Some Other World

Why?

I leapt to my feet as the door to my cell rattled.

"Hermes!"

"Come on, you're due in the Council Room."

I started for the door, but Hermes stepped in front of me purposefully, holding a pair of shackles.

"Really?" I groaned and held my hands out.

He clicked the cuffs over my wrists, then let me pass him. I felt his hand on the center of my back, between my shoulder blades.

"Hermes, where am I going to go? Why are you banishing me?"

"Who told you that?" He didn't seem surprised that I knew.

"Artemis, when she brought me my food last night. Can you just answer-"

"Sorry kid, I can't tell you anything. Official Olympian business, can't be blabbing it to the accused."

"Accused? When did I become the accused?" I yelped.

"Two days ago. The only reason you weren't brought in when we first found out was because we had to convince your father that it was true."

"What was true?"

"Don't play dumb." Hermes sounded unconcerned, but something about the way he moved his hand to my shoulder told me he didn't want to be doing this. "You've been found out."

"I have no idea what's going on, I told you all yesterday."

"Wrong. You confessed yesterday."

"Confessed to what?"

"To aiding evil entities in attacks against the gods and their children."

I groaned. "I explained that I wasn't involved in that."

"The evidence is overwhelmingly against you, Percy." Hermes told me. "Just accept your fate."

"No!"

We were approaching the throne room doors and I began to fight, trying to get away. In an instant, Hermes' hand on my shoulder turned into a grip of steel as he continued to drag me forward.

"Let go of me, please! I'll just run, I won't cause any trouble to your reign. I'll go find a place to stay, in some forest far away, or in Alaska! Hermes, I'm begging you-"

"Shut up."

"Please, you have to believe me when I say-"

"Jackson, shut up." Hermes ordered. He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "We're standing close enough that if you listen hard you can hear some of the conversation."

My heart jumped a little. Maybe I could find out more about what was going on and where I was being sent.

We stood silently outside the room.

"Congratulations, you're all horrible people." Artemis announced inside. "Neither I nor the Hunt will be associated with what you are doing right now."

"Artemis, look at the evidence."

"Look at who it is from, Father! There is no name, it could be anyone! It could be an enemy, attempting to get us to turn our best hero against us!"

"It's his handwriting, Artemis!" 

"Forgery is very common in this day and age, dear brother."

"Why are you defending him, Artemis?" Athena's voice was calm, but I could hear the underlying accusation.

"Because he's been nothing but loyal to the gods and respectful to those who deserve it. He is one of the oldest Greeks and one of the very few decent men in this world." There was a moment of silence and I could imagine Artemis looking at each of the gods in turn, trying to find a supporter. "Hestia, you cannot agree with this."

"I am the hearth, I must be neutral." The oldest of Kronos' children replied.

"But if you were going to vote?" Artemis pressed.

"I know Percy's personality, and he is plenty resentful of the gods, but I do not think he would do this."

"There!" Artemis exclaimed. "He would not have turned on us this way. It would have been obvious if he had turned."

"Regardless, these plans are too detailed and they are in his writing." I flinched when I heard my dad's voice, not trying to help me but speaking against me.

"I cannot believe you out of all of us are turning against him. Your own son, Poseidon!"

"It is the only way to keep our other children safe, Artemis."

The goddess of the hunt exploded. "You don't have any other children! Percy is your only son, you heartless bastard!"

Hermes took that moment to knock loudly on the door. I glared at him, wanting to hear more, but he shrugged.

"Artemis, sit down." Zeus hissed from inside. A few moments later the door opened and Ares scowled out at me. 

Hermes pushed me forward, into the huge marble hall. I scanned the room, looking for sympathetic faces. The only ones I saw at first were Artemis, who was being watched very closely by Athena, and Hestia, who smiled sadly at me before turning away. On second glance, I noticed that Dionysus, of all people, was also looking at me sympathetically.

"Perseus, you have been charged and found guilty of aiding enemies in attacks on our rule." Zeus thundered.

"But I-"

"Silence! As punishment for this, you are sentenced to banishment."

I decided on playing dumb. "Banishment to where?"

"Another world." Zeus said, smirking cruelly. "Hecate, open the portal!" 

The goddess of magic stepped into the center of the room and began to chant in a language that I didn't recognize. 

A hole opened, looking like it had ripped through reality itself, which I guess it had.

"Unshackle him and throw him in."

As Hermes and Ares did what they were told, I noticed Artemis subtly reaching for something underneath her throne, disguising it as a slump of defeat.

"The portal is one way, punk. Don't try to come back." Ares grunted before shoving me through the whole.

The world was green on the other side, but I was more focused on the gods watching me through the hole I had just been pushed into.

Artemis suddenly leapt to her feet and hurled the object she'd been hiding under her throne- a large silver backpack.

"It will size to fit you once you put it on!" She shouted as Athena tackled her, but the goddess of wisdom was too late. The backpack slammed into my chest and I stumbled backwards.

Zeus growled. "Hecate, close the portal!"

And suddenly, I was alone.