Well well well... I have returned. This chapter is kind of a filler chapter in terms of content.

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Silver Hearts

Chapter Five

"Entrances, Beatdowns and Spells"

Strider POV

As we made our way over the crest of the hill, Peleus, the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece, looked up at us in wariness. I grinned as his tail started thumping on the ground when I came into his line of sight.

"Peleus!" I laughed, hugging his snout as he hummed. "You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you! Are they treating you well here?" The dragon nodded. "Would you like to take a break and walk with us? I can't even imagine how much you'd love to stretch your limbs." A grumble came from the dragon and one of his eyes rolled a little before bumping my chest with his snout. "Well come on then, you big ol' lug."

With the scraping of his hard scales against the trees, the dragon stood to his full height. His shadow cast itself over myself and the hunters behind me. Thalia then walked up to the dragon and patted his left foreleg before continuing on her path into the camp, followed by the rest of her sisters until there was only one other individual who remained behind.

Artemis.

Silently gliding forward over the grass, she came up to where I was petting Peleus's neck, the dragon humming all the while. His body was vibrating and the ground around us responded in kind from his rumbling. The goddess of the moon walked right up to the dragon, who lowered his head, and embraced his large snout. I smiled as Peleus went still, as if this show of affection from the goddess was something new… which, according to the dragon's reaction, was definitely what it was.

New.

Artemis POV

I could feel the duo's stares being directed at me as I walked away from the baffled dragon and Ardonian, and a small smirk began tugging at my lips.

Let them begin to see this new side of me.

As I crested the hill with the Ardonian and dragon in tow, I froze at what I laid my eyes upon. It looked as though a full scale war had broken out in the pavilion as Thalia lay face down and unconscious on the ground in the middle of a fistfight between several Ares campers and my hunters. Other campers were running around or watching with wary eyes from their cabins.

"You cowardly shit!" Phoebe roared as she landed a wicked jab to a girl's face before being yanked backward by another huntress. Her adversary merely stood back up, grinning like a maniac, and that's when I heard a growl from behind me before a golden sphere rocketed toward the pavilion.

In a flash of gold light, Strider appeared between the two groups, towering over the individuals gathered. The richest red I had ever seen in my immortal life was burning through the lines on his armor and body, forming what looked like jagged and twisted lightning bolt patterns. Red lightning crackled around him, forming a semi-translucent red sphere about him as the air surrounding those present hummed with barely restrained power.

Without hesitation after briefly assessing the situation, Strider's staff whistled as it cut through the air before slashing across the chest of the girl Phoebe had punched. Her orange shirt was immediately stained dark red by blood as she clutched her chest and fell to the ground with a short cry of pain. Her eyes contained nothing but fear as she looked up at the figure of Strider towering over her with his staff pressed against her throat, the blades on either side of her head.

In a calm tone that carried the heaviest threat one could ever know in a warning, he said, "Next time, I will sever your head from your neck." And then he withdrew his weapon and turned to where Thalia lay. Strider let go of his staff, which began hovering by his side and slightly behind him, while crouching down to pick up the daughter of Zeus. The girl's body, now nestled in his arms bridal style, seemed to visibly relax as the Ardonian gave one last glare to the assembled demigods before making his way toward my cabin. As everyone's eyes stared at his retreating form, a hushed atmosphere fell upon those in the pavilion.

Chiron came trotting over to my side rather nervously, his eyes darting from me, the pavilion and then the tall figure draped in black and silver who just entered cabin five.

"My Lady Artemis," the old centaur began skittishly. "Who… who was that? And why do your other hunters respect him so?"

I will freely admit that I was also speechless. I was about to go down there myself, but that male of mine beat me to it. Where I would have used words to scold and maybe turned a few of the campers into jackalopes, he used few words and allowed his actions to speak for him. Clearing my throat, I answered the mentor of heroes.

"Strider."

Chiron froze at the name for a few seconds before slowly turning his full attention, and body, toward me. "Did… did you just say Strider?" he asked softly.

At my single, sharp nod, he exhaled and his shoulders slumped. "I will explain several things to you now. The fact that you befriended him, much less as a potential lover, has granted you access to a nearly limitless powerhouse. His determination is unrivaled, his flaws are like Percy Jackson's as he values his companions above all. Including his own life and safety. Your memories were wiped, but back when Rome conquered Greece, in that final bloody battle, he single-handedly decimated you Olympians. If I am not mistaken, your Roman forms took hold after that event, so he made the transition for you all that much easier." I stared at him in disbelief as the centaur continued. "He can remove the spell placed over you, but to do so may very well damage your growing bond with him, and he is afraid of that. For the first time in over five thousand years, he has reopened his heart." The ancient mentor looked out over the camp, his gaze landing on cabin five and a somber expression befell his features. "He felled Lady Athena with her own spear, hurled through her heart from over two hundred yards away during the siege of the Acropolis. They say the Parthenon blew up from the munitions stored within, but in reality, it was the rage unleashed from Stryk-Strider. She fears him, as do all the gods, but with that fear comes a mutual respect born from experiencing siding with him as well as against him." The centaur placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, looking down into my eyes with a kind smile. "Strider is very powerful, but only when there is a purpose, a reason, for him to be. Do not break his heart, Artemis. He loves unconditionally and does not hold grudges, but he will not hesitate to cut down those who threaten the ones he cherishes or holds dear to him." I merely nodded and he removed his hand from me as we looked out over the camp once more, bathing in the afternoon sun.

"He wants to run a round of capture the flag this weekend, if it's all the same to you." I said suddenly, breaking the silence that had settled over us. A smile grew on my face as I continued. "He also wants all powers to be permitted. Fighting until incapacitation makes it more real, he says. Non lethal blows are permitted." The centaur nodded slowly. "He also wants us three to participate. You, him and myself, that is. Dionysus is about as useful as a sack of potatoes against an army."

Chiron paled and opened his mouth before quickly shutting it and nodding. "I will be going now, Lady Artemis. Be seeing you." And with that, the mentor of the camp trotted off to the arena to train more demigods.

As for me, I started walking toward my cabin, cabin five, the one dedicated to me.

I had questions, and I was going to get answers. No matter the cost.