Chapter 3

Artemis PoV ~ a few months Later:

A frenzy of thoughts raced through my mind as I paced through my palace, the artificial breeze blowing through my red hair like flames. My heart thundered in my chest as I considered the consequences of my actions. Hera's plan to abduct Percy Jackson and throw him into the clutches of Lupa and her wolves had crossed a line. The Queen of the Gods had gone too far this time, meddling with a hero who was not only Hestia's champion, but also someone I considered a friend.

But I couldn't openly interfere. I knew Zeus would be watching, waiting for any excuse to punish me.

With a flick of my hand, I summoned an Iris Message, praying that Thalia would answer. I couldn't reveal everything to her - just enough to nudge her and the Hunters in the right direction. I trusted Thalia's fierce loyalty and sharp instincts to guide her.

Thalia appeared on the misty screen among the other Hunters, her expression quickly turning from surprise to concern when she saw the urgency in my eyes. "My Lady, where have you been!?"

I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me as I spoke. "Thalia, listen carefully. Percy Jackson has been kidnapped by Hera. He's headed west, but I can't say where or why. It's up to you and the Hunters now."

Thalia's face twisted with anger, mirroring my own feelings. "West? Do you know anything else?"

I bit my lip, knowing that revealing too much would put them all in danger. "I can't say more. But I trust you, Thalia. The hunt is in your hands now. Olympus is shut down, so this will be our last contact directly."

Determination blazed in Thalia's electric blue eyes as she stood tall and resolute. "We'll find him."

With a heavy heart, I nodded, hoping that they would succeed where I couldn't. "Go quickly and be careful. My father must not find out about this."

As the mist dissipated, I was left with only my thoughts and the lingering scent of pine. I could only pray that Thalia and the Hunters would reach Percy before it was too late.

Artemis PoV:

I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't revel in the violence and danger that surrounds him, but I can't help it. Not when Percy Jackson, my friend and Hestia's champion, is fighting for his life.

He hasn't seen me, of course. The veil of divinity separates our worlds and shields him from sensing my presence as I flicker between forms - now Artemis, now Diana. His very existence unsettles the balance between these forms, and with each shift, I feel myself becoming more entwined with him. He may be claimed by the Greeks, but standing here on Roman territory, his dual heritage calls to mine.

Watching him like this, vulnerable yet unyielding, feels almost sacred. Every breath he takes, every twitch of his muscles as he wakes in the Wolf House, stirs something primal within me. Percy Jackson is no mere mortal hero. His resilience and unwavering determination in the face of adversity is a force unlike any other.

As he makes his way west, seeking supplies in a roadside store, exhaustion etches lines into his face. But his eyes still burn with that same fierce determination. He has no memory of me or the years I've spent watching over him silently. Instead, one name lingers on his mind - Annabeth. Even with his memories shattered, she remains his anchor. I can no longer deny my annoyance nor the reason for it., I envy the daughter of Athena, not jealous but envy. Much to my embarrassment and shame I cant help but feel I deserve what she has with him.

But soon enough, the Gorgons find him. Stheno and Euryale descend upon him with their twisted laughter and torturous ways, determined to break him once again. Yet Percy fights back with all the ferocity that has always set him apart. Each strike of Riptide tears through the Gorgons' forms, but they keep reforming again and again.

I witness it all - his relentless battle against impossible odds, the divine power just beneath his mortal skin. Even as exhaustion threatens to consume him, he never gives in to despair. There is something primal in that determination - a resilience that carries him through every fight, every challenge. He will survive. He always does.

Days bleed into each other, a never-ending cycle of combat and flight. But finally, the city of New Rome comes into view. My heart clenches as he approaches the River Tiber. This is the moment I've been dreading - when his curse of Achilles, the very thing that has protected him for so long, will unravel at the touch of those waters.

And yet, I can't look away.

The Gorgons scorned him one final time as he stepped into the river, their cackles of amusement reverberating through the water. But Percy, with steadfast resolve, plunged them into the current with fists made of water, using the strength of the river to disperse their essence forever. He had emerged victorious, but at a great cost. I could feel it—the curse disintegrating as the Little Tiber stripped away his protection, leaving him exposed and mortal.

He was unaware of what he had just sacrificed and I mourned it silently. Now, he was more vulnerable than ever before, and yet...he did not waver. That same primal power coursed through him as he crossed into Camp Jupiter, oblivious to the magnitude of what had taken place.

I continued to follow him, unseen, shifting between my forms as Artemis and Diana. His presence here at the Roman camp called to both sides of my identity, tugging at the edges of my divine being. He joined the 5th cohort, and though he was Greek at heart, Percy dominated in the war games with a skill and leadership that inspired even the most hardened of Roman legionnaires.

He had no memories of me—of all the times I had observed him, protected him, of our friendship and what it meant to me. How he freed my mother and saved me from the burden of the sky—but I would keep watching. There was something sacred in witnessing his journey, even from a distance. Despite the loss of his Achilles' curse, Percy Jackson remained extraordinary.

He would endure. He always did.

