Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

It was morning, Camp Half-Blood.

Snow softly blanketed the hills and fields, lending an almost magical serenity to the place. The cabins, each with its unique design, formed a harmonious U-shaped semicircle, each representing the essence of an Olympian god or goddess.

Gravel paths snaked through the camp, connecting the various areas with a rustic charm. The open-air dining pavilion, the training arena, and the amphitheater, where so many stories had been told, seemed dormant, but no less vibrant in their presence. The strawberry field, though covered in snow, exuded a promise of life and abundance, awaiting the arrival of spring.

In the distance, Half-Blood Hill rose, crowned by Thalia's pine tree, a silent sentinel guarding the camp. The Big House rested peacefully at the foot of the hill, its presence discreet yet firm, symbolizing the heart of the camp.

Under the pale sky, the camp waited, peacefully, for the next adventure that was sure to come.

Ikki emerged from the Zeus cabin in silence. Thalia, who was also going on the mission, had already left earlier. He stayed longer and wasn't punctual because he was pondering and organizing his things. The winter chill enveloped his body, but it didn't bother him.

It was due to his high temperature resistance, not his clothing.

He was dressed simply, yet strikingly. Black pants fit his body perfectly, allowing freedom of movement without sacrificing style. A tight black shirt highlighted his athletic form, his defined muscles and the firm posture of a warrior. Over it, he wore a white hooded jacket, a stark contrast against the rest of his attire. The soft fabric of the jacket seemed to almost shimmer under the soft light of the early morning, like a beacon of his imposing presence. On his feet, black military combat boots completed the look, each step he took resonating softly against the snow-covered ground.

Ikki pulled the hood of his jacket over his head, covering his long black hair, partially shadowing his face, but leaving his clear, penetrating eyes visible.

He walked with a quiet determination, his steps firm, but unhurried.

The mission to rescue Artemis was something he was still processing, being honest with himself.

He knew he had to go, since his friends were going into danger, but the idea of subjecting himself to it bothered him deeply. Part of him, the proud and wounded part, rejected the idea of going after her – the woman who had rejected him, who had crumbled his facade of indifference and strength. It was a wound he still carried, even though he tried to hide it under a mask of calm.

But there was another part of him, a more altruistic part, that couldn't ignore the fact that, at one point, Artemis had been important to him. He couldn't ignore someone who had influenced his life in ways he couldn't simply erase.

He knew that, despite his wounded pride, he couldn't leave her in danger. His nature compelled him to help, to protect those in need, even if it meant confronting his own painful feelings.

A sigh escaped his lips, the vapor of his breath dissipating in the cold air. The mission wasn't just about saving a goddess; it was an opportunity to face his own inner demons. He needed to find a balance between his pride and his desire to do what was right. He thought this was also the first step to change.

He needed to control his fatal flaws on this mission, whatever the cost.

With that in mind, he walked with firm steps towards the entrance of Camp Half-Blood, feeling the winter chill penetrate his skin. Frost glittered like tiny stars on the ground, and the sharp wind seemed to whisper icy secrets in his ear. When he reached the entrance, he found Thalia, Grover, Zoë, Atalanta, and Phoebe waiting for him.

Thalia's short, black hair was even more messy and rebellious. She wore a black leather jacket, which gave her a tough look. Her clothes usually consisted of dark t-shirts, ripped jeans, and combat boots, reinforcing her image as someone who didn't follow rules. In addition, she wore a silver bracelet shaped like a shield, a constant reminder of her connection to Zeus, her father...

Grover had the same kind and relaxed appearance as always, with an aura that immediately conveyed comfort and friendship. Under his baggy pants, he had goat legs with hooves instead of human feet. His brown hair was disheveled, visible even with the beanie he wore. His eyes shone with worry – probably because he had left Percy and Annabeth at Camp Half-Blood, when they both really wanted to go on this mission.

