A dark void… and Percy was just aimlessly, drifting through it like a celestial speck. He couldn't tell which way was up or down. He couldn't even tell what time it was. All he was doing was floating around in a dark, dark abyss, darker than Erebus himself. The last thing he had remembered was a monster… Cetus… and a lot of blood on his shirt. He'd seen a pair of silver eyes, and then he'd been stuck in this dark void ever since. At first it had been kind of cool being able to feel weightless, but now he was seriously getting bored and irritated. He just wanted to figure out how he got here, and then how to get right back out.
"Hello Perseus," a deep, resonant voice echoed in the darkness. Immediately, Percy whipped around, his sea-green eyes darting in all directions, trying to pinpoint the source, but all he found was an endless abyss, an inky void that seemed to swallow the sound of his own heartbeat.
"It's Percy," he corrected with a cool composure, though a hint of nervousness lingered in his voice. The mysterious voice chuckled.
"I've been watching you," it continued, enigmatic and unsettling.
"Isn't that a bit creepy?" Percy retorted, trying to play it off with some humour. "It's kind of weird to be staring at a kid like me. Oh gods, don't tell me you've been watching me change as well…"
"Come to think of it, we've all been watching you," the person replied, ignoring his comment. "Strange, isn't it, how you feel so safe and private, when in reality, there are so many people taking interest in the 'new god of Olympus.' It almost makes you question your every move, thinking, 'Would they all approve?'" Percy's heart skipped a beat, and a chill slithered down his spine. The voice's words sent a tingling sensation over his skin, like he was being pranked by a ghost in the dark. He couldn't help but imagine a cosmic audience scrutinising his every step, making a mental scorecard of his heroics and missteps.
"So you mean there's like a cosmic surveillance network or something?" Percy asked, half-joking, half-serious. The voice seemed to hum with amusement, but didn't give any reply."
"Who are you?" he said in a demanding tone. Again, another chuckle from the mysterious person.
"I'm the person you've wanted to see this whole time," they replied, their voice dripping with a mix of amusement and something else Percy couldn't quite place. "Now, here I am before you, and you don't even know who I am. What is this behaviour?" They took a dramatic pause, taking a slow, deep breath. "Sometimes, I feel like my sister was right. At least under Kronos's rule, we would all be recognised-"
"The gods have started making changes-"
"-Just not fast enough," the person interjected, firmly cutting him off. "Don't talk like you don't know where the god's have their priorities. I know that us minor gods aren't important to them. Ah, minor gods… Tell me Perseus, would you call the children of Nyx minor? Some of these gods are barely related to primordials, to the point that I wouldn't even call half of them gods… Just statused immortals. They did nothing to earn their titles." Percy furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of the situation.
"You're… you're Hypnos, aren't you?" Percy frowned. Only now was it finally starting to click in.
"Very good," Hypnos chuckled, sounding genuinely impressed. "Not many would've guessed that." Percy should've probably felt proud about himself, but instead he just felt hollow and confused.
He took a second, or rather a minute to compose himself.
"Where are we?" Percy asked in a much more measured tone.
"Why, we're in your imagination. The darkness you see is all me." Percy looked around, still unable to make sense of the landscape.
"Why don't you show me your real form?" This time, Hypnos chuckled much louder, almost as if he was taunting Percy.
"This is my real form. It doesn't matter if you're me, if you're Eris, if you're Moros, or even if you're Hemera. All of Mother's children have darkness in them. It just depends if you're too scared to show it or not. I, of course, am not. My Mother has done a lot for me, and it's only right that I show the world I am hers. If they won't fear me, they will definitely fear her. Even Zeus shook at the mention of Nyx's name, so much that he wouldn't dare chase after me to her palace. How funny is that?"
"Show me your human form then." Percy snapped, getting a little impatient. "I know you have one, and I want to see you in flesh, like the world sees the rest of us." There was a pause, and for a moment, Percy thought he might've made the god leave in anger, making him trapped in this void.
