The Vanishing Hero

chapter 24

Chapter 24: Battle Royal

~Flashback after Percy IMed Artemis. Day of attacks.~

ARTEMIS POV

Percy slashed his hand through the IM and I immediately flashed to the Big House to find the daughter of Athena. As soon as I found her, she looked up. "Today," I said and nodded my head when she went wide-eyed in reply.

"When?" she asked and I shook my head. "I don't know. Percy IMed me earlier and he woke up with the feeling that it was today. It would be best not to doubt him," I said and she frowned. "What ? What's the matter?" I asked.

"You called him 'Percy' instead of 'Perseus'," she said. 'Hades, is this really happening right now?' I thought before answering. "Yes, well... we're friends and that is his name," I said and she let out a dry chuckle. "I've seen the way you two look at each other Lady Artemis... He used to look at me that way," she added the second part softly.

Internally, my heart leapt for joy. 'Oh my Gods! Does that mean he loves me? Well, I can't assume, but if she's saying it. Maybe she's just getting my hopes up,' I thought. "I-I don't know what you mean," I said, trying and failing to keep my composure. She just rolled her eyes and grabbed me by the shoulders, looking directly into my eyes.

"Just... take care of him for me," she said softly and I could only numbly nod. She slapped her cheeks a couple times to jolt her back to the task at hand. "Okay. Our defenses and traps are set and our patrols are in full operation. The Seven are back up if they breach the camp's borders as this is part of our domain and we can fight then."

She kept rambling and gestured to key points on the map to lay out the battle strategy that her and her mother had gone over with Percy a bunch of times. "If and when the Giants show, the Gods are to join the fray and face their own Banes. Poseidon will remain on Olympus with Hestia and Ares to defend it in case Tartarus attacks there while his forces and children are here. A few minor gods are to assist them as well," I added to the discussion and got nods around the table.

"Notify the patrols and everyone else that we are on standby until the force shows itself. Run meals to patrols regularly so they aren't malnourished for the fight and ensure that the young ones are ready to help with first aid and arrows and such," Annabeth finished and with that the tension quickly rose and people headed out to perform the tasks.

"Have you any other word from Percy through your link?" she asked me before I left and I focused on the mental link that we shared to see him fighting Tartarus's forces and Atlas at the Amazons' HQ. I snapped back to reality and opened my eyes. "He's engaged with Atlas and Tartartus' forces at the Amazons' HQ currently. They seem to be holding, but that means the attack here is likely to start within the hour," I told her and she left to prepare everyone for battle.

'Be careful, Percy. And hurry back,' I sent the mental message, but got no confirmation if he even received it.

3RD PERSON POV

The camp was prepared for the battle and both Romans and Greeks had strapped their armor on accordingly. Their force stood strong, both in training and in numbers with about 700 demigods total. They had aid from satyrs and nature spirits as well adding another 100 people to their forces.

Annabeth observed a real time map from the War room with the other Seven and Lupa. Chiron was stationed with some of the other archers who were littered high in their vantage points, both camper and hunter alike. Traps, baliste, and cannons were set up and armored courtesy of the joint effort of Hephaestus and Vulcan campers and manned by them as well.