Percy Jackson-Estranged

Chapter 39-Coping With Loss

Zoe walked around the forest, glancing to her left, staring at the temporary camp that housed the campers and, for now, the Hunt. She coughed weakly as she went back to walking, her throat hoarse. Blinking several times to restore her vision that had begun fading when she paused, she reached a hand up to feel her face. She could feel lines surrounding her eyes, the result of the forming bags from lack of sleep. Moving her hand a little higher, the feeling of swollen eyelids and dry skin reminded her of how bad of a state she was in. 

It had been maybe a week since Percy had vanished, presumably dead. She could still vividly recall the sight that had left every camper and huntress in a stupor. 

Thalia and herself had reached the clearing a little after Reyna, who had slowed upon racing down the hill. She stood entirely still, looking at the field beyond. Thalia and Zoe looked to see what had made Reyna pause, prepared for anything, but... there was nothing. Just the same field as before. Except for the blood that now seemed to layer the world. The very earth must have been bleeding in several varying areas. 

At first, this sight of nothing but blood didn't addle the two hunters much. Yet, after a few seconds, it kicked in. Where were Artemis and Percy? Or the primordials? 

With that thought in mind, they froze for a few moments as well, before Reyna came back to life. She pivoted on the spot, looking in a wide circle. Her eyes analyzed everything. With blood pouring from generally anything, she couldn't narrow down the search for the two people they wished to see. In her mind, there was no doubt that Percy had won. It was just a matter of how and where. 

Not bothering to give orders, a decision unlike her, Reyna darted into the forest, planning to check every last inch of the world if she needed to. Whatever it took at that point. Zoe and Thalia followed suit with little hesitation. They all more or less had the same goal: find the goddess and her missing companion. 

Thalia cast one look at the ruined Mansion of Nyx before moving on. She had no way of dealing with it, and she had priorities. Much exploration might need to be done. 

They didn't expect it to be so easy to find one of the two they were hunting. 

Just minutes after beginning their search, pretty much having already forgotten the rest of their party existed, they stumbled through the bloody forest to find Artemis on the ground. She was laying on her back, eyes shut, body cut and bruises forming. Her pristine skin was incredibly damaged. 

The rest of her body was coated in blood, as she lay in an ever growing puddle that creeped its way up her arm. In twenty minutes or so, it might have been tall enough to drown her. A truly grotesque image. 

Her breathing was shallow at best, barely noticeable upon observation. While Zoe and Artemis immediately went to help her, Reyna stood and watched, gripping the hilt of her weapon tightly.

Sitting Artemis up against the tree, Thalia and Zoe briefly tried to wake up the goddess to no avail. She didn't stir in the slightest. Instead, a tear fell from her eye, and Reyna watched with white knuckles as the maiden goddess wept unconsciously. Not a good omen. 

Leaving Thalia behind, Zoe stood to continue searching, her hopes withering by the second. Nothing about this scenario seemed ideal. Even Nyx and Erebus seeming to have vanished didn't come close to balancing out the disturbing emotion in her gut. Reyna, who stayed back, channeled her will into giving Artemis courage and hope, providing as much as possible. 

Artemis didn't awaken.  

All of that was days ago. 

Following the events, eventually, the rest of the half-bloods and others accompanying them found the four girls, still in the same positions. There was not a single sighting of Percy.