Misery's Smile Chapter 9
By Art and Rinne
Hello fellas! Here's a kind of a New Year gift to all of ya, eh? A quick fun fact though – I didn't really intend for the last chapter to be a cliffy haha, but oh well, you fellas have spoken xD Well, without further ado, sit tight, eat some Ferrero Rocher chocolates, and enjoy!
"How dare that spawn of Zeus do such a thing to Perseus," Nyx fumed, as she updated Akhlys on what exactly happened the night before.
As the goddess of Night, Nyx had seen everything unfold. Needless to say, her anger was terrible, and it took nearly all her self-control not to smite Artemis right where she stood. She saw the suffering and pain Perseus went through to fulfil his promise of reuniting with Artemis. When it finally happened, however, the only reward Perseus took was betrayal.
It wasn't long before Nyx had to depart for her duties, but she knew she had to tell her sister about what transpired. She couldn't be more surprised though, when Akhlys brushed her off.
"I already know of what happened, Nyx," Akhlys said, with a hint of a sneer, before continuing.
"And?" Nyx raised an eyebrow, knowing that her sister would not let such actions slide.
"Perseus will endure. He is strong enough," Akhlys added, as Nyx folded her arms.
"However, Artemis will pay for her insolence in this matter. I have sent Lykos, with a pithos of water blessed by me, the goddess of poison. I will take away the ones most precious to her slowly, and painfully. The Hunters," Akhlys whispered dangerously.
"… You are going to poison them, are you?" Nyx chuckled.
Akhlys smirked, and finally said, "Artemis will know true Misery, as she watches her Hunters die one by one, helpless and in pain."
"Spare the Hesperide, Akhlys. It is because of her Perseus' spirit still lives," Nyx said, as Akhlys shrugged.
"You know I cannot guarantee her safety, Nyx. It depends on Lykos' discretion," Akhlys blankly noted.
"Whatever it is, Artemis' handmaidens will die. After which, she will be truly alone."
Perseus was alone. His yellow eyes were dull, as he looked toward the moon. Unlike the week before though, the moon looked dim, and was covered with clouds. The night air seemed to embrace the young Primordial as he floated through the air. His black cloak billowed behind him as wind started to blow.
It was then, he smelled it. The scent of a large, human city, where he could settle and reassess his priorities. After all, his original intention was to reunite with Artemis, and possibly settle down with her quietly. With the recent events though, that was clearly impossible. Artemis had already made it clear that she did not wish to see him anymore.
It was an extremely bitter pill to taste, with Artemis so smitten and blinded by the handsome son of Poseidon. After all, who was he to judge? He was the man who broke the promise in their childhood, and his power caused them to be separated.
The thoughts of failure and guilt seemed to overrun his mind, before he found himself facing a large mortal city ahead of him. He marvelled at the city for a moment, as he took in the size and the grandness that the city showed. Then, his eyes roamed to the large fortress built on top of the hill. A temple deep within the walls seemed to overlook the city.
"Welcome to Athens, Perseus. These chance meetings keep adding up, do they?" A familiar voice slurred.
"Apollo!" Perseus called, as he sat beside the flushed god, who sent away a flustered-looking woman.
Apollo took another swig of wine, as he stared at Perseus with glazed over blue eyes. Perseus sighed – the god had clearly seen better days. His posture was slack, and there were extremely dark bags under his eyes. His face became even gaunter, as he finally spoke.
"Well, how are you, Perseus?"
Perseus looked at him with a wry smile, as he answered, "Perhaps you should be asking yourself that, Apollo. What in Tartarus happened to you?"
"I have no idea… I don't have a family anymore, do I? I don't even know," Apollo slurred.
Perseus didn't have an answer to that. He cursed himself for asking such a question. A seed of guilt formed in his heart as he studied his grieving friend.
"Don't blame yourself, Perseus… It was the right thing to do. What matters is that Artemis is safe, no?" Apollo said, as he blinked away a tear.
"You're a bad liar, Apollo," Perseus said, his voice full of sadness for his friend.
Perseus' guilt began to grow, as the night darkened. Heavy clouds started to hover over the city of Athens, as Perseus felt a soft breeze seemingly caress him in this dark, cold night. He heard Apollo mutter his sister's name, as he shifted in his sleep. There was a haunting, yet musical sound from the wind blowing towards the two immortals, as if comforting them… Perseus would never forget the haunting, beautiful sound that came from the breeze that seemed to whisper in their minds, telling them it was all okay.
