Revenge of a Huntress (Chapter 24)

Quote: "Even the greatest hero cannot save everyone."

Over dinner, Artemis told me about the Hunt, and everyone in it. She told me all their names and who I should avoid.  She was happy I decided to reveal myself.

"Attention girls, our Guardian has decided to show his identity to all of us." Artemis announced to the Hunters.

The Hunters surrounded me like flies around a lamp. They all looked at me wit 0hmany expressions, mostly curiosity.

I gently raised up my hood nervously, and my face was now open for all of them to see. Each Hunter gasped as they recognized me from the meeting at Olympus or saw my statue.

"I am Percy Jackson, and know most of you already know who I am." I announce.

Some hunters stared at me with anger still, some were surprised, some just stared at me like robots. I told every hunter about my past. Over the course of one and a half hours, all the hunters knew my past, even with Zoë.

At first, they thought I was lying, until Artemis helped convince them. Many knew that she respected me, and whatever Artemis does, the Hunters follow. Questions were thrown at me, and I answered them honestly. The girls were shocked at my past and some were even scared. Zoë was close to each of them, and knowing she died while in the pit saddened many of them.

"I am here to protect each of you until Gration and Python are both sent back to Tartarus. I know many of you still do not trust me, but I assure you all, I will not betray your trust. I know you all know what I did, and you all may feel as if you all owe me a debt. Let me tell each of you, all of you do not owe me a thing, and you have the right to command me as long as it is reasonable. " I announce to the mob of girls.

The girls seem satisfied, since Artemis was fine with me being here.

Eventually the girls all slept inside their tents and I flashed back to my house. Artemis and Thalia said good night and went off to bed. I returned to my house to see Mrs.O'Leary and Blackjack watching TV. They both sat on the couch watching some TV show.

Once they saw me, both of them jumped and tackled me.

Hi boss

Hey Percy.

"My name is not boss." I give the pegasus a small glare.

Alright, boss. Got any sugar cubes?

I sighed as I summoned a small bowl of sugar cubes, making Blackjack neigh in excitement.

Got any biscuits?

I summon another bowl filled with huge dog treats and Mrs.O'Leary eats happily from the bowl.

"You two do realize there is a feeding area for both of you right?" I informed them.

So?

"Why do you both try to make my life harder?" I grumble.

Because its fun.

And we like being fed by our boss.

I mumble something about 'demented pets' before I go to bed. I go to bed since Blackjack and Mrs.O'Leary are gonna continue binge-watching for at least the next 4 days.  I walk to my room and lie on my bed.

Percy Jackson: Guardian of the Hunt, another title to add to my collection.

The Next Day

I stretched my arms as I woke up. I know I wasn't required to sleep, but it feels right, and it does make me a bit more energized.

To be honest, I did want to be friends with the hunters. They seemed like a nice bunch, most of the time. They were a family, something I wish I still had. Artemis was decent, she didn't hate me or anything, but she was wary of me in a way. The one person who I trusted the most was Thalia. She stuck with me till now, one of the few people who have not wronged me yet. Chiron, her, Rachel, Grover, the Seven, are the only who have been with me. A few gods have as well, but they are more like associates, not friends.

I woke up and Blackjack and Mrs. O'Leary were still watching TV. I rolled my eyes as I saw them continue watching. I made my way out my door and headed to the camp. I saw many girls stare at me, some still had anger, some were less hateful than before.  They knew I saved them all, yet they still have prejudice against me, and I can't really blame them.

"Hey Percy, we have some chores for you." Thalia informed me and I shrugged.

"Sure, what have you got?" I asked.

"Laundry." She grinned at me oddly.

"Okay, whats with the evil grin?" I ask suspiciously.

"Nothing." She said casually and wandered off. There was definitely something not right. She didn't even call me kelp head.

I made my way to the cleaning area and saw a pile of clothes. I mean, like a mountain of clothes. However, different piles were labeled. I studied each pile, wondering if they put like a bomb underneath one. Nothing happened, and the piles were shirts,  pants, jeans, socks, gloves, etc. Oddly, the last pile was panties and bras.

What? They wanted me to clean their underwear? I quickly used my wind control to swipe the private clothing into the air gently witbout touching them. First of all, its weird, second, I don't want to get castrated, third, its creepy.

I summoned a large plastic bag and I placed it on the ground, then I backed up and used the wind to place the clothing in the bag without touching them once again. I am not gonna clean those with my hands. No, Nuh uh, nope, nada, absolutely not. I would rather jump into the styx again.

