Chapter 14: Asking Out a Goddess
"Dead? She's a Titan. I thought gods, titans, and the rest couldn't die. Are you saying she faded? Or was she scattered and sent to Tartarus to reform?" Percy asked, rattled by Apollo's solemn tone.
The sun god shook his head, and Artemis stood shocked. She'd never heard anyone, let alone a god, describe a deity as 'dead.'
"Those other five that we defeated, their souls were scattered. But they're alive. It may take them thousands of years in Tartarus, especially after their brutal defeats, but they'll come back," Apollo began, his tone deadly serious as he was still processing the new concept.
"And fading is a voluntary process for us," Artemis continued for him, "such as when Helios and Selene bestowed their powers to my brother and I. They themselves faded, but a part of their soul lives on in us. The same goes for Pan and your satyr friend. In exceptionally rare scenarios, it could be possible to force a deity to fade, but that is not what happened here."
"So what did happen, then?" Percy asked sorrowfully.
"He destroyed her soul," Apollo said, stone-faced, "I feel nothing when I touch her. It's not even like a dead mortal body; it feels like she'd never been alive at all… I wouldn't have ever thought that was possible."
Percy finally understood that the scene was a first for even the gods. Nobody had encountered a dead deity before. They all realized, or very desperately hoped, that it required a strenuous process for even a primordial, or else Erebus could've done the same to them before he'd withdrawn. Nico arrived on the hill in silent understanding, kneeling next to the body and muttering a prayer. Mnemosyne sank into the ground, and the group returned to camp after paying their respects for the titaness' sacrifice.
(Line Break)
"… and I only NOW got done fixing them, man!"
The table erupted with laughter as Leo threw his hands in the air. He'd finished complaining about the full week it had taken to rebuild his dragons dented and melted by 'that glowing fire idiot.' Thalia clapped Percy on the back, nearly causing him to spill his blue Cherry Coke.
"Speaking of glowing fire idiots, that new power of yours is really something, Perce," she said, making everyone chuckle.
"Yeah, dude. Way to steal my brand," Leo said, feigning annoyance, "Anyways, what are you going to call it?"
Percy laughed before he remembered he already had an answer.
"Erebus called it the Hammer of Sol, and it's the third and final of those powers from another universe. I asked Apollo about it before he left, but he told me hammers have nothing to do with him or Helios or even Sol Invictus, Helios' Roman aspect. So, I'm not really sure why it's called that, but it sounds super cool."
"Maybe the explanation is much simpler than we think. What if this other universe's powers don't stem from a pantheon of gods with symbols, and it's just the way it is over there? Like the lightning fist you told us about; I doubt that has any connection to Zeus, because he definitely wouldn't want you to have it."
It was Annabeth that'd spoken, and most of the table fell quiet for a moment.
Anyone seated would've been lying if they'd said it hadn't been a little bit awkward seeing Percy and Annabeth in the same group again. Considering everything that had happened, they expected some amount of bad blood between the two. And having to take sides felt like a very real worry, because that would only lead to the entire group falling apart. They collectively let out a silent sigh of relief when Percy responded without missing a beat.
"Yeah, I think that makes the most sense. It's probably so different over there."
A week had passed since the battle over New Rome. The fallen demigods had been buried with their shrouds, and the limited damage to the camp and city had quickly been repaired. For the most part, life had returned to what would be considered normal for the Romans.
Percy and Thalia were spending the day with their friends, all of whom were banned from the War Games, while the hunters wiped the floor with segments of the Twelfth Legion. They were waiting for Artemis to return from her meeting on Olympus, presumably with a mission on where they were going next.
The gang continued to discuss anything and everything, enjoying every second of the peace and quiet that'd become so rare in their lives.
"We've got something big coming up pretty soon, don't we?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Jason and Piper.
The son of Jupiter grinned when his fiance squealed. Piper felt absolutely no shame in being a stereotypical daughter of Aphrodite regarding the subject.
"Yes! The wedding's just months away!" Piper exclaimed, turning to Annabeth.
"I know it's so soon, and I definitely should've asked earlier, but would you be willing to be my maid of honor?" she asked hopefully.
"Gods, yes, I'd love to!" Annabeth answered excitedly and wrapped her friend in a hug. "I promise I'll take care of everything so you have nothing to worry about," she said, falling into her natural role as a daughter of Athena.
