Peremis Timeless

Chapter 4: A New God

Artemis POV

The Fates looked back at the Olympians and declared

"All hail Perseus Jackson. God of time, and patron of quests and heroes."

With that, the Fates flashed out with a spark of bright light.

We all stared down at him in astonishment as golden light descended from the ceiling, and all the light in the room seemed to be embracing him. He glowed with such intensity that even I, had to close my eyes. Power seemed to be radiating out from him and when the light died down, he was now as gigantic as the gods.

A shocking look on his face made the corner of my lips unknowingly twisted upwards. Something about him fascinated me. He was dump sure, but that stupidity of his aided with the innocent face got me drawing closer and closer to him.

A squeal came from my left and before I could discover its source, a cluster of pink smoke was shot at Perseus. We were all taken back by what just happened while Aphrodite was giggling like crazy. The thought of Aphrodite trying to assassinate him seemed low but considering how stupid he is, that moron probably has ticked off many people.

He choke and coughed from the pink smoke and when things were all clear, I nearly fell off my throne.

My heart beat fast, faster than it shouldn't be and my breathing was cut short into segments. I could feel the heat kissing on my cheeks as my mouth slowly forming that circular shape.

The moron Perseus Jackson now looked nothing like before we met. I had to admit he was good looking with those mesmerising eyes and features. But now, those masculine and shape of his were amplified and he was more stunning. Those amber blended with sapphire and emeralds seemed to glow even more with the lights radiating out from his skin and they sparkled like precious germs in the dark carven. They were so captivating that I got lost in trying to uncover all those colours. His jawline, the shape of his nose, brows and lips were fixed to the most exquisite and perfect shapes. He was taller, more muscular and the shirt he was wearing seemed too tight for those chest.

It took me awhile to try to concentrate on reality and zap myself out from that immodest and beguiling and yet so appealing and alluring beauty.

I looked around and the sight seemed forever stayed in my head.

You don't know the truth only when hell breaks loose.

Most of the goddesses were practically drooling over him. Even the male gods had to look at him with envy and astonishment. There was Aphrodite who as always looked at him with her lust-filled eyes that hurt me so much when I looked at them. She bit the tip of her index finger nail, smiling with that bewitching smile of her while savouring on her work, which she probably considered it to be a perfecto. Demeter seemed to have difficulty breathing and keeping herself calm on her seat. Swinging her hips on her throne, her eyes were full of invitations as she stared at him. Athena was trying to look away, avoiding to stare directly at Perseus's eyes. I know, those eyes are more dangerous than Medusa's. Heat was rising up her cheeks as she tried not to mortify herself. Hera even considered to be the most faithful goddess also had that look on her face, the look of desire for pleasure. Lucky for Perseus Zeus did not realise what was going on with his wife, otherwise this new god would become a pile of dust. The only person that I respected the most in the entire throne room was Hestia, whom was not enthralled by his beauty. She stared up at him with a warm smile as she'd always give everyone. Now that's what we call true maiden goddess right there.

"Uh is there something on my face?" He looked at us uncomfortably.

Hestia was the only one in the room that made a noise by giggling while everyone just face palming at him.

"Dude" Apollo finally spoke. "You've been here for less than an hour and you've turned into a male Aphrodite. Godhood hits you strong"

And my stupid brother threw Perseus a mirror. Perseus inspected him face, turning his cheek side by side and after a minute of silence. He finally spoke.

"Wait a minute...how come my face look a little bit different than before"

Yeah right, took you long enough to discover the obvious. I forgot his head was filled with dirt.

"Because you've changed silly" Aphrodite giggled as she smiled at him.

To my expectation of all male, he looked up at her and his face turned even dumber than before.

"H-Hi..." he managed to stiff a wave and I snorted in return. Male.

Aphrodite only giggled instead and winked at him.

"I'd love to know about you more handsome" Aphrodite said with her seductive voice. "What do you think about coming to my place to have a talk so we can know each other better?"

