Chapter 15: A Sunny Jumpscare and Really Bad News

Dual knives arced down towards Percy's head. He raised Riptide and caught the blades, slashing to the side to throw his opponent off-balance. Percy used his wings to propel himself backwards when his assailant was unfazed and already pushing towards him in stride. The demigod planted his feet and switched to the offensive as his target entered his sword's range. He swung the weapon at his attacker's side, who crossed the knives in an X to block the strike.

Their weapons collided, and the fighters pushed against each other, shifting until Percy was slicing downwards against crossed daggers. They stood at an impasse in their clash until the demigod started to feel himself making headway, his sword slowly nearing his opponent. He took the moment to gloat a little, excited to win his first round ever.

"Getting tired already, Arty?" he asked, doing his best to disguise how hard he was exerting himself.

The goddess held her grimace from behind her twin blades as Riptide inched nearer. Percy was convinced it was almost over. He leaned forward into his strike as Artemis was forced to back into a deep lunge. Her face morphed into an evil grin, and she shoved hard into the ground with her lead foot. It allowed her to slip out from underneath the clash of blades and switch her weight to her back foot. Percy was shocked by the unbelievable agility of the action, and he didn't see that Artemis hadn't stopped moving. He tipped slightly forward, his heavy swing no longer having a target. Quickly catching himself, his eyes darted up and his face met the force of a roundhouse kick from a goddess.

Several spectators inhaled sharply through their teeth as they watched the blow lift Percy off of the ground and send him back several feet. In the brief moments while he fell backwards, his mind raced as it put together how he could have possibly lost the clash. He quickly realized it'd been a feint. Artemis must have faked the waning strength in her legs and allowed him to force her into a lunge. His mistake was overextending by leaning into the attack, believing he was overpowering her, and he'd given her the perfect opportunity to knock him off-balance. After slipping back, the goddess would have had to twist on her back foot in a flawless weight transfer to deliver him a divine heel to the face.

"Done already, Fishboy? What is it now, twenty wins for me?" Artemis teased, twirling her knives as hunters jeered from the surrounding trees.

The pair had been dueling every five days, beginning the routine the morning after their first date. Today marked the hundredth day since they'd left camp for their extended hunting trip. During those past three months, the Hunt had taken on several thousand monsters in total and become somehow even more deadly. Percy had refined his powers and combat skill significantly, having ripped through a dozen more enhanced infamous monsters, but he was still 0-19 against Artemis.

He decided that was going to change today. Percy pulled himself to his feet, tentatively feeling the side of his face. The demigod realized his cheekbone was starting to bruise, but he still smiled.

"Fight's not over yet, and you won't trick me like that again," he said as he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

Artemis paused for a moment. Percy had told her about his ability to sense water and how he'd defeated Crota using the technique. She figured that was what he was doing, and she was curious to see how the approach would fare against her. In Percy's mind, a lucid image of Artemis took shape. Thanking the gods that ichor could be sensed as easily as blood, he watched the goddess begin to walk towards him.

The demigod focused on the muscles in her legs. With each step she took, the liquid shape of each leg would tense ever so slightly. Percy mentally groaned.

This is the worst 'good' news. I can see the ichor tense in whatever leg she steps with; no more feints because I can see blood flowing into the muscle she's actually about to use. But it's such a small change that there's no way I can track it while also not getting stabbed a million times. Why do hunters move so efficiently!? he complained.

Artemis tore into a run. The image in Percy's mind exploded with movement as the contractions in her legs became incredibly dense. The demigod took a step back as he watched the huntress' powerful muscles clench and unclench while accelerating her at unnerving speeds.

Holy f– okay, I can work with this, was his last thought as he raised his sword to block her arcing daggers.

Percy danced through a flurry of strikes from the goddess, getting accustomed to her pace. Artemis was testing her opponent, identifying any changes in his fighting style when his eyes were shut. She'd already determined that her greatest advantage was that her blades had become invisible to him; there was no blood or water to sense in them, and Artemis considered how she could capitalize on the idea.

