Blood Of Poseidon

II. The Pledge

The manticore froze, sending a ripple of tension through the snowy landscape. Dr. Thorn's voice faltered, disbelief evident in his tone. "It cannot be—" His words were abruptly cut off as a streak of light shot past Percy, embedding a glowing silver arrow into Dr. Thorn's shoulder. The manticore staggered back, howling in agony, his yellow eyes wide with pain and shock. "Curse you!" Thorn cried out, unleashing a barrage of spikes towards the direction from which the arrow came. In response, silvery arrows flew back, intercepting the thorns with impossible accuracy. Percy couldn't believe what he was seeing; no mortal archer could match that level of precision. As Percy attempted to strike the manticore with his Sword, he found himself outmaneuvered. The monster, though injured, was still formidable. With a swift movement, the manticore struck Percy's shield with its tail, knocking him off balance. Then, from the cover of the woods emerged a group of archers, all girls armed with bows. They moved with purpose, their expressions determined. "The Hunters!" Thalia cursed. "Not a fan of them, I see," Percy smirked at his cousin. One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery-colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"

The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws." "Not so," another girl said. A young girl, probably having an age of twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made Percy catch his breath. Her expression, stern and dangerous, could have made anyone tremble. But Percy felt like those expressions increased her beauty. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted." The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!" And he lunged to Bianca and Nico, But Percy interfered by jumping at his cousins and dragging them from the clutches of the monster. The claws of the manticore gashed at Percy's chest and blood gushed out, drenching his shirt in red. Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life. "Fire!" Zoe ordered. Before Percy could stop them, the Hunters had let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!" 

And before anyone could react, the monster, with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness. "Annabeth!" Percy yelled. He struggled on to his feet and tried run after her, but their enemies weren't done with them. The Helicopter had started to open fire at them. Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter. "Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt." She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into a flock of ravens, which scattered into the night. The Hunters then advanced on to the demigods before them. The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Thalia. "You," she said with distaste. "Zoe Nightshade." Thalia's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual." Zoe scanned the rest of them. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." "Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see." But Percy was in no condition to mind them, He was staggering towards the edge of the cliff trying to reach for his friend. "Annabeth" He yelled trying to hear anything. But he could only hear the thrashing sound the waves. The auburn-haired girl turned toward him. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help." "No I hat to save her." Percy said stubbornly and tried throw himself off the cliff, But the girl had the hunters pin him down. "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," the auburn-haired girl said. "Let me go!" He demanded. "Who do you think you are?" Zoe stepped forward to smack him. "No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand." The young girl looked at Percy, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."