Chapter 19

Percy

“Fate is fate…” Those words echoed in my head. Why was fate so cruel then? I knew that Thalia and Artemis didn’t blame me for Zoe’s death, but I blamed myself. After my cousin and Artemis left, I sat on my bed. I don’t remember falling asleep but I was awoken by yells. It appeared to be the middle of the night. I rushed out of my tent with my weapons in hand. We were being attacked. But why? We just ended a war. It made no sense for monsters to attack us.

I pulled our Riptide and uncapped it. The pen elongated and turned into a celestial bronze sword in my hand.

After looking around quickly, I realized that Artemis wasn’t here. Then I remembered that she had to drive the moon as Apollo did the sun. A few of the hunters were already out and battling and more were coming out of their tents.  I quickly charged into the battle and lit my sword on fire. Remembering about my powers on time, I decided to try it out. Then I started acting like a demon; slashing and stabbing monsters left, right, behind, and up front with the monsters moving somewhat sluggishly. Even delaying time took a great amount of energy, and soon the monsters were freed from the slight time freeze I had put them in. However, my blades didn’t hesitate. I was a whirlwind of fire while occasionally using my wings to block arrows. With the hunters, we were soon winning the battle.

I saw an Empousa approaching a hunter from behind. Poison dripped from her blade. I couldn’t let any more people die because of me. Without thinking, I pushed aside the hunter and the blade embedded itself into my side. I swung my sword at the monster, having it connect with its neck. It burst into dust.

I could feel myself falling. The poison was burning my veins. It hurt, but it didn’t hurt as much as the blade that Oceanus had used.

The battle had ended by now and I could hear a hunter calling her sisters over. I tried to stand but the pain was too intense for me to even sit up.

“Don’t move.” Someone spoke. There were blurry shapes around me. “Someone get ambrosia, nectar, and water!” I heard a yell. Soon everything went silent. It was so quiet. Strangely, this made me think of my first year at Camp Half-Blood.

“No.” I tried to speak but no sound emitted from my mouth. “Let me die.” I could see blurry shapes hovering above me and I felt the blade being pulled out of my side. Blood was pouring out of the wound. Soon, I felt the coolness of water being splashed onto me. I groaned and tried to push the water away. I didn’t want to be healed. Why didn’t they just leave me here to die in peace? I could still feel the poison running through my veins. Then it hit me. Camp…Luke…Kronos. This was pit scorpion poison.

Water can’t even heal me from this toxin. I thought with triumph. Finally, my desire would be granted. I smiled internally as darkness closed over my head.

Artemis’s Point of View

I was doing my nightly duties of driving the moon across the sky in my moon chariot as my brother does with the sun. It was so peaceful up here…so quiet. Suddenly, my quiet bubble was shattered as a prayer that was like a shout in my ear sounded in my mind. It was Phoebe.

My lady, camp was attacked! She exclaimed.

Is anyone hurt? I asked her.

Yes. Percy was stabbed by a knife with poison on it. We can’t seem to heal it.

Her voice sounded guilty. I wondered why.

Immediately, I told my deer to go the rest of the way across the sky without me and I teleported to my hunter’s camp. I found all of my girls huddled in one big circle around something, or someone.

Once they have sensed me, the circle made an opening for me to enter. Percy lay on the ground with his face turning an ashen grey color and blood pouring out of his side. Beside him, lay a knife covered in blood and a bucket used for what looked like carrying water.

Quickly, I knelt down on the ground next to him, and unknowingly brushed his ebony bangs out of his eyes.  I then put my hand on the wound. I knew what poison it was in an instant. How many of the sixty seconds have passed? I sighed. It would be hard to get the poison out of him and it would take quite a bit of energy.

I placed my palms on the wound and my hands started to glow a sliver color. As the silver light got brighter, I could feel the poison being expelled. I kept on working, and soon all the toxin was out of Percy’s body. However, the gash was still bleeding.

Even though I didn’t say a word, Thalia handed me a roll of bandages and I started to bind Percy’s wound.

After that was all done, I asked my girls tiredly, “What happened?”

I got several answers; all of them having to do with an attack.

I heard Phoebe muttering. “Why did he save me? Especially when I was so cruel to him.” That statement puzzled me but I decided not to call Phoebe out. She seemed guilty of whatever she had done and it would be cruel to call her out in front of all the other girls.

