Disclaimer: I don't own these characters
Sea's Rage
Previously…
She calmed herself slightly and spoke in a more even tone. "Percy is a true man, a hero unlike any other. He is gentle and kind, respectful to women, loyal and selfless to the point where he gave up godhood twice for the bettering of all demigods and for Olympus." The hunter's eyes widened, tears filling them. They felt their shame grow, the guilt overwhelming them.
"Milady, we're sorry, we didn't know." Erica said, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing too." Artemis snapped. "You should apologize to Percy. I just pray he will come back. I feel like this may be one blow to many to his heart, especially after what that daughter of Athena did to him."
Thalia raised her hand and looked curious. "Milady, what do you mean? I heard him say that she cheated on him, but she wouldn't do that!" She said in denial.
Artemis's eyes turned mournful as she looked at her lieutenant. "Annabeth did cheat of Percy Jackson. With your brother, Zane, the guy that turned the camp against him. And he was about to propose to her that day too."
Thalia looked like someone hit her with a bus while the hunters all looked dumbfounded.
"A girl cheated on a male?" Atalanta said in disbelief.
"How is that possible? That never happened before!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"She acted like a male? Despicable!" Erica said in disgust, the rest of the Hunt, mirroring her notion.
"Artemis. That can't be! They were in so much love! He fell into freaking TARTARUS for her! I raised her! She would never do that!" Thalia yelled, hoping against hope it wasn't true.
"I'm sorry sister, but it's true." Artemis said sorrowfully. Thalia's sadness and grief turned to that of fury and anger.
"How could she?! How could she do that to my brother? I swear the next time I see her I will shock her into next week!" Thalia vowed, electricity running though her hair.
"And we will help!" Phoebe said, determination in her eyes.
"Now, do you girls promise to stop with the pranking and vow to treat Percy with the respect and kindness he deserves?" Artemis asked, here stare boring into her girls.
"We promise." They said simultaneously, determination to apologize and make amends burning in their eyes.
"Good, now I'm going to try and locate him." Artemis closed her eyes and reached out though the mental bond she and Percy shared. She gasped in pain, eyes flying open. She clutched her head and sank to her knees. The girls were by her side immediately.
"Milady? What is it? What's wrong?" Thalia asked frantically.
Artemis's eyes were alight with panic. "He's in so much pain and rage. He blocked me from his mind. I can't find him!" She said alarmed.
The Hunt gasped in shock, tears coming to their eyes. One simple thought came to their mind.
Will he be all right? Did we break the only decent male in the world?
Now…
Artemis POV
I was freaking out. Percy just vanished in a raging flying fireball and I had no way to track him. When I tried to reach out through the link we shared ever since he became the guardian of the Hunt, it felt like I slammed into a brick wall of emotions. Touching the mental recesses of his mind was enough to send my mind reeling in pain as his emotions nearly overwhelmed me. The forefront of his emotional state was the rage he was feeling. It was massive and it proved one thing I saw; now that he is away from the hunters, it was clear he was holding back on them. Now that he is away, he could unleash as much pent-up anger as he could.
But underneath all that anger was a deep and scarring hurt that pained my heart. He had suffered so much in his short life, living through two wars and countless of fights, not even mentioning all the betrayal he went through. He just wanted peace and a place to belong. And what the Hunt just did to him may have been too much for his already burdened mind to bear.
I felt my heart clench when I was shoved from his mind and felt his emotions. I cared for him deeply and to see him in that much pain broke my heart. I wanted nothing more than to find him and take his pain away. I truly have come to love him and it scared me how much affection this man had over my heart. I just prayed I would be able to find him and tell him how I feel before it's too late.
I walked over to a crying Thalia and the Twins who saw Percy as an older brother, pulling them into a comforting embrace, each of us letting out our tears. My hunters stood of to the side, heads hung in shame and guilt at their actions. They looked like they wanted to comfort their crying sisters, but knew that they weren't welcome.
"Shhhh. It will be all right girls. Percy will be fine and I will bring him back." I said soothingly, trying to convince both them and myself.
Thalia lifted her gaze to mine, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "It's not that simple Artemis. I've never seen him that angry before. I could actually feel his rage just being next to him and his power was out of control. He's already been through so much and I don't know if what just happened won't make him disappear again."