'Or perhaps, I've already gone mad,' Perseus thought with a hint of mirth, a faint, very faint twinkle sparkling his yellow eyes.
Though, he had to admit, this was the first time in two centuries where he could finally sit, and be at peace.
"So what are you going to do now, Perseus?" Apollo asked.
"I don't know… I came for Artemis, but-"
"Why don't you do something else then, eh? Help the people here or something?" Apollo said.
"Help the Gods?" Perseus huffed, as his friend sighed.
"Not exactly, Perseus," Apollo continued, earning another stubborn huff from the Primordial.
However, Apollo noticed Perseus' subtle nod, which allowed the god to carry on with his proposal. Perseus would never admit this, but he was intrigued by Apollo's proposal. He didn't want to be stuck asleep in Tartarus for millennia, as that would be boring.
What he did not expect though, was for Apollo to ask him to help out a centaur in Chaos-knows-what to help train demigod heroes. Needless to say, Perseus was extremely unimpressed.
"I have no time to watch over fledglings, Apollo," Perseus folded his arms, as Apollo sighed.
"Just watch over them for me, Perseus, if nothing else. I would hate to see them die meaninglessly again," Apollo hung his head.
Perseus raised an eyebrow, "Die meaninglessly? Their parents themselves, the Gods do not protect them?"
"The gods are tied, by rules laid down by the Fates. We cannot help our children, even if they are prophesised to die. Especially if their prophesised to die," Apollo confessed.
"And?" Perseus motioned Apollo to continue.
"Just help us give them the best chance of survival, Perseus. They are just children… And they usually die young, and alone, Perseus. You of all people know what it is like to be alone…" Apollo said sadly, as Perseus went slack.
"Very well… Where do I find this centaur?" Perseus asked in a sigh.
"In Attica near this city. Just smell him out – he has a very distinct aura. And… Perseus?"
"Yes?" Perseus raised an eyebrow, wondering what Apollo was up to.
"Thank… Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have… I wouldn't have been able to save my sister. Farewell," Apollo said, before he flashed away.
"You give me too much credit, Apollo," Perseus muttered, as he held a hand over his pained heart.
Perseus was surprised when he flared his power. He felt the steely presence of a child of Kronos, only to realise that it was the centaur. It heavily surprised Perseus – he wasn't expecting the centaur to have such heritage. Then, it occurred to him. He had heard stories from the mortals, about the legendary trainer of the greatest heroes. Chiron, son of Kronos and Rhea.
He would never admit it, considering that he vehemently opposed to this idea, but he was intrigued. The centaur was known to train the greatest of heroes, and had quite the famed heritage, as one of the children of Kronos.
At any rate, Perseus had finally managed to follow the aura to a small cottage, surrounded by large farms. He could feel the discontent in the air as he walked, as the mortals gossiped about the tensions between Athens and the other respective city-states. Perseus could not help but laugh a little. How Theseus managed to unite such knaves, he had no idea.
However, he was pulled out of his thoughts as he found himself standing in front of the cottage door. Taking a breath, he knocked, and opened the door.
The house was cleaner than he expected. The scrolls neatly shoved and organized into a series of shelves, and some weapons stocked in a chest not far from where he stood. There was a burning hearth, which was curious, since it wasn't winter. What made it more interesting for Perseus, was that it didn't feel hot at all, as he neared the fireplace.
Looking up, he saw a painting, and grimaced. It was a painting of a hero, holding up the head of a snake-haired monster. But what struck him was the electric blue eyes that the hero possessed. Not to mention the sheer arrogance in that smirk, as he held up his gruesome trophy in triumph.
A child of Zeus.
He didn't even notice how hard his fist was clenched, until a cough sounded. He was about to draw Night as he turned, but only saw a kind, yet grief-stricken face of a centaur.
"So you are the one Lord Apollo talked to me about. You could have knocked, you know?" Chiron smiled, as Perseus turned.
"No one answered," Perseus huffed, as Chiron shook his head.
"Well, I couldn't hear you. There is no harm in knocking louder. It's rude to come in just like that, Perseus," Chiron sighed, as the room fell silent.
There was an awkward silence, as Perseus finally answered, "Oh."
"Make sure to be more courteous. I wouldn't want an unnecessary fight between you and another immortal because of matters as simple as this. I am not saying that you will lose – not by any means – but it would be ugly, very ugly indeed," Chiron smiled pleasantly, earning a small grunt from the son of Akhlys.
"Now, let's get to it. Before we carry on, though, I understand you need to learn the ways of the mortal world?"