"Alright guys, we've all got our stuff sorted, right? Leo's the best man, then Percy, Frank, and Nico are the groomsmen," Jason said, listing their names like an attendance sheet.
All four saluted in unison, mocking their professional orator. The girls at the table laughed as Jason turned red. Piper then turned to Thalia.
"I know we're not close or really know each other too well, but would you be willing to be one of my bridesmaids with Hazel, Reyna, and Calypso?"
"Are you kidding? For my little brother's wedding, of course I would!" Thalia replied.
Enthralled in discussing the incoming celebration, none of the demigods had noticed the flash of silver.
"You are ridding me of both my Lieutenant and Guardian. Will I be receiving an invitation as well?"
Artemis had appeared alongside the table, the goddess holding a straight face towards the engaged couple. Their eyes widened while the rest of the group fell silent.
"Oh. Y-yes, o-of course Lady Artemis. We'd be so honored if you came," Piper stuttered out, and Jason nodded furiously.
"Good. Thalia, Perseus, come with me," the moon goddess instructed as she walked away.
The duo excused themselves from the petrified demigods, stifling themselves as they followed Artemis outside of the dining hall. They caught up to her, out of earshot of their friends, and burst out laughing.
"Artemis, that was mean," Percy said as he composed himself.
Thalia kept laughing as she tried to emulate the fear in her little brother's face. Artemis shrugged at the pair.
"It is one of the harmless joys that comes with being a goddess. Regardless, I truly did want an invitation," she replied innocently.
"Any interesting news at the meeting, Milady?" Thalia asked after pulling herself together.
Both demigods cocked their heads when Artemis' face darkened. The goddess sighed.
"After Apollo and I recounted the battle, that damn Aphrodite of all gods had a thought that nearly split the council. She mentioned the line of the prophecy, 'a stand against Darkness, to die by the blade,' then how Percy stabbed him with his Void Ether dagger, and she claimed that it 'killed' Erebus by forcing him to withdraw," she explained, exasperated.
Percy and Thalia shared identical expressions, staring at the goddess as if she were failing to do simple addition.
"You two look as I did for the rest of the meeting. Hephaestus, as her husband, agreed with her. Ares also claimed that her logic was sound. Demeter, ever the pacifist, decided to be hopeful and believe that part of the prophecy had passed. That drunkard Dionysus agreed so he wouldn't have to fight. Zeus and Hera abstained from the vote, and the remaining six of us agree that the dark one will return."
"They can't be serious," Percy exclaimed, "I've probably made fun of half the council for being a little dumb, but they can't actually think that counts as killing him!"
"I do not think they believe it either. They are just afraid of what may be coming, and want to be done with this prophecy as soon as they can be," Artemis replied, eyeing Percy suspiciously about who was included in 'half the council.'
"I'm just glad my dad didn't vote for the worse side. But anyways, do we have plans on what we're doing next?" Thalia asked.
Artemis perked up, signaling good news for them all.
"Yes. Even with the split on Olympus, we have all noticed a severe increase in monster activity this week. The ones that believe Erebus is gone think it has to do with the next line of the prophecy, 'the ascension of Hell', with Tartarus allowing more monsters to return. The rest of us believe it is Erebus sending distractions as he plans his next attack. But regardless, our mission is simply to hunt," Artemis said, not even attempting to hide her excitement.
Percy and Thalia grinned as well. The huntress was always in the mood to chase more monsters, but the demigod had other reasons;
"I'm just glad I get to spend more time with my sisters and my girlfriend," he said nonchalantly.
Artemis raised an eyebrow while Thalia tried and failed to stifle a laugh.
"Okay, lovebird, I'll leave you to figure this one out yourself," the huntress said, wandering back to their friends as she snickered, "Calling the maiden goddess your girlfriend."
After Thalia disappeared from view, Artemis turned to Percy with her arms crossed. He looked at her, bewildered.
"Girlfriend?" she asked him.
"Oh. Are we– uh. Have I– uh– been seriously misreading things? Isn't this what we talked about in Apollo's infirmary?"
That definitely was what they'd spoken about, but Artemis thought it amusing to mess with him. Still, it truly had thrown her off to hear herself referred to as a girlfriend. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, but it had led to a welcome opportunity to watch Percy squirm.
