Chapter 25: Grief

Percy turned back to Artemis and smiled sadly.

Artemis looked at him frantically, "You promised Percy!" She yelled as she was pushed back by the invisible force.

"I'm sorry." Percy whispered before turning toward Gaia who was grinning evilly.

"Come Perseus, I have many sons anxious to spend some time with you." Gaia said happily.

Percy walked toward Gaia with his hands up. When Gaia reached out to grab him, Percy smirked.

Percy's hidden blade shot from his vambrace as he drove it into Gaia's heart. Gaia screamed loudly before a blinding flash of light illuminated the entire battlefield.

When the light died down, Gaia was sinking back into the earth, golden ichor pouring from her chest. Perseus Jackson was nowhere to be seen.

Annabeth sunk back into the earth before anyone could grab her. Artemis was on her knees, tears falling freely from her eyes as she had truly just lost the only she had and would ever love.

Everyone stared in shock at what had just occurred. Perseus Jackson, the greatest demigod to ever live had just sacrificed himself to save his friends and still managed to take Gaia down with him. Sure she wasn't dead but it would be many centuries before she could even think about awakening again.

Artemis was quickly engulfed in a hug from a tearful Zoe Nightshade as the only man she had ever befriended had just given his life save her and her mistress.

Jupiter wiped a few tears out of his eyes and looked at his brother who was staring at the place his son had vanished from in utter shock. Jupiter raised his bolt to the sky and shot a massive bolt. The hundreds of demigods and gods were teleported from the battlefield in Greece and dropped off in the throne room on Olympus.

Jupiter took one sorrowful look at his wife before tears sprung from her eyes. He quickly pulled her into a tight embrace and held her while she sobbed.

After a few hours most of the gods managed to pull themselves together. The only exceptions were Hera, Poseidon and Artemis who sat in their thrones completely oblivious to the events taking place around them.

Thalia could barely contain her emotions as she had just lost the two people closest to her in the world. Her two brothers, Jason and Percy.

Many demigods lost their lives on the battlefield in Greece. Clarisse La Rue fell in the battle when she took an arrow heading for her boyfriend Chris Rodriguez.

While neither the demigods or gods were in any mood for celebrating, the rewards for the members of the prophecy who survived needed to be given out. Each was offered immortality and all six accepted it, becoming the immortal counselors at their respective camps.

Once the rewards were given out, Zeus looked over at Artemis sadly at what he was going to have to tell her.

"Artemis my dear, I'm afraid the ancient laws won't allow us to keep your two hunters who came out of Tartarus with Percy and Thalia here in the living world. There is nothing I can do." Zeus said apologetically.

Artemis' eyes shot open, red from crying for the past few hours, "They aren't going anywhere. They've earned their right for a second chance at life." Artemis snapped back at her father.

Zeus shook his head sadly, "It is not my decision to make. The ancient laws require them to return to their afterlife. There is nothing I can do to stop it from happening."

Artemis jumped from her throne with her bow out and stood protectively in front of her two huntresses. Before Zeus could say anything, Thanatos appeared in the middle on the throne room, a black iPad in his hand.

Artemis fired an arrow at the god of death as he looked down at his iPad. The arrow flew harmlessly through the god as he hardly looked up.

"Ah, yes Zoe Nightshade and Bianca Di Angelo. Supposed to be in Elysium but vanished a little under two weeks ago." Thanatos mumbled casually.

Zoe put a hand on her mistress' shoulder, "It's okay Artemis. We lived our lives and belong in the Underworld now." Zoe said with sadness.

Before Artemis could protest, Zoe and Bianca stepped toward Thanatos. Thanatos reached out to touch them but recoiled when his fingers touched Zoe's skin..

"This can't be right. It says you escaped from Elysium." Thanatos said showing the first bit of emotion in his voice since he arrived.

Thanatos began quickly scrolling through his iPad as he tried to figure out the problem. A blinding flash of light appeared up near the ceiling of the throne room. When the light died down, a piece of paper slowly floated down into the hands of a confused Thanatos. Thanatos read the note quickly before grumbling, "Well this explains it."

Thanatos handed the note to Artemis before vanishing from the throne room. Artemis read the note and smiled sadly before the pain returned and tears welled up in her eyes again.

Zeus slowly walked over and took the note from Artemis. He read it before a sad smile appeared on his face. He looked up and saw everyone looking at him expectantly.

Zeus cleared his throat, "The letter says; Perseus Jackson's wish for his service in the war has been fulfilled. Zoe Nightshade and Bianca Di Angelo are now full immortals. The letter is just signed A."

The throne room broke out into a number of people shouting questions at once. Zeus raised his bolt and shot it into the air, silencing everyone immediately.