"Umm, huh?" Perseus asked.
"Apollo's told me many, rather intriguing stories about you, Perseus. About how you, ah, did not recognize the system of exchanging Drachmas for items. And also, I believe you need to know the immortals' standing within this world, and the powerful illusion that clouds the vision of mortals," Chiron's tone turned serious, as Perseus nodded.
"Well, then, let's carry on… Now, I understand that you…" Chiron began to explain the workings of the world to Perseus.
Needless to say, it was a sleepless night for the baffled Primordial, who wondered why mortals and immortals alike choose to handicap themselves by so many rules.
At The Hunt's Camp…
Zoe could only wonder where Perseus had transported her to. As she gathered herself, she found herself in a clearing, which had a burning hearth in the middle, surrounded by silver tents.
Suddenly, a voice quietly whispered, "You look lost."
A chariot that looked to be pulled by deer moved into the camp quietly. The wielder of the reins had the most beautiful silver eyes, and red flaming hair. A silver bow was strapped to her back. Zoe recognized her immediately.
"Lady Artemis," Zoe whispered, as Artemis raised an eyebrow.
"What brings you so close to my camp? Why are you lost?" Artemis asked, her silver eyes peering in interest.
"I was… I was wandering, my Lady. I'm not lost, my Lady… Just looking for somewhere, that's all," Zoe said softly, as she tried not to mention Perseus.
"Indeed... How about we find it together, girl? What is your name?" Artemis said, as she held out a hand.
"Zoe Nightshade. Pleasure to meet you, Lady Artemis."
"Zoe Nightshade… I have heard of you. Would you like to join my Hunt?" Artemis offered, her dull silver eyes showing a faint twinkle.
'You'd make a fine Huntress, Zoe.' Zoe remembered before she chuckled and nodded her head.
It was then, Artemis broke into a small smile, as she led Zoe to the camp. Zoe was amazed at first, at the glowing silver tents, and the sheer skill that the Hunters exhibited when they practiced. She couldn't remember anyone missing a shot.
Artemis studied Zoe for a moment, before she continued.
"There are terms you will need to agree to, if you are to join the Hunt, Zoe. Swear to these terms, and you will be a Hunter," Artemis explained.
"I understand," Zoe nodded.
"Good. Now then…" A silver light surrounded the both of them, as Artemis spoke again.
'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt. Recite that for me, Zoe, and you will be a Hunter."
Zoe recited it, as she felt the silvery energy engulf her. A significant warmth seemed to ignite in her chest, as she felt the blessing of Artemis return her immortality.
"Welcome to the Hunt, Zoe Nightshade… Now then… Hunters!" Artemis called, as the girls quickly flopped down to the hearth and bowed before their leader.
"Lady Artemis." The Hunt chorused, before they stood up at Artemis' command.
It wasn't long until a tall, brown-haired hunter stepped forward and asked, "Who is that, my Lady?"
"This is Zoe Nightshade, a new recruit. She has already taken her oaths, and is one of us," Artemis said, before another girl raised her hand.
"Where is Orion, My Lady?"
Artemis could barely hide a growl, as she spoke, "Orion… Orion has died."
A series of chatter suddenly broke out among the huntresses, while Zoe observed the growing anger in Artemis' deep silver eyes. The name Orion seemed to set her off, and she did not know why. It sounded like a fresh wound, judging from how Artemis reacted. She remembered Perseus' longing gaze to the moon, and wondered if it could be related.
"Silence!" Artemis bellowed.
The constant chatter stopped, and Artemis finally continued, "Again, in case some of you weren't listening, this is our new recruit, Zoe Nightshade. Phoebe, she will share your tent. And about Orion… I forbid anyone to speak of him again in here. Dismissed."
Right then, a large, built girl gestured Zoe to follow her.
"So, you are Zoe, eh? I'm Phoebe. Follow me," Phoebe said, as she took Zoe's hand and led her through the camp.
As she walked through the camp, Zoe heard chatter and gossip, most of which centred about the death of Orion. In fact, most hunters apparently disliked Orion.
'Good riddance, I never trusted that slippery Son of Poseidon.'
'Our lieutenant died unjustly because of him.'
'His arrogance always got to my nerves.'
The whispers and gossip never seemed to stop. She was about to ask Phoebe about it, only for the burly huntress to shake her head, as if to say 'Not now'. When she finally got to the tent, she asked Phoebe about it.