Zoë's long, night-black hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders, with a beanie covering the top. As always, she was wearing the silver hunter's clothing given by Artemis, which fit her slender and agile figure perfectly, enhancing her almost supernatural grace.

After looking at the three, his eyes landed briefly on Phoebe and Atalanta.

Phoebe was a young woman with a robust and striking appearance. Built like a true fighter, her body was strong and muscular, the result of years of training and outdoor living. Her movements were precise and efficient, always ready for action.

She had intense red hair, cut short and shaved on the sides, which further enhanced her determined and practical air. Her face, with firm features, was almost always serious, with penetrating eyes that seemed to constantly assess the environment and the people around her.

While Atalanta was a young woman of striking and simple beauty. Her tanned skin reflected the time spent under the sun, giving her a natural golden hue. Her long blonde hair, always loose, fell in soft waves, moving slightly with the wind. She had a face with soft features and attentive eyes, which always seemed to be observing the world around her with curiosity and determination. Her body was slender and well-defined.

Both wore hunter's clothing, just like Zoë – but he didn't keep his eyes on either of them, as it would be a waste of time.

With the exception of Grover, who greeted him and seemed happy to see him, the rest had closed expressions, especially Thalia, who wasted no time in showing her incredible displeasure.

"Finally, Mr. Star arrives," Thalia said with a sarcastic smile, her arms crossed over her chest. "A little longer and we would have frozen here..."

Ikki raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond immediately. He knew Thalia didn't like him very much, out of envy, jealousy, or whatever it was. Before he could say anything, Chiron appeared, with his imposing posture and a look of concern.

"This mission will be extremely dangerous," Chiron said, his deep voice resonating in the morning calm. "I need everyone to be alert and look after each other. Ikki, I'm trusting you to ensure the safety of the group..."

Chiron's words hung in the air, and the silence that followed was broken only by the sound of the wind. The Hunters, particularly Zoë, didn't hide their displeasure with the subtle choice of leadership. She shot a look of disdain at Ikki, but didn't openly challenge it. Thalia, in turn, grimaced, clearly unhappy.

Chiron nodded towards Ikki before leaving. The group remained silent as they watched the centaur disappear among the trees.

Ikki sighed. He knew Chiron's intentions – to trust him to bring everyone back safely – he could see the gleam of worry in the gentle centaur.

Shaking his head, he headed towards the van parked nearby, taking the wheel naturally. Zoë was the first to protest, her features showing disbelief.

"Why are *you* driving?" she complained, the irritation evident in her voice.

"If you prefer to stay here arguing instead of saving your goddess, feel free to leave," Ikki replied coldly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He didn't look away from the ignition key, turning it to start the engine.

The challenge in his words made Zoë press her lips into a thin line. She didn't like being contradicted, but she couldn't deny the urgency of the situation. With a frustrated sigh, she got into the van without further argument, sitting in the front seat. The others followed, settling into the seats. Grover seemed nervous, while Thalia crossed her arms and looked out the window with a hardened expression.

Phoebe and Atalanta seemed to glare at Ikki.

The silence inside the van was palpable as Ikki drove the vehicle towards New York. Hail beat against the windshield like small stones, the gray sky threatening a storm. The road seemed like an endless strip of ice and the surrounding trees were covered in a white layer that shimmered under the pale winter light.

Despite the hostile weather, Ikki maintained firm control, his hands gripping the steering wheel with precision.

Driving for the first time didn't seem like a challenge for him. In fact, he felt surprisingly comfortable behind the wheel. His height of 6'2" helped project an image of an experienced driver, which was helpful in case they were stopped. Although he had never driven before, he had learned by watching other drivers throughout his life. He guided the van confidently, maneuvering smoothly through curves and maintaining a steady speed.

The minutes turned into hours as they crossed the roads towards Manhattan. The air inside the van was charged with tension. Zoë, sitting in the passenger seat, occasionally glanced sideways at Ikki, as if ready to point out any mistakes. But he didn't make any. His driving was impeccable, which only increased her frustration.