She experimentally sliced a few more times, and Percy blocked her blades perfectly on each attempt. The goddess dropped back, knowing it would be a fatal mistake to underestimate him. She figured he must know the length of her blades exactly, so he always knew where above her hand to strike. Artemis smirked as she realized how to exploit his new weakness.

The goddess darted at him again, slashing downwards just as she had before. Percy raised his weapon to block in the same fashion. Dropping her blade in midair, Artemis reared her arm to punch the demigod. Then Percy grinned. He leaned into where the knife would've been, using the newly empty space to sidestep her closed fist and mount his counter.

Percy swung Riptide at Artemis' defenseless arm, slicing a long but shallow gash down her forearm. The goddess gritted her teeth, scooping up her blade and backpedaling while ichor dripped down her arm. Gasps erupted from the audience as they realized the fight wasn't as over as they'd thought. It wasn't the first time Percy had landed a shot against the goddess, but it was the first one that'd successfully drawn blood.

"Not bad, Perseus. How did you know I dropped my blade?" Artemis asked, genuinely impressed.

"A magician never reveals his secrets, Arty," Percy replied cheekily as he switched to the offensive.

He whipped his wings and instantly reached her, beginning his sequence with an airborne strike. As he continually increased the speed of his swings, the demigod focused on keeping his eyes shut and his breathing steady. Percy found himself in the familiar situation of Artemis seemingly slowing under the tirade of his weapon. His mind remained fully alert, analyzing the way his opponent's muscles contracted and expanded to deliver their immense power. The pair fell into a sort of groove, repeating the same patterns of attacks between them. Until Artemis escaped the pace and swung both blades wildly at his right side.

Percy's instincts shouted to heavily brace, to tighten his core and adjust Riptide to fully parry her knives. But he saw no contraction. Through her liquid form, he'd seen how densely her muscles tensed behind her genuine strikes, and this wasn't one. This was an opportunity. Percy kept up his poker face as he lightly held up his sword to block. Her blades barely tapped his weapon before Artemis planted her heel and spun to set up a massively powerful slash towards Percy's left.

But she couldn't follow through on the strike. Percy shoved forward at the instant her knives left his sword, his shoulder meeting her chest the moment Artemis planted her heel to spin. The graceful goddess lost her balance and collapsed under the weight of the charging demigod. She fought to readjust her body as Percy pinned her leg down with his knee. He finally opened his eyes as he leaned close, holding Riptide against her throat.

"Your back's against the wall. Or the ground, I guess. Yield?" he asked triumphantly.

Expecting a huff of defeat, he was shocked when Artemis scoffed at him.

"You first," she replied, smirking as she tapped her twin blades against the back of his neck.

Percy tried to turn his head, but she pressed the knives harder. He groaned, realizing he should've pinned her arms first. But he wasn't accepting a loss.

"Draw?"

"Draw."

Percy sheathed his blade while Artemis withdrew her knives. Before moving his knee off of her leg, he leaned down and kissed the goddess. It elicited a round of groans from the encompassing audience.

"Keep that out of the arena; this place is for fighting," a voice rang out.

"Sorry, Pheebs," Percy replied sheepishly as he and Artemis stood up.

The hunters detached themselves from the trees, splitting into separate groups to handle their daily routines while chattering about the first duel ever that didn't end in a victory for Artemis. The goddess looked up at Percy as he placed his hands along her bleeding forearm. His palms glowed orange, quickly sealing the long incision he'd made.

"Sorry about that, Artemis," he said as the wound healed.

The goddess laughed at him.

"Do not be sorry; we are warriors training. It only makes me appreciate you more that you do not hold back. If I discovered you were not trying your hardest because we are together, only then would you be sorry," she replied threateningly.

That time, Percy laughed.

"You don't remember how badly you wiped the floor with me the first ten times we fought? I knew from day one that if I held back against you, not only would I lose, I'd die."

