Responses to my reviewers-
ReallyInfinity- I agree!
Daethar4U-Pyrodas- You honestly think I'm gonna make it that easy? Hahahaha I'll see about that. But I hope you update your story soon! I love it!
ETNerdy-girl- I cannot begin to express how thankful I am that you brought it to my attention! Thank you!
I'mGoingSolo14- Cliffhangers are legitimately my life. XD But I agree with your other points and I hope to include more of them!
Scarlet Nightshadow- Well we all know Percy isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but you don't have to apologize for yelling at him. He kinda deserves it. XD
MiniHorseMeadow- Thanks!
ConnwaersonofThantos- XD I understand. But thank you anyways!
Titophilip {Commented on chapter 6, but whatever} If you read the chapter correctly, you would have seen that Artemis does not care if he is a prince or her protecter, he is to work with the hunters as if he were one of them.
Silverwolf7579- Well... Just because you said please. XD jkjkjk I'm totally kidding.
Heyo! AEDTFI here. I have two authors that I really recommend y'all check out. Their stories are similar to mine, but have their own twist. I enjoy them personally so go check out Cleo-The-Weirdo and Daethar4U-Pyrodas.
I don't own the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series. {Though I wish I was as talented as Rick Riordan, I'm not xD}
Zoë POV {Oooooooooooooo XD}
The last thing I remember is seeing Percy, the boy I finally opened my heart to, kiss another girl. All the sounds of war fell into the background as tears began to blur in my eyes.
Then everything went black as many hands attacked me, bounding my hands behind my back and other hands restraining me from fighting back.
I wanted to shout for Percy. But what's the use? He doesn't love me enough to save me. I'm probably better off dead.
Time seemed to have sped rapidly from there, a brief gush of freezing cold air that smelt faintly of rotten eggs. Then there was the crashing...
As if there was nothing holding me back, I went hurtling into this cold, hard surface that seemed to swirl beneath my face. The black shade that obscured my vision was finally removed and I could clearly see where I was. Though my arms were still bound behind me, I could make out everything clearly.
Chaos told us about this place. He claimed he saw it in his dreams, this exact room. The room's walls were covered in curtains of rusty chains, splatters of blood and splinters of bone weaved through the chains. Broken knives or shattered swords were drenched with dried blood as they dangle from the ceilings. Child skeletons as well adorned the ceilings, causing me to shudder. But some of those skeletons had silver strips of cloth, hunters?
I pushed myself up and off the ground as best and as gracefully as I could. I tried not to become dizzy at the sight of the constant swirling of the black and white floor.
"Ah," A menacing voice whispered from all around me. "I see that my children have succeeded." He whispered. I could feel his hot breath behind my neck, but every time I swiveled around to catch sight of him... No one was there.
"You will not succeed any further!" I shouted, my voice traveling around the entire room like a massive echo unlike his voice. "The war will be the end of you!"
The voice made a 'tsk tsk' noise before chuckling smugly. "Not if I have one of the winning pawns on my side." He said softly but venomously at the same time.
I frowned slightly. I was only third in command, Percy and Chaos in front of me. I was most certainly not one of the "winning pawns" as he so bluntly proclaimed. Then what is he talking about?
As if sensing my thoughts, the voice boomed with laugher. "Not you, you damn pest. You are bait, and what's coming is a good catch." He laughed even more before Lucifer and Lilith appeared, grabbing me by my arms and dragging me out of the room.
I tried my best to struggle against their grasps, but whenever I tried using my powers, the raw energy would fizzle and die on my fingertips. The chains must be enchanted to contain my powers. But I'm Zoë Nightshade for Hades's sake! I am the former lieutenant of Lady Artemis herself! These peasants shouldn't even be able to hold me for this long!
Now just using my years and years of practice, I dug my heels into the ground to stop myself and then I threw my head harshly against Lucifer's. At first, nausea and dizziness cause me to stay still for a moment, but I shook it off and continue my escape.