"I have no idea who the note is from or how Perseus managed to turn his two friends immortal. Rather than question it, I have decided we will accept his wish. It hardly compensates for the things he has down for all of us, so we will gladly allow his wish to pass without question." Zeus announced in a tone that dared someone to question his decision. Wisely no one spoke up.

Zoe and Bianca stood in shock as tears began to fall from both their eyes again. Zoe smiled sadly; Percy had kept his promise, even after his death.

Hera suddenly stood from her throne. She looked at Hermes, "Go and summon Styx to the throne room. Now!"

Hermes' eyes widened and he quickly flashed out of his throne. Everyone looked at Hera warily but from the look in her eyes, they wisely kept their mouths shut.

A few minutes later Hermes appeared with an irritated looking Styx at his side. Hermes pointed to Hera before flashing back to his throne.

Styx turned and looked at Hera expectantly.

Hera stared at the goddess with fiery determination in her brown eyes, "I want my son back. I don't care about your deal with him or that he broke an oath on your river. I want him back and I want him now."

Styx stared at the Queen of the Gods with a look of confusion, "I don't have Perseus. I was about to claim his life when he broke his oath to Gaia but he disappeared and is beyond my ability to locate him. I assumed it had been you Olympians trying to hide him until you could immortalize him."

Hera's eyes widened and Artemis shot out of her throne, "Is he still alive?" Artemis asked quickly.

Styx closed her eyes for a minute before they snapped back open, "I don't know. He isn't in the Underworld or anywhere on Earth. I cannot locate him anywhere. He is still bound to my river but he is beyond my power to track him." Styx said confused.

"What does that mean?" Hera growled.

Styx narrowed her eyes, "Most likely, it means he is in Tartarus. I no longer have access there. After the fall of Gaia, Tartarus blocked off all access to the pit. Either he is there or he is dead and someone is hiding his soul from me."

Artemis slumped back into her throne dejectedly while Hera closed her eyes as more tears began to well up.

"I am sorry Queen Hera. If I find out anything on the soul of Perseus Jackson, I will inform the council immediately." Styx said sincerely.

Hera nodded sadly before she slumped back into her throne. Styx vanished from the throne room without another word.

Zeus looked around before he stood, "Everyone is dismissed. Take your time to get over your losses. We will try to locate the whereabouts of Perseus' soul and try to get him out of Tartarus if that is indeed where he is as soon as possible."

Artemis led her hunters to her palace where she quickly vanished into her bedroom with the door locked. The rest of the hunters sat around her palace and tried to console the girls who were closest to Percy.

After an hour, Thalia vanished from the palace, heading off somewhere more private as she tried to deal with her grief. Chloe sobbed for hours before she finally passed out from exhaustion of the events of the day and the emotional trauma she was far too young to deal with.

Sophie had shut down after watching her brother give his life to save her. Poseidon had come to Artemis' palace a few hours after the hunters arrived; eyes rimmed red from his own tears, and asked to take Sophie away for a while. Phoebe gratefully handed the youngest huntress over to her father after hours of trying to get her to speak with no success.

Bianca hadn't accompanied the rest of the hunt to Artemis' palace, deciding her brother needed her far more than anyone else after losing his closest friend.

Zoe sat on the couch in Artemis' living room. Her eyes were still slightly red from the tears she previously shed but she had reined her emotions in and was now deep in thought. Something didn't seem right to her. Everyone believed Percy had been dragged down to Tartarus after stabbing Gaia or claimed by Styx for his broken oath, but she didn't buy it. How would he have been able to get her and Bianca immortalized if he was being tortured in Tartarus? Or if his life was claimed by his broken oath, Styx didn't have the power to make her immortal by herself. No, Zoe was convinced Percy was still alive. She didn't know where he was or why he hadn't returned to Artemis but she was determined to find out.

A week passed and the hunters remained bunkered down in Artemis' palace, their mistress hardly coming out of her room. When she did, she hardly spoke two words to anyone. Everyone was devastated by the loss of Percy but no one had taken it harder than Artemis.

After another week of nothing, Zoe decided she needed to speak to Artemis about picking herself up and carrying on.

Zoe walked to her mistress' bedroom and paused at the door. Instead of knocking, she checked the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked. Zoe slowly opened the door to find her best friend lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling above her.

"My lady?" Zoe asked cautiously.

If Artemis heard her, she made no indication.

Zoe sighed but didn't say anything. Instead she walked over to Artemis' bed and lay down beside her. For several minutes they sat in silence until Artemis finally spoke.

"Why did he have to be so stubborn?" She said quietly.

"That's who Percy is milady. He would lay down his life for any of his friends so when he saw you at the hands of Gaia, there wasn't a question of whether or not he would give in to her demands." Zoe said back softly.

Artemis closed her eyes tightly to hold back the tears that began to well up in them.

