Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

The sky was tinted orange and purple as the day ended at Camp Half-Blood.

Winter made the air even sharper, but Zöe Nightshade, standing near the trees, felt as if the cold penetrated deeper into her chest. It wasn't the chill of the environment that made her tremble, but the growing unease consuming her. The nightmare with Artemis was still fresh in her mind, a nightmare that didn't seem like just a simple dream, but a warning, something real and imminent.

She felt deep in her soul that something threatened her lady, and the helplessness of being unable to do anything about it was overwhelming. She couldn't stop thinking about how frustrated she was with Chiron, who insisted on not believing her. How could he not see that something was wrong? How could he ignore the anguish she felt for her goddess? If only he had listened to her, something could have been done before it was too late. But no. He preferred to treat her condescendingly, as if her concern was a whim of a Hunter who, in his view, was being overly protective.

Not that she cared about the judgment of others, but the thought of Artemis being alone, in danger, with no one to defend her... It made her stomach turn.

She took a deep breath, trying to set aside this unsettling feeling, which proved difficult. Artemis had saved her from all that — she was more than her Goddess; she saw her as her best friend.

The Garden of the Hesperides, the place where her journey had begun, was still fresh in her mind. She could see the golden trees and the glow of the apples that could never be touched, but she also remembered the warmth of the sun filtered through the leaves and the laughter with her sisters. It was a simple time, of a peaceful and uncomplicated life. She had everything there: a safe existence, far from the troubles of the mortal world.

Until Hercules appeared.

He arrived like many other heroes, full of empty words about bravery and honor, always with an arrogant smile on his lips, as if he believed the whole world was at his disposal.

She was too naive to notice that back then.

She gifted Hercules with that stupid hairpin, which transformed into a sword made of her essence, wanting him to succeed and helping him conquer his eleventh task.

At some point, the admiration she felt seeing him face her father turned into passion, and what did she get?

The man had only used her; there was no recognition or anything. Hercules never gave credit to her plan, to her help, to her ingenuity. He took the laurels of victory for himself and abandoned her without a second thought, as if she were a disposable tool. He didn't even bother to thank her. And that disdain... That disdain was what hurt her the most. She felt used, like a shadow in the story of a hero who never acknowledged her as someone worthy of her own merit.

And the worst part? After everything was done, she was expelled from her home and left at the mercy of a world where men were treated as heroes, where their actions were exalted while women were relegated to oblivion. The injustice of it all consumed her, and that's when she joined the Hunters of Artemis, seeking something truly worthy of her being, something that recognized her strength and not the role of a side character.

Artemis, with her purity and determination, offered Zöe what she had always desired: freedom. But not just any freedom.

The freedom to be who she really was, without having to hide or submit to anyone, man or goddess.

Zöe remembered her first mission with the Hunters, the feeling of having a greater purpose, something that made her feel alive. That first target, the fight for a cause she believed to be just, was what truly made Zöe feel part of something greater than herself.

Artemis had a vision of the world that made Zöe admire the goddess deeply, a vision that finally freed her from the weight of what male heroes had done to her.

Over the centuries, everything was wonderful.

She had even encountered Thalia Grace. What began as a simple recruitment mission soon turned into something more complex. Zöe wanted Thalia to join the Hunters, seeing in her a strength that resembled her own, a young woman who didn't need any male hero to be strong. But Thalia refused. And not for any other reason but because she didn't want to abandon Luke Castellan.

That rejection was a punch in the stomach for Zöe. She couldn't understand. How could someone be so blind? Luke Castellan, the traitor, the man who, like Hercules, represented everything Zöe hated about the male sex. He had been involved in so many lies and deceits, betraying even his own friends.

How could Thalia be so blind?

Disappointment consumed Zöe, and the resentment she already felt for all male heroes intensified at that moment. She didn't understand Thalia.

She didn't understand how she could be so... stupid.

As Zöe tried to calm her thoughts, the voices of campers reached her ears, breaking the silence that enveloped her. She looked up and saw two boys passing along one of the paths, talking animatedly about the son of Zeus.

"Have you heard about Ikki?" One of the campers said, with a look of admiration on his face. "He's going to participate in the capture the flag game later today."

"Really?" The other camper replied, surprised. "I heard he had been banned..."

