They won.

His body drifted aimlessly through the vast expanse of space, the destination unknown and irrelevant. Mori's pants were little more than rags, barely clinging to his battered frame, and his shoes had long since disintegrated, lost to the void. His dragon armour still withstood all of Mubong's attacks without a single scratch.

Blood seeped from countless wounds, the crimson droplets escaping into the weightlessness, forming a macabre halo around him. The bleeding didn't stop, his life force mingling with the emptiness of space, leaving a trail of red in the dark, endless void. His body, though ravaged and broken, continued to drift, the silence of the cosmos offering no solace. There was no gravity to pull him down, no air to fill his lungs—just the infinite stretch of nothingness, indifferent to his suffering.

Every heartbeat echoed in the silence, slow and laboured, pushing more blood from his wounds, yet he felt no pain. Perhaps he was too numb, or maybe pain simply had no meaning in the void. His mind floated on the edge of consciousness, teetering between awareness and oblivion.

He didn't know where he was headed, but at this point, he wasn't sure if it mattered anymore. All he knew was that he was alone, his broken body a mere speck in the infinite darkness, his blood the only sign that he had ever existed at all.

Park Mubong was finally defeated. As the last fragment of him crumbled away, the universe seemed to collapse into a profound silence. The endless years of fighting and the countless deaths had all led to this moment. He was so tired. Slowly, he began to fall, his body drifting towards the centre of the universe, where a black hole awaited him. Of course, he thought with a weary resignation. I couldn't die anyway.

Time seemed to bend around him as he fell.I hope Miwa and Daewi made it away safely.Finally, the all-encompassing black swallowed him.

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.

They all sat outside under the stars. The campfires had spits over them, laden with sausages, rabbits, and chicken. An extra early breakfast, Thalia said. Percy was still troubled about Annabeth. Why did she jump? Thalia and he could've handled themselves. Grover was just as worried as he was; the hunters, well, they didn't know what they were thinking. They sat away from the boys. Thalia was in one of her stormy moods.

They even lost Bianca to the Hunt. The mission was an utter disaster. Dawn was slowly approaching. The sun crested over the top of the trees, illuminating the sky; dawn was approaching. Or was it?

"Grover, is the sun rising up, or is it something else? He glanced at the horizon.

"I don't think it's-

The sky cracked. The whole camp rose as one. Bows were drawn, and weapons were handled. Artemis appeared next to him in a flash of silver.

The sky made a noise like shattering glass, its hues turning to that of a rainbow.

"Hunters, on me!" All the hunters converged on Lady Artemis in a storm of silver.

Percy's heart pounded as he stared at the horizon, where the sky seemed to be fracturing like a mirror struck by a hammer. The cracks spidered outwards, radiating an unnatural light that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Large shards fell down to the earth at a snail's pace. It reminded Percy of an upside-down volcano, its top bursting off from pressure.

Artemis stood tall, her silver bow in hand, her eyes narrowed as she assessed the growing rift in the sky. The hunters moved with practised ease, forming a protective ring around their goddess. Thalia was at Percy's side in an instant, spear crackling with electricity, her eyes wide but determined. Grover slowly stood up, his body shaking like a leaf.

"What is that?" Percy breathed, gripping Riptide tightly. The blade felt reassuring in his hand, but he had never faced anything like this before. A sucking noise emitted from the sky, like it was trying to draw in everything around them. The sound grew louder, more insistent, as if the very air were being pulled into the cracks in the sky.

Artemis didn't answer right away. Her gaze was fixed on the sky, on the blackness that was spreading from the cracks like ink seeping into water. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and tense. "Something has crossed into our world. Something… old."

Then, out of the darkness, a figure began to emerge, descending slowly from the fractured sky. His breath quickened as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but the sight defied all logic. The figure was not just another monster or a god—it was something far more terrifying.

The noise suddenly stopped. A small black figure fell in slow motion from the fissure. The birds that tried to fly away from the commotion froze in place in the presence of the figure.

Artemis aimed her bow at the being. It was too far for a mortal to shoot, but she was a goddess. The bow twanged as the arrow let loose. It turned into a silver-grey streak in the sky before slowing down, grinding to a halt in front of the figure.

The sky seemed to warp around the figure, like reality itself was bending to his will. Then, without warning, the figure yanked downward, free from the pull of the sky. It plummeted toward the earth with terrifying speed, the wind whipping around its form.

