Ch. 3
6 Months Later...
'Where is Echidna?' Perseus shouted.
He held his sword at the throat of a Dracaena pushing it just hard enough for the monster to feel it but not disintegrate it.
'I swear, I don't know! I didn't follow the ones that went to the Mother of all Monsters. The only thing I know is that they traveled north,' the Dracaena said.
Perseus sighed. It was probably speaking the truth. It had been really hard to track any Dracaenae down the last months. That wasn't too unusual; Dracaenae weren't easy to track down. But in the last three months this was the only one Perseus had managed to find, something that wasn't normal; Dracaenae weren't that hard to track down.
'I believe you,' Perseus said.
The Dracaena sighed a sigh of relief.
'But that doesn't mean you will live: you are still a monster after all,' Perseus said. With one slash of Riptide he chopped the Dracaena's head off. It quickly dissolved in golden dust.
Perseus turned Riptide back in a hair clip and sighed again. If it kept going on like this Perseus would never find the Dracaenae. He just decided to set up camp and call it a day; it was already noon. Perseus had found the Dracaena camping in the woods near a road, probably looking to assault some travelers. Perseus put his traveler's sack down on the ground and threw his bow and arrows on it next to it. He stretched his back and stretched his arms; all his bagage was really heavy. His armor he left on: it didn't weigh too much and if Perseus got assaulted he would have protection.
Out of his sack he grabbed a tinder box and set out to gather some wood to make a fire. He also grabbed his bow and arrows to hunt for some food.
About a half hour later he had gathered everything; for food he had shot a rabbit. Perseus made a small fire. He skinned the rabbit with his father's knife and pricked his rabbit on one of his arrows. He held it above the fire and started roasting it.
This wasn't particular interesting so Perseus's mind started to wander to other thoughts. The last six months had been pretty eventful. In the begin Perseus had really struggled finding his way living and camping in the wilderness. Sure, he had done it before but to literally live in the forest? Definitley different. Perseus had adapted pretty quickly though; he did find the forest very relaxing after all.
He traveled all over Hellas. There had accepted some small jobs from people to get some money but mostly he checked on strange reports about travelers disappearing or being killed. Perseus almost always heard that it had happened some time ago but that the attacks were already over. Almost all the Dracaenae had traveled somewhere, Perseus had gathered. The only clue that Perseus had gathered so far was what this Dracaena had just told him: they all went north. That could be so many places: maybe they traveled to Macedonia or to Thracia or even went north-east to the Persian Empire.
Perseus turned his rabbit to the other side and sighed for the millonth time; this really wasn't working. Perseus didn't lose hope though: he had to do this for the sake of his parents. That was the one thing that Perseus felt he had progressed in. Perseus lived his life now knowing that his parents had gaven him it and that he should enjoy it. Still, sometimes Perseus still thought about his parents death. Then his hate feelings would boil to the surface. At those moments Perseus tried to compose himself and remember what his father had said but it was very hard; the attack had only been six months ago after all.
Suddenly Perseus heard a rustling sound. He immediately looked up. Perseus saw some movement in the distance. He squinted his eyes at it. Something... silver? Was it a monster? Perseus grabbed his bow and pulled an arrow back on the string. He pointed it at the general direction where the sound had come from.
Out of nowhere a small figure jumped on Perseus's camping spot. She had a bow as well with an silver arrow on it, pointing at Perseus.
'Who are you?' Perseus asked pointing his bow at the girl. She looked really young, about twelve. 'And aren't you a little young to be hunting?'
Silver eyes stared at him. 'Where is the Dracaena?' she demanded.
'And certainly too young to be hunting Dracaenae,' Perseus mumbled. 'I already killed it,' he then said out loud. 'And can we lower our weapons? Temporary ceasefire?'
Perseus lowered his bow and she eventually did too.
She looked at him suspiciously. 'You? A boy?'
Perseus was a little bit baffled. 'Hello? You are the twelve-year-old girl here?'
