《The Unknown》Chapter 11: Love and War
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"Lady Artemis?" There was a knocking coming out of the trees in Artemis' room.
"...what?..." Artemis groaned, her sleep had been well deserved, she was drained from Alaska but strangely she felt strong and warm, not like a god would feel in the Alaskan wilderness and they definitely didn't feel warm. But then Artemis remembered what happened after the fight.
Her eyes burst open and jumped up, head twirling around the clearing of a room. The room looked identical to the clearing she would meet Percy in, so not seeing him was not right for her.
Diane's head stuck out of the door, disguised perfectly as a tree. "Wow..." Diane looked around the room; it was a forest clearing with a perfect picture of the night sky, a full moon and unusually bright stars. But it wasn't a picture; there were shooting stars or comets crossing the sky and a lone night cloud drifting slowly. And there was a bed, a king sized pure silver bed.
Artemis spun around hearing the voice but her eyes lost their sparkle of hope when seeing Diane, "Is he really gone?" She knew the answer already but she could help but hope he was still with her; she had finally had him back, saving her again, her knight. But now he had to leaving her again. She would have to hit him for always leaving her alone when she desperately wanted him.
"I am sorry milady, he is gone." Diane entered the door, closing it quietly behind her, "Lady Artemis, if I may, could you tell me what your relation is to my uncle?"
Artemis' right hand flew to her ring, feeling the proof that last night was more than real. She sighed, "Diane, why don't we join the rest of our sisters, I think they would all like to know after seeing him last night." Diane nodded slightly and left through the door, shortly followed by Artemis.
The dimensions of the cabin didn't make sense but due to some magic, the hall was able to fit a room for every hunter when the exterior they saw last night, showed it as a warm and cozy cabin that was not any bigger than the cabin at camp in which all they had were bunk beds and one room for Artemis.
All the hunters were gathered around a table, their conversations were fairly hushed but all pertained to one man and his appearance in the hunt.
Diane took her seat next to Bianca, all of them, having seen Artemis sitting at the head of the table, quieted, but Phoebe was the brave enough to ask the key question, "Lady Artemis, how did Perseus come back, and why was he here?"
Artemis took a breath, "Phoebe, I have no idea how he came back but he did and then he disappeared just as quickly. He said that he will be back in 5 months and I trust that he will." She was trying to find the right way to put it all in the right wording, "He has been with us this whole time as well."
Some of the hunters get angry with this, even if he was the great Percy Jackson doesn't mean he could be in their camp without their knowledge and permission. "Pistó, he was Percy the entire time. I don't know how he managed any of it but he did. He has saved all of our lives over the years and all of us last night." Artemis grew a small smile, "He was really a guardian of the hunt. He is one of the only good men out there, most fail to even compare." Those that knew him agreed, even Diane agreed but then again he was a relative so it was slightly biased.
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"Milady, why was he here with us?" This came from Susie, a small daughter of Demeter, she joined just after Diane and was the physical youngest along with actual age. But then Thalia noticed a flash coming from Artemis and when she looked down she gasped, drawing the attention of her sisters.
"Artemis, what is that on your hand?" Thalia was pointing at Artemis' left hand, a shining ring adorning her finger. Artemis face flushed a deep red; a small smile grew on her face as she remembered the events of the previous night. Zoë looked at the ring only to smirk, she knew the whole story.
"Well...." Artemis wasn't able to say it without blushing to the point where it felt like her face would burn off. "I have been seeing Percy in my dreams for over 60 years now," some of the hunters gasped, others were shocked that she didn't tell anyone. "Nobody knew of this except Percy's parents, Theodore Blofis and Zoë." some glares were sent to Zoë by her close friends and the older hunters.
"My dad knew?" This obviously came from Diane, "Why didn't he tell me?"
"Diane, the reason I went to your grandmother's house when your father was born was because Percy asked me to. You are named in my honor because I delivered your father. And your father hasn't told anyone this because Percy and I asked him not to. I have delivered messages for him to your father or grandparents when she was still alive." Artemis tried to explain.