I pushed that thought out of my mind. There was something more important to ponder about. Why did a group of monsters attack my hunters? Did a war just not end? These were the same questions going through my mind during the council meeting. I would have to inform the other gods of this.

Hermes, my camp has been attacked by a group of monsters. Inform Zeus immediately. I spoke telepathically to the messenger god.

My hunters were soon scurrying around, checking each other for wounds. About fifteen minutes after I had sent the message to Hermes, my father called my hunters, Percy, and I to Olympus.

“Girls, Zeus demands our presences in the throne room.” I informed my hunters. They nodded in response. Instantly, with their consent, I snapped my fingers and teleported all of us to Olympus. All the gods were all assembled. I was slightly surprised that they all arrived here so quickly. I hastily took a seat in my throne, and my hunters sat at the base of it.

I saw Poseidon’s eyes looking at his son’s bandage covered body lying on the floor of the throne room. I saw Hestia in the corner snap her fingers and a bed appeared beneath Percy.

“What happened?” Poseidon almost shouted.

“My hunters were attacked. Percy got hit by I poisoned blade, but don’t worry. I healed him already. He should wake up soon.” I informed the god of the seas.

“What poison was it?” He asked cautiously, almost as if he didn’t want to know.

I paused before answering, knowing that he wouldn’t like the answer that I was about to give him. “Pit Scorpion venom.” I muttered quietly. However, Poseidon seemed to have heard me quite clearly. He immediately jumped off his throne and headed straight over to Percy, gently laying a hand on his forehead, as if checking for a fever.

My father cleared his throat loudly. My uncle turned around and glared at his brother before returning his attention to Percy. My father seemed to give a sigh in defeat.

“The monsters are obviously getting bolder. Now they are putting poisons on their weapons and attacking a skilled group, like the hunters.” Zeus stated and then paused, with a look of concentration on his face. Then he turned to me.

“Daughter, I think you and your hunters should take refuge at Camp Half-Blood for now.” My immediate thought was rejection, but then I realized that it would be the best thing to do. With the camp’s borders, my hunters couldn’t be harmed by monsters while I was away doing my duties as the moon goddess. After pondering for a few seconds, I nodded my head in consent. I heard my hunters quietly groan from where they were sitting at the base of my throne.

I glanced at them with a sad expression. I knew that they hated Camp Half-Blood and they should with all of those disgusting males there. I didn’t like putting them somewhere they didn’t like. However, this was for their safety, I reminded myself. That thought made me feel a bit better.

“We should prepare for a battle, just in case if an army attacks our camps.” Athena suggested.

“Yes and with the hunters there, they can help the campers with archery.” Zeus imputed with a thoughtful expression on his face. I could hear all of my hunters giving mental groans. They didn’t even want to go into the camp and now they had to teach the inhibiters. However, the girls didn’t protest against the king of the god’s suggestion.

Suddenly, we heard a groan from the corner of the throne room where Percy lay. His eyes flickered open. He looked confused. Zeus ignored him for a moment.

“Artemis, can you inform Chiron tomorrow to prepare for war?” My father asked me, and I nodded in response. I could hear Poseidon speaking to his son. I felt a strange emotion bubble inside me. I wished that father cared for me that much. I gave a mental sigh. I suppose that it was different since Percy was a mortal, and Poseidon was more known for kindness to his children.

“Council dismissed!” The king of the gods thundered as a lightning bolt came down from the ceiling and struck the god. When the light had dimmed down, Zeus was gone.

“Drama queen.” Various gods muttered as they made their own exits.

I approached Percy and his father. Percy still looked a bit pale and weak. I could see that his father was making him drink multiple glasses of water.

Percy wore a sad expression on his face, yet it contained a little bit of hope.

“Percy, are you well enough for us to head off to Camp Half-Blood?” I asked him, and he nodded his head. Poseidon shot an angry look at his son, as if saying, ‘I told you to stay here and rest.’ However, Percy glared back at his father, and eventually, Poseidon sighed in defeat.

“Be careful.” I heard him whisper to his son. Percy shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t care about getting hurt or killed. This caused a frown to appear on my uncle’s face. However, he let Percy, my hunters, and I head off to Camp Half-Blood.