Pertemis: A Wolf’s Tale

Chapter 35 Devastation Dwells in Tale

Artemis’s point of view

The golden globe of Apollo seemed to be late that morning, dew seemed to form more than normal without the evaporation of the morning sun. The camp was cold, fog embraced it with a curtain of blurriness from afar and the birds seemed to be comfortable with the straws of their nests.

But it seemed the moon not irresponsible, or perhaps it had passed the time for its wax, nonetheless, Artemis awoken to the cold morning air.

She swept the sleep off her eyes, holding her head because of the turmoil therein as her hand reached for the cup off water on the nightstand, something she expected seemed to be missing.

The feeling of not having Percy next to her seemed somewhat normal now, ever since he ran away. But to her, whenever he returned, that hope and the feeling of lost still lingered within her in the morning, where she couldn't feel his presence next to her.

Her silver eyes that mesmerised every mortal and god darted to the idiot that somehow she had an interest and feeling on, and he never stopped to fascinate her sleeping on his stomach on the couch just few feet away from her bed.

Did he afraid of her that he couldn't sleep on the same bed anymore?

The thought was terrifying. Although she always had that stern countenance around him, she always tried to make up the fault she made that day. She'd always wanted to fix it. All she wanted was to make everything look like before, where he was comfortable around her and she was comfortable him. But now it seemed there was an invisible wall between to Artemis. It was so high that even the walls of Donald Trump couldn't have been higher (????????? N/A I'm just kidding with this part, but it's just too funny ?)

His eyes slowly opened, blinking few times and the moon touched the waves. They just stared at each other, the fire burning within them and the waves churning in their chest whenever his green and her silver contacted. It was him the first to speak.

"Sobbed up?" A smirk came to his face. "You were completely wasted yesterday"

"Who said I was drunk?" She snapped, "I was just...tired."

That stubbornness of an excuse never enough for her. She had no idea what had happened last night, even the slightest event was now blank. All she knew was that they had a party, and she assumed she was pretty much a mess afterwards. This is Apollo's fault.

"Yeah keep believe in it" Percy said as he moved to the closet. All his clothes she was still packed in, it was in case if she need a catalyst to cause her brain fall asleep on the first few weeks of his runaway. He somehow now had that impact of her routine, she had never felt this dependent before.

"I'm surprised you still keep my clothes" he said with his back to her, digging to find something.

"What you hope me to throw them in the wolf cages?"

She could feel him smirking as she snapped her finger and the bed was fixed. It was not that she relied on her power and lazy, normally that was the discipline in camp. But she was too tired that morning to even care about those principles.

That was until she felt something weird about her jacket. Did she just grow over the night?

"Why does my jacket is so tight?" She frowned, examined it as it wrapped around her body.

She felt Percy stiffened, an aura of nervousness radiated from him.

"Probably you spilled the drink on your jacket" he suggested. "And they are still drying"

Though his voice telling he was thinking otherwise. Nonetheless, she didn't push since she was afraid he would pass out from the nervousness.

Weeks passed and things seemed to be coming back into place, just like how it should've been. It was that morning when Artemis was playing with the eternal Pearl on the couch, it was the a gift from Poseidon her uncle for sweeping out the entire population of Telekhines on the west sea. It was satisfying.

The globe glowed with a strange blue and green light, that iridescent colour flow and danced within it like the current of the ocean. It was eternal because of the light that will glow forever, and no matter what method you use, it will ever be broken. That precious pearl marked the alliance of her and hers uncle because besides Aphrodite and Apollo and Hestia of course, Artemis had no one to support her on Olympus.

Suddenly, her fingers twisted the wrong way that the pearl fell from her hand and rolled under the bed.

Oh Chaos!

She crawled forward, swirling, twisting her forearm and fingers to reach for the pearl. A feeling of coldness of the pearl contacted her skin as she grin and slowly retreated her hand with the pearl within. But the glow reflected something else under the bed and made it glittered for a moment. But Artemis eyes were too sharp that to not heed the object.