"But that doesn't explain the ring on your finger milady." It was Bianca who was able to get the question back in focus, Thalia and Phoebe both trying to bore wholes in Zoë's head for not telling them.
"Well over the course of his life I was intrigued by him, he was so different from he male gender. I don't know when, but it may have been when he saved Olympus and led you into the battle of Manhattan that I started to realize my interest in Percy." A few of the new hunters gasped, others. Like Phoebe, Thalia, Bianca and the older hunters were not surprised, they had seen the way she talked about him and then there was the way she mourned his death with so much despair. "We have been in a relationship since then, only able to see each other in my dreams that I knew of, but he was with me for everything, just we called him Pistó."
All the hunters that appeared angry started to look at Artemis with a little bit of pity but also happiness; happy she was able to find happiness. All the hunters respected Percy a little bit, he was a legend and they had read about his adventures in Theo's books. "Last night was when he came back to me, only to say he was needed elsewhere and that he would be back in 5 months. But before he left, he made me a promise in the form of a question. Last night he asked me to marry him, and I said yes." Some of the hunters like Thalia, Zoë, Phoebe, Bianca, Diane and more all jumped up and hugged her, she seemed so happy.
Artemis beamed at all of her hunters to receive smiles and congratulations from them all. "Is that why you visited my grandmother so much when I was younger and when I first met you there she almost introduced you as my aunt?" Diane was connecting some clues from her childhood that she didn't realize until now.
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"Yes, when I told you mother that I love him, well she said I was then her daughter-in-law and she made me promise that I would marry Percy when he came back but I would do that anyway." She said the last of that in a quieter tone, looking down fondly at the beautiful ring on her finger.
"I guess we should eat before we go Olympus to tell the council about this," Zoë tried to rally everyone get out of the focus on Artemis, knowing she was a little nervous about it all. But when she finished saying that an entire banquet appeared on the table; blue pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, blue waffles, toast with spreads and butter, and orange juice for everyone. All the hunters smiled realizing this was from Percy, every demigod alive knows about the blue food and dug in starting lively discussions, about the war, Percy and between Phoebe, Thalia, Zoë and the girls around them who would be Artemis' bridesmaids.
"Lady Chaos, we are becoming to spread, we may not have enough to properly defend Earth. All the captains and lieutenants are dispersed except earth squadron and myself." A man in black armor trimmed with a dark blue and a blue cape was kneeling before a woman in a solid black throne with the universe orbiting and revolving along it.
"We will be ready, we have to be, all of my children are fighting with or against their children on Tholic, Flaet, Xenn-tu, Flitius, Nochtic, Giltrey, Ye, and Retrai. My daughter is being influenced by her son and now my brother, he has gained far to much power and I am trying to find him now but he is too well hidden." Chaos' voice was laced with a hint of fear; she feared like Theseus that it wouldn't be enough.
"My lady, all attempts have failed to find Perseus Jackson, we must find a different plan to confront him. You said that you are equal to him, but we have no way to assist you without losing half of our army."
"I know Theseus, I just hope he is not hidden by my brother, it would be the death of us all if he is." Chaos stepped out of her throne and walked over to the window overlooking the universe's movement. She sighed, "Prepare the rest of the army for war, we will be fighting on earth, a last stand against my brother, he knows it was the original and the roots of all life. Inform my children to assist each other when they are able to; Hydros and Ourea should both be able to assist when they are finished on Flaet but it may not be enough. With the Earth in this state all of them are weakening and with the universe in disarray it is even draining my energy." She turned to Theseus, "You have always been my most loyal commander Theseus. I hope we can continue after this war."
"Of course my lady." Theseus bowed and ran out to perform his duties.
Lady Chaos walked back to her throne and fell into it. "We will need a miracle for this to work."
The hunters had finished their meal and had rested in the warm cabin, all regaining their strength with a surprising speed. Artemis had to tell them all of what she knew about Percy and the state of their relationship, receiving giggles from the hunters. All in all the tough hunters had started acting like some Aphrodite girls just for a little bit.
