Forged Destinies

Let's Do This

Ch. 17

You could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone was staring at Leo who was holding the outstretched screwdriver and looking at Apollo expectantly. After a full minute, he slowly pulled his hand back.

"So, that's a negatory on the screwdriver."

"I don't have time for foolish games." Apollo shook his head.

"Oh yeah?" Percy asked. "You got big plans? Needed on Olympus? Gonna go fight Gaea and the giants? Because it looks like you two are just trying to wait this war out while we go do the work for you, yet again."

Piper, Hazel and Leo all looked at Percy with eyes wide. None of them had seen a mortal speak to a god like that before, let alone an Olympian. Zoe was the only one who didn't look surprised, though she did wince a bit at his brass accusation.

"You would dare to speak to me like that?" Apollo's glared at Percy but it didn't have the desired effect as Percy just spread his arms.

"Oh, are you gonna smite me?" His voice rose. "Go ahead, smite away. Please, I would love it. Then, when you don't have Percy Jackson to win the war for you, I can do my Olympian impression and laugh while I sit on my ass in the Underworld while you fight Gaea and the Giants!"

"Okay," Artemis shrugged. "I'll smite him." She seemed quite pleased at the idea and drew an arrow, taking aim at Percy. Zoe jumped between them, causing the goddess to frown and lower her bow.

"Enough!" Zoe growled turning to shove Percy back a step. She glared daggers at him and his completely unhelpful attitude.

"What, Zoe?" He snapped. "Apollo doesn't want to help. Fine, let them deal with Gaea and the giants. I'll just go sit in the Underworld and they can find a new demigod to fight for them. I've done my time, I'm not doing this. I'm not bargaining with them after all I've done. It's time I get a little appreciation for everything I've done for the gods!"

Zoe glanced back at Artemis and Apollo, expecting them to be on the verge of destroying them all. Instead though, the both looked thoughtful, like they were actually thinking about what Percy said.

"You know," Apollo mused. "Now that you mention it, I guess I do kinda sound like a dick."

The entire group minus Percy and Zoe looked stunned by his sudden change of mood. Apparently the gods really were going bipolar.

"I don't know," Artemis eyed Percy, "I've never let a mortal, let alone a man, live after speaking to me like that. I think he needs to die."

She drew the string back on her bow again but Apollo gently pushed her arrow aside.

"That's a lot he's done for you, sister. Just think, if he managed to capture Zoe's affection, he obviously has some qualities you would appreciate."

Artemis looked like a child who'd had her favorite toy taken away from her. She pouted and reluctantly lowered her bow again.

"I want to kill something." She grumbled.

Apollo shook his head smiling, like that was a perfectly normal thing for a person to wish for.

"If these heroes succeed, we'll be able to leave the island. There will be so many monsters and giants to kill..." Apollo coaxed her and surprisingly seemed to appease the huntress.

"Wait," Piper asked. "You can't leave?"

Apollo's smile morphed into a scowl, "Zeus has bound us here. He has this insane idea that the war was our fault." Thunder rumbled overhead making Apollo roll his eyes. "But yeah, we're stuck for the moment."