A/N: updated for errors I missed, the ending of this chapter had been hastily rewritten last night so my beta didn't have time to edit. My bad.
Artemis kneeled next to a still unconscious Percy. She had removed his shirt and used the hide to wrap his stomach. Despite her efforts, the wrap was the only thing keeping his intestines inside his body, the titan's blow had torn the demigod's gut to pieces. The fact that he was even still alive was a testament to his resilience. The two were gathered around a purple fire with the Minotaur on the other side laying down on the hard surface on Tartarus and Tiamat curled up behind them. The beast had been running almost nonstop since they left the Tower of Terror. So, once they had left the desert, they allowed her to rest. They planned to continue on in the morning. She looked to an empty patch of ground. Even though she could not see him there, she could sense him. "We need to get him to the Phlegethon," she told Kronos.
Kronos' form appeared where she expected it to. "It is the closest and most effective means of healing him," he agreed. "Would be a shame for my host to die so soon after I gained a modicum of hope."
Artemis quirked an eyebrow at that. "You? Have hope? That's almost a laughable concept."
The titan lord rolled his eyes. "Despite the beliefs of you and others, I am a not a being who is beyond such emotions, granddaughter. I have hopes and dreams just as any other."
"Dreams of destruction and the enslavement of Olympus I bet," she murmured though not quiet enough for the titan to not hear her,
"You forget that the world was once my kingdom to rule," he said to her, watching her with distaste. "Your father took that from me."
Artemis gave him a deadpanned look. "You literally ate his siblings. It is not that complicated to see why."
Kronos shrugged. "No one is perfect," he relented. "Your father ate Athena's mother to prevent her birthing a son that would overthrow him, trying to circumvent the same prophecy I did. How many has your father disposed of in his attempts to keep his throne? At least when I cheated on my wife and sired the centaur, I learned my lesson and did not do so again whenever the urge took me." His gaze moved to Percy's unconscious form. "Imagine what he would do to young Perseus now. Savior of Olympus, bane of titans and giants. Without him, Olympus would have fallen ten times over. How many heroes can say they have accomplished what he has? How many have suffered as he has? Heracles? He certainly has an argument, though, most of his suffering was through his own pride or the vindictive actions of my daughter. At least the original Perseus achieved his happiness in the end, and young Perseus here has reached far beyond his namesake. And yet, Zeus would be rid of him for nothing more than to calm his own paranoia. Tell me, did the apple fall far from the tree?"
Artemis looked away from the titan, gazing into the purple flames of the fire. "What is your point, Kronos?"
"I know you distrust me granddaughter, and not without good reason," he told her. "But believe me when I say, I will do whatever I can to ensure Perseus is successful in his endeavors. For his victory is mine, and as he gains power, I may relive my glory… if only through him."
"Don't tell me you are turning all good and mushy all because of Percy," Artemis countered with disgust. "I don't believe that for a second."
Kronos laughed. "Do not mistake my words granddaughter. My intentions are to turn young Perseus into a conqueror of worlds. Castellan was an adequate host, but Perseus?" He stopped for a moment to think. "I would have torn the world asunder. And now, he holds the reigns. He holds the power. I can think of no more dangerous a threat than if Typhon himself possessed a modicum of intelligence. All I must do, is direct him and watch the world crumple at his gaze."
Artemis glared at the titan specter. "I will not let you turn him into a weapon against Olympus," she promised.
Kronos hummed in thought. "And who said I would turn him?" he asked her with genuine curiosity. "He is a loyal soul. And he trusts you, far more than you deserve, given your history. Tell me, what do you think happens when one's loyalty is met with betrayal time and time again?"
Artemis gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"Where to begin?" he asked, seemingly to himself. " His father abandoned him and his mother-for fear of Zeus no less-before he was even born, forcing him to live a life with a mortal even more reprehensible than they usually are. And yet, he still remains loyal to Olympus even now. He rescued you and the daughter of Athena, had been a loyal soldier who did nothing but protect his friends and family, and what did your father do? Hold a vote to see if they should murder him. Even after he had defeated me and saved the world, he was quickly taken from his friends and family and held in reserve until the time was right like a tool… or a weapon." Artemis' eyes narrowed at his word choice. "And finally, after all he has suffered, you gods left him to rot in this hell. There is only so much betrayal one can take, Artemis. Don't be the reason he breaks."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Artemis argued as she crossed her arms. Immediately, her mind went the shattered shrine of her brother that Percy claimed to visit frequently, silently pleading to gods who either could not hear him, or did not care.
"I see your distrustful eyes girl," Kronos revealed to her, much to her shock "You are just waiting for proof that I am corrupting him, and then you'll have your excuse to strike him down and not feel guilty about it. I promise you this, granddaughter. If he ever sets his sights on Olympus, it will be the doing of you and your father, not mine." He paused briefly as he rubbed at his beard. "His mind is surprisingly resilient to my efforts to manipulate him, and trust me, I have tried. So go on, break his trust, shatter the remains of his loyalty like a mirror… and watch the world burn from your mistake," he declared before vanishing and leaving the goddess alone with her uncertain thoughts.