"Well that would insinuate we are on the same level. Believe me Perseus, we are nothing alike. I wouldn't even be here if Hecate hadn't kindly asked me to meet with you. Now, instead of giving me attitude and asking me to do absurd things, is there something you actually want to ask me, or do I need to leave and call this all a waste of time?"
Percy paused, thinking about it.
"Actually, there is," he admitted.
"Do tell," Hypnos yawned.
"Well," Percy said, unsure of how to say it. "I'm trying to figure out how to fool multiple people at once with an illusion. Hecate taught me how to trick one person, but I want to do it with many people, like you did with that snake."
"Ah, of course," Hypnos mused. "I almost forgot that you're also the god of illusions. Congratulations, might I say."
"Thanks," he muttered, "but can we get back to talking about illusions?" Percy could've sworn he felt the darkness around him nod approvingly.
"Well, how did Hecate teach you?" Hypnos inquired.
"She used the visualisation method," Percy explained, "Basically, you pretend you're in the other person's shoes, and then try to create an illusion from that perspective, and finally, you put the illusion into their perspective."
"It's a good method," Hypnos began, "just not a practical one for what you want to achieve. You see, Perseus, in order to fool multiple people at once, you need to remember one thing: You're illusions fool the mind, not the eyes."
"Okay?" Percy said uncertainty. "I still don't get what I need to do though…" Hypnos sighed, as if he was tired of explaining the obvious, or maybe just tired… Briefly, Percy remembered his children from Camp Half Blood and suddenly noticed the similarity.
"Think of it like this," he began. "Look deeply at the person, and focus on their mind, not their eyes. When you've done that, picture an image from your point of view, but in their minds. Make sure you picture the image, the thing you want to project into their minds, not their actual view. Now how does that sound?" Percy scratched his head, trying to wrap his mind around the concept.
"Are you sure it works?" Hypnos snorted ungratefully.
"Of course it works. I wouldn't waste my time teaching you if it didn't. But, be warned, Percy, you're treading into the realm of the mind, and that's a tricky place to play. Illusions, like dreams, have a way of revealing the truth about ourselves, so be careful not to get lost in your own mind, or in someone else's mind either." Percy frowned, thinking about how that could even be possible. Dreams were something that happened white you were sleeping.
"Dreams are the illusions of the mind as it rests," Hypnos explained, noticing Percy's face of confusion. "They are the nocturnal playground where the imagination runs wild and unchecked."
"So you mean to say that dreams are like mini-illusions happening white we sleep?"
"Exactly!" Hypnos confirmed. "You're getting the hang of it now! The reason I could make that snake with Hecate's help was because I made the soldier's fall into a state of being awake and asleep at the same time. It's hard to explain, so I won't bother, but believe me when I say this isn't my first rodeo."
"Well then why aren't you called the god of illusions?"
"Oh, my illusions are pretty mediocre compared to Hecate's masterpieces," Hypnos admitted modestly. "There's a reason I needed her help when we made that multi-headed snake, and it wasn't just for the company. She brought her A-game to make the illusion look extra realistic." Percy couldn't help but grin.
"So, you're like a lazy illusionist?"
"Lazy?! No, no, Perseus. I simply prefer to spend my time dreaming up marvellous dreams and letting my sister, Hecate, handle the more intricate illusions. After all, why waste energy on elaborate tricks when you can take a well-deserved nap instead?"
"I guess you're right. Naps are pretty awesome," Percy chuckled at the god's laid-back attitude.
"Okay, so how do I know I can make good quality illusions then if you couldn't?" Percy challenged.
"Try for yourself," Hypnos grumbled. "Hey, I've done all of this to help you in your godhood. By no means am I forcing you to do this. If you want to listen to my advice you can. If not, feel free to erase this conversation from your mind, but in that case, don't come asking me to help you because 'you're illusions don't work.'"
The two of them stood there, the silence hanging heavy between them like a foggy morning in the woods. Percy could still feel Hypnos's presence all around him, but the latter wasn't saying a word, probably too fed up with Percy's questions already. Percy shifted on his feet, trying to find something to break the tension. Maybe he should crack a joke or make a funny face? No, that might not be the best idea when dealing with a moody god.
