Pertemis: Mending Time

Chapter 3: The Sky Army.

Percy's POV

After Leo went outside. Artemis and I climbed out off our bed. The moment was just perfect and Leo had to ruin it. We hurriedly put on our clothes. I was putting my armour on when Artemis came up to me and adjust it. I stared down at her as she was adjust the chest plate.

"What?" She looked up and smiled.

"You're beautiful" was all I could say.

I leaned down to kiss her and she just followed me. But Artemis suddenly pulled away.

"Percy" she said. "The battle."

I smirked and picked up my shield. "We're not done yet."

With that, we both ran outside.

~~~~~ Time Lapse ~~~~~

I walked up to Half Blood Hill with Leo next to me.

"What happened?" I asked

"A guard" Leo reported. "He was attacked."

"Only one?"

"Yeah" Leo nodded. "They attacked in the dark. But they didn't kill him."

Now that's weird. As far as I know about Zeus. He wouldn't hesitate to kill people, especially my troops.

Nico and Thalia suddenly ran up to us. "All the units are ready" Nico said. "Waiting for your command."

I nodded. "Leo" I turned to him. "Your inventions."

Leo smirked and cracking his knuckles. "Time to have another dinner!"

I ran to Half Blood Hill with Nico. "Apollo command your troops to defend the right wing. Hide in the trees. Hermes create a phalanx wall, do not let them pass into camp."

Apollo and Hermes nodded. They gave each other a fist bump and ran in to prepare. "Others gods go with Nico to the left. Defend that place. No one can pass it!"

"Hephaestus and Hecate cabin. Throw anything you have to the enemy. Slow them down as much as possible." I turned to them.

"Athena cabin attack from behind the enemy. Take the pegasi to fly around them. Ares's cabin and Hunters follow me. We defend the middle."

After few minutes, everyone was in their position. We waited for who ever to come out. But we didn't see anyone. I turned back to Leo and he just gave me a shrug.

Suddenly, from the sky shot down something so bright, stepping out from the light was a soldier with golden armour and holding a long double blade sword.

We were all astonishing about the new comer when the sky shot down more and more light that lit up the forest of Half Blood Hill. When all the light died down, in front of us wasn't just a soldier anymore. It was a whole army. Artemis caught my hand and squeezed it hard. She was actually scared of them. Most of the gods were swallowing by now even Chiron had to grip his bow tightly. Only the campers and me were oblivious about who were they.

"This is not good." Artemis muttered, a single sweat rolling down her cheek.

"What are these soldiers?" I asked her.

"They are the star warriors" Artemis answered. "Asteria, Goddess of the stars is their commander. Asteria has her own realm and usually we don't contact her. But I would never expect her to join Zeus not even joining this war."

"They seem normal to me" I glared at the golden armoured soldiers. "Just with cool gear."

"Don't underestimate them" Artemis reminded me. "They are soldiers of Chaos himself. Asteria just their general. They are well trained soldiers. Even us Olympians have to be scared of them."

Now we have a big problem. Luckily our troops hasn't known anything about them, which we didn't have any panic.

"No backing up now" I told Artemis. "We have to fight them."

"No wonder why the stars were so bright today." I heard Artemis mumbled.

The sky soldiers walked in a perfect formation, even in the forest. Everyone held tight on their shield. A flared shot up into the sky and with that, the battle began.

The first light ran up to us. Leo shot it fire balls from the catapult, but the sky soldiers created a wall of shields, our fire balls rolled harmlessly on them. Hecate cabin threw them every potion jars they could, but the sky first formation put up their shields to defend as the second line shot a volley they destroyed all the potions.

We all stepped back in fear. The sky soldiers were so calm and fearless. Their face had no emotions like they were robot and could kill people without a second thought.

They started to run to us as our phalanx pointed out spears out to ready. Some of the sky soldiers were trapped by Leo had set and became an easy target for archers. They died just like monsters as returning to golden dust.

They clashed against our line, their double blades flashing in all directions made us to have no other way but to stepped back.

The sky army broke our first line and ran into our formation. Everything were totally in chaos now. A soldier ran up to me. His technique was the first I have seen. So strange and new to me. I just put my sword up to defend him, while trying to find his weakness. Suddenly he stopped and returned to dust.

Behind the dead soldier was Artemis with her bow high.

"Their techniques are not invented in this world Percy." Artemis explained.

"Then how do we fight them!?" I asked.

Everyone started to retreat now. Nico was struggling with the left wig. Most of our defensive were broken. Leo ran to me.

"They are too strong Percy" Leo panted. "We need the emergency flare. We need the Romans"

