Chapter 2: The Vice Principal Gets a Missile Launcher
Before Ares could start reading there was a blinding flash of light and another, smaller group of people appeared in the middle of the throne room.
"Tyson!" Percy called out.
"Brother!" Tyson's face broke into a grin as he made his way over to Percy before pulling him into a very tight hug. "Daddy!" He added when he saw who was next to Percy. Poseidon smiled as he hugged his son.
"Excuse me? Brother?" A voice Percy didn't recognize sounded very indignant. Peering around Tyson he saw a merman, who was currently floating, with green skin, long black hair and two fish tails instead of one.
"Triton." Poseidon greeted his other son. "Err, yes. This is Percy Jackson, your demigod half-brother." Percy waved awkwardly. Triton looked at him with disdain. He couldn't believe his father had broken his sacred oath, and betrayed his wife, again to father another demigod. "When are you from?"
"What do you mean, when?" Triton asked.
"We were brought together to read some books about Percy but lots of people are from various points in time. Percy and his friends are from the future." Poseidon tried to explain. Triton looked slightly disgusted that he had been brought to read books about a demigod half-brother of his. But he gave the same year as the Gods were from. Tyson was from the same time as Percy. Tyson and Triton sat together on a new couch that had appeared from nowhere.
Persephone quietly made her way to sit beside her husband, ignoring her mother's comments about how she should sit with her. Hades quietly explained what was going on and she nodded briskly, a little intrigued. The way her husband spoke about the boy was curious. It had been a very long time since he had spoken of a child of either of his brothers in such a fashion. Actually, she couldn't remember it happening ever. He must be quite the hero.
A small cough made everyone remember that more people had arrived as well. "Introduce yourselves and state your Godly parent." Zeus ordered the two demigods who were looking completely confused. Ares grumbled about all of these people interrupting just when there might be action.
"Katie Gardner, daughter of Demeter." Demeter smiled widely at this while Connor was smirking at his brother. Persephone eyed her half-sister with curiosity. Glancing around, Katie noticed that the only couch with space was the one with the Hermes lot on as it seemed to have magically expanded. The only other option was sitting with the Gods. Grudgingly she sat down on the end of the couch, next to Travis who had been forced to swap seats with a smirking Connor. Travis began telling her who all the strange people were and what was going on.
"Drew Tanaka. Daughter of Aphrodite." Piper glared at the girl who had made her stay in the Aphrodite cabin hell. Drew paid her no attention and went to sit with Silena who greeted her sister and began explaining what was going on and who everyone was.
"We do not have time to explain everything that has happened now." Zeus stated. "All those who have joined us late can read the first two books during the breaks to catch up." The newcomers all nodded. Percy pulled a face at the idea of Tyson and Triton in particular reading all of his thoughts.
"Can I read now?" Ares grumbled. He had seen the chapter title and was eager to get on with it.
"Yes. We have had enough delays." His father nodded.
The Vice Principal Gets a Missile Launcher
Ares read out the title with a bit too much enthusiasm for Percy's liking.
"A missile launcher?" Leo asked.
"That's just cheating." Connor muttered. "He's already got poisonous tail spikes that he can throw quicker than we can even see. He doesn't need a missile launcher too."
"Tell me about it." Percy complained.
"Why does a monster have a missile launcher anyway?" Rachel asked.
"Why does a Vice Principal have a missile launcher?" Katie asked.
"You'll see." Thalia told Rachel while Travis told Katie what had happened in the first chapter. Ares started reading before Thalia could even finish speaking. He didn't care why Thorn had one, he just wanted to get to the action.
I didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast. Maybe I could defend myself if I could get my shield activated. All that it would take was a touch of my wrist-watch. But defending the Di Angelo kids was another matter. I needed help, and there was only one way I could think to get it.
"He might notice if you yell." Clarisse pointed out scathingly.
"That wasn't what I had in mind." Percy rolled his eyes.
I closed my eyes. "What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!" I opened my eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," I lied, trying to sound miserable, which wasn't hard. "It burns." "Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"
Poseidon glared at the book.
Thorn herded us outside, and I tried to concentrate. I pictured Grover's face. I focused on my feelings of fear and danger. Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link between us. He'd sent me visions in my dreams to let me know when he was in trouble. As far as I knew, we were still linked, but I'd never tried to contact Grover before. I didn't even know if it would work while Grover was awake.
"Oh, that's what you were doing." Nico exclaimed. He had been a bit confused.
"It works awake or asleep." Grover explained.
"I know that now." Percy reminded him.
Hey, Grover! I thought. Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help!