I just sat there and comforted her, pulling her in close as she silently wept until she was asleep. Flashing the three mentally exhausted girls to their tents, I turned my cold gaze to the offending hunters.
"Do not disturb them unless you want to be shot full of lightning. And pray that the gods can find Percy or else you may feel their wrath. Until then, I expect this place to be absolutely spotless when I return." I said coldly, as they all paled and nodded their heads vigorously.
After watching them began to clean up the camp reverently, I flashed to Olympus to call a meeting. I appeared outside the throne room and made my way to the giant doors. I felt a sense of nervousness and dread settle in the pit of my stomach at having to explain what the Hunt did to Percy and what the outcome would be.
I was scared of what could happen to my girls. Even though I was very angry with them, I cared for all of them very much and didn't want to see them suffer. But what absolutely terrified me was how was Poseidon and Hestia going to handle the news that their son disappeared again. Sure Hestia was a peaceful goddess, but I could see the amount of love and care she held for Percy and she was very protective of her family.
And Poseidon? He loved his son with all his heart and cherished him above all others. And having to explain that his son was beaten down and nearly tortured at the hands of my hunters…
I shuddered. This meeting was going to be a difficult one. If I managed to survive through it.
Steeling my nerves, I pushed through the doors and walked into the room.
Pulling my bow from my back, I shot a silver arrow through the room, where it exploded in a shower of silver sparks, signalling the gods. Within minutes, all the gods flashed in to the throne room taking their seats. Many of them were grumbling and looked confused as to why they were there. Poseidon and Hestia were calm, which was an indication they didn't know what happened.
Yet.
"Artemis, why have you called this meeting? Has something happened?" Zeus asked, a little annoyed, but far better than he has been in the past where he would just demand.
It felt like my stomach was doing somersaults as I looked at their inquiring faces.
"Uhhh…yes. Something did happen." I said in a quiet voice. They all sat up straight at that, gaining anxious looks. They looked a little shocked that I talked in such a small voice.
"Well sis, what is it?" Apollo asked.
I struggled to find the right words. "Well….for the past few months, the hunters have been…sort of pranking Percy pretty viciously. And today they pushed him too far and now he's…gone." I finished in a small voice.
After a moments silence, the room exploded into chaos. Heated demands and threats were being made, all of them being angry and all that anger was directed at me.
Before I could respond, the throne room shook violently, cracks forming in the marble and pieces of the ceiling were raining down in the centre of the room. Not only that, but there was an explosion of heat, as fire roared to life from the hearth, flames licking up the walls, leaving scorch marks up the wall and black soot around the fire place. Scorching heat was felt throughout the room as the sun rays were blindly shining through the windows. Despite the amount of light shining through, shadows and the smell of death swirled throughout the room, making the shadows more dark and pronounced.
I turned to see the cause of the mass of power and was stunned by what I saw. Poseidon, Hestia, Apollo, and Hades were all standing up from their thrones, each glowing an intense aura of power as they brandished their symbol of power. Poseidon's was a bright sea green, Hestia's a pulsing orange, Apollo's a brilliant gold, and Hades, a black onyx. Each of them had a look of fury on their faces, but also panic. Poseidon was holding his trident so tightly; his knuckles were stark white and I thought he would snap the bronze metal any second now.
His sea green eyes looked like a furious storm was raging in his pupils, the color a dark green. The seas bellow were raging, massive swells were churning in the oceans as monsoons and hurricanes were forming. And he was trying to quell the emotions in his system, not wanting to kill the mortals who were down there
"What do you mean my son is missing?" He bellowed out through gritted teeth as I shrank back. His anger rivalled that of my father and from the way he was looking at me, he looked like he would spear me with his trident.
Hades looked no better as he was clutching his Helm of Darkness. "What happened to my nephew niece?" He hissed out, his obsidian black eyes swirling with power. I felt like the shadows were reaching out towards me, I was trembling so bad as his helm ignited my darkest fears.
My father leapt to his feet and pulled out his master bolt, standing in front of me protectively. Even through the fear I was feeling, I couldn't help but be amazed by this. He never did this before. He was standing in front of me; looking like the mighty king he was, ready to defend his daughter from harm. The raging gods pulled back in surprise, their eyes widening in slight shock as their auras diminished slightly. It seems Percy's influence reached deeper than any of us have ever expected.
