Pertemis: Mending Time

Chapter 9: p*****t.

Artemis's POV

We appeared at Mt Tam. This brought me back memories. Remember the time when Kronos brought me and imprisoned me here. The road was still the same with the smell of eucalyptus. at the top of the mountain, there was still the same garden of Hesperides. The trees and golden flowers. This is the place where many battles placed and the place where Zoë...

Speaking of the Hesperides, they didn't appear this time which made me to wonder. Percy gave me a strange look as he felt the weird thing as me. He grabbed my hand and we slowly enter further into the garden.

Slowly, the tree with golden leaves and golden, immortal apples appeared. We walked out of the garden and stopped in shock in front of the tree.

The tree still there, the dragon who usually sleeping and crawling its body around the tree was now laying dead. Its heads were chopped off everywhere around its body as blood crawling on the ground. I wanted to vomit right there, but I managed to contain myself.

Then slowly, realisation hit me. I turned to Percy as my eyes widened.

"It's a trap"

An explosion came up behind us. I immediately turned back. I thought it was one of Zeus's traps. But the person behind us wasn't him.

A figure made out from rock as hot lava running between the cracks. He was 6 meters tall and muscular. He didn't wear much except for the red, metallic, Greek design helmet with two horns on both side. He stepped out from the fire, his power made the flowers around him turned colour to finally dead. Every step he made, the ground shaking as the birds flew away. Looking into his flaming eyes was the most horrible thing you could do. It brought me every nightmare I had, every worst moment I have faced. And most of all, it reminded me of the terror of Tartarus.

Percy gripped my hand tight as he had the same feeling. The monster stopped as he looked down at us. It size suddenly decreased until he was a head taller than Percy.

"Well well well" the figure said. "It's been a long time since I can walk back on this place."

"Who are you?" Percy asked.

The monster turned to us with a frown, then a smile spread across his face.

"Oh my bad for interrupting your moment without introducing myself" he said. "I believe that you have come to my house once."

I stared at him (averted his eyes of course) confusingly. Sure I've never met this guy before. Then why did he say I've come to his house. The figure smiled at us and he clapped his hands.

"I'm Tartarus of course"

Hearing that, everything around us darkened. We stepped back as I gripped the handle of my sword.

"D-don't lie to me" I stuttered. "Tartarus is just a place. It can't turn into a person."

The man laughed as a globe appeared on his hand. It actually showed me clearly the living image in Tartarus.

"Every in this universe starts with life then death." The man said. "Chaos cannot create this world with just only making life. And here I am, doing the other job. This is the first time I've actually introduced myself to someone. Behold Tartarus, primordial of death, pain and suffering. You can add for the prison of if you prefer my house."

Percy immediately summoned his weapon. He grabbed my hand and stepped back.

"What do you want?" Percy demanded.

"Just like what I've chosen" Tartarus laughed. "Always full of energy"

"What do you mean by chosen?" I frowned at him.

Tartarus just chuckled as he stepped closer to us.

"You don't know?" Tartarus leaned forward. "Percy Jackson and I are destined to face. But I just want to join with him, so that's why I've been planning to make him fall into my side again and again. But at the end, he still chooses his own path. He took a high interest on me"

Percy suddenly breathed hard. His knuckles turned white. His face was as red as fire.

"So it was you all along" Percy gritted his teeth. "Annabeth said about the lord. It was you. She was set to be my girlfriend was you. Then Kronos was ordered not to kill me, but to possess me. I was you who told him to do that. Then Gaia suddenly awakened, you also stood behind it. My life was planed, and you were the one who planned it."

"You are smarter than what I thought Perseus." Tartarus said. "Yes. I'm the one that brought you to Goodge High School from the street. I'm the one that set Annabeth to be your girlfriend than break up with you. I thought Kronos would be set out to bring you to me. But unfortunately, you ran into the gods. My plan changed and I had to open a war with Olympus in order to take you. Kronos failed with that, so I wakened Gaia, this time to catch you alive. But Orion came into the process, which has come to a result is his death. You defeated Orion, which angered Gaia that she went against my order and came to kill you. But again, you've defeated one of my best general. That's why now I've to come by myself this time. You're truly amazing Perseus Jackson."

"Urg Tartarus" Percy grumbled. "What do you want from me!?"

"There's a secret about you Perseus. A big one" Tartarus said. "But all I want is you to join me. Together, we'll conquer this universe"

"After all you have done to me" Percy growled. "And now you expect me to join you?"

"Yeah?"

Before Tartarus could say anything more, Percy lunged at him from a distance. He clashed his sword against Tartarus. But the dark lord just grabbed his blade, spinning him around then threw him back.

Percy fell on the ground. Rolling few times before standing back. He lunged at Tartarus again, but Tartarus just blocked his attack by his rocky hand and hit him bare on the chest, sent him flying back and laid flat on his back.

"Percy stop!" I screamed for him.

This Seawater Brain never think. He just head on with everything, no matter how strong the opponent is.

Percy managed on his feet and about to lung at Tartarus again. No, I can't let him go to his doom. I ran up and wrapped my arms around him from behind.

"Percy stop!" I insisted him. "You have no match for Tartarus"

"Let me go Arty" Percy gritted his teeth. "I've to kill him."

"You should listen to your wife Perseus" Tartarus spoke in. "Only joining me, you can have everything you desire for. You can't fight me like that"

"Shut up Tartarus" Percy growled. "I've had enough of your bullshit!"

"Percy listen to me" I pulled him back. "You can't fight him like that!"

Percy slowly stopped struggling as he looked down at the ground. A voice suddenly came into my mind, and I knew the only person could do it.

Artemis, let's do it

Percy, your wound are you sure?

More than everything, I've to defeat Tartarus. But not by myself, I need your help.

