Legend of Perseus 3: Curse of Atlas

~Chapter 5~

"Fine I submit." Artmies mumbled as I removed Gungnir and let it vanish.

"So now that I win, everything of yours are now mine. Including you and your hunters."

"What! But the-"

"Law of Divine Surrender. If you don't give what is mine than that law shall take affect."

Artemis paled as she nodded. "Alright, I'll give you everyht-"

"It is alright, I will be envoking, Law of Mortal Appropriation. I'll let you keep everything else including your hunters, all you have to do is tell me your true name."

Artemis panicked as she looked up at me fearfully. "I have no choice, I will tell ou my true name."

"You do know what will happen if I know it."

"Yes I do." Artemis replied. "My true name is-"

<--------------------------->

An hour later I watched Thalia pacing in the snow at the edge of camp, walking among the wolves that belonged to the hunters without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods. I wondered what she was thinking.

Seven years ago, Thalia had been turned into a pine tree by her father, to prevent her from dying. She'd stood her ground against an army of monsters on top of Half-Blood Hill in order to give her friends Luke and Annabeth time to escape. She'd only been back as a human for a few months now, and once in a while she would stand so motionless you'd think she was still a tree.

Finally, one of the Hunters brought me my backpack. Grover and Nico came back from their walk.

Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot.

"Big collection," I said.

Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that..." He knit his eyebrows.

"What?" I asked.

He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?"

I showed him Morningstar, and explained how to him how it was a gift from our father and that he would get his own when he got claimed.

"Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?"

"Um, well, I don't actually write with it."

"Are you really the son of three different gods?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you surf really well, then? What about Sky diving? What about cave exploring!"

I looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Jeez, Nico," I said. "I've never really tried."

Zoe Nightshade soon came up to us.

"Percy Jackson."

She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. She studied me carefully, like she was not sure what to make of me.

"Please, come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."