The resounding boom from the crash landing was almost immediately followed by a plume of dust, rocks, and branches. Artemis and her crew crept forward into the cloud of dust. The other demigods, himself included, went in after them.

The dust continued to linger in the air, transforming the forest into an otherworldly landscape. The trees stood like shadowy sentinels, their outlines blurred by the settling haze. The faint glow of dawn was barely visible through the thick canopy, casting a muted light over the scene. Thalia's electric spear glowed in the dimness, crackling with residual energy as she held it tightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of caution and anticipation.

Everything was quiet, almost unnaturally so, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. The goddess broke into the clearing first, and the others followed suit. What they saw... was unexplainable.

.

.

.

Artemis was unsure of what to do with the man that was before her. Never in her thousands of years of life had she seen something like this. The sky breaking and time freezing for her arrows, now that, was something more ancient than she was.

What she didn't expect to see was a man in the crater, with a mane of stark-white hair, drenched in his own blood and littered with wounds. On his side was a large gash, likely a blade that was used to run him through but failed. A large crown floated above his head, suspended in the air, slowly shifting colours.

In his hands, he held a thick, grey pole that he used to steady himself as he rose. A gourd also hung from his side, attached to his tiger's pelt.

How is he still alive? she thought. Her bow had fallen slightly in shock. But she quickly righted it by pointing it towards the man. The man in the crater staggered to his feet, the grey pole digging into the ground as he used it for support. His movements were slow, painful, but deliberate. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling beneath him, but his gaze remained unfocused, lost in some distant thought.

The demigods held their positions, their breaths shallow as they observed the stranger. Despite his weakened state, his presence distorted the very world around him, an untamed power that sent a shiver down Artemis's spine. Even Zeus himself had never cast such a shadow like the man. She wondered how the demigods felt.

The crown above his head continued its ethereal dance, shifting from deep crimson to a ghostly white, then to a shade of gold that seemed to flicker like flames.

His eyes lazily lifted, surveying the people in his surroundings. When his gaze landed on her, Artemis felt a chill run through her veins, as if the man could see straight into her soul. His eyes, sharp and ancient, held a depth that spoke of countless battles fought.

For a moment, neither moved. The world around them seemed to hold its breath, the other demigods forgotten in the intensity of that shared glance. Artemis tightened her grip on her bow, instincts screaming at her to act and defend herself, but she was rooted to the spot and held captive by the stranger's piercing stare.

The man's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile, one that held no malice yet was far from reassuring. He seemed to recognize something in her, something that made his smile deepen, but before she could decipher its meaning, he started to laugh. A deep resonating sound echoed through the crater, carrying a mix of amusement and bitter irony.

The laughter was unsettling, filling the air with a strange energy that made the demigods shift uneasily. It was as if he found something profoundly absurd in the situation, something only he could understand.

Grover let out a small whimperthat was quickly noticed by the man.

"Well, that is something I've never seen before." Before she could say any words, he was already in front of the satyr. His feet never graced the ground with his touch, hovering just above the earth as if the very laws of nature bent to his will.

She quickly flashed in front of the goat, making sure he was out of harm's way. But he quickly passed out. His eyes, she thought. There was nothing else like it. A golden crosshair sat as his pupils with a deep, red sclera. His irises expanded and shrunk, focusing on her face.

"Who are you?" Artemis demanded, her voice steady despite the rising fear clawing at her insides. She stood her ground, her bow now fully drawn, the arrow aimed directly at the man's heart. Her Huntresses formed a protective semicircle around her, their own weapons ready, though the tremor in their hands betrayed their nerves.

"I am now the harbinger of destruction and giver of life, Artemis. But if you must call me something… I am the Monkey King."

The man tilted his head slightly, his unsettling eyes narrowing as he studied her. The golden crosshairs in his pupils seemed to focus with terrifying precision like he could see straight through her. How she knew her name, she never knew. Not once was it mentioned.

He seemed to think for a moment, before continuing. "I thought I killed all of you," he stated. The other demigods slowly backed away. Her Hunt stayed resilient, loyal to their last breath. "I saw to the death of each of you personally." The forest held its breath, waiting for its king to give it leave to breathe.

"Erased?" she echoed, her voice sharp and clear as it rang throughout the clearing. "The gods are eternal. You speak of impossibilities."

He let out a harsh, humourless laugh, the sound more like a growl. "Eternal? Perhaps. But even eternity can be cut short." His eyes flicked briefly to Grover, now unconscious on the ground, before returning to her. "I've seen it done. And I did it with my own hands."