"Brothers, calm yourselves! Get a hold of your domains before you cause irreparable damage to the mortal world!" He commanded, getting in a defensive position.
They looked like they were ready to lunge, but Hestia managed to regain her composure and laid a calming hand on Hades and Poseidon, trying to quell their rage. Their auras diminished completely as the sea calmed and the earth stopped shaking. They each looked at Hestia gratefully, to which she gave a slight nod. She still looked very angry and that was what scared me the most. If Hestia, the kindest and least violent Olympian was angry, then this was serious.
Zeus sent a grateful smile at his sister but didn't return to his throne. "Now, I know you're angry, I am as well, but let's not do something we will regret. I'm sure you have questions and want to find out what happened, but let's do it a CIVILIZED manner. That means no attacking my daughter. Understand?" He reasoned.
Reluctantly they nodded their heads and sat back down in their thrones. Zeus sent me a reassuring glance, making me smile softly at his care as he sat back in his own throne. He really has come a long way from being the arrogant king he used to be.
Poseidon then turned his stormy green gaze on me. "Now tell me, Huntress, what did your hunters do to my boy?" He growled. I would have felt offended if I wasn't so scared and that he was in the right.
Reminding myself that I am a goddess and should not be this intimidated, I sat up straight and locked my gaze onto his and explained.
"As you know, my hunters have sworn off the company of man and have a deep hatred of men. Since Percy became our guardian, they saw this as an opportunity to prank and insult him constantly. I told them not to prank him to much, I thought it would be good…entertainment for them. While I knew of the small, harmless pranks, I had no idea they were actually torturing him until today when he came in covered in scratches and cuts, along with a limp from stepping in a bear trap." Now all of them were shaking in anger, making me want to shrink back.
But I held my posture and continued. "It wasn't until after he came back and they burned his tent with Greek fire did he finally snap back." I said.
Ares had a confused look on his face. "Why would the punk be so concerned about a tent?"
I only shook my head. "It wasn't the tent itself but what was in the tent. They inadvertently burned the last picture of his mother." Here, they all cried out in disbelief and outrage.
They were all shouting at me and Zeus was angry, but he looked mostly disappointed.
Poseidon looked at me with a cold look that sent shivers down my spine. It was the look he only used when he was really angry.
"Who was it?" He asked with deadly calm.
"W-what?" I stuttered a little bit and cursed myself for my weakness.
He eyes shined with power. "I asked who was it? Who tortured my son?" He said, his patience thinning.
I steeled my nerves once more. "I will not tell you. While my hunters are wrong, and they do feel very guilty, I will not allow you to do anything to them. I will punish them myself." I said defiantly.
Poseidon slammed his trident on the ground so hard it cracked the marble. "That is not good enough!" He bellowed. "My son has had a hard-enough life for your hunters just to kick him while he is down! He does not deserve what they did too him and I will see justice done!" He eyes were glowing slightly, and I couldn't help but noticed how he looked exactly like Percy when he was angry.
"You will tell me which one of your hunters did this injustice or I swear, they will all feel my wrath." He threatened. He then turned to the council. What he said next chilled me to the bone.
"I move that as punishment, we disband the Hunt." The council all had incredulous looks, but none of them were rejecting it. Some were even nodding their heads!
Feeling fear for my girls claw at my heart, I leapt to my feet. "NO! Please I beg you! Don't disband them! They have nowhere else to go!" I exclaimed desperately.
Poseidon just regarded me coldly, my pleas falling on deaf ears. "I do not care. My son deserves more than this. If this motion is not passed, then if my son is not found within a day's time, your Hunt will suffer my wrath. If they even come near my domain, then I will smite them where they stand. This I vow." He said as my eyes widened in horror as well as the council's.
It was a well-known fact that Poseidon loved his on very much. He also was not to threaten lightly and would follow through with whatever threat he issued. If Percy is not found within the allotted time, then my Hunt is doomed.
"I second Poseidon's motion." I whipped my head to see that that sentence came from the one source I never thought possible. My brother, my twin.
"A-Apollo! How could you?!" I cried out. He flinched but steeled himself and his blue eyes bore into me with seriousness.
"What your hunters did was wrong, Artemis. While I do not want your Hunt to disband, it is far better than death. Percy saved my daughter's life, so he has my support. I do not wish to see her dead all because of the act of what others did." He said bluntly, as I looked at him incredulously.
