Chapter 13: The Rising

"It's Aphrodite, I bet," he muttered suddenly.

Zoë looked at him weirdly. "What?"

They were relaxing in the black sand beach that Percy had come to like. Not exactly a cheerful sight, but then he realized that dark colors were helping him think.

"Aphrodite—she must've used her magic on me," he assumed. "Which must be why I did that thing." At this, he looked away, glaring at nothing in particular.

The former lieutenant found herself rolling her volcanic eyes as she sat up from leaning on him. "Men, so forgetful," she muttered before turning to him. "Aphrodite can't do her magic on you with you here. Plus, she doesn't know you're alive. What's this thing you did anyway?"

Almost subconsciously, he promptly became nervous. When that happens.. Well... he usually circles the subject before getting to the point. Yes, even he knows that. He wasn't so stupid.

"Um, you know about the dream-connection, right?" He didn't give her a chance to answer. "We were just talking and we had a bit of archery and then it was suddenly cold and—"

"Percy," the girl cut him off, sounding slightly annoyed. "Get to the point."

"—it wasn't my fault that I kissed her—"

"What?!" Zoë's jaw went slack in shock. "You kissed Lady Artemis?!"

The only thing that stopped him from bolting was her lack of reaction. He'd expected her to slap him and shout at him and all. For some reason though, he felt offended; as if she had just sent him a personal insult. As if she still assumed that he would lie to her all this time that they'd been the best of friends—which looks like what happens now.

"It wasn't my fault!" he protested insistently, not denying that it really happened. He was sure that something made him do, though. "I'm sure someone did magic on me or something. I mean, it was all so sudden."

"How sudden?" she then asked, trying to believe him but failing. If she did, her mistress kissing him was a lot harder to believe. She was almost disgusted by the mere thought.

"I was just watching her when she was about to go," he explained, "by sleeping away. So I watched. And then I just... felt my lips on hers. I hadn't even thought of doing it!" He held his hands up in surrender before she could make a retort.

Zoë looked like she had no intention to, though. She blinked, and, without thinking, asked curiously, "How does it feel?"

But Percy didn't laugh. "Just like my first kiss with her," he replied, purposefully not saying the blonde's name. "I don't know why, but it feels more... passionate, even with just a brush. I feel happier, somewhat. I don't really know why." He sighed mournfully, looking lost and confused as he turned to his best friend for input—as though she was some expert love guru.

For a second, he thought he saw her eyes cloud with wistfulness as she glanced at something on his face, before looking down. "How do you feel about her?"

He subconsciously touched his lips, which were still tingling from the kiss as though it happened personally. "I—I'm not sure," he admitted, not sounding too intent on saying more.

He really wasn't. Last time, he considered her a friend, a good one, but after what happened, something changed. She had acted and comforted him; had him see himself the way she did: beautifully. That kiss may not be of his will, but it still affected him—though he knew she was the most affected. What would she think of him now?

Zoë was having second thoughts, but she said, "Come with me."

Distractedly, he stood up. "Where to?"

"Let's see her," she suggested, grabbing his arm and dragging him away before he could protest. "I'm sure you'd want to."

Percy struggled, looking panicked. "What? But—"

Then a hand, much too big and firm to be hers, covered his mouth, halting his words. He spun his head, and saw... himself. Actually, no, it was a carbon copy of him. The only things different were the way he carried himself, the clothing obviously, and the bow on his back. Percy hadn't had a background of him before, but somehow (maybe from blood) he recognized him.

He shook off his hand. "Orion?"

The former lieutenant looked back, startled. All of them stopped. The male hunter smiled at them sheepishly. "Hi."

"What are you—?"

"Relax, Zoë Nightshade," Orion told her. He looked as calm as the sea. Then again, it could turn vicious with a snap. "I want to accompany you."

The Huntress raised an eyebrow derisively. "Were you spying on us?" Percy glanced back and forth between them, giving both of them a weird glance. He was pretty sure Orion was gone before Zoë even met Artemis. And right here, they should've made peace or something.

"I want to see how Lady Artemis is doing," the hunter continued, ignoring the last comment. He looked after them hopefully. "I do admit that I miss her."

"After all you've done to her?" Zoë narrowed her eyes at him.

He, in turn, frowned. "I haven't done anything to her."

"You left her, just like all men would do."

