grinning at us and say something cheesy like hey. But no such luck.
"I don't know if Percy can handle a second visit there. However strong he may is, without Annabeth and maybe in the hands of our enemies, things will be very difficult." Nico commented. Gods, sometimes he sends chills over my body.
I agreed with my cousins very rarely; it was a shame I had to agree now.
Arianna was still unconscious and I was wondering how we could stop her from falling off the chariot. But at least Leo wasn't all talk. He pushed a secret button, and the chariot somehow became bigger, with a bench like structure, where I put Arianna. I nodded at him, but his smile showed only sadness for Percy.
In the trip back, we were all sulkier and so lost in our thoughts that we barely realized when the chariot stopped. After Arion left, I sent a mental note to Lady Artemis so that she could teleport us back.
We arrived in the throne room and the moment Poseidon saw us he sat down to his throne, and buried his head in his hands. Hestia went to his side. Coming back without Percy was a strong blow to him, for his favorite son. Like everyone he was worried sick.
We told our fears to Lord Zeus and it was left was for Apollo to heal Arianna so that she would tell us what happened.
"Where am I?" she asked when she opened her eyes.
"You stand before the Olympian council. And we all wait for a detailed narration of the events that occurred on that iceberg with Perseus." Zeus asked.
She bowed to the gods and started narrating.
"After the boy", she started, already spitting hate towards Percy. But after a glance from Artemis and Poseidon, she changed her attitude. She continued.
When Percy grabbed her, he shadow traveled to Alaska and he threw her in the ground. Then he started threatening her and then as he was about to attack her, something exploded under his feet and she was launched back from the force. She saw him fall in the hole as she was in midair.
"And then it all turned into black. I imagine I was hit somewhere." As she said that, she touched her forehead, at the spot where the scratch was before.
The gods turned to Apollo who nodded his head. He was the god of Truth after all.
But still I had some doubts. I can believe that he threaten her, she has hurt his family. But trying to hit her? Something wasn't right about the story. But since Lord Apollo said it was true I couldn't argue. But something bothered me, and I had to know what.
"So, we don't know where Perseus is. Anna is in a very…bad…situation." said Zeus, looking at his brother. We all knew what he was going to say.
"And from all the evidence, we can unfortunately safely assume that the new enemy is Tartarus himself." Everyone nodded in agreement, even though everyone wanted to protest. This time we were facing an unimaginably powerful opponent and the one hero that might be our salvation, was in his hands. The situation couldn't be worse.
Then Lady Artemis said something that made Zeus fall off his throne.
"I will go and save him."
Artemis
The moment the heroes returned with Arianna but without Perseus, something like a glass container inside me cracked and its contents filled me. Something I have never felt before and it was awful and beautiful at the same time. I wanted Percy to be here and I was in pain because I didn't know where he was and what they were doing to him. I felt that way for my hunters when something happened to them, like Anna right now being unable to think straight and Arianna being missing. But with Perseus it was more intense.
And I knew there was something I could do for him, just like he did for Olympus, the Hunt and me countless times.
I knew that without him the upcoming war wouldn't end well and I didn't want one of the few real men left in this planet dead. So when Zeus announced our enemy, something I was sure of all along, I made my announcement.
"I will go and save him." I stated and my father fell off his throne while all the others were too stunned to do anything.
"Why? You hate males." burst my brother first.
"Perseus has done so many things for Olympus and asked nothing in return for his own self. He never complains about his losses and misfortune. He is one of the greatest heroes to ever live, he has saved Olympus twice, and now he is captive to Tartarus. He may be our only hope for Tartarus defeat. The least we can do as gods is to save him. And since I am the only one not bound by the ancient laws I will go and save him." I stated.
"Daughter, you do not know what Tartarus is like. We don't know the effects of it on you. I will not lose you as well."
"Perseus, Annabeth and Nico have gone and returned, and they are half-bloods." And with that I cornered Zeus.
"Let the council consider your proposal." He stated. "All in favor of Artemis's journey."
To my shock only Poseidon, Hermes, Hestia and Aphrodite raised their hands. I wasn't the only one; the heroes looked stunned as well.
"It's not that we don't want Perseus to be saved. But right now we must prepare our defenses for any attack and we can't risk an Olympian God being captured or even worse for the time being." Athena rationalized. She cast me an apologetic glance as Zeus nodded.
"Then how about a demigod team, father?" asked Jason. At least the demigods supported me.
"No, we shouldn't go," said someone and I was shocked to see it was Nico the son of Hades who had spoken. His words got everyone's attention.