"Father, please! Please don't do this!" I pleaded, losing what little shred of composure I had left. Zeus looked at me sorrowfully, but he couldn't change the will of the council.
"I'm sorry my daughter. All in favour of Poseidon's motion to disband the Hunt?" He asked. To my horror, all their hands rose high in the air, not one ounce of regret on their faces.
Poseidon looked pleased, but no less angry while Zeus looked pained, but he steeled his face and had to do his duty as king. "The motion is pas-"
"WAIT!" I cried. They all turned to me with annoyed faces.
"What Artemis? You know your hunters deserve this for what they did to the best and most handsome hero there is." Aphrodite said annoyed.
"Please, all I ask is that if Percy is found within 24 hours, then could he decide the fate of the Hunt? Please? That is all I ask." I said, grasping my last straw.
Zeus looked thoughtful and a little relieved at the suggestion. "Poseidon, does this satisfy you?" He inquired his brother.
Poseidon sighed, but nodded his head. "Very well. If my son is found in 24 hours, he will decide the fate of your Hunters." He said grudgingly.
Zeus nodded his head. "Very well. Artemis, you and your Hunters will search for him. You have a day, not one hour more. Council dismissed." He then locked his gaze to me. "Find my nephew daughter. " Grabbing Hera's hand, they both flashed out in a bolt of lightning.
Poseidon walked up to me, the smell of the sea around him. His glare bored into my eyes. "My threat remains Huntress. If my son is not found, you and your girls will find no solace in the sea." He threatened before dissipating in a fine sea mist.
Hestia approached me next and I was even more scared. But she looked much calmer than here brother, her fire filled eyes filling me with hope and taking my fear away. I looked at the ground, not being able to look at her. I felt so much shame on behalf of my girls and so much dread and fear at the thought of losing them.
After standing there in silence for a few moments, she finally sighed. "Artemis, look at me." She said softly.
I lifted my head to meet her comforting gaze and she opened her arms Tears ran down my cheeks as I flung myself into her embrace.
"Shhh. It's ok child. It will all be okay." She soothed as I cried into her shoulder.
"H-How can i-it, b-be okay? I thought y-you would hate me now? Why didn't you say anything in the meeting?" I cried.
Tenderly, she cupped my cheeks and wiped away my tears. "I don't hate you. No matter the mistakes a family makes, I could never hate any one in my family." She said reassuringly as I gaped at her in disbelief.
But she wasn't finished. "But I am very disappointed in you and your hunters." She said with a stern gaze. That look was worst than even an enraged Big Three. To disappoint Hestia was one of the worst things that I could possibly do and it filled me with shame.
"But I didn't do anything." I protested, but it was weak to even my ears.
She gave me a reprimanding look. "While you may not have done anything physically to him, you should have had better control over your hunters and their actions. As their patron, it is your duty to be their caretaker and their guardian, and that means that having to discipline them when they do things like this." She said in a tone that made me feel like a small child.
She sighed again. "I'm not saying that they should like men or that they need to give up their vow. I know most of those girls have had horrible experiences with men. But they paint tall males with the same brush. Not all men are the awful creatures you preach about."
She then guided me to the Hearth. "Let me show you something."
She waved her hand and the flames formed a shimmering image of fire. Multiple scenes flashed though the flames as I witnessed things I've never seen before. An image of a man working a twelve-hour shift to feed his kids was shown. It then showed another man reading a bedtime story to his children, a look of tender care upon his face as the kids drifted off to sleep. Another image showed a little girl being bullied by three boys until her older brother ran them off. He then picked up the sobbing girl and held her in a hug and treated her boo-boos before they both went to have ice cream.
I pulled back in shock at the images I just saw. I turned to Hestia who had a small smile on her face.
"As you can see, the Hope that burns bright in those men and boys show that they care for others. They may have their flaws, but the love and care they have for others is vastly different from others. I want you think on this while hunting and hopefully teach your hunters this lesson as well." She said before she vanished in a flash of flames.
I was thinking deeply about her words. While I still hate a vast majority of men, Percy has showed that maybe not all of them are worthless males. And from the images I just saw, not all of them are bad.