I sighed in my head while rolling my eyes. Another prey into the trap, how strange it is today on Olympus.

But I was proven wrong.

Perseus looked back at my direction for a brief moment, then returned to look at the goddess of love and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh...well you know I'd love to talk to you and all" He told her. "But I can't tonight sorry. The only person I know here is Artemis so I think I'll stick with her for a little longer."

My heart suddenly sank. He...did he just...how could he resist her invitation? No man has ever had that courage to deny Aphrodite. I began to look at him now somehow with a different perspective. He wasn't like the simple male I normally label. He was different to them and I was starting to be afraid of him. It wasn't him that would bring me harm, but I was afraid if he just kept surprising me here and there, I might become attracted more to him to the point I cannot resist him any more. The thought was terrifying.

Aphrodite smile fell following a disappointed look. However, that knocked me off my delusion soon again when she started looking at Perseus then to me, then back to Perseus and finally to me again. A grin suddenly spread across her face as she seemed to have discovered something. She winked at my direction and I swear I wanted her dead so bad that my knuckles ached.

"Well then," she smiled at him. "It's seemed that Artemis is more interesting than she actually looks. You should definitely spend more time with her."

Now I know that look. I saw it through her, the story she was trying to wove. For nearly three millennia Aphrodite had been trying to get me to break my oath. She always said the romance of Artemis would be the best love story she ever have to experience in her lifetime, which is pretty much forever. But I only laughed it off since all males came into my five radius would be making their ways to have dinner with Hades. Until now....

I was confident Perseus was still oblivious of what Aphrodite meant. Duh.

I dared to steal a look at him again, afraid to be ensnared by his alluring trap. But oh boy the Fate seemed to be playing with the poor me. I fell into the trap I was so cautious with.

The moment I took the glance, his mesmerising and sparkling globes also darted to my direction and our eyes just locked. The space between me and him now seemed empty, as if it wasn't exist. The air around me seemed heavy and slow yet I felt myself light as a feather, as if I was flying. Time seemed to be confined in the still air between us as if they was pulled slow by an invisible force. I was lost and confused by him and for the first time since I came into existence, I had discovered the feeling of missing the touch of a man in my life. Myself suddenly yearned for him, uncontrollably and seemed to be unconditionally. How could a person be so stunning?

No...what the hell are you thinking Artemis?

I suddenly remembered what I had fought for, about my experience, my past, the sins of my father and all the disgusting things males have done to my hunters. I remembered my own oath, the only thing that made my Hunt standing strong, the principle of all my doing. I snapped out from that deluded state and gave Perseus-the-dirt filled-brain my famous deadly glare which I saw him gulped down in fear as he looked away immediately. Dam right boy you gotta be scared of me!

Common! Why are you hurting yourself with these stupid excuses and rules. Let yourself free, you've confined yourself in that shell for nearly four millennia

A voice suddenly came into my head. My eyes immediately glowed silver as I stared directly at Aphrodite.

"Aphrodite I swear if you keep staying in my head for another minute. I'm gonna blow your palace away. Get out now!" I answered back telepathically.

No I'm not that sleazy goddess! I'm your female intuition, your counterpart, the part you've locked away for four millennia!

"Ok first of all, my other counter part is Diana and I'm sure I don't have any other counterparts."

I'm your soft part silly. The part that has feelings not only for the girls but for others. Your sensitive part, the part you considered make you weak. That's why you locked me away, and I became forgotten by you. But now Perseus has released me, it's because he's the one. You know how you feel about him, you can't deny it.

"I'm not in denial!" I screamed back at it. "I'm not someone that just have feelings for a person. I don't trust people easily dammit! Besides, we've barely talked, how do you know that I have a feeling for that moron!? All I want is just to rip his stupid head off you hear me?"

Blah blah blah, you had difficulties trying to contain your breathing and now you're here blabbing you don't have any feelings for him. Aren't you feeling fascinated? I mean take a look at him.

