The Last Guardian

Chapter One

Chapter One

     'I swear to protect the Goddess Artemis. For she is my charge, she is my duty. Her life is my own. My loyalty is to her above all else. This I swear."

     Percy woke up before dawn. Every day he started the day by going outside and taking in the nature. He tended to the plants he grew outside. Then he would inspect the outside of the temple for any damage. He thought it was better to fix anything as soon as it appeared, rather than dealing with a larger problem later on.

     Then he went into the temple. But only briefly. Just long enough for him to grab his bow and arrow, as well as his knife. He came back out of the temple and climbed a tree at the edge of the forest.

     Once in the tree, he leaped from branch to branch. His feet were silent as he landed on each branch with his bare feet. The moon shone above him, providing all the light he needed to see. The wind blew through the cold night, making him shiver slightly as the wind hit his bare chest.

     His ears moved as he tried to listen for the sounds of an animal. When the wind paused briefly, he was able to make out the sound of a branch's crunch. Percy leapt from his branch towards the sound. Remaining in the trees, he jumped from branch to branch.

     He spotted a deer in the foliage. He unslung his bow and drew an arrow from the quiver on his back. He took aim. He felt the wind and adjusted his aim a tiny bit. He let go of the arrow. It soared through the air, before landing in the heart of the deer. It fell silently, dead on the spot.

     Percy leapt off of the branch and landed on the ground without a sound. He walked towards the deer, avoiding tree roots that could trip him up. He reached the deer and slung his bow over his shoulder. He picked the deer up and threw it over his other shoulder.

     He walked back out of the forest, emerging before the temple. The temple was reminiscent of the Parthenon in Greece during its prime, only smaller. The pillars on the outside mostly hid the walls on the inside. The doors were on the front, made of a nice mahogany wood. There originally hadn't been any, but Percy decided to add them to keep the cold out during the winter.

     He laid the deer down in the grass.

     He went inside and grabbed some plates and took them outside. He laid them next to the deer.

     He grabbed some firewood and laid it on the fire pit. He grabbed his firestik, some kindling, and put them next to the firewood. He started the firestick process, using the stick to create heat with the friction. It took forever, but he would eventually get it. He set the firestick aside and picked up the kindling. He gently blew on the ember. It flamed up before dying again when his breath went away. He laid the kindling on the firewood and started to blow again. He kept blowing, only pausing to regain his breath. When he was done, the fire was roaring.

     Percy started to skin the deer and cut the meat off of its bones. He laid the meat on the fire and smiled slightly as he heard the sizzle as it cooked. He flipped it over a few minutes later, once again hearing the sizzle. He took the meat off when it was done. He set it aside on a plate. It wasn't for him.

     He took another piece of meat and laid it on the fire. He let that one cook even more before flipping it. When that was done, he put it on the other plate. He walked over to the temple and grabbed a bucket.

     There was a stream nearby that he got water from on a daily basis. He took the bucket there and filled it up. He took it back and poured it over the fire, dousing it. Charcoal was left in the pit. He left it there. He would add it to the pile later.