To The Moon

Chapter 16

A/N The last chapter was definitely the most plot bending chapter out of the last few. And definitely my favorite

Percy POV

"Correct, likely a primordial." She said, cautiously.

Thoughts raced through my head, 'who could this be?' I racked my brain for any ideas. Then one popped into my head. "It's one of the primordials in the pit." I stated

"The pit?" Athena asked

"We encountered several primordials in Tartarus..."

"Any specific ones?" Artemis asked

"Nyx–Tartarus..." I started before rubbing my chin in thought. "I'm sure Erebus and Hamera were down there too." I finished

"What about Aether?" Athena asked

"Aether?" I replied

"You know what, don't even think about it." She replied

Suddenly Zeus stood up, "This meeting is going nowhere, I believe that we should rediscuss this at a later time, meeting adjourned."

Almost everybody flashed out. I stood up and walked out the throne room doors.

I was seemingly pulled into the garden. Something just willed me to go there. I walked around for a while before finding a clear spot with some grass underneath a tree. Almost as soon as I sat underneath the tree tears started to fall. One turned into two, two to three. Before I knew it, I was bawling my eyes out underneath this tree.

As I continued to cry, two presences entered the garden. "Hello?" One of the voices called out. I was crying too much to hear anything. That was until someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" They asked

"I-I so many campers d-died today. I c-could've saved t-them." I choked out, tears running down my shirt

They embraced me. I just began to cry into their shoulder. I felt soft hair fall down over my face. It was then that I reeled back in shock.

I looked at who had just embraced me and who I was crying to. Though my eyes still had tears welled up inside, on the verge of falling, I was able to see flowy auburn hair and silver eyes.

I immediately bowed. "Lady Artemis, I apologize." I looked up to see a moon goddess with vigorously gold cheeks and Zoё standing there holding her stomach laughing.

I couldn't help but crack a small smile. "You're so dense!" Zoё laughed out, beginning to tire from the laughing. "She hugged you!" She said with a slightly more serious tone.

Then Artemis snapped out of her trance, "Really Percy... Are you okay?"

I sighed thinking about my next choice of words. "After Annabeth..." I trailed off looking off in the distance, "I decided that I need to stop blaming myself for so much." I continued. Looking up at Zoë then over to Artemis. "It all has happened so fast I just haven't had much time to really come to terms with it all. I just need more time." I concluded

"Percy, I owe you my life." Zoe started. "Everyone in the hunt has somehow been saved by you before. Not necessarily directly, however none of us would be here without you. I'm sure that Milady would agree with me in that regardless of what anyone else in the hunt thinks, there will always be a spot for you to hang out." She finished

My mouth agape, I looked at her wide eyed, then over to Artemis who nodded her head. "You would put your own hunters aside, ones who I remind you joined to renounce males for a male?"

"Like Zoë said, most of us would not be here without you." Artemis confidently answered. Her cheeks tinged with gold.

"And Zoё, when did you learn to speak modern English?"