"This isn't right..." Zoë murmured, finally breaking the silence. "Why do I have to go with the man who made milady suffer to save her?"

Ikki glanced at her quickly before returning his focus to the road. He let out a sigh. Why was *he* being blamed for this?

The first few times he had ignored it, but seeing Zoë and the hunters harping on the same point was irritating.

His eyes shone a colder shade, his heart beat faster as he decided to spit out his displeasure.

"Look, what happened between me and Artemis, there's my side of the story too, you know? And it's not like you imagine, so could you please stop jumping to conclusions? You talk as if I made her suffer because I wanted to, as if that were possible..."

"And you didn't? You men are all the same!" Zoë snorted, a look of displeasure on her face.

"Do you really want to know what happened that day?" Ikki said, tightening his hands on the steering wheel, before saying mockingly, "I confessed to her! I declared my love to a Virgin Goddess, that's what happened. That's the melodramatic story of me and her, and now, I'm going to save Artemis ignoring the fact that she rejected me. So, if you're only going to open your mouth to complain about me, I suggest you go back."

He was tired of simply accepting and hiding all of this from other people. It only showed that he cared – and he didn't want to care about these things anymore. Indeed, it was a childish thought, but at the height of his emotions, it was the only thing that came to mind.

He was trying to change. If he made a mistake, fine.

Zoë was silent for a moment, Ikki's words echoing in the van while the sound of the engine filled the void. She turned her head slowly, her dark eyes analyzing his profile, trying to understand what she had just heard.

His confession caught her by surprise.

She blinked a few times, assimilating the absurdity of the situation. Coveting a Virgin Goddess? Artemis? The thought was ridiculous. It didn't matter that Ikki was, without a doubt, the most attractive man she had ever seen, with his imposing stature and intense eyes. None of it made sense. Artemis was immaculate, untouchable, a sacred figure to all the Hunters. The idea of a mortal, even someone like Ikki, desiring something more with her seemed like an affront.

She tried to understand Ikki's complexity. Although she didn't know him well, as an observer, she had noticed; he was someone who always seemed focused on other things she couldn't understand. Like someone with such immense power, he seemed distant from the reality of demigods and even hunters like her, and now, he had opened up in a way she couldn't imagine.

It disarmed her.

"You... you're serious?" Zoë's voice came out almost as a whisper, full of disbelief. She watched him with a penetrating gaze, trying to understand how he could have harbored such feelings.

She would never have imagined.

"You really... believed you could have something with Artemis?" The question sounded like an accusation, but also like an attempt to understand the magnitude of his madness. She laughed, but the laugh was dry, humorless, more out of nervousness than anything else.

The whole situation seemed surreal.

Zoë swallowed, a glint of disdain reflected in her eyes: "You really... confessed to her? To our Virgin Goddess? Artemis, the unbeatable hunter, immaculate, dedicated to her mission, her hunt, and all the hunters? How could you... think you could be something more?"

The last words left her mouth like a sharp whisper, as if the idea were unthinkable, something she couldn't fit into the world she lived in.

She felt a wave of frustration wash over her. What had he been thinking, after all? That idea seemed so absurd. Ikki always demonstrated so much control, so much self-control, and now he was showing himself to be vulnerable, with something so reckless and emotional. The fact that he was willing to risk everything for this cause, even after being rejected, made Zoë wonder how far he would be willing to go for this obsession.

"So, from the beginning, when she introduced you as a friend... since that time, you thought she might have felt something for you?" Zoë almost yelled, disbelief etched on her face. What he was saying sounded so stupid, so unreal, that anger began to take shape in her voice: "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, and now, you're there... throwing everything away for a fantasy..."

When she finished saying everything, Grover and Thalia, who had been immersed in silence trying to absorb everything; Ikki's words and then Zoë's, came out of their stupor.

