The Moon's Shine (PJO)

Chapter 67

A/N-Sorry for the short chapter this week. (It's actually average, but I've been spoiling you guys too much with longer ones :)) I've been a bit busy, and haven't had too much time to write. I'll see you all next week! Peace!

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The ceiling fell faster than Triton's belief in Percy's 'genius plan'—which was saying something.

Because Triton was in danger too.

He prayed to his dad—who was hopefully safe—and sighed in relief when his water powers worked—there was no time to think. He raised his trident, and the water solidified, forming an igloo-like structure around him and Artemis. 

Then he huddled in a corner, hoping that his structure wouldn't collapse. The water was a translucent blue, allowing Triton to catch glimpses of the bronze metal falling from up top—a metal that was especially dangerous to immortals.

Huge chunks of celestial bronze impacted the structure, depressing the water bricks before bouncing off. The igloo shook like a skyscraper in an earthquake but didn't fall. Triton probably wouldn't even know if it did—his ears were plugged with the disastrous sound of metal punching through granite.

In the chaos, Artemis stood in the middle, a blank stare on her face. "Percy . . ."

"Are you insane?" Triton exclaimed. "Now isn't the time to be daydreaming! Get down!"

"Percy's out there alone!" Artemis muttered. She wasn't in the state to listen. "I have to save him." She reached out to punch through the water wall.

Before, Triton really didn't care if Artemis was in danger—he hated her guts. But now, she was putting him in Thanatos' sight. He had to act. He leaped forward and tackled her to the ground.

Artemis' head bounced off the floor, and she glared at Triton. "You selfish brat. Don't get in my way if you want to live. I need to help Percy!"

"Are you an idiot?" Triton had to ask. "If you go out there right now, you'll be sent to Tartarus immediately.

Artemis was hesitating, so he pushed, "And then you won't see Percy ever again."

The hazy look in her eyes slowly cleared to a familiar silver. Artemis reluctantly stepped back and crossed her arms. "You sure know how to get in my head, huh?"

"It's your limited viewpoint that makes you so predictable," Triton muttered. "To think they say that the Olympians are the epitome of what it takes to be a god—why not put Hercules on the council at this point?"

"What did you say?" Artemis casually sharpened a knife, which appeared in her hand from nowhere.

"Nothing," Triton said quickly. His face grew even paler as a block of celestial bronze crashed into the side of the igloo—only a few inches from his head. "I'm just so thankful that I have an Olympian by my side."

Sarcasm oozed from his voice, but Artemis didn't react. The tension was evident in the atmosphere as Artemis gazed blankly into the rain of metal like a warrior steeling themselves for defeat. Triton hid himself in a corner again.

Then everything was quiet—if not for the darned metal.

It went on for half a minute longer. Then, when the last chunk of celestial bronze the size of a semi-truck charged to the ground, Triton dissolved the igloo.

Artemis immediately made a beeline toward the throne room doors, but Triton took a moment to gaze at the destruction. Oh, man. Dad is going to be angry.

To be frank, even a caveman with no knowledge of modern architecture would know that the scene before Triton was the embodiment of chaos. The once flawless throne room had now been reduced to rubble like it'd been hit by a mortal blast called Oceanus. Wooden remnants of a dining table and dozens of broken chairs littered the mountains of rock, and Triton deduced that a dining room had formerly been established above where he was standing.