A chill ran down Artemis's spine, but she refused to let it show. She had faced countless threats and had fought beside her father, Zeus, in the most brutal of wars. But there was something about this man—something ancient and monstrous—that set him apart from any enemy she had ever encountered.

"You lie," she spat, but the doubt had already started to creep in. "If you were what you claim, we would not stand before you now."

He took a slow step forward, his presence almost suffocating as he closed the distance between them. Her Huntresses stiffened, ready to strike, but a subtle gesture from Artemis held them back. The man paused, a smirk playing at the corners of his bloodied lips.

"Believe what you wish," he said, his voice now almost a whisper. "But the truth is written in blood, goddess. Yours, theirs, and mine."

He extended a hand, palm up as if inviting her to look closer. A small unassuming book appeared in his palm. its worn cover etched with ancient symbols that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. The book opened on its own, the pages flicking rapidly, as if driven by an unseen force, before halting abruptly on a single page.

Artemis's eyes were drawn to the page, her breath catching in her throat as she saw what was written there. Her name, inscribed in elegant, flowing script, stood out starkly against the faded parchment. The letters glowed faintly, as though imbued with some ancient, unfathomable power.

A cold dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she realized what she was looking at—the Book of Life. The very essence of existence, a record of every being's fate, was held within those pages. And now, it was showing her the truth she had never wanted to confront.

As the Monkey King stepped closer, the weight of the book seemed to press down on her, an invisible force that made her legs tremble. She could feel it—every inch of her body, every nerve, every muscle—coming alive with an agonizing clarity. The closer he got, the more intense the sensation became, as if the book was pulling at the very threads of her being.

Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat a hammer against her ribcage. Her breath grew shallow, her skin prickling with a thousand tiny needles. It was as if the book was unravelling her, making her acutely aware of every part of herself, from the smallest hair on her head to the marrow in her bones.

The Monkey King's eyes never left hers, the golden crosshairs in his pupils narrowing as he closed the distance between them. The red sclera surrounding them seemed to deepen as if reflecting the ichor that now pounded in her ears. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, and yet she couldn't look away from the book, from her name, glowing brighter with each step he took.

Her fingers twitched involuntarily, the bow slipping from her grasp as the sensation spread, creeping up her spine and settling in her chest like a cold, heavy stone. She could feel her life, her essence, being drawn into the book. Artemis watched as new words formed on the page documenting her very existence in real-time, binding her to the pages.

"Do you feel it?" he murmured, "The weight of your life, written in this book? Every moment, every decision, every breath you've ever taken… all recorded, all known."

The Monkey King took another step closer, and the sensation intensified, her muscles seizing, her vision blurring at the edges. The book hovered just inches from her face now, its power pulling at her like a magnet, forcing her to confront the reality she had never considered.

"What… what are you doing to me?" she managed to gasp, her voice barely a whisper.

He smiled again, that same enigmatic curve of the lips, but this time it was laced with something darker—pity, or perhaps a twisted sense of justice. His sharp canines flashed white in the early dawn. "I'm showing you the truth, Artemis. The truth of who you are, and what you will become. No one escapes their fate, not even a goddess."

The book's pages shimmered, the ink shifting and swirling as new lines appeared beneath her name. She felt a sharp pain in her heart, like a dagger had been plunged into her heart, and she gasped, doubling over as the sensation threatened to overwhelm her.

The King's staff thinned and extended out, gently lifting her chin, and forcing her to look up at him. "This is what it means to be mortal," he whispered, his voice almost tender. "To feel every part of yourself, to know that one day, it will all end. But until then, you must carry the weight of your life… and the knowledge that it is already written."

The Monkey King stepped back, releasing her from his grasp. The book snapped shut, the oppressive weight lifting from her chest, but the mark it had left on her soul remained. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath, the cold dread still lingering in her veins.

"Remember this moment, Artemis," he said, his voice now distant, as though he were already fading from her reality. "For it is the beginning of the end. And when the time comes, you will know that it was always meant to be."

He had vanished. The other demigods were stock still in fear but attempted to help the Lady but she refused.

"Apollo!"

Dawn had risen by now, he should hear her well enough. The man appeared in a flash of gold and flame.

"Apollo the Gallant has appeared to... " He came to a stop as he noticed the odd situation.

"Quickly, bring us to Olympus." Artemis's voice wavered and shook. "We need to call for a council meeting, The Creator walked among us."