"Milady, I believe that we should get going, we only have so long to get to the council to tell them about the war." It was Phoebe that got Artemis' attention, always the tough one to remember what they were meant to do.
"Okay girls gather everything, it will be a long trek back to New York and it will be hard for us to get to the realm of the gods to get a ride from my brother." Artemis watched all the girls begin to gather their things but many of them grumbled when they heard her mention Apollo.
When they were all packed and bundled the hunters gathered at the door, none of them actually wanted to leave, this cabin was so warm and inviting, they were all reluctant when Artemis pushed through and opened the door. Only to be blown back in surprise as they stepped not into the Alaskan wilderness but the main room of Artemis' temple on Olympus.
"Well that is new." All the girls that had recovered laughed at Bianca's joke. When all of them were in the temple the door closed but it stayed in the wall of the temple, not taking up any room but providing new housing for all the hunt and Artemis whenever they may need it.
"Okay girls, you stay here, I need to report to the council and then I will take you to camp so that we can continue training for what is to come." The hunters began leaving, "Diane, Zoë, Thalia, Phoebe, and Bianca, I want you 5 to come with me."
So the 6 began walking to the throne room, "Lady Artemis, what are we going to tell them?" Diane asked, she may be an immortal but she is still young.
"We have to tell them everything, let us just hope that they take it well." Artemis muttered the last part, fidgeting with her newest accessory.
Zoë came up beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We will be by your side for all of this. You have nothing to fear, if anything your dad will be angry that Perseus didn't ask first." This got a laugh out of all of them.
"Yeah dad is going to go all protective father again, I just hope he isn't in to much of a dramatic mood."
"When is he not?" Phoebe jabbed.
All the girls laughed and joked on the way there only to become somber and serious when arriving at the door. Voices could be heard on the other side, an argument was being held.
Artemis pushed open the door to see her brother yelling at her father in front of the whole council, "...in Alaska, we have to send someone. She is going to die if she stays there. She can't handle it all by herself." He was yelling about her. Athena looked sad, probably because her daughter was with Artemis. All the council was either sad or thinking.
Artemis decided to make her presence known at this, "I am glad you have so much faith in me little brother." All eyes in the room flew to the hunters, Apollo's smile lit up the room, only to hit Aphrodite in the face with the glare coming from Artemis' finger.
Aphrodite looked again at Artemis' left hand only to go wide eyed followed by a squeal to match no others and to jump out of her throne to tackle Artemis in a hug. "Who is it? Oh I feel the love all over you! Yes I knew you would come around eventually! I just knew it!" Aphrodite's voice was a mixture of squealing and her regular melodic voice, and she was bouncing up and down while hugging Artemis.
"What are you talking about Aphrodite?" Apollo's voice was able to talk through the goddess of squeals' gossiping fast voice.
Aphrodite let go of Artemis only to grab her hand and forcibly show it to Apollo, ring ever more present. "This beautiful ENGAGEMENT ring on her finger of course." She then turned to Artemis again, "So who is it? Oh this is beautiful?" She turned to her husband, "Did you make this?" Only to receive a curt shake of the head from the astonished god.
"WHAT?!" Apollo exploded, "No one can have my little sister! Who is it, I will shoot him myself this time." But Hestia was the one to talk next, the other still in shock.
"Is he back?" Artemis looked at her favorite aunt and simply nodded, bringing the brightest smile the Olympians had ever seen on the goddess of the hearth.
This riled Apollo up even more, "Aunt Hestia? You knew? Who is he, I will kill him for touching my sister." His usual grin covered face now covered in rage and anger.
Zeus finally breaking his stupor, "Enough!" Apollo and Aphrodite quieted, looking at the king of the gods, "Who is this boy that believes himself good enough for you my daughter?" Everyone was silent and looking at Artemis, looking for her answer.
Artemis was nervous and scared; all the eyes were on her. Hestia gave her a helpful smile and a slight nod, signaling her to tell them all. "Percy." She said it simply but that one name brought a powerful reaction. The entire council went into a rather loud and almost defiant shock.