"Yeah, he was too scary. There's no way to win when he's on the opposing team," the first said, shaking his head with a wide smile. "No wonder people talk about him all the time. The guy's a real monster... in a good way, of course."

Zöe felt her body tense immediately.

Her stomach churned, and her fists clenched involuntarily.

The words of those campers, even spoken lightly and full of admiration, fell on her like heavy stones.

Ikki.

His name still brought a series of conflicting emotions to the surface within her.

Her mind couldn't help but bring back memories of when she first met him, she couldn't help but notice Ikki's beauty. He had a strong, almost imposing presence, with features that seemed sculpted by the gods themselves.

His sapphire blue eyes made her lose herself in them for moments, and the fact that he was so physically perfect left her unsettled.

At first, she tried to ignore it, thinking that focusing on his appearance would be a mistake. But what bothered her the most was the attraction she felt for him, something that shouldn't exist.

She was a Hunter, destined to reject men and their temptations.

She couldn't allow herself to succumb to that.

So, as a defense mechanism, she emotionally distanced herself from Ikki. She tried to treat him coldly, always pulling away whenever he tried to get closer when he used to visit the Hunters' camp.

She wanted to deny any feelings that might be budding within her.

The attraction she felt for him turned into repulsion, and she took out her frustrations in harsh and insensitive attitudes. She didn't want to get involved, she didn't want that man to be more than just a visitor.

However, everything changed when she found out that Ikki had killed Hercules.

The revelation was like a sharp blade cutting through the emotional barrier she had built. Hercules. The treacherous hero. The man who, with his lies and dishonor, had destroyed so many lives, including hers. He deserved to die, and Ikki had been the one to end his existence.

Somehow, that brought her a sense of justice, something Zöe hadn't expected to feel. She began to see him in a new light, to admire his strength and courage, his actions which, in some way, aligned with her own values.

Ikki was not just any demigod; he was someone capable of doing whatever was necessary to defeat injustice.

But that image was quickly shattered when she found Artemis, her lady, crying one night.

She never knew the exact reason for Artemis's tears, but the fact that her goddess, the woman who had always been synonymous with strength and control, was so fragile, so broken, because of Ikki, made her heart ache.

It was then that everything changed again.

The view she had begun to build of Ikki crumbled like sand between her fingers. He, who until then seemed to be an admirable figure, became, in Zöe's eyes, a culprit. She didn't know what exactly had happened, but the idea that he could have caused pain to her lady destroyed her. How could he do that? How could he be the cause of suffering for someone as pure and immortal as Artemis?

Later, Artemis told her the reason for her pain, but the words of her lady, though enlightening, only increased the conflict within Zöe. "It's my fault, Zöe," Artemis said one quiet night, her gaze distant. "I hurt the only man who really mattered in this world."

She hadn't given more details, nor delved into what had happened between her and Ikki. The way she spoke, with that silent, heavy sadness, made Zöe's heart beat faster.

The goddess was hurt, not physically, but emotionally.

And that suffering, Zöe knew, came from something she could never have imagined — Ikki. The man for whom her lady, in some way, cared, but who also caused her so much pain. What had happened between them?

Zöe didn't know, but she didn't want to know. Her lady's pain was enough for her to hate that man.

As the campers spoke of their feats, Zöe felt a tight knot in her chest. Every word seemed a reminder of how complex and frustrating her image of the boy was. He was no longer the perfect man, nor the monster she wanted to see in him. He stood in the middle of a field of conflicting emotions in her mind, a place where admiration and hatred mingled.

He had killed Hercules but hurt her lady — he had shown kindness — but was the reason for her Goddess's tears.

Zöe turned, trying to push the thoughts away. She couldn't let this shake her. She needed to focus on her mission, on saving Artemis. Yet, even so, the campers' words echoed in her mind. The image of Ikki, with his unshakable strength and imposing appearance, haunted her. He was everything she wanted to avoid and, at the same time, everything she couldn't ignore.

She took a deep breath, trying to stay focused.

The cold wind cut through her skin, but Zöe felt as if she were burning inside, the heat of frustration, desire, and rancor clashing within her being. She hated herself for still feeling something for Ikki. She hated the idea of being attracted to a man, especially someone as complex as him. But, above all, she hated the fact that he still occupied so much of her thoughts.