"Not yet." I said. "If the Romans come, they would fall into the same situation like us. Zeus wants them to come, and we won't allow that."

I gave my loudest whistle over the fighting sound. Athena's cabin charged up from behind the formation. The sky soldiers turned back to see what was happening and our troops took the opportunity to take down few of them. Few.

Nico ran up to me. He threw a spear and it hit a soldier, made him disinterested into dust.

"This is weird" Nico said, breathing hard. "There's no casualties among us."

I stared at him in shock. "No casualty, not even one?"

"Yeh" Nico confirmed. "I haven't sensed anyone died. Their cuts just enough to make us hospitalised for few months, not fatal. It's like they were commended to do that."

What now? They were fighting us, but they didn't kill us. Are they even in Zeus's side? Suddenly the sky shot down twelve lights. Stepping out were the most impressive soldiers I have ever seen.

Their armours had different design. One off them had a crown on her head. I guessed that was Asteria.

"Crap" Artemis said. "The zodiacs"

What now? Haven't we for enough? The twelve new comers were even stronger than any other. Their powers wee completely different.

"Something wrong" Artemis frowned.

I turned to her. "Where's Leo?" Artemis said.

I pointed to Leo, who was fighting with two sky warriors. "He's over there." I told her.

"No" Artemis said. "I mean the star. Leo the lion. He's not here"

"Then that women is fighting" I said.

"She is Asteria." Artemis confirmed.

I gripped my sword tight. If only I could take her as hostage, the sky army will retreat without condition. As that thought, I ran up to her.

"ASTERIA!" I bellowed and charged at the goddess.

Sky soldiers ran into my way but I just dodged them or pushed them aside. A zodiac with golden armour, decorated with wave sign and we holding a blue jar.

She pointed the jar at me and water immediately shot out. Haha, Aquarius. I control the water as my will and Aquarius widened her eyes in shock. I blasted the column of water at the sky army, created me a clear bath to go through.

"ASTERIA" I grumbled running up to her. Asteria saw me and threw her spears at me. I dodged one. Another came it me as I rose my shield up to defend. The blade of the spear went through my shield. I threw the shield away since it was useless now. I ran up to her with only my sword. A soldier ran up to me as I blocked his blade and cut him in half. I jumped to Asteria, she stepped back, then hurling her spear at me, I slide under her spear then came up behind her. I was about to sprint her down when a spear shot at me, I dodged it as Asteria took the opportunity as she kicked my leg, made me to fall on one knee. Asteria gave me a knock out under my chin as I laid on the ground, she jumped on my stomach with her spear pointed down at my throat.

I swallow. She didn't stab down at me. What's she waiting for? I saw her hand shaking a bit. A silver arrow shot at her as she dodged, I rose up and sat her with my blade pointed down at her throat.

Asteria looked at me, her eyes closed as a single tear rolled down from her eyes.

"Help me" I heard her whispered.

I stopped and put my sword back. "Asteria" I held het shoulders. "Tell me what happened?"

"Not here" she said.

I got off her and grabbed her hand, then dragged her into a bush. I say in front of her and was about to ask her a question when someone tapped me on my shoulder.

"What are you doing!?" Artemis whispered out loud.

"Ask her" I pointed to Asteria.

Artemis saw her and kneel down next to the stars goddess. She was crying now, she looked so vulnerable.

"Asteria" Artemis held her hand. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"M-my boyfriend" she sobbed. "He was taking as hostage."

"Your boyfriend?" I asked. I knew it was rude, but come on, I didn't expect that.

"Ye-yeah." Asteria nodded. "Leo the lion."

"Who did that?" Artemis said.

"Zeus" Asteria answered. "He threatened me he would kill Leo if I don't attack Camp Half Blood. But I don't want to kill you guys."

"So that's why you commended your soldiers not to kill but just wounded us." I said.

"Yeah" Asteria confirmed. "I just want to fool Zeus. But you have to help me please! I need you to save Leo"

"We will" Artemis said.

"My realm" Asteria said. "Ares is guarding it, we didn't dare to attack since Leo was with him. I think you two could talk it out. Or at least do something,

You have defeated Gaia and all."

I looked at Artemis and we nodded. "How do we get there?"

Asteria waves her hand, a portal opened in front of us.

"My Zodiacs will help you when you get there."

I took Asteria and looked at her. "Can you please make sure not to let anyone die.?"

"I will hold on as long as possible until you guys come back." Asteria said. "Trust me"

Artemis and I nodded and we ready to step inside the portal when Asteria caught my hand again. "You have to return in one hour, otherwise the portal will close and you'll be trapped there forever."

We nodded again and jumped in "wish us luck" and with that everything around me went dark.