When the Hunters strode into the clearing they were greeted with a very strange phenomenon: gratitude and relief. The campers kept their distance, but they came to greet the Hunters with hope in their eyes. Ryker found it odd that every single one of them were garbed in their battle wear. "Thalia." Chiron greeted her, trotting up to the lieutenant in his full white stallion form clad in armor. "It is so good to see you."
"Chiron, always a pleasure." She answered back with an uncertain smile. She nodded back to the armed and ready campers with a raised eyebrow. "Expecting trouble?"
"Things have been difficult of late." Chiron admitted tiredly. "Monster attacks have been more and more common. Rarely a day goes by in which we are not attacked or one of our campers are taken. You can understand how welcome a sight an ally is in these times. Camp Jupiter is facing similar difficulties. In addition to that no one has heard from the Amazons in days."
One of the hunters ushered Cloe forward with a small push and a reassuring smile and the little girl's eyes widened when she saw Chiron. "Horsie." She said in awe.
"Centaur." Chiron corrected with a smile. He glanced back to Thalia. "A new camper?"
"Bad timing, I know." She said regretfully. "But monsters were going after her already. We took out a hydra that had been stalking her house. I thought it would be safer here."
"Were it only so." Chiron said sadly. His expression changed and he smiled winningly at Cloe. "Tell me, have you ever seen a unicorn?"
Cloe's eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. One of the campers stepped forward at Chiron's signal and led the little girl away to where Ryker presumed they kept the horned horses. "Were you planning on resting a while?" Chiron asked hopefully. "I'm sure that the campers would feel a little more confident with warriors such as yourselves to assist them."
Pursing her lips, Thalia turned back to regard her Hunters. "I don't see why not." She said finally. She gave a signal to the hunters and they immediately began to set up their tents on the outskirts of the camp. "I assume that there is something you want to talk about?"
"Could I have a word in private?" Chiron asked her.
"Of course." Thalia nodded and looked back to Ryker. "See if you can do something about the monster population around here."
Ryker grinned and melted away into the forest, leaving no sign that he had ever been there. "I see that you have gained some control over him." Chiron allowed. "Though since you are Artemis' Lieutenant it stands to reason. I must say I was surprised to see the blessing of Artemis upon him, especially considering who it is that has been taking campers and his relationship to the hunt."
"Lady Artemis sees something in him I guess." Thalia shrugged. "He's a great fighter, but he's too separated from anyone to get close. Cloe really took to him though."
Chiron gestured back to the Big House and Thalia followed him to the building. "So whose been taken recently?" She asked heavily.
Chiron hesitated and sighed. "Connor Stoll and Gina Weiland in the past couple days."
"Who else?" Thalia asked, certain that the counsellor was hiding something. A pit of dread had begun to coil in her stomach and Thalia felt her pulse begin to race. "Jason! Is Jason okay?!"
The centaur said nothing until they were safely inside the Big House. Once the other campers had been ushered out and the door had been closed did Chiron then turn to look at Thalia with tired eyes. "Jason is missing, though we are not sure if he was taken or if something else befell him." Chiron sighed and crossed his arms, stomping one hoof in annoyance. "He left for Camp Jupiter three days ago. That was the last that anyone saw of him. He usually sends an Iris message when he arrives at Camp Jupiter, just to let us know there were no issues in his transit. We waited a day before contacting him, but the call did not go through. I doubt the Romans are even aware of his absence."
Thalia felt as though something cold had grabbed hold of her heart and had begun to squeeze. She leaned heavily against the pool table, her eyes on the floor. She had absolute confidence in her brother, he was her brother after all, but in light of the recent abductions she could not help but worry. "Has there been any more sightings of Orion?" She asked finally. "Anything at all?"
"None." Chiron shook his head once. "There have been more abductions, but no one other than Ryker has seen him. He is no longer simply taking demigods however." Chiron's voice was grim.
"Meaning?" Thalia asked slowly.
