36 DA : Chapter 36: Goodbye IV

She and Phoebe had been lovers.

With Phoebe taken away in such a brutal fashion and Artemis powerless to help, she'd broken. Her warmth had all but vanished even to the point members of the Hunt tried to avoid her. Her normally intense silver-yellow eyes had dulled along with the moon and she trusted no one … save maybe for Thalia herself.

...

Oh the irony, of how Artemis had not defended her from the Hunt's harsh treatment for years and then, when her lover is taken, she clings onto her little sister for dear life.

So that was the Hunt now. Cold and empty during the days, barely ever singing at campfires and turning anything that strayed into the camp into a pincushion.

New girls had to swear on the Styx to not be part of some group wishing to harm the Hunt and even then had to go through a grace period of a month before Artemis fully swore them in … none had lasted more than a week before requesting to leave.

Artemis would be emotionless before her hunters but at night, she would either request Thalia to come to her tent or join Thalia in her own or try to talk about the past for nostalgia, or just cling to Thalia.

It had been nothing short of a miracle that Artemis hadn't stopped by to drive her chariot for the night rather than leave it on autopilot like usual when Nico had chosen to stop by.

It was nighttime now and Thalia was pretty sure that Artemis would be back from her chariot soon so with a shaky breath, she made a choice.

She started to pack up some gear but mostly some mementos of her favorite Hunts or adventures. She stopped as she picked up one particular picture, smiling as she remembered the day. It had been a little over a week after the end of the Titan war and she along with her cousins had decided to stop by Sally's house to see her and Paul.

They'd spent the day and even slept over when Paul and Sally had taken a picture of the three passed out together on a couch after watching some terrible comedy movie.

Percy had been in the middle with his arms open and head thrown back, Nico leaning back against him while Thalia was on the other side with her head in Percy's lap. Sally was in the background giving a sweet smile while ruffling Percy's hair softly.

The corner of the picture had 'one family' written into it by Sally before she'd given it to Thalia and she was sure Nico and Percy had their own as well.

She felt a single tear roll down her cheek as she looked at the picture before putting it away with the rest. Once packed she stepped out, not looking back at the tent that had been hers for over a decade.

She walked silently out of the camp towards a clearing a fair distance away and spotted Artemis sitting on a downed log while looking up at the moon.

It had never been bright again after Phoebe's death and she knew many of the gods were concerned about Artemis but she never let any of them in. Thalia sighed as she walked up and sat beside the goddess, not knowing how to go about saying her retirement.

All she was sure of was that Artemis would fight it and it was possible that other gods would notice if Artemis got too agitated. However, it seemed that Artemis already had something to say as she turned to look at her.

"Thalia … can I ask you something?"

Thalia looked at her unsurely for a moment before nodding.

"You'll … you won't leave me … right?" she asked and Thalia's heart nearly stopped.

'Does she already know? How!?' Thalia's thoughts raced but her mouth just worked on, "W-what?"

"You won't leave me right?" Artemis asked as a desperate glint appeared in her eyes. "Like the other girls that always come and then fall to monsters or are led astray. You're too strong for that right?" she asked as she suddenly got a lot closer making Thalia lean back.

"You won't leave me like Zoe did … like Ph-Phoebe … please …" she begged as her eyes got watery.

"I… I…" Thalia stuttered, completely unprepared for Artemis to question her like this.

"I know I haven't been the best lately," she continued as she inched closer. "But please, I'll make it up to you … just promise you'll always be there with me."

Thalia looked away from her as she stood up, her eyes hidden behind her black bangs. She slowly reached up to her tiara before grasping it with trembling hands, Artemis gasping at the sight. Thalia paused as she looked at the tiara before finally meeting Artemis' gaze.

"I'm sorry … Artemis," she said as she held up the tiara to the goddess. "But I must resign from my post as your lieutenant and leave the Hunt."

