Chapter 13

Artemis

It was a beautiful and peaceful night. The stars were out and shining brightly. I could see Zoe smiling with her bow raised and an arrow notched. I noticed that her arrow was pointing towards Orion’s constellation and it almost looked like she was shooting him. That made me smile yet feel a rush of sadness. She was such a great friend. However, fate is fate. You must let it take its course.

Currently, I was riding my moon chariot across the sky like Apollo does with his sun chariot. The mortals saw me as the moon. Right now, I was right above Camp Half-Blood. All the demigods were probably sleeping. I glanced down and something reflected and shined light. It looked to be coming from the beach.

Curiosity got the better of me. I flew towards the Greek camp’s beach and landed my moon chariot there. Looking around, I quickly found the source of light. It was a sword; a glowing sword. There was the outline of a person lying down next to the sword.

I jumped out of my chariot and took a few steps closer to the glowing weapon and the figure lying in the sand. A grasp escaped my throat.

The figure lying in the sand was the hero of Olympus-twice. I saw that he had cuts all over his arms and his left wrist was slit open, which caused blood to pour out. I saw the sand around him. It was red and wet with his blood. Percy’s face was pale, illuminated by the stars along with his sword and the moon.

I immediately jumped out of my shock and summoned Apollo.

Apollo appeared immediately, giving me a questioning look.

“Hey little sis. Why call me here at this time?” Apollo asked me.

“I’m not your little sister! And look behind you.” I told him. My idiotic brother whirled around.

“Hades.” He quickly checked Percy’s pulse. “Gods…” My brother muttered. My brother’s face was a mix of worry and seriousness. I knew that this must be bad. I rarely saw Apollo serious.

“Sis, come here. Help me move him in the ocean. It will help him.” Apollo and I quickly got Percy into the ocean. “Percy lost a lot of blood. He was practically dead. I am not sure if the ocean can even help him now.” My brother told me.

Probably sensing his son in the ocean, injured, Poseidon soon appeared. He went straight to his son that was still floating in the water, looking dead.

The sea didn’t appear to be healing his injuries. The cut in his wrist was still bleeding. Percy was a ghostly white now. I wondered if he was still alive. However, something confused me. Why wasn’t Percy wearing his Camp Half-Blood t-shirt? I thought that the campers always wore them. Instead he wore a long sleeve shirt. However the sleeves were rolled up. Why wouldn’t he be wearing a Camp Half-Blood shirt? This slightly troubled me.

“Apollo.” Poseidon said only one word, knocking me out of my reverie. My brother stepped towards Poseidon.

“I’m sorry, Poseidon. I don’t think I can heal him. He is too close to death.” Apollo said in a depressing tone.

Although it seemed in vain, Poseidon took a flask out of his pocket and sat Percy up. Poseidon leaned Percy against him and gently opened his son’s mouth. What I assumed was nectar was poured down Percy’s throat.

It moved me on how much Poseidon cared for Percy. I knew that all Olympian parents cared for their children. Poseidon, however, seemed to care for his children more, helping them in every way possible even though he broke the ancient laws.

“That won’t work.” A stern yet soft and kind voice told us. It seemed to be coming from all directions. Suddenly, a man appeared out of nothing. He wore all black and his eyes were pools of darkness with white and sliver flecks in them.

“Chaos.” I whispered as I fell to my knees with my brother with my head bowed down in respect. Chaos seemed to radiate an immense aura of power. I knew he could easily wipe me from existence. His face was kind yet stern. Chaos’s eyes seemed to hold so much wisdom yet he gazed at Percy with a concerned expression.

Poseidon was still there, holding Percy as if he were a young child, ignoring everything that was happening.

Chaos suddenly produced a ball of blinding, white light and fired it at Percy. The savior of Olympus was moved by a magical force back onto the sand. Poseidon head shot up to see where Percy went. Then he saw Chaos. The creator of the universe was still looking intently at Percy as his wounds started to heal as the white light seeped into his cuts.

Poseidon’s gaze was once again directed at Percy, watching as his wounds closed. Soon, Percy was healed.

“Thank you Lord Chaos.” Poseidon said sincerely with his gaze now directed to Chaos. Chaos nodded.

“It was my pleasure, Poseidon.” Then he was gone.

Percy started to stir. Our attention was immediately directed to him. He let out a groan and his eyes fluttered open. He looked confused.

“Why am I still here?” He asked us in a dry voice.

“You tried to commit suicide?” I yelled at him. He nodded his head.

“No purpose…was going to see them again…get forgiveness….” He muttered.

We need to have a council meeting about this. Poseidon spoke in my mind. I agreed. Poseidon spoke again. I will not allow my son to kill himself. We must make this stop. I agreed once again.

I immediately teleported to the throne room where I saw Apollo, Poseidon, and Percy.

Percy still looked slightly disoriented. Well, I guess that would make sense. He was practically brought back from the dead.

Poseidon must have sent a message to the other Olympians because soon, many bright flashes of light filled the room. The gods and goddesses that appeared took their seats in their thrones. They seemed confused of the reason Percy was here.

The hero of Olympus expression turned panicked. He didn’t move though but I saw it in his eyes; he wanted to get out of here.

“Why is this punk here?” Ares was the first one to speak after everyone in the council had appeared.

Poseidon looked at Zeus for permission to speak. His brother nodded.

“Percy, why did you try to commit suicide?” Poseidon asked. Perseus was squirming under all of our gazes. He still had that panicked expression on his face.

“I needed to say sorry…It was my entire fault.” Percy said the first sentence somewhat loudly but the last statement tapered to a whisper. Questions were swirling around in my mind. Say sorry to whom? What was his fault?

Percy’s expression had changed now. It had changed to one of incredible sadness.

Then it hit me. He wanted to say sorry to the people that died in the wars. He blamed all of their deaths on himself.

“No purpose…had to see mom…” Percy was muttering now. What was Percy talking about? How did he have no purpose? He was the person that taught the sword lessons at camp.

“Don’t want to be used…not anymore…another war.” What Percy just muttered caught Zeus’s attention.

“There is another war coming?” My father asked. Percy looked up. He didn’t seem to realize that he was speaking out loud.

“I’m not a pawn of the gods.” Percy stated. The king of the gods looked confused at this.

“Of course you aren’t, Percy.” Zeus said.

“No…he said…he said…”Percy’s voice faded. The hero of Olympus was now looking down at the marble of the throne room floor.

Zeus cleared his throat in the silence and then spoke. “Well, it seems that Percy shouldn’t go back to Camp Half-Blood.”

I don’t want him to try to kill himself again. Zeus said this to us mentally, probably not wanting Percy to hear that.

“Where will the boy go then?” Hephaestus asked in a rough voice.

“He can stay at Atlantis with me.” Poseidon immediately offered.

“No, brother.” Zeus cut in. “He has stayed with you long enough.”

“I have an idea.” This was interesting. Hera usually didn’t pay speak during council meetings. She was usually glaring at someone; most of the times at a child of my father’s so that included me. “I think Perseus should stay with Artemis and her hunters.”

“What?” I nearly yelled. “He is a boy. My hunters would never accept him.”

“I’ll do it.” Even though it appeared that Percy wasn’t paying attention to our conversation, it seems that he was. “I need a challenge…something to do and I should improve my archery.” After thinking for a few seconds I finally nodded.

“So it is decided. By morning, Percy will be moved into the Hunter’s camp.” Zeus announced. “Council-“ Zeus was cut off though.

A powerful voice rang through the throne room. It was the same voice that I heard before. It was Chaos.