"Aiden Bishop is dead." The centaur said softly. "An arrow through the heart. Red and black. The same type that Orion has been known to use in the past. We found him the same morning that Gina was missing."
She had met the happy-go-lucky little demigod before. Thalia was saddened, and enraged, at his death. Whenever the hunters had come to Camp Half-Blood to visit the son of Apollo would always make sure that they had everything they needed, even if the other Hunters treated him with cold disdain. "Has his mother been notified yet?" Thalia asked heavily.
"Not yet." Chiron hesitated and then said, "We have not yet had a chance to-."
A scream from outside cut him off, followed by the sound of something crashing into the side of the big house. The walls shook from the force of the impact and dust fell down from the ceiling. Thalia and Chiron exchanged worry-filled looks and were out the door in the next second. A camper was slumped against the side of the cabin, his face hidden against the grass. Thalia wished to go to the camper's side, but her loyalty to her sisters in the hunt was greater. She rushed off towards the sound of the screaming with Chiron close on her tail, his bow drawn and ready. They found the rest of the campers and the Hunters of Artemis standing together in a loose line, their weapons drawn and ready as they faced their foe. Thalia sucked in a quick gasp as she saw the source of their stares.
Brandishing clubs ending in wicked spikes were dozens of Cyclopes, all of them leering hungrily at the demigods. The Cyclopes stood well over ten feet tall, and they were not alone either. At their feet were all manner of smaller creatures including Earthborn, werewolves, empousai, and several other breeds of monsters that Thalia did not care to recognize. Jude noticed Thalia's approach and nodded grimly. "Where did they come from?" Thalia demanded, settling her shield on her arm. "How did we not notice them?"
"The ground opened up and they came through." Jude answered through gritted teeth. "They got a few of us before we could form up."
"I don't suppose that you would be willing to simply surrender?" A man in a lavish suit asked, striding forward with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. Thalia's eyes narrowed as she recognized his face.
"Atlas." She sneered at the Titan. "I thought you were trapped under the weight of the world?"
"In exchange for my absolute loyalty my employer has graciously switched my position out for another." Atlas laughed softly. "Actually, he rather reminds me of you. The family resemblance is startling."
"Jason." Thalia breathed, her face twisting in rage. She took a step forward and the Cyclopes matched her, all of them preparing to crush her with their clubs. Atlas smiled at her goadingly and spread his arms wide. "You let my brother go!"
"Now, why would I do that?" Atlas asked reasonably. "Not only am I free, but I also have a contract with someone very dangerous. Not very wise to renege on a contract. Particularly like the one I made."
"And just who is your employer?" Chiron demanded.
"You know, as much as I would enjoy seeing the despair on your face when you find out I am afraid that I must decline telling you." Atlas sighed in apparent unhappiness. "He was very specific in that. Not wanting to reveal his hand too early and all that. However, he has permitted us the chance to destroy one of the demigod camps. A fair trade wouldn't you say?"
"Come get us then!" Thalia challenged, drawing her sword and raising her shield to meet Atlas's stare.
The titan winced at the shield, but he did not look away. "Kill them." He said, smirking. "Don't take too long."
"Ready!" Thalia barked and her Hunters drew back on their bows, taking aim at the advancing line of monsters. "Fire!"
A volley of silver arrows streaked towards the monster and buried themselves into their targets. Several monsters disintegrated on the spot, but for each one that disappeared another was there to take its place. Atlas held the shaft of an arrow in his free hand, snapping it in his fist with a look of great superiority. "Fire!" Thalia roared again, preparing herself as a line of monsters ran, slithered, and flew at them. Another volley of arrows cut down many of the monsters, but others still crashed into the line of demigods. Thalia cut down a werewolf in less than three seconds and leapt back as a Cyclopes' club smashed down on the spot she had been standing on mere moments ago. She leapt forward, her sword swinging in a deadly arc as she attacked the monster.
