Of all the things the day could still bring, Percy hadn't expected that he would be pulled into a dream. He had expected to maybe get woken up by Triton if his half-brother was in the mood for some mischief or maybe be awoken by his dad for a family get together without minor gods. Maybe also Artemis because the goddess was very clearly still struggling with being underwater, not that he could blame her and laying down was…difficult.

Still, when he fell asleep and felt the familiar pull from his soul leaving his body, he knew he was in for a long night. Now that he thought about it, was he technically dead during demigod dreams? His soul literally left his body after all…

Percy had to mentally slap himself back into focus, the world around him still white and empty. Shouldn't his dream be here by now? But he should still pay attention…

As he was thinking to himself, another figure materialised next to him and after a moment he recognised Artemis. Her presence here was fairly concerning too since Percy was decently sure that gods didn't just dream or even sleep so her being pulled here either meant that Void wanted to talk to them or…they were in trouble.

To his relief and maybe also luck, it was the former as the ancient being appeared just moments later, before Percy and Artemis even had the chance to talk to each other. "Sorry for the rather rude invitation but I cannot reach you while you are awake when you are with Poseidon and I needed a word with you before…things happen."

It was a little annoying that Void was still keeping some things intentionally vague but Percy by now also understood that telling someone the future would change it so not knowing probably meant that what was to come was at least bearable, maybe good. He didn't want to change that. "It's fine…just a little surprising."

Artemis next to him said nothing and when Percy looked over at her, she was floating upside down and spinning around herself. Only a moment later when she noticed the look he was giving her did she stop and orient herself normally again. "I'm sorry, I have not felt this sensation in millennia so I was curious of what I could do. While I'm also not too happy about how we got here, I understand that our circumstances are difficult to work around."

If he didn't know any better, he would say that Artemis was a little embarrassed. They couldn't blush since they were only souls right now but she seemed abashed right now, her cat-like curiosity clearly something she didn't intend to show anyone. Honestly, even if he hated the sentiment, it was cute.

He wasn't the only one who noticed Artemis' unusual behaviour either as Void nodded and raised both his hands in a pacifying manner to calm her. "I'm glad you both understand. In that case, Percy, you still have a choice to make…which spring will you aim for?"

For a moment Artemis was back to looking confused, her focus darting between the two of them until it was clarified right after. "I don't think we'll be able to do anything about the Egyptian sea of chaos…I spoke to Saddie and she sounded pretty convinced that we wouldn't even make it there, not to mention get back out."

"So Norse then? Don't rush this decision and think it through carefully…" Void's voice was calm and genuinely caring as the old god wanted him to really be sure but Percy was. No matter how difficult it would be to reach the roots of the world tree, what he had heard from Saddie about the sea of chaos simply made it an impossible destination to reach for non-magicians which Percy just so happened to be. "I'm certain."

He nodded his head too, just for good measure and as he looked back up, Void was judging his resolve through a hard look. "In that case so be it. You will receive a quest and prophecy to earn my help and find your way to Hvergelmir where I will help you attain the power necessary to vanquish Tartarus. Then for the both of you, how much do you know about the Norse pantheon?"

That question did get Percy into a slightly embarrassed state. He didn't know much about them at all. "Well, there is Asgard and giants and Loki…Ragnarok happens when Surtr puts on his helmet and ignites it?"

Now it was Percy's turn to be a deer caught in headlights as not just Void but also Artemis were sceptically looking at him. "You know, Percy, while the movies are good, they really aren't all that accurate to the mythology…what about you, Artemis?"

Well, he probably could have guessed that a Hollywood movie wouldn't mirror ancient myths but it was the only thing he ever saw that actually told Norse stories. In his defence though, Artemis seemed to not know that much more either. "Well, I know some of the gods, the factions…we had few interactions with the Norse gods so I know nothing detailed nor do I know their prophecies…"

"That's fine, I brought you here to tell you some basic stories in the first place. Since you'll be going to the deepest part of their pantheon, you won't be able to avoid encountering at least some Asgardians and Giants."

"Well…" Percy didn't know what to ask for, he didn't even know what most of the Norse myths entailed. Lucky for him though, Artemis knew a little more than he did. "Then tell us about Odin. If we encounter Asgard, we will encounter him as their king."

"Good thinking. Odin is someone you must be wary of at all times. He is the one that created the bridges between worlds and his strength is enough to rival that of Ouranos himself. Additionally, Odin is knowledgeable and cunning, able to manipulate as easily as he breathes. If he finds out that you are headed for Hvergelmir in particular, he will try to catch and interrogate you." Void looked up at them after finishing, probably to see a fair bit of confusion as he explained more right after. "There are three special springs at the world tree, each a container to knowledge and power. Odin has obtained both from two of the three springs by giving great sacrifice. Guess which spring he couldn't overcome…"

"He'd want to know our secret…" Artemis trailed off at the end while Percy nodded along. It made sense, he also wouldn't trust someone from another pantheon just taking stuff from his pantheon. At the same time though, if Odin was so knowledgeable, shouldn't he know their intentions.

