The Queen's Champion

Grief

Ch. 25

Percy turned back to Artemis and smiled sadly.

Artemis looked at him frantically, "You promised Percy!" She yelled as she was pushed back by the invisible force.

"I'm sorry." Percy whispered before turning toward Gaia who was grinning evilly.

"Come Perseus, I have many sons anxious to spend some time with you." Gaia said happily.

Percy walked toward Gaia with his hands up. When Gaia reached out to grab him, Percy smirked.

Percy's hidden blade shot from his vambrace as he drove it into Gaia's heart. Gaia screamed loudly before a blinding flash of light illuminated the entire battlefield.

When the light died down, Gaia was sinking back into the earth, golden ichor pouring from her chest. Perseus Jackson was nowhere to be seen.

Annabeth sunk back into the earth before anyone could grab her. Artemis was on her knees, tears falling freely from her eyes as she had truly just lost the only she had and would ever love.

Everyone stared in shock at what had just occurred. Perseus Jackson, the greatest demigod to ever live had just sacrificed himself to save his friends and still managed to take Gaia down with him. Sure she wasn't dead but it would be many centuries before she could even think about awakening again.

Artemis was quickly engulfed in a hug from a tearful Zoe Nightshade as the only man she had ever befriended had just given his life save her and her mistress.

Jupiter wiped a few tears out of his eyes and looked at his brother who was staring at the place his son had vanished from in utter shock. Jupiter raised his bolt to the sky and shot a massive bolt. The hundreds of demigods and gods were teleported from the battlefield in Greece and dropped off in the throne room on Olympus.

Jupiter took one sorrowful look at his wife before tears sprung from her eyes. He quickly pulled her into a tight embrace and held her while she sobbed.

After a few hours most of the gods managed to pull themselves together. The only exceptions were Hera, Poseidon and Artemis who sat in their thrones completely oblivious to the events taking place around them.

Thalia could barely contain her emotions as she had just lost the two people closest to her in the world. Her two brothers, Jason and Percy.

Many demigods lost their lives on the battlefield in Greece. Clarisse La Rue fell in the battle when she took an arrow heading for her boyfriend Chris Rodriguez.

While neither the demigods or gods were in any mood for celebrating, the rewards for the members of the prophecy who survived needed to be given out. Each was offered immortality and all six accepted it, becoming the immortal counselors at their respective camps.

Once the rewards were given out, Zeus looked over at Artemis sadly at what he was going to have to tell her.

"Artemis my dear, I'm afraid the ancient laws won't allow us to keep your two hunters who came out of Tartarus with Percy and Thalia here in the living world. There is nothing I can do." Zeus said apologetically.

Artemis' eyes shot open, red from crying for the past few hours, "They aren't going anywhere. They've earned their right for a second chance at life." Artemis snapped back at her father.

Zeus shook his head sadly, "It is not my decision to make. The ancient laws require them to return to their afterlife. There is nothing I can do to stop it from happening."

Artemis jumped from her throne with her bow out and stood protectively in front of her two huntresses. Before Zeus could say anything, Thanatos appeared in the middle on the throne room, a black iPad in his hand.