"Why did you not show yourself Perseus?" Artemis questioned me. I flinched slightly before replying, "Perseus was a hero and he is no more. Please call me Raze," I said stiffly. She gazed at me questioningly, but Runa was the one to answer, "We needed a name to go by so people don't know our real identities and Raze wanted to have a new life, so he chose a name that went along with a prophecy that foretold the destruction he could cause. He believes it is a fitting name and once you have seen him in battle, you would agree," she explained. "And for you?" the goddess of the hunt questioned.
"Well this boy," she threw a playful glare at Raze, "He wanted me to have a name as well so he didn't feel out of place, and for some reason thought a name beginning with R would be good. I will not lie, I do enjoy the name though,"
"I have so many questions and so little time!" Artemis said exasperatedly, throwing her arms up.
I just smiled and touched her forehead, he eyes rolled back into her head as I imbued her with my memories of our time training.
I looked at her collapsed form on the ground and then glanced at my companion as if nothing were wrong, "Shall we take her back to camp?"
"I believe so," replied Runa,
Then a thought hit me.
"But you're carrying her," I mutter childishly.
"Why? Afraid of one single goddess," she teased me.
"No, more like afraid of her hunters,"
She had to agree to that.
"What did you do to Artemis?" yelled my cousin. I smiled under my hood even if she couldn't see it. "Answer me!" she shouted as the rest of the hunters also drew their bows.
"Relax," Runa said soothingly, "she is fine, she is only experiencing our point of view of the past several years, she will recover soon," she said while handing Artemis' limp thirteen year old form to three hunters. They took her and placed her on a wooded chair.
Thalia turned her attention back to me.
"How do we know we can trust you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Have we given you any reason to doubt us?" I asked innocently.
She just narrowed her eyes at me.
"Hey! We could be the most honorable people you ever met or we could even be people you know or knew in real life," I tried to defend myself.
Obviously, it wasn't working very well with all the glares thrown at me.
Thankfully, Artemis began to stir. Runa looked at me and I gave her a nod.
She knelt at Artemis' side and she held her hand as she slowly awoke, her silver eyes blinking rapidly.
"Is it true?" she asked holding Runa's arm tightly as if she were a phantom.
"Yes milady," Runa spoke softly.
The hunters were completely shell-shocked at the turn of events.
Of course, I couldn't resist.
"Okay hunters," I said, clapping my hands together loudly, "This is a private moment, please go pack your bags, we are leaving,"
"How dare you order the hunt around boy!" hissed a girl I recognized as Phoebe.
"I said please?"
At that point, I would have probably been sent to Tartarus if Artemis hadn't interrupted, "No he is right, pack up camp you are heading to Camp Olympia,"
As the hunters dispersed grudgingly, I turned to the goddess of the moon, "Camp Olympia?"
"After you disappeared, the gods merged the camps, now the campers are a much better fighting force," she said begrudgingly, "As well as all counselors, praetors, and centurions have been made partially immortal,"
I took this information slowly. At my blank expression, Runa came to my side and placed her hand comfortingly on my shoulder.
"Anything else?" I asked, she nodded, "We have to go to Olympus,"
I tensed as did my companion, "I believe you swore an oath not to speak of our true identities," I said stiffly.
"No, not like that," she reassured me, "I can't tell them about who you really are but you can tell my father you are our allies and the threat we face,"
"No, Olympus is too dangerous, we must decline your offer but you will tell your father under a new oath," I replied calmly.
While she looked at me questioningly, Runa jumped in, "We created another oath, one that cannot be broken, one that makes an oath on the Styx like a pinkie promise,"
As understanding dawned on her features, I quickly added, "Don't worry about the wording, we will feed it to you during the meeting,"
We both bowed before I disappeared in a hurricane of Phlegathon and Runa disappeared in a white flare of light,
As Artemis flashed her hunters to camp, she waited only a second before flashing herself to her throne on Olympus.
Flicking her hand to the side, she caused the moon to flare dramatically, announcing a council meeting.
As the gods flashed in, Artemis could detect an obvious difference in the personalities in the gods.
Poseidon was depressed, his eyes a sickly green color. The sea seemed to be dead, not even restless, which worried several of the gods. Even his brothers feared he would fade.
And Aphrodite, she was almost a completely different goddess. She couldn't be called faithful but she had not had an affair with Ares since Percy had left. She said Percy made her change her ideals. She still had demigod children though, just fewer per year. And more and more were starting to take after her eldest daughter Piper, actually trying to survive, training and using their skills for good.
A voice interrupted her from her thoughts, "Daughter? Why have you summoned us?" Her father asked.
She turned to the King of the gods and answered solemnly, "We encountered the man the monsters referred to as the Hooded One today,"
As shouts and speculations filled the Throne Room, only Apollo saw Artemis' expression.
"Artemis? Are you okay?" he asked, uncharacteristically serious, stopping the entire assembly of immortals.
"No, not really, he had a companion with him and they told me of another threat coming. He wishes to remain neutral so far, but if he chooses to entire the war, he will be on our side," This decree was met with deafening silence.
Finally Zeus asked, "How do we know he isn't lying and trying to overthrow our reign?" he asked, paranoia evident in his voice.
"Artemis" a voice echoed through her head. She immediately recognized it as Raze's.
Suddenly she knew what to say.
"I swear upon the Heart of the Rivers,
An oath upon my own immortal soul,
I swear upon the Hero and Lady Fate, divine watchers of the world
If this oath is false or broken, I allow my soul to willingly fade."
"I swear everything I have spoken is the truth,"
The council was shocked by this apparently new oath and right when Athena was going to open her mouth to ask what is was, a presence entered the Throne Room.
"Phoebe Artemis, who have sworn an unbreakable oath, if you wish to proceed, any lies told will sentence you to the void immediately.
"I do," she answered determinedly.
"Then I declare this oath to be complete regarding this matter,"
And the presence left as suddenly as it entered, leaving flabbergasted Olympians behind.
Hey Pixels! Sorry for the late update, some quick news, this will not be updated next week but BOA will be hopefully.
Dedicated to wishesthatcometrue because she's my bestie (I sound like a girl, I know, like demigodvixen thought I was. I reassure you I am a guy.) Shoutouts to JustHopeForHope and AwesomenessRequired (Put that chopstick away!) People keep asking about the Pixelution, here's what it is, Paste this on your profile, We are the Pixels, standing proud, We are the Pixels, bold and loud, We are the Pixels, forever shall we win, We are the Pixels, let the revolution begin!" Spread the word of the Pixelution!Catch ya on the flipside Pixels -PixelUp