Artemis POV ~ A few months later:

Stupid brother, stupid legacy, and stupid father! I'm stuck here while my Hunters become the prey of that bastard son of Poseidon. While my friend is stuck in another war, this time without divine assistance. Foolish is not the word I'd use, rather madness!

As I finish watching Thalia and my other girls I move my sight to the Seven and…. And Perseus. No, Percy, he prefers Percy. As I look to him my heart shudders, he and the blonde are hanging over an abyss…no the abyss, they hang over Tartarus!

"Let go of her fool!" I yell aloud, in my fear I forget my brother is right next to me.

"Why are we yelling!" Apollo yells right backat me, before he looks to where I am staring. His palar goes snow white, "Oh dude, not cool!" He yells, and his voice looses all playfulness and for the first time in awhile he is 100% serious.

As I watch I also hear, and the words I hear both make me desire the foolish man and hate him in equal parts. That idiot girl has no idea what she has.

"Never leaving you again wise girl" he says, as he lets go and plummets out of my life, out of existence. He falls to damnation, and all for love. For his unwavering loyalty and I can't help but long for him even more. Yet it matters not, no mortal returns from the pit. You don't escape Tartarus.

Percy POV:

Tartarus. A realm of suffering and despair, and right now, the embodiment of suffering stood before me—Akhlys. The air was thick with her presence, dark and ragged, barely visible through the swirling fog of misery and poison that clung to everything. Annabeth was at my side, and my heart was pounding, from fear, from the weight of this cursed place, and from the cruel opponent we now faced.

Akhlys grinned, her sunken face twisted into a grotesque smile. "I can feel your pain," she rasped, her voice dripping with malice. "And I will drown you in it."

I tensed as the venom she summoned coated my skin, burning like ice-cold fire, threatening to consume me from within. I felt so heavy, weighed down by the tears she seemed to rip straight from my soul. But I refused to give in. Not here. Not now.

I gathered every ounce of strength I had, focusing on the poison she'd unleashed, trying to turn it back on her. My connection to the sea surged, and suddenly, I could feel the venom change, transforming into something I could control. I twisted it, using it to bind her in chains of water, tightening around her frail figure.

"Percy, stop!" Annabeth's voice cut through the chaos, pleading. "We don't have to do this! We can find another way—"

"No." My voice came out cold, lifeless, sharper than steel. I didn't even look at her. My eyes were fixed on Akhlys as she struggled against the restraints. "She wants to drown in tears? Then so be it."

With a final surge of power, I sent all of Akhlys' poison and tears crashing down on her, a torrent so strong it drowned out her screams. I dragged her toward the edge of Tartarus, to the gaping maw of Chaos below. The void waited.

Annabeth reached out to me, her voice desperate, but for the first time, I could feel her fear. Real fear. Fear of me. And that twisted something inside her, sowed doubt and hatred in a place that had already begun to bring out the worst in both of us. But I had made my decision, and I wasn't going to stop.

Akhlys' form contorted in agony as I tightened my grip, and with one swift motion, I threw her over the edge. Her shrieks echoed as she disappeared into the abyss, swallowed by the darkness of Chaos, her cries fading into nothingness.

And then, silence. It was over. I collapsed to my knees, shaking, barely holding myself together. I'd done what needed to be done, but… at what cost?

Anabeth POV:

The very air of Tartarus seemed to seep into my bones, pulling at my soul and twisting it into something unrecognizable. But what was even worse was watching it happen to Percy.

Ever since he tossed Akhlys into oblivion, something inside me had shifted. I tried to ignore it at first, blaming the darkness and despair that surrounded us. But a voice in my head kept whispering mercilessly, telling me the truth: He enjoyed her pain.

Glancing at him out of the corner of my eye as we trudged on in oppressive silence, I couldn't bring myself to speak. Fear and mistrust choked my words, suffocating any attempt at communication.

What if he's turning into a monster? the voice taunted. What if you're next?

I shook my head, trying to push away the doubts and fears creeping in. But they were relentless, like they knew exactly where to strike to cause the most damage. And I blamed Percy for it all. For what we'd become. For where we were. For what he'd done to Akhlys.

And for the first time, I was afraid of him.

After yet another failed attempt at conversation, I finally snapped.

"We were given passage through the mansion of night by its mistress herself because you impressed her!" I hissed, venom lacing each word. "And you refuse to acknowledge your wrongdoing. You won't promise me it won't happen again!"

He stared at me, taken aback by my outburst, but I didn't stop.

"You're changing...you're becoming..." I struggled to find the right words to convey my fear and disgust.

"I have nothing to apologize for," he retorted coldly, his voice dripping with the determination that used to fill me with such unending love. "And I won't hold myself back from doing whatever it takes to save you and any one else I love. If that means crossing a line, so be it."

His words burned with anger and a resolve I knew I couldn't break, he was just like his father, to stubborn to proud to listen to someone who knows whats best for him. Worse of all, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was becoming something monstrous.

"Do you even realize what you're becoming?" I choked out, my voice trembling with emotion. "You enjoyed her pain, Percy. I don't know who you are anymore. I can't trust you. I don't feel safe with you..."