After I did that, I cleaned the clothes regularly,  and with my super speed, I finished the mountain of clothes in under 25 minutes. I could have done it much faster, but I didn't want to mess up.

I folded each of the clothes into neat piles inside the tent, and I left the bag *shudder* right outside the tent.

I was about the leave until I saw Thalia and some others stop me. Where did she come from? She just popped up, giving me a heart attack.

"Thalia, would you mind not giving me a heart attack?" I asked sarcastically.

"You finished already?" She said seriously.

I nodded, indicating a 'yes'. She looked skeptical and so did her friends. I let them pass into the cleaning tent and they were pretty impressed at their clean clothing all stacked up neatly.

"Kelp Head, when were you such a neat freak?" She asked me.

"Since I didn't want to get shot by hunters." I replied.

She and her hunters grinned. However, they stopped when they noticed something.

"Percy, where is our other clothing?" She asked, dangerously calm. Her friends started to glare at me until I held my hands up in a surrender.

"I swear by the styx I did not touch them, and I put them in the bag outside." I pointed outside as thunder flashed outside, indicating I was telling the truth.

The glares died down and Thalia smiled.  "You passed."

"I passed what?" I asked confused.

"Lady Artemis set up this test, and most males would have done much different than you did." She informed me. I made an 'oh' face. Her friends left the tent since they expected to see me fail.

"How did you put the clothes in a bag without touching them?" Thalia asked curiously.

I grinned as I lifted the bag up using the wind and she sighed.

"Of course you can do that." She mumbled.

"Jeaaaaaalous?" I asked innocently.

"Shut it Percy." She growled.

"Having fun?" Said a voice. Thalia and I turned to see Lady Artemis.

"Ah! Stalker!" I fake yelled.

Artemis rolled her eyes and Thalia started laughing very hard.

"So? What is next?" I asked Artemis.

She shrugged. "You are free to do anything, you were expected to take at least until after lunch to finish laundry."

A large boom was heard in the distance.

"What was that?" I asked, alarmed.  It sounded like a giant.

"It might be Gration and Python. Lets go!" Thalia shouted as everyone rushed to where the sound was heard. When we arrived we saw a very large man. Not a giant, but a very buff man. He was wearing two leather straps across his chest as well as a tunic and sandals. He also grabbed a tree out of the ground.

"Where is he!? Come out!" He shouted as he continued his rampage.

"Who is that?" I asked Artemis, but she had a look of pure disbelief.

"Its.....its...." she stuttered.

"Heracles. " Thalia gasped as she finished the sentence.

I stared at the man. He was taller, way more buffed, and he was freakin Heracles, the guy who I used to dream of being. However, now I despised him. He tricked Zoë and stole the glory, and I will avenge her.

"He wants me." I stated.

"How do you know?" Thalia asked.

I stared at her oddly. "He said 'where is he?' Who else here is a 'he'?

She glared at me and she nodded for me to face him.

"Heracles!" I shouted, getting his attention.

"You!" He yelled as he faced me. He had brown eyes and hair, and was definitely a son of Zeus, judging by his temper.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"I want you gone." He stated plain and simple.

"Why? What have I done to you?" I said curiously.

"You became the guardian. I was supposed to be the guardian of the Hunt! I was supposed to be with all these beautiful women!" He shouted angrily.

"Aren't you supposed to be on that island?" I asked.

"You fool, I was brought out of the island when I was offered to be guardian, only to have it stolen by a son of Poseiden!" He said angrily.

"You need to leave. You once hurt the one who I loved,  and if you do not leave now, you will regret it." I said dangerously.

"You? Beat me? Ha, a scum of Poseiden beating me? Who did I hurt who was close to you?" He chuckled heartily, like Hepheastus,  but not nearly as jolly.

"Zoë Nightshade. " I said through gritted teeth.

"That dumb girl? The one who I fooled for the apples of immortality? She was too naive and way too weak, did you know she loved me? Yes, she loved me, so much that she told me the secrets of the Hesperides, perhaps if she were more beautiful,  I would have stayed with her." He laughed.

I glared at him,  my eyes flickering blue. How dare he talk about my wife like that!

"Heracles. Today you have made a grave mistake, and you will pay." I said darkly.

Thalia, Artemis and a bunch of hunters watched the scene that unfolded infront of them all. All of them hated Heracles from the second they learned about him,  but could I beat him? He was the strongest physically,  and he was the hero of legends.

I put those thoughts aside as he charged. He didn't need a weapon, legend says his fists are more powerful than any weapon.

