A/N: Again, thanks to Nerds who helped a lot with this chapter. Serious guys I want to know what you guys think of this one cause I genuinely feel bad for Zoe. Honestly I think Percy could go on a rampage after this.
Zoe stood in an arena of black stone; the black sand shifted under her feet. Torches of Greek flames illuminated the arena, revealing a group of fighters trying to kill each other. She spotted cyclopes, dragon women, an assortment of giants, and so much more. Bafflingly enough, there even seemed to be demigods, despite the fact that her father was supposed to have been the only mortal to have ever survived Tartatus. Some attacked with maniacal glee, hacking, and slashing as if they were having the time of their lives. Others looked terrified beyond measure, barely clinging to their weapons as they tried to stay alive.
No matter the case, all of them were fighting for their lives as one figure leaped from fighter to fighter, cutting them down with a cackle as if possessed by Lyssa herself, making a show for the audience that roared with approval. Zoe watched the figure closely, his black and shaggy hair reaching his shoulders and dressed in a flowing black cloak that billowed with his movements.
The girl gasped as he turned, revealing perhaps the first and yet last person she could have expected. Sea green eyes above a carved mask of some kind that covered his nose down. His eyes, alight with psychotic joy, seemed to roam the arena, analyzing every threat and how to deal with them in the most gruesome manner available. Despite his uncharacteristic countenance, there was no mistaking the Hero of Olympus himself, Perseus Jackson.
Where was she, and why was her father here? Though, he looked younger, and his bloodthirsty gaze was nothing like the loving gaze of her father. She watched as he swung Riptide and his drakon bone sword in a deadly whirlwind that left any before him in piles of visera, the gap between him and his enemies comparable to a god versus mortals.
Scouring the stands, her eyes rested on an extravagant royal box, the front emblazoned with the symbol of a swirling nebulae flanked by two crescents for all to survey. A massive throne of shifting darkness adorned the interior. At the center of it all, a woman sat, the palatability of her presence beyond any mere god or titan.
The last time she had seen her mother, the goddess was colossal and wrapped in shadows. Now, the woman was gorgeous in a way only divine beings could ever achieve. Her pale skin was accentuated by an extravagant black dress that reached down to her knees and dark, flowing hair that was tossed over her shoulder. Looking at her, Zoe remembered Aphrodite mentioning how she looked like a perfect mixture of her father and mother. Looking at the two now, she could see it. Nyx's eyes swirled with nebulae that watched her father with such lust, such hunger.
A roar of rage sounded behind her, and Zoe turned to find a large man, no doubt some nameless titan, charging her father. The then demigod rolled past the charging titan and slashed him across the back, ichor splashing on the black sand like a macabre art exhibit. The titan released a bark of pain before spinning his axe around. Her father entered a dance of blades with the titan, the two exchanging blow after blow much to the crowd's pleasure. Her father taunted the immortal, blocking and countering his attacks with such ease that Zoe wondered how he could ever lose a fight. A brief moment later, Perseus landed a crippling blow to the titan's thigh. The titan fell to his knees and her father knocked away his axe, resting his blade against his shoulder and looking to Nyx expectantly.
The woman turned her head to Zoe, her nebulous eyes glowing brightly. Zoe choked on her spit as she realized the goddess knew she was there. How is that possible? This should be a memory! Nyx grinned slyly and held out her thumb sideways. "A choice is coming for you, daughter," she spoke to Zoe, her voice resonating throughout the arena. "You use the gifts I have given you, but you refuse to embrace who you are out of misguided resentment for me. When the time comes, you will either accept that you are my daughter, or you will die to satisfy your own pride." She pointed her thumb down and the crowd roared in glee. Perseus quickly beheaded the titan, the being's head rolled across the ground as he turned slowly to dust. Perseus then turned to Zoe, his eyes examining her less like his daugther, and more like a particularly succulent turkey he couldn't wait to carve.
Zoe stumbled back, nearly tripping on her own feet while doing so. Whatever this… thing was, it was not her father. "D-Dad?" Zoe stammered, her voice filled with a disorientated fright. The thing that was her father lunged forward, moving faster than her eyes could hope to track. He wrapped his calloused hand around her throat and slammed her to the ground. Zoe could do nothing but make strangled noises at this, both from the impact and the sheer impossibility of what she was seeing.
As Zoe lost consciousness, her world faded to black.
Zoe awoke with a shriek, cold sweat dripping down her forehead. Inadvertently, she rolled out of her bed and landed face-up on the carpeted floor, eliciting a groan from her. The commotion awoke Diego, who was curled up on her bed. Is everything alright, mi'lady? His voice echoed in her head.
