A/N: This chapter was a bit hard to write seeing how all of you guys are so hyped for the confrontation between Perseus and Artemis. I didn't want this to be a letdown which caused me to rewrite this multiple times. I also decided to make this a torture scene too, so of course a bit dark and insane too. With some advice I managed come up with enough content for you all to enjoy.
Shout outs to…
My beta The Sorrowful Deity who helped me come up with great ideas for this chapter
And Nightmares26 who informed me of a someone on wattpad who decided to plagiarize one of my stories
Percy POV
When we reappeared, I immediately felt a force swoop underneath my feet, knocking me onto the ground. I looked up and growled as I watched the goddess attempting to flee.
"Run little goddess, you aren't escaping from me," I snarled.
I quickly got up and sprinted after her, dashing through the trees. I could see her looking over her shoulder in fear, obviously searching for me in the darkness of the forest. While she seemed to have enough energy to run, she obviously didn't have enough to flash away.
"Run all you want, eventually I will catch you," I hissed, the forest carrying my words towards her ears.
The forest seemed to hold its breath as Artemis crashed through the foliage. Gasps of pain escaped her lips as she tripped and tumbled down into ditch, her injuries reopening, causing for waterfalls of ichor to pour. The goddess coughed ichor into the dirt as she slowly rose to her feet, meeting my bloodthirsty gaze.
"Run goddess run. Show me who you truly are. A coward hiding behind the actions of her adopted little hunters."
A look of fear and hopelessness crossed her face. The goddess scrambled back, clutching her bow tightly. She quickly nocked three arrows and aimed them at my face.
"Stay back!" her voice quivered, the arrows shaking madly from their posed position.
"Artemis…?" I asked, feigning nervousness. "You wouldn't kill me would you… you wouldn't kill your own son?"
I inwardly smirked as I watched the goddess begin to have an inwards turmoil within herself, her emotions conflicting with her more logical side.
"I… I will shoot!" Artemis forced out, staring at me with an infinite amount of uncertainty pooled deep in her eyes. "Please…"
I bowed my head down, cutting myself to force out a tear. "Mother… I'm sorry," I said, feigning sadness. "I was just angry…"
I watched through my eyelashes as the goddess slowly lowered her bow, the word mother leaving my lips affecting her deeply as she stared at me.
"Perseus…" She started before a gasp escaped her lips. She stared down in disbelief at the dagger piercing her shoulder, ichor pumping out. She quickly launched a kick towards my chin, knocking me off my feet before dashing off, leaving behind my dagger.
"Stop trying to avoid the inevitable goddess! You will finally learn what it means for the hunter to turn into prey!" I yelled, chasing the goddess.
If possible, it would have seemed that the goddess doubled her speed. We weaved our way through the forest. In her attempt to escape, she fired a couple arrows towards my general direction. A lesser being would have been impaled by the few arrows that flew straight towards me but due to my quick reflexes, I managed to avoid every single one. What slightly confused me was the fact that all the arrows she fired were blunt tipped.
"You would expect that she would face me like a man… or woman in her case." I thought towards Spi. "It's obvious she is just giving a fruitless attempt to escape from an inevitable confrontation."
"Can you blame her? I mean I did give her a very scary presentation of what we are now." Spi chuckled. "I'm almost surprised she didn't piss her pants like some of her… less dignified hunters."
I openly laughed before realizing I was mere feet away from her. I flipped from the branches and landed in front of her, my dagger aimed straight at her throat, causing for the goddess to freeze in her tracks.
"If there is one thing I pride in being a hunter," I said, a malicious grin threatening to take over. "It's that my prey never escapes."
Horror seemed to appear on her face as she stared in fear towards me. She quickly snapped her fingers. Four timber wolves quickly appeared from the shadows, snarling at me.
I rolled my eyes, "At least give me a challenge if you are going to resist."
The wolves, obviously hearing something they disliked all dashed towards me. Bloodlust being the most dominant in their eyes, their claws outstretched with their jaws opened, showing off the large fangs protruding from their maw.