I felt a seed of guilt and regret fill my heart. I taught my girls to hate males and while most of them deserve it, it is not right to torture them unless they deserve. I allowed my girls to do whatever they pleased and that leads to this behaviour to where they wouldn't even bat an eye if they tortured and hated an innocent man who didn't deserve it. I am a just goddess who only punishes the wicked men. While my morals shall not change, the way I teach shall. Now all I need to do is find Percy and plead for his forgiveness and hopefully tell him of my true feelings for him.
With newfound determination, I flashed back to the Hunt.
My girls were all arrayed around the campfire, all looking at the ground dejectedly. Helen, Lisa, and Lora were all in a circle crying softly, holding on to each other while Thalia stood over them. She was glaring ferociously at the rest of the Hunt, who were all staring at the ground in remorse and shame.
As one, they all turned to me and rushed forwards bombarding me with questions.
"Milady! What did you find out? Did you find Percy?" Phoebe asked expectantly, while the rest were crowded around eagerly.
"Girls! Sit Down!" I commanded, making them all back up and sit down immediately.
"Artemis. Were you able to find Percy?" Thalia asked, looking hopeful.
Staring at her sorrowfully, I merely shook my head. She and the rest of the Hunt visibly deflated, the guilt eating away at them. The three girls began to cry again, all clutching to Thalia for support. It broke my heart to see them like this.
"When I was up on Olympus, we were unable to find Percy. Many things were discussed and…Poseidon has demanded that we disband the Hunt or suffer his wrath for making his son run away again." The girls had horror filled looks on their faces.
"They can't do that! Can they?" Erica asked in a small voice, her eyes filled with tears.
"They can, and they have." I said. That set them off as they had terrified faces, all of them clutching to each other and crying.
"However," I held up my hand, getting them to stop their hysterics, "They have given us 24 hours to find him and have him decide whether the Hunt will be disbanded or not." I said.
That seemed to send hope through them before they deflated again. "But we are still doomed. He will never forgive what we have done to him. The Hunt is as good as disbanded." Atalanta said in a voice filled with misery.
"Not necessarily. Percy is a caring man and he has a very forgiving heart. He is my friend and he cares for some for some of you. While he is very angry with you and it may take some time for him to forgive you, in time, I believe he will." I reassured them.
This caused all the hunters to gain an air of determination, fire burning in their eyes at the need to find the one they've wronged and ask for forgiveness.
Thalia turned to the Hunt. "Well? What are we waiting for? We have a guardian we need to find!" She yelled, and I smiled as they all roared in approval.
Ready or not Percy, we are coming to find you!
LINE BREAK
Percy POV
Anger. Fury, Burning Rage, that's all I felt as I flew as fast as I could. Anger boiled in my veins, working its way into my system and being unleashed through my powers. How could they do that to me? I knew they hate men and all, but what have I done to deserve that? Have I ever done anything to get them to hate me so much that It would warrant that kind of treatment? Hell, Prisoners on Death Row get treated better than I did. I couldn't think. My vision was tinged in red as the anger pushed aside any coherent though I had.
I was coated in flames, hotter than any I have every summoned before. I was a comet, rocketing across the sky, desperate to get away from the Hunt, lest I hurt the ones I care for. A massive hurricane had formed around me, rain pelting from all sides, but the fire I was emitting was turning it all to steam. Lightning flashed through the sky and winds were blowing at one hundred miles an hour as I flew through the sky. An arc of destruction was carved on my wake as I flew.
I lost all track of time as I flew, until I was somewhere of the ocean, not a bit of land in sight. Making a split-second decision I folded my wings and plummeted to the water, my flames making me look like a meteor until I hit the water with a massive boom. The ocean boiled as my fire turned the surrounding area to steam, but I didn't stop as I dove down as far as I could.
Down, down, down into the dark ocean abyss. My rage was so intense; I had Greek fire flowing from my pores, super-heating the water to a boil. Even though the ocean had a slightly calming effect on me, it did nothing to abate my anger as a rush of strength and energy filled me. I continued to shoot downward, the currents propelling me to the bottom of the ocean. The very sea shivered and quaked, responding to my negative emotions.
Reaching depths, no human could reach without being crushed by the pressure, the darkness was so absolute and complete, it would have been impossible to see. However, the flames surrounding my body gave off an eerie light as I suddenly struck the bottom of the sea floor.
I hit the bottom so hard, a resounding boom was heard from under the water. Fire, water, and a wall of force exploded out from me, blasting the very water back, leaving a small bubble of air on the ocean floor. The water quickly retracted back, slamming into me, but I paid it no mind as I did not affect.
