Chapter 12

Percy's POV

After saying goodbye to the three of them I rushed to catch up with Chiron. When I got to him I said, "Could I please talk to you in private. My mother had some worrying news that she wants me to share with you."

He nodded and we walked off to the office in the big house. On arrival we closed the door. He turned to me, "What is it Perseus?" he said.

"The titans intend to make camp half-blood their next target." Chiron's face whitened a little but he did an admirable job of remaining impassive.

"How do they intend to enter the camp?" he asked.

"They intend to use the Labyrinth." I explained, "It is apparently still around after all of these years. It is just simply below the surface world."

He nodded, "So your mother therefor believes that there is an entrance into the labyrinth inside the camp." I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, she believes that the Titans know as well. They will try to contact Daedalus and get a way through. I believe that after the capture the flag tomorrow a quest should be sent out."

Chiron thought about this and then said, "I assume that your mother wants you to lead." I shook my head fervently.

"I cannot lead a quest, partaking in one was bad enough and I had personal reasons for it. I do not think the fates would allow me too. Me being held by the ancient laws or not." I said.

He looked a little surprised, "So who do you think should lead?"

"My mother and I both believe that it is time that my sister became a leader of a quest. She will need to be ready to help Thalia with the prophecy when the time comes, and what better way to prepare than a potentially suicidal quest. Plus she is my sister and I will therefore have an excuse to help the quest out when I am needed to is she is leading."

Chiron thought about this for a bit, "As usual your mother's reasoning is impeccable. I shall tell her tomorrow."

"Thank you Chiron, I believe that the campers want you to help them prepare for capture the flag tomorrow. They will need all the help they can get if they fail to convince me to help." Chiron nodded. He had seen the hunters and Lady Artemis destroy the campers time and time again.

"I will be off then. See you later Perseus."

The next day as the two groups opposed each other building up to the capture the flag there were flashes as two gods flashed in. One was Artemis and the other Aphrodite. She gave me a flirtatious wink and I gave her a withering glare. She was unfazed. The hunters looked at her with distaste but, realised that Artemis had planned for Aphrodite to distract me. She obviously thought of me as any other man. I was slightly hurt. The campers cheered as I got up to join their ranks. They were obviously certain that I would be able to help. They had not seen me fight and some were still sceptical however.

When the horn went off the campers charged into where we were to put our flag.

"Here is the plan" Annabeth started. "We will have Perseus charge straight down the middle to distract the two goddesses. We will then lead flanking manoeuvres on either side with half of our force and guard the boundary with a quarter. The last lot will guard the flag. Cabin leaders you already know where to go." With that we got into position and got ready for the second horn to show the beginning of the match.

When it sounded I charged into the other side making no noise. I took out a few hunters before they knew what had hit them. I heard a branch snap and saw the two goddess' right behind me. Aphrodite started to slowly walk towards me. She was putting everything into the performance. I watched for about a second and I saw victory in the two goddess' eyes. I quickly looked up and straight at Artemis.

"Did you really think so little of me that, she would be able to tempt me? I am not sure whether to be hurt that you think so less of me, or surprised at your predictability."

Her face looked worried for a second and she then growled in anger. Stood there for a second. I deliberately let my gaze go back to Aphrodite. In that split second Artemis charged. I blocked her strike with ease and said, "I will stick with hurt. I had hoped that you had thought more of me."

With that I launched into a flurry of blows and started to drive her backwards. I was getting angry at how she had thought so low of me. I was getting more and more angry and my strikes were becoming more and more violent. I was aware that everyone had stopped playing to watch the fight. Everyone was watching shocked at how I was taking Artemis apart. I yelled in anger and I disarmed her with one downwards strike from both my swords.

Artemis had a strange look on her face. One I do not think she has ever worn. She looked scared.

Aphrodite tried to get in front of me and every single guy was staring at her. I just picked her up and threw her. She hit a tree with a crunch and she collapsed. I stared into Artemis' eyes and she looked away. I sighed and walked away trying to hold in my anger.

Artemis and everybody else just watched me as I dissipated into sea foam.

When I reappeared I was in my mum's temple on Olympus. When she saw me she said, "What is wrong? Hephaestus filmed the whole capture the flag and you looked so angry."

"Artemis thought that just like anyone else I would be easily swayed by lust magic. I had thought that she thought more highly of me. I was wrong."

My mum knew that I hated the way people tried to seduce others, it was a painful reminder of my birth. I grew angry whenever something like that happened to anyone. It had never been attempted on me until now.

"You should return," she said. "I believe that the match continued and the hunters are about to win. Artemis continued after that. Do not be too harsh on her. She was not aware of your hatred of seducing, she is very dense when it comes to anything about men that is not about her stereotype. She has great difficulty believing that any are different."

I nodded. My mum was right as always. I flashed back down right in front of Artemis and her entire hunt as they were about to cross the line.

"You cannot take us all." She said.

I smirked, "Of course I can." With that I charged at them.

I dodged arrows, blocked knife thrusts and knocked out hunters. I had taken down roughly half of them when Artemis tried to sneak around me. I through a knife and the flag was ripped from her hands. I then engaged the remaining hunters. When she turned back around only Phoebe and Zoe were standing. The Campers had arrived to stop them and were now watching me fight the two most feared hunters and Artemis.

I charged at Zoe closing the gap so she could not shoot. I jabbed at her while blocking a strike from Phoebe. I swept in circle taking both of their legs out from under them. I then swiftly knocked them out. I heard noise from quick movement and dived to the side just in time to dodge a strike from Artemis. I was happy to block every strike and not exert myself. I just waited for her to make a mistake, and sure enough she extended too much and I knocked a knife from her hand. She through the other to distract me and then blasted me with energy. As the silver blast came at me I stopped it dead with a wave of water. I used the same wave to knock her over and then I put my swords to her neck. "Yield." She nodded and I heard some commotion from in front of me. I looked up to see Luke with the hunter's flag.