Zoe wiped the sweat away, her breath slowly coming under control. "I-I'm fine," she lied through her teeth. She knew Diego wouldn't buy it, but also knew he wouldn't press her. "Just a bad dream." She got up and walked to her bathroom. The convoy had arrived in Phoenix, Arizona and bought out a whole hotel for both the Fourth Cohort and what was left of the Praetorians. Her mother had sent the injured and dead back to New Rome, where they could heal and prepare the fallen for their burial rights. The actual ceremony would have to wait for their return. The attendance of the departed's friends and comrades was not a necessity, but a tradition no one would want to break.
Zoe turned on the sink faucet and splashed some water on her face, cleaning the sweat off herself. Once she finished, she looked up into the mirror. She gazed into her own dark emerald eyes. Growing up, she always wondered why her eyes were so different from her father's. Demigods always inherited the eyes of their divine parent. Always. Though there had never been one such as her. Being born from the union of a primordial entity and demigod was bound to give her… unique traits. Like how instead of her eyes being the lively sea green of her father's or the darkness to be associated with her mother, they were a mix of the two, like a dark and beautiful emerald. Just what was that dream? Was Morpheus trying to kill her? Did Nyx put him up to it? She didn't know the answer, nor did she think she wanted to. But she could help but wonder if it was true. Should she embrace her heritage? Since she had learned who her birth mother was, she had been terrified of her power, with good reason. Maybe that was what was holding her back. Maybe, for her to stop losing control, she had to… stop controlling it.
She shook her head. She wouldn't be able to solve this now. Maybe she should ask her father or mother about it. Zoe turned off the sink and made her way back to bed. She quickly crawled into bed, pulling her blanket up to her chin.
Diego made his way up to Zoe's chest where he snuggled up to her. Do you feel better mi'lady?
The daughter of Perseus wrapped an arm around the raccoon and pulled him close. Diego purred lightly as he burrowed into her chest. "Yeah, just tired," she told him, which was partly true. It was still the middle of the night and night terrors weren't the most relaxing of experiences. But she knew that Diego could see through her. Whether he would say anything was a different question. Sighing, she figured that if she could talk to anyone about this, it would be Diego. "Sometimes I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard." She placed her chin against Diego's head. "Every sword swing, every knife clash, I fear I'll put too much into it and hurt the person I'm sparring with. It's why I put so much into sparring with Artemis. Both to cut loose and to learn the limits of my ability." She looked out at the covered window. Through a slip in the curtains, she could see stars twinkle. "Let's get some sleep, I'm beat."
If you wish to test yourself, why not try me? A sudden, male voice sounded through her head.
Zoe shot up in her bed, her eyes wide as she searched for the owner of the voice. With her inheritance, she could normally see perfectly in the darkness. But something, or someone, blanketed the room in an unnatural blanket of shadow. "Who's there?" she asked, waving her hand with a tug in her gut. She pulled the darkness back like a curtain, revealing a massive wolf at the foot of her bed.
If anyone were to ever question her about the night she met the wolf, she would deny that she screamed with every fiber of her being. No matter what Diego would say. She scrambled back in her bed, clutching the raccoon to her chest. Her spare hand quickly reached into her shorts pocket and drew Riptide, the celestial bronze blade illuminating the dark room in its faint light. The wolf was just like the one in her dream several nights prior, his fur thick and dark, sprinkled with patches of white like the stars in the night sky. The beast cocked his head as he watched Riptide curiously. Then, he let out a poorly hidden snicker.
Zoe glared at the wolf as she slowly climbed out of bed, her sword remaining between her and the beast. "Who are you?" she asked, still clutching the shaking Diego to her chest.
The wolf seemed to consider before answering. You already know me, he answered cryptically, his voice was immature, like he was still growing into himself like Liam or other boys her age. Don't tell me you need pretty boy to do all the thinking for you.
Zoe flared her nostrils in irritation before stopping to think. "You're the guy who we fought in the mines," she realized, setting the raccoon down who scampered under the bed.
A noise, again reminiscent of a laugh, escaped his lips. His body became wrapped in shadows before his form morphed. The shadows receded, revealing the boy she and Liam had fought before. He still bore his black cloak, his sword sheathed at his hip. He lowered his hood with a grin, revealing sharp, white teeth. Now that she had a good chance to look at him, she could see just how… feral he was. His hair was unkempt, his form was lean like a runner, and he moved with a stalking grace that she had not seen in mortals. His dark eyes bored into her with an excited fascination as he looked her up and down. "You figured it out. Good job," he sassed. "The name is Damian, how ya doing?" He held out his hand to her.
Zoe felt uncomfortable as she noticed the way he looked at her. "Why are you here?" she asked angrily, ignoring his hand and slowly drawing on her father's domain should she need them, the humidity rapidly growing as she did so.