"Anything else to ask?" Hypnos finally yawned, to which Percy shook his head. A sigh of relief escaped the god, and Percy felt a twinge of guilt; he had probably pushed the god's patience to the limit with all his questions.
"I think I've bothered you enough for one day… or night," Percy replied sheepishly.
"Well in that case, I think it's time for you to go back."
"Back?" Percy asked with a frown. "Back to where?" The god snorted, as if he couldn't believe how dumb Percy could be sometimes.
"Back to the hunt, stupid," he chuckled, though it was a half-hearted laugh. "Thalia has been a little worried about you, even if you are a god. After all, most people would be worried if someone hadn't woken up in the last two days."
"TWO DAYS!" Percy suddenly yelled, his voice echoing through the void. "No way you've been keeping me asleep for that long… right?"
"Honestly Percy," Hypnos began, his tone carrying a hint of amusement, "I'm the god of sleep. What else did you expect?" Percy's eyes widened, and his jaw practically dropped to the floor
"Two days of my life, just gone? That's like an eternity in demigod years!" Hypnos chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Ah, but for a god like you and me, two days is a mere blink of an eye. I've had naps longer than that."
"Great, so I've been snoozing while you've been taking epic siestas," Percy muttered, feeling a mix of awe and frustration. "Any last words before you send me back?" The god of sleep looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping his chin as if pondering an important question.
"Yes, actually," he said, his voice turning serious. "Do me a favour and don't talk about this conversation to anyone other than Hecate and Aphrodite."
"Aphrodite?" Percy asked quizzically. "Why her?"
"She's your mentor, whether you like it or not," he replied. "She should know about this stuff. As for the other gods… We can keep them in the dark for now." Percy shrugged, although he couldn't really care.
"Sure, whatever," he murmured, realising it was probably best not to argue with him. "Just get me out of here. Jeez, two freaking days…"
"Goodbye Percy," Hypnos said, before slowly, the darkness around him seemed to dissipate into thin air, giving way to reality.
"Percy?" A voice called from his right. He tried opening his eyes, but the bright light contrasted too much with Hypnos's darkness. Percy lifted a hand to rub his eye, before feeling a searing pain.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," another voice said, before pausing and saying, "Let me get Lady Artemis, she'd probably want to be here." Ever so slowly, Percy opened his eyes, letting them gradually get used to the brightness. As Percy tried to make sense of his surroundings, he couldn't help but feel a little groggy. He blinked a few times, hoping it would somehow clear the fog in his mind. Looking to his right, he focused on the face staring at him with concern.
"Thalia?" he said, his voice sounding raspy. Percy could vaguely see her nod her head.
"It's me alright," she grumbled. "How are you feeling? You took quite a fall back there." Percy honestly shrugged.
"I don't know," he admitted. He opened his mouth to say something, just before someone else entered the tent.
"Perseus?" Artemis said formally.
"Artemis," he greeted, now being able to see properly. Percy was propped up on a bed in what must've been the hunt's infirmary. On either side of him were side tables, one with a half eaten cube of ambrosia, and the other with what looked like soup, though it had some weird smell coming from it. In front of him, Thalia, Phoebe and Artemis were staring at him. Atalanta and two other hunters were near the entrance, playing some card game.
"Is that for me?" he asked, gesturing to the ambrosia. "Because I could really use some godly healing right now." Thalia grinned.
"Already, in tune with your godly needs, huh?" Yeah, that ambrosia is all yours." Thalia helped him hold it, and Percy took a small bite. Immediately, he felt a surge of energy rushing through him, and the pain in his shoulder began to subside.
"How are you feeling?" Artemis asked, watching him with a hint of amusement.
"Like I've been used as a punching bag for three days and then used as the hunt's target practice," he groaned. "Man, even Styx wasn't this brutal to my body. At least I got invincibility then…" Percy tried to move his other arm, only to be met with another searing pain that travelled up his back. "What-what happened? And why am I wrapped in bandages like a mummy?"