"I thought you modern mortals had a tradition: males have to grovel in front of women on those horrid dating apps or in odd settings like grocery stores and hope she agrees to go on a date. And only after that can you ask her to be your girlfriend. I do not recall that date, Perseus," Artemis said.
"I'm not too sure where you keep up with dating trends, but alright Arty," he replied, smirking as he stepped in as close as he could.
Percy took her hands in his and dropped to one knee, bowing his head. To make the moment even more dramatic, he extended his wings and draped them against the earth.
"My beautiful Lady Artemis," he began in an overly breathy voice, making the goddess laugh, "would you do me the honor of a lifetime, and allow me to take you out on a date?"
Artemis rolled her eyes before accepting and asking where they would be going. Percy sighed contentedly as he straightened up and sheathed his wings.
"Alcatraz Island," he revealed.
"That is quite romantic. Taking me somewhere we have been so many times already," she teased, though she didn't mind at all.
"Trust me, it won't be anything like the last times."
"Alright, Percy. Impress me."
(Line Break)
Percy returned to New Rome after sunset, giddy with excitement as he made his way towards Artemis' tent. The Hunt had set up camp in the Fields of Mars instead of staying in a designated area of the barracks. That worked out very well for Percy, ensuring that nobody besides the hunters could catch the pair sneaking off. He stopped in front of her tent, ran an anxious hand through his hair, and took a step forward.
When he lifted the flap to enter, he walked face-first into Thalia on her way out. The duo bumped heads, and each took a step back. The huntress narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down while he stood awkwardly rubbing his forehead.
"Fashionably untucked white dress shirt, nice black jeans. Not awful, Perce. But too bad Artemis still runs laps around you," Thalia said, sizing up his outfit before she walked away.
"That doesn't surprise anyo–oh wow," Percy froze.
The goddess emerged from her tent in a slim, black puff-sleeve top and blue jeans. It was a fairly casual date outfit by most mortal standards, but she looked ethereal through the demigod's eyes. Artemis shifted uncomfortably, as she hadn't worn "normal" clothes in so long, but her nerves eased when she saw how Percy was looking at her.
"You look incredible, Artemis. Do you secretly have a bunch of date outfits stashed in your tent?" he asked, and a smile curled at her lips.
"No, Thalia has allowed me to borrow it for the evening. She told me you would like it." The goddess paused, finding her words in unfamiliar territory. "You look very attractive, Percy."
"Thanks." The demigod sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Thalia was right, but I also think I'd like just about anything on you."
Artemis couldn't think of a response quickly enough, and the demigod flashed a smile.
"So, shall we go?" the goddess asked instead, reaching to touch his shoulder.
"No teleporting," Percy answered hastily as he swept her off of her feet, and the pair launched from the ground.
Artemis let out a very non-goddess-like sound at being catapulted hundreds of feet into the air before leveling out on a vector towards the island.
"Do not do that again or I will turn you into a jackalope," Artemis warned as she swatted his chest with the back of her hand.
"Sorry Artemis, but I'm taking you on our first date," he replied, "The only powers that are going to be used tonight are mine. Plus, we're already in the Berkeley Hills; flying to the island takes barely five minutes."
The goddess relented, wrapping her arms around his neck as she admired the city lights below.
"The view is beautiful from here," she breathed, "I rarely pilot my chariot manually anymore, and I forget how colorful your cities are."
"Yeah, the view is beautiful," Percy repeated quietly.
Artemis turned to find he was looking at her. She smirked as she grabbed his chin and shifted his vision towards the city beneath them.
(Line Break)
The pair touched down on the familiar beach just minutes later. In place of the bare stretch of sand where they normally sat laid a picnic blanket encircled by candles. Two plates and a basket sat in the center of the patchwork covering.
"Percy, this is delightful," Artemis said earnestly as she took a seat across from him.
"Come on, it's just the beginning," he said, unable to control his smile.
The goddess noticed that each corner of the blanket was weighed down by a mason jar containing red amaranth, her sacred flower. She plucked a few strains from the jar closest to her and pressed them into her hands.
"This is very sweet, Percy," she said, gesturing with the flowers, "How did you know?"
"I asked Lady Hestia for help again. I know we weren't supposed to tell anybody about us, but she somehow knew from one look, and I kinda admitted it the day she adopted me," Percy replied sheepishly.
"If anyone on the council were to know, I am very glad it is Hestia. I will remember to thank her the next time I visit Olympus," the goddess replied, "What else did she tell you?"