I quickly crouched underneath a leaping wolf, slashing it across its stomach before stabbing another through the roof of its mouth. The wolf squirmed, trying to get away, only serving for my dagger to draw a deeper wound in its mouth.
I savagely ripped my dagger out before grabbing the wolf which I slashed in the stomach. I flashed a wild smile towards the goddess as I quickly brought the wolf's spine onto my knee, causing for a loud crack to resonate throughout the forest.
I allowed for a wild snarl to escape my mouth as I glared at the remaining two. The larger of the two pawed the dirt as it began to circle around me, its bright yellow eyes boring into my skull.
"C'mon big boy, show me what you got." I murmured, reading myself.
With a loud bark it dashed towards me, it feinted towards the left in an attempt to fool me before launching himself, jaws outstretched, straight towards my throat. If only it saw the knowing smirk in my eyes. Faster than the wolf's eyes could perceive, my hands shot forward, grasping the top and bottom of the fanged maw. Fear crossed his eyes as he realized he had little to no control over his mouth.
With little difficulty I began to lift his body into the air with only its mouth before slamming it harshly into a tree multiple times, possibly cracking one of the wolf's ribs or two, before ripping out one of the wolf's fangs.
Focusing on the lone wolf in front of me, I willed the shadows to shoot out and grasp each limb. The wolf began to yip in fear as it could not shake itself free. I chuckled before stabbing it twice in the chest before carving a large smiley face in its stomach before finishing it off with a giant circle to resemble the head.
I quickly kicked the wolf in the chest, causing for the wolf to crash into a tree, dead. I stared down at the wolf whose fang I just ripped out.
"Scram," I snarled.
The wolf whimpered before dashing away, leaving me alone with the goddess. Suddenly I felt the loss of control. I watched through the eyes of my body as Spi took control, turning my body and catching an arrow an inch away from my face.
I could feel fury funnel through my body as Spi glared towards the armed goddess.
3rd Person POV
Artemis gulped as she watched Perseus transform into his more baleful, sinister form. The sullen eyes full of flames stared at her in hatred as Perseus crushed the blunt tipped arrow in his fist. He slowly began to morph into a female form as he took slow, menacing steps towards her.
The blade jutting out of the female Perseus's gauntlet shone brightly as it neared the petrified Artemis.
"Aww, are you scared of little ol' me?" The female Perseus whispered. "It's me mother; I'm finally the daughter you always wished for."
The bow in Artemis's hand began to shake violently as Artemis slowly began to back away from the monster in front of her.
"Are you not proud of me mother?" The female Perseus asked. "You always wanted a daughter didn't you? You never wished for me, you never wanted a boy." She eyed Artemis's shaking bow with a raised eyebrow.
"You want to shoot me?" The female Perseus questioned. She stepped away and threw her arms wide open. "Well here's your chance! Fire that arrow! End my life! Show me that you are the cold hearted huntress that everyone says you are."
Artemis shakily raised her bow, nocking an arrow, aimed straight towards the female Perseus's head. Everything was silent as the arrow shook violently from its nocked position. After what seemed like hours the goddess dropped her bow and collapsed on her knees sobbing.
"Pathetic," The female Perseus spat at the sobbing goddess, "What happened to the goddess who thought it was funny to throw around a little boy? A child you robbed of his youth, his life. I can't say it's surprising considering the nature of all you Olympians, thinking of only yourselves."
Artemis remained silent, taking the criticism the female Perseus unleashed upon her. Gone was the strong, cold hearted goddess. Instead a fragile, depressed goddess took her place. The female Perseus slowly morphed back to her male form, the features on the demented version of female Perseus being replaced by the rough features of Perseus.
"You know what hurts the most," Perseus whispered. "It was the fact that no matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I wished, my dreams would always come crashing down. Every time my hopes and dreams would begin to soar, someone would also come and knock it away. Every time I thought I found a friend, someone would come and take them away."
"Do you know what that's like?" he murmured. "To live a life of loneliness and false hope?
A black essence flowed from Perseus constructing Spi in her female Perseus form.
