Clockwork

22

*Most of this chapter will be with Artemis.*

Amanda didn't go anywhere but straight back to the hunters. Percy didn't need her moving Adrien's plan along with him being so unprepared. He called for an audience with Artemis as soon as he reached the camp.

And Artemis was furious.

"How dare you? My hunters swore an oath! There is no way of anyone being a traitor!" She snapped. "My lady, I--" Percy started, but he was interrupted.

"You're just like every other man! How do we know you're not a traitor? You can't even show your face! You could be feeding information right to your worthless excuse of a son! You're just some vacuous machine created to keep a dead man alive! You know nothing of honor, trust, loyalty--" Artemis' rant was cut short. Percy had taken off his helmet, and his sea-green eyes flared angrily.

Artemis wondered why she felt fear. A deafening silence filled the tent and its ear-splitting screams made Artemis feel as though her ears are bleeding. Artemis broke out of the grasp Percy's glare had on her and sent one of her most menacing glares she could muster, but the son of Poseidon didn't flinch.

"My lady?" A panicking voice called into the tent,  tearing through the silence. Percy blinked, and then looked away, quickly putting on his helmet. Artemis wondered if that was the 'Wolf stare' the Percy had learned to do when he was alive. She had been caught by a wolf stare before, but while the experience was unpleasant, it was nothing compared to Percy's.

Thalia limped into the tent and quickly bowed before facing Artemis. Artemis took in the current state of her lieutenant. Her silver uniform was torn and covered in ash, and her arms and legs were littered with fresh scratches. "I apologize for the intrusion, but there was an accident with the younger hunters." Her words came out rushed and panicky, and Percy was the first to exit the tent.

Artemis was almost impressed at how fast he went but he wasn't even running. The second Artemis exited the tent, the harsh smell of smoke smacked her. Ignoring the snell and her stinging eyes. Percy had gone ahead, too far for Artemis to see where he had gone.

A loud explosion echoed from the deeper part of the trees. As Artemis crept closer, moving swiftly between trees and bushes, she came to a small clearing where Clockwork was standing. He was looking straight at something, his body relaxed but his demeanor deadly.

Behind him, cowered young hunters as they cried over the still bodies of the older hunters. Thalia stood next to him, electricity crackling through her as she leaned on Percy for support. He paid no mind to the electricity.

"State your purpose for attacking." Percy's calm voice sounded out. He didn't yell, but his voice swept through the clearing.

A voice of someone who Artemis could not see, and it was one voice that Artemis could not understand.

It was metallic, electrically polished to perfection in it's best to replicate the voice of a human. It was like Percy's voice, but also not like it at all.

"I believe you have some people I need." The voice said. Percy raised his head a bit, and rolled his shoulder and let Riptide spring to life. Thalia's eyes widened at the sight of the sword but if she wanted to say anything, she didn't.

"And who may those people be?" Percy asked. Artemis' eyes snapped towards Amanda's unconscious body. People, people, people, people... More than one person, who could the other people or person be?

"For me to leave without causing any more damage, I will need the following: The daughter of Destruction, the daughter of Death, and the daughter of Mnemosyne." The voice said.

"Are all of them your spies?" Percy asked, and the tone his voice had switched to made Artemis uneasy.

Jasmine was awake but injured, her mind not on the conversation. "Only the daughter of Mnemosyne. It is rather appalling that with someone with a reputation as yourself failed to find the demigod that you had no recollection of suddenly in the hunters suspicious." The voice said.

There was silence, and suddenly, there was a... A thing in front of Clockwork.

It had slim metal legs and arms, and it sprouted a human head, held together by metal planks. It had moved with stealth and speed that even Artemis couldn't detect. Clockwork didn't show any sign of distress. Artemis looked down and noticed that his sword was ready and was pointed at the things head.

The head. A disfigured face with wires sticking out of its eye sockets and a bald head adorned with duct tape and stitches.

"I'm sure you weren't even aware of the goddess--" the voice started but Percy interrupted. "That is currently behind a tree a good three feet from us. There are also thirty demigods here scattered throughout the forest preparing for an ambush. No, scratch that, 15. Sabre got them."

A loud clanging explosion sounded in the distance.

"Nevermind about those 15. Hephaestus had nothing better to do apparently." Percy informed.

Artemis knew that her presence was known, but she couldn't comprehend as to why Percy could sense all of these people without Artemis being able to sense them. An even better question, how could he sense her?

"Ah. So you aren't as daft and naïve as I once deduced. This shall make this much more interesting." The voice said. "I guess it will. You seem to know so much about me, who are you?" Percy asked, not having once moved his sword from its place on the things disfigured forehead.

"And why should that be any interest of yours, Perseus Jackson." The voice spat. Thalia's eyes darted to Percy, and she let them fall again. She pulled herself tighter towards Percy, and as hard as it felt to believe it, the gesture looked peculiarly like a side-hug.

"If it is of my interest or not I asked, therefore, you answer. Now. State your name."

"Eleven."

"Any other names that should be mentioned?"

"Dylan Matthews. Creation of Hephaestus."

At this new information, Percy's head tilted to the side. He was silent for a while, not saying a word. Percy then lifted his head and lowered his sword.

Artemis watched as he turned his arm back to normal.

"Milady, it would be best for you to return your hunters. Leave the ones he wants to trade, and I will have everything situated." Percy stated, not leaving any room to debate. Not that Artemis was going to try. Her hunters were all turning a sickly green, and Thalia obviously needs rest. Artemis would be back.

Amanda was unconscious. She wouldn't give Percy too many problems even if she happened to be awake. The hunter in question, the daughter of Mnemosyne, was also unconscious.

It was only Jasmine, the daughter of death, still clinging to consciousness. Jasmine Lockhart. Artemis didn't like her very much. Something just didn't sit well.

With a snap of her fingers, the goddess of the moon transported the young and the sickly hunters to the camp. After she set out again, Clockwork had taken off his helmet.

There was blood dripping from his black hair, as he rolled his shoulder, it seeming to materialize in and out of existence.

Riptide appeared, and he started forward, into the cover of the trees. The three girls were nowhere in sight, and neither was Eleven.

All Artemis could do was follow the trail of blood.

Yes. Dramatic. I know. Anyways, what did you think? I hope you enjoyed this part despite the long waits for updates (sorry about that). But this is my last week of school sooooooo YAY. Well... I'm gonna go now.

Byeeee!!

             ~DemonsFromAbove