They sat in silence for another few minutes before Zoe decided to voice her thoughts to Artemis.

"Artemis, what do you think happened to Percy?" She asked cautiously.

Artemis tensed but didn't respond so Zoe decided to continue.

"If Percy was in Tartarus, where Gaia most likely would have brought him, or if he was claimed by the Styx for breaking his oath, how would be able to get both Bianca and I immortalized?" Zoe asked.

Artemis was silent for a moment before she sat up stared at Zoe, "You think he's still alive, don't you?"

Zoe slowly nodded.

"Why wouldn't he come back then? He must know how much everyone is hurting." Artemis asked.

Zoe looked unsure, "I don't know milady. But what I do know if how much Percy loved you and I am sure that if he could, he would be sitting in my place right now."

Artemis flopped back down in her bed, "Why did it have to be him? Why does it always have to be him?" She asked sadly.

"Because that is what Percy is milady, a hero. Not just any hero, the greatest hero this world has ever seen." Zoe answered.

Artemis was about to reply but Zoe continued.

"Artemis, Percy was the greatest hero the world has seen. He could have had any woman he wanted and he wanted you." Zoe said seriously.

Artemis looked at her friend curiously.

"Percy fell in love with the fierce huntress Artemis. Not a depressed love struck girl. I mean no disrespect milady but you are not the woman Percy fell in love with. He wouldn't want you lying in bed for two weeks straight because of him. You need to pick yourself up from this. I believe in my heart that Percy Jackson is alive and when he can, he will come back to us. I've learned to never doubt Percy. He promised me that Bianca and I that would not have to return to the Underworld and even from wherever he is, he kept his word. I know he promised you that he would come back to you and I have no doubt in my mind that he will keep his word like he always does. When he does come back, he will expect to find the woman he fell in love with, not a shell of that woman." Zoe said sternly to her mistress before softening, "Milady, I'm not saying act like nothing happened. That would be impossible because we all love Percy. Some more than others, but there isn't a girl in the hunt who wouldn't give their life to bring him back right now. They are all a wreck, especially Thalia, she lost both her brothers that day, and we need our mistress to help us all move past this until the day Percy does return to us. It might be in a week, it might be in a year, or fifty years but I am positive he will come back to us, to you."

Artemis stared at Zoe in shock for a minute before her eyes narrowed slightly and her face hardened. She looked at Zoe and nodded, "Tell the girls to get ready, we're leaving tonight."

Zoe smiled and tried to move off the bed but Artemis grabbed her and pulled her back into a tight embrace, "I'm so grateful to have you back Zoe. I've missed my best friend dearly over the past eight years." Artemis said softly.

Zoe smiled at Artemis words, happy to be back in the hunt with her mistress as well.

Line Break

A tall man with blonde hair and sky blue eyes looked down at the sleeping young man before him with worry. The young man had proven his courage and bravery beyond any others who walked the earth since its creation. He was the key, the one who could make the difference when the world needed him most. The question the man wondered was whether or not the hero would accept the role.

A beautiful woman with strawberry blonde hair and a similar pair of sky blue eyes walked up beside her husband and grabbed his hand.

"He will accept my love, I am sure of it." The woman said confidently.

The man continued to stare at the hero with worry, "He will want to return to his life. He will want to be with the one he loves. I can't blame him; I would want the same if I were in his place"

The woman shook her head, "Aether, he will join us. Once we explain everything he will accept, for if he does not, he will lose the one he loves anyway."

Aether nodded, "You are right, without him, the Earth may stand no chance when father makes his move."

Line Break ( I thought about ending it there but it was too short… lucky you )

Percy Jackson awoke slowly from what felt like hours of deep sleep. As his eyes slowly opened, he quickly shut them due to the blindingly bright light. The events of the last thing that happened to him came flooding back into his mind. He had stabbed Gaia through the heart before he assumed Styx had claimed his life for breaking his oath on her river.

Percy opened his eyes again, slowly adjusting to the blinding bright light that illuminated his vision. Percy shook his head; he assumed afterlife in the Styx would have been a little more dark and gloomy.

Percy turned to find a tall handsome man standing next to a beautiful blonde haired woman looking down at him with a mixture of worry and pity.

Percy slowly reached into his pocket.

As his fingers brushed his pen the man shook his head, "We are not here to harm you Perseus. We have much to talk about, much to explain, and even more to ask of you young hero."

Percy looked at the man warily, not removing his hand from his pocket yet, "Who are you?" Percy asked warily.

The man nodded, "I am Aether, Primordial of God of Light. This is my wife Hemera, Primordial Goddess of the Day."

Percy's eyes widened and he quickly dropped to a knee in a deep bow.

Hemera shook her head, "Please Perseus, you do not need to bow. We are in need of your help, but first we will explain why and how you are here."