The air seemed to still as my words hung between us like a physical barrier. I saw the way they struck him, piercing his heart like a dagger. A single tear rolled down his cheek, but he remained silent, his unreadable expression betraying nothing.

And in that moment, I wasn't sure if we would ever be able to find our way back to each other again.

Percy's POV

I'll get her out of here no matter what. No matter the cost to me or anyone else. She can hate me. Because if she hates me… at least she's alive.

Percy's POV ~ Escape

We have been running for what feels like an eternity, our bodies pushed to the brink of exhaustion. Annabeth's once bright and determined eyes are now dark and hollow, refusing to even glance in my direction. But survival is all that matters in this place, and thanks to Bob, we may actually have a chance. As we approach the doors, it becomes clear that it's time to formulate a plan. But my usuall reliance on using Annabeths mind is failing me, leaving me to rely on my own instincts as I take in Annabeth's despondency. This place has taken its toll on her much more than me.

"Are you certain the monsters won't see us, Bob?" I ask, desperate for reassurance.

"Yes, Percy friend. The death mist will conceal you. Just stay close," Bob replies calmly.

We inch closer to the doors, with the monsters parting ways for the titan among us. Hyperion and Krios stand guard at the doors, their conversation filled with talk of betrayal and patricide. Bob shifts uncomfortably, clearly regretting his involvement in such treacherous acts. Just as I am about to slice one of the chains holding the doors shut, I hear one of the Titans boast about being the true rulers and how they can't wait to leave this "stinking pit". And then it happens.

A deafening roar erupts from within the doors as the Titan brothers are obliterated before our eyes. The death mist dissipates around me as I realize we could be seen now.

"STINKING PIT EH"

The air in Tartarus became suffocating, thick with malice and despair. The darkness split open, and from its depths, he emerged—Tartarus himself. My heart slammed against my chest, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Riptide slipped from my grip, clattering uselessly to the ground. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. For the first time, my courage failed me.

"Get to the elevator!" Bob's voice boomed through the void, fierce and commanding. He charged at Tartarus, his silver eyes blazing with determination, spear raised high. Even as he fought the primordial force, I stood frozen, staring at the embodiment of torment and damnation itself. How was I supposed to fight that?

I snapped out of my daze when I felt a tug on my arm. Annabeth. Her stormy gray eyes locked onto mine, and I saw something—a spark I hadn't seen since we fell into this hellhole. I grabbed her hand, and we turned toward the elevator, "You go, I'll hold the doo…' but before we could move, the ground shook violently beneath us.

A deafening roar echoed through the abyss, and I saw the monsters at the rear of the horde scattering, fleeing for their lives. I didn't know why but what I did know was that Tartarus had just shattered Bob's spear with a single swipe. The impact rang out like a thunderclap. Tartarus raised his hand, ready to finish Bob off.

'No.' I thought as rage seethed within me.

I felt something deep inside me, something primal and furious. It roared in my chest, surging up like an ocean ready to break free. Instinctively, I reached out with my senses, feeling the rivers of the Underworld flowing through Tartarus. They resisted me, pulling away like I wasn't worthy, but I pushed back. Hard. I could feel the ancient and powerful Naiads recoil at the action. They're his blood, I thought savagely as I wrestled with the rivers. My will clashed with theirs, but I refused to back down.

Finally, they bent to me.

I screamed, and the very ground shook beneath us. The rivers—Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Styx, and Lethe—answered my call. The son of the Earthshaker will shake Tartarus to his knees.

I hurled them at Tartarus. Acheron, the river of woe, wrapped him in sorrow so deep it suffocated. Cocytus drenched him in grief, drowning him in misery. Phlegethon's flames roared to life, scorching his form. Styx, the river of unbreakable oaths, struck him with a force that cracked even his ancient essence. Lethe clouded his mind, weakening him, erasing memories so ancient they predated most of creation.

Tartarus staggered. He wasn't beaten, but he was hurt.

That was when Damasen appeared, his massive form charging at Tartarus. The giant collided with him, and for a moment, I dared to hope. Bob, broken spear in hand, pushed himself to his feet and limped towards us,. I had bought us time, but not much.

"You must leave now, friends." Bob said sadly, but a smile was upon his face, shining like a million stars on a cloudless night.

"We won't leave you!" Annabeth and I yelled together. We couldn't leave him. Not Bob.

"You must, friends," Bob said softly, his eyes filled with something… peaceful. He planted the broken spear into the ground and raised his hand to stop us from arguing.

"Tell the stars hello," Bob said, a sad smile on his face as he gently nudged me into the elevator beside Annabeth. He pressed the button, and the doors slid shut.

"No!" I yelled, slamming my fists against the doors, but it was too late. The elevator ascended, carrying us away from Bob, from Tartarus, from the battle.

Annabeth was sobbing beside me, her whole body shaking. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words stuck in my throat. I squeezed her hand tightly, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

We were leaving behind the only friend who had sacrificed everything to get us out of that hell.