The Troubled Guardian ON HOLD

Chapter 17: It's time to talk...

Sorry for the late upload, struggling to come up with any ideas for chapters. 

Also: 5k reads!!! Thank you guys!!!

3rd Person

After a quick tour of the home, everyone sat down in the dining room.

"So...Artemis, you said that you both need me for a plan?"

Percy decided to explain.

"Yeah, so we have deduced that the attack on Artemis' hunters was a strategic attack, planned on intel that the enemy somehow got from here."

"How so?" 

"The timing of the attacks, knowing the exact location of the hunters, the only ones who had a map of the hunting route were the high command and anyone close to them, like family or assistants."

"So with that in mind, your saying we have a mole." Annabeth as silently celebrating in her mind that Percy could now hold a conversation about battle strategy.

Artemis joined the conversation, "Yes, there is honestly no other explanation, so that is why we need your help, we need you to first help us make sure the seven and their spouses are not the traitors, once that is done, all of us weed out the spy than Alkiviadis can arrive."

"Why only after?"

"We want to avoid any news of Percy arriving, Alkiviadis, is our secret weapon, but if Tartarus were to learn that he was here, he would surely attack immediately, and use as many troops he can possibly gather."

"Wait...why?"

"Because I am enemy number 1, he wants the shadow flame, and to get it he must kill me as quickly as possible, as soon as he learns of my presence here, he will stop at nothing to burn this place to the ground, and tear the flame from my corpse"

Damien was confused "Why does he want this 'flame' so much...In fact, what is this flame?"

" The Shadow flame, which Annabeth you might have heard of in your readings as hellfire, crimson fire, or even the dark inferno, is an ancient ability that used to be held by Tartarus himself. Chaos noticed that Tartarus abused this power, and had been trying to overthrow him. So he placed it with someone else, dubbing them the crimson shadow. 

Anyone who possesses the flame must swear to not only protect it from Tartarus but to only use it for good. There have been many who use the flame for evil, and they all are immediately stripped of the power in the most painful way possible." 

"That...that sounds rough"

"It is, I am still learning of what happened to the last crimson shadow, she had been the general of Aether's Angels, yet I found her in Tartarus. So far all I know is she was captured, and forced into service as a fallen one, the more I find out about her, the more tragic it gets." 

"So basically the Crimson Shadow's life is filled with hardship and generally sucks?" 

"Yeah...so I fit the bill perfectly" Percy chortled. 

"Alright, summery...Percy, you need me and Damien...but mostly me, to search through the WHOLE city and find a spy, which might not be there?"

"Yes, now it sounds crazy--"

"Okay." 

"Wait...what?"

"I was actually already doing that." 

"You were!?" 

"Yeah a week ago we were told that war had once again started, months before that though, New Rome and Athens had already begun getting attacked. Anything they tried to defend with, was easily outmaneuvered and ignored as if they knew what we were going to do, so since then I have been looking for a spy, I actually found one, but before they died they revealed the there was more, so I have been looking."

"That's...wow, that makes things a lot easier" 

"Yeah, so the seven and co are clear, so we might wanna bring them into the loop, but not Athen's new president, you may not know, but he replaced the last one four months ago after the last one was assassinated, so he is still suspicious in my books" 

"Just because he replaced the last president after his assassination?" 

"No, because he came out of nowhere, no-one knew about Micheal Tombaw, he just suddenly appeared, and won an election, it was weird" 

"Alright, this had been a nice chat, but Percy we have to get back to the hunters...come on"

Artemis didn't even give Percy the chance to transform fully, she picked him up and walked off.

Damien looked at Annabeth, "What was that about?"

Annabeth had a knowing look in her eye, "I have my doubts, but I think there is something going on between them"

"Them? As in Artemis, Ms. 'Men are Bad' and Alkiviadis the 'Creepy and Scary, fearless warrior, who has never failed', are in a romantic relationship?" 

"Well for one, have you in you many years, ever seen Artemis willing touch a male, at all...under any circumstances, and do it so easily?" 

Damien's eyes widened. "Your right! How did I not notice that?" 

Annabeth laughed and kissed his cheek, "Leave the thinking to me, we both know your bad at it" She teased and ran off, "Why you! Oh, I'm gonna catch you?" 

No-one questioned the sound of furniture breaking, as these to gods seemed to play tag in their true forms a lot, most got used to it, but the carpenters regularly cursed their names, I mean, wouldn't you if you had to help to remake the same china cabinet three times a week?

----

Artemis continued to walk away, still carrying Darius, who was mentally asking where they were going...a lot.

Once she was in her quarters she tossed him on the bed, he changed back. 

"Artemis...what was that about?" 

She just kissed him. 

"I have been wanting to do that since Thalia interrupted, look we need to finish talking...you know, about us." 

"Right...look Artemis, as I said, the kiss, actually both of them, they...I can't describe how good they felt, but I don't want you to give up your oath for me, that oath is everything to you, it's your foundation. And if we did try this, and it didn't work out, not only would I lose an amazing friend, you would lose so much more. Would you really risk all that much for me, a demi-god turned Demon?" The way he said the last part was heartbreaking, it didn't matter how much good he did, he would always be a demon, a fallen angel...right? So why would he deserve her?

"I...I would, Percy,  I want to try this, you are worth it, you are the only man I have ever met that believes in honor, truly believes in it. Despite all your hardships, you still helped others, you came out of every battle, every hard time just as kind as before. Your broken, your hurt and shameful, and yet, you are still the greatest person, not just man, person I have ever met, I want to try it, do you?"

Percy began crying, "I-I would, I'm sorry...that was just a really nice thing to say" The simple and childish sentence made Artemis chuckle. 

"I know it's funny, but it's true, that is probably the best thing I've heard in at least sixty years...Tartarus isn't really full of people telling you 'your worth it'"

"So...we're going to try this...like dating?" 

"I guess...how would this work, like dinner?"

"A dinner out would be fun"

"But we would be noticed" 

"Not if we find the right location" 

"So test date?"

"No...real date, but first...this" 

Artemis leaned down for another kiss, Percy went and met her halfway. 

They were content, happy. This worked, and they knew it did, at least they did in the back of their minds.

There! It took a while to find something to write, I'm hoping to get into more action-filled chapters soon, as of now it's been mostly talking. Is there anything you guys want to see more of?

-RambunctiousCat