The demigod reached into the picnic basket and produced the goat dish he'd made for the goddess during his first night in Hunt. But the meat looked a little different; it was encapsulated in almost a golden aura. Artemis eyed it skeptically, but she trusted Percy enough to know it would taste just as good as the first one. The demigod reached back in the basket and pulled out a cheeseburger for himself, his favorite non-dessert food, and then a plate of blue chocolate chip cookies, his favorite overall food, for them to share.
To answer her question, Percy urged the goddess to try the meat. Artemis tentatively cut off a piece and took a bite. From the sound she made, the demigod knew he'd followed Hestia's directions correctly.
"I grinded ambrosia into powder and used it to prepare the meat. Just a little trick she taught me," he explained.
"This may genuinely be the best dish I have had in thousands of years," Artemis said appreciatively.
Percy smirked, warning her that she'd change her mind after trying the chocolate chip cookies. The pair laughed as they dug into their food, the demigod encouraging Artemis to take reasonable breaks between bites. The next hours passed fleetingly as they enjoyed each other's company, their mutual presence unburdening their shoulders from the weight of the looming war.
(Line Break)
"Percy, what is that?" Artemis asked, her head resting on his shoulder as she pointed out towards the sea.
He automatically assumed that she was referring to the small, glossy stone he'd shown her on their first night on the beach. Still, all he knew about it was that it floated on a fixed spot about a hundred feet from shore, and that its aura meant it had some meaningful connection to his dad. The pair watched it often during their nights on the island, dubbing it a Sea Jewel, but neither felt the need to investigate it further, rather keeping it as their mystery.
Percy suddenly realized what the goddess was actually talking about, but he remained aloof.
"I only know as much as you do, Arty; it's some shiny rock that makes me feel closer to my dad," the demigod replied dismissively.
"No, not the Sea Jewel. Look at how bright the ocean is."
It'd been hours since sunset. The beach had been enveloped in night's comforting embrace, the sands lit only by the radiant reflection of the moon. But not even a dozen feet past the shore, the sea looked ablaze. Percy smiled knowingly, standing as he offered his hand to Artemis. She eyed him, curious, as he led her into the water until it evened at her waist. When the goddess looked into the expanse of ocean before her, she drew a sharp breath.
"Did you do this yourself?" she asked, stunned, and Percy laughed.
"No, I'm just surrounded by really talented friends. Leo quickly built them for me as a favor after I made him promise to not ask why. I only stuck them down there."
Just feet ahead of them, if they ventured deeper into the water, stood two submerged columns of greek fire contained in nearly transparent structures. Behind the first pair stood rows upon rows more, framing an underwater walkway between the columns. The fires burned brightly, illuminating the colorful ecosystem deep beneath them. Percy held onto her hand and took another step forward, but Artemis resisted.
"Percy, I cannot follow you down there," she said, a hint of worry in her voice.
"Is it because of the whole Zeus-and-Poseidon thing? Before my dad was, uh, taken, they were being pretty nice to each other. I don't think the realm would try to hurt you," he assured.
"I agree, but that is not why," Artemis answered apprehensively, "For the thousands of years preceding their becoming kinder to one another, Zeus made all of his children promise to never submerge in the waters, out of the fear that Poseidon would destroy us. We all abided by his rule, and because of it, I do not know how to swim."
The goddess felt her face heat up in her embarrassment, but Percy didn't flinch. He squeezed her hand softly.
"That's alright, Artemis. Just trust me," he said, his eyes not leaving hers as he walked backwards into the ocean.
Artemis steeled her nerves and followed, the water rising to her chest, then chin, then mouth. Percy paused, allowing her to inhale through her nose.
"I promise I won't let anything happen to you. And besides, you're you. Even if you were thrown into the deep end, you'd be out five minutes later moving like Michael Phelps," he said, hoping to encourage her.
She cocked her head and left Percy dumbfounded.
"Greatest swimmer of all time? Twenty-three gold medals? Okay, nevermind. All I meant is that you'd come out a very good swimmer." Percy shook his head as he took another step backwards, submerging the goddess.
Artemis' body tensed when she could no longer breathe, her legs instinctively screaming to kick towards open air. The only thing that kept her still was that Percy never stopped holding her gaze, lowering his head beneath the water alongside her. He closed his eyes for a moment, and a thin lining slowly formed around the pair.
"Breathe," Percy said.