I ran Lilith into the wall using my shoulder against hers. She luckily hit her head and crumpled to the ground. Before Lucifer can even gather his bearings together, I roundhouse kick him square in the ear with my steel toed boot and he falls as well.
Breaking into a sprint, I ran down the hall in an attempt to find someway out. The slate colored walls slowly morph into crystal black walls with silver cells placed evenly in the was. The bars have strange symbols carved into them... I've never seen that language before.
Fiery pain flamed in my right shoulder as the entire right side of my body goes numb. Cursing wildly, I continued to drag my right leg as I sprinted as fast as I could.
The same thing suddenly happened to my left shoulder and my entire body went numb. I go crashing into the ground, unable to move anything except my head.
"Did you seriously think we were going to let you go that easily?" Someone called from behind me. I'm not able to move anything below my neck, and it's still difficult to pick my own head up!
"Well your siblings are weak." I muttered into the stone ground. The person grabbed the back of my shirt and hauled me up into the air.
"That's why I'm here, dollface. Don't forget that." Saxon said sarcastically, poking my nose before dragging me down the hall. I couldn't help but think it was the amount of millennia he's lived that has caused him to be so crazy. I pray to Chaos that I don't end up like that.
Before I knew it, he threw me into a empty cell, shuts and locks the door and then walked away. The paralysis seemed to have worn off by then, so I shakily got to my feet and grabbed the bars of the cell door.
White hot pain seared onto the palms of my hands and I jerked away as fast as I could. Steam rolled off my burnt, bloody hands. I looked at the bars again and I saw what probably caused the burning.
The strange words that I saw earlier were burned into my skin. Apparently they're put on the bars so that I can't get out.
So now I sit in this dark and empty cell, with only a bed that is flatter than a rock and not even a window is placed. I sit down on the bed, which makes no difference from sitting on the floor.
I put my head in my burnt hands and I begin to think about if only I didn't call Percy at that time. Would I still be on Earth if I never Iris Messaged him? Or would I most likely be dead?
Percy POV-
I used to always wonder what Saturn was like before it was destroyed. Was it filled with extravagant forests? Or stunning beaches? Were there skyscrapers that towered into space? Little neighborhoods with little children running around as they played pretend?
While I did dream of Saturn's demise, I only ever saw the final blow that turned stone to sand and people to ash. I have never truly seen what Chaos created this planet to be.
I snap my fingers and the winds suddenly die down, the sand falling onto the dry ground. With the winds gone, the planet becomes eerily quiet, which only causes my senses to only go on higher alert.
There isn't a single sign of an entrance to Order's headquarters. Maybe it's hidden under a few inches of sand, and in that case... I'll have to dig up the entire planet.
Or...
I think for a moment and with another snap of my fingers, the sand beneath my feet and around me begins to fly towards me and funnel into a narrow tornado in the palm of my hand. More and more of the sand funnels to my hand until I catch sight of a glint of metal. Smirking, I release the tornado onto the ground and direct it straight to the metal.
The tornado picks up all the sand by the metal and I can see the small door. This is too easy, and I know there's a trap waiting for me. But as long as I can get Zoë out of there, I don't care what happens.
The sand disperses into a pile by the door and I walk right up to it. It's a simple Olympian silver door bolted down with a hand scanner in the center.
"Please identify yourself." A robotic male voice says.
"Your worst nightmare." I growl before shooting white hot columns of fire right at the door. It melts away instantly leaving a dark set of stairs.
I take out one of my daggers and I hold it defensively as I quietly walk down the stairs. I take in every sound I hear that isn't my slight breathing or brush of my feet.
Reaching to the bottom of the steps, I look at the two hallways I could go down. Each are equally poorly lighted and I can hear the faint cries of prisoners nearby.
Take the left hallway. You'll find us there. A familiar voice says softly in my head. Oblivion's influence is stronger down here, which is good.
I walk down the left hall and I can't help but feel chills run down my spine like icy fingers. It's too quiet for my liking, and there aren't any guards walking down the halls. Either Order is cocky enough to believe he doesn't need guards or this is the beginning of a trap.