"Perseus… are you going to end this or shall I do it for you…?" Spi asked, glaring at kneeling goddess in front of her.
"No, I'm doing it… but we are doing this my way."
Perseus closed his and eyes and mumble a silent prayer. Artemis watched in shock and slight fear as shadows began to swirl around the group as voices whispered all around. Cold winds began to caress the three causing for Artemis to shiver at the dramatic change in temperature.
The shadows began to morph into a feminine figure with her arms around Perseus's neck. Ebony hair flowed down from her head in sleek, shining locks. Her body resembled one of a supermodel in black skintight leather. Chains swung from her hips, holding various charms, one being a skull, another being a fang from an empousa. Her face was completely pale, the color resembling one of freshly fallen snow. Her eyes coruscated with a hidden madness that could drive any lesser mortal insane with only one look.
"Perseus, my favorite mortal!" The goddess exclaimed, poking him in the cheek. "It's been too long since we've last seen each other!"
Lyssa quickly took a glance at her surroundings, raising an eyebrow at the crying Olympian goddess in front of her before smirking when she saw Spi.
"Well well well Perseus, I see you got yourself a girlfriend, you know you could always ask me for any advice."
Perseus rolled his eyes and swatted the goddess's hand away. "Lyssa, first of all I'm not a mortal and secondly Spi here is just a spirit residing in my body." Perseus held his hand up to silence Lyssa as she began to wiggle her eyebrows. "As much as I wish to banter here with you, I am in need of your assistance." He gestured towards the fearful goddess slowly backing away.
"An Olympian Goddess…? Well this is certainly a new one Perseus…" Lyssa smirked as she strode over to trembling Goddess.
"What do you think you're doing…?" Artemis shakily questioned. "Zeus will hear about this minor Goddess. You better stand down if you don't wish to invoke the wrath of Olympus."
"Artemis, you clearly do not understand who is currently in the position of power at the moment." Lyssa snarled. "If I were you, I would shut up but I'm not."
Spi smirked as she stared at the Goddess of Madness began to press her thumbs into Artemis's temples causing her to scream.
"You know I'm glad this revenge against Artemis is finally turning you borderline insane," Lyssa commented. "But unfortunately I don't believe it to be health for the mortal mind."
Perseus rolled his eyes but chose not to comment as he stared at Artemis squirm in agony and fear.
"Say… Lyssa, you don't suppose you could tell me what you are doing could you?"
Artemis POV
I couldn't help but scream in terror as hordes and hordes of shades raced through my campsite, slaughtering the hunters under my command. Screams and cries of help echoed throughout the campsite as flames of destruction burned all around the clearing. Bodies of my huntresses littered the ground.
Smoke rose heavily from the burning tents, turning all possessions into ash, the flames burning the injured bodies of my girls unable to escape causing for screams of agony to escape, the flames passing harmlessly through the shades as they watched. I watched, restrained in ropes as the few remaining amount of hunters, fear evident on their faces, attempt a stand against the endless hordes of shades charging towards them.
From the smoke rising from my burning tent, a man in full black armored regalia stepped out with a pistol aimed straight towards one of the final huntresses left, Zoë Nightshade.
"Zoë!" I screamed. I watched as her face turned towards me before a shot rang throughout the forest. Time seemed to slow as the bullet shot from the man's gun travelled towards Zoë. Flames parted for the bullet as it passed over the heads of multiple shades before piercing the skull of my lieutenant.
"You bastard!" I yelled out. "You male filth, why kill my huntresses? Why not take me instead?!" I began to break down crying as destruction raged all around. Hands gently grasped the bottom of my chin and lift my face up to reveal the smiling face of my younger brother Apollo.
"Shush little sister… everything will be okay," Apollo whispered as the destruction began to fade from view, darkness taking over. ""It's okay baby sis, it's okay, don't worry, help is on the way."
"Apollo, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" I repeated, quickly throwing my arms around his shoulders as well as gulping down sobs. "Please… please forgive me. I have been a terrible older sister. Just make this stop!"