The boy shrugged. "To see what all the fuss is about," he answered eagerly. "Nyx is obsessed with turning you and your father to our side. Honestly, I think we could do without the god. You though, might be worth the effort."
Zoe frowned at that. "Well, I am not going to join Nyx so, thanks for stopping by, but beat it," she said, gesturing with her sword for the door.
"Your father said the same thing," the former wolf claimed. "But eventually he came around to her way of thinking."
"Clearly," the daughter of Perseus drawled with a roll of her eyes. "That's why he never left the Mansion of Night and is still in Nyx's loving arms."
Damian's grin widened, revealing more sharpened teeth. "I like you," he said. "We will make a great pair one day."
Zoe was overcome with confusion. "What in the name of Hades are you talking about?" she questioned forcibly as she took a step away from him.
"Your mother promised me your hand once we defeat the Olympians," he proclaimed, his gaze remaining ever fixed on her.
The daughter of Perseus looked at him confused for a moment, the cogs in her head slowly turning. Suddenly, the pieces clicked in her head, and she stood slack jawed. "E-Excuse me?!" she shouted at the figure before her. "What do you mean Nyx promised you my hand?!"
"Just shout it for the whole world to hear why don't you," Damian quipped, looking to the door as if he expected someone to come charging through. "Though, now that I think about it, go ahead. I don't mind."
Zoe stared at Damian with wide eyes, unable to believe the sheer audacity of his claims. "Y-you can't seriously believe that I would ever be with you," she said, her voice still higher than normal. "What kind of person would even say that?"
The boy shrugged. "You try being raised by Nyx without a father figure and see how well you turn out," he told her in a tone far too nonchalant for Zoe's liking. "You can deny it all you want, but I have already seen it. We will be together one day soon."
"We are enemies, in case you haven't noticed. And I don't even know you," Zoe argued, though she didn't really know why she was arguing against such an absurd idea. She should have just started swinging, but the sheer audacity of his claims froze her to her spot.
"But I know you," he countered much to her confusion. "I have been watching you for years, waiting for the day that I could finally meet you." He took a step towards her, eyeing her hungrily.
Zoe took another step back, her back hitting the wall behind her. She wished Reyna would show up and save her. Wait. She shook her head. What was she doing? She wasn't some cowering girl who needed someone to come to her rescue. She was the daughter of Perseus! She swung Riptide at the boy, who deftly avoided the strike before melting into shadows. He reappeared on the other side of the room, grinning ear to ear. Zoe's grip on Riptide tightened, anger boiling to the surface as her mind truly processed what was said.
Damian continued to grin as he watched her struggle to control herself. "That's what I like to see. I like a girl who's got a violent streak," he commented before sinking into the shadows. He reappeared before her, smiling viciously. He diverted her sword strike with his bare hand, his free hand reaching out and grabbing her neck. Not wanting to be choked out for the second time that night, Zoe gripped his wrist with her free hand and swung her sword again, the wolfish boy grabbing her wrist tightly before twisting it hard enough for her to drop the blade. She tried kicking him, but he blocked her attempt with his knee. "It might be a little premature. After all, your mother wanted you and your father to choose us, but I don't think it will disrupt her plans too much if I take you to her a little early."
Zoe grunted as she tried to squeeze the boy's wrist to no avail. "I am not going anywhere with you," she choked out as she felt his fingers tighten on her throat. Reaching out with her power, she flung shadows at the boy, only for him to repel them just as easily as he lifted her. Undeterred, Zoe conjured a wave of water that tore through the room violently. The wave struck them both with enough force to shatter a tree, but the boy remained unmoved.
Damian squeezed her throat tighter, breaking the girl's concentration as she lost her grip on her powers. "Aw, it's like you think you have a choice," he goaded her as his face closed the distance with hers. He sniffed deeply and released a sigh. "You smell perfect. Like the air just before a great thunderstorm." Zoe felt bile rise in her clenched throat as she squirmed, trying desperately to free herself from his grasp. It was then he noticed a silver band on her wrist, an onyx gem nestled in it. "Huh? What is that for?" he asked as he leaned forward to examine it.
In answer, Zoe smashed the face of the gem into his face, using his curiosity as a distraction. A small explosion of energy was released from the gem, knocking Damian off of Zoe who slid down the wall coughing. She quickly retrieved her sword from the floor and launched herself at the disorientated boy. Damian hissed in pain as her sword slid across his back, having missed his center due to her own disorientation.
The boy moved with inhuman speed, seemingly recovered from the attack faster than she anticipated. He knocked her from her feet before kicking Riptide from her grasp. He reached down, his hand finding her throat again even as she threw heavy punches at him. His free hand pinned her hand with the wristband down, weathering the blows of her spare hand. Zoe raged against the boy as best she could. She would not give in. She would not allow this to happen.