Most likely the latter. I think to myself as I search for anything other than empty cells. The long, dark hallway seems to continue on forever, it's quite sad to see how many prisoners this place can possibly hold.
The aura of pure power hits me first, it reminds me of Chaos's, but more restrained. Like a caged lion pacing and seething with strength and ferocity. It has to be Oblivion, it just has to.
I pick up the speed a little as I walk, searching each of the empty cells for a potential occupant. Some of the cells contain skeletons of dead prisoners, still chained to the walls. It's very creepy to look at, but I have better things to do that don't involve staring at already dead people.
Finally, sirens alarm. For some odd reason, relief washes over me. Maybe it's because I know this may not be a trap. Maybe because now I can release some pent up energy.
A small group of dracaena appear, all in armor and wielding swords. They let out a synchronized war cry before attacking me. Instead of just wiping them all out with my powers, I decide to use my swords. I dispatch of them easily, not even breaking a sweat.
I continue to run down the halls, in pursue of finding either Oblivion or Zoë. I encounter a few more groups of monsters, and sometimes I use my powers, other times my weapons, sometimes both.
The faint sound of breathing catches my attention. I run towards the sound until I spot her, and my heart stops dead in my chest.
Zoë stands in the middle of the cell, glaring hatefully at me with her charcoal black eyes. She looks as if she went five rounds with Mike Tyson and lost terribly. But she is still the most beautiful girl I have ever seen before.
"Zoë!" I exclaim breathlessly, not from all the running or fighting, but how unprepared I was for this.
"How dare you?" She growls venomously. Just by the tone of her voice causes me to take half a step back. "How dare you cheat on me like that?!" She yells.
"Zoë," I say softly as I step forward once more. Her piercing black eyes cause me to flinch a little as I walk. I reach the bars and I know I can't touch them without hurting myself. "I know what you saw upset you. But there is a very good reason behind it. I would rather explain it to you when we are both safe rather than right now because we need to find Oblivion and then get out of here as soon as possible." I ramble quickly before placing my hands out in front of me. Silvery flames erupt in the palms of my hands and I begin to melt the bars.
I can hear Zoë shouting at me for whatever reason, but I have to tune her out so I can concentrate. These flames come straight from Ediacara, and it's very hard to control them for a long period of time. The bars begin to slowly melt away, creating a hold big enough for Zoë to slip through.
Looking up at her, I can see that she still hates my guts and that hurts more than being stabbed in my Achilles heel. A few drops of sweat trickle down my face, blurring my vision. I gesture for her to get out of the cell.
"Please Zoë. You can attack me all you want once we go home." I say and that's all the encouragement she needs before gracefully slipping through. I create a bow and quiver of arrows out of thin air and I hand it to her, in which she snatches from me harshly.
I don't say anything more as I continue to run down the halls, looking for Oblivion. Her restrained aura pulses more and more as I begin to reach her destination. Finally, I skid to a halt when I find her cell.
She looks nothing like the woman I saw in my dreams. Her vibrant red hair lays grey and limp over her thin shoulders. Her golden eyes look transparent in the dim lighting. But the one thing that remains is her hopeful smile. She kneels in the center of her room, covered in heavily enchanted spells. I burn away the bars with the same silver fire before running into the room. Zoë stays outside, her bow taunt with an arrow on the string, ready for action.
"You don't make false promises." Oblivion comments weakly. I smile warmly at her as I study the chains. I make the mistake of touching it, even the slightest touch causes my finger to burn. Biting back the pain, I remain silent as I jerk back.
"I apologize if I harm you, Lady Oblivion." I say softly before attempting to burn the chains away. The chains heat up and become a little softer, but not enough for them to break. Cursing to myself, I decide to go another route.
I conjure up water out of the air and I coat the chains with it, weaving into each and every little crack before freezing the entire metal. I drive my sword right into the chains and after a few nasty blows, the chains break. A dome of power erupts from Oblivion, sending me tumbling back.