"Odin rules the 9 worlds and he intends to keep it that way. He wouldn't bat an eye at any sacrifice needed for that. He was willing to risk his own brother's life for political gains, mortals won't even be a concern to him. If he views you as a threat, which he might do just based off the fact that your destination is Hvergelmir, then your journey will become much more difficult so try to evade his sight for as long as you possibly can."

Percy nodded numbly, annoyingly aware of how difficult that would be. He didn't know how Odin managed information but if he ruled the 9 realms he was probably pretty good at it. "Is he the only one we have to look out for?"

"Depends. If you still have the token I gave you, you can use that to get out of many situations. The ancient beings of the Norse pantheon remember me well enough to not try to needlessly fight me or someone sent by me. You should still try to avoid unnecessary encounters with giants and gods alike but the most dangerous ones will avoid you."

Void looked to be contemplating something for a moment before he continued. "When you climb the world tree, be careful of its…inhabitants. There is a giant squirrel running up and down the tree that will rip you apart if it finds you. The further down you go, the less cover you will have so be careful."

Percy just nodded in acceptance. A giant squirrel attacking you on a giant tree was less bizarre than a giant crab attacking you on a normal ocean and the latter had happened to him. His thoughts were racing and he had no doubt that Artemis wasn't much different next to him. Unlike him though, she seemed to think a little more thoroughly. "What if we do end up antagonising Odin? If battle breaks out between us and Asgard?"

"Then the earth will be destroyed. Odin is an ancient god from another world and his kin carries power comparable to titans and primordials. Odin himself killed the primordial ruling his home world. If battle breaks out, even if you manage to get the titans on your side, you would loose. If you ever meet Odin, then stay diplomatic. The same goes for other leaders of their pantheon, the likes of Thor. And very importantly: Odin's knowledge was obtained from fate itself by braving their tests. If you tell him of your plan, he will not believe you because I exist outside of fate and he cannot foresee me."

Comforting. So their pantheon was basically a toy to the elite of the Norse pantheon. Like they didn't have enough on their plate winning one war, now they had to worry about not causing a second, worse war. "Oh and one last thing, Percy, you will turn into a god once this is over so…be prepared and Artemis, it would probably be better if you taught him a little about how becoming a god and getting domains works."

Next to him the moon goddess nodded, stealing glances at him every once in a while. Did he forget to tell her this? She really didn't like being kept in the dark on things…just as he turned back to Void, the primordial started speaking again. "Percy, this will likely be the last time we meet with time to talk. When I help you grow your power that will also be the last time you will see me in your world. After that is done, I will leave and let fate mend itself back together. I will leave this place up for a little bit longer so you can talk to each other in private but I wanted to say my goodbyes before that. May you have a long and blessed life, Percy."

For a moment, Percy was shocked. Frozen in place he registered the words he had heard and then went back to register them again. Void had been with him for a few years now and he had guided and helped him more than anyone else ever had in his life outside of his very own mother. Being told that the being who he by now considered his friend and benefactor was going to leave the world forever was a hard thing to digest.

Even with Void having told him multiple times how his presence on earth or in the universe was unnatural and breaking the rules, Percy had assumed the all-powerful being would just continue showing up. He could, there was nothing stopping him other than…other than his own convictions. The day of their final goodbye was one that had to happen since the day they first met, even if Void was eternal.

Percy stood still for a bit, letting his thoughts race and his emotions run wild. Neither of the two deities interrupted him as he took his time before finally looking back at Void. "I understand…I'll see you again at the end."

It was a short goodbye but their inevitable reunion was what made it bearable. They were just saying goodbye for a long time, not forever. Now that he had repeated that, saying goodbye for a long time still sucked actually, though it was a necessary sacrifice. Void gave him a last smile and for once he didn't just disappear, he floated away, ascending upwards until he was out of sight entirely. As he had promised, the space they were in stayed open even after he left and after giving him a moment, Artemis decided to use the time they were given too.

"So…how do you feel?" He could tell that Artemis wanted to focus on the task at hand but he appreciated her still showing concern for him despite it. And frankly, he didn't feel like having any more serious conversations today about their incoming mission. "Well…alright, I guess. It's not like he never made it clear that he'd only be in this world temporarily…"

He really didn't have any good reason to be feeling down, Void had been clear about this happening eventually and it wasn't too weird for it to happen now. Yet he felt down anyway, something about saying goodbye just sucked, even if he knew it was coming. Percy flinched in surprise as Artemis laid her hand on his shoulder, clearly in an attempt to comfort him. "Don't feel too down…it may be something mortals say to grow hope but with Void it holds true that he will be watching over you still. Take your time coming to terms with it but don't forget that he's still with you and as are your friends and family."