She could not deny that she had grown fond of the man over the time they had spent together. Was she willing to call him a friend? No. She could not bring herself to call him a friend. Not when she knew that she might have to choose between him and her duty to Olympus. It would be better if she stayed as distant as possible from him. Yet, even now, she was unsure if she could actually do it. Could she kill him, knowing all of the hardship he had already suffered? She had killed men for far less. However, those men deserved it, at least most of them, and what had Percy done but protect. It was her own fault he was in this predicament. She was the one who was captured, used as bait, and led to his curse. Was it fair for her to cast judgment on him for something he did not even have a say in? Maybe not. But what in this world was fair in the first place? Such was the plight of heroes. She did not know the answers to her turmoil and, honestly, she didn't know if she wanted to answer them.
The group arrived at the River Phlegethon the next day, the flames of the river rolling and licking over the riverbank. The Minotaur carried Percy's unconscious form to the river and looked back at the goddess. Artemis ran to the riverbank and thrusted her hands into the flames. As they had traveled, Percy's condition had worsened. He had developed a fever and his body shivered uncontrollably at times. That, mixed with his blood loss, had put him on the brink of death. She pulled out a handful of flames and kneeled down next to the demigod. The Minotaur forced open the demigod's mouth and Artemis poured the flames into his mouth. She rubbed at his throat, forcing the flaming liquid down his throat.
A moment passed before Percy coughed wetly, his eyes fluttered open. "W-What?" he stammered, his voice hoarse and weak.
Artemis shushed him. "Save your strength," she told him before opening his bandages. The demigod nodded off, losing consciousness once again. His gut was still torn open, blood and puss now oozing from the wound. "What the? Why isn't it healing?"
Kronos appeared next to her, examining the wound. "Pallas must have coated his sword in some kind of poison," he speculated. "The river should be able to heal him though…"
Artemis ignored him as she tried to feed him more flames. The demigod remained unresponsive as the flames coursed through his body. "Percy?" she asked, gripping his face tightly. She smacked his cheek, hard, but he did not flinch. "Perseus? Wake up," Artemis called out to him.
"Granddaughter," Kronos whispered to her. She looked to Kronos, his form slowly fading. Artemis' eyes widened at the implications.
"Percy?" a new, feminine voice interrupted them.
They turned around to find a young woman standing at the edge of the river, her tanned body wrapped in a dress of calm blue flames. Her eyes burned with a dark flame filled with worry. "Lady Phlegethon?" Artemis asked.
Phlegethon nodded. "What happened to him?"
Artemis shared a look with Kronos. "He was wounded by Pallas. We tried healing him with your river, but it looks like he was poisoned as well," she explained to the river goddess.
Phlegethon approached them carefully and peaked under his bandages. She grimaced at the wound. "It looks like poison taken from one of Akhlys' plants. You will need to submerge him in my river," she told them. "This will take special attention."
"Excuse me?" Artemis questioned in surprise.
"He does not have much time," Phlegethon urged them before gesturing to the river.
Artemis nodded to the Minotaur who rose with a huff. The beast carried Percy to the riverbank and tossed him into the river. Artemis cringed at the rough treatment, but Phlegethon and Kronos seemed unphased. The river goddess burst into flames and vanished from their sights, the flames of the river roiling and raging. The flames where Percy had entered turned a bright blue, swirling and climbing into the air like a towering twister.
Kronos' form slowly solidified. "Well, that is a relief," he said pleased. The titan lord examined himself earnestly.
The goddess rolled her eyes as she watched the flames. Several minutes later, the flames spat Percy out of the river. The demigod rolled across the rough ground, catching himself before climbing to shaking feet. "Well," he said, working his jaw with his hand. "That was unpleasant." And the demigod collapsed onto the ground. Artemis and the Minotaur ran up to his prone form. The goddess checked his pulse to find it strong. She sighed in relief.
"He will need his rest." Artemis looked up to find the river goddess standing over them. "Healing in my river takes a great toll on the body and soul. He should be fine within a few days."
"Thank you," Artemis said to the fellow goddess.
Phlegethon smiled. "Well, I couldn't just sit there and let him die now, can I?" she asked rhetorically. "He is a friend."
Artemis returned her smile. "He does seem to have an annoying habit of making friends with the most random of people," she said as she watched Percy's face. She had never seen him so relaxed. If it wasn't for the pinkness of his skin slowly receding, you would have never known he had just been bathed in fire.
"Lady Artemis?" Phlegethon asked. Artemis looked to her fellow goddess curiously. "Why are you here? With Percy?"
Artemis sighed and looked away. "It is… a long story," she told her. "I was captured and used to lure Percy into a trap. We… escaped."
The river goddess nodded. "And them?" she gestured to the Minotaur and drakon.
"As I said, Percy has an annoying habit of making friends," Artemis said cryptically.