So I followed it, and the moment my eye landed on him again, I was drawn to him even more than before. He looked more glowing, the stupid grin on his face somehow gave me away with all my blushing. Dam you Aphrodite and your stupid plot of trying to break my oath.

See...who's the denier now? I mean how could you resist that charm? Even Diana would've fallen for him if you allow her-

"No she's not" I cut it off. "I mean I barely know who he is. How do I know that he'll not behave like other males?"

He has proved it to you didn't he? I mean you've seen his past.

"Ok rejecting Aphrodite doesn't prove anything. It's just mean that he has guts. Also, the past doesn't count here because I've seen those mortals that get their hands on immortality. They change within weeks or years. How do you know he's gonna be like this forever? I bet he'll be crawling onto Aphrodite's bed within the next few days."

Just thinking about him in that state made my blood boil. Part of me was expecting and wanting him to be like that so I can prove to my other annoying self that all males are the same. Yet, deep inside me, somewhere I didn't want it to happen, not one bit. I had those kicking in the stomach feelings whenever he talked or smiled or seemed too intimate with another goddess, especially that love goddess. What's wrong with me? Why can't I just close my eyes and blank my head and just forget about this stupid thing.

Because it's your heart speaking silly

"Just shut up and get out of my head!"

I can't and I'll never be able to as long as he's still alive. I am you and how you feel about him will result in my presence here!

"But are you insane? I'm a maiden goddess and he's a boy. Noway on earth I would accept him" I argued back.

Don't take those reasons to scare me Artemis. You know that they have nothing to do with you!

It shouted back at me.

If you want to know him, then give him a chance to let him prove that he's worthy for you. Just don't kill him the moment he starts to approach to talk to you. You know you're torturing yourself because of this-

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

No I'm not going to shut up! We are one and as long as you are still hiding in this dark corner and let someone else to just snatch him away I'll not quite down. You know you'll regret this if you let this one chance go. You do realise he's your missing piece, it's just your stubbornness that keeps pulling you back!

"FINE I WILL DO IT SO CAN YOU JUTS SHUT UP?!"

Then I realised what I just said the last part out loud . The room was silent, all eyes were on me with their face beyond wild. All formed an 'O' shape at their mouths.

I looked at my father and saw him looking at me with a disapproving look. Athena leaned closer to my ears and whispered.

"Did you drink something this morning?" She said. "You have guts to tell Zeus to shut up?"

I gasped and before I could apologise, my father just shook his head at me and cleared his throat.

"So to my announcement, Artemis has volunteered herself to train Perseus in the way of being an Olympian."

I was stunned, I clearly had no idea what the Hades they were talking about. My face must have looked funny because it was priceless. Apollo stuffed a laugh and I threw my dagger at him, the blade was just inches from his ear. That got him quite down.

"Wait...up...It wasn't...I mean I didn't mean that volunteer" I stuttered out.

"Oh is it?" my father eyed me suspiciously, his voice was low yet sinister. "Or is it because my voice is just too annoying so you decided to shut me up?"

"F-father I didn't mean too..."

"So that means you volunteered to train Perseus?"

"I-I...I mean...I..."

Now that's it! For the first time I got my tongue twisted. I never knew my father would be so good at loathing a person. Now if I refused, that would be me trying to angry Zeus. I sighed in defeat because I now have got myself stuck with a male.

Zeus eyed me for a moment while I kept my gaze on my laps. He cleared his throat and looked back at the council.

"I declare this council be dismissed." my father said in a thundering voice before a lightning bolt struck him. He disappeared with only a trace of smoke on his throne.

Slowly the gods started to disappear. Hermes and Apollo were whispering something and both of them laughed out loud. Their bloody mischief gonna bite them one day. I swear if they said something funny behind my back. Athena just gave me a reassuring look as she squeezed my hand before flashing away. Demeter, whom normally would be the first to disappear now looked at me with intimidation in her eyes that I nearly reached for my bow before she too disappeared. Those eyes she showed me like the eyes every time I give to something that steal my prey.