She used the power to increase the buoyancy around the bed and the wooden bed floated on mid air within a second. The thing she discovered threw questions to her.

A tattered, silver jacket laying on the brown carpet. She slowly picked up and presented in front of her.

It was her jacket, and most of all, it was very concentrated of liquor sense that nearly choked her out.

But suddenly, the memory started flooding back like water as she was about to drop the tattered wine splattered silver jacket.

That night where they were on the bed, the wild time where her walls were broken down, where she allowed something never thought to.

Why are you so stupid?

It was her, the one that started all things. That fire dancing as his voice whispered, lingering still at the present and in the room.

Dammit, why do you have to be so beautiful?

The wild experience, all the lips and skin and touches that happened on that same bed as Artemis lost control of her power, the wooden legs clashed on the floor created a tremendous sound as if her father weaved the clouds with his seer lightnings. That roar, of the pout jacket took the damage from his claws. That desire and lust brunt like a fire within the room, that scene that was replayed to Artemis. She felt exposed; to the world and to all things that she had sworn to hide and to hate. But deep down, part of her felt nothing, like they were aware of what could happen and even them also desired it to be.

Her trembling lips touched by her fingers, trying to feeling that lingering touches of his on it. It was blank, completely when the scene ended. Slowly, but surely little by little, it all made sense to her.

Blush creaked her cheeks as she sat on the bed hard. Why could I be so stupid? I practically revealed how I felt to him, where would I hide my face from now on? She growled to herself.

The flap suddenly opened as Percy rushed, looking around confusingly.

"Is it just me or there was an earthquake occurred in this room?" He scratched the back of his head.

Her back was facing him, her gripped at the jacket she was holding close to her chest. Keep calm Artemis.

"Aren't you supposed to do laundry?" She questioned, trying to sound angry to decrease the suspicion. But it came out as a stutter. Dam you tongue!

Artemis could tell he was glancing around, even trying to look over her shoulders. Did he remember what happened between them? Of course he did since he was the one that hid the jacket. A realisation finally lingered, yet came to her that he had allowed it to happen. Even she was afraid, part of her didn't accept, but the question was now starting to form.

Could he have the same feeling like her?

She gripped the jacket closer, her nails piercing the fabric.

"Uh you ok over there?"

"No I'm not! Why didn't you tell me?"

She nearly punched her own mouth. It was just a question she had in her mind, that idiot always got it slip from her mouth. Now it was more suspicious about her discovery than before.

"You need something to drink?" He suggested, his step indicated moving backwards. "I can get one"

No I don't want it dammit! Why can't you realise it? She wanted to yell at him. It was too many questions that was bombarding her mind at the moment. If he liked her the way she liked him, then it could work out right? It wouldn't destroy their current relationship if someone admitted to another? But could he be drunk that day to the point he mistook her with Aphrodite. She just got him back, she didn't want to chase him away because of a sister that had a feeling of more than what it supposed to be settled for him.

No dammit, if she kept hiding, forever she'd be trapped in that dammed mud of assumptions. Nonetheless he should've discovered that obvious hint from her words that night. Even how stupid he is, he should've caught something.

She threw the jacket on the floor and turned back to him. But the moment that face came to view, her words uttered.

He gave her a frown as she struggled to form her sentence.

"Th-that night..."

His looked terrified immediately. Holy, what should I say next? She started to panic. Why would've thought Perseus Phoebe a.k.a Kelp Head, Brick Head can pick up the pace and understand it immediately.

"I-I'm sorry Artemis" he stepped back, started begging as she looked at him in shock.

"No, no don't be" he voice seemed soft and so gentle that both were surprised.

He looked at her for awhile, trying to compromise something. Seeing that, Artemis modified her words and made it clear for him.

"You don't need to understand Percy" she said. "I can understand..."