The satyr, normally extroverted and quick to react, was completely speechless, his eyes wide. He looked from side to side, as if trying to absorb the complexity of the situation. His friend liked Artemis? What was happening? He leaned forward, opening his mouth to speak, but stopped, as if searching for the right words.

However, before he could say anything, Thalia, who was still silent, raised her hand in a gesture of restraint. Her eyes were fixed on Zoë, a mixture of anger and confusion forming in her gaze. She knew that Grover, with his impulsive nature, would probably start protesting or try to intervene in some way, but it wasn't the time. Thalia felt that any comment now would only make things worse. She was at a point where even she didn't know what to think about all of it. What Zoë had said to Ikki... the way he exposed himself, how he opened his heart to the goddess who rejected him... It was hard to digest. But it wasn't the time to comment on it.

Not now.

Grover wilted, trying to find some comfort in Thalia's words, and leaned back in the seat with a frustrated sigh. He seemed eager to intervene, to correct something, perhaps to alleviate the discomfort in the air. He hated seeing others, especially friends, so tense and uncomfortable. But he knew that, for now, it wouldn't do any good to try. The situation was beyond his reach.

Meanwhile, Atalanta and Phoebe, whose reactions were more cynical and disinterested, exchanged looks of disdain.

When they learned of Ikki's confession to Artemis, they both laughed, but their laughter was harsh, full of sarcasm.

Ikki remained silent at Zoë's words. He didn't say anything because there was no reason to. He just made his point of view of the events of that day clear. Although it was true, and the idea of a twelve-year-old boy wanting to date a millennia-old goddess was absurd and a mere crazy fantasy as Zoë had stated, still, at that time, he didn't see all of that, or he did, but pretended not to – because it was easier to think optimistically that this time everything would be alright.

The silence continued for the rest of the way.

As they approached Manhattan, the traffic intensified. The holiday chaos was evident in the congested streets, with cars honking and hurried pedestrians crossing the roads. Ikki maneuvered skillfully, avoiding obstacles and staying calm, even when the traffic seemed like an endless maze.

Inside the van, the others watched the city go by through the fogged windows. Thalia finally broke the silence, her voice a little softer than before.

"Is this your first time driving, Ikki?" she asked, looking at Ikki with curiosity.

Ikki shrugged slightly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yes, I had seen some drivers driving and copied what they do. It's not that complicated." He replied with a slight smile.

One thing he noticed was that he had increased his proficiency in [Presence Manipulation] since he had been learning about Laws and Concepts, enough for everyone to treat him normally. They saw him as handsome, but soon after ignored him at best. It didn't reach an obsessive level like before.

That was good.

He felt that the people around him were no longer puppets of his appearance.

After hearing his words, Thalia nodded, as if she was beginning to understand a little more about him.

Mid-morning arrived as they finally crossed the heart of Manhattan. Daylight filtered through the heavy clouds, illuminating the imposing skyscrapers that surrounded the busy streets. The constant sound of horns and engines was muffled by the isolation inside the van.

Ikki finally found a less congested route, skillfully guiding the vehicle out of the city. Silence returned, but this time, it was less tense.

The journey continued in silence, with each member of the group lost in their own thoughts. Grover looked out the window, his eyes sad and thoughtful. Atalanta and Phoebe remained silent, watching Ikki with disdain and mockery.

Thalia seemed more relaxed, her body less tense than before. After learning what happened with Ikki and Artemis, and remembering the boy's words that day at the Zeus cabin, maybe she really had let her jealousy, envy, and frustration get the better of her. The boy had his own problems, she forgot that. Nobody's perfect.

Ikki wasn't perfect as she had imagined.

And that made him more human.

It made him more understandable to her.

She had to consider that just like her, Ikki Phoenix was also a son of Zeus and was just as troubled as all the children of the King of Olympus could be. Just like her....