Percy Jackson-Estranged

Chapter 34-On A Hunt

Camp Half-Blood was in pandemonium, confusion visible on the faces of many. Nobody could truly comprehend what had recently occurred, but they did know one thing.

Percy Jackson was gone.

While chaos reigned throughout, Zoe Nightshade was on a personal mission to find her favored goddess, unsure of why all was so hectic. Rushing to the pavilion, where all seemed rather still, she was met with the sight of the person she desired to see, along with a group who seemed almost frozen in time. They didn't move, not a single one, and she could hardly make out that they were even breathing. Artemis, however, seemed to be staring into space, an expression that Zoe couldn't quite read on her face. 

Ignoring the demigods, she ran to her mistress and laid a hand on her shoulder, not saying anything.

Artemis made eye contact with the girl, seeing the unspoken question in her gaze. Unwilling to speak of her own errors, not until she processed exactly what happened, the goddess said two words. 

"He's gone." 

Zoe seemed to not be concerned at first. Percy went on his own all the time, and while she didn't like it, she understood she could not control him. However, it soon dawned that Artemis meant something more. 

He's gone...

Oh.

With that, Zoe barely prevented the floodgates from breaking loose, instead hardening her face into a composed, serious look. "Where?" She asked, getting straight to the point. Artemis just shrugged helplessly. "Wherever Nyx and Erebus want him." Her voice resonated with despair, her guilt evident in the single statement. Zoe paled upon hearing this, but she kept herself from frowning or breaking down. "It seems we'll need a to go on a mission then." She muttered. "Whatever it takes."

Artemis snapped her head up to the sky, a small, grief-stricken grin making its way onto her face. "No, not a mission, nor a quest." Her voice had a mischievous edge now. 

Zoe just looked at her with anger, not quite understanding the way Artemis was leading. "What do you mean not a mission or quest? You want the one good male in the world to suffer? All demigods to die? What is wrong-" Artemis cut her off before she could say any more hurtful words. 

"We shall go on a hunt."

Zoe froze when she heard this, a small smile forming. A twinkle appeared in her black eyes, and she nodded at her mistress. A hunt it is. 

"When shall we leave... my lady?" Zoe asked. Her grin hadn't left. Artemis grinned back, glad her former lieutenant was no longer in such a poor mood. "Why, don't you remember Zoe? We're the hunters of Me for a reason. None ever can mobilize as quick as us." Grabbing a hunting horn from thin air, she blew into it, the sound resonating across camp. In a few minutes, she could see her hunters make their way into the pavilion to find the two awaiting, along with the crowd of now unfrozen demigods who seemed to be rather lost as they looked around, like they'd never seen camp before. 

Thalia wasted little time, only pausing to study the situation before asking Artemis the question all of them wished to know of. 

"Why did you call us here, milady?" The lieutenant asked, unsure of what the deal was. The whole camp seemed in a state, and she wasn't sure why her Lady Artemis would pull them all away from the others. The goddess didn't mince words, and simply got to the point, looking Thalia dead in the eyes. "Percy has been taken." She spoke with no emotion, turning back into the fearless leader of the hunt they all knew and loved. Thalia's eyes widened, but before she could speak, Artemis continued. "We have a prophecy from a while ago, and a future to protect. Plus, I'm sure, that despite us being a group that's not so fond of any man, we can all agree Percy is different. I've seen the looks in your eyes. So now, we go on a hunt. A hunt for the Son of Poseidon, like once before. This time, with a better, more easily located target in mind. The Mansion of Nyx." This was announced with finality, leaving no room for argument. Not that there was any.