( Percy POV )
The primordial watched the remains of the titan as it was destroyed by his fires, his gaze unflinching even as he kept his emotions tightly clasped just beneath the surface as he reigned in his anger. This night had only gotten worse and now he was almost at a loss of what to feel. Watching Chase's sacrifice for her daughter and then watching said daughter break under the grief had hit too close to home for him.
And then was the sense of failure.
Could he have arrived sooner? Could he have changed the outcome if he hadn't been so focused on Artemis and her death at his hands? Could he have saved her? His shook his head of those thoughts knowing it was useless to even think on it now, instead his gaze drifting to the child asleep in his hand, whimpering occasionally as her tiny signature of power wavered dangerously.
His eyes narrowed on her arm afflicted by his curse. Even if already removed, the damage done was simply beyond his ability to heal without the risk of causing worse damage himself. He simply wasn't a doctor …but he knew someone that was.
With one last glance around himself he waved his had as a wave of his Voidfire pulsed out around him, destroying everything in its way. Nodding to himself he only imagined his home before he disappeared in a burst of shadow, leaving the abandoned mountain to burn.
Then, in a manner of seconds he appeared in another burst of shadow before a familiar clinic belonging to Will. His presence was immediately noticed as he felt several varying signatures of consciousness pass over him to confirm he was back. He also felt the momentary surprise of several as they passed, each having noted his unexpected cargo now carried in his arms thanks to him arriving at moral size.
Without missing a beat he moved through the doors, the bustling attendants and nurses milling around in their duties all pausing at registering who had just walked in. He didn't pay them much attention though as he moved on passed the reception hall and towards the emergency rooms, already feeling one distinct signature all but racing towards him. He stopped just as he felt said presence turn out of an adjacent hall and appear before him, the god's deep blue eyes immediately falling on the godling in his arms.
She was sweating even as she shivered, her skin going pale and clammy as the afflicted arm twitched. No sooner had Will appeared and seen the child did Percy find Cloelia out of his arms and now in Will's as the god sped off to one of his emergency rooms. Percy knew Will would question him later on the godling and what happened but for now the child took precedent.
Percy watched them disappear down the hall and into another room, other nurses called in doubtlessly by Will entering as well before Percy turned away and disappearing in another shadow jump.
This time he appeared floating in the night skies above the forest turned battle-field, his wings spread out and softly fluttering in the breeze as his arrival was registered by mortal and divine alike. Even if he couldn't directly see them he knew where each demigod was as they milled around and regrouped with the absence of his wolves.
Still, his visage became icy yet commanding as his fellow primordial each burst from the covers of the trees and flew up around him. Andromeda and Jason were sporting small cuts with Andy even having a busted lip but otherwise okay. Rhea on the other hand had far more prominent injuries including a lengthy cut running the length of her thigh and even an arrow sticking out of her shoulder while practically dripping mortal blood and golden ichor
Seeing his concerned look she shrugged while muttering, "The Amazons are more relentless than I thought."
Knowing she was overall fine allowed him to drop the subject as the entire forest below them began to tremble and shift before they watched as it shrunk.
Steadily the trees lowered, seemingly turning to hide in the earth as the demigod army slowly came into view after having pulled together once the biggest distractions had withdrawn. In a manner of minutes the four primordial gods had an unimpeded view of the recovered but shaken army, dozens of minor gods and the remaining Olympians littered throughout looking haggard and grim.
Zeus stood close to Hera, both panting with Zeus' bolt crackling in his grip as he remained at a godly height. Hera was similar but was covered in cuts and bruises, cradling a clearly shattered left arm and bits of a broken shield while her right kept a bone-white grip on her sword while surrounded by her Amazons. Hephaestus was visible further to the back of the gathered army with ranks pulled close.
Hermes' own were mixed with the Rangers of Apollo. However there was a noticeable lack of silver armored girls, the few present having lost the near glow symbolizing their allegiance and it was not missed by many. However most of those remnants of the now disbanded Hunt remained close to the Bellona and her Cohort, the goddess sporting numerous cuts after having fought Andromeda.
Percy's eyes kept scanning until they immediately locked onto a pair of deep blue ones separate from all the rest. Apollo sat on his knees, his shoulders rigid and jaw set tight as he remained separate from the army, likely where Jason left him as the sun god looked at him with barely contained fury. Percy didn't break eye contact as he waved his hand as a portal of darkness opened up in the skies just some meters in front of Apollo.
He heard the hundreds of rustles and felt the shift as the army prepared to move but instead went still as a massive silver bow fell out, plowing into the earth beneath it. It didn't take long for the gods and then the mortals to realize just whose bow it was and what its state meant. Without a connection to the god the bow was already showing signs of wear and tear. Numerous chips in the length from blocking Percy's blades were now sporting growing cracks. The silvery metal having lost the lustrous glow and the string was gone.
The final proof to all that Artemis was well and truly dead.
A hushed silence fell over the army as some dropped to their knees in shock, now having been reduced to some 800 or so from having been well over a thousand along with the loss of a third of their minor gods. Crippled moral, heavy losses, and without some of their most dangerous fighters … and now the final offer.
"Artemis has fallen, Olympians, and the rest of you will be following soon … unless you decided to surrender that is," he began, the growl and power of his voice echoing throughout the night as his eyes remained locked on the army before him.
"I've said it once and I'll say it again, we are coming after you and only you. The demigods have no reason to fight us however …" he trailed off as his eyes scanned over the army as a snarl formed on his face, all the anger and agitation having bubbled up for a moment. "Next time there will be no holding back or mercy so think carefully demigods. Surrender or turn back, we don't care but this is your last chance, don't waste it."
With his part said he looked away and towards his fellow primordial gods, already knowing his words had shaken the already crumbling resolve of the army and he could only hope they finally turned back.
There had already been enough losses tonight and he didn't want to continue so he turned and with a mighty flap of his wings, sped away as his fellow gods followed in silence. It would only take a minute to reach the mountain and they now had over a hundred scared demigods to attend to.
They flew close and in silence for all of ten seconds before Jason spoke up, his voice sounding much like Percy felt.
"I need to go," he said crisply making Percy look back to him and noticing the tight grip he had on his blade while the primordial of light continued. "Something or more accurately, someone, is attacking Frank and Hazel."
That got some alarmed looks from all the others including Percy himself. Only now did he berate himself for not having thought of other friends possibly being attacked. After all, he knew Cloelia had been on Ogygia with Calypso so who was to say others weren't in a similar situation. He paused in his flight as he was about to offer to join him but a raised hand from Jason cut him off.
"Don't worry I set my own protections and they are holding strong," he explained making the others visibly relax somewhat before they noticed the cracking of white lighting in Jason's wings as he continued, "However, that doesn't mean I'm just going to stand by and I've waited long enough as is. So it's time to deal with it personally," Jason all but snarled before he disappeared in a burst of light.
Percy could barely feel sorry for the fools about to suffer the god's wrath. Still, with a sigh and look at his wives he turned back towards the mountain, wanting nothing more than to rest and put this day behind him until he remembered a key detail.
How was he going to tell Athena about Cloelia and Annabeth?
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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
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