"I went there and barely got out alive, especially with my sanity. The first time Perseus went there, was with Annabeth and even though he returned and seemed normal I could see that he was damaged. Not physically, but mentally. Tartarus broke him and these wounds will never heal. I know it because it has happened to me. Sending a team there will sentence them to a fate worse than death. The only thing that we can do for him is to prepare and be ready for him."
"Nico, what do you mean?" his sister asked him.
"If I have learned something from all these years from Percy is to never bet against him. No matter the situation. He will find a way and return to us. He will return and we will destroy Tartarus. But we need to be patient."
And even if I didn't like it at all he was right. We couldn't send demigods and I couldn't go, either. So we had to have faith in Percy and hope for him. And it was going to be hard for all of us.
We all nodded.
"So, we will wait and prepare ourselves." said Zeus, flashing away with his wife.
Thalia wanted to ask Apollo something and he would flash her to camp so Arianna came to me and I flashed us to the camp, in my cabin.
As we arrived, the room was full of the Hunters waiting for us and hoping for their sister's life. As they saw her they seemed relieved.
"So, where is Percy? He must see Anna." asked Layla.
"Percy is captured by Tartarus," I said and Chaos broke loose. I never thought that a male could bring such a reaction by the hunt, especially for good reasons.
The comments varied from We must save him, to we will destroy Tartarus. Even if he had spent only a little time with the Hunt, the girls already respected him and saw that he had good intentions for the hunt and that he cared about it.
The arrival of Thalia didn't help at all since there were more questions. After I calmed them down, Thalia explained what happened with Arianna and then I informed them about the orders. About that time I heard shouts from outside and I assumed that the other heroes had informed the campers about the new events.
The only thing that was left to do was to wait and hope.
But first I had to speak to Thalia.
"May I learn what you asked from my brother? Is it about Percy?" I asked, with some hope in my voice.
"Milady, I had my fears, and Lord Apollo's words only confirmed it." She said and waiting for my reaction, which was a movement of my hand, indicating her to continue.
"Since an old and powerful being drove Anna into madness and the God of Madness doesn't know how to cure her, the same could alter Arianna's memories in a way so that the story she told us would be the truth for her. So we can't fully believe her. The campers had learnt betrayal with the daughter of Aphrodite, Silena, during the first Titan War. And even though Silena eventually died for our side, I don't want the same to happen to us. So, I am suspicious about Arianna."
And the thing was that she was right in a way. There was a possibility for this scenario to actually be true. Nothing was certain.
"We will discuss it again," I told her, and dismissed her so that I could think.
I left the hunters and flashed myself to my moon chariot, relieving Apollo once again from his punishment.
Perseus
The moment I realized I was regaining my senses I tried to mentally prepare myself for the upcoming pain. But it never came. The only thing I felt was numbness, except for some spots where I felt open wounds. But I knew that I had to be injured internally or at least feel a lot worse. And there was only one explanation that I wanted to be true. But a mistake would instantly mean the loss of the smallest chance of survival.
I opened my eyes and saw him, just like I remembered him. His silver hair still stuck up in every direction and his eyes were even more silver in the dim light that he radiated in this little cell.
He just stared and I and I could see that he truly regretted the thing that he did to me. But I had to be sure for his intentions.
"Look. There isn't much time and I can't make you trust me. So I will tell you what has happened and it's up to you to believe me." He said looking at my eyes. I nodded him to continue.
"The moment you arrived on the other side, Tartarus killed Damasen and he was ready to evaporate me. But fortunately at that moment I had recovered all my memories to know how to handle him and so I convinced him that I understood my mistakes and that I did all I did because of my lack of memories. Tartarus put me through torture and tests to prove my loyalty and I had to pretend that I hated you. I learned his plans for you and the only way for your survival was my presence here as your torturer. I went through a lot of pain and suffering, but having to act like that before Tartarus to you was the most painful thing, and the thing that finally proved to him my loyalty to him. I do have a plan, but if you don't trust me it will be hard to carry it out." He paused and waited for my response.
I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. It was my only hope. But in the same time it could be my destruction. What if it was another plan from Tartarus to break my spirit even more, the moment I saw hope. The would be my end.
But right now he was my only chance to return to earth. To see my mother again. To see Poseidon, Grover and all my friends from camp half blood. To see Anna, the Hunters-and Artemis.
I turned to him.
"I said hello to the stars."
That's it for now! Again thank you all for your views, reviews, favorites and follows!
Please tell me if the ending is good, I have some doubts. I look forward to your reviews!
I also wait for recommendations, corrections and comments.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.
Bye!