I let go of Percy as he stood by my side. I pointed my sword at Tartarus. Percy put his blade on mine. Our swords glowed in a pink light.

"Empathy of Soulmates!" We both said in union as lunged at Tartarus. Just as we expected, like everyone else, Tartarus still struggle with this. Tartarus managed to push us back as we both flew up. Our swords clashed against each other, and from the tip of our blades. A giant pink energy ball appeared. The level 8 should be enough. Remember the time we used this against Gaia and it blowed up a whole mountain.

We shot the energy ball down at Tartarus. He just had time to put his hands up to defend. An explosion came as the power blasted out. Blowing the trees and earth away in its perimeter.

Percy and I landed back on the ground. Starring at the smoke and dirt in front of us. Then the smoke faded, reviewed Tartarus with not even a scratch.

Tartarus stood the, surprise all over his face. He step back checking himself then smirk at us.

"Is that the strongest you've got." Tartarus laughed "I don't understand how could you defeat Gaia when you can't even control your power."

Impossible. Sure by the look of Tartarus, it wasn't his doing that the power disappeared. We did nothing wrong. But how.

Then suddenly, realisation hit me. The atmosphere around Percy's seemed to be darkened. I stepped back in fear as Percy slowly turned back to me.

"Artemis" he frowned. "You don't trust me?"

"Percy...I" I stuttered.

I couldn't decide what to answer him. Until now, I didn't know did I really forgive him. And after all he's done, I couldn't believe he was my old Percy anymore.

I tried to step up but Percy raised his hand to a stop. "It's ok" he muttered. His eyes were red, tears were swelling up, but he manage to hold it back.

"Percy..." I tried to talk to him.

"You don't have to say anything" he said. I could feel he was hurt. My heart ached to but...

"I can understand" Percy told me.

From a distance, Tartarus laughed in joy.

"Problem in marriage?" Tartarus laughed. "How miserable"

Percy turned to face Tartarus. He gripped his weapon tight.

"Percy" I called for him. "Let me fight with you"

"No" he said. "Just let me do it alone. It's too dangerous."

With that he lunged at Tartarus. I stood there, seeing getting beaten. My heart ached seeing him like that. It was my fault, if only I could've trusted him like before. I couldn't wait anymore as I too lunged at Tartarus.

Percy blocked his attack as I clashed my sword against Tartarus.

"Artemis what are you doing!?" Percy yelled.

"You think I can stand while you get beaten?"

But Tartarus blocked both of our attack and threw us both to the ground.

"Haha Goddess of the Moon" Tartarus laughed. "I wanted to catch you the first time, but you managed to escape eh? Look like it's time for you to say goodbye now."

An energy ball appeared on Tartarus's hand. My eyes wide opened as I laid there looking at him, waiting for my death.

Tartarus threw his energy ball at me. I thought my life has ended there when as fast as lightning. Percy jumped in front of me, his arms extended as a shield. The energy clashed against him as he screamed out in pain.

"Percy NO!" I managed to rise up.

Tartarus saw what was happening as he pulled back his power. Percy dropped on the ground with that.

Tartarus stood there in shock, like a tiger lost its prey. I took the opportunity and threw Percy's sword at him. The sword stabbed through his chest, made him to step back.

A portal opened behind us as the glimmering of Imperial sword came. Tartarus realised the number as he stepped back, a flaming portal appeared under him. He pulled out the sword and threw it to the ground.

"We were destined to fight Perseus Jackson" Tartarus said. "I though you could join me, but at the end. We can't escape the Fates. Goodbye Perseus."

With that, Tartarus disappeared into the portal. I heard a cough and ran back at Percy.

"No, no, no, no" I cried as I laid his head on my laps.

Percy smiled at me. No matter what I still had a smile cracked across my face.

"Artemis..."

"Percy you don't need to say anything more" I told him. "Just hold on. Our friends are here. Just hold on."

Percy shook his head as he languorously brushed some dirt off my cheeks. I caught his hand and laid my head on his. My tears were pouring down on his warming hand. I kissed his palm.

"I...can't make it this time Arty" Percy choked out.

"No don't say that" I sobbed. "You can. Just hold on ok?"

I tried to help him up but he caught my hand. His hand slowly found away into his pocket as he pulled out the ring. The proposed ring. I gasped. I thought I lost it but.

"I found it." Percy said. "In that village"

"Percy..." I sobbed.

He slowly slipped the ring into my finger. He held my hand tight.

"I love you" he whispered.

Tears were pouring down my cheeks. With that, my head just dropped on his chest. I cried out. I didn't know what to do anymore. If only I could've trusted him, this wouldn't have happened. I've killed the man I love.

"It was my fault" I cried. "I should've trusted you. I've killed you Percy. It was all my fault"

Percy managed to let me hear his chuckle as he brushed my hair. "Stupid." He whispered. "Every you do never harm me, it was not your fault Arty. I brought it myself"

I looked up into his eyes. Percy held my cheek weakly. "This is my p*****t Arty." Percy whispered. "Because I've 47 innocent people in that village. So this is the punishment I get. Blood must be paid by blood."

"No" I said. "It was not entirely your fault. No it was not..."

Percy guided my forehead to his lips as he kissed it gently. His body started to glowed. His legs started to dissolve into millions glimmering little stars like butterflies as the flew up to the sky. Just like how Zoë was.

"No Percy, Percy" I tried to grabbed him back. I hugged him close, pulling him back. "You've promised. You won't leave me"

"Move on for me ok?" He whispered. "Everyone needs you. Take care of them for me. Remember..."

His face glowed as the exploded into million stars and started to fly up into the sky.

"...I love you"

I crawled forward. Trying to grabbed back what was belong to Percy. My Percy. But he's already gone. Vanished form this world.