I quickly dodged and pulled out Bane. Bullets won't pierce his skin, but maybe my sword will. I could not afford to be hit once. Even with my hardened skin, he would still harm me as if he were Mike Tyson.

I dodged each of his strikes, and I needed the perfect moment to strike. If I struck too late or too early,  or even made myself exposed for a second, I was done for. Luckily, Heracles tried to grab me, but I rolled and slashed his arm.

It was...uneffective, as the sword merely bounced off his skin.

"Ha! You cannot even hurt me!" He said triumphantly.

I sighed as I continued to fight, thinking of a way to win. He was strong, smart, but he was too arrogant.

I tried to swing, but he blocked it....by punching it. Hard. He punched Bane so hard, it shattered into crumbs. I looked in shock as the sword I used to survive for over a century broke infront of my eyes. The hunters gasped and Heracles chuckled at my broken sword. I had Riptide, but I can't risk having that broken too.

I kept dodging blow after blow, neither of us were tired yet and the hunters watching in awe, wanting me to win.

Suddenly, as I ducked, he predicted it and punched my face, a clean hit. Let me say it firsthand, it was like being hit by a train. A train that happened to be carrying a whale ontop of it. The second his fist made contact with my jaw, I was slammed backwards. A sonic boom was heard as the amount of force was so strong. I flung backwards into a hill, burying me in dirt and rock.

My jaw was probably broken, and I couldn't feel a thing. I let my guard down.

"No!" I heard Thalia scream.

"It seems I am now the guardian, and I will be much better than that fool." He boasted.

"He was the last decent male on earth! You are not our protecter." Artemis spat.

"Bah! Whatever, he married that fool Nightshade." He glared.

My ears tuned out as I saw my tattoo of Zoë on my broken arm.

Fool.

"I-i'm sorry...Zoë." I said weakly. I could almost hear her voice screaming at me to fight. Her voice was so strong and soothing.

Don't give up Percy

As soon as those words were spoken, I felt a surge of power. Not magic, physical power. And then I remember. Lady Chaos told me I was given Zoë's soul, a soul of a daughter of Atlas, who lifted the earth on his back. (Or sky, whatever.)

I screamed as I pulled myself out of the rocks. My joints and muscles were aching, but I moved on. My shirt was practically shredded by sharp rocks, and my pants was somehow intact. (Plot!)

I knew I should have brought my armor today. Unfortunately,  I forgot it at home. Yeah I know, bummer, but what do you expect? Me to sleep with an earpiece or sunglasses on?

I rose, and I saw the surprised faces of the hunters and I saw an amused look on Heracles.

"Not bad, but you will die." He stated arrogantly.

I glared at him, not saying anything.  At this point, my eyes were bursting in blue flames, and my hands were made into fists. I felt so much more power than before. As fast as I could, I ran and punched Heracles right in the nose. He didn't expect me to be able to be so fast after being hit, but I felt stronger than ever. A boom was heard as I hit him.

The hunters gasped as Heracles was shot backwards into a rock. Was this really happening? Had I managed to punch THE Heracles and made him fly backwards?

He quickly got up and mumbled.

"Oh, you just sealed your fate, brat." He said.

I didn't respond, but I cracked my knuckles, my eyes still on fire. Many cracks were heard as I loosened my muscles.  Heracles looked amused, but he doubted my strength. He ran and charged me, but he and the hunters were confused when I charged him as well.

I dodged his blow and punched his shoulder, making a another boom. He was actually hurt, as he started to bleed ichor from his nose where I punched him. He also punched my chin, making me bleed out my mouth, but I didn't give up. We both got a few hits, constantly blocking. One mistake would cost us the fight.

"How are you suddenly so strong?" Heracles asked me as we were panting, still fighting. We were in fighting positions, both of us were tired, as both of us were bleeding. It was like a warzone, our punches shook the forests as we fought.

"I am the husband of a daughter of Atlas, lifter of the Earth!" I said, determined.

"I should have killed that girl." He grumbled, but I heard it.

I screamed as I charged. My fist was covered in Aquatic fire, and I punched him with all my strength. A large boom was heard, as if a bomb exploded. Heracles grinned as he blocked my attack with his crossed arms, but his grin turned into fear as the Aqautic fire started to burn him. His two arms were now ashes and he gasped in shock.

"What....." he groaned.

"For Zoë!" I cried as I picked up Heracles's torso and I threw him with all my might. His body was shot into Chaos knows where, and he would need to reform soon. (Insert Team Rocket Reference.)

I started breathing heavily as my eyes flickered and died down. My skin was red and I was so tired. I collapsed on my knees and before I blacked out I saw the Hunters gathered around me.