Chapter 5

3 years later

Artemis POV

I walked through the streets of Olympus briskly, leaving my hunters in our camp while I attended the weekly council meeting. Our numbers had grown over the past few years. The attack of Orion during the Giant War had caught the hunters off-guard and killed many loyal huntresses who had been with me for centuries. Including Phoebe.

Phoebe was the eldest huntress after Zoe, and had been with me since nearly the Age of the Gods, the very beginning of humanity. Thalia had done what she could to swell the ranks, but they were still few in number, even after 3 years. Now they were only 20 strong, as opposed to the nearly 50 they had been before the Giant resurgence.

The hunters had been spending the past few years searching for the Cyclops Tyson. For a while I had split the hunters into smaller factions to cover more ground, but after the death of two huntresses, I decided it was prudent to keep the hunters as a larger force. The hunters were the last few searching for Tyson, and were told to keep an eye out for Percy Jackson as well, if he were to be found. Both he and Piper McLean had abandoned the search for Tyson in the wake of the Giant War, creating resentment throughout the pantheon for the last two heroes of the Seven.

Piper had emerged from her seclusion two years after the Giant War. She had appeared in Japan, having transferred to a prestigious school there for her final years of high school. From what I gathered, she was attempting to rebuild bridges with those at Camp that were angry with her for leaving, but had mostly earned the trust of both the Romans and the Greeks back. Percy on the other hand seemed to be a much more complicated issue.

Poseidon had admitted how he had severed Percy's connection to the ocean after the War, and how he had apparently unwittingly cut him out of Camp. Most of the Olympians seemed to understand Poseidon's actions to keep his son safe, personally, I didn't get it, but if the majority of the council agreed with his decision, who am I to say otherwise?

Percy's following disappearance caused confusion and chaos on Olympus. Poseidon had reached out to Percy's mother (much to Zeus's ire), but Percy had not kept his apparent promise to his mother to return home for Senior year. The last story anyone heard of him was that he had visited Annabeth's father to inform him of the events of the War, and that his daughter wouldn't be coming home.

I'm quickly cut out of my musing as I reach the throne room of Olympus. I could just flash there, but I quite enjoy the opportunity to think about current events as I make my way to meetings. As I move to my throne, I see that half the Olympians are yet to arrive. Apollo's throne remains empty. Zeus had been so furious about the next great prophecy being cast that he had stripped Apollo of his title as an Olympian indefinitely. Apollo, having been rendered a minor god, left Olympus, returning to Delphi where his presence had been felt strongest. As far as anyone knew, only Rachel the Oracle, Iris and myself knew his exact location, though it was possible that Zeus was keeping an eye on Apollo as well.

I take my throne and sit patiently in silence as the rest of the Olympian council appear. Poseidon appears last, looking much more haggard than he used to. Instead of the close cropped beard and the surfer-dude appearance, he now sported a long black beard and long hair, his muscles much more defined and visible. I would roll my eyes at this, except ever since he had driven Percy away Poseidon had a grave look in his eyes, which were now accented heavily by furious frown lines. Now Poseidon made a point of holding his trident, his symbol of power at all times. His fury was not ideal for anyone to be under.

"Before we begin," Zeus started. "Artemis, any word on the Cyclops or Percy?"

Another new development, everyone now referred to Percy as Percy instead of Perseus except for Dionysius. Early on in the wake of Percy's disappearance, he was called Perseus one too many times and Poseidon had raged so extremely that a quarter of Olympus had been demolished, though in fairness that section of the city was still under construction. I suspect it was the section of the throne room that came crashing down in the quake that led the Olympians to start calling Percy the way he preferred.

"None yet. At this point I think it most likely that Tyson and Ella are reforming in Tartarus. Further, I suspect it would be worthwhile seeking a prophecy from Apollo to issue a quest to bring Percy back." I answered my father.

"Out of the question. Keep searching." Zeus ordered. "Otherwise, it would be worth knowing for everyone that monsters are reforming faster. Not related to the Doors, as it was during the War. Simply on their own. Athena."

"The reformation of a monster occurs in Tartarus, last time, the Giants sped up the process of reformation, and Tartarus himself allowed it to happen. Unless there is a deity in Tartarus that is speeding up the process we have no explanation."

"So is there a plan, Athena? Or do we simply wait and see if it resolves itself?" Poseidon said roughly.

These days, even Athena treaded lightly with Poseidon, where she used to mock and be provoked, she now kept a calm head.

"We could ask Hades to scope it out. However, if there is a deity as powerful as the Giants or even Tartarus down there speeding up the process, we would be in severe peril if we lost control of the Underworld. Thanatos has the same issue; we cannot risk him being captured again. The only god we can risk is Nico, however, he is still too unfamiliar with his abilities, which he would lose down in the pit anyway, and last time he was down there as a demigod he went half-mad."

"Answer the question, Athena." Poseidon ordered.