All sea creatures within a ten-mile radius, GET OUT! CLEAR THE AREA! I mentally shouted. Immediately, I felt all sea life dart of in different directions, leaving me totally alone. Once I was alone, it was then that I fully unleashed my anger.
I shot of bursts of fire at anything and everything around me, turning the water to steam and burning the rock until it was molten slag. I slammed my fists into the ground, each one sending a shockwave through the earth and crating little craters. The undersea mountains trembled as I continued punching. All I could think of was to hit something, anything, to get these feelings out of my system.
Miniature whirlpools formed around me, picking up anything not attached to the ground and creating complete and utter carnage. The tug in my gut continued to grow and grow as I began to glow a brilliant sea green and orange light, the colors swirling in a ring of power. The tug in my gut got to be so painful, I slammed my fists into the ground, unleashing as much fire as I could into the earth as I screamed in a voice of pure anger and fury. The rock glowed a bright red, the area surrounds me turning to molten rock.
Jets of magma began to shoot up from the cracks I made, more and more of the flaming rock began to pour from the seams. The mountains in the surrounding area became fiery volcanoes of destruction as lava shoot from their tops, bubbles trailing from the tips as the rock repeatedly cooled and reheated. It kept boiling and boiling until, in one final push, all the ground and surrounding area exploded, throwing me upwards and backwards, slamming me into the ground far away from the destruction.
Completely spent, my anger running its course, I slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing I was a bright light of red, magma pouring from the ocean floor. A figure stood over me, having to fish tails, black hair, and sea green eyes widened in alarm. The blackness closing in, he bent down and picked me up, yelling for help as my eyes closed and the darkness overwhelmed me.
LINE BREAK
My eyes fluttered open as I was slowly being pulled back to consciousness. My entire body felt extremely hot and stiff, my stomach felt as if it was stretched by a taffy puller and my head was pounding.
"Well, sleeping beauty id finally awake. Come on, princess, up and at'em." I heard a deep, familiar voice to my left.
Groaning I turned to locate where the voice was coming. Opening my eyes and letting them adjust, I became aware of the fact that I was in Atlantis. In fact, I was in the same bed I was in after that ship of monsters aboard the Princess Andromeda. I looked around the room, the green and blue coral lining the room, along with the pearls and shells as decorations looked absolutely sweet.
"Nice isn't it? Dad made this room just for you. Just in case you ever decided to visit." The voice said again. I looked over to see a young, strong looking merman looking at me amused. He had two fish tails, with green skin and black hair tied back in a ponytail. His green eyes looked incredibly familiar. With a shock, I realized that I saw those eyes whenever I looked in the mirror or saw my father. Then this must be…
"Triton?" My voice sounded husky and raw. Probably from all the screaming I did.
Triton rolled his eyes and gave me another amused smirk, one I saw on myself all the time. "Who'd you think it was, the little mermaid?" He asked sarcastically. Yep, he definitely has got my sense of humour.
"No, but that explains the tails. But wasn't that your daughter?" I replied back, smirking triumphantly at his green face.
"Shut up, little brother. I can always feed you to the Kraken." He mumbled, but he wasn't that angry.
I looked around the room in confusion. "Ummm…how did I get here?"
"I carried you here after you blew up ten miles of undersea floor. Knocked you right out, though you've only been out for an hour. Quite a lot of power you got there Percy." He said playfully to my absolute befuddlement. This was my half-brother, the guy that was supposed to hate me because our dad cheated on his mother with mine.
"You helped me out? Why? I thought you hated me." I asked in complete astonishment.
Triton's eyes darkened, and he looked…was that regret in his expression?
He stared at the floor, finding particular interest in the seashell mosaic. "I don't hate you Percy. While I was incredibly angry that father once again cheated on mother with another mortal, I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You had no say in your birth; you didn't even know who your dad was until you turned twelve! And knowing that your Poseidon's favourite son really hurt you know? Taking my anger out on you was a way to get over the bitterness I had when I saw you and…I'm sorry Percy." He said solemnly, still looking at the ground.
Sitting there in stunned silence, I couldn't get over the fact that Triton just apologized to me! What the Hades?!