A blush was starting to form on her cheeks. What would he do? Would he confess now or forever leave her? She didn't know that she was holding her breath until it was released when Percy's shoulders dropped with a sigh.

"So...you are not angry that I accidentally broke your dagger?"

Her face expression would have been funny because every expectation crashed and collapsed like a high building after an earthquake. She wanted to just pick a an object she could find and slam on that head of him until the intelligence comes out.

Seeing her face, Percy's face turned nervous again since he knew he had done something wrong. That's right boy!

"DAMMIT WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO STUPID!" She roared devastatingly, holding her head by her hands.

"You said that night" he reasoned. "It thought the night two days ago that I made a mistake"

"Not that night you idiot!" she snapped. "It's the day your party happened."

Immediately everything seemed quite down when she noticed him stiffened. It was not afraid, just nervous, it was not terrified, just turned serious. Her anger suppressed when she saw him in that stage. So he knew, he still remembered that as she looked at him, her heart raced faster.

Now tell me you idiot! She wanted to yell. Say what you need and forever our future will be determined.

"Artemis I..." he paused.

Perhaps she should've started first. But it was now seemed impossible for her. Even when her mind was wishing she didn't have to discover that jacket, didn't have to see that replayed memory, that would've been normal where she unknowingly having a crush on him without him noticing. But part of her wanted to seek the answer, could their future change, could their relationship change? It was risky, it seemed terrified to her to even consider. But it could change everything between them forever, a hoard of treasure of happiness of satisfaction or the hole of devastation, of loneliness and abandoned. That answer shall reveal everything.

Suddenly, the light seemed concentrated outside the tent and the temperature raised rapidly. They both turned around to the flap until it was burned down and Apollo stepped in with his warlike look.

No...

"Apollo-" Percy started but Apollo marched to him with a rage of a lion.

"You!" Her brother's eyes glowed finger as he landed a fierce punch on Percy's cheek that sent him flying across the room and landed few feet behind her.

She was shocked completely at the moment that she couldn't move from her spot. Percy groaned as he tried to sit up, holding that bruised jaw.

Apollo lunged at Percy and immediately Artemis spun her muscles automatically in between them. Apollo nearly clashed on her but he stop.

"Apollo!" She said, extended her arms and stared at her brother.

"Step aside sis" he breathed hard with that rage between his whispering.

"What's wrong with you?" Se yelled at him.

"What's wrong with me?" He pointed at himself. "Why don't you ask him!"

She looked back and Percy just seemed oblivious as her. Suddenly a fear ran down Artemis as she remembered her protective brother. Could he discover something? Did he see something between her and Perseus that got him that mad. What ever it was, it never good.

"Move aside sis" He said again. "Today I'll finish this once and for all".

"You touch him" she stepped closer until they were face to face. "You have to cross me."

They had that staring competition. His fire burnt with that intensity but Artemis would not give in. They both now glowed with silver and yellow, the sky outside darkened as the sun and moon were coming close.

He sent a fireball, missed her cheek by few millimetres that blew her hair backwards with that speed and the ball crashed onto the back of the tent, making a tremendous sound.

He stepped back, growled in madness. "Why do you keep protecting him! Soon enough he will lead us to our death!"

"How many time have you said this Apollo!?" Artemis questioned. "Haven't we sorted this out already!? How hard does it take for you to accept him!" All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"Yet and because of him!" He pointed and glared at Percy. "NOW MOTHER IS IN TARTARUS!"

she was shocked by the news that even Percy just widened his eyes. Apollo breathed hard as his eyes turned red around as tears were now swelling up.

"W-what are you saying?" Artemis stuttered.

"Father traced down his scent" he retold. "And he was led to Delos. They discovered he cave. She should've been executed and tortured for location and her crime if Hestia and Poseidon didn't step out to suggest imprison her in Tartarus."

"Apollo...I..."

