The Troubled Guardian ON HOLD

Chapter 11: The Hunt

Artemis POV (I've been doing 3rd person a lot....I still will...hehe)

As I entered my hunt I was immediately swarmed by the many hunters Percy had rescued over the years, in the front was little Lily. 

"Awtemis, wheres Alky?" Lily asked, smiling at her I picked her up. "Alkiviadis if on his way here, he just had some things to take care of," I say 'more like plan the perfect entrance' I think. 

"Girls!" I shout to get the rest of the Hunters over to me "I have a few announcements" As the Hunters finish gathering around me I begin: 

"Ancient Forces have been stirring in Tartarus. All Olympians including me agree that today's attack was no minor monster gathering, but a coordinated ambush. Planed by a more intelligent being. All of this information is telling us that another major war is brewing." The hunters who had been in the past two sighed, newer members gasped.

 "As such we have been given a task, and orders that we must carry out. We must go to Camp Olympian," Most groaned at that "And on the journey hunt as much game as possible" the hunter's looked minorly happier "the trip should take five days, and Alkiviadis will be traveling with use" Some hunters frowned, many knew that I respected Percy or to them Alkiviadis, but he was still male "And he will train you the whole way". 

With this many hunters began to protest, and I understood, traveling with a male is one thing, having to be taught by one was horrible in their opinion. The hunters Percy had brought did seem excited to travel with him again though.

"I understand girls, but I trust and respect Alkiviadis, when he gets here I want you to treat him with the same respect you show me. He has been through things you all can't possibly imagine, and on top of teaching you, I don't think any added baggage would be helpful." Though they seemed shocked by me defending a male, the hunters knew that in this hunt, my hunt, when I give an order, it better be followed to the letter. 

"He should be arriving soon when he does we will talk more, and he may reveal his face, I have seen it, and I know who he is, but it is his secret to share not mine." All the hunters were excited at that, the identity of the mysterious Alkiviadis Soterios was a coveted piece of information that many desired. 

-LINE BREAK-

We did not have to wait very long, after about five minutes a loud boom was heard, exactly like a sonic boom. One of my hunters then cried out "UP THERE!!" looking up we all see a winged figure rapidly climbing the sky, after a few seconds of rising into the sky, the figure begins to enter a steep dive, one which they did not pull out of. With a huge crash, the figure lands in a partial crouch, one fist planted on the ground (ground slam finish position I guess idk) Percy than stands up perfectly fine, and walked out of the crater.

Ordering the hunters to put their weapons away I approach him. His mask is still on, and his wings are folded behind him, but his hood is not up. "Hello Artemis, Hunters" He nods in greeting. "Hello, Alkivadis" Many of my hunters are surprised that the figure before them is Alkiviadis. Not many before this morning had ever seen Alkiviadis, and he had his hood up this morning. 

The helmet and wings made him look menacing, though none of the hunters he rescued looked fearful. Even Lily looked perfectly fine, she was even trying to get down. Immediately after putting her down she rushed at Percy and threw herself at him. With reflexes rivaling my own his wings grabbed her and pulled her snug up against his chest, leaving both arms free. 

"Hello Lily, is being a hunter fun?" he asks his attention fully on the girl. 

"Yes," she replies eagerly "They awe all vewy nice! And we made smows while waiting for you and Awtemis!" Percy laughed, the way he treated that little girl was amazing, here was this powerful immortal being,  capable of fading almost any diety, talking with a five-year-old ball of energy about smores.

Now that Lily was with Percy, the other hunters Percy rescued started coming over, giving hugs and talking a little, and honestly, I felt a little jealous. 'Wait what!' I thought 'jealous of what? Though I wonder what it would be like to hug him as well? WHAT!'  

"Alkiviadis," I say after clearing my throat and my head "are you going to join the rest of us over here and clear up a few things before I dish out the schedules?" 

"Oh right" He chuckles a bit, he walks over, Lily still snuggled into his chest almost asleep (a warm blanket of feathers will do that to ya).

"Well first I might want to take this thing off," he said gesturing to his helmet pulling it off and revealing his face he begins talking "My name is Perseus Jackson".

THALIA POV

As Alkiviadis entered our camp the first thing I thought was 'this guy is very cool. I know what has the world come to! A hunter complimenting a male! Well, I've always had a more laid back approach to the whole male hating thing, I mean I still maintain my relationships with Nico and Jason. 'Of course, you can't be friends with Percy anymore can you?' A voice in my head says, and I agree. It is my fault Percy is gone, I mean who else's could it be? I was the one who encouraged Annabeth to date again, leading to Percy's efforts to be pointless, leading to him leaving again. Which lead to his disappearance. 

Leaving my negative thoughts I look up at Alkiviadis, Lily our newest recruit is snuggled up into his chest wrapped in his wings. Which is one of the reasons he is so cool. He literally is wearing assassin robes with a sleek black helmet, and he has wings with silver as well, our outfits are almost the same! 

Once again pulling myself out of my thoughts I see that He is actually removing his helmet. Once off I can see his face for the first time. He is very pale, His hair is windswept and messy, it is also pure white with small flecks of void-like black. His eyes are darker than Nico's, almost like I'm looking straight into an opening to Tartarus, but there is something familiar about his face. The shape and bone structure is extremely familiar, where have I seen it before?  Then he unknowingly gives me the answer to my internal question.

"My name is Perseus Jackson" and with that my mind breaks, all the walls I've been building for decades now crash and break. He is here, found, right in front of me. My cousin, my best friend, my brother. 

And he probably hates me. 

My inner conscious seems to be screaming that my thoughts are false, he forgave me a while ago. It's been saying that sad song for years, but I don't listen. I can't. So I do something extremely mature and adult-like.

I run to my tent crying. 

There we go!!!! These seem to get shorter and shorter! I'll try for a longer one next time, but I'm a little busy so short ones might be all you get for a while :\ More with the hunt next time and remember comment names for the hunter! of course, I'll have ones that are always there like Phoebe and Atlanta, but there are a lot of hunters that will be included throughout the story! So send in those names! :) 

See ya!!!! ;) :) :| :P :T :O :V :I :{ :/ :^ :.

-RambunctiousCat