"It's okay Triton. I understand. I was a mistake, an accident that shouldn't even exist. The bastard child of your father. I don't blame you if you hated me." I said a little bitterly.
Triton shot out of his seat, his intense stare boring into me. "NO! You are NOT a mistake. You saved the world twice now and if it wasn't for you, we would all be in Tartarus right now! So, don't ever think of yourself as a mistake." He said intensely.
I nodded my head vigorously. He sat back down and sighed. "Triton, while I know that Poseidon loves me, I know he loves you just as much." I said.
He turned to look at me with a questioning look. "You think so?" He asked uncertainly.
I smiled encouragingly. "Yeah man. You are his first born, the crowned prince of the seas and next in line for the throne! You are dad's right-hand man! I know he cares about all his children, but I think we're his favourites. Me the favourite mortal one and you the favourite immortal one. Together we make quite the team." I said smiling.
Now it was his turn to look at me incredulously. "You mean you don't mind that I'm next in line to rule?" He asked.
I shook my head. "By all means, you can have it. I actually think it's awful, all that responsibility in maintaining a whole kingdom. I barely did all right with 40 demigods, a handful of nature spirits, and the…hunters. And that was just against Kronos. I prefer to be in the fray instead of leading a kingdom." I said.
He sent me a smirk. "Between you and me, me too." We both shared a laugh.
He then stood up and reached out his hand. "So, what do you say we start over again? My name's Triton, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, minor god of the seas and crowned Prince of Atlantis." He introduced.
Smiling I took his hand. "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson, adopted by Hestia, Guardian of the Hunt, and a bunch of other titles, blah blah blah."
He laughed and swung an arm around my shoulder. "So, what you say we go and meet my mom and your stepmom. She has actually been pretty excited to meet you."
I paled a little bit and he bellowed in laughter as we walked to the throne room.
Entering the throne room, it was the same as the last time I saw it, but it was just as beautiful. It was like Olympus, but everything was in hues of green, blue, and aqua. Coral and shells replaced the marble, the columns holding up the ceiling was made of some bioluminescent stone. A large trident was imprinted in the floor with the royal family's names underneath. It had Poseidon's name, Triton's, and Amphitrite's, but what shocked me was that it also had my name. Then I remembered my sword that dad gave me made me a crowned prince as well.
At the far end of the room stood the thrones. Two big thrones and a slightly smaller one. All of them were made out of different pieces of coral and pearls al emeralds decorated all around it. One of the thrones was currently occupied and I knew right away it was Amphitrite.
She looked exactly the same as the last time I saw her; she was a beautiful woman with flowing black hair and ocean blue eyes. But unlike last time, she had a smile on her face that made her look even more stunning.
Walking up to the throne, I bowed deeply in front of her. "Lady Amphitrite, it is an honour to meet you again and to be in Atlantis once more."
She smiled down kindly at me. "Rise Perseus. You don't need to bow to me." She said.
I looked up at her confused. "But you and Triton are part of the royal family and rule Atlantis. As such, you two deserve respect, hence why I bow." I tried to reason.
She shook her head fondly. "While that may be true, you too are part of this family now. I wish I could have seen that sooner. And please dear, call me Amphitrite." She said.
"Thank you, Amphitrite." I said. She then gained a nervous expression, apprehension in her eyes.
"Percy, I just want to let you know how sorry I am for how I treated you when we first met. It was not right of me to get angry at you and act so coldly. Can you ever forgive me?" She asked, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
I then did something that shocked all of us; I approached her and puller her into a hug. She was startled at first, but the hugged me back.
"Of course, I do. I forgave you a long time ago. I just hope we can be a family. I could always use another mother." I said softly. She gave me a brilliant smile ad gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"Another son of the sea! I always wanted another son." She said as Triton cried out in protest.
"Oh, hush Triton. You know you'll always be momma's little boy." She cooed as she pinched his cheek. Triton turned a bright shade of green while I laughed uproariously.
"Momma's boy!" I gasped out, clutching my sides as he sent me a glare.
"What are you laughing at young man? You're even younger than Triton so that means you get double the pinches." She said mischievously getting me to shut up really quick and paling rapidly. Looks like Trion got his sense of humour from both his parents.
Before she could approach me and pinch my cheeks, a bright flash appeared in the middle of the throne room. When the light died down, my dad was standing there, and boy did he look mad.