I could see the annoyance flicker across Athena's face and leave it just as quickly as it appeared. "Well Poseidon, as we have no one who is capable of entering Tartarus and being able to leave again, it would seem we will have to wait."

"Very well. Is that all, Zeus?"

"Yes." Zeus said with a sigh, and without a word Poseidon vanished. "You can all go."

As the gods vanished, I stay silent, and ultimately I find myself alone with my father. "We need Apollo to do this." I say.

"No." Zeus said simply. "I'm sorry Artemis. I know he's your brother…"

"You think I say this because he's my brother? I say this because it's true."

"We wouldn't be in this mess if he hadn't sent the next great prophecy to his oracle. Percy wouldn't have been cut off from Olympus, we may have been able to persuade him to stay and not vanish. We could have had his help finding the Cyclops. If we need anyone in this war, it's Percy. Find him." Zeus said before vanishing without any theatrics.

O.o.O.o.O

Percy POV

I light the cigarette and inhale, feeling my lungs fill with smoke, hold a moment, and exhale. Feeling a tingling through my body, I begin to make my way down the alley I had arrived at. Not bothering to finish the cigarette, I drop it and stomp it out.

I walk confidently down the alley, out of the corner of my eyes seeing shadows moving in the darkness.

I raise my hands above my head and feel my thumb flick over the lighter, setting my hands aflame. I lower them, spread out like wings, and turned in a circle. I had been fortunate enough to learn how to protect my body from flames, and such a display often showed a strength that demons, monsters, and other creatures feared.

"I know you're here. You can come out and speak to me." I say steadily out into the darkness. The flames having lead the shadow creatures to back away, almost melding into the walls of the alley.

I feel my hands extinguish as the magic in the flames wore off, plunging me into darkness again.

"If you know I am here, then you know it was foolish of you to come." A deep, booming voice spoke out, seemingly all around me. I try to force my eyes to look deeper, to look through the darkness into the Veil. But the magic to keep the flames going as long as I had left me drained. I couldn't let that show.

"What I know is that He is coming. Someone with your type of power would be a big prize for Him." I replied.

"I have been hidden from the world for millennia, Perseus Jackson. Who is to say He could ever find me?" The voice laughed.

"Well, I did. And if a mortal can find you, you can be sure He can." I said with a smirk.

The voice was no longer laughing. "What kind of price did you have to pay to find me? That kind of knowledge wouldn't come cheaply."

"The price is yet to be determined. You know I had no choice but to seek you out."

"I cannot help you, Perseus Jackson. To do so would break every Ancient Law I am bound by. Ordinarily I would kill someone who sought me out, however, the price you will pay for doing so in itself should be sufficient to sate me."

"I appreciate you sparing me my life. I will take my leave." I say, slightly bowing. I turn and begin to walk back to way I came.

"Good luck to you, Perseus Jackson." The voice says as I reach the exit of the alley it calls home.

As soon as I step onto the street, I am bathed in sunlight. Instinctively, I raise my hand to shelter my eyes as they adjust to the sudden light. As soon as they're adjusted, I begin to walk down the street.

As I reached the following corner, I felt a presence fall into step with me.

"How did it go?" The female voice said.

"It was a no. Predictable really." I answer.

"Then we try someone else."

"If you remember correctly, Sadie, I told you of how difficult gods are. Not everyone has had the opportunity to share a brain with them."

Sadie Kane blocks my path and looks at me with an incredulous look on her face. "We don't have enough time to find another strategy. Let me drink from the fount. We need to find Magnus, or we won't be able to defeat Him."

I stop. "I know how hard it's been for you since Walt. I know how much Magnus means to you. I know the pressure you're under. We will find a way."

"You should get help from your gods."

"No."

"Percy!"

"They wouldn't help if they could. It's not in their nature."

Sadie looks angry. I don't blame her. I'm being unreasonable. It's my fault we're in this situation in the first place, but she is trusting me anyway. It meant that I probably would be forced to go back to Camp, at least temporarily. Or at least go before the Olympians.

"Go back to the First Nome, Sadie, I have one more lead to look into. If it pans out, I will be in touch." I sigh.

"And if not?" Sadie asks. I can hear it in her voice, she thinks I'm going to leave her again. I admit, that was not one of my prouder moments. But at the time everyone left. Even she did, it's only recently she's crawled out of the woodwork, and that was also my fault.

I don't answer Sadie. I just begin walking again, turning my back to her. If I look back, I'm lost. I think to myself, not for the first time.

O.o.O.o.O

2 months later

I walk into the temple cautiously, my magic has seriously been limited since I was rendered mortal, it is only because my blood literally has traits produced by ichor that I'm able to use magic in the first place. Or at least see through the Veil. I remember Annabeth telling me what it was like when she met Sadie all those years ago. How she ate a paste and could look into the Duat, but how being Greek presented it differently to how Sadie described it, and so she made the link between the Duat and the Mist. It was only in the past year or so since I met Magnus, Annabeth's cousin, a demigod in his own right, that I had to start calling it the Veil, since he couldn't be bothered swapping between Mist, Duat and Ginnungagap all the time.