"I don't know, Zoe. All I know is, that Orion used to hunt with Artemis, and that they had a thing together. I don't know how he died. Although, I am of the thought that it was for the good. I didn't like how he looked at Lady Artemis," Phoebe said, as she turned to smile at Zoe, who looked to be deep in thought.
"Get some sleep, Zoe. You look like you've been through a lot today… And I must say, that is a fine chiton you are wearing right now," Phoebe continued, earning a small smile from Zoe.
"It was a gift from a friend," Zoe said proudly.
"Whatever its worth, welcome to the Hunt, Zoe Nightshade. I hope you survive," Phoebe winked.
They never noticed the shade watching them intently, while fingering a bottle strapped to his belt.
A bottle uncorked, and the liquid inside started to evaporate, and steam into the air. It was done. Before he went, though, he managed to concoct a barrier around the girl that Lord Perseus was apparently fond of.
He took no pleasure in this, but deep inside, he too wanted revenge. After watching Perseus brutally trained in an impossible training trip, only to see him come back and be betrayed… It went without saying that he wanted to kill Artemis. Unfortunately, it was apparent that Lady Ananke still had plans for her, making it impossible.
So Akhlys, cruel as she was, conducted this plan to make the fragile moon goddess finally break once and for all. The plan to take everything else away from her. The Hunters. As he passed Artemis' tent, he could only hear teary ramblings of her hatred of men, and poorly hidden, and buried regret over what happened with Perseus.
The shade frowned. Artemis was already broken, and only held her façade due to her hunters. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad decision to spare Zoe Nightshade. Lykos sighed, his conscious self was getting the better of him, and not for the first time. Hardening his heart, he left the camp, as the first whimpers sounded.
"Perseus, please wake up!" Chiron said, as Perseus tiredly moved.
"You are not a very good listener, are you, Perseus?" Chiron shook his head, as Perseus yawned.
Perseus had lost Chiron midway through the conversation, partly because it was boring. Perseus wouldn't admit it, though.
"So, Apollo has already told you about me?" Perseus asked, as he leaned forward to meet Chiron's eyes.
"Yes, and he has told me about how you readily accepted to help me with my mission. Of course, I am not forcing you, Perseus. I am merely confirming whether this is true," Chiron told, as Perseus exhaled a long sigh.
The bastard had already set him up.
"So what do you feel about this, Son of Kronos?" Perseus asked politely.
"I prefer to be called by my name, which is Chiron… Perseus. You don't see me calling you Son of Akhlys, do you, Perseus?" Chiron said, with a hint of steel, before he continued.
"About how I feel about this… I do not know, Perseus. You are powerful, yes, but you hold no love for the Gods. I know of what transpired in Delos, Perseus. I can only fear what might happen if I approve of your help. If I were to be honest, Perseus, the only reason why I approved of this meeting was because Apollo had assured me about your temperament, Perseus," Chiron finished calmly.
Perseus narrowed his eyes, but Chiron remained immovable. It was impressive how the old centaur had such a steely, but calm attitude when speaking such words with a Primordial. Though, it was understandable. Chiron only had his students' best interests at heart.
Perseus killing them out of revenge was probably not one of them, after all.
"Do not worry, old centaur. I will do my best, not to harm any of the young demigods. However, if they are overly arrogant, and are dishonest… I will make no promises on what happens then, Chiron," Perseus said with a dark tone, as he fingered his black sword.
"Of course. Now, about what you will help me do… I will say this, the last demigod I trained that became a great, successful hero was Heracles," Chiron said.
A dark glare suddenly shadowed Perseus' face as he thought about the worthless Son of Zeus who lied to Zoe Nightshade for his own ends. Chiron noticed this, but a look from Perseus told him to move on.
"The problem with these Demigods… Is I cannot protect them enough. The gods are admittedly not helping enough. They consort with humans, and leave the children for me to protect and guide. There are too many, Perseus, which is why I need you," Chiron said.
"I think the gods hardly care, Chiron. The demigods are but soldiers to aid them in times of war. I assume you remember the Trojan War, and the foolishness that started it?" Perseus said venomously, as Chiron hung his head.
"The gods have indeed made mistakes, Perseus. Grave mistakes which damn their children to pointless young deaths. Something that I wish to stop," Chiron spoke with conviction, as Perseus nodded.
"So, I assume the problem is that their scent draws many monsters? And I assume that with their insufficient training, they have no way to stop it. And with the sheer amount of monsters and demigods, you cannot save all of them," Perseus murmured.
Chiron sighed in defeat, which confirmed Perseus' suspicions.
