Pertemis: A Wolf’s Tale novel Chapter 39

The look of confusion soon was switched to betrayal. Percy stared at Artemis while she was totally out of the Earth. He tried to rise, trying to fighting back from the chain wrapping around him and the shackle around his neck. But an Olympian, whose  appearance looked so much alike with Paecus except his red armour and warlike looking restrained Percy and held his blade at Percy's neck.

"Be a good dog" he warned. "Or I shall cloak your skin on my  shoulder."

Zeus walked up to Artemis, whom face was as pale as a sheet and held her shoulder. He turned back to the Olympians and announced.

"This credit will be given to Artemis! Without her, we wouldn't have tracked down this werewolf!"

"No father I..." Artemis tried to decline, to protest as her face was beyond terrifying.

"Accept it daughter" Zeus waved his hand. "This victory is yours. I have never doubted your hunting skills. You just made me proud today"

"But-"

And he started laughing. That his laugh shook the ground with tremendous sound and echoed through the buildings.

Percy that moment didn't say anything more, since he was trying to comprehend it. But slowly, a realisation hit him from Zeus announcement. He couldn't believe it, not that he had a choice. But it was clear to him that Artemis somehow involved in his capture. She didn't dare looking directly at him, which angered Percy even more because right now all he needed was her correction, her  justification. Even if she didn't speak, her look would have told him she was innocent. But she didn't look back at him, nor pity her glance down on him and it hurt him so much that even Wolfsbane scrubbing on his opening wounds would be considered painless.

There Aphrodite and Paecus appeared full of surprises as they observed the situation. Paecus intended to run in and help, but his mother held him back since it was not the time to do anything impulsive. One wrong move would reveal anyone that involved, including Hades and Hestia. The goddess of love secretly at the time casted an enchantment over the building of the hunters. Their interference would be the most of her concerns.

"You caused us a lot of troubles wolf" Zeus sneered as he leaned closer to him.

Percy growled. After all years he had been waiting and now the enemy that destroyed his father clan and the legendary of his race was in front of him and Percy could not do anything to take his vengeance. Percy blood boiled as if the very  molecule in his body wanted to explode, to break free of that cursed chains and rip off his head. His eyes flared red, yet he could not transform, like the shackle somehow imprisoned his power.  Percy attempted to snap but Zeus leaned his head back and started laughing.

"Look at this!" Zeus said. "It's been a long time I've seen a werewolf and they still not change. Stubborn as always. Don't worry wolf. You won't have the spirit to growl for long"

Percy felt as if humiliated. The surrounding, the people. Some laughed, some stared with wonder and with surprises and fascination as if he was an exhibit, a species that was brought before them. The shame he endured and their laughter echoed and thundered through his mind that it broke his inside. The look of hatred filled in his eyes, the fire of wrath burned in his heart that none could restrain and at the moment he silently swore an oath that forever he regretted. One day, blood will be spilled on Olympus.

"Bring forth the execution now!" Zeus suddenly switched to seriousness. "I shall not delay any further this creature existence!"

"I think you should wait" Aphrodite saw the situation had turned critical and decided to involve.

"And why is it that you speak?" Zeus turned to her.

"We should imprison him" she said. "Maybe we can find out some valuable informations. What if you will find out a den full of werewolves?"

Percy looked at her with bewildering. Her words as if she had planned for his capture in the first place. As if he had lured him to this place and made Artemis the bait to lower his guards. Yet he also realised another purpose. She was delaying him from being executed. Now he could not know which was her true purpose, for the goddess of love was capricious and unpredictable and not many could know her true intentions. Let along with Percy whose brain made of Seaweed according to Artemis.

"I say we kill him now so no more concern will be discussed tomorrow!" Zeus bellowed.

"And I say we keep him for further investigation" Aphrodite held her ground and stepped forward and came toe to toe with the King of the gods.

There now Zeus had long knew she was the oldest of the Olympians. Normally none would speak or involve Aphrodite in any of their business, or in fact she never bothered. But Aphrodite could be intimidating once she had turned serious about something and Zeus once had a taste of it. He stepped back and looked at his wife Hera, who was bored at their quarrels.

"Do something about her" he muttered to his wife, the embarrassment was building up his face yet the gods King could not contain.

"I don't know" Hera shrugged and looked away. "Aren't you the king?" And Aphrodite smirked when Zeus swallowed and looked back at her.

"Fine!" Finally he decided since he could not win the competition with Aphrodite and she mostly had the odds with her. Even though the Olympians did not bother much of Aphrodite, her beauty charmed so many gods that none could resist fighting for her. "Chain and bring him to Olympus! We will deal with him later"

And there Percy was dragged by the chain away and as he looked back at Aphrodite, a sigh escaped her like relief but she only looked back at him and nodded.

Then his eyes darted to Artemis, and now she had the courage to look at him. It was too late. The look of disappointment and for the first time he was furious at her that his eyes were  bright with fire, that the glare he gave Artemis made her cowered by fear. 

And he was taken away.

Now Artemis sat upon the silver bed and darkness befell on her. The counsel she took for herself of the mistakes she had made that led to this doom.

She first thought Apollo that betrayed her. But by all witness and truth he did not reveal any word of their escape from the West. It was Artemis upon excitement that forsook the secret of their hiding. That night upon the cliff where she discovered the final decision, and she hastily returned to Percy the second time to reveal her thoughts. Through moment of haste, her heart churned with emotions made her power at the time radiated across the world without her knowing and they penetrated the clouds and came upon her father. That was how they sensed her and suspected she had discovered a vital deed and came to her.

Now Artemis regretted of that foolish moment she made that led to Percy capture. So it was her that led him to his death. They said she was his doom, and now she knew why she was. Long she had feared what despair she would bring to him. Long she avoided and denied the danger of their acquaintance. She didn't expect they would all come this early and it was so unexpected that she could not do anything to stop.

The thunder cracked the silence of the room, for her father was enthusiastic and content because of Percy's capture. Droplets of rain danced on the roof of her palace upon Olympus as if an army that was marching. Artemis looked at the flashes of lightning in dismay of what punishment her father would set for Percy. The thought of him brought back the memory when Percy beheld her that look before they departed.

She now was fear of the hatred, the disappointment and the pain in his eyes. He thought she betrayed him by leading the Olympians to him and he had to right to be so since it was her fault that all this to come. Now it was not just him, but whose that had acquaintance with him were also in danger and Artemis was the cause.

Then the salty tears slowly fell on her cheeks and she wept in the darkness of the room. Never in her life had she wept so many time. But ever she knew Percy, so many tears she had shed and most were sorrow. She was now desperate and hopeless and knew not of what future would lead her and she was scared.

Whence the night was less peaceful than it was. Amid the heavy cloud that hid part of  the moon, Artemis still could see half of it through the her window and the the radiant of it brought fear and death. Though its light were red and the moon churned with a turmoil she could not foretold. The red moon was never in her control, and they was always a sign from above. A sign of death. Artemis narrowed her eyes, as there seemed to have letter craved upon the surface of the moon as it though was blurry yet readable. Then through her power, her vision was extended and the magical words engraved upon the moon which was hidden from mortal came to her and fear was driven down her spine as she read the lines. 

The full moon slave with the unbreakable curse,

Shall returns and the family will diverse.

Vengeance and hatred he shall seek to pay,

Olympus shall be his and his companion's prey.