Percy POV
I still wasn't used to waking up early in the morning. Getting up before sunrise is a mission. I don't know why I said that, but now it's definitely too late to back out. When the first light came, I groaned loudly, throwing my pillow to the other side of the tent. This was obviously a mistake because then, I had to actually get up to pick the pillow up to sleep with it, and then once I'd gotten up… Well there was no getting me back down.

Frustrated and still sleepy, I took my PJs off, chucking them into the corner of the room, and grabbing a nice, clean robe. Today, I was feeling oceany (don't ask me if that's a real word). A light blue, azure shaded robe was exactly what I needed. No, scratch that. A dark blue robe, reflecting the depths of the ocean, unexplored by mankind. Yesssss, that's what I wanted. I slipped the robe on, immediately feeling more empowered and ready to fight.

Nico was up and alert, as were half the hunters. They were crowded near the dining pavilion. Some seemed to be half eating whatever had been cooked. When I got there, Nico gave me a nod, as if to say, "sup?" I returned it of course before waiting for everyone else to get there. Artemis was talking to some of the younglings. Thalia was nowhere to be seen, as were Charlotte and Sophie. I kissed my teeth, clearly impatient. We were on an agenda here!

"Perseus," Artemis began, making her way towards me. I groaned.

"What is it now, moony?" I snarked. She seemed taken back by the attitude, but nevertheless continued.

"Are we leaving now?" she asked, motioning to the sun up in the air. I shrugged.

"I'd love to leave, but we're still waiting here for your hunters, who seem to be unable to get up on time." Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Thalia and Charlotte aren't feeling well." I laughed.

"Of course Thalia isn't feeling well the second we have a fight coming up. As for Charlotte, well Nico slept in the vicinity of the hunters for one night." I jerked a finger at the son of Hades, who for effect pretended to retch.

"Well let's leave then," the goddess said coolly. Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"And where's Sophie?" I asked. The moon goddess looked at me with a weird expression.

"She's talking to Serene back there… Jeez, are you even okay?" The concern on her face made me falter for a moment. As soon as I had a response lined up, she was gone.

The walk wasn't that far from where we were situated. After a quick group flash from Artemis, we all found ourselves in a beautiful landscape of trees and flowers. Intoxicated, I took a lungful of the fresh air. Artemis may be a rude, man hating person, but gods her domain was so beautiful. The lush trees created almost a canopy above us, as we trekked through the hard mud. Luckily most of the hunters were wearing long boots. Unluckily for me, I was wearing a robe and now had to crab across the whole forest, acting like a princess and pulling my robe up. I really should remember to wear trousers under my robes. It was a good thing I didn't need to hike it up more than a couple of centimetres, but it still made me embarrassed.

Somewhere along the trek, Artemis managed to catch up to me. In front of the hunter's I ensured no one would ever surprise us from the front while Nico took the back, as we had done so many times with the rest of the Revenant. We didn't even need to talk about it, just took our places the second we'd need to embark on a quest or anything of the like.

"Hello Perseus," she began, attempting to put a smile on.

"What does the moon goddess want now?" I asked coldly. For a moment, it seemed like Artemis was studying me.

"You're acting really rude to someone who's trying to make it up to you," Artemis began.

"I wonder why…" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm and loath.

"Percy," she began, faltering. "Look, I know I made a mistake and I cannot apologise enough. If I could, I would go back and slap the Artemis who… who-"

"Who turned me into a human-flesh, inedible soup?" I asked innocently. Her gaze flickered to the floor.

"It was an accident," she protested, but it was futile.

"Imagine," I began softly. "If I went to Olympus, tore your throne down, 'brick by brick' and then said 'it's just an accident'. How would you feel, milady?."
"Okay, that's just an over exaggeration-"

"Is it really?" She walked in silence, pondering over what she had just said. "I'll tell you what Artemis, I'll give you another chance-" Her eyes lit up, a wide smile forming, "-If you can give me, just one big thing you've done for me." She looked at me in confusion.