The girl snorted. She slowly shifted into an older looking version of herself. She had long auburn hair and unusual silver eyes.
'Wow, how did you do that?' Perseus asked amazed.
She igonered his question and pointed at his rabbit. 'Are you roasting a rabbit on an arrow?' she asked.
Perseus shrugged. 'You want some too?'
She looked at him skeptical and did Perseus saw that right? Some amusement?
'If you join me at the campfire I'll tell you all about the Dracaena,' Perseus said.
She put her bow on her back and sat down. Perseus grabbed the rabbit and pulled it off the arrow. With his knife he cut a leg off and threw it at the girl, who was now about his age Perseus guessed. She took a bite out off her rabbit leg.
'You've got to learn me how to change forms like that,' Perseus said taking a bite of his rabbit.
'What did the Dracaena have to say?' the girl said ignoring his question once again.
Perseus shrugged. 'Basically nothing. It only said that they went north, but that could be in so many places. I can track it down though, but it will take a long time.'
The girl looked thoughtful before she stood up. 'I have to go now. Thank you for the food.'
'Wait. You are just going to leave like that? No name given or anything?' Perseus said.
'Why would you want that?' she asked raising an eyebrow.
Perseus shrugged again. 'Well, I guess I'm a bit lonely. I have basically been living in the woods for six months on my own. It's nice to get to know somebody, right?'
The girl stared at him probably trying to see if he spoke the truth. Perseus stared back in those striking silver eyes with his own sea-green ones.
'Artemis,' she said before running away.
Perseus stared her after. Then he realized something. 'Hey, how did you know where this Dracaena was?'
She was already too far away to give an answer. Perseus made a quick decision: she could probably help him track down the other Dracaenae so that it wouldn't take him months or even years to do it. Perseus quickly grabbed his sack, swung it around his back along with bow and arrows and threw some sand over the fire. Then he ran after the girl.
She was really fast and Perseus struggled to keep up along with all his extra baggage weight. She soon disappeared between the trees but Perseus knew her general direction, so he just kept following that.
After some time Perseus saw something through the trees. Then he realized that it was a pretty big camp, with tents everywhere, set out on a big open place in the forest. Perseus walked towards the camp; he entered the open place. The first thing he saw was some girls sitting around a camp fire. They looked up from the noise Perseus was making. When they saw him they immediately jumped up and grabbed their bows and arrows and pointed it at Perseus.
The one that looked like the leader spoke. 'Who are you and what are you doing here, boy?'
Perseus quickly put his hands up in surrender. 'Wow, wow. I come in peace and stuff, lower the bows!'
They didn't lower their bows. 'Say who you are and what you are doing here before we decide to shoot you.'
'Okay, my name is Perseus. I am here because I was searching for this girl who can help me with something,' Perseus explained. 'Can you now please lower your bows?'
They did lower their bows but kept them ready in their hands.
'So who are you exactly?' Perseus asked.
The girl in charge spoke again. 'I am Zoë Nightshade. I am part of the Hunters.'
Perseus eyebrows shot up. This was the group that Hyas had talked about and standing right before him was Hyas's sister.
'Hey, you don't happen to have a brother called Hyas, right?' Perseus asked nonchalantly.
Zoë nodded slowly. 'Yes, as a matter of fact I do.'
'I know your brother; he was a friend of my father,' Perseus stated.
Zoë looked at Perseus suspiciously. 'How do I know you are speaking the truth?'
Perseus grabbed his bow from his back and showed it to Zoë. 'Recognize this? He gave it to me as a gift.'
Zoë got closer and took a look at the bow. Recognition showed on her face before she gave the bow back to Perseus. 'This is my brother's. It seems he trusted you, which means I will trust you too,' she said,
Then she looked at him with an ice-cold stare. 'Don't make me regret that decision.'
'So are you like the leader of this... group?' Perseus asked Zoë.
Zoë shook her head. 'No, I am just the lieutenant; the real leader of our hunt is Lady Artemis.'