Artemis smiled, satisfied by his answer. From behind the demigod, a blur tore towards him and hoisted itself onto his shoulders. The young daughter of Demeter covered his eyes from behind, laughing as Percy pretended to stumble around blindly.

"Hi, Anna," he said, softly brushing her hands from his eyes.

"Hi, Percy! Hi, Lady Artemis! That fight was so cool! Even Phoebe thought it was. You know she was about to compliment you for the thing you can do with your eyes closed, but then you kissed Lady Artemis. Then Phoebe just rolled her eyes instead cus I don't think she expected that," Anna explained in her fast-talking fashion.

Percy laughed awkwardly as he lifted her off of his shoulders and placed her between the pair. Artemis leaned down towards the young huntress.

"An astute observation, Anna. Why don't you join your sisters in sharpening the arrows while I discuss Percy's actions with him?" Artemis said.

Anna waved to the pair as she ran after one of the groups. Artemis turned back to Percy.

"That was a risky move you made; Phoebe could have easily shot you with an arrow and pretended she thought you were attacking after the round ended."

"Nah, she wouldn't do that. We're cool now, remember? She even started letting me call her Pheebs a bit ago," Percy replied, waving off the goddess' worry.

"I still cannot believe how quickly she has warmed up to you. And that she has become largely accepting of us together."

"Guess I'm just something special, huh?" Percy said jokingly.

Artemis rolled her eyes. They walked towards Percy's tent after Artemis said there was something she wanted to ask him. The demigod hadn't taken more than a step into his quarters before the goddess pushed him onto the sofa. He turned around quickly, seated and looking up at Artemis.

"You're going to tell me how you knew I dropped my knife," she said assertively.

Percy smirked at her. He had no problem telling her, but suddenly thought he'd hold out considering she really wanted to know.

"I already told you, a magician nev–"

Artemis sat down on top of him, cutting his retort off with her lips and pressing against him. Percy's eyes went wide before his arms instinctively moved to wrap around her. The moment his hands touched her back, she shrugged them off and pulled her face away. The goddess looked at the stunned demigod expectantly.

"I can sense the water in blood, right? And when we use our muscles, blood flow increases by a lot so that they can tense and deliver power. I can see those tensions happen, which lets me know what you're going to hit me with and how hard you're going to swing. When you hold a knife, you grip it tight, but you also have to hold it evenly to attack with a smooth swing. But when you punch, you just have to squeeze your hand into a fist really, really hard. I watched the blood in your hand increase by a lot and become a denser shape, and realized you were making a fist," Percy rambled as quickly as he could.

Artemis still had her hands on his chest, but she leaned back as she thought about what Percy described.

"Ah, that explains why you charged me as well. You noticed my attack was a feint and played along until the moment I would be least balanced. That was an intelligent play, Percy, and it is a very interesting ability. Though I may not have access to that technique, I am having no trouble seeing where your blood is flowing," Artemis finished sultrily.

Percy pulled the goddess back down against him, and she didn't protest. Her hands slowly found the hem of his shirt, and they paused, breathing heavily, as the demigod helped her pull it off of him. Artemis' eyes danced lower as her lips moved to his neck, then chest. Percy's hand crept up the back of her top, his fingers tracing down the goddess' spine and making her shiver. His other hand reached to pull the shirt up and off of her.

"Yo, Perce!" a sunny voice shouted as it ducked into the tent.

Apollo straightened up and stood beaming in the direction of the demigod. His face morphed to confusion when he found Percy lounged on a couch shirtless, his eyes wide, and his arms held out like he was pretending to hold a barrel. When Percy realized there was no sign of Artemis, he allowed his terrified self to relax a little. He grabbed on tightly to a blanket that had suddenly appeared to cover his lap.

"Dude… What were you doing?" the sun god asked.

"H-hey, Apollo. What are you doing here?" Percy asked instead as he fumbled his shirt on, not letting the blanket drop.