"Blame Atalanta," Thalia snickered, watching him try not to wince as he shifted in his bandaged cocoon. "Or rather don't blame her, because she was the one who's been making sure you're recovering." Percy nodded. He made a mental note to thank her later.
"To answer your question about what happened," Artemis began, "we were fighting Cetus, mind you we were winning, but anyway you started moving towards the monster for some reason. And then, like a true Olympian hero, you tripped on a rock and got swarmed by the monster." Thalia leaned in, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"But hey, it wasn't all bad. You even got to spend some quality time with our lovely friend Cetus." Percy rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, lucky me. Next time, I'll bring a picnic basket to make it a proper bonding experience."
"At least that way you won't be prone to falling over rocks," she fired back.
"I'm sorry," Artemis sighed. "Can I talk, or do I need to sit here listening to the two of you hit each other with lame excuses for insults?" When no one said anything, she continued.
"When you tripped, I'm pretty sure Cetus had accepted defeat at that point, and just wanted to take down someone with him. Either way, we did our best to defeat you as fast as possible. As soon as he was done and we got to you, you were bleeding ichor pretty badly. Seeing as you haven't taken on your true form yet, we had to heal you up the mortal way, well with a bit of ambrosia and nectar. Honestly, you had Thalia pretty scared."
"I was not scared," she grumbled. "Merely shocked. Artemis, even you were getting a bit worried when he hadn't woken up after a week, so don't talk about me!" The goddess's face flushed.
"Yeah, well Aphrodite will hunt me till the end of time if she finds out I got her precious protégé hurt," she retorted. Percy on the other hand was confused.
"Wait, you said something about not waking up for a week. Just how long exactly have I been out?" Thalia and Phoebe made eye contact, before the latter began counting on her fingers.
"About eight days, I think?" Phoebe said.
"Nine if you include the day Cetus hit you," Thalia chimed in. The next time he saw Hypnos, be it tomorrow or in twelve centuries, Percy was going to absolutely obliterate the god, regardless of who's child he was. Two days was bad enough, but what did he do to deserve one week!?
"Don't stress," Artemis said stoically, as if she could read his mind. "The only interesting thing that happened was Thalia getting banned from the kitchen after she tried and failed to sneak some deer into her tent for a midnight snack with Phoebe."
"And somehow Phoebe didn't get in any trouble," his cousin grumbled. Phoebe didn't say anything, but Percy could have sworn he saw the flicker of a teasing smile on her face. He, on the other hand, couldn't help but chuckle.
"You tried to sneak deer into the tent, Thalia? At midnight? Seriously?" Thalia crossed her arms and huffed.
"Hey, don't judge. I was starving, and those hunting rations just are not cutting it for me anymore."
"I can't believe you got banned from the kitchen," Percy teased. "That's a new low even for you, oh great huntress."
"Oh, shut up," Thalia shot back, trying to hide her smirk. "You're not one to talk, Mr. 'I tripped and got swarmed by a sea monster.'" Percy mockingly gasped, clutching his chest dramatically.
"Ouch, that hurts, Thals. Here I am, a brave and valiant god, and you're just throwing shade at my sea monster mishap?"
"Brave and valiant?" Thalia snorted. "More clumsy and accident-prone."
"Clumsy!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Thalia, let's not forget that time you accidentally set the entire forest on fire, because you had a dream that you were skydiving." Thalia's eyes widened, and she glared at the older hunter.
"That was not my fault! It was just a little campfire gone wrong."
"A little campfire that nearly burned down half of the forest," Percy said with a smirk.
"Okay, okay, we've all had our mishaps," Artemis interjected, trying to keep a straight face. "The important thing is that you're all safe now, and we can focus on more pressing matters."
"Like how to pull off the ultimate prank on Zeus," Percy said with a glint in his eye.
"No Percy," Artemis and Thalia said together, rolling their eyes. "You need more sleep."