As I make my way through the temple, I begin to feel the godly aura of the air. I almost turn around on instinct, but instead push on. I begin to make my way deep into the temple, and begin to feel stronger. Not what I was expecting. I peek around a corner and freeze.

In front of me, floating a few metres off the ground, is Apollo.

He looks different to the last time I saw him, no longer in his mid-twenties beach-bod. He looks more mature, like a really athletic dad, well-tanned and broad-shouldered. But without a doubt it is him.

I step out, slowly. Apollo is giving off sunlight, so I feel the heat and warmth of outside. I take a step, and see his eyes snap open.

"Percy." Apollo said, so quietly I could barely hear him from the distance between us. It was like a whisper on the air.

"Apollo." I answer, with a nod.

"So many are looking for you. Artemis has been hunting you for years now, I imagine it's frustrating her beyond belief that a male has evaded her."

"I've been careful."

"I can smell that. You reek of so many pantheons, especially Egypt. No wonder no one could find you, you were outside our domain."

"Why are you here in Delphi, Apollo?" I ask, genuinely curious. Not having been in contact with the Greeks for years I wasn't exactly in the loop. The closest I had been to my Greek heritage was running into Gwen, my old Legion superior while I passed through a different area of Greece a year and half previously. I had to wipe her memory of the event so that she wouldn't alert anyone of my status overseas.

"It is a place of great power for me. And with my abilities weakened, I felt it best to come to a place so identified with me."

"You're weakened?"

"Indeed. I have lost the Sight. I can no longer see the future, and as a consequence, I'm sure Rachel can't as well. She has been here a couple times, but even the power of Delphi couldn't allow the Spirit to See."

"How did you lose your power?" I ask.

"My father." Apollo answered simply. "He stripped me of my title as an Olympian and gave my throne to Hestia. It is vital that there be an Olympian god with power over warmth, and not in the way Hephaestus has over fire. Losing my throne nearly caused me to fade, but the dependence of life on the Sun kept my presence strong enough to stay."

"So staying in a place where you were strong before keeps you grounded to this plane. I see." I deduce, earning an approving nod from Apollo.

"Father no doubt did this to teach me a lesson, but I think it was pure arrogance to believe that there would be no consequences to his own actions."

"What kind of consequences?"

"The sun is a vital part of life, Percy. To weaken it is to risk civilisation. I may hide it, but I am certainly one of the most powerful gods in our pantheon."

"Alongside the Big Three?"

"No. Zeus may consider himself the mightiest of us, but there is a good reason that all fear your father and Hades. To be an enemy of the sea is a dangerous thing, and to cross one who may not be powerful on his own, but commands an army that recruits the more they kill…my Father commands lightning, a powerful weapon, but the sky is nothing without the light of the sun and the moon. Together, my sister and I could easily destroy our Father. But on my own, I could fight your father to a standstill, scorching the sea."

I take in what he is saying, it was a viewpoint I hadn't considered before. Naturally, the Olympians were strong because of their domains being routed in the dependence of Western Civilisation in them, but Apollo did make a good point about how his use of sunlight pretty much dominated Zeus. Even the fact that the sky's major domains had been split, while that of the Ocean and the Underworld hadn't, suggested their fundamental weakness.

"What of you, Percy? Where have you been? I can smell Egypt, but I sense you have tapped into your godly side, past the block your father put in place."

"We both know you already know where I've been. And the only reason I've been able to use magic is because of the ichor in me. I do admit being in your presence has strengthened my connection to that side of me though."

"Not surprising, your blood is likely responding to my natural godly aura."

"I don't normally react to the aura of other gods though." I say, trying to work out why.

"I should expect not. You would only react to the aura of a Greco-Roman god, as that's the type of ichor you carry." Apollo continues. "Think of it like having a different blood type."

It all starts to come together. I had come to the temple for a prophecy, as it was the only way for those within the House of Life to fight the Enemy. But with Apollo having lost the ability to predict the future, I suspect the best way for me to do so would be to earn him his seat on the Olympian council. Doing so would hopefully restore his ability to see the future.

"Are you strong enough to send me to Olympus?" I ask, after a moment of thought.

"No. Right now, you're a mortal, the energy of Olympus would destroy you, regardless of ichor in your body. I can however, send you to Camp." Apollo replied.

I sigh, knowing that it's the only way. Nodding to Apollo to do it. I close my eyes and feel a gust of immense wind on my face, and a queasiness in my gut. I open my eyes and am sitting on my bed in my cabin back at Camp, across from a very startled looking girl with hair that was black like mine, and eyes just as green. "Who are you?" I ask, almost immediately.

"I'm Elizabeth." She answered.