Percy and Orion blinked at her. She discretely rolled her eyes. Boys. "She killed me!" the hunter exclaimed. "Accidentally, that is. But the point is I did not leave her."

This time, she did roll her eyes at them. "Whatever," she muttered, grabbing the heir's arm again. "Let's go Percy."

But the hunter caught on. "I'll come with you."

The girl didn't reply, though the son of Chaos was getting anxious. "Yeah sure, you can come," Percy answered for his best friend, who dragged him off more fiercely than before. He yelped.

They reached the palace and got in, the hunter in tow. The heir didn't even bother to mind where the girl was dragging him, since he knew that they would reach the observatory eventually anyway. For the meantime, he wondered what he would see.

Wait, why would he even wonder? She'd be angry for sure! She wouldn't want to see him again. She'd think he was just the same as the other guys, just like what she initially thought. He won't be able to... handle it... if she was angry with him. Without her, he might..

Before he could finish that train of thought, Zoë stopped; and because he wasn't paying attention, he bumped into her, sending both of them crashing ungracefully to the floor. They could both hear Orion snicker in the background. He could almost feel the heat on her face. She pushed him off her and stood, looking into Katoptris already. Percy glared at his half-brother for snickering, before they both joined the girl and looked into the glass.

What he saw made his heart stop beating.

Not literally, though. That was dangerous.

Percy saw Artemis, lying down on an infirmary bed, looking a little pale. Her auburn hair was messy all over the pillows, making another layer of softness. Her face was a bit golden, and her lips were parted slightly—as if something or someone moved it. She looked like a younger, much more beautiful version of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in one.

In fact, he thought she was better than all those princesses combined.

But she looked so, so... like Snow White. Poisoned. Mournful. Lifeless. Dead.

"What—who did this to her?" he demanded shakily, clutching tight on the fence.

His half-brother constellation leaned over to take a closer look. "Artemis.." he murmured. "What happened?"

"This meeting shall commence."

The murmurs quieted as the Olympians turned to the king of the gods, waiting patiently for him to begin. He glanced at the seat of one of his most powerful daughters. She has to wake soon. Apollo could only hold up and do her duties for about five years at most, but that was it. If Artemis wouldn't wake up soon, Apollo might not be able to do all their responsibilities and balance might fall from the world.

It's the most suckish way to fail the world, in his opinion—if getting killed by an evil demigod doesn't count.

He turned to the council. "As you may have known, Artemis is trapped in a coma, and we do not know the cause. If all of you would.." He trailed off, turning to his son. "Apollo, have you found any remedy?"

The god of medicine pursed his lips. "Well, yes, but it's quite... impossible."

"Impossible, how?" Athena inquired, leaning forward in her seat in interest.

"According to Morpheus, I was the one who found out first before him. So it wasn't done by him, and neither by Hypnos," the god explained first. "And according to him... something has to happen in her dream before she could wake up. Something that the victim hates to do. It would shock her out of the sleep."

"Just get to the point already," Ares huffed impatiently.

"She has to be willing to.."

"To?" This time, Hermes asked, raising an eyebrow at his half-brother as he tapped his foot impatiently. He must've been having calls since he was clutching his caduceus-phone, which was blinking lights urgently.

"To kiss a guy."

Silence. Then after a few minutes, Ares burst out laughing. The other gods chuckled nervously.

"You—you have got to be kidding me!" the war god wheezed, calming down and sending the other gods a look. "He's joking, right? This isn't a fairy tale."

They turned to the god of medicine, who was shaking his head solemnly. "It's true. That's what Morpheus told me."

Aphrodite let out a squeal. "Just like Sleeping Beauty."

The messenger god snapped his fingers, pointing at her. "Exactly." The goddess beamed.

"But how is that possible?" Poseidon frowned confusedly, and the other gods turned to look at him tentatively. It was a good sign that he was joining discussions now, which means that he was recovering from his son's loss. "It's not like she's going to want to dream about any guys."

"Then we make her dream about one!"

"That's actually a fine idea," Hephaestus nodded approvingly, before going back to his current project.

"It's not like she's going to be willing to kiss one. Why would she do, anyway?"

"You said it. To make her wake up," Demeter smirked.

"I mean from her point-of-view."

"Well, if that's the case, we make her dream about a boy that she does like."