"Amphitrite! Triton! Get together search parties immediately! Percy has gone missing again! Those damn Hunters have been torturing him! If he is not find they will feel the rage of the-" HE cut off as his eyes landed on me and the rest of his family.
Giving a tentative wave, I gave a weak smile. "Hey dad. What's up?"
Wasting no time, my dad dropped his trident and rushed across the room, wrapping me in a bear hug.
"Percy! My boy!" He cried out, crushing me in his godly embrace.
"Dad! Air!" He released me as I gasped great quantities of air…err, water into my lungs.
Dad looked at me with relief but also with worry. "My boy, don't go disappearing on me like that again." He said sternly at which I meekly nodded.
"I'm sorry dad, it's just I had to get away from the hunters for a while. After what they did…it's gonna be a while before I forgive them." I said sadly, my heart feeling heavy.
"You don't have to worry about them anymore son. We just got done with a council meeting and the Hunt is now disbanded." He said reassuringly.
My eyes widened, and I felt my stomach sink into my shoes. "What?! Why are they disbanded? That can't happen!" I yelled out.
He looked confused by my outburst. "But why Percy? After what they did to you, they are lucky I haven't slaughtered them. By the gods, they tortured you for Tartarus sake!"
I shook my head. "I know dad and believe me, I am very angry with them and forgiving them is gonna take a while, but I don't want them disbanded. There are four of them that have nowhere else to go! I don't want them to lose the only family they have left." I said.
"But what they did to you…" My dad protested before I cut him off.
"No dad. When we go to Olympus, I want the disband to be annulled. And trust me when I say they will not go unpunished. I have a feeling that Artemis is going to punish them enough as it is." Dad looked like he wanted to protest, but a quick glare from me shut him up and he got a defeated look on his face.
"Alright son. I'll take back my threat on them. And you look unharmed so it's not that bad. Just wait until the 24 hours are up alright?" He said.
I nodded my head. "Okay. I really don't feel like going up there for a while. I need some time to cool down and get my thoughts together."
How did you end up here by the way?" He asked, confusion on his features.
Triton stepped forward. "Actually, I found him at the bottom of the ocean, magma pouring out from a crevice in the ground. Your little rage stunt actually formed a whole new island Perce." He said with alight awe in his tone.
Poseidon's, mine, and Amphitrite's eyes all widened comically. "H-How?" I spluttered out.
Triton shrugged. "I don't know Percy. It seems you're a lot more powerful than you think." He said.
I groaned. "Great, just what I need! MORE power." I said exasperated.
They all laughed. "Well, it's quite clear you're not a son of Zeus." Amphitrite giggled.
I chuckled. "Yeah. Water beats sky any day." They all agreed to that.
We all got ready to leave the room and settle down, maybe talk fro a little bit when all of a sudden, an Iris Message appeared right in front of us. As it got clearer I gasped at what I saw. It was Nico, but he looked like he just went seven rounds with Mike Tyson. He had a cut across his cheek and his eye was swollen. Bruises were all over his face and he winced as he breathed. In the background it looked like a warzone was taking place; fires and the clash of metals could be seen as the spirits and monsters of the Underworld were in a fight for survival
"PERCY!" He cried out, panic clear on his face.
'Nico! What happening? What is it?" I yelled out, feeling my own panic start to rise in me.
"Percy! We need help! We're being attacked! The Underworld is in an uproar! We can't last much longer!" He yelled out ducking as a swipe was aimed at his head. He blasted the creature with a beam of black energy, but that only made him more tired.
"Percy, I need you help! They came out of nowhere! Spirits are getting restless; the Fields of Punishment are being broken into and they are going after the Lake of the Five Rivers of the Underwolrd! This attack, it's not random. It was coordinated." He turned around eyes wide with fear before he turned back to the message.
"That's not all Percy. We know who's attacking! It's-"
The message was interrupted by a black stone being thrown at the mist, causing the message to blink out.
"Nico! NICO!" I screamed. But the message was gone. I felt terror grip my heart. My cousin was being attacked and I don't know by who. A fiery resolve burned in my stomach as my eyes turned into flames. Whoever it was that attacked my cousin is going to be sorry.
No one attacks my family and gets away with it!
And there is chapter 16! I just have to say that I love cliff-hangers! Don't you?
Sorry about not posting yesterday… I'm just ready to die of exhaustion