Percy stood and nodded his head, curious how he became to be in front of these two primordial deities.

Aether waved his hand producing a large chair for Percy and a couch for himself and Hemera.

"Perseus, as you know, you broke your oath of the River Styx when he stabbed Gaia. Styx was about to claim your life as payment for your broken oath until we intervened; we teleported you off the battlefield and into our realm." Aether explained.

Percy's eyes widened in surprise, "Where exactly am I?"

"You are currently in our palace, located up in the heavens. Outside is the White City where our citizens live as well as our army." Hemera explained.

Percy nodded, "And what of my broken oath? Won't Lady Styx be looking to claim my life and bring my soul to her river?"

Aether waved his hand dismissively, "That is not of concern. Consider yourself freed from her and that cursed river."

Percy's eyes widened before they narrowed a bit, "Thank you but there must be a reason for you saving my life and freeing me from my deal with Styx. Why am I here?"

A look of apprehension crossed Aether's face while Hemera seemed unfazed by the question. She simply smiled warmly at Percy. Percy couldn't help but smile back; she gave Percy the same comforting feeling as when he was in the presence of his patron Hestia. At the thought of Hestia, Percy's mind wandered to Artemis and his family as well as all his friends in the hunt and became worried.

Hemera, noticing his look of panic, spoke up, "All your friends and family are safe Perseus. When you stabbed Gaia, you sent her into a slumber that will take millennia to wake from. Everyone is safely back on Olympus."

Percy sighed with relief and smiled. He looked Aether again who still looked worried, something that made Percy uneasy.

"Perseus, we saved you because we need your help. Our mother and father are plotting to make their move to control the Earth, using the war with Gaia to gather their forces and try to strike when the Olympians least expect." Aether explained warily.

Percy's eyes widened, "Shouldn't everyone be warned?"

Aether shook his head, "We have time but we need the Olympians to remain in the dark. If our mother and father discovered the Olympians knew of their plans, they could attack sooner and we are not yet prepared to provide them with the help they need to win the war. That is why we need you Perseus."

Percy looked at Aether confused, "I'm just a demigod, I can't possibly make that much of a difference."

Aether smiled and shook his head, "You are the most powerful demigod to ever live and when the war begins you will be more powerful than you are now. We need someone to lead our army and we think it needs to be you.."

Percy stood there stunned for a minute before he became worried, "And what of my family and friends? Will I be able to see them? To let them know I am okay and still alive?"

Aether's face became worried while Hemera's smile vanished, "Not for a while Perseus. We promise when the war begins we will bring you back to your loved ones. Until then, you will train and work in secret, unable to let people know where you are. If Erebus or Nyx discovered you had joined us, they would unleash everything they had on the Earth and rebuild from the ashes." Hemera explained sadly.

Percy's heart clenched at their words. He couldn't see his friends and family. He couldn't see Artemis. Percy eyes hardened and looked up at the two primordial deities in front of him, "And what happens to me if I refuse?"

Both primordial husbad and wife looked at him sadly, "We will return you to Earth. We are not going to force you to do anything Perseus. But in the end you will lose them all when our mother and father unleash their forces on the Olympians and the Earth as a whole." Aether answered.

Percy stared at the two deities trying to find any deceit in their words but he knew they weren't lying.

Percy's shoulders slumped, "How long?" He asked sadly.

Hemera looked at the young hero with pity, "On the Earth, four or five years at most. For you, longer."

Percy felt his heart shatter a bit at her words, "How long for me?"

"Twice as long. Time passes differently here and you will need that time to be ready to fight and lead our army in this war." Aether replied.

Percy stared at the floor as he thought about how long he would have to wait to be with Artemis again. He would give anything just to see her one more time. As he thought, he remembered some of the promises he made to his friends.

Percy's head snapped up, "I will accept but I have some conditions." He said seriously.

Aether's eyes widened and he nodded his head for Percy to continue.

"I have two friends I made a promise to. I found them in Tartarus and took them out with me. The Olympians will most likely try to send them back to Elysium. I need you to make them immortal to ensure they cannot be sent back to the Underworld; Zoe Nightshade and Bianca Di Angelo. Can you do that for me?" Percy asked seriously.

Hemera's face shifted from worried to a warm smile, "Such loyalty to his friends. You are the perfect commander for our army. Of course we will grant your request."

Percy looked at Aether who nodded and vanished in a blinding light. He returned a minute later with a smirk on his face, "It is done. Thanatos just tried to retrieve them but was met with an unexpected problem when he noticed they were immortal.

Percy's face shifted into the first smile since he woke up, "Thank you Lord Aether."

Aether frowned, "It's just Aether and Hemera Perseus. This is your home for a while so we had mine as well get comfortable with each other."

Percy's smile grew and he nodded, "Then please, it's just Percy for me."