All the suggestions and conversations suddenly died down as the gods looked at Aphrodite as though she was crazy. "How can we do that?" Zeus asked her.

The goddess waved away the question. "Let's worry about that later," she said offhandedly. "Let's think about the boys that she liked."

"Poseidon's kids often take that title." The other gods gave him an amused look. He shrugged. "The moon and the tides are somewhat connected, I guess."

"But who?" Hera sat forward, as if the topic just got interesting. "He doesn't have any children now, unless, of course, you're keeping someone from us?" She gave the god a scathing look.

He calmly shook his head.

"So what, just wait for someone to appear?"

Athena slammed her fist to the armchair. "We need to act. Most chances are that they won't show up if not triggered."

Aphrodite smirked. "Most."

The rest of the Olympians looked at her warily. "What are you up to?"

Her smirk widened. "Leave it to me."

Thalia and the Hunters had just arrived at Camp Half-Blood.

Repairs had been finished long before they decided to head back. Even though, the campers were still bustling with activity. Camp Half-Blood was back to shape. As she sent them to their mistress's cabin, she looked around and explored.

Everything was.. Well, refined. Larger. For one, there was a parking lot down the hill, having all three vans of the camp and some of the older campers' own transportation.

The strawberry fields provided more soil for more variety of plants—so Thalia wasn't so sure if they called it 'strawberry field' anymore. The cabins were bigger, better; obviously prepared for more arrivals, be it Greek or Roman. The archery range and the arena sported more space for better movement for many campers. The amphitheater was grander, to say the least. The armory was no longer a small, gardening tool shed; actually, the outside was the same, but the inside looked like an army command tent—the Hecate kids must've enchanted it.

The Demeter kids, from what she could guess, planted more trees near the woods, enlarging it. The mess hall was the same. Just larger with more tables. The climbing wall was more challenging, and not to mention, more dangerous. Everything else was the same.

The Big House (she still couldn't understand why they didn't give a more creative name for it) looked sturdier, but it was still the same. They repainted it into shades of green, instead of letting it settle on blue. When she got in to see Chiron, she noticed a new door near his office. Strange thing was, it didn't change the amount of space that the Big House covered. It intrigued her, so she peered in cautiously.

The room was small, and can only have up to twenty people at most. If you count in the furniture inside, then yes, twenty people. She was guessing that it could load up to forty to fifty people, but then again, it was only a guess. The only actual furniture in it was a table and some couches. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling.

The room was disturbingly similar to the one at the Romans'.

She closed the door. She never knew what it was for anyway, so it should be better to ask Chiron than going inside without knowing what it was. Not knowing was always dangerous, however blissful.

She invited herself in his office. As always, his greatest pupils' photos were posted there ever since the time cameras were invented and printers were invented. On the side of the latest photos, she saw her best friends together in a photo, smiling as if nothing bad would happen. After that, there were photos of the camp after repairs, beat but happy. That was all. Nothing of the seven.

Maybe because the seven wasn't complete. Maybe because Percy was supposedly 'gone'. Maybe that was it.

Speaking of Percy, was he the reason why Artemis wasn't waking up? She didn't know what sort of chaos he could make up with those new powers. But even if he could do that to Artemis, he wouldn't try, right? What, he wanted Artemis to dream about him all the time? The thought made her sick. No, stupid.

"Thalia." She jumped, and turning, she saw Chiron at the door, sitting in his wheelchair. "I haven't heard of Lady Artemis informing the hunters would be here."

"That's kinda why we're here," Thalia said, walking over to him. "Lady Artemis is in a coma. We still don't know why, and Apollo's still looking for something that might wake her up."

Just then, Apollo appeared in a flash of bright light. He nodded at the centaur, and turned to the daughter of Zeus. "I've found out how to wake her."

"I'm guessing you're talking about Lady Artemis?" Chiron inquired.

They both nodded. "How, then?" the girl asked.

"In her dream, she needs to... kiss a guy willingly. Aphrodite's already working on it."

The two's eyes bugged out. "But," Thalia objected, "the only one that can make her do that is—"

"Lieutenant!" a new Hunter barged in the room. "We, uh.." She glanced at the two other occupants in the room. "Some monsters appeared just at the bottom of the hill. We have to take out what we can."

The daughter of Zeus looked almost relieved at the interruption. "Yes, of course. Let's go."