"Enough," he shouted, slamming her against the floor, cratering the floor around them. What air was left in her quickly left as her lungs burned furiously. She felt genuine fear flood her body as she looked at the figure above her. "That was a nasty little trick. But tricks like that won't stop me from taking what's mine. I was promised. The Void showed me-"
The door to the room blasted open, and in walked Reyna, limping on her crutch. If looks could kill, Reyna's fury filled gaze would have killed the boy a dozen times over. "Let. Her. Go," she demanded, even as she barely stood. Diego emerged from the door behind the consul and cowered behind her legs.
Damian laughed as he looked the woman up and down. "Oh, I am so scared by the half dead consul," he laughed as he lifted Zoe into the air, squeezing even tighter and cutting off her air. Zoe squirmed in his grip as she desperately tried to breathe.
"It's not her you should fear," a voice spoke before a wind swept into the room and a man coalesced beside Damian, a golden gladius swinging at his neck. Damian, shocked that someone could get that close to him, rolled away from the man, pulling Zoe over his own form as a shield. Jason pulled his sword back at the last minute, avoiding the girl by a hair's breadth. The boy rolled to his feet, and threw the girl back behind him, cratering the wall as she impacted it.
"Zoe!" Reyna cried out as she watched Jason battle the cloaked boy. She wanted to go to her daughter, but there wasn't enough room for her to safely pass the battling foes, nor was she in any shape to help Jason.
Jason quickly forced Damian back, overcoming his surprise at how the boy handled Zoe. The boy was talented for sure, but, to Jason's eye, seemed to rely more on instincts than strategy, hacking and slashing with wild abandon. As he parried the boy's efforts, he idly wondered what his intentions were. He then caught a brief glance of Zoe, struggling to a sitting position and cradling her arm. He noticed the fear in her eyes as she watched them intently, her body shivering in pain and fear. Jason narrowed his eyes, locking blades with the boy.
"What did you do to her?" he asked tightly, his blue eyes darkening in silent fury.
Damian had the audacity to smirk. "I might have ruffed her up a bit," he jested, pushing back against the blade lock. "It wouldn't have been necessary if she hadn't struggled."
Jason could hear Reyna growling in anger, no doubt wanting to beat the boy to Hades with her crutch. The son of Jupiter kept his composure, his grip on his sword tightening. "You're going to regret that," he promised the boy.
"Oh yeah?" Damian laughed. "And what are you going to do abo-"
Jason broke the black lock, forcing both blades to the floor, and headbutted Damian, inducing an audible crack from his skull. The boy recoiled in pain, lifting his sword to ward off the demigod. Jason batted the blade aside easily and kicked the boy in the chest. Damian slammed through the wall, falling on his back on the other side. Lightning arced off of Jason as he stepped through the hole in the wall. Damian flipped up to his feet, striking out at Jason. Jason again parried the blow and struck the boy in the nose with a satisfying crunch.
Once Jason had entered the hole, Reyna hobbled over to Zoe, who remained seated against the wall where she fell. She slowly lowered herself to the floor next to her daughter, her leg screaming in pain at the effort she had made to get to the room. She gently touched Zoe's shoulder. "Zoe, are you hurt?"
In answer, the daughter of Perseus lunged into Reyna's embrace, clutching at her mother like she was the only thing keeping her from falling.
Reyna winced as she shifted on her leg. She wrapped her arms around her daughter, cradling her head to her chest. "Sshh, it's okay Zoe. I've got you," she reassured the girl. Anger flooded her being at the thought of what that monster had done. "You're safe now."
Suddenly, Damian came flying into the room again, landing on his back with Jason quickly behind him.
Anger crossed Damian's face as he rose to his feet, a growl rumbling from deep within his chest. The surrounding darkness flared and coiled, ready to strike. But Jason did not flinch, his sword tip pointing at the wolf boy's body, daring him to make any sudden move. Suddenly, Damian flinched, if ever so slightly, as if someone had struck his head with a pebble. He growled again before his shadows receded.
Damian growled again. "She always has to interfere," he grumbled. He looked at Zoe longingly. "Be seeing you soon, love." His form was consumed by shadows and disappeared, taking the darkness with him.
Zoe slumped against her mother, who clung to her fiercely, rubbing at her neck. Jason's eyes roamed the room briefly before sheathing his sword. "Are you alright?" he asked her.
Zoe breathed in deeply, her body shivering in fright. "I-I don't k-know," she responded, leaning heavily against her injured mother, who somehow managed to stay upright and hold her with such strength that it was restricting her breathing. But she didn't care. She needed to feel safe. She clutched at Reyna's arm, wanting the warmth and safety that her mother provided. "Please…stay…"