Percy Jackson - Beyond the Gods

The next morning.

It was early in the morning, and the sun had been up for a few hours. In New York, everything was as usual—busy. The streets were packed with vehicles, and the sidewalks were crowded with people, just like every other day.

All the businesses had already opened, and various companies were operating. People began their day heading to work or taking care of mundane tasks, like going out with friends and lovers. Children and teenagers were heading to school, while young adults went to college.

In an apartment in a quiet area of Manhattan, the sunlight streaming through the crack in the white curtain illuminated the face of a young man sleeping in his bed.

Ikki slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of his room.

A faint smile danced on his lips as he remembered the ordinary dream he had the previous night. He sighed softly and sat cross-legged in a meditation pose before beginning his usual body refinement.

After his daily cultivation, he went to have breakfast with his mother.

"Good morning, Mom," Ikki greeted the former immortal as he sat down at the table.

"Good morning, my baby. Did you sleep well?" Sophia smiled and asked as she set out the breakfast items on the table.

"Yes, and you?" He smiled and asked in return.

"Of course, though I was a bit tired after the lively dinner we had yesterday. By the way, Sally and I talked and agreed on where you two will study next year," Sophia said as she sat on the other side of the table.

"Really? Where will it be?" Ikki asked curiously.

"At an experimental school in downtown Manhattan called Meriwether. They say it's very good. I'll go check it out tomorrow," Sophia said as she spread jam on a slice of bread and took a bite.

Ikki simply nodded.

After breakfast, he played video games in the living room while his mother went to work. Alone at home, he made himself something to eat and later decided to go out for a walk in the afternoon.

Distance wasn't an issue for someone as fast as him and who knew teleportation magic. His walk took him to the northeastern United States—Maine, also known as New England.

The state boasts an extensive coastline, beautiful mountains, and scenic ocean views. In winter, one can ski on snow-covered mountains surrounded by trees.

The sea, the beach, and the always fresh seafood gave the impression of living a tranquil dream.

Ikki wandered through the hills and forests, reflecting on the conversation he had with his mother the day before.

Yesterday, he hadn't had much time to think about it, as it had been his birthday.

His mother's suggestions regarding his feelings for Artemis essentially boiled down to two options.

The first option was to confess his love for Artemis and be properly rejected so his heart could confirm what it needed to move on. Of course, there was a minuscule chance that instead of rejection, she might feel the same way about him.

Zeus's son would be lying if he said he didn't hold a tiny glimmer of hope in his heart regarding this.

And that hope was responsible for his current predicament. He knew it was a love doomed to fail, but deep down, he still hoped it could work out and that he could be with his beloved.

This made it hard to forget her.

That's why he needed to be directly rejected, to escape this world of delusion.

The second option was to court Artemis until she returned his feelings, finally achieving the outcome his heart most desired. This option was tempting, yet he considered how she might feel about it first.

If he pursued her, wouldn't he be no different from the men she despised so much?

It was just as Aphrodite had told him—he was so kind that he always put the people he loved first. But that's how he had always been and would always be...

This gentle nature made him think of another option beyond the two his mother had mentioned: to continue loving Artemis and hiding that fact. Let things take their natural course, where one day, perhaps, she might fall for him, allowing him to achieve what his heart most desired. But it would become increasingly painful to share moments with her, knowing full well that he loved her and was not loved in return.

It was simply something he didn't want to endure. So the option of confessing his feelings to Artemis and putting an end to the matter once and for all was the one he was most determined to take.

However, thinking about it was easy; saying it was hard.

Ikki sighed and looked at the stream before him, nestled among the trees.

A beautiful deer was quietly drinking water. It noticed his presence but didn't mind.

He watched the deer, somewhat distracted. Just as he was about to turn around and continue his walk, a silver arrow flew through the air from the opposite side, aimed at the deer. In an instant, with perfect precision, the arrow struck one of the deer's vital points, and it collapsed by the stream, lifeless.

Ikki was surprised by this sudden turn of events. He had been so distracted that he had forgotten about the world around him, but he quickly sensed a familiar presence approaching as swiftly as lightning.

A familiar perfumed scent, delayed by the lack of wind, reached his nose.

At that moment, a figure leapt gracefully through the trees. Landing beside the dead deer a few dozen meters in front of him, the figure looked at him in complete surprise. The owner of the arrow was none other than the one who held his heart.

Artemis, the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt.

She appeared older compared to when he had first met her—perhaps by two years? She looked to be at the peak of fifteen years old. Her jet-black hair cascaded down her back, and her breathtaking beauty was accentuated by the huntress attire that highlighted her flawless form.

And those same silver eyes looked in his direction, filled with a myriad of emotions compared to that day at the Gods' meeting on Olympus.

Standing before him was the woman he had realized he was in love with. As he gazed into her silver eyes, Ikki felt an inexplicable happiness fill his chest, accompanied by painful emotions that made him forget to breathe.

For a moment, his entire world collapsed. Suddenly, it wasn't gravity holding him to the planet but the girl standing before him. He realized he couldn't tear his eyes away from her or move at all.

He was simply frozen, unsure of what to do.

His mind desperately tried to break him out of this state but proved to be his worst enemy as it reminded him of a love story he had once read.

The opening line of the book was unforgettable:

An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.

The book told of how, at the moment of birth, the Gods tied an invisible red thread around the ankles of the man and woman destined to be soulmates.

It explained how, no matter what happened, the two people would always be connected and would eventually find each other.

