Pain flooded my mind. It is all I could feel, nothing but cruel black, darkness around me. A bright light flashed in the distance. Following the light, I opened my eyes to the figure of a woman. The bright light blinded me, blinking to adjust to it. The caramel haired woman, lend out her hand toward me. Taking her hand, I sat up and faced her.
"Artemis, I never thought I would see you here," she said.
"Calypso… what am I doing here?"
"Don't know… the Olympians dropped you here… making a deal, that I will be released in twelve years if I allow them to keep you here. Ha…they failed their promises last time, why should I believe them?" she said.
So they took my godhood, and stranded me at Ogygia. Damn… Olympians, why won't you let me speak with Perseus? Even if it is for a few minutes, let me speak with him. Why are you so cruel? I beg of you… I know you can hear me. Silence was their answer.
"So I am stuck here for twelve years… don't make me laugh, I need to speak with Perseus," I said.
"Perseus… so it was true." She said.
"What is true?" I said, turning toward her.
Calypso came up toward me, tackling me to the ground. Mortals sure are weak. Calypso easily overpowered me even if she is a nimble goddess. Laying on me, she place her hands on my neck, strangling me. Every breath is painful. My lungs beg for air, no… they scream for it. Am I going to die here?
"Why did you do that to Perseus? Didn't he save you and Olympus? Isn't that enough?" she yelled.
"Yes..." I managed to say.
"Then why make him suffer? You owe him at least some peace. He is a kind man… who only thinks of the safety of others. And you hurt him… no, you broke him. You selfish woman. I will kill you for hurting him."
My vision blurred. My lungs raw, without any air. My heart beating rapidly.
"Calypso… I would stop, unless you want to see Zeus' wrath in person,"
She let go. Air flowed quickly into my lungs, it hurt. I coughed heavily as I adjust to the cool air once again. Ii turned to the direction of the voice to see a woman who I instantly recognized as Hera, queen of the gods.
"Hera… Take me to Perseus or…" I said
"Or what? If you haven't noticed you are a mortal now. I could crush you if I wished." She interrupted.
Damn it… I am powerless aren't I? To lose to an immortal who has never fought a battle and driven only by emotion. Now other gods threaten me, not fearing me and I have no say about it. I am fully mortal along with their… limitations.
"But no need to be frightened… I've only come to speak with you," said Hera.
"About what, Hera?"
"The one at the center of this mess, Perseus,"
Perseus… what about him? I only wish to meet him one last time. It won't matter if he hates me or if I don't see him again. But that chance was taken from me. Now I am stuck with an immortal who is out for my blood.
"Perseus… what does he have to do with this?" I asked.
"Everything," she said, "The new prophecy announces his possible participation."
"Prophecy… what do you mean new prophecy?" I said.
"Won't say much other than the fact, it terrifies Zeus," she said, "He's ordered the Olympians into secrecy and contact with the camps must be limited. The prophecy will occur in twelve years. It involves a chosen child of each Olympian but the most troublesome are the children of the moon, hearth, sea and wisdom. That is all I can say. Zeus hasn't quite forgiven Apollo and me for trying to interpret the previous prophecy."
New prophecy? Why have I only heard about it till now? What are those Olympians hiding from me? I don't understand, why am I kept in the dark? But what about the children of the Olympians mention new prophecy? Wait… I haven't even heard the prophecy in the first place.
"Children of the moon, hearth, sea and wisdom?" I said.
"Child of the moon is of course the child you carry but child of wisdom could be any child of Athena which may involve Perseus. The child of the hearth is Hestia's of course and a result of the same prank. So it can be safely assumed that all children conceived by Apollo's prank are part of the prophecy of twelve. And child of the sea… that is where things get complicated. It could be Perseus or… the child Annabeth carries. Well… it is an interpretation anyways, prophecies have many meanings and outcomes" She said.
"Child of Annabeth?" I said, "What do you mean by?"
"Oh… you don't know right. Well you and Perseus aren't the only victims to Apollo's so called master prank of the virgin goddesses. The victims were Perseus and you, Hestia and Leo, don't know why them unlike your relationship with Perseus, I never saw them even speak to each other unless Hestia sought him out, and Poseidon and Athena…except Apollo messed up and drugged Annabeth drink…"
"That would mean…"
"Yes… the father of Annabeth child is Poseidon, not Percy," she said.
