Why We Fell

❧ T H R E E

ARTEMIS STARED AT her father, disbelief and pure shock etched on her face. She wasn't used to getting caught off guard, but on that day, Zeus seemed to be an exception.

Silence filled the vast throne room, and the atmosphere suddenly turned hostile just as the god of the skies finished his proposal. His sky-blue eyes glistened with something that Artemis couldn't interpret—but for a split second, his eyes hardened and specks of sickly-green colour spread in his irises, but it was gone as soon as it had happened. The goddess of the moon merely dismissed this as a trick of the light.

"Zeus," Athena said, looking quite as startled as all the other gods and goddesses. "Do you really think that banishing the only beings in existence that would continuously put themselves in harm's way just to defend us, and the whole world, is wise?"

Artemis, for one, had to agree. Just the mere thought of the bravest demigods of the era being exiled was ridiculous; even more so than Zeus' normal dimwitted ideas.

The goddess of the hunt risked a discreet glance at Hades and Poseidon. They both looked offended and quite obviously enraged, their faces contorted with controlled anger. She couldn't blame them; their children were, after all, the saviors of Olympus. Nothing in history could change that fact.

"I cannot risk these children thinking they can threaten me all they want just because they have defeated primordial deities!" Zeus roared, and lightning flashed from outside the window. Artemis held back an irritated sigh.

"Father," she spoke as softly as she could manage without accidentally calling him rude names; she picked her words carefully, daring not to annoy her father even more so than he already was. "They have done great deeds of honour, and therefore do not deserve to be punished—"

A harsh, barking laugh came from the war god. Aside from his rough, slightly scarred face, fiery brown eyes, and biker-style clothes, he looked just like his father; and was usually quite as rash, too. His black boots were propped up against the polished marble slab in front of his throne, with a smug look was plastered on his face. It irritated Artemis so much, she had to restrain herself from slapping him upside the head. In times like these, she absolutely hated having him for a brother.

"If you ask me, that punk Percy surely does. Caused enough problems for us and the world, that little runt has."

"Ares," Poseidon said, his voice dangerously quiet. "Do not speak ill of my son before me."

But the other god merely shrugged, twirling a small bronze blade between his fingers with familiarity.

"This is a foolish idea, father." Artemis continued. "If they happen to turn against us, with or without their powers, then we are doomed. You know that as much as I; we have witnessed what they can and will do. We musn't bring such fate upon ourselves. By merely considering this suggestion of yours will mean that we have paved way to our destruction. They will think of us no more than hypocrites. Leave the heroes be, and order will reign."

Several immortals murmured in agreement, but the maiden goddess could tell that she only managed to have angered Zeus even more.

"Did you call me foolish, child?"

"Di immortales," Athena said under her breath. Artemis had made many valid points in her argument, yet the only thing that caught the attention of the thick-headed god of the skies was the part where she said the idea was foolish? How typical of him. This is how all the fights start, the goddess of wisdom thought to herself. All because of Zeus being an insufferable, arrogant, stupid immortal prick.

"Now, who wishes for the death of the heroes? Or rather, their banishment?"

"I veto," Artemis snarled at once, giving up on her diplomatic façade.