Apollo also ignored his question, continuing to scrutinize the demigod.

"Why is your mouth all wet? And why are you sweating so much?" he bulleted.

Percy looked down so the god couldn't see the redness in his face as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. The demigod's mind raced as it struggled to come up with an explanation. His head snapped up.

"Oh!" he accidentally exclaimed out loud, "I, uh, was trying out an idea I had for a new technique. I'm trying to pull moisture out of my own body, but I'm having a hard time. It mainly just makes my mouth water, and I'm sweating because of how tiring it is. The towel is just to catch any water so I don't mess up my couch."

"That's a blanket, not a towel. And can't you sons of Poseidon just dry anything instantly?"

"Oh shoot, you're right. I was really excited to practice, I didn't even realize!" Percy did his best to stitch together his faltering excuse.

Apollo squinted for a moment before his expression returned to his signature grin.

"Whatever, Perce. I'll do you a big favor and not tell my little sis about, uh, whatever you were doing in here. Anyways, we gotta go to Olympus."

Percy was finally able to stand up and straighten his shirt. Apollo clapped the demigod's back, and the pair disappeared in a bright flash. When they reappeared in the throne room of Olympus, Percy looked at the sun god.

"Wait, what about Artemis?" he asked.

"She'll be here any second. I just called to her in my head as I came into your tent. It was weird though, she seemed a little rattled," Apollo replied dismissively.

On queue, the Goddess of the Hunt appeared on her throne. She was red-faced and breathless, as if she'd been badly jumpscared during a horror movie. Aphrodite suddenly sat up in her throne, cocking her head, and every hair on Percy's body stood on end. The demigod breathed a silent sigh of relief when the love goddess lost interest in whatever she'd felt and returned to admiring her nails. Apollo's head snapped back and forth between his sister and Percy several times before his face went slack. The sun god turned to Percy and pressed a finger against his chest, none of the usual cheeriness visible in his eyes.

"If you–" Apollo began before a hand found his shoulder.

"You are to take your hand off of my son and calmly walk to your throne," Hestia said, forcibly turning the god to face her.

She spoke softly, as she always did, but her eyes promised that she wasn't making a request. Apollo retracted his hand and shot Artemis a look before heading to his seat, unwillingly settling to have the conversation another time. Percy thanked his mother appreciatively and joined her, seating himself at the foot of her throne. The rest of the gods appeared, and Zeus thundered his bolt to begin the meeting.

"We have called this meeting because Hades has brought grave news," Zeus said, gesturing towards his brother.

"Yes, unfortunately. Tartarus has closed itself off to the Underworld. My son, Nico, is the only one that has still successfully been able to travel to the Pit and back due to his experience in the matter. But even for him, it is becoming increasingly dangerous," Hades said.

"Is Nico okay?" Percy asked, concerned by the implication that his cousin habitually visits Tartarus.

"He is quite well, thank you Perseus. He has more experience than I or any other god in traveling through there safely. But he has reported horrible news: Tartarus is both conscious and active."

The throne room fell dead silent as the Olympians and Percy processed exactly what that meant. Hades continued.

"The Doors of Death will remain closed; I have ensured Thanatos' prolonged safety. But now we know the reasoning behind the increased monster activity. Tartarus does not have difficulty releasing monsters into the overworld himself if he chooses to, even without the Doors. Our only advantage is that monsters will die as they always have, still needing to reform in his Pit before he can raise them again."

"So was I right? Erebus is gone, and we've moved on to the next line of the prophecy?" Aphrodite asked hopefully.

Artemis grimaced, still irritated by the idea.

"No. My hunt and I have discovered a dozen more monsters blessed by Darkness, the last one as recently as a week ago. He is still active; we must hope they don't join forces," the goddess replied.

"I do not believe they will," Athena said.

Her grey eyes sharpened as she seemed to arrive at a conclusion. The goddess cleared her throat, holding a satisfied smile at whatever idea she'd just thought up.