She rushed out. "Thalia, wait—" The door slammed shut. Apollo sighed wearily as he ran a hand through his hair. "If only she'd told, Artemis could be very well awake soon."

"What exactly happened, Lord?"

"The girls said that she was just sleeping, but wouldn't wake up. Just two days ago."

Chiron was silent for a moment, thinking. "It might be the work of a god."

"We couldn't think of anyone else to do it, and plus, they didn't do it."

The centaur paused, sighing. "I'll leave it to you, then. I know the gods could find a solution." He bowed to the god. "If you excuse me, I have to assist my students in battle."

Apollo nodded. "Of course. Go on ahead." He flashed out, thinking about who the boy Thalia mentioned could be.

Percy tapped his foot impatiently as Gaea went on about all the treasure in the world.

"—then there's those things from the Periodic table; the rarest are europium, terbium.."

He glanced quickly at a watch in his hand.

"—cerium, thulium—are you even listening to me?"

His head snapped up. "Uh, yes ma'am."

The goddess narrowed her eyes and held out her hand. He didn't understand at first, but then the watch in his hand flew over to hers. Darn. He forgot it was made of titanium.

She looked at it. Her eyebrows furrowed and she tossed it back to him. "You're obviously in a hurry. I don't care what it's about, but," she sighed and threw up her hands. "Fine. You can go."

Percy gave a big grin as he jumped to his feet. "Thanks, Lady Gaea!" He ran off, but not before tossing the watch back to her and saying, "So you would know exactly when to dismiss me!"

He ran straight towards his mother's palace, nodding at those citizens who greeted him. He eventually reached the throne room, and as usual, empty and "miraged", as he liked to call it, from her throne. Only Chaos was there.

She blinked at him. "You're early."

He shrugged, jogging over to her. "Gaea dismissed me early."

"I'd say you had her dismiss you early."

He glanced at her innocently, before turning away, hiding a grin. "Let's get on with this lesson, shall we?"

Chaos chuckled and ordered him to meditate. He sat down on the floor obediently, clearing his mind off things. But—you guessed it—the picture of her pale face kept coming back to him.

"Mom, there's a problem down on Earth," Percy began, opening his eyes to look at his mother. She was now sitting across from him. She frowned. "What is it?"

"Artemis won't wake up, as I've seen."

Something sparkled in her eyes as she raised an eyebrow, almost challengingly. "And you would know this how?"

"Uh," he hesitated. "Zoë showed me this observatory. I saw her there."

"How is that a problem?"

"She couldn't lead the Hunters."

"And?"

"She couldn't do her duties."

"I'm sure the gods would have a solution for it."

"What if they don't?"

"They would."

"How can you be so sure?"

"How can you be so sure that they wouldn't?"

There was a pause. Percy's throat felt dry. He couldn't think of anything to respond. Chaos smiled triumphantly. "They would find a way to wake her, Son. Do not worry." She kissed his forehead, and stood. "Besides, you would play a part in it."

He perked up. "What?"

He looked up at her, and saw that her face was stern. "Now, meditate. Focus!"

Something was seriously wrong here.

The days seemed like it was repeating, having the same routine almost every day. Artemis knew that nothing is the same in each passing day. Then why was hers like that?

It was like waking up, washing up, help her hunters train, hunt the occasional deer, and so on; over and over again. There was no thrill. No spark. She could imagine herself living in the camp for the rest of the year, not even leaving to hunt some monsters or help some demigods. Even Percy wasn't visiting every day. And he visited every day.

The hunters were still being formal, and Artemis had yet to figure out what Morpheus had meant.

Suffice to say, she didn't like it.

She found herself getting bored. And she never got bored, since every time, there was entertainment. Some boys stumbling into their camp: she'd turn them into a jackalope and hunt them. One strong monster on the loose: she'd rally her hunters to chase after it. Having absolutely nothing to do: she'd take her hunters to Camp Half-Blood to enjoy pummeling the campers again. At this time, nothing gets old.

The only break she ever got was Percy's visits. And even that went scarce, for some unholy reason. She thought that he should have an answer to this, and turns out.. She was right.

But whenever she thought about him, her thoughts go back to what happened the other night. It still made her blush and angry at the same time. Boys these days are such cowards. If he really will visit that night, she'd surely step up to him and demand about what happened.. Yes, just like a strong, confident huntress.

