CHAPTER [5]

Artemis stared at the spot the man vanished from in confusion. He could have escaped whenever he wanted.

Did he simply want to humiliate her? She became furious before turning to hunters who also looked stunned.

"Camp here for the night. I must go to Olympus." She ordered before vanishing in a flash of silver.

Once the council had been gathered, thirteen gods and goddesses looked at Artemis expectantly.

"Why have you called this meeting daughter?" Zeus bellowed.

"I had the man who has been rescuing demigods for the past few years in my hunter's camp today." Artemis said quietly.

Zeus' eyes widened, "Then why isn't he in front of the council?" He demanded.

Artemis looked at the ground, "He challenged me to a competition in archery. The stakes were that if he lost he would come to Olympus peacefully. If he won, I would let him leave in peace."

Zeus looked at her oddly, "Well, then why isn't he here?"

"Oh my Gods...You lost didn't you?" Apollo asked before breaking down laughing at his sister.

Artemis looked at her brother furiously, "I didn't lose. It was a tie." She growled.

Apollo just continued to laugh loudly, a few others joined him laughing quietly at the prideful goddess' look of rage.

Before anyone could speak Artemis turned her eyes to Hera, "But father, I know two people who have known his identity from the beginning."

"What? Who knows of this man?" Zeus yelled angrily.

Artemis narrowed her eyes at Hera, "Ask you wife. Apparently she and Hestia are the man's patrons."

Zeus turned on his wife with a look of rage on his face, "What? How do you know this man?" He growled.

Hera smirked, "He is our champion. His identity is a secret that we will not share." Hera said as Hestia nodded in agreement.

"How dare you two keep this information from Olympus? This man could become a threat. He must be brought here immediately." Zeus bellowed.

Hera shook her head, "He is our champion. How could he be a threat to Olympus? He is loyal to us." She asked disbelievingly.

Zeus' face reddened, "You will bring him to Olympus or I shall cast him into Tartarus for eternity." He yelled.

Hera and Hestia stood up enraged, "You will do no such thing. He is under our protection." Hera hissed as Hestia nodded in agreement, her eyes ablaze with anger.

Zeus seemed shocked by their protectiveness, "I order he be brought to Olympus immediately or I will order Artemis to hunt this man. I will also dispatch every god and goddess available to kill this man at first sight." Zeus threatened.

Hera looked ready to attack her husband but Hestia put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's time he came home sister. He can resume his missions after." Hestia said softly.

Hera scowled and turned to her husband, "We will bring him to Olympus, but he will not be touched. You will let him leave in peace and every god or goddess in this room with swear to not reveal his identity outside the council. He is our champion and he will remain afterword."

Zeus looked shocked but narrowed his eyes, "Very well Hera. Well will agree to your terms as long as the man is not a threat."

"Swear it on the Styx. All of you. Or we will hide him where you will never find him and you will make two new enemies within the council." Hera hissed at Zeus.

Zeus' nostrils flared but Poseidon put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Peace brother. They say he is not a threat so their conditions are agreeable."

Zeus looked like he wanted to argue but sighed, "Very well. We the council swear on the River Styx to your terms, wife."

Thunder rumbled outside the throne room. Hera smiled triumphantly and vanished in flash of light.

She reappeared a moment later with a man with brown hair and brown eyes. He looked around the room in confusion.

"Why am I here?" He asked suspiciously.

Hera looked at him sadly, "We had no choice. They were going to hunt you down and kill you. Apparently Artemis couldn't handle the fact she didn't beat you in archery." Hera said glaring at Artemis who glared right back.

The man looked angry, "What? I haven't done enough for Olympus? I can't have five years of peace?" He asked angrily.

"What do you mean boy? You've never been here before." Artemis sneered at him.

Hera smirked, "Watch your mouth when you speak to my champion Artemis. You'd still be stuck under the sky without him."

Artemis eyes widened in realization as Hera snapped her fingers.

The man's hair turned jet black and his eyes turned the sea green they used to be except they now had strips of brown in them.

Artemis gasped, "Perseus?"

The council stared at the son of Poseidon in shocked silence. It was broken by a teary eyed sea god bounding off his throne and grabbing his son in a tight embrace.

"Where have you been Percy?" Poseidon asked as he held on to his son as if he were about to disappear.

Percy looked at his father sadly, "Traveling. I needed some time to clear my head after everything that happened."

Poseidon looked at his son worriedly. Percy didn't have any of the happiness that used to be easily seen in his features.

Despite his worry, Poseidon was just grateful to know that his son was safe and back in front of him.

Zeus cleared his throat behind the reunited son and father.

"Perseus, I believe we have some questions for you." Zeus asked as he looked between his wife and the demigod suspiciously.

Percy nodded, knowing this would be a long council meeting.

"How is that you have become my wife's champion, along with Hestia's? Zeus asked suspiciously.

Hera rolled her eyes at her husband's paranoia. As if he had the right to question her relationship with a man.

Percy's eyes darkened and they glowed with a brownish light that unsettled a number of gods and goddesses.

"I owe her and Hestia my life. Without them, I would be in Tartarus at the moment." Percy said coldly.

"What? What are you talking about Percy?" Poseidon demanded as he looked at Hera suspiciously.

Percy shook his head, "After I left Camp Half Blood, I was planning on traveling for a while, just hunting monsters to blow off some of my anger. Before I left, I went to visit my mother." Percy explained as his body tensed.

His eyes caught fire and most of the Olympians jumped back in shock. Hera and Hestia quickly made their way over to Percy.

Hera put a hand on his shoulder and whispered soothing words in his ear while Hestia held his hand comfortingly.

The Olympians stared at the interaction between the three with wide eyes.

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