Atlas watched as his monsters laid waste to the demigods, his mouth curled up into a sneer. "Such a pity that they will not see true despair in the days to come." He lamented.
"It's a pity you won't either." A rough voice said from behind the Titan. Two arms ending in wicked claws went around his throat as though embracing him. The arms tightened and Atlas stumbled forward as they raked across his exposed throat. Ryker shoved the Titan forward with his foot and leaned forward, a terrible glare on his face. Atlas turned back to regard the newcomer, putting a hand to his shredded throat even as the flesh knitted back together. Once he was healed enough to be able to speak Atlas laughed and shook his head. "Was this truly the best that you could do?" He taunted, placing his hands back into the pockets of his pants. Golden ichor marred the otherwise perfect suit the Titan wore, though he did not seem overly concern by the stain. "Forgive me, I don't believe that I know you."
Ryker's mouth twitched into a snarl and he lunged at the Titan, his claws going for Atlas's throat again. Sighing with apparent distaste, Atlas sidestepped Ryker's attack and let him go skidding past. Ryker whirled back around and slashed at Atlas again, his eyes narrowing in rage. "My, my," Atlas said as he raised a hand and sent Ryker flying back with a wave. A dog-headed man briefly got between the hunter and the Titan, but Ryker reduced it to dust in seconds. "It seems you do not know who I am. Allow me to introduce myself!"
"I don't care who you are." Ryker grinned at him, overjoyed to face an opponent of such strength.
"Well that is rather rude." Atlas sniffed, shaking his head. He snapped his fingers and Ryker was suddenly forced to his knees as a terrible weight was placed on his shoulders. He snarled and struggled to his feet, but Atlas waved his hand again and the son of Cybele was forced down again. Atlas strode forward and crouched down to regard the trapped demigod closer. "Hm, I don't recognize you at all. Tell me, who is your divine parent?"
Ryker could not so much as raise his head to growl at his captor. The weight seemed to be everywhere at once, greater than anything he had ever experienced before. "I suppose that you are too incapacitated to give me an answer." Atlas admitted, straightening from his crouch. "In case you were wondering what that awful weight you are feeling is, it is a mere fraction of that which I was forced to bear. The weight of the world. Since you are going to die in a few moments I might as well tell you since you so foolishly challenged me; only Artemis can kill me."
If Atlas had been paying attention he would have seen the aura that begin to seep out of Ryker's body, but the titan stood up and turned away without a second thought. He raised a surprised eyebrow and smiled coldly when he saw Artemis standing several meters in front of him, her face drawn into a scowl. "Atlas." She said in greeting. "Who released you from your sentence?"
"Things are changing." Atlas answered back easily. "My employer decided to make a change. He sent me here to destroy the demigod camp, but I'm sure he won't mind if I kill you as well."
"Your battle is not with me." Artemis said, her long knives remaining sheathed at her side. "Although I would like nothing more than to kill you. The laws of a Hunt dictate that the one who initiates the fight be the one who finish it. Your battle is with the one behind you."
Atlas rolled his eyes. "Truly?" He asked in exasperation. "I realize how cruel the gods are, better than most, but even for you that is saddening. Fine. I will kill the demigod and then you and I can finish this."
He turned back around and blinked in surprise as he beheld the demigod. Ryker was no longer pressed against the ground. He was standing, though that was not what caught Atlas's interest. Ryker's eyes had changed into that of a snake's even down to the slit pupil and he was holding an all too familiar silver bow in his hand with a silver arrow drawn. "Artemis is the only one who can kill you, huh?" Ryker snarled, "We'll see about that."
Atlas's eyes had just enough time to widen in shock before three silver arrows buried themselves in his chest. The titan sank to his knees, and glared at Ryker. "This isn't over." He promised. A hole in the earth opened up beside him and the titan fell through it with the last of his strength.
Ryker moved to leap into the hole after the titan, but a sudden agony ripped through him and he fell to his back. He clawed at the air and fought to draw in even a single shuddering breath.
