Hello and welcome back to Under the Silver Moon
-Reviewing the Reviews-
-God of Spyder-
Wow, I absolutely love your enthusiasm and all the theories you're throwing out there! You're picking up on some really interesting details, and I'm so glad you're enjoying the gods being more active in the story. Artemis' reaction was definitely a moment of shock, but I love the idea of her developing an overprotective streak—Percy's going to have his hands full if that happens!
As for the portal… well, let's just say Kronos is always playing the long game. Whether Percy was a pawn in something bigger or if there's another twist coming, you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks again for your excitement and support—it makes writing this story even more fun! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the next chapter!
- Juliasimon77-
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it and that it kept you engaged throughout. I had a lot of fun crafting this story, and there were definitely some key inspirations behind certain choices. I'd love to share some behind-the-scenes details—feel free to ask about anything specific! Thanks again for your support, it truly means a lot!
Chapter 51: A Battle for the Soul
Percy's Point of View
Darkness.
It wrapped around him like an ocean trench, deep and endless. He couldn't tell if he was floating or sinking—maybe both. The pain that had once burned through his body was distant now, fading into numbness.
Then, a voice. Deep, commanding.
"Not yet."
The void around him trembled. Percy tried to move, but his limbs were sluggish, unresponsive. It was like he wasn't even in his body anymore.
Then another voice, colder. Final.
"He is slipping."
The darkness coiled tighter. He felt himself being pulled, drawn downward, away from whatever thread was barely holding him to the world of the living.
Then—
A surge of power.
Something wrapped around him—not shadows, but something fluid, something strong. Water. It surged through his being, filling the cracks, forcing life back into his fading soul.
A third voice. Gentle. Warm.
But not directed at him.
"Stay strong, child."
And then the world shattered.
Apollo's Palace – Artemis's Point of View
Percy's body was deathly still, his breathing faint, almost nonexistent. The faint glow of Apollo's healing power flickered over the gaping wound in his torso, but it wasn't working.
Artemis knelt beside him, gripping his wrist. His pulse was slipping—weak, unsteady. Too close to gone.
Her heart pounded. She had seen warriors die before. She had watched countless heroes fall. But this—this was different.
This was Percy.
And he was dying.
Apollo's jaw tightened as his hands pressed against Percy's chest, but even the god of healing was struggling. "I—I can't hold him."
Poseidon suddenly stepped forward, eyes dark with fury and desperation.
"No."
He knelt beside his son, his hands hovering over the wound. With a deep breath, Poseidon called upon the sea.
A sphere of glowing, ethereal water formed in the air above them. It pulsed, humming with power, before Poseidon forced it downward—into Percy.
The water surged through his son's body, snaking through his veins, closing wounds from the inside out. The moment it entered him, Percy's body convulsed violently, but his breathing didn't steady.
Because something was still pulling him away.
"He's still leaving," Apollo muttered, panic creeping into his voice.
The temperature in the room plummeted.
Hades stepped forward, black robes billowing, his expression unreadable. He extended a single, pale hand toward Percy's chest. Shadows slithered from his fingertips, wrapping around Percy's form.
Artemis sucked in a sharp breath. "What are you—"
"I am keeping him here," Hades said darkly.
The room trembled as his power took hold, sinking into Percy's very being. The shadows did not choke, did not consume—but anchored.
Hades' power was binding Percy's soul to his body, stopping it from slipping into the Underworld.
For a long moment, there was only silence. The swirling mixture of Poseidon's divine water and Hades' anchoring shadows raged within Percy's body, two opposing forces both working to keep him alive.
But Percy's body was still weak. His skin was too pale. The gods could only do so much.
And Artemis felt helpless.
Her hands curled into fists, her breathing shallow. She had never felt fear like this before—never felt this kind of desperation.
Then, warmth.
A hand rested gently on her shoulder.
Artemis looked up to see Hestia, her soft, warm eyes full of understanding. The goddess knelt beside her, offering no words, only comfort.
"You cannot heal him," Hestia murmured. "You cannot fight this battle."
Artemis clenched her jaw. "I should be able to."
Hestia simply shook her head. "You love him."
The words cut deep, but Artemis didn't deny them. She couldn't.
Hestia gave her a knowing smile. "Then trust them."
Artemis exhaled shakily, looking back down at Percy. His body still shuddered under the sheer force of divine power, but there was something different now.
A pulse.
A flicker of strength.
Poseidon gritted his teeth and pushed harder, pouring more energy into his son.
Hades' shadows coiled tighter, refusing to let go.
And then—
Percy gasped.
His body lurched violently, his eyes snapping open, glowing with an unnatural, stormy blue light. A shockwave of power erupted from his form, sending ripples through the room.
Artemis barely had time to react before Percy collapsed back onto the bed, unconscious.
Silence.
Then Poseidon let out a breath, his shoulders sagging. "He's alive."
Hades withdrew his hand, shadows retreating. "For now."
Apollo pressed two fingers to Percy's neck. After a long moment, he nodded. "His pulse is weak, but steady."
Artemis barely heard the words. Her hands trembled as she reached out, brushing a strand of dark hair from Percy's forehead. He was still too pale, still too fragile.
But he was breathing.
A soft warmth enveloped her once more. Hestia.
She didn't speak—didn't need to. Her presence alone was enough to keep Artemis from spiraling further into fear.
For now, Percy was here.
And for now, that was enough.
Then—Poseidon swayed on his feet.
His sea-green eyes flickered with exhaustion before he collapsed onto the ground, his body limp.
Apollo barely had time to turn before he, too, dropped, his golden aura dimming as his power left him.
Hades staggered back, his face contorted in exhaustion. "Damn it," he muttered before his legs gave out, and he crumpled to the floor.
Artemis' breath caught in her throat.
She turned to Hestia, who, despite looking concerned, remained steady. The goddess of the hearth exhaled softly and whispered, "They gave too much."
Artemis felt something tighten in her chest. Even gods had limits, and Poseidon, Apollo, and Hades had just poured nearly everything they had into keeping Percy alive.
She looked between the three fallen gods—one of them her brother—and then back at Percy. His breathing was still ragged, his face still lined with pain, but he was here.
Hestia knelt beside Artemis again, this time speaking softly.
"Now, we wait."