"Well, hopefully that will get his attention." Rachel laughed.
Thorn inarched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. My shoulder ached. The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold that I felt like a Percysicle.
A few people chuckled, despite the danger the demigods were still in.
"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."
"Ride? Thorn isn't going to kill you?" Zeus asked in a bored voice.
"If he was going to kill them, he would have done it already." Apollo pointed out, while glaring at his father for his blatant lack of care as to what happened to the demigods.
"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?" "Silence, you insufferable girl!" "Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.
"That is pretty brave." Will told Nico. The other demigods all nodded and smiled. Nico went a little red but couldn't help smiling. At least Percy had thought he was brave at some point.
Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. Meanwhile, I projected my thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends!
More laughter.
"Don't tell me the tin cans caught his attention over the words 'spike throwing maniac'?" Piper asked in exasperation. Grover blushed.
"I didn't catch most of what he said to be honest but I could feel his emotions."
"Halt," Thorn said. The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea.
Percy grimaced, recalling when Annabeth had fallen and he thought she was dead.
At least, I sensed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. But all I could see was mist and darkness.
"At least there is sea below." Poseidon muttered. Given his son's history of falling from high places, it was definitely likely to be a good thing."
Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. I stumbled, and Bianca caught me. "Thanks," I murmured. "What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?" "I… I'm working on it." "I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.
Nico groaned and hid his face in his hands.
"I'd be more surprised if you weren't afraid." Hades told his son in a surprisingly gentle voice. "You were ten years old, being kidnapped with no idea what was going on." Nico nodded. Will squeezed his shoulders. Persephone eyed the boy who she had thought was in the Lotus Casino.
"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!" We turned. Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first, I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver." There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.
The majority of the demigods nodded in agreement. It was strange to see monsters using modern technology. Especially when the demigods themselves couldn't use it.
I glanced behind me, wondering how far the drop was.
"It wouldn't matter as you would be jumping into the sea." Poseidon told his son.
"I know. I was thinking about the others."
Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself."
"Percy wouldn't do that." Grover scoffed.
"Thank the Gods for that." Nico muttered.
"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered. "I'll explain later," I said. "You do have a plan, right?"
Everybody chuckled.
"Of course he doesn't." Annabeth laughed.
"Probably for the best really." Percy shrugged.
"True." She admitted.
Grover! I thought desperately. Come to me! Maybe I could get both the Di Angelos to jump with me into the ocean. If we survived the fall, I could use the water to protect us. I'd done things like that before. If my dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe.
"I probably would." Poseidon mused. Then he wondered. If he knew the other two were the children of his brother would he help? He never actively tried to kill his brother's children but going out of his way to help them was another matter entirely.
"The Manticore moves too quickly. Percy alone might be able to escape, if he wasn't too bothered about capturing him, but he wouldn't make it with two other demigods." Artemis stated.
"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading my thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?" A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to me that it nicked my ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible… almost like a tail.
Artemis nodded to herself, happy to be proven correct.
"Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead." "Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I…" Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."
Hades sighed, feeling bad for his children.
"You know you've got us. Don't you?" Will whispered to Nico.
"I do now." Nico replied honestly. He still couldn't quite believe it but he didn't doubt that at least some people at Camp didn't mind him. A few, like Percy and Will, might even like him.
"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family." "Luke," I said. "You work for Luke."
"That'll probably upset him. I doubt a monster that powerful likes having to take orders from a mortal, even a demigod." Apollo laughed.
"He probably views it as he is working for Kronos, not Luke." Will pointed out to his father. Apollo nodded. That would make more sense.
Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill me several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you." "The General?" I asked. Then I realized I'd said it with a French accent. "I mean… who's the General?"
"It was a terrible French accent." Nico told him. "It was quite funny actually. If Thorn hadn't been so scary, I would have probably laughed." Percy grinned.
"I've never been very good at accents."
"Perseus asks a good question. Who is this General?" Athena wondered. Then her eyes narrowed.
"Titan general." Ares stated. "Atlas most likely."
"But he holds up the sky. How could he be enlightening them?" Artemis asked.
"Maybe that's where he is taking them. To where Atlas is. Maybe they want one of the children to take the sky from him." Athena suggested.
"But no mortal can hold the sky, not for long anyway. It would kill them." Hera scoffed.
"Somehow I don't think Atlas will care." Poseidon pointed out to his sister.
"But even so, holding up the sky has to be done voluntarily." Apollo pointed out. "He can't force the kids to do it."
"He could if he threatens the others." Athena reminded him.
"We could just read to find out." Percy pointed out. Athena glared at him for the tone but nodded to Ares.
Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation." I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer. "Where are you taking us?" Nico said. "You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls." "They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"
Everyone burst out laughing at the idea of ten-year-old Nico telling off a Manticore. Nico blushed a little.
"You are one gutsy kid." Hermes laughed.
"I can't believe that's what you're upset about." Will smirked at the younger boy. "He called your figurines dolls."
"Shut up." Nico told him, his cheeks darkening even further.
"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well… there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway." "The Great what?" I asked. Anything to keep him talking while I tried to figure out a plan.
"Or give the others time to arrive." Athena nodded. Her daughter would be able to make a much better plan than the sea spawn.
"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"
There was definitely no laughing now. The Gods all exchanged looks, trying to work out what monster it would be. The most obvious answer was Typhon. He would certainly cause death and destruction. They all shuddered at the very possibility of having to fight Kronos and Typhon together.
"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts." "We have to jump off the cliff," I told her quietly. "Into the sea." "Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."
"Everyone knows that." Thalia smirked.
"I am not." Percy protested.
"Well, to be fair to someone who doesn't know about the Gods, jumping off a cliff into the sea would sound insane." Grover pointed out.
I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me. Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant.
"Of course it was." Athena said, smiling at her daughter.
Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the Di Angelos and me, knocking us to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Thalia and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Thalia wielding her magic shield, Aegis. If you've never seen Thalia run into battle, you have never been truly frightened.
"I was talking about Aegis." Percy stated before Thalia could open her mouth. She still smirked at him.
She uses a huge spear that expands from this collapsible Mace canister she carries in her pocket, but that's not the scary part. Her shield is modeled after one her dad Zeus uses—also called Aegis—a gift from Athena. The shield has the head of the gorgon Medusa molded into the bronze, and even though it won't turn you to stone, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it.
Thalia smiled proudly and Zeus nodded, glad his daughter had such good protection. However, he was worried about her fighting a Manticore.
"That sounds pretty cool." Jason said. He hadn't gotten a good view of the shield during his sister's earlier spar with Percy. Thalia tapped her bracelet and put the shield up so he could see and Jason immediately recoiled, along with everybody nearby. Thalia smirked as she put Aegis away again.
"Definitely cool." Leo nodded. "Terrifying but cool."
Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it. Thalia moved in with her spear. "For Zeus!" I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Thalia jabbed at his head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread.
Zeus grimaced while Hera looked slightly disappointed that Thalia had not been sliced up. Thalia noticed her look and rolled her eyes.
As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.
Artemis nodded approvingly. It seemed her new Lieutenant had good reflexes. She had also been impressed with her fighting abilities against Percy earlier.
The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind me, but I didn't dare look. Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia, and this time I could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpion like tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down.
"Why aren't you helping?" Zeus snapped at Percy.
"Because despite how it feels reading about it, this happened in a matter of seconds and I'd just been ploughed into the floor." Percy replied.
Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.
"Better plants than tin cans I guess?" Clarisse frowned.
"Don't underestimate the power of nature magic." Katie snapped. Demeter nodded at her daughter's words.
"Plants can provide a useful distraction or slow down opponents which is really helpful in a fight." Percy defended Grover.
Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions. "A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us. "Who are you people?" Bianca di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"
"Well that's one way of getting introduced to our world." Beckendorf looked at Nico sympathetically.
"Nico thought it was amazing. It was poor Bianca who was freaking out." Annabeth told him.
"Oh yeah." Percy grinned as he recalled Nico's reaction to finding out what type of monster Dr Thorn was. The son of Hades groaned.
"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"
All the Greek demigods burst out laughing as Nico buried his face in his hands.
"You were so adorable." Will told him.
"I was not!" Nico protested.
"What is he on about?" Triton asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Mythomagic. It's a card game." Connor explained. Triton nodded though he still didn't understand.
I didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl.
"See? Useless." Clarisse scoffed. Katie, Demeter and Grover glared at her.
"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, I remembered my own shield. I hit my wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from my brother, was badly damaged. I wasn't sure it would even stop a second volley.
"It saved your life." Tyson smiled.
"It sure did." Percy nodded.
I heard a thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to me with a thud. "Yield!" the monster roared. "Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, I thought she would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster?
"Mortals are helping monsters?" Hestia asked in concern.
"Mortals are pretty easy to bribe and usually don't know exactly what they are doing or who they are helping because of the mist." Annabeth told the Goddess.
"Read!" Zeus ordered. His daughter was still in a fight, alone, against the Manticore.
The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.
Zeus growled angrily.
"I'm fine, father." Thalia told him tentatively. This concern was quite unusual and freaking her out a little.