Perseus was shocked. Did he really speak with the goddess Artemis?
'Is there anybody else in the Hunt called Artemis?' Perseus asked.
'No, there isn't,' Zoë said.
'Then I might have to speak with your Lady.' Perseus stated.
Perseus was sitting in Artemis's tent with Zoë next to him. Apparentley Artemis was in some sort of Gods Council Meeting and Perseus had to wait here. He shuffled his feet nervously. It had been easier to talk with Artemis when Perseus didn't know she was a goddess.
Suddenly Perseus saw a flash and instinctively closed his eyes. When he openend them again he saw Artemis staring at him curiously.
'Milady, this stranger wants to talk to you,' Zoë said.
Artemis nodded. 'Zoë, leave the tent, I will speak to him.'
Zoë bowed and exited the tent. Artemis looked at her before looking back at Perseus. 'So, Perseus, what do you want to say?'
'Right Artemis, uhh Lady Artemis, what should I call you again? ' Perseus asked a little bit panicked.
'Just say what you want to say, you didn't have any trouble last time,' Artemis said impatient,
'Well, it is a bit diffirent if you don't know that who you are speaking to is a goddess. But anyway, I followed you here to ask...,' Perseus said before he was interrupted.
Artemis glared at him. 'You followed me?'
Perseus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. 'Well, you just ran off and I had to ask this question, so I just followed you.'
'How did you mask your sense then?' Artemis asked.
'Eh, my what?' Perseus asked.
Artemis looked annoyed. 'You know, that sense every demigod has that attracts monsters.'
'I am not a demigod, just a clear sighted mortal,' Perseus said.
'Really, boy? How did you kill that Dracaena then?' Artemis asked.
Perseus flicked out Riptide. 'With this, I guess?'
Artemis almost facepalmed at his density. 'Okay, whatever. So what was your question?'
'I wanted to ask you how you tracked down the Dracaena since I was on it's track for a pretty long time before finally catching it and you just found it immediately.'
'I am the Goddess of the Hunt, I can sense where all the monsters are,' Artemis said.
'And why were you hunting the Dracaena?' Perseus asked.
'That's none of your business, boy.' Artemis said.
'I think it is, milady. Are you searching for Echidna?' Perseus asked.
Artemis slowly nodded. 'Yes, that is true.'
'Then why don't you just track her down?' Perseus asked.
'Echidna is masking her sense, along with all the other monsters' senses around her,' Artemis said clearly annoyed with that fact.
'Huh, that is curious...' Perseus said.
'What is it?' Artemis snapped.
Perseus shrugged. 'You have no way of finding the Mother of all Monsters.'
Artemis glared at him.
'Let's make a deal: I will help you track down Echidna and you will stop calling me boy and also one other thing,' Perseus said.
'What makes you think I need your help?' Artemis demanded.
Perseus shrugged. 'The fact that you have a group of about twenty hunters and you are literally the Goddess of the Hunt and still haven't found Echidna yet.'
Artemis thought about it for a second. 'And what did you want in return, bo... Perseus? Gold, might?' Artemis asked mockingly.
Perseus shook his head. 'Just one thing: I want to fight with you and your hunters in the battles.'
Artemis snorted. 'So, you are doing this only for the glory.'
'No, this is personal,' Perseus said suddenly with venom in his voice. 'One of those Dracaena. It... It has to die by my hand.'
Perseus didn't realize that he had grabbed Riptide again and was clenching it in his fist. Artemis was staring at him curiously. Perseus slowly breathed in and out and composed himself.
He then stuck out a hand at Artemis. 'Deal?'
Artemis stared at his hand. Her pride said that she needed to refuse this boy's help and do it by herself. But what he had said was true: she didn't have a clue where Echidna was, a fact that irritated her immensely. Her father was also demanding results, probably scared that Echidna would do something that threatend him and his rule.