"Well, well, well"

I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. She's the only one that possesses that annoying voice.

"Who'd have thought Artemis the Maiden Goddess would be this bold and adventuresome?"

I turned my head to her and narrowed my eyes. "What does that mean Aphrodite?"

"Nothing!" She shrugged with her innocent smile. "But you know I'm proud of you Artemis. I mean it was my fault to not realise you are an 'independent' woman and I was wrong to try to force it on you. I mean you took the initiative immediately when you saw the chance. I have to admit you beat me this time."

"Aphrodite your words are not making sense!" I yelled at her. "I swear if I find out any dark secrets behind this, you're gonna pay"

"No need to be so ferocious" she pouted, holding up her hands in defeat. "Just came to wish you luck that's all."

She stepped away from me and held up her finger, about to flick it and disappear.

"Oh and Artemis, anything new about your little romance must be updated to me alright?"

"APHRODITE!"

I shot an arrow at her but she winked at me after her sentence and disappeared immediately. My arrow flew harmlessly through a cluster of pink smoke. I hate that woman.

I stood there and was trying to contain myself from exploding when the i***t came to me from behind.

"Uh Lady Artemis."

"WHAT!?" I turned back and snapped. I swear I could see him having a heart attack. Anymore and he would be on the floor with a convulsion and his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"Uh it's nothing" he regained his composure and slowly turned away. "Just forget about it"

He turned his back to me and walked away dejectedly. I groaned in my head because now I feel guilty. I mean it wasn't his fault that got me angry, it just he came in the wrong time and I just poured everything on him. Now I feel bad for him and my heart just sank to the bottomless void.

Then I realised it. Apart from Aphrodite, he was the only person left in the room which mean my conversation with that goddess was heard by him. Heat was rising up my cheeks as I held my face in panic. Oh my Chaos. It was already bad and misunderstanding enough when I volunteered to train him. Now with Aphrodite chiming in, even an i***t like him would understand the meaning behind Aphrodite's words. It would be really bad if he interpreted wrong. I mean what if the thinks I have a crush on him, not to mention he'd turn arrogant about it. It's not that I don't like him, it's just I wasn't sure myself. Arg THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!

"WAIT!" I demanded.

He went rigid and I nearly stiff a laugh. He slowly turned his head back.

"Y-yes?"

In my mind, I had that image of me holding him up by the collar of his shirt to scare the s**t out of him and demand for an answer. But the moment I saw those eyes on me, my courage collapsed like the Twin Towers on September eleventh.

"Uh...did you" I stammered, playing with my fingers awkwardly. "Did you happen to hear the conversation between me and...Aphrodite?"

I eyed him anxiously and it took him awhile to respond. With a frown and confused look on his face, two words he gave me.

"What conversation?"

"Don't lie to me Perseus!" I immediately snapped at him. "You know what conversation I meant!"

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

I stormed towards him and I could see blood was draining off his face. I grabbed him by his neck and lifted him from his feet.

"I swear I'm you dare lie to me..." I gritted my teeth.

"You can kill me..." he choked out the words. "...and I still don't know what you are talking...about..."

"Are you sure?" I narrowed my eyes and leaned closer to him incredulously.

He tried to nod his head furiously and his eyes seemed honest enough because he was about to pass out right there. I released him and he coughed and gasped for air. How come he's still choking for air when he's already a god? Guess it takes time to adjust.

"An apology would be nice"

I heard his words at my knees and glared down at him.

"You say what?" I narrowed my eyes again.

"Well I mean you accused me wrong" he said. "Don't I have the right to demand an apology"

"No you don't" I grabbed his shirt and brought him closer to my face again. "I don't apologise to a MALE!"

I said the last part as slowly as possible to let him know just how much I hated his kind. 'An apology?' I snorted in my head. Just absurd. Me apologising HIM? Who do think you are you bloody stupid parasitic moron!? I wanted to yell all this to his face following a punch. But when I looked at his eyes, the urge to be angry seemed to disappear in me. He was hurt and angry at me too.