"No!" I ran out to help her.
"Finally." Zeus scowled.
I parried away a spike just before it would've hit her chest.
"Thanks for that." Thalia said.
"Anytime you need your butt saving, I'll help." Percy smirked at her.
I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes." We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance. Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods. The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades. "No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—" His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder.
Artemis raised an eyebrow.
"Why are my Hunter's there?"
"You'll see, My Lady." Thalia told her with a smile. Then she cringed as she remembered how she had hated the Hunters until she joined them.
He staggered backward, wailing in agony. "Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.
"My Hunters are the best." Artemis smiled proudly.
"Oh you just had to mention that." Will complained. Percy shot him an apologetic look.
The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. I tried to swipe at him with my sword, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged my attack and slammed his tail into my shield, knocking me aside. Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, like me. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions. "The Hunters!" Annabeth cried. Next to me, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."
"You do not sound pleased." Artemis frowned at her Lieutenant.
"I had some...issues with the Hunters for a while." Thalia admitted.
I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant. One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"
Artemis smiled at the description of Zoe. Then she frowned. If Thalia was her Lieutenant then Zoe must have died. Maybe this book would reveal what had happened to Zoe. Percy, Thalia, Grover and Annabeth all looked sad.
I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore. The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."
"No it is not." Artemis put in. "He is a beast and so is under my sphere of influence."
"We know, sis." Apollo rolled his eyes. She glared at him.
"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath,
Artemis raised an eyebrow towards Percy who went a little red. Apollo was grumbling under his breath.
but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted." The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!" He lunged at Thalia and me, knowing we were weak and dazed. "No.'" Annabeth yelled, and she charged at the monster.
"No!" Athena yelled at her daughter. Annabeth might be a good fighter but she would not be able to take on a Manticore alone, even if he was injured.
"Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!" But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane.
A few people gave Annabeth impressed looks.
"First you piggyback a Fury, now a Manticore." Frank looked at the daughter of Athena like she was crazy. Annabeth shrugged.
"It worked."
"Not really." Percy muttered. Athena looked even more concerned at this.
The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life. "Fire!" Zoe ordered.
"No." Athena said angrily.
"Sorry, sister but we need to kill that beast." Artemis said. She trusted her Hunters to have good enough aim to miss the demigod.
"No!" I screamed. But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!" And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.
"Annabeth!" Athena called, while glaring at Artemis.
"I'm fine, mother." Annabeth assured her.
"Annabeth!" I yelled. I started to run after her, but our enemies weren't done with us. There was a snap-snap-snap from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire. Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter. "Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt." She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night.
"Wow. You didn't kill them." Apollo noted in surprise.
"There was no need." Artemis shrugged. Apollo didn't point out that that never usually stopped her.
The Hunters advanced on us. The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste. "Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."
"Sounds like you had more than just a few issues." Jason said to his sister.
"Zoe and I didn't get on very well until much later." Thalia said, regret in her voice. "We met before this and she told me something I didn't much appreciate. Turns out she was right." Now her voice turned cold and bitter. Jason guessed it had something to do with Luke. Maybe Annabeth wasn't the only one with a crush on him.
Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." "Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see." "Annabeth!" I yelled. "You have to let us save her!" The auburn-haired girl turned toward me. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."
Athena sighed and glanced at her daughter to make sure she was definitely here and safe.
I tried to struggle to my feet, but a couple of the girls held me down. "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," the auburn-haired girl said.
"If the sea is below, he would have been fine." Poseidon pointed out.
"Yes but I doubt I would want to waste time having to go and fetch him." Artemis pointed out. "He'd struggle to get back up the cliff." Poseidon nodded.
"Let me go!" I demanded. "Who do you think you are?"
Apollo and Poseidon both winced beside him.
"Not something to say to my sister." Apollo stated.
"I was in pain and shock." Percy defended himself. Apollo nodded.
"And I don't blame you but that's probably the only reason you'll get away with it."
"It does not sound like he meant to be disrespectful, brother." Artemis said.
"I do apologise, Lady Artemis." Percy said, looking at the Goddess. She was one he did actually respect. She smiled at him.
"That would make a change." Thalia snickered.
Zoe stepped forward as if to smack me. "No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand." The young girl looked at me, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."
"Chapter is done." Ares stated.
"I will read." Aphrodite said. She took the book.
A/N: I have decided that my crossover story will be uploaded in a few days. I can't decide on a name and was wondering if you guys have any ideas or want to decide between these two. 'Warth of the Gods' or 'The Consequences of a Foolish Choice' I am not really good with names...