…

"Hey, Percy," she greeted meekly. There goes that confidence.

He grinned at her. "Uh, hey Moony." He looked bothered.

This is it. "Do you remember anything, last time?"

He scrunched up his eyebrows cutely and frowned. "Apart from the talk, I think. Why?" he asked her confusedly. She studied him. He looked believably confused. And if there was one thing she knew about him, it was that he couldn't lie. Like, he really couldn't. A part of her was disappointed.

"Nothing," she said quickly. She changed the subject. "What's wrong?"

"Do you ever wake up?"

Artemis blinked. "What kind of question is that?"

He blushed. "A serious one."

"Of course I do. I don't wait out here for you all the time." But I do want to.

"Oh. Well." He let out a long sigh. "You were sleeping."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sleeping. I'm dreaming. Of course I am."

Percy blushed an even brighter red. It made him look more attractive. "No, I mean from the outside."

"What do you mean from the outside?"

"You were lying on an infirmary bed—I'm guessing Apollo's. You were pale and sleeping and all that," he explained tentatively. "I saw from the observatory."

"You were observing me?"

"Zoë forced me to look."

She became even more disappointed. "Oh." Then she remembered what he said before. "What do you mean I'm in Apollo's infirmary? I was with the Hunt a while ago."

"But I saw you there, real time!" he exclaimed. Then he assumed a thinking pose. He looked like a child, contemplating on what toy to bring to school. Adorable. "Is there something wrong with the Hunt?"

Her thoughts came to a halt. "There is."

His eyes, at the same time as hers, widened in realization. He looked at her. "Your mind is making up images. You're living in your dreams."

"I figured that, but why.." she trailed off, thinking of the best words to say. "Why don't the things I like appear there? Gods can control their dreams." So you would've been there. Every time.

"Maybe the gods of the void had come in."

"You're suggesting that your new relatives were the reason I am like this?"

Percy blinked, looking like he wanted to say something else. Instead, he nodded. "Pretty much."

"What did I do then, to have their treasured attention on me?" Sarcasm clung heavily to her words.

He seemed like he wanted to protest about something, probably about the treasure, when what he said next surprised her. "That's not important. We need to wake you up."

"Well, do you know how?"

"Um," he tried to remember something. "Chaos said something about me having a part in waking you up. She didn't elaborate."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Maybe she was the one who had me trapped in here."

The heir shook his head. "She wouldn't do that," he denied. "She could do that, sure, but I don't see why she should do that to you."

She pursed her lips. "I see.."

It was silent for a while, both of them thinking of a solution. Then he shrugged, sitting down under a shade and gazing up at the sky. She followed suit. As usual, the moon was shining down on them beautifully. "I'll try to listen in on the gods' conversations," he said. "Maybe they've figured out how."

The goddess smiled. "So you propose to.."

"Relax and have fun. Just like we always do."

I don't see why not. But I hope this problem would be solved, and a decade would have already passed, and I would get to see you, personally, again.

"I'd like that."

-*Time Skip*-

The Greek demigods came in on chariots, each unloading some of their own and attacking the monsters on foot, while the others plowed through the ranks with their horses, attacking with spears and javelins. The Romans held strong in a circular formation, their shields locked, attacking at the right time with long spears.

Jason and Piper weaved through the ranks, destroying every monster in their paths on the son of Jupiter's storm spirit. Reyna sat on her temporary steed, a skeletal warhorse, expertly stabbing and slashing through the monsters with her gladius. Nico was also there, raising the dead with Diocletian's scepter and his sword, commanding those he could. Hazel was on the ground, unable to call Arion, dazing monsters before killing them. Frank was flying overhead in dragon form, roaring at most of the undead Nico summoned and spewing fire at the monsters.

The Ordians were theirs. They wouldn't stand a chance.

This was the strongest attack in a few years. It took four of the seven to win, plus two hundred demigods, a hundred of the undead, and Nico. They could do it. They were just hoping that nothing stronger than that comes for them. Nothing more. Please.

Suddenly, the moon above them brightened. Some glanced upward, startled, before fighting the monsters with a sudden rush of adrenaline—as if the moon has something to do with it.

A pair of silver eyes snapped open.

AN: I assure you that the details about the time skip will be in the next chapter. Thank you for reading, have a nice day! ~SmartzyFan