"What do you mean?"
"Oh don't try to dodge the question now. What have you done for me? What significant thing have you done for me to rectify your mistake, and don't say you've stopped hating men because that never should've been a thing in the first place. Have you given up the hunt for me? The same hunt that not once showed me any mercy when I did nothing wrong. Have you tried to bring me something to make me cheerful? Do you know what it's like living with the guilt and misery of so many souls? Have you put your life on the line to save me from something? First do something for me, then we'll talk about forgiveness. After all, and I'm sure everyone would agree, I have no reasons to forgive you and want to be friends with you." I gave her a little wink, before walking ahead. Sometimes, I too needed a bit of time and space to ease up and clear my mind.

"Well, this is it," I exclaimed, standing still in the middle of a clearing. The clearing was very, very wide, stretching hundreds of meters in all directions. The grass was short, yet soft. It seemed so serene… so beautiful. The only eerie thing about the location was how, despite the beautiful conditions, not a single flower was growing for as far as the eye could see."Artemis, are you 100% sure you felt the presence of monsters here?" She nodded affirmatively.

"Either that or someone has found a way to mimic the aura of monsters."

"Oh no, not mimic the presence of monsters," a voice said from somewhere.

"But mimic the presence of immortals," Gone said, materialising in front of us with a toothy grin.

"Gone," I growled. He gave me a cheery wave.

"That's me!" he said proudly. I don't know why he was proud about such a name, but there he was, looking like he was the most famous person on earth. "Now Percy, I'm sure you have hundreds of questions, but your tiny, immature brain can't handle how I did this, so instead, we're gonna jump straight into the action. Oooh, I'm so excited!" Like the child he is, Gone jumped up, clapping his hands in joy. And he called me immature, I scoffed.

"How many more times do you want me to beat you and your army before you stop?" I asked in a bored voice. "I mean, even the Revenant have gotten bored of you and your surprise antics. Seriously dude, it's time to either call quits or get good." I had originally wanted to just irritate the dude, but unfortunately, it all only made Gone's smile wider.

"We shall see how you're feeling after this fight, Perseus Jackson," Gone smirked.

"CHARGE!"

From out of nothing, literally out of the nothingness, more monsters roared, charging at our group with weapons sharp enough to cut the gods themselves. Luckily, our side, as courageous as ever, gave a battle cry as loud, if not louder than the enemy, running head first into the maze of spears and swords. Despite the urge to help them, I had a more important target to focus on.

"Looks like it's you and me, Gone," I smiled. He, on the other hand, shook his head, tutting loudly.

"Percy, my boy, you need to earn your fight with me," he said, as a hellhound charged into me. I got up quickly from the floor, shooting him a glare, before flicking my wrist. The hellhound froze in time, wondering what was happening to it, before I quickly shoved my staff deep into it, ripping it back out. Now it was my turn to smirk at the pathetic excuse for an immortal.

"That's no good Percy," he yelled over the commotion. "I can't have you freezing everyone in time, which is why…" From behind him, Gone pulled out a green orb, much similar to the one in the last battle. I froze, suddenly understanding what this meant. I had completely forgotten that this was Gone's feat. The one thing that made him something of an opponent.

"Oh yes," Gone grinned at my petrified face, before throwing the globe down on the ground. Upon contact, it shattered, and for a moment, I was relieved that it was a hoax. Then, a deafening boom ran through the battlefield, and all of a sudden, I felt my power drank out of me. I'm powerless, like the mortals now, was my first and only thought.

My heart pounded in my chest as four monsters suddenly came face to face with me. Tightening my grip on my staff, I glanced over at Nico. The hunters of Artemis were firing arrows with no rest, as Artemis herself was a beast, I must admit, moving faster than the wind, deadlier than the thin ice of the arctic, and ruthless. Exactly how I was about to become…

I could feel my heart racing as I glared at the monsters. The hellhound snarled and bared its teeth, saliva dripping from its jaws. The Tellkhines were no less terrifying, with their scaly skin and razor-sharp claws. I tried to shake off the feeling of unease that was creeping up behind me. I had faced much worse than this back during my time as a demigod, but then again, I was different now. I had lost his powers, and felt vulnerable and exposed without them.