"What!? Why!?" Artemis screamed as tears started to stream down her face, her silvery eyes seemingly breaking by the second as the moon got even duller.

"I'm sorry Artemis," Thalia chocked out as she looked away from her half-sister's eyes. "But I can't be here anymore."

"But why!?" Artemis screamed this time as anger started to show in her eyes while she took a step forward but Thalia mirrored her as she took a step back. "What did I do!? Is it something you think needs fixing? Is someone forcing you?"

Thalia looked at Artemis in surprise at that statement but could see the determination in her eyes. She wanted to make sure Thalia stayed in any way she could … but Thalia had made her choice.

"I'm sorry … but there is nothing that you can say that will change my mind," she replied as her resolve strengthened and she met Artemis' eyes.

"But this is your family!" Artemis tried but it only got a fierce glare out of Thalia.

"A family …" Thalia echoed as she looked down for a moment. "I had a family …" She then looked up again at Artemis as she continued, "I had a mom but you killed her."

"W-what?" Artemis asked as she suddenly looked less sure of herself.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she went on as her anger she'd been suppressing started to bubble up. "A kind and wonderful woman by the name of Sally Jackson," she said as Artemis started to shake her head in disbelief.

"And a man I could have called dad unlike my sorry excuse for one." Thunder boomed in the background but Thalia didn't care as she glared at the goddess. "And a little sister … but no. You gods and your pride couldn't bear the thought of us being happier with mortals than you.

That we would deny godhood and question your ways when it was the whole reason those wars could even start."

By now a storm was slowly gaining strength around them as lightning crackled off Thalia's frame. The commotion had awoken most of the Hunt and had them gathered at the edge of the clearing.

They were looking on in worry between the seemingly shell-shocked goddess and the angered demigod.

"Now I know the truth," Thalia continued as she dug a hand into her pocket, fishing for the marble.

"You are just as much of a deceitful, cruel, manipulating goddess as the rest of them. You murdered Sally and Paul Blofis, two innocent mortals, with your lover!" At Thalia's declaration the girls of the Hunt gasped while Artemis' mouth hung open and lightning flashed across the sky as rain started to pour.

"You've ruined so many lives and I refuse to be part of it anymore!"

With that she threw the tiara at Artemis' feet, making the diadem at the top crack as Artemis looked at it in shock.

Before anything else could happen, Thalia crushed her hand around the marble, the tiny obsidian shattering into a fine powder as darkness leaked off it and encompassed her.

She could feel the familiar sensation of shadows holding onto her, letting her know that a shadow jump was immanent so before she could go, she locked eyes with Artemis and smirked before saying something to really send the goddess over the edge.

"And Artemis … Umbra says hello."

Thalia saw something snap in the goddess' eyes as she said that, an unholy anger taking over as her bow materialized in her hands but before she could even aim it the shadows swallowed Thalia, jumping her from that place and beyond the reach of the gods.

Thalia felt as if she was being tossed in and out of a washer for several seconds before the shadows suddenly released her, making her fall into a heap on … someone …

"Get … off …" whoever it was under her groaned as she sat up.

She shook her head to get rid of the dizziness before looking around. She was in what looked like a large living room with the walls made of black marble and some couches currently occupied.

She didn't really notice who as she immediately looked beneath her to see she'd landed and was straddling Nico's chest while he gave her an irritated look.

"Thals … you're kind of making it hard to breath," he muttered making her eyebrow twitch in annoyance as she smacked him before getting up and looking around at all the staring faces that she didn't recognize save for her brother, Jason.

Who was sitting beside a grown woman that looked suspiciously familiar with her rich brown hair but had eyes beginning as purple and turning to light blue as they drew closer to the center with pink pupils.

The woman was beaming at her before she suddenly ran at her, shifting into a child form all the while before jumping and screaming, "Aunty Thalia!"

Thalia caught the flying missile by reflex while looking at her bewildered.

"Andromeda!?"

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

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