The Forbidden Land {A Pertemis Story}

Chapter 14: Another Prophecy

"Percy," Ally ordered once every war leader had sat around the long table in the war room. She stood from her seat at one head of the table and looked at Percy, who sat at her right. "Are you willing to tell everyone what happened?"

Percy gulped but nodded, standing as well and smiling thinly in Artemis' direction when she offered him a supportive look. He then glanced around the room, making sure the attention was on him before speaking. "A few hours ago, I was abducted by Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, who revealed herself to be the Nyx's personal spy. She has been gathering information from Camp Half-Blood and every other location loyal to the Gods of Olympus and giving it to our enemy."

"I don't understand," Thalia intervened from besides Artemis, both of them sitting to Ally's left side. "Annabeth might not be the same girl I knew when we were kids but she's never been unloyal."

"People change," Apollo argued. He looked up towards Percy, who stood to his left, and nodded supportingly. "Regardless of who Annabeth might have been, when it comes to war times, we can't trust no one but our closest friends. You all know that, and Percy's recent experience proves Annabeth has declared sides. She's not our friend anymore."

"The matter here is that now, not only Nyx has been proven to be a powerful enemy against our kingdom, but that she has also made a personal attack on my own house, by attacking Icywater's Prince," Ally snarled, her eyes shining with murderous rage as she recounted the sight she found when she entered the room Percy had been confined to.

Artemis stood at that, and walked to a side table filled with maps. She picked the largest one and took it back to the big table, extending it across its length and revealing a detailed map to Icywater and its neighbours. She pointed to Letia, which stood to their west, and mused. "We were already in war with Letia. Now, Nyx is added to our list. Either of them could attack any day now. Our enemies are piling up, yet we count with no allies."

Ally studied the maps before her before looking up and nodding in her General's direction. "Grisell, have we received any words from our spies in the territories surrounding us? Is there any nation willing to face Letia and Nyx?"

Grisell stood, his face grim as he regarded his queen gravelly. His perfectly kept silver chainmail and leather vest, plus his proud, wise posture spoke of years of experience, more than any of the present could count for. Still, as he looked at his leaders, there was nothing but respect and loyalty in his eyes. "I'm afraid not, Your Majesty. What my spies in the neighbouring countries have reported is that they are all too afraid of Letia to stand against them, let alone stand against Nyx as well."

"What about the gods?" Asked another of the soldiers present, ignorant to Artemis and Apollo's glares in response. "Nyx is going against them, why aren't they willing to intervene against their own enemy?"

"My father has never been prone to intervene in battles personally, unless it is decided otherwise by the Fates," Apollo replied, his usual amused' expression gone as he stood, glaring at the soldier even after he stopped talking.

Meanwhile, Artemis leaned back in her seat and regarded the soldier almost with disappointment. "Besides, I do not see why you cry for your gods when my brother and I are here. We do count for something, Sir."

"That is enough," Ally intervened, effectively cutting off the quickly developing argument. She looked in the direction of her army leaders, all of them ordered from highest to lowest rank around the table. "I will not have my army crying in despair for gods who should not be concerned with our matters. We will win over both Letia and Nyx on our own, as we have always fought our battles. There is a reason our two enemies have targeted our Nation, and that is because we are still a formidable opponent. Take pride in that, and do not ever presume that we are too weak to face anything that might come in our way."