Chapter 176 - Artemis Blessing

Zoë guided them to Artemis' tent.

Bianca di Angelo was already sitting next to Artemis.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor.

Drako took this time to look at what was inside the tent.

In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several other Drako didn't recognize. He figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins. Still, maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the Hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot. Drako thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her. Then he realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, boys," the goddess said.

They sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied Percy, which it seems too uncomfortable for the boy.

"Are you surprised by my age?" She asked.

"Uh… a little."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my hunters and all young maidens for whom I am patron before they go astray."

Just like Drako thought before, this was the reason behind the goddess young age.

"Go astray?" Drako asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Huh."

Zoë sat down at Artemis' right. She glared at both as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was their fault like they'd invented the idea of being a guy.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they don't welcome you," Artemis said. "It's very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp… Which one was it?"

She looked at Zoë, waiting for an answer.

"That boy in Colorado, you turned him into a jackalope." She said.

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

Percy told her a resume of what the monster has told him. Some stuff that Drako was uninterested.

When he was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow.

"I feared this was the answer."

Zoë sat forward.

"The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" Drako asked.

"I've told you before, this is as I feared. Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia, preys so old I have nearly forgotten."

She stared at Percy intently.

"We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr Thorn said."

"Um, `I hate middle school dances'"

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoë face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

The goddess was so still that she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying?" Drako said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded.

What was so scary to make Zoë act like this?

"We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters, even for Drako. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As… as you wish, my lady."

"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by the winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" Drako asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" Percy asked.

Drako hadn't thought about that, too.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis' lips.

"Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"

Percy… this guy has good nerves. Drako thoughts of being his friend were increasing.

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoë blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus sill does not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.

"But… what about Drako?! He can't go to the same cabin as us!" Zoë shouted while she threw a hateful look at the dragon.

"About that…" Artemis stopped to think for a moment. "I'll talk to my father, so he can go to Cabin One with Thalia."

"This…"

"Enough, Zoë." The goddess interrupted before Zoë could say anything more. "Now there is one last decision to make. Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Artemis looked at Bianca.

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," Percy said. "Thinking about what?"

"They… they've invited me to join the Hunt."

"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."

"It's not the only way for a girl," Zoë said.

But Percy wasn't going to let Bianca go so easily.

"Bianca, the camp is cool! It's got a Pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and… I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"

"To begin with," Zoë said, "immortality."

He stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"

"Zoë rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal… unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."

"What oath?" Percy asked.

"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."

"Like you?"

The goddess nodded.

"So, you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—"

"Not just half-bloods," Zoë interrupted. "Lady Artemis doesn't discriminate by birth. All who honour the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"

"Which are you, then?"

Anger flashed in Zoe's eyes. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she wished. It's her choice."

"Bianca, this is crazy. What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."

Drako started to get bored at that point. This talk was utterly useless.

"Percy, stop it there. Let the girl make a decision by herself, ok? It's not such a big deal if she wants to join the Hunt or not, nor it matters if her brother can join or not."

"But…"

As Percy tried to start discussing again, Drako let a bit of his aura on the boy.

He went quiet instantly.

Artemis thanked him with a small smile, and even Zoë's eyes were a little bit less aggressive toward Drako.

Artemis then looked at Bianca.

"If you are worried about your brother, he is going to be safe in the camp. You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counsellors to take care of him. And you will have a new family, us."

Bianca looked at Zoë. "Is it worth it?"

She nodded. "It is."

"What do I have to do?"

Zoë looked at Artemis, and she looked at both Bianca and Drako.

"Ok, you both have to repeat what Zoë is going to say."

Drako smiled excitedly. He knew the time to receive Artemis Blessing has finally arrived.

"I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt."

Both of them repeated the lines.

"That's it?"

Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thee pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said.

The flames in the braziers brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. They both didn't look different, but they took a deep breath when they noted the difference.

Drako just had to look at the notifications coming from the system.

[Title Skill [Artemis Blessing] acquired.]

[Level of normal skill [Accuracy] was increased from 6 to MAX]

[Strength Boos!]

[Agility Massive Boost!]

STR*1,5 = 775*1,5 = 1162

AGI* = 675*2 = 1350

[Special Skill [Zoolingualism] obtained]

Artemis' blessing was... different from what Drako thought. However... he was pleased to have it.

What he had achieved at this point was the equivalent of going up over 70 levels. No, that could only be considered for STR. Drako had climbed well over 70 levels to get where he is today and had had to go through many battles.

The gods had well deserved their place as the most powerful in the world alongside the dragons. Only a blessing from an Olympic goddess was enough to give a person a great deal of power.

Bianca also received the blessing. She looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel… stronger."

"Yeah, I'm a lot stronger now." Drako agreed with her.

"Welcome, sister," Zoë said with a wide smile, which vanished when she turned to Drako. "Welcome, brother."

"Wait, wait. You're one the Hunters?"

Percy was alarmed. Everyone who had seen one boy turning into one of Artemis Hunters would be alarmed.

It was known that some boys went with them to hunt, but they never joined officially. But now, he just saw a boy joining the Hunt.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It's now your life."

She then turned to Percy. It seems that his job was to recruit both siblings, and now he has failed.

"Do not despair, Percy Jackson," Artemis said. "You will get to show the di Angelo's your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

"Great," he said, trying no to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

Zoë didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her.

As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of Percy. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do."

Then, he just left feeling depressed, leaving Drako alone with the goddess.

"So… what do I have to do now?" He asked.

Drako comes with Zoë because he was going to help with the Hunt. But now, Artemis was going alone.

"You can go back to Japan if you want, but…"

"You want me to help the hunters?"

The goddess nodded.

"You know that they don't like me, except for Bianca, Thalia and very few of them. Isn't it better if I go back to my place and then return if you need help?"

Artemis looked down for a moment, and then she looked at Drako with complicated eyes. For a moment, she looked vulnerable.

"Those in the Olympus doesn't realize the dangerous that our situation is, so I can't fail hunting this monster. But if I fail… I will need your help instantly. I only need you here for a few weeks or months, the time I'm going to hunt this monster. Can you support the Hunters during this time?"

Drako stayed silent for a moment, but he finally took a decision.

"So," He said. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"

Artemis' silver eyes gleamed. "Yes, dragon. You see, Bianca Di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."

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