No… that news would destroy Perseus beyond repair. He would not be willing to live anymore, maybe sally could bring his life back to normal…well as normal as he could be. I must clear things with him maybe it will help him move one. But what about my child? Doesn't his father deserve to know about him? But I don't have a clue how he will react. Why did she say that the child of wisdom may involve Perseus?
"How does the chosen child of wisdom involve Perseus?" I said.
She shifted slightly, rubbing her hands. "I said Perseus…I've made a mistake. I was thinking of Annabeth and his relationship with her… but with Perseus' current condition. I doubt he would even get close to her, even if it's not her fault she bears a child of Poseidon. Athena fury was unimaginable, she had calmed but her anger is still present. But Perseus, what a fallen hero. He's lost all trust in everybody. He believes he is alone. Sad because with his loyalty, he might have been a wonderful husband…"
I raised my brow. Is Hera curious of Perseus? I thought she hated all demigods but I guess change is possible looking back at me for example, I now love a male Hero something I believed would never happen.
"That is all and to tell you now… the meeting is nearing its end. Perseus judgment is set in stone." I said.
"Why come here then, to tell me all this information?" I said, "If it's all set already. I know he is innocent of all charges, and loyal to Olympus."
"Because I can bring you to Olympus… to see him on last time," I said, "and we know of all he has been through and his loyalty. He is not dead but the council has decided to give him what he wishes the most. Now let us leave before the meeting ends."
Placing her hand on my shoulder, she said, "don't do anything stupid." Reality ripped around me, and in an instant I arrived at the entrance of Olympus. Searching my surroundings, Hera had disappeared. Wasting no time, I ran toward the main palace. Many bystanders stared at me in curiosity of a mortal running through Olympus. The city seemed much larger than what I remembered. Almost as if everything had changed within one day.
Running past the Olympian circle, I looked for my palace but it was gone. Nothing was left, showing that I lost my godhood. I ignored everything, focusing on my sole objective. To meet with Perseus. I sprinted up the stairs. My muscles aching, my breathing ragged. Exhaustion was something to get used to but I continued forward. Climbing the last step, I ran to the entrance of the throne room. All Olympians were seated, Perseus stood in the middle of the throne room. Perseus was smiling, for the first time since this ordeal began. I tried to enter but a golden barrier surrounded the whole building. They probably knew I would come. Damn Athena, she knew I would come and the council will not let me close to him. Why? I do not understand why they go to such lengths to keep him away from me.
Athena walked to Perseus. Holding his head in her hands, she connected her forehead with his. What is she doing? And what is she doing to Perseus? Time slowed around them. After what seemed an eternity, she released Perseus, clearly disoriented. She flashed out. Perseus fell to the floor unconscious. Poseidon picked up Perseus, leaving in a golden flash. The barrier failed, allowing me to enter.
"What did you do to him?" I yelled.
"Artemis… it seems you are back. You are exiled, and coming her means you will be punished," said Zeus.
"I brought her here, husband," said Hera from her throne.
His eyes widened, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why? I thought you disliked her?" Zeus said.
"Well… I still do but I could not deny her the chance to see him once more," she said, "excuse her this time…"
"Alright… she is excused this time but next time I won't be merciful," Zeus said, "now that she has seen him. Hermes return her to Ogygia."
"Answer me, Father" I said.
"What he deserves," Zeus said, "Hermes, return her, now."
Hermes walked toward. Touching my shoulder, he teleported to my future prison with a crazy psychopath. It really does feel different when a person teleport while being a mortal. My body burns, almost as If my body were torn to pieces every time.
I arrived back at Ogygia. Hermes stepped away from me and left in a golden flash. Looking for calypso, she sat at her dinner table, eating. Her invisible serving her or refiling her drink.
"Oh… Artemis, you are back," she said, "you are welcome to join me."
"Why are you nice now? You almost killed me last time," I said.