She suddenly transforms into what I saw her as in my dreams. Her fiery red hair gleaming and flickering like real fire. Her golden eyes as strong as steel and her posture upright and proper.
"I know a way out." Oblivion whispers before getting out of the cell. I follow her out and Zoë stays the way she is.
Suddenly chains shoot out of no where and wrap around Zoë and I. Luckily, Oblivion avoids the chains and looks at us two in worry. I know what's coming next, so I conjure up as much willpower as possible and I channel it into creating a weak portal right behind Oblivion.
A silent understanding passes between Oblivion and I before she leans back and disappears with the portal. The vortex disappears, leaving no mark that it was ever there.
"Did you really believe I would let you go that easily?" A male voice calls from behind me. I struggle to crane my neck in the direction of the voice, but nothing was there. I try breaking through the chains, but it seems as if my strength has been drained.
"Can't have you lashing out at me, can we?" The voice says again, as if reading my mind.
"Let me go." I order, still struggling against the chains in an attempt to break through.
The chains tighten around me, squeezing the air out of me and leaving me breathless. The voice chuckles. "Now I believe I cannot let you go, for you are far too threatening to my victory. I have other plans for you two." He chuckles once more before more guards filter in, including Lucifer and Lilith.
Lilith squeals in joy when she sees me and I groan internally. From the corner of my eye, I can see Zoë seething in anger.
I finally see who is talking, but he keeps flickering in and out of view. Like a flashlight being turned on and off. "Take them to the actual cells. I'll deal with them soon." He says, reappearing once more beside me and grinning sadistically.
The chains disappear as does the man. But before the guards could cuff us, I grab one of my daggers and I throw it right at Lucifer. It pins him in the shoulder and he goes flying back against the wall.
The other guards begin to attack, but I manage to keep them off with my two swords and Zoë's deadly accuracy. Lilith stays in the background, giggling and clapping every now and then.
Just as I go to attack Lilith, a piercing scream causes me to look away. I see Zoë kneeling on the floor, her hands over her ears as she wails in pain.
"Zoë!" I exclaim, forgetting Lilith and kneeling beside Zoë as she screams.
"Make it stop!" She cries, a trickle of blood falls from between her fingers. Her ears are bleeding.
"Surrender and she'll feel no more pain." The man's voice says behind me. Zoë's wails of pain get louder and louder. It must be very painful for even Zoë to show weakness.
"Fine! Just make it stop!" I snap, not tearing my glance from Zoë at all. Suddenly, Zoë's eyes roll to the back of her head and she crumples to the ground. I catch her before she can hit her head.
"Remove all your weapons." He orders and I hesitantly do so. I try to use my powers, but almost nothing works.
"Now, stand up." He says and I slowly get to my feet, carrying Zoë in my arms. I keep my eyes directed on the man, who I'be now identified as Order. His flickering appearance becomes more and more menacing as I continue to watch him.
"Lilith, lead these two to the cells. And Lucifer, quit your whining and clean up this mess." Order waves his hand dismissively and Lilith giggles before skipping down the halls. I narrow my eyes at Order before following Lilith.
"We are running low on the cells, so you and the girl will have to share one." Lilith says with a hint of sadness. I itch to just lash out at her, but the risk of Zoë being hurt overrules that.
I raise an eyebrow at her in question. "I think you have more than enough cells to keep us captive." I snap.
Lilith giggles. "Oh silly." She teases. "These cells are just a trick. You could escape these easily!" She says as she goes down a flight of dark, dank stairs. Then how was Oblivion in the cells? I have no choice but to follow. Zoë stays unconscious, occasionally mumbling something under her breath.
I remain silent after that. A million thoughts race through my mind. Will Oblivion understand the reason for where she is? Will she be able to tell them where I am? Will I still be able to talk with her in my dreams? And one question haunts me to the most.
Will Zoë and I make it out of this alive?
Sorry about the late update :/ School is a nuisance.
But I may just update every Saturday and/or Friday. I'll see what happens!