I released him and stood up slowly.

"Uh...a-anyway" I stuttered. I went a little too far I guess. "What did you want to tell me?"

"It's nothing" he stood up and swept his pants and shirt then started to walk away.

"I demand it Perseus!" I pointed my finger to the ground and eyed him sternly.

He suddenly stopped and I swear his skin literally glowed right there. He turned back sharply made me nearly jump from my feet. Gods he was mad.

"First of all I'm not your property" he approached me slowly and I swallowed down a clump of fear in my throat. He just turned into a god for a few minutes, there was no way he could emit this much power. "Second of all just because you brought me here doesn't mean I'm in your debt and must repay it. If you want me to say 'thank you for bringing me here' then fine! You could've just asked for it. No need to be such a sassy annoying bitc..."

He caught himself and closed his eyes. His power seemed to be waning and he regained his normal breathing again.

"I'm sorry" he said in a softer and more quiet voice now, his eyes still didn't open to look at me. "I've had a lot today. I just wanted to know where could I stay tonight. If you don't want to tell me, I can find a bench in the garden here and sleep instead."

With that, he walked away disappointedly and I stared at his back with a priceless face. I should've been angry when he loathed me. Yet my nerve didn't pulse, I just felt guilty. My heart shrunk and it hurt having him angry at me. Despite knowing him just only a few hours, I was used to his innocent and stupid grin. Every time he looked at me with that eyes, it was like I could experience butterflies in my stomach. Yet now with that gloomy face of his, my inside became dull and cold. Why does my heart ache?

"Perseus..." I called out for him.

He ignored me and just kept walking towards the doors. Oh gods I must have pissed him off really bad.

"Hey Perseus!...Can you just stop ignoring me?!" I called louder, now it sounded like demanding. I knew that would just make him more angry. But I couldn't stop it. He's a male and that's my attitude towards males.

But he's not jut a common male.

"I'm sorry okay..." I said the last part in a quite voice and stared at the floor. I thought I was saying it in my head, but it came out anyway. Yet it was just a whisper and I didn't expect him to hear it.

"Well you're welcome!"

My face suddenly brightened with delight and I looked up immediately so see him grinning at me. But then I realised he was too close to me and I jumped away blushing like crazy after that.

"Now if you don't mind" he walked a little closer and I tried hard to control the rate of my breathing. Relax Artemis, it's just Perseus, the stupid moron that is talking to you. "Could you tell me where can find find a place to lay down to night. My back is aching like crazy you know? All those bone-breaking magic from the Fates is really tiresome."

I was about to answer when Hestia came up from behind me.

"He can stay in my place if he wants" Hestia suggested smiling.

I somehow didn't have that uneasy feeling about letting Perseus staying close to Hestia. Even if Athena was the one suggesting it, I would feel a little concerned about it. But with Hestia, it was alright. I mean she took care of me and my brother for three hundred years and plus she's the only person on Olympus I would listen to.

"That would be great! Thank you so much Hestia!" Perseus exclaimed as he jumped up and down next to her. Hestia just chuckled at him while I glared at the i***t.

"Don't be disrespectful Perseus. My aunt is not someone you can just address with name" I scowled him.

"Relax Artemis" Hestia laughed. "I allowed him to call me by my name. Otherwise he'd still be bowing at my feet by now."

How come this i***t has everyone covers for him. It was like he stole the luckiest star from the sky.

"Very well Perseus." I cleared my throats from the embarrassment and chimed in. "We can start training you for Godhood tomorrow, I'll let you have a day off today."

His face lit up with a breathtaking smile. I'm sure that if I was mortal, I would have been struck dead by his smile. He bowed and left the throne room, dragging Hestia by the arm with him.

I stood there alone in the throne room, trying to process the event today. Like he said, it sure was a very long day. Somehow I couldn't get the image of him out of my head. Without knowing what to do, I closed my eyes and flashed away.

Do I really have a feeling for him?