Chapter 32 Tale of Lives Gamblers
Hello guys and I'm back at your service. Tell you guys something, I think I've found SEAWEED BRAIN!!!
??? anyway, usual stuff. This chapter is dedicated to.....White Fox_ congratulations!!! ???
Oh and if you guys still like my story. Please do me a favour to press that nice shaped stars at the bottom of the screen. I really appreciate it. Here's your time!
"Now I know why you don't want to leave her" Lucien stated, glancing at the unconscious Artemis.
Does he has an interest on her?
"Back off man" Percy turned to him with a snarl. "She's not for you"
"Dude relax" Lucien grinned, throwing his hands in surrender. "She's not my type. I'm different race remember? We hate gods."
Percy didn't say. He just glanced back at the goddess that he had dear too much. She was breathing hard, sweats soaked her skin like she just had a shower. Her weak breathe came out uneven like something had stopped her respiratory system. Percy stroke her cheek with his finger, her hand still held tightly on his as if she was afraid he would leave again. The arrow vibrated every time her chest rises. "We gotta do something" Percy said.
"Do what" Lucien asked, shoving his hands in his pocket. "I'm not a healer."
"Percy...perc..."
She kept saying his name, though her eyes still closed with her consciousness. Percy held tight on her, a brick of tear threatened to fall.
"I won't let her die Lucien" Percy glanced at his friend, who looked back with everything but sympathy.
"She brought the Olympians here Perseus" He said. "How many times does it take for you to understand that she's a timing bomb."
Percy glanced at the pile of dust, the remain of a hunger called Orion. He still perfectly remembered everything in the transformation. Usually he wouldn't know a single detail. He remembered that terrified look on Orion face as two claws slashed at him, how Percy snatched Orion head out from his neck and watched him crumble to dust.
"I love her Lucien" Percy admitted. "She gave me the power to control myself. I wouldn't have if it wasn't for her."
Lucien snorted. "Then perhaps now you should spend your last moment to say your goodbye to her."
"How could you say such a word" Percy snapped.
"It is true Perseus" Lucien responded with equally tone. "She's nothing but a burden. If she dies then there's nothing between you and your return to our people. Isn't it a win win? She dies, you come back to us and live happily ever after amongst your race."
Percy rose as he bellowed and held Lucien collar shirt, lifting him off the ground as he bared his teeth.
"Is it your heart that cold" Percy bared his teeth, hissed at the sight of his cold blooded friend. "Why can't ease the hatred towards her? What's she done to you?"
Lucien glared as his eyes turned bright gold and pushed Percy backward. He cracked his neck, his hands turned into wolf paws as the lethal claws gleamed in the night.
"She did corrupt you" Lucien snarled. "To us they are parasite, they are animals. Werewolves and gods can't live together. Learn the lesson from us Perseus. We used to help them, we did everything just to make them better, stronger. We used to share the goods and the brotherhoods. The gods yet can't change their nature. That greedy blood flow amongst their people. One day she will betray you, just like her people did five thousand years ago."
Percy didn't say, he walked back to the person he cared most. He had to save her, he had passed too many obstacles, endured enough loneliness just to see her. He wouldn't let her get away again. The tight in his chest as he picked her up in his arms. He carefully not to make to much movement so that the blood would start gushing out.
And Percy started walking to the entrance of the forest.
"Stop it Perseus!" Lucien yelled behind him. "You're shaming yourself. You are confusing Perseus!"
Yes I'm confused!
Percy thought as he held on Artemis a little tighter. He loved her, and yet he knew he couldn't live with her. Lucien words collided with his dreams. Like facts against fictions.
But seeing her hurt ached his heart, and that she was hurt because of him made him feel guilty even more.
"Percy come back here!" Lucien voice ranged at his ears. "You're walking towards your death"
He knew once he stepped out of the forest, he would be hunted down immediately. Also with a wounded Artemis, they would shoot him down at the spot. But his legs kept on walking.
He felt Lucien running after him, but before he could say a thing, a pink light appeared and Percy heart was filled with relief.
"Oh Perseus, where have you..."
Aphrodite hung her jaw in shock as she stared at Artemis.
"What happened to her!?" Aphrodite exclaimed as she rushed over to them. She checked on Artemis and stared up at him for answer.
"It was Orion" Percy said, but inside, he wanted to tell it was him who caused this.
"Gods we gotta bring her back to camp" Aphrodite said. "I will call Apollo!"
Percy looked back and Lucien was nowhere in sight. He imagined the shock face of his wolf friend when he realised his acquaintance with yet, another Olympian. Percy could sense his anger, but also his challenge.
Let's see how long can you survive this time living amongst them.
Percy closed his eyes, he had long forgiven Artemis, had long forgotten the stab she gave him that day.
Aphrodite held on his shoulder, and both engulfed by her light.
They appeared inside the infirmary. Percy glanced around and remembered how much he had missed this place. The infirmary was like a second base for him at camp that he had landed here several times in the past.