It also stated:

It is believed that the longer the thread, the further apart and sadder the destined individuals will be. Conversely, the closer the destined ones are, the shorter the thread and the happier they will be. According to the legend, it doesn't matter how many people or relationships pass through our lives because we will only truly be happy with the person at the other end of the red thread.

The red thread of fate is called Akai Ito.

The legend tells of an emperor who, long ago, discovered a powerful witch in one of the provinces of his kingdom. She possessed the ability to see the red thread of fate. The emperor summoned her to his presence.

Once they stood face to face, the emperor ordered her to find the other end of the invisible thread tied to his pinky finger and bring him to the one who would become his wife.

The witch agreed and began following the thread.

The search led them to a marketplace where a poor peasant woman carrying a baby in her arms was selling her goods. The witch approached the peasant woman, stood before her, and invited her to rise.

The witch then called the emperor and said, "Here is the end of your thread." Hearing her words, the emperor was enraged, thinking the witch was mocking him. He pushed the peasant woman, who still held her baby, causing her to fall and leaving a scar on the baby's forehead. He ordered his guards to detain the witch and execute her.

Years later, the emperor was advised by his court to marry the daughter of a powerful general. He agreed to the marriage.

On the wedding day, he saw his bride's face for the first time. She entered the temple wearing a beautiful gown and a veil covering her completely. When he lifted the veil, he saw that her lovely face bore a peculiar scar on her forehead.

Thus, the red thread of fate revealed itself to the couple.

Couple—soulmates.

These two words short-circuited Ikki's mind, causing his brain to temporarily shut down. But soon, he rebooted, allowing him to slowly return to normal.

His eyes, which had never left Artemis, noticed the tension in her body and the internal conflict in her gaze. It must have been strange, right? After all, he had threatened all the Gods, including her...

She must hate him now, right?

His heart twisted in pain at the thought, but just as he was about to say something, the Goddess interrupted him.

An uncomfortable silence hung between them.

"Ikki?" Artemis looked at him in surprise and asked without taking her eyes off him, "What are you doing here?"

The Goddess felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest and her emotions on the verge of exploding.

She felt as if she had walked alone through an eternity of darkness, only to see him at this moment. He was like a light at the end of the tunnel. If someone could imagine how it felt to see the light after spending an endless amount of time in darkness, they might come close to understanding how she felt seeing him now.

This only confirmed what she already knew. She was in love with this boy, but it was far more intense than anything she had ever felt for anyone before.

The fact that she couldn't feel this type of emotion for a boy. The fact that it could end like it had with Orion—all of it didn't matter at this fleeting moment in the endless current of the river of time.

She didn't care that he was the last person she wanted to see right now, though her heart desired otherwise. Her logical mind wanted nothing to do with him.

Hearing the Goddess's question, Ikki, unsure how to face her after that threat and all the turmoil his feelings had caused, opted to answer her question honestly.

"I was out for a walk. And you?"

"Empousai," Artemis replied, thinking of the reason she was there to avoid the awkwardness of confronting him.

"What about them?" Ikki asked curiously.

"Some monsters attacked our camp. After a fight, we managed to win. But a few Empousai escaped. Of the three that fled, we tracked down and killed two. Now we're following the trail of the last one..."

Artemis explained with a sigh.

"Are your hunters okay?" Ikki asked after hearing her story. He knew how much Artemis cared about her maidens...

Artemis smiled faintly at his concern and replied, "Only a few minor injuries. Nothing serious."

"That's good," Ikki said, relieved. He looked into Artemis's silver eyes and asked gently, "And you? Are you okay?"

"Ikki. Are you underestimating me or something?..." Artemis narrowed her eyes at him, a hint of amusement hidden in her tone. She felt warmth envelop her chest because of his concern.

Ikki noticed the amusement in her eyes and responded with a bit of sarcasm and humor: "Far from it, oh mighty Goddess. I was just worried about my friend..."

Somehow, the conversation between them, the connection between their souls, remained unchanged. It was as if neither of them had been affected internally...

Artemis decided to set aside her internal conflict and focus on the present. She smiled and said, "Your concern is entirely unnecessary. I'm fine..."

Ikki stepped a little closer to her. The two were now just a few meters apart. He glanced at the deer beside her and then asked, "So, you're hunting lunch?"

"Yes," Artemis replied, pulling the arrow from the deer's body. She then asked him, "You mentioned you were out for a walk. Shouldn't you be at Camp Half-Blood?"

"Well, I chose to spend a few months at home," Ikki shrugged and said. "I decided to go for a walk and ended up here in Maine."

"You're quite far from home, but considering you can teleport, I guess it's no big deal," Artemis said with a faint smile.

"Yeah, I could've teleported, but this time, I just walked here," Ikki replied casually.

"..."

"Sorry, but did I hear that wrong? You walked here?"

"Yeah, why not? Isn't that normal?"

Artemis was surprised by how indifferent he was about crossing half the country on foot. It wasn't something a regular demigod could do with all the monsters that would be attracted to their scent. Then again, he wasn't exactly an ordinary demigod.

The worst part was that he thought it was normal?!

"Out of curiosity, how long did it take you?"

"None. I took a second or two to get here."

"..."

Alright, so now he was as fast as Hermes? Only the Messenger of Olympus could cross the country in just a second or two by running.

Stronger than Hercules, far more skilled than Ares, and as fast as Hermes. If anyone came to her claiming there was a mortal stronger than Ikki at this moment, she would laugh in their face.

The Goddess of the Moon felt her lips twitch. She really had to get used to the fact that common sense didn't apply to the boy before her. A smile crossed her