Artemis took a long sigh before taking his hand and shaking it. 'Okay, boy. But there are three ground rules. If you break them the consequences will be bad for you. So, no flirting with my hunters, no doing anything stupid, and you will listen to my orders.'
'Yeah, yeah, sure.' Perseus said dismissively.
Artemis and Perseus firmly shook each other's hands.
Perseus then suddenly felt a jolt of electricity run through his arm as he was touching Artemis's. 'Ahh, did you just gave me a shock?' Perseus asked letting go of her hand.
Artemis rolled her eyes. 'I am not my father. You probably got shocked by some static electricity.'
Perseus then thoughtfully looked at Artemis. 'So, can you explain why all your huntresses look about fourteen?'
Artemis now facepalmed for real.
Perseus looked at her weirdly. 'What? That is a normal question.'
'They are all immortal, Perseus. That's why they all look about the same age,' Artemis explained.
'Huh, that's pretty awesome. So they can't die?' Perseus asked.
Artemis shook her head. 'They are only partial immortal: they can still die in battle.'
Perseus nodded. 'Well, I am going to set up my tent. See you later, Artemis.'
He then turned around and marched out of the tent. Artemis sighed and sat down. But suddenly Perseus head popped back in the tent. 'Can I call you that? Just Artemis?'
'Yes! Just go Perseus!' Artemis exclaimed.
Perseus nodded and popped his head back out. Artemis thought about how she was going to bring the news to the Hunters. Zoë seemed to trust him a little bit but the rest Artemis wasn't so sure about that.
'Are nicknames also allowed? Like, can I call you Arty or Moon Girl or something?'
Perseus's head had again appeared at her tent flap.
'Just go Perseus before I shoot an arrow through your head!' Artemis said threateningly grabbing her bow.
Perseus wasn't too phased about it. 'Okay, later Moon Girl.'
Artemis grabbed an arrow to shoot but Perseus had already run away, this time for real. Artemis cursed his name but deep down she found it kind of adorable what Perseus had done. That feeling was quickly squashed and Artemis stood up. She needed to tell the Hunters about Perseus.
Perseus heard from his camping place some fifty meters from the main camp the screams and shouts from the Hunters. He chuckled quietly. Traveling with some twenty girls and a goddess to track an immensely powerful monster. Perseus certainly hadn't anticipated this when he had started his journey. He heard the Hunters shout again; it was probably something about him.
It was met by a louder shout from probably Artemis. Then it went quiet. Perseus smirked again. She had probably silenced them and they had all given up. Perseus grabbed his bow and arrows and prepared to climb into a tree: he wasn't risking it to stay on the ground when all those Hunters were just meters from him and were all none to happy that he was here.
Then Perseus noticed something: the rabbit was still on one of these arrows. Perseus smirked and decided to try something. He made a little fire with some sticks and his tinder box. Then he threw a piece of rabbit meat in.
'For Lady Artemis, can you hear me?' Perseus mumbled.
No reaction.
Perseus tried again; he threw another piece of rabbit in the fire. 'For Lady Artemis, hellloooooooo?'
Still no reaction. Perseus decided to try something else.
He threw a rabbit's leg in and then said. 'For Lady Artemis, I am about to flirt with one of your Hunters.'
He suddenly got some sort of weird mental message.
'Don't you dare Perseus, I will shoot an arrow where the sun doesn't shine!'
Perseus laughed and threw the rest of the rabbit in the fire. 'For Lady Artemis, I was just kidding, sleep well, Lady Artemis.'
He then put out his fire and climbed into a tree. He settled down comfartably and put his blancket over himself.
Perseus couldn't sleep for a while so he looked at the stars. He had looked at the stars often with his parents. They would always point the celestial bodies to him. Perseus slowly clenched his fist again when he thought about his parents. Soon. Now he had help and it wouldn't be long before they would find Echidna.
Soon his parents would be avenged.
Author's Note: So, about updates: expect one every week (at least) on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. As always, Review, Follow and Favorite.