Percy managed a small smile at that, not really feeling better but at least having a ray of light…or was it a better view on things? Either way, even if this ugly feeling of parting didn't just go away, being supported all the way through gave a positive counterweight to it. "Thanks, I needed that…by the way, you were spinning around earlier…do gods usually not dream?"

A small tinge of embarrassment returned to Artemis, clearly not happy being seen during that. "No…we rarely ever sleep, much less dream. It's…uncomfortable to enter the domain of other gods so easily, especially gods with questionable allegiance like Morpheus and Hypnos. Not to mention we have plenty of duties to take care of so we usually also lack the time to take naps."

She tried to keep things serious, answering in an almost monotone voice but that was also what gave away her defensive stance as Artemis almost never kept emotions out of her voice, even in the midst of battle. She only did so when she was wary of someone and had her guard up or was trying to hide something.

Almost instinctively a sense of mischief swelled within Percy, eager to take advantage of the momentary opening on Artemis. "Makes sense that you would spin and fly around then, it's like you're lucid dreaming for the first time in an eternity, right? Can you do a flying flip here?"

"Careful or I'll be flipping you over instead, Perseus!" While she spoke aggressively, her posture betrayed that she didn't really mean it and was just going along with his nonsense, maybe even to help distract him.

"Yeah, you'll have to catch me first for that. You know, I'm much more of an experienced dreamer than you so-woah" Before he could finish, Artemis tried to actually grab onto his shirt, something he only managed to dodge by a slim margin as he made himself levitate upwards, away from the goddess.

Not long after they were flying around, Artemis was still chasing him while being increasingly annoyed by the fact that she could catch up. To be fair, their chase was what Percy imagined it to look like when two Astronauts chased each other through space: They were moving slowly, crawling through the air. Percy could go faster if he wanted but he found it unreasonably funny that Artemis hadn't figured out a way to do the same yet and so he stayed just outside her reach, taunting her with every grin he gave her.

Needless to say Artemis was not happy with that but never really having dreamt before was clearly limiting her as she didn't think to use the dream more creatively. "You know, in a lucid dream you're supposed to be bending reality around you, like this."

In an instant Percy grew his body, becoming a mixture of fish and human and using his new appendages to propel himself through the space they were in. He was leaving Artemis behind and was considering turning around for a moment but he changed his mind the moment the goddess grew wings for herself and shot towards him, clearly faster than he was. Maybe he shouldn't have told her this…

After that their chase was much more exciting, both changing the dream around them to their advantage and reaching much faster speeds. Unfortunately for Percy though, Artemis turned out to be a rather good hunter and when she regained control over her mobility she somehow managed to corner and catch him even in their aerial chase. Before he could dodge out of the way again, Artemis grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Got you!" While this had started with Percy teasing the goddess, it had by now turned into a fun chase that Artemis clearly viewed as a challenge and so she was grinning widely as she caught him. Percy was mirroring that expression, even if it was more for the reason that he just liked flying around in his dream.

"Guess I shouldn't have told you how to go faster, huh?" Artemis shrugged at that, not bothered in the slightest. "You were your own undoing and I'm sure I would have figured it out on my own too eventually."

At that Percy just scoffed, not buying it at all. "Sure, how long do you want us to stay asleep again?" He was drifting backwards, laying on the fabric of nothingness the dream was made off. Contradictory as it was, he felt tired. "Oh please, as if you could ever escape me for that long."

"I don't know, I feel like I was doing a good job at that until you grew wings, no?" At that Artemis could only pout angrily, unable to deny what had happened earlier. She had tried to mimic what Percy was doing, laying down but it looked more similar to her attempt at sitting down during today's banquet and Artemis was clearly also not quite comfortable with her lack of fine control as she grew back her wings and just turned them into a cocoon around her.

"You did…do you think it's time to wake up now?" She sounded unsure, maybe also a bit hesitant. Like she didn't want to wake up yet. But she was probably correct regardless as Percy had no clue how long they had been asleep for and having them both fall into an unexplainable slumber on their first day in Atlantis would just be terrible. Triton would never pass up such a golden opportunity to all but harass Percy and he could do just fine without that. "Yeah, we probably should…"

He leaned back further, letting his consciousness slowly slip away. He was aware of Artemis' gaze on him as she watched what he was doing and after a moment he realised it was because she didn't know how to wake up. "Just fall asleep again, Void will bring us outside once you do."

He didn't know if that helped at all since Artemis didn't usually sleep and because of that also wasn't too familiar with any method of falling asleep but her could see her try from the corner of his eyes before he closed them once more, now drifting away fully from the dream world into that of the waking.

I'm a little late with this chapter since I had some stuff going on and I'll probably be slowing updates down from here on to a pace of 'whenever I finish a chapter' since I'll be going back to university soon.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll be seeing you soon. Until then I'd be glad for any feedback send my way and a good day to y'all.

-M