"Tartarus would never openly ally with Erebus or any other primordial; none of the males would. The arrogance of a primordial sits miles higher than the hubris of any god, namely mine and that of my father," she started.

Zeus huffed at the statement but nodded at the wisdom goddess to continue.

"Besides with their respective partners, Nyx to Erebus and Gaea to Tartarus, they could never imagine another deity below Chaos as anything close to an equal. Their pride will not allow it. I believe Tartarus will loosely assist Erebus in his war, expecting him to lose, then wage his own to claim the glory. If I am correct, we must be wary of both, but it will not be a simultaneous battle that we would be guaranteed to lose."

The council seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief before the harsh reality set in. Athena had only raised their spirits momentarily; they would have to fight two primordial deities back to back, even assuming they defeat the first one. Artemis and Percy shared a glace, each trying to reassure the other. The demigod turned his head and found Hestia already smiling at him.

"How do you feel about this, mom?" he asked.

"I am worried, as we all should be, but I have you and the rest of my family. We have never failed each other before, and I do not believe we will start now," she replied warmly.

Percy felt comforted by the words until his eyes shifted to his father's throne. The demigod felt a pang of longing as he thought about how long it'd been since he'd last seen Poseidon. His father's trident leaned against the throne as it always did, and the glowing golden weapon only worsened Percy's melancholy.

"Where are we in our search for Poseidon?" Artemis asked, changing the subject.

Percy snapped out of his trance. He looked at Artemis, realizing she must have seen him staring at the seat, and the goddess nodded wistfully. She felt guilty seeing Percy that way. It was the search for his father that had spurred him into joining the Hunt in the first place, and they'd made barely any progress themselves.

"He's definitely not in Asia."

It was Hermes that'd spoken. As the God of Travelers, he was the obvious choice to lead the coordinated search.

"We've marked off both the Americas, Antarctica, and now Asia. He's in Australia, Europe, or Africa. Asia takes care of the planet's largest landmass, but there's still a lot of ground to cover. Still, even with no other developments, I'll have his exact location in a matter of months," Hermes said.

"Good," Zeus began, "Finding Poseidon is our top priority in preparation for Erebus' next attack. We must be fully equipped in our confrontation, and Poseidon is integral to that."

The King of the Gods had let go of any grudge he'd had left against his brother. It'd been over two years since Poseidon had been replaced by an imposter, and many months since the fake had been outed as well, so he hadn't even seen the sea god's face since then. Poseidon likely suffering in the clutches of a primordial deity had shown both Zeus and Hades how petty their grievances were amongst each other. The Olympian's only regret was that it had taken possibly losing his brother to realize that.

The gods unanimously agreed on the decree. Zeus also assigned Artemis and Percy to actively join Hermes' search, knowing his nephew would feel appreciative of the gesture. The God of Travelers designated himself to Europe, and the Hunt to Australia. Zeus accepted the decision, setting the deadline for their respective searches.

"Our next meeting, lest any emergencies happen, will be two months from today: the day before the first ever demigod wedding on Olympus, between my son Jason and Aphrodite's daughter Piper," Zeus boomed, hoping to end their assembly on a positive note.

Percy smiled from his place beneath his mother's throne while Aphrodite cheered and Zeus dismissed the meeting. He knew there were grim threats on the horizon, but he felt unwavering optimism as he thought about the future. Two of his closest friends were about to have the happiest day of their lives. Percy was directly on the mission to find Poseidon, absolutely certain his father was waiting for him. He had a mother who loved him, the goddess kissing his cheek before vanishing in a column of flame.

And there was Artemis. He had a hard time putting into words how she made him feel. The goddess leapt down from her throne in human form, and Percy looked around to see if the rest of the Olympians had left. When he turned left, he froze.

Apollo stalked towards the demigod with his jaw and fists clenched. Suddenly, Percy was no longer thinking about the distant future, instead curious about whether or not he'd see tomorrow.