"Yeah, as if eight days wasn't already enough," he muttered. "Now you want me to hibernate like a bear? I'm the son of Poseidon, not a sloth!" Artemis raised an eyebrow.
"Well you certainly slept like one,"
"Goodnight Percy," Thalia said, trying to stifle a giggle. "I'll beat you up for what you did with Cetus when I feel like it."
"Oh you wish," he scoffed. "When I'm out and about again, I shall ensure you regret saying that." Thalia smiled.
"We'll see about that-"
"Yes, and until then, Percy is grounded in this tent until I say otherwise," Artemis glared at the two of them. Percy pouted.
"You're not Aphrodite…" he began.
"Yes, but unfortunately, I'm responsible for you, and this means that you're staying in here until you can heal up. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear," Percy grumbled. He watched the two leave, with Thalia sticking her tongue out at him. Percy smirked, but was generally too tired to do anything. Whatever Cetus had done seemed to sting a bit, and somehow, he could tell that he still needed some more sleep. Making sure he'd beat Thalia in whatever fight she'd have planned for them next, Percy rolled over to his side, closing his eyes and sliding back into the realm of Hypnos, for yet another long sleep.
"Artemis, are you alright?" Thalia asked, concern etched on her face. Artemis turned to look at her, trying her best to appear composed.
"Yeah, I'm fine, why are you asking?" She shrugged.
"You seem a bit off ever since Percy got her, and you were definitely on edge while he was recovering," Thalia pressed on, not one to let things slide easily. The goddess took a moment to redo her hair, tying it tighter, a nervous habit that gave away more than she wanted to reveal.
"He's my responsibility," she lied, trying to sound convincing. "You don't understand how angry Poseidon and Aphrodite would be if they caught wind of this."
"But it's not even your fault," she tried protesting. "Besides, he's fine."
"He's fine now," Artemis clarified. "Three days ago as he was bleeding in that tent, he was most definitely not fine. I'm so relieved that Ares is taking Aphrodite on that date to Paris and is keeping her occupied. If she asks what happened, we'll just water it down and call it a small trip up, quite literally." Her lieutenant chuckled at her pun.
"Are you sure it's nothing else on your mind?" For a moment, the talk she'd had earlier with Aphrodite came to mind, but she chose to leave it. Things were complicated enough, and there was no need to get Thalia involved in this. Hopefully, Artemis could fix this little issue she was having without the help of either of them.
"I'm fine, believe me," Artemis reassured her, offering a small smile. Thalia eyed her curiously, not entirely convinced, but with a sigh, she decided to drop it.
"If you say so," she said, walking towards the training ground, undoubtedly to challenge Phoebe to another duel, leaving the goddess to her own musings.
Throughout her life, Artemis had fallen in love a few times. People often mistaken that even though she was a maiden goddess, she was unable to fall in love. Oh, how wrong they were! She chuckled to herself at the irony of it all. Her hunters were forbidden from loving, but she never was. She only made an oath of maidenhood to deter people from trying to woo her, and even that had failed. Somehow, they thought she'd break her oath on the Styx for them…
At any rate love wasn't something she wasn't used to, it was just incredibly rare. The last time she had truly fallen for someone was Orion, and unfortunately, everyone knew how that tale ended… his tragic fate etched in the stars forever. It was a cautionary reminder for her, a reminder of the pain that love could bring, so that she'd decide to focus on her responsibilities and her hunts, dedicating herself to the company of her loyal and fearless hunters. Caring for someone other than her hunters was something she just didn't think she was emotionally capable of doing, and to be honest, didn't even want to do, even with Aphrodite's constant protesting and charmspeaking. Especially with Aphrodite's constant protesting and charmspeaking.
Then again, that's what she said last time…
Okay, maybe he shouldn't've been outside, but Percy didn't really care. That tent stank of blood, and besides, Percy had seen rocks more comfortable than that bed. Out here, he felt alive and free, like the sea breeze was whispering secrets only he could understand. The starry night sky stretched above him, a canvas of twinkling lights. The sea-green ocean sparkled under the moon's silvery gaze, its waves playfully dancing to an unknown rhythm. Its waves seemed to lap gently at his feet, almost as if they were inviting him closer. Up above, the moon cast a mesmerising glow upon the water, turning it into a mystical realm of shimmering light. As he sat here, his toes curling in the sand, Percy felt as if time had stopped, and it was just him and this gorgeous scenery, living in their own world.