Zöe clenched her fists again before starting to walk towards her Goddess's Cabin — determined to go in search of her to help.

... .. .

Olympus, Hera's Temple.

Hera's Temple stood majestic at the heart of Olympus, a testament to the grandeur of the Queen of the Gods. Made of gleaming white marble, the temple shone under the sunlight, its tall, ornate columns supporting a roof that seemed to touch the sky.

Intricate carvings of mythological scenes adorned the walls, each detail sculpted with a precision that spoke of the devotion of the artisans who built it.

Inside the temple, the atmosphere was imbued with a solemn peace, broken only by the gentle sound of the wind whispering through the columns. In the center of the great hall, under a dome that allowed sunlight to flood the space, stood Hera. Her countenance, always a vision of grace and authority, was now marked by a distant, almost lost expression.

Hera was the personification of divine beauty. Her long licorice-black hair cascaded in shiny waves over her shoulders, each strand reflecting the light in a way that made her hair seem like liquid silk. Her large brown eyes had an unfathomable depth, soft as a summer night's lake, in which anyone could lose themselves. Yet today, those eyes were clouded, gazing beyond the present, fixed on visions only she could see.

Her face, of regal and inaccessible beauty, seemed sculpted by the gods themselves. High, defined cheekbones, a delicate chin, and full, rosy lips formed a combination of perfection few could behold without feeling a rush of admiration. This was the beauty that had earned her the title of the most beautiful among the Ancient Olympians.

Hera's figure was simply divine, sculpted like the finest of statues. Her curves were perfect, every line of her body outlining the ideal form of femininity. Her presence exuded a mix of power and femininity that made her undeniably attractive and yet untouchable. She was the queen, the mother, the wife of the gods. But today, she was just a broken woman, haunted by a nightmare she couldn't dispel.

Hera stood, her gaze lost on the horizon, seeing beyond the borders of Olympus, beyond time and space. Her posture, usually proud and dignified, was now slouched, as if the weight of her visions had bent her shoulders.

Her mind was plunged into internal chaos, broken by what Ikki Phoenix had done on that fateful day on Olympus.

She vividly remembered the moment she looked into his eyes. Those eyes, so intense and penetrating, seemed to pierce her soul, stripping her of all her divine grandeur, exposing her as a mere woman, vulnerable and terrified.

It was in that instant that her mind was invaded by visions she could never have conceived.

Olympus, the home of the gods, was destroyed by the hands of Ikki. Flames licking the marble pillars, the statues of the gods reduced to rubble, and the gods themselves falling one by one, unable to withstand the overwhelming power of the Demigod.

But it wasn't just Olympus that Hera saw being destroyed.

In her visions, she contemplated her life as a mortal. She saw herself as an ordinary woman, her divine beauty reduced to mere human features. She saw herself on the streets, helpless, subject to the whims and desires of men, a plaything in the hands of those she would once have despised. The thought of being vulnerable, of losing control over her own destiny, was a torture she couldn't bear.

And there was more.

In an even more terrifying vision, Hera saw herself in a hospital bed, fragile and dependent. She was surrounded by anonymous faces, people who cared for her, not out of respect or love, but out of obligation. The goddess of marriage and family, reduced to a nameless patient, needing help for the simplest tasks.

The humiliation and despair of such a fate were almost unbearable.

These visions were not just images. They were sensations, emotions that invaded her mind and body, making her tremble with fear. Hera felt the pain of destruction, the humiliation of submission, the hopelessness of dependency.

Each vision was a stab to her psyche, each more painful than the last.

And all of this because of Ikki Phoenix.

His name echoed in her mind like a constant refrain.

He hadn't touched her, hadn't said a word. But his gaze, that penetrating gaze, had broken the goddess.

Hera knew these visions were a warning, a premonition of what could happen if she dared to challenge Ikki again. She, who was the queen of the gods, now felt like a puppet in the hands of a man who possessed power beyond her comprehension.

The helplessness she felt was overwhelming.

But even amidst this whirlwind of emotions, there was a spark of something more.

Something she didn't want to acknowledge but was there, growing inside her.

It was a mix of fear and fascination.

And he was back!

After more than a year of being missing.