"Two reasons. First, I understand the killing you won't solve a thing and I would only kill an innocent child. Second reason, I don't want to meet Zeus wrath if I kill you. Quite an overprotective father, isn't he. Placing you here because it is the only secure place in the mortal realm."
"Secure… you tried to kill me," I said.
"You can't let things go can't you? Okay … I promise on the river Styx, I won't harm or murder you and scatter your entrails all over the island." She said.
"Okay… That is welcoming, I guess." I said.
"Now join me…" she said.
I pulled a chair, sitting across of her. Not wanting to risk her assaulting me again. "Do you know Perseus?"
"Yes… he came to my island before the titan war ended," she said," a wonderful man isn't he? Caring and loyal to everybody. "
"True indeed…" I said.
"I want to know, why did you hurt him?"
"I… wanted him for myself. A simple friendship or love took a possessive side. I wanted him for myself. But I knew his love was taken. I felt anger, and pain… I suffered. Once I realized what was happening that night, I took advantage using my brother prank as an excuse to what I did," I said.
"I see… so you show your true self. A selfish woman who says she loves Perseus. I know you loved him, well… I think you do but what you did to him is unforgivable," she said, taking a deep breath, "During his visit, I fell in love with him but o knew he would not love me back... he was meant to accomplish great feats. So we became sort of friends in our short time together. He told me his worries of the war… and even told me even his darkest secrets. His fear for Amphitrite… who almost did the same cruel thing to him… she brought him to his limit with her cruelty. He is a sensitive and caring boy. But his friends and family kept him going. Due to some incident his trust is crushed and feels only suffering."
"Amphitrite? What does she have to do with Perseus?" I said
"Amphitrite is Percy's grandmother," I said.
Amphitrite had a child… then sally is Amphitrite daughter. So she had a child with… Poseidon. Then Amphitrite must have been furious at both her daughter and Poseidon, and when Percy was born, she took her anger out on him. So she tried to take him by force at one point to pay back them back. Percy… I never knew. I thought you were always a bit too careful around women but now I knew you are afraid of women. Afraid of being hurt and betrayed. Percy I am so sorry.
"So the reason Percy was always cautious about women…" I said
"Because he feared women would always hurt him. So even if Annabeth is innocent, he won't believe her after you broke his last straw"
"So I destroyed his trust in women?"
She nodded. "But not only to women but to everyone. He believes he is alone."
What have I done? Out of my trenched and gluttonous heart, I tried to keep Perseus at my side by any means. Even using a child. I am a cruel person. No matter, how many times I say that nothing will change.
"Answer me truthfully, Am I a cruel person?" I said.
Taking a bite of the spaghetti she was eating. "Not necessarily, but you have been extremely cruel to males. Sometimes unnecessarily, almost as if you hated all men, and there are stories too… well you are called the man-hating goddess for a reason. In the end, you are a cruel woman to have taken Perseus in his weakest moment."
Averting my gaze, the orange sun, set over the horizon. Has this mess ended? Or is it only the beginning? Perseus… forgive me. I know you won't ever believe my words again but I beg your forgiveness. I won't see you again but I will help you when I can. I will protect you, against all even if you never love me back and hate me, know that love you greatly.
"Well… it seems you are not the crazy goddess I thought you to be… but I guess if I am stuck here we might as well get along don't you say, calypso? Unless you have a way to escape."
"I just might, Artemis," said calypso. She smiled, "but if I do, you owe me a favor you will repay at any cost."
"When do we begin," I said.
"I knew you would say that…" I said, "let us start, there are many preparations and so little time… wait, I forgot you are mortal now. Eat won't you? I don't want you fainting on me."
With a flick of her wrist, her invisible servants brought a meal to the table. A sweet scent reached my nose. A loud rumbling noise resonated from my body. Is this hunger? I have never felt it before. It is something to get used to since I am now a mortal. Eating quickly even though the food tasted great, better than when I was a goddess. It seems the gods lost the ability to enjoy the small things in life. I followed calypso, not knowing what she planned. I was taking quite a gamble, wasn't I?
*another chapter... next chapter, Percy vs the council... teased it a bit here. Have a good day and i would like your feedback.