That was enough waiting for the hellhound, which lunged at me. Thinking fast, I raised my sword to meet it, feeling the impact as the sword connected with the hellhound's thick hide. Still, despite all the power, it was not enough to bring the beast down. The hellhound recoiled and lunged again, its claws slashing at my face. I stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the attack. I knew I needed to end this quickly, before the monsters could overpower me, but it was much easier said than done. Taking a deep breath, I focused on the task at hand, and began to break it down. From an analytical point of view, the easiest way to get this done and dusted was to pick the monsters off, one by one. I turned his attention to the Tellkhines, their scaly skin making them hard to penetrate. Normally, this would be an issue, but I was no stranger to fighting monsters, and I knew where to strike to make it count. I slashed at their throats and their eyes, trying to disable them as quickly as possible. The first Tellkhine fell to the ground, its scaly body turning to dust. The other two backed away, wary of my sword. I smiled. This is what I was used to, and what I liked. As they slowly cowered backwards, I relentlessly pursued them. I caught one of the Tellkhines with a glancing blow, and it stumbled back, but the other one lunged at him from behind, its claws digging into my back. I gritted his teeth to stop myself from howling out, and spun around, plunging my sword automatically into the creature's heart. Both of us staggered back, pain shooting through my body. I could feel the blood seeping from my wounds, staining his clothes, and it had only been three monsters. Squeezing my eyes, I tried my best to block out the pain, knowing that I had to finish off the last monster. The hellhound circled me, its eyes glowing with hatred. I could see its breath coming in short, ragged gasps. It was wounded, but not enough to take it down. I knew I had to be careful. At times like this, it was best to wait for the monster to react first, and sure enough, it did. The beast lunged, its jaws snapping shut just inches from my face. I swung his sword, striking the beast in the side. The hellhound howled in pain, but again, it was not enough to bring it down. It circled again, looking for an opening. The hellhound looked ready to strike, but for some reason it hesitated. That was all I needed, lunging at the hellhound, my sword flashing in the daylight. It tried stepping back, but I shoved my sword further even more, until I heard the satisfying sound of sword hitting monster shortly followed by the even better sound of a monster disintegrating ,its ashes becoming lost in the wind.

"Gone!" I yelled again, brushing the dust off me and making my way towards him. When he saw me, he gave me a wave and a little grin, before yet another hellhound shoulder barged into me. This time I was infuriated. Raising my staff, I charged the monster, feinting left. Anticipating this, the hound stepped back, narrowly missing my blade. Not letting the monster rest, I spun around, bringing my staff down on the hound's back. The force of the blow sent it crashing to the ground. Before it could regain its footing, I swung my sword again, slicing its head clean off. The hellhound's body disintegrated into dust as I wiped the sweat off my forehead. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

This time he was not dodging me. I spun my staff with a smile as I raced across the battlefield. The good news was that no one seemed to be dead yet. The bad news was I don't know why Gone's mini army were going so easy on us.

He saw me from miles away, brandishing his sword and waiting. At that moment, the rest of the battlefield became a blur.

"Gone," I hissed.

"Perseus," he smirked.

"This is the final time. Your luck has pushed, but not, it is time to show you why you never mess with Olympus." Swinging his sword, GOne smiled widely like a maniac.

"We'll see just who's luck has run out." With that, the two gods charged, weapons raised, determined to raze the other to the ground.

The air was thick with tension as we clashed our swords together. Each blow echoed across the battlefield, sending shockwaves through the air. Both of us had precise movements, anticipating the other's moves, but it was very difficult. Despite the intensity of the fight, I had a feeling that today was not my day. Gone was quick and nimble, his movements effortless as he dodged and weaved around my attacks. Yes, I was strong and unyielding, but now even I could feel the fatigue setting in as the battle wore on. The issue was that I was mortal and I had been surprise attacked. Yes, I am a good fighter, but jeez I'm only nineteen. Gone must be an immortal who had trained his entire life, so of course without my powers I was struggling. Gone took advantage of my momentary lapse in concentration, delivering a swift blow that sent me reeling backwards. Struggling up to my feet, I tried to regain his balance, but only stumbled and fell back to the ground, my sword clattering out of his grasp.

Standing over me, Gone menacingly raised his sword up, as if to strike down. I knew I was done for, but I refused to give up without a fight. In a surprise, I kicked out at Gone, hoping to catch him off guard, but Gone was too quick. He disarmed me with ease, and held him captive, his sword pressed against Percy's throat.