She never thought things would turn out to be like this. The day she took Percy with her, she thought she had taken own the burden on Leto shoulder and the danger was diverted from her. Why can't things just be as normal as it is?

"Save it" he snarled. "Keep him if you wish and forever he'll be your doom"

With a flash of light, her brother disappeared as the sky outside returned to its normal light and temperature.

Upon the discovery of that dreadful news, Artemis tried to gathered her thought and senses. She never believed Apollo's words, if she did, Percy should've been dead by now. She had vowed to protect and now it was her time. She knew he needed her the most now. She never wanted to admit, but out of the three, Perseus had the deepest connection with mother. They had been living with each other for 3 thousand years. No love could be stronger than the bond between them.

She turned back and his stage scared and crunched her heart. His red teary eyes as he stepped away from her, afraid that he could hurt anyone he touched.

"Perseus..." she said softly, tried to calm him down but as she made a step... He shook his head and leaped into that form, that powerful form that sent Artemis to a stunt. He lunged and sprinted through the hole Apollo had created and into the wood beyond.

N/A I intended to make the chapter end here, but since you guys would burn me alive ???????? I'm gonna extend it a little. Also to make up from the late update.

Track a werewolf was hard, tracking a werewolf in its emotional stage seemed nearly impossible. Lucky he didn't run away that far from the tent, in fact Artemis was glad he didn't intend to leave camp.

After about half an hour running in the wood, finally Artemis ran out to the clearing as found him sitting near a cliff. His back was facing her, his gaze focus of the view distant away. See him in this cracked her.

Artemis made her step closer, slowly but enough to give him a hint it was her that approached. The least thing she wanted was him jumping off that cliff.

She made a sit next to him, closed the distance between them as she nudged him a little at his elbow.

"Hey" she said softly, looking at his down fall face.

Artemis took a breath and tried to calm herself. She didn't know what he had in mind and she afraid a little mistake could break him at that moment.

"Are you ok?" Her voice was soft and concerned. She stared at him as his gaze bored on the horizon distant away from the cliff. He didn't speak, didn't blink as Artemis looked away in disappointment.

After awhile of silent, she couldn't keep it longer, perhaps she should leave him be for awhile, or maybe talk to him hoping that could cheer him up. Either way, she did not know which was appropriate.

Just as she'd decided to talk to him, since she couldn't trust herself to leave him alone. As she turned and about to ask if he needed anything, he started first though his face did not look to her.

"I think I should leave this place Artemis" he said, a hoarse voice as if he had screamed to the entire world.

No...

She was mostly afraid that Apollo voice would affect him and scared more of this suggestion. Yet, he had the thought that Artemis was afraid most.

"What happened to mother is not your fault Perseus" she scooted closer, tried to look at his eyes. "Apollo just needed someone to blame."

"Even when you don't want to accept it" he said. "It's still true that mother wouldn't have been in this situation because of me, nor any of you"

Artemis felt helpless at that moment. Never in her life had seen taken much responsibility. She used to be cared free, not did she concern of mortal problems or her family. But now all of it was like backfire to

her, the more she avoided, the more they kept attaching to. There was now mother is Tartarus to which Artemis had to find way to rescue, and was Apollo she had to keep in check in his unstable stage. One wrong move from Apollo and everyone involved would face the same fate. But most of all, the biggest obstacle and responsibility was Perseus. But it seemed to her she did not help him, mentally or physically. All she did was getting him into more troubles. She shouldn't have come to the island that night, shouldn't have stumbled upon that cave and if only she listened to her mother not to wander in at forest on the full moon. She was a bad sigh that cling onto him ever since; and he kept falling into the unfortunate fate and holes she unintentionally dug for him.

But as if I would let that happen more dammit!

She turned to him, clapped her hands around her cheek and forced him to face her. His eyes was bored on her silver as she stared at him withy hat intensity.