Aphrodite, still wrapped around Artemis, began by jumping up and down again, "Oh My Gods, He was so hot. Does he still look good? Oh I will plan the wedding, it is going to be the biggest Olympus has ever seen."
"You've seen my son?" Poseidon's words cut through all the chatter that had started, no one was able to say anything anymore looking expectantly at Artemis.
"Yes, for about 60 years now." This created uproar, quite a few 'WHAT's were thrown in to the mix, "He has been coming into my dreams, we started our relationship then. He says that he has been watching over all of us but he couldn't return until the time is right. He said that is in 5 months when the war will start."
"What war?" Zeus was quieter than he usually is, his dramatics no longer showing, concern on his face.
"In Alaska, my hunters and I were attacked by Khione and Lycaon, they had been blessed somehow, a white aura was around them. Khione mentioned that they had a master. And a powerful master at that, she and the werewolves were supposedly invulnerable."
Athena interrupted, "What do you mean supposedly?"
Artemis continued, "We were cornered when Lycaon threatened me, but before he could finish my wolf, Pistó attacked him, biting his throat out. My hunters were able to hold the wolves at bay until they were overpowered by the numbers, but then Pistó took over killing most of them before he turned the tides in the battle. During this I fought Khione, she had more power than before but I was just able to keep up speed but that didn't last."
"She overcame me, throwing me to the ground and the ice and cold overtook me. She stood over me, when she had an ice blade over me she said that she would make me fade. She said her master had given her the power," gasps came throughout the council, "and I was unable to move. But when she brought her sword down at me, a blade intercepted it." She took a breath everyone drawn into the tale. "It was riptide, and Percy was standing glaring at her. She was afraid of him, and she attempted to run but Percy stopped her and he made her fade."
"Impossible, he is only a demigod. Gods can't be forced to fade!" Ares yelled. Many of the gods agreed with him but only some nodded.
"He says he is much more than a demigod. He was the one to bring all of us back, he didn't say anything further but he did promise he would come back." Zoë spoke up; she and the hunters had stayed quiet throughout the meeting.
All the gods got a confused or pondering expression on their face at this. "How could he be more than a demigod? He was never given immortality or blessings from anyone. He is simply a son of Poseidon." Athena said surprising some that she used his actual name.
Artemis put on a sadder face; "He said we are going to war with his son." This pulled many different reactions, anger, confusion, a glare at Poseidon and flabbergasted. "But he said his other 2 children will help us. I don't know who they are but if his son is this master of the threat then we know he is immensely powerful. We can only hope that we can stand a chance with the help we will receive." Many in the council were unable to react; they couldn't comprehend this all fully.
"This council will be dismissed, but we will come back in 24 hours, I want all of you to come up with ideas, we need plans for war, we need to know who we are fighting, and we need to know who we will be able to trust and count on for this war." Zeus' voice was its usual demanding self but you could hear the layer of fear and confusion on his voice. "And Artemis, I would like to speak with you privately. Council dismissed."
A young man drew his sword, a solid black blade against the large metal automaton that he was up against. The metal man brought his hammer up over his head only to hit the ground and shake the man up.
With a slightly sloppy form the man ran and jumped on the hammer that the automaton was taking off the ground. He used it as a springboard sending him over the head of the automaton and landing behind him where he prepared to strike. But before his blade could connect to the hammer swung around and hit him in the side of his ribcage.
He flew 20 feet before coming to a rolling stop, bringing up his sword again the man charged. He dealt blow after blow but not many hit at all and the others were minor. The automaton made contact a few more times with his hammer leaving the man lying thirty feet away. The man staggered to his feet feeling weak, he looked at the automaton one last time and with the last of his energy threw his sword.
The sword flew under the automaton's raised arms and pierced its chest. The automaton creaked before falling over and disappearing all together, leaving the man's solid black sword behind. The man looked no older than 20. He had solid black eyes and skin that was surprisingly pale. His unruly black hair finished off the look as he turned around to look for approval.
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