"And the children of Zeus are your top priority, no? I can only assume that Zeus has commanded you to pay close, very close attention to only the children of Zeus," Perseus continued with a harsh voice, as Chiron hung his head.
"Yes," Chiron muttered sadly.
Perseus gritted his teeth. The situation was extremely bad for the surviving demigods. With insufficient training, and undoubted fatigue from the constant attacks of monsters, they were extremely vulnerable to the monsters. They needed somewhere. A safe haven. Then, an idea popped to his mind.
"Chiron, we must locate them into a safe place, somehow. Perhaps a protected training camp. Without training, these demigods only walk to their deaths when they fight a monster," Perseus urged, but Chiron shook his head.
"I have thought of that, but I'm afraid I do not have the power to raise a barrier to prevent that many monsters from breaking in," Chiron looked at a bust of a nameless demigod.
"I do. And with this new 'camp', we can prevent the monsters being drawn towards mortal settlements," Perseus added, as Chiron nodded in approval.
"Indeed… That is an excellent idea, Perseus. But, before that, we must gain the permission from the gods. The demigods are their children, after all," Chiron said, as Perseus blanched.
"Why would I-"
"Peace, Perseus. It would do no good, if you do this without the gods' consent. They would think you are raising an army to destroy them, and will undoubtedly kill all the children," Chiron spoke grimly, as Perseus looked at him in disgust.
"I have seen them do it before, Perseus," Chiron added.
Perseus knew he had to make a decision. He could walk away, but that would leave the children at the mercy of the monsters. He also knew, that if he fought off the monsters, he would alert the darker powers in the pit of his presence in Chaos' plane. Without the protection that Nyx and Akhlys provided, there was no doubt that they hunt him down, further dooming the children. Then… The last option, which was to ask consent from the Gods, and maybe give the children a safer haven before they were given their prophecies.
Perseus rubbed his forehead as he tried to make the decision. A part of him wanted him to walk away and simply fade into the darkness, but another part kept telling him about the children. He couldn't help but curse Fate. Then, he remembered Apollo's words about how the children were essentially cursed to die young, and alone, without knowing who their parents ever were, or if they even cared.
'You of all people know what it is like to be alone, Perseus.'
He made a decision.
'Curse you, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Your tyranny will stop one day.'
"I'm going to Olympus," Perseus said resolutely.
Mount Olympus wasn't hard to find. The godly power that was literally dripping off the place made Perseus nearly retch. The arrogance of the gods' were indeed unmatched. Adjusting his hood, Perseus floated into the air, as he wondered what kind of reception that he was going to get.
Drawing his sword, Perseus entered through the gates, not taking any chances. However, he intended to avoid a fight, so he suppressed his power as much as he could. The primordial marvelled as he observed the city. It was impressive, at least, far more impressive than Tartarus.
Perseus' caution proved to be crucial, as he quickly blocked a powerful strike from an armored warrior, presumably the guards. His yellow eyes gleamed dangerously as he stared at the guards.
"Let me pass. I have no time for the likes of you," Perseus said, in a deep, cutting voice.
"Lord Zeus ordered your capture, Perseus. It has been two centuries, yes, but he still remembers," The lead guard said, as Perseus sighed and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, the air grew cold as Perseus opened his eyes, which were now blazing yellow. A soft breeze suddenly blew as Perseus focused his power on the guards, who were now moving to attack him. Perseus smirked as the breeze seemed to condense into mist. Dark, cloudy mist lined with sickly green power.
The guard that attacked Perseus started to feel unnerved, but didn't stop his attack. Suddenly, he felt something crushing his throat, as he found himself in sweet-smelling mist, layered by green aura. The feeling seemed to worsen, before he gasped for one final time, and fell.
Another batch of guards came with the same reason, but Perseus simply used his powers to force them into suicide. It was after he killed this batch of guards, where Perseus felt a familiar presence entering his mind.
'What in Tartarus are you doing, Perseus?!
'Living.'
'Perseus, this is unwise. Have you forgotten my warning about the monsters in Tartarus who are after you? Remember, once you open that door, once you make contact with the Olympians, there is no turning back. Remember, Perseus. You have many enemies. I am sure you are ready, but how about the people you love?'
'I know the risks, and my own strength, Mother.'
'Still, I feel that this is a foolish venture, Perseus. And your self-made war with the Daughters of Ananke… Be careful with what you wish for, Perseus. The Fates are not to be trifled with. Turn back, Perseus. It is only the lives of a few children at stake for now. You can save the rest later.'