"You are my responsibility and you'll always be. Never in my life have I taken on this much and for someone, so I won't let it fall that easily. I may not change the way you think about yourself, but if you could let me in, I'm glad to ease the pain and that pressure you have to endure. I won't leave you as I've promised, my shoulder always there for you to cry, I'm here for you to share Perseus! So please, please don't think that you have to carry everything, because....because I....I...."

He didn't let her finish, his arms just wrapped around her and his head fell in defeated at her shoulder, it was that tears wetted her clothes, that emotion and that weight he carried poured for her to watch. Artemis smiled, though tears lingered at her eyes yet she brushed his hair, pulling him closer as she rested her cheek on his head and let him cried, for his sobs trembled the ground, falls its turbulent on the water surface, for his cries that weaved the cloud, that the air denser to drop their tears. As the setting sun shined down onto them, the darkness of night far away merging in as for their fate be damned but they won't give up. Because they had each other.

Awhile later as now things were quite down, a complete silence that only the tendering wind blow across the cliff. The sun was now at the moment to finish its race and end the day, the sky was that violet blue and gold.

His head laid on her laps, she stroked his messy raven hair as he closed his eyes in that harmony of peace.

"Artemis?"

"Hmm?"

"I still have to leave camp for awhile" he told her and the moment of her fingers stopped.

"Why with the thought?" She grimaced and he rose from her laps to face her.

"I've to rescue mother"

"Perseus" Artemis sighed as she shook her head. "Tartarus is not a place where you can just say enter and you will be. Even if I'm not sure if what's going to come but I can assure you that mother will never spend her life in that prison."

"But I can't just let you do all the jobs" he said. "You already had a lot in your mind. We have to share the responsibilities right?"

She immediately cupped his cheeks, stared deeper into his green.

"You are safe is what matters to me"

She smiled and pulled him up, as he allowed her, his eyes fixed on that beautiful face as she led him to his feet.

"Race for dinner," she said. "Loser sleep on the floor tonight"

"You never win, shut up!" He laughed.

"The last time you slept on the couch, Mr Smirker!" Artemis contradicted.

"You cheated"

"No I did not!"

"Anyway" After a few times of arguing. "You can't sleep without me" he said it casually.

As if to him that did not realise how that affected Artemis, because he was such an idiot to Artemis thought. Blood started coming up her cheeks as she looked away. He was still not aware of anything. How could he not be? He said like their relationship was something more than the current as if they dependent on one another.

Artemis started walking as Percy tried to call her, confusing of how she got mad. They were about to enter the wood and let the darkening cliff behind, but Artemis suddenly sensed a great power.

She stopped and extended her arm, signal Perseus to stop at his track.

"What's wrong?" He frown.

Suddenly, it grew stronger and Artemis face was terrified.

The earth cracked and trembled, the wood swung side to side, its leaves rustled as the air in front of them got denser.

Lave surged out from the crack, started building upwards as the leaves fell from the trees and formed to a figure and the air just concentrated more until it looked like now a water vapour figure. Then as their form got clearer, Artemis stepped back and brought out her danger.

The ancient warriors formed from nature, the colour of their armours matched where they came from as the colour of the Mohawk on their war helmets. The red for lava, green from trees and white from air. The gold fragment deliberately designed to decorate their armour along with their shield and swords and spears. Their cloak shined and glittered in the night like stars as the sign Ω at the middle of their shields.

"No..." a word slipped Artemis mouth as Percy frowned.

"Who are they?" Percy whispered behind her.

Cold sweats ran down her cheeks, her hands trembled as the warrior about twenty of them matched to her. She never expected they would track them, the soldiers and servants of the gods. The Olympian warriors.

"We found you," one of them said with despite, his teeth baring under that intimidating golden helmet. "Werewolf."

N/A. Sooo how was it???? I know I like putting cliffhanger, but I can't help it even you guys hate me that. Anyway, like and comments really help. Chapter come out next week. Luv ya guys ❤ ❤ ?????