It was at this point where I knew I was in big trouble. I could feel the cold metal of the sword against his skin, and he could see the glint of triumph in Gone's eyes. The only reason I would be alive is because at that point, I mustered all the energy within me and said to myself Fight until your last breath. Your struggle will make you famous, not your victory. Refusing to let this be the end, with a sudden burst of energy, I kicked out at Gone, this time catching him off balance.

Gone stumbled backwards, his sword clattering to the ground, and I quickly got to his feet, eyes blazing with determination. I picked up his sword and charged at Gone, ready to finish the fight once and for all.

The two clashed together again, their swords ringing out across the battlefield. Exchanged blow after blow, neither of us gained the upper hand. I was ready, and I was determined, but determination was not enough. Gone was, as much as I. He easily parried my next attack and countered with a devastating blow. My sword finally flew from his hand, my arm too knackered to lift it back up, clattering to the ground.

"You fought bravely," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "But in the end, you were no match for me." I glared up at him, eyes filled with hatred. "I may have arguably lost this battle, but the war is far from over," I spat.

Gone signalled for all the monsters to stop what they were doing and come to his side. He had the widest grin seen in a while.

"Hunters, this is what happens when you fall for a surprise attack and the god of time falls for a surprise attack. If he ever bothered to look in the future, he'd see that this was imminent, but no, the great Percy Jackson is too good for that. Or perhaps he's not good enough to do that yet" I gritted my teeth. "Anway, Percy is going on a cool trip with us. Call it a … sidequest if you wish. Goodbye hunters and goodbye Nico, don't try following us, believe me, the actual army base we have is much stronger, and we'll detect you. Oh, Artemis, I almost forgot about you. Go on, what do you want to say?"

"Take me instead," the goddess blurted. Stunned, I looked up, into her pleading eyes. Was she okay? Gone grinned.

"Artemis, I think… you have a crush on Percy," he cackled. "But no, I'd never do anything the council wanted me to do. We all know Percy here is too strong. See, you're hunters have already run away after seeing what I can do. Go and scurry along with them." I shook my head at the goddess, mouthing the word, run. I already knew I was finished, there was no reason for both of us to be.

"P-please," Artemis muttered, her breathing fast. Gone yawned, clearly mocking her.

"Go away Artemis, you're no use to me. Your doom is coming in a few weeks, there is no reason to shorten it."
"G-g-gone, I am begging you to take me instead," she said, tears now in freefall. He growled, picking up the moon goddess roughly.

"WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT NO!" he spat, but Artemis seemed to have suddenly lost interest, or rather suddenly gained interest in me

"I'm truly sorry, Perseus, she said. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've inflicted on you. I'm sorry for not improving and for not being able to gain your forgiveness, but now I've realised this is the only way for me to fix up. I do have feelings for you Percy, and it's a shame I can never act on them-"
"Oh my days, this is so cringy, shut up Artemis," Gone said, again shaking her.

The next thing I knew, I had suddenly materialised out of the clearing, into the middle of the hunters.

"Perseus?" Sophie asked in confusion, looking back to Gone. Only then did I realise what had happened. The moon goddess, using her last remaining energy, somehow managed to flash me and Nico out of there. She hadn't been affected by the green crystal power sucking ball like me and Nico had. And of course, there was no way she could flash herself out. The ancient laws decreed that a god could only flash one other god at a time. With her attached to Gone like that, it was impossible for her to come back.

"No… no, no, no, no," Gone murmured, looking back to where I just was. "WHAT DID YOU DO!" he screamed, slapping her hard across the face. I had to stifle a cry as I watched Artemis fall to the floor, blood leaking from her mouth.

"Pick her up," he spat at the cyclops next to him. "I don't want her to ever see light again."

I stood there, fixated in horror. Yes, Artemis had been mean to me, but this was not how it was meant to end. No one aside from me deserved to feel what Artemis would feel at the hands of Gone. For the first time in five years, I felt a tear leak down the side of my cheek. Actions have consequences, and as much as I disliked Artemis, I had taken it too far again.

What have I done?

So how was this chapter? I was feeling a bit nervous about publishing it, so hope everyone enjoys!