Artemis inhaled very slightly, testing what she hoped was an air pocket. Her lungs filled with oxygen and washed the apprehension from her. The goddess found that the pair each had their own outline of an air pocket and were connected by a thin tether. She knew Percy could breathe just fine without his, and she appreciated that he stayed in the same boat to keep her comfortable. They began walking through the columns, and Artemis' head spun sporadically as she breathed in an environment she'd never experienced before.
Schools of fish darted around and past them, snaking between the flaming columns as they swam with no destination in mind. The jagged sea wall sloped downwards with them as they traversed deeper into the ocean. Artemis was mesmerized by the colorful formations beneath the rocks, each one crystallized in a different shape. Percy told her they were called rhodoliths, but he also preferred saying 'colorful rocks.' The goddess became still as she waited for her heart to stop racing. Just a hundred feet out from shore, she'd already fallen in love with the world nestled within the ocean.
Above the pair, Artemis felt something warm calling to her, and she found that they were directly beneath their Sea Jewel. She released Percy's hand and drifted towards it, the air pocket allowing her to move freely. The demigod watched her float away while the tether of air connecting them stretched. Artemis hadn't made it halfway to the stone when the line suddenly severed and her air pocket dissolved.
Overwhelming panic gripped her when freezing water doused her from all sides. She clamped her mouth shut to ensure she didn't breathe in. Shifting back towards Percy, she kicked against the water. Her powerful legs forced her deeper, regardless of her lack of form. The demigod torpedoed towards her, his arms outstretched to form another pocket. The pair collided less than a second later, but before Percy could recreate a barrier, Artemis grabbed his face and crashed her lips on his.
Percy wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as she breathed in his air. Through no decision of his own, his air pocket extended and enveloped the pair in its outline, leaving no separating tether between them. They pulled apart and noticed their new contour.
"Oh, I didn't know it worked like that," Percy said, breathing heavily alongside the panting goddess.
They floated together in open waters, the sea dimly lit by the path they'd strayed from and the hints of moonlight that had ventured deep to meet them. The pair stared at each other for a few moments longer before Percy's breathing evened.
"I don't think there's ever going to be a better time to ask. Artemis, will you be my girlfriend?"
"I will," she answered as her own breath leveled.
They kissed again, and neither of them noticed the Sea Jewel above glowing brightly in response.
A/N: Did a little bit of research and was sad to find out there are no corals on the west coast, so I had to trash that description and find out what rhodoliths were instead. Anyways, slower chapter this time because I think a solid few too many stories gloss over the relationship aspect of them and immediately make them fall in love. It's been a month or something in-world, which just is not enough time to make it feel satisfying to me so I'm sorry if it feels slow. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and thought the relationship development felt natural. This is my first real attempt at writing something like this, please let me know what works and what doesn't. Thanks!
Kyt Lestrange: Hello again! Thank you for the new chapter :) and thank you for answering my review :) And oh dearie my! My heart stopped at the end. You're leaving us hanging there. I'm loving your story. There is a much darker tone to it (that was underlying in the original materials). And I also love your use of the Greco-Roman mythology and the way you incorporate the deities in your story. Good luck on your finals and can't wait for the next chapter. Kyt.
Thank you so much for the kind words. It was actually your review that spurred me into getting an early start on this chapter after I had finished studying for the night. I think a villain like Erebus requires a darker tone (get it) to really feel threatening against our heroes. But I still want the interactions between characters to feel lighthearted and even heartwarming to the readers, because that's one of my favorite parts of the original series that I want to do my best to emulate. I love doing little bits of searching to be accurate in my descriptions of these deities, and thank you for noticing. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.
BlueRiptide15: Honestly didnt expect this to turn into a PJxDestiny fanfic. The powers were from another universe that beat Erebus which means that Erebus must be the Winnower(Darkness). Will you be including Strand in the story once it releases into D2.
I've actually played almost none of the Destiny story following The Taken King on D1. Besides from some multiplayer in D2, I know next to nothing about the story haha. But yes, Erebus is supposed to be "The Darkness" and you can imagine Oryx as one of his agents in that world. I don't know who the Winnower or Strand are, but I'm going to go watch a video to catch up on the new game's lore because I'm curious now. I'm almost certain the total extent of this crossover will be Percy's 3 "supers" and nothing else because I just think they're very cool powers. Hope this helped :)