"Where the Hades is Apollo" Aphrodite clicked her tongue with a frown of frustration. Percy didn't realise it before, perhaps because Artemis and Aphrodite always argued like fire and water. But when it comes down to critical situation such as this, she would appear to be the best friend Artemis had ever found.
A bright light came in the room that made Percy closed his eyes. Apollo appeared with an annoyed face.
"Finally the Lazy Prince has shown up" Aphrodite sneered.
"You don't know it like the war is coming up on Olympus Aphrodite" the son God scowled with frustration. "Ever since in blurted that prophecy, Zeus has been giving order and preparation non stop!"
He held his head with his eyes closed. It been long since the last time Percy saw him. Yet Apollo hadn't changed a bit. Still that impulsive hot head.
He turned to Percy and when his eyes traveled to Artemis, his face expression dropped.
"What happened tommy sister!" He bellowed, marching towards Percy.
"It was Orion" Aphrodite said casually, Apollo turned back and narrowed his eyes.
"Oh he didn't" Apollo said, his voice low but dangerous. The folded fists already glowed with power. "Why did he do that?"
"She tried to protect me Apollo" Percy confessed, even him was scared when that sun god gets mad. "I've made him pay"
Apollo anger perhaps loosened a little. "Good cause I'd have done it sooner or later."
"Are you guys done bitter over a dead guy and attend a dying person?" Aphrodite groaned in annoy.
They hurried laid Artemis on a bed, Apollo started chanting over the arrow as Percy held on her hand. It was cold, so cold that it numbed his fingers. Artemis winced as the arrowed was pulled out, a faint golden light wrapped around her as the wound eased and stopped gushing blood. Apollo examined the tip of the black arrow, a sudden anger came that signal Percy something wrong.
"It's poisonous" Apollo stated and gripped onto the arrow until it broke in half.
"But I don't see any..." Percy looked back at the wound. There was no abnormalities in the blood, still golden. But still her face was pale, perhaps it was the lost of Ichor. "This was designed to be unnoticeable" Apollo told them. "Unless you know about medicine, than there's no way you would know if the poison had affected you or not" "So can you do anything?" Aphrodite exclaimed.
"Relax Cake Face" Apollo snapped and when to check on her. He grimaced and shook his head.
"I don't know this type of poison." Apollo said. "And it's already affected her circular system"
Artemis gasped and winced as she squeezed his hands in her subconscious stage. Percy rubbed his thumb on her hand as he glanced at his brother.
"Is there anyway to treat it?"
Apollo shook his head.
Percy glanced down at her. She was dying, his Artemis was dying and he could do nothing to save her. He just had her back and now he had to let her go. Why did he have to be born with such luck? He screamed mentally.
Apollo stood up as he flipped the table upside down in anger. Aphrodite immediately rushed in to calm him.
Percy glanced at the arrow that laid on the ground. He cursed Orion, and just wanted to go to the past and lay punishment on his again and again. That was when something hit him.
Percy was shot too.
Surely he was shot twice at the back. But since he has transformed, the arrows seemed to be broken into pieces and his wounds had healed completely. If his blood and power could do such incredible thing that it could cure the poison inside him, then...
"Transfer my blood into her" Percy said and both gods looked at him.
"What did you say?"
"I was shot too" Percy told them. "But my blood has cured the poison. If you can transfer my blood into her, then perhaps it can cure her as well."
"Don't be absurd!" Apollo hissed. "You will die if there isn't enough blood to function you. Artemis power will consume all your blood"
"Then we trade our blood!" Percy stood. He was determined to save Artemis no matter what. "If my blood isn't the cure, then perhaps my power is. Trading blood and my body can regenerate her blood." "But what if your power isn't?" Apollo assumed. "Then you are bringing the poison into you"
"But Artemis can live right?" He asked, only to stun the god. Aphrodite immediately spoke.
"What if it doesn't work? Trading blood is dangerous. You guys may both die!"
"You guys have anymore options?" Percy asked, only to make them quite.
After awhile, Apollo sighed in defeat.
"If you want to gamble this" he said. "Then let we bet everything in"
After awhile of setting, Percy was now laying next to Artemis, a pipe connected him with Artemis's and another as the same. Apollo checked to see if they was ready to function. He glanced down at Percy to he nodded in response. Apollo hit the button and their blood started running through the pipes into the other.
"I'm grateful for this" Apollo stepped back as he looked at Percy. "I know we didn't have a good start, but I do appreciate what you do now. I wish you luck brother."
The word brother like a hand lifted something off his chest, a weight that Percy had long held onto. He smiled warmly as Apollo patted his shoulder and went to the back of the tent.
Aphrodite gave Percy and Artemis a kiss on their forehead and wished them luck before following Apollo.
Percy found his finger interlocked with Artemis's as he tried to look at her. His mind already felt dizzy, but he tried to stay awake.
"May we met again" he whispered. "I love you Artemis."
With that, his vision turned black.000000