"Can't sleep?" a voice asked. Percy didn't have to look to see who it was.
"Believe me, after eight days of sleep and Thalia force feeding you ambrosia and nectar, you wouldn't want to sleep either. The goddess let out a chuckle, her silver eyes twinkling in the moonlight.
"Can I sit down here?" she asked, gesturing to the spot next to him on the sand. This was definitely not something he expected from the goddess of the hunt and moon, but he didn't object. It was a free beach, after all. With a sigh, Artemis gracefully plopped herself down beside him, mirroring his posture by placing her feet at the edge of the waves. Percy resisted the urge to make a mental note about how she didn't seem to mind getting sand on her feet. Celestial beings really had it easy when it came to beach etiquette.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yeah," he admitted. "The sea always finds new ways to shock me." When he could feel someone looking at him, Percy quickly turned his head and was met with Artemis looking at him, half-amused, half-annoyed.
"I was talking about the moon," she explained, her lips curling into a half-amused smile. Percy chuckled nervously, trying to play it cool.
"Oh, of course. The moon is, uh, pretty nice too." For a moment, the two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts as they watched the moon's silvery glow reflect on the gentle waves. No words were needed, just the ocean and the moon-kissed horison.
"Sometimes," Artemis began softly, "we get so used to our lives, that the very idea of change scares us." Percy frowned, not knowing where this was going, but nevertheless let her continue.
"Over the last few centuries, I've grown accustomed to this routine that I have. Get up, get dressed, train with the hunt, get some food, more training and games, and then bed. Only now am I starting to realise that the second Titanomachy and Gigantomachy have irreversibly changed things, and I've been refusing to accept that."
"What do you mean?" he inquired in slight confusion. The goddess sighed, as if she was unsure how to put her thoughts into words.
"Aphrodite's been visiting and pestering me about changing my ways," she explained, "talking about how we can't go back to the way things used to be. Only now am I starting to believe that she might be right, and if she's right about that, who knows what else she might be right about… Look, you know for a very long time, I used to despise men. Every time a new hunter would come, we'd all hear new stories about just how horrible, selfish and vile they were. Zoe was so adamant about that belief that she's the reason why the hunt was always so brutal towards men." Percy gulped.
"Don't worry, I understand that," he tried to sympathise.
"Percy," Artemis sighed. "You don't understand, that's the issue. Yes, we used to hate men, but we don't now, do we? And like everything, there's a reason for that. What I'm trying to say is that it was you who changed this belief in me." Percy was shocked.
"What, me?! Just me?" Artemis rolled her eyes, chuckling lightly.
"Yes you, silly. When I was at my most vulnerable moment, it was you who came and offered to hold the sky for me, not an easy task. You did it out of your own humbleness, knowing that you yourself couldn't beat Atlas. I guess, what I'm trying to say is that without realising, you've changed my perspective on males, and probably for the best." The goddess looked at him warmly.
"You're a good person, and I'm happy we're friends," Artemis finally said, with a satisfied sigh.
"Friends…" he mused. "Define the word friends." Artemis furrowed her eyebrows.
"Someone who saves the other person's life, and who isn't a total pain to talk to." He chuckled, too tired to correct her.
"In that case, I suppose we are friends."
Nothing more, just friends.
Seeing some more pertemis action (which is always nice imo). Also, if anyone thinks the pertemis is moving too fast, please, please let me know. Atm, they're just friends... for now. Hope everything is being explained well, I'm rly bad at romance stuff haha. Just a small FYI, updating next week might be a bit tough cuz I have a big wedding to attend to now, and then my birthday tmr and then exams and the after-wedding party and just a bunch of stuff. Hope y'all enjoy this in the meantime!