Fear of Erebus

Alone With The Jailbird

"Luke...?"

"Hey, Thals." Thalia smiled, as she then proceed to crush the tall blond in what was obviously a bone-snapping hug. Thalia was very, very close to overstepping the line...

"Thalia." My warning voice sounded almost feral as I glared at the two embraced figures. She turned upon hearing me, eyes widening as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and her smile slipping from her face. I took out my dagger. "Step. Away. From. The. Traitor." Thalia was reluctant but Luke pushed her away, almost as if he knew that she would get hurt if she continued to stand there. Through my peripheral vision, I could see my Hunters ready their bows, as the resurrected heroes stood idly by and watched.

"Lady Artemis, let me explain-" The traitor tried.

"It's a bit late for explaining, don't you think?!" Oh, I am so going to enjoy sending this rotten male back to Tartarus! Though, I'm doubtful there will be anything left of him once I'm done. I took several threatening steps towards him but he didn't attempt to run, nor did he make a move for his sword that was strapped to his belt.

"Lady Artemis, please, don't!" I heard Thalia beg but I paid her no heed. This traitor doesn't deserve anything.

"Artemis?! What are you doing?" Orion's efforts to distract me were laughable at best because there is nothing on earth that will stop me from destroying this low-life, back-stabbing, piece-of-trash, male by the name of Luke Castellan.

"This, Orion, is Luke Castellan; former son of Hermes," I decided to enlighten him though, as I used my dagger to loosely gesture to said traitor. "He's the foolish boy who thought Kronos would help him destroy Olympus!" I saw the glint in Castellan's eyes, I knew he wanted a fight but instead, he fought against his instinct and stayed still.

"Lady Artemis, I think you may be misinformed. Luke is among those most loyal to Percy." I faulted at Jason's reasoning.

"What?"

"It's true, Lady Artemis." Castellan spoke up. "Just like Orion, and even Jason, I'm redee-" he was interrupted by a loud smash and small broken pieces of glass falling from a higher balcony. My Hunters parted to reveal the crushed remains of a clay stamnos jar, surrounded by the glass fragments. "PERCY!" Luke shouted up to the terrace. The only response he got were the assemblage of grey clouds in the sky.

Luke didn't hesitate in running to the closest doors of the mansion, all the while shouting Jackson's name. Instinctively, I followed, knowing that Castellan would lead me right to the person I needed to see.

We entered through the double oak doors, framed with stain-glassed windows that looked like they had been hijacked from some medieval Christian church. I wasn't really one for interior décor but I did notice a lush Persian rug on the stone floor, a giant chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, walls covered from corner to corner with paintings and tapestries, crystal windows cloaked with fine velvet curtains and a huge fireplace big enough to throw someone in...

Castellan jogged up the arched stairs to the second landing, and turned left to what I presumed was the direction of the room with the now broken window. Eventually he came to a stop in front of a very innocent, average-looking, wooden door.

"Percy? PERCY?!" He called, urgently knocking. I rolled my eyes when Castellan, unsatisfied with the lack of answer, decided that kicking down the door would be a more effective way entering the room. Being the impatient person I am, I wasn't about to stand outside a wooden door, whilst some resurrected mortal tried their mortal tactics of entering—personally I prefer the method of teleporting.

Once I got my bearing, I found myself in a typical, gloomy, 19th century aristocratic study, with a few Ancient Greek artefacts decorating the room; the Minotaur horn resting on the desk, a Drakon's head mounted to the wall, and yet nothing looked a bit out of place.