Phlegethon seemed to agree with her assessment. "Yes, well, take care of him, my lady," she requested. "Rare is it, for one so kind to take residency in such a terrible place." The goddess vanished in a flurry of flames.
"Yes," Artemis agreed, seemingly to no one. "Sometimes I wonder if Olympus deserves such a hero."
Just as she was about to finally relax, an arrow suddenly flew in from the crimson sky, striking the ground next to Artemis' foot. The goddess quickly rose and turned, startled by the unseen intrusion. Another arrow quickly zoomed towards her, but the lithe huntress immediately swished her sword up, slicing the arrow clean in two. She drew her other sword and lunged at the nearest enemy, a shadowy figure nearly as large as the Minotaur wielding a sword and shield. The light from the Phlegethon was unable to illuminate the figure enough for her to get a good look at him. Tiamat's roar pounded in her head and was quickly answered by several more roars of challenge. Instinct pulled at the goddess, and she leaped into the air, dodging several more arrows. She flipped over the figure, slashing firmly enough across his back to cut a moderately deep wound. That made it all the more surprising when her opponent was completely unharmed, the armor having evidently protected him. Artemis blanched before dodging his next strike.
Artemis danced around the figure, his strikes bore power but he was far to slow to land a hit on her. The goddess quickly pierced the defenses of the monster, eliciting a grunt of pain as her sword stabbed through his armor. To her surprise, the beast grabbed her wrist and pulled her in, smashing the shield into her face and launching her backward. Artemis rolled to her feet, wiping the ichor away from her mouth. "You'll have to do better than that to beat a goddess," she boasted as she reached for an arrow.
Suddenly, a presence appeared behind her from the shadows. "But you're not a goddess," a deep, harsh voice claimed. A sword pierced her shoulder, driving her down into the rugged ground of Tartarus. Artemis cried in pain as she clutched at her shoulder. Looking back as best she could, the goddess found an even larger form standing above her. His amber eye roiling with cruel indifference, the other a glassy milk with a large red scar over it. "You are but a pale imitation of yourself, Goddess of the Hunt." He named her with a sneer, like he was insulted by her title.
Artemis quickly looked around and noticed the Minotaur on the back foot with three other warriors keeping him at bay. Tiamat was cornered by a pair of hydras, hissing and blasting fire at the small drakon.
The sound of a dagger leaving it's sheath drew her attention. The figure above her stood over her, a bronze dagger in hand. Fear creeped into Artemis as she realized she could very well die here, hurt and in the dirt of Hell. "Artemis," Kronos' voice spoke in her mind. "If you wish to live, repeat everything I say."
Artemis wanted to snap at the titan, but her body twitched in pain, and she grunted her agreement.
"I claim Rights of Protection by your liege," Artemis parroted the titan lord.
The monster stiffened, his eye filling with rage. The other monsters halted in their efforts to destroy her comrades, looking over at them and waiting for their clear leader's response. "By what right do you have to claim the protection of the Warmaster?"
Anger welled up in Artemis as Kronos' words entered her mind. She wanted to refuse, but as the creature looked down at her expectantly, she knew she couldn't refuse. "By rights of…" she sighed in resignation. "The Successor to the Golden Throne of Othrys."
The creature's eyes widened as Artemis heard a murmer amoungst the others. The shadow being growled, silencing all chatter. He looked between the goddess and the unconscious demigod, his eyes narrowing. "A demigod can not inherit titles and domains from a titan."
Artemis bit back a chuckle, "You'll find that when it comes to Perseus Jackson, nothing is impossible." She looked down and the ichor dripping from her shoulder. She wasn't sure how long she would last without medical attention. Tiamat's roar broke her thoughts. Artemis turned her head to find the drakon lashing out at the hydras "Tiamat!" she shouted out, wincing in pain. The drakon backed down and looked to her. "Down girl." Tiamat whined but backed off the hydras.
The leader watched the drakon before looking at Artemis. "And what proof do we have to support your claim?" he asked gruffly.
Artemis nodded her head to Percy. "Check the weapon strapped to his back," she told them.
The leader snorted before gesturing to the warrior she had been fighting. The warrior immediately approached the demigod cautiously. He flipped Percy over and a golden glow pulsed from his form. The warrior turned to his leader and nodded.
The leader growled and marched off to the Phlegethon out of Artemis' vision. The goddess tried to sit up but was unable to move without pain shooting through her body. A hand gripped the sword in her shoulder and violently ripped it out. Artemis let lose a scream of pain. Suddenly, her nerves were set on fire as a liquid was poured into her wound. Stars danced in her vision as the heat slowly knitted the gaping wound back together. The pain slowly dulled as the wound healed before finally, her skin was good as new with just a hint of pink.
A rough, clawed hand gripped her freshly healed should and lifted her to her feet, bringing her face to face with the monstrous wolf who had healed her. His single amber eye glaring at her and his long snout shoved in her face. "We will bring you to the Warmaster and let him decide your fate," he growled before letting her go. "You may call me Ba'rac, and we," he gestured to the other soldiers. "are the Iron Demons."