'I make my own decisions, Mother. After all, you were the one who told me to do as I please, no?'
'I did not tell you to be foolish. Turn back.'This time, Akhlys' voice was icy cold, and dangerous.
Truth be told, Akhlys was proud of her son's ability to stand up for his own decisions. However, he did not understand the ramifications of what he was about to do. It was something that she wanted to fix. And she would never admit it, but she was much too stubborn to concede her argument to Perseus.
'I hope you understand the consequences of your impending actions, my son.'
'I do.'
With that, Perseus cut off the connection, as he opened the gates, to see a group of bickering gods' in their full height. As his black cloak started to glow, Perseus too started to grow into his full height, before sheathing Night to gain the gods' attention.
Meanwhile, at the Hunt's Camp…
Artemis stiffly awoke. The nightmares of that night hadn't stopped yet. She still could see her former lieutenant's tear-stained face as Artemis recklessly passed judgement upon her, all because of the lies of a man. She could still see the faces of her brother, and Perseus as they killed Orion in cold blood, claiming to protect her. She couldn't help but relate this to some of her hunters, who came after being traumatized by men. It was clear, that she had to make some changes to her oath in due time, to prevent such slips.
Suddenly, she heard the loud whimpers, and screams from her hunters. Running in panic, she rushed to the campsite, where she saw the girls coughing out blood and convulsing in pain.
"G-Girls!" Artemis screamed.
The huntress ran across the camp, as she looked at her ailing handmaidens, who looked like they caught some type of disease. It wasn't until she sniffed the air, and she smelled the sour tinge to it.
Poison.
However, as she searched, it wasn't long until she found one of her girls not suffering from it. The new recruit, Zoe Nightshade. Artemis' silver eyes deepened in suspicion as she looked at the new recruit, who looked like she was trying to treat Phoebe.
"Zoe! What happened here?" Artemis said, her steely voice shocking Zoe.
"I-I don't know! All of a sudden, they started s-screaming!" Zoe shouted, as Artemis looked at her sceptically.
"Swear on the Styx that you were not responsible for this," Artemis said, her silver eyes deep in anger.
"I swear," Zoe said shakily, as thunder sounded, signifying the oath.
Artemis tried to heal Phoebe with her powers, but the poison seemed too strong for her. Her frustration slowly turned to despair as she fruitlessly continued trying to heal the huntress. She turned to face Zoe.
"I want you to find out who di-"
She could never complete her sentence, however, when a voice suddenly spoke.
'Artemis, you must return to Olympus. This is of maximum importance.'
'I can't, father. I have better things to do here. All you gods do is bicker there anyway!'
'That wasn't a request, Artemis. That's an order, and I expect you to understand your duties as an Olympian.'
The message cut off, as Artemis cursed. Of all times! It was clear, from Zeus' tone, which this was not to be ignored. She refused to show her frustration, though. She needed to lead by example here, and save the Hunt, somehow.
"Zoe, listen to me. I want you to find anyone, immortal or mortal to save the hunters. I don't care if it's Aesculapius, and I don't even care if it's some spawn of Orion. Just find a way, or someone to save them. Use my chariot if necessary," Artemis said desperately, as she tried to tune out the screams of her handmaidens.
She could not afford to lose her hunters. She only watched as Zoe quickly climbed into Artemis' chariot, and rode away. It was then, Artemis started to shed her tears, before she remembered Zeus' order. With a few deep breaths, she calmed down enough to flash into her throne. However, what she saw was nothing she expected.
Instead of a normal bickering session, the Olympians, including Hermes and Apollo, were extremely stoic as they rigidly sat in their thrones. The silence could be cut with a knife, as they stared at a black cloaked individual.
The black cloaked man lifted his hood, as Artemis gasped. She would never forget those yellow eyes. As the man's eyes looked across the room, as if to make sure the Olympians were all here, Artemis wondered exactly why he was here. She resisted the urge to speak when Perseus merely skimmed over her blankly, as if she was just another Olympian.
"Good evening, my Lords and Ladies," Perseus bowed, his deep voice layered with power, and tinged with amusement.
I see approximately 47 reviews for the last chapter... You guys are absolutely fucking awesome. Alright Done! This chapter was a nightmare to write at times, i had so much writer's block all over O.O This starts a relatively short-ish arc, and I hope you all enjoy =) I sure can't wait to write the next one, but for now, I think I'll rest =)
From the bottom of our hearts to all of ya lovely readers... Thank you!
The Beatles – Hey Jude…
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