Pertemis: Amnesia boy

(21) Lost Tracks

THIRD POV

Hera and Aphrodite got to work while the rest of the Olympians present gathered around and started chanting a certain ritual while using their combined powers to control the mist. It didn't take long for them to complete their tasks. 

"Will this work?" Dionysus asked. "Wouldn't it have been more reassuring if we asked for Hecate's help?" Normally he wouldn't care but he couldn't help but feel that they missed something important. 

"We needed Hecate's help before because it was on a larger scale. What we need now is smaller and more concentrated. While Hecate's magic is helpful it is also wild and unpredictable in this situation. Besides, we shouldn't rely on such valuable assets so frequently. With the war nearing we need to conserve," Athena replied.

With Athena so confident in her answer Dyonisus dismissed any further contemplations he had. 

"And what of Percy? How will this affect him? How will we explain his presence in the infirmary if anyone asks?" Hermes inquired. 

"We can say that he fainted again and Apollo is looking over him if the need arises." The wisdom goddess answered. 

"Percy has some of his old powers back... how are we suppose to hide that," Aphrodite asked. 

Zeus let out a huff and stared at the sky, "Please one problem at a time. Hera will block a part of his memories. And I doubt he has full control over them yet." 

The gods seemed to be content with the plan and proceeded to fix the property damage that Percy caused in his outburst. Once they deemed everything was fully prepared, Zeus released his hold on the witnesses. 

Everyone looked very confused as they saw that Percy and Dave had disappeared. 

"Percy! Where is he? What happened to him. What is-" Luke asked. But before he could push any further the gods blasted them with a golden light.

They were shoved back by a little force. Though it was not enough to cause damage it did cause them to lose their balance. They felt their bodies go heavy and it became harder and harder for them to keep their eyes open with each passing second. They closed their eyes and slouched a bit while the golden particles floated around them. Once the light faded they were able to open their eyes again. 

"My lords and ladies. What brings you here?" The centaur questioned. Some of the gods released a breath that they didn't know they were holding. It worked!

Meanwhile, Zoe was perplexed. Percy had been next to her just a second ago but the next thing she knew he was nowhere to be found. She was pulled out of her thoughts after hearing her goddess' name. 

"Artemis has been kidnapped," Zeus announced. 

"What do you mean she's been kidnapped!?" Zoe let out a panic. 

This time there were no insults hurled at the maiden goddess. Apollo was able to heal some of Dave's injuries but was still in a coma. He left him lying on the ground before begrudgingly coming back and taking him to the infirmary. Due to the alteration of memories, all the campers believed that Dave's incapacitation was due to the first time Percy and him fought. In their minds, he had not been present to greet the Olympians and nor was Percy. 

"I summoned her for a solo mission but she never came. Hermes said he received grave news that there were sightings of my daughter in Maine. She was surrounded and overpowered by monsters and some unknown entities. We know not of her location. Do you know why she was in Maine? I explicitly ordered her to stay in camp half-blood for the time being." 

"No, I do not my lord. The hunters and I last saw her during yesterday's capture the flag but she disappeared." 

"And none of you saw her. She didn't say anything?" Zeus briefly glanced at the love goddess at his side. They knew the two had a fight but Aphrodite still refused to reveal what it was about. He had his suspicions that their fight is what caused Artemis to act so rashly. 

"Percy might know."

He turned to the source of the voice and his eyes landed on his demigod daughter. He frowned, "Speak Thalia." 

"I believed he was the last to see her during the game. He said she had to leave mid-battle but he might know more." 

"I see" 

"We can ask him once he comes back," the daughter of Zeus grimaced when she remembered what caused him to run off in the first place. "Zoe, didn't you find him?" 

The hunter furrowed her brows, "Well I-" 

Suddenly there was a swirl of water particles. It gathered in the air before it began to form a man which soon revealed Poseidon. 

Zeus sighed. There goes another problem he needs to deal with. 

"What's going on here?" the lord of the seas questioned. 

"You would know if you bothered to show up" the king quipped at his brother. 

"I am in no mood to joke brother. I was preoccupied. There was a spike of power that caused my domain to go berserk. I had great difficulty controlling it and it caused great damage to Atlantis. Once it had calmed down I traced the source back here. So I ask again, what happened?" Poseidon asked coldly.  

Zeus frowned. He didn't think Perseus's power had reached that far. Especially to Atlantis. 

"Peace brother. Zeus had just been informed that Artemis was kidnapped. He let his rage get the best of him," Hera tried to defuse the situation. 

Poseidon's eyes softened for a moment. "My apologies for my outburst brother. I can understand the formation of the storm but that much influence over my domain...you couldn't have possibly caused that. No matter how powerful you are." 

The gods paled. They were running out of excuses. This couldn't possibly get worse. 

"Where is my son?" the sea god asked.  

Oh, it actually could. The gods glanced at each other nervously. 

"Where is Percy?" he asked again. 

Finally, Hermes answered, "He is with Apollo in the infirmary, Uncle." 

"Again? Why?" Poseidon was losing his patience. 

"Apollo found him unconscious on the beach. We believe that he may have been the cause of some of the spikes. Apollo is looking over him as we speak. " 

"I was told that this was nothing serious. Why is no one telling me of his conditions." He didn't bother waiting for a response. He rushed off in the direction of the infirmary with Hermes on his tail trying to calm him down. 

Meanwhile, the demigods were completely silent watching the scene unfold before them. Most of them had been questioning what Poseidon meant by Percy's condition and why he said 'again'. Apparently, the majority had not been informed of what happened during the demigod's rescue. 

Zoe on the other hand was in a state of utter confusion. None of it made sense. She could vividly remember she had run after Percy and found him at the beach. And when they had seen the pillar of light they headed in its direction. He was definitely not unconscious at that point. They were alongside each other the entire time, even after reaching their destination, but the next thing she knew he had disappeared. And there's no way he could have been the cause of the spikes in the god's domains. Sure he has been angry when he stormed out of the pavilion but no storms were caused and the seas remained calm. None of it made sense! 

Zeus cleared his throat, "Now back to the matter at hand." 

TBC...