Immediately the sunny features on my little brother's face were replaced by snarl. "Predictable, of course, immediately you want to me to do something. What's in it for me Artemis? Why are you always asking for my help yet when I ask for yours, you just spit it down? Even when mother was suffering you refused to see her, stating you were too busy. Daddy's girl…"
He pulled away from me, "Of course out of everyone, I had to be stuck with you."
Immediately as my mouth opened in an attempt to protest a blade protruded from his stomach. Apollo stared down in shock at the midnight black blade sticking out from his stomach before facing me.
"Artemis?" He asked before another shot rang out. Apollo fell to his knees before collapsing onto the floor, smoke rising from the bullet hole in the back of his head. I stared in fear at the man standing where Apollo previously stood. Smoke curled from the gun and caressed the man's shoulders.
"Look at yourself, look at the famed huntress, the prejudiced man-hater, reduced to nothing. Who is going to help you now? Who is going to save you now?" The man said before gesturing towards the darkness.
Zeus fell in front of my face, weakened and bound. He slowly raised his eyes to meet mine. His sky blue eyes seemed to pierce mine. "Daughter… how could you…?" Another loud gunshot rang out before Zeus fell to the ground dead next to my brother.
"I'm sorry but my trigger finger was itchy, do you want to try again?" The man asked.
"This is just a dream," I repeated, closing my eyes.
"Telling yourself it's an illusion will do you little good." The man rebuked. "Pain is pain call it what you will."
"This isn't real, none of this is real."
"Oh on the contrary, I assure you," The man said, tilting my head back. "This is very much real." He slowly pulled off his black Spartan helm to reveal the glowing silver eyes of Perseus. "And this is very much your fault."
Perseus POV
I smirked as the features of Artemis slowly grow blank. It seemed as if she was pushed so far past her limits that her mind had simply snapped.
"Damn Lyssa, your work never fails to amaze-" I started before an explosion of light and flame erupted in front of us.
Lyssa was blasted back and into a tree, knocking her unconscious while Spi tackled me into the ground in an attempt to protect me. Flames blasted through the trees and around us but not burning anything. Heat washed over us making me feel as if I was in the middle of a supernova.
Spi quickly erected a dome made from shadows over us to protect us from the ferocity of the flames raging around us.
"ENOUGH!" A voice shouted. Her voice seemed to shake the earth as the barrier flickered dangerously against the intensity of the flames.
Spi stood up and prepared herself in a battle stance, the blades jutting from her gauntlets flashing dangerously in the light of the flames, glaring dangerously towards what seemed to be the main source of the flames.
I gripped my dagger as I unsteadily rose to my feet. I slowly approached the barrier as the flames surround the barrier began to die. Tapping the barrier lightly, I watched in shock as cracks began to appear all around the dome before exploding into pieces like glass. I turned back towards where Artemis resides only to be met by a shocking sight.
A large cocoon of fire hovered in front of Artemis. Flames were lashing out and creating a giant barrier between Artemis and I. I watched slowly as the cocoon unraveled to reveal a gorgeous woman wrapped in a brown cloak. Her eyes burned with anger as she stared at me. While beautiful I had to admit she seemed very dangerous.
"Listen well Perseus, while I do feel sorry for everything that has happened this has gone on far enough. You must accept that you cannot change the past and punishing your mother will not accomplish anything. Listen well to my words or you shall fight a battle in which you cannot win." The woman stated, glaring harshly into my eyes, before flashing out leaving me alone with a unconscious goddess and angry spirit.
A/N: Okay I been thinking, tossing around the idea of adding Spi into the pairing and finally decided that I wouldn't. I'm not exactly comfortable on a three-way relationship as I wouldn't exactly know how to implement it well into the story. I rather stick to what I am comfortable with and stay with it.
I am so sorry to those who wanted Spi to join the pairing but I would rather flex my creative ability in getting the main pairing together. Anyway I hope the confrontation wasn't a letdown and please tell me what you think.
Also I have been thinking that I should change my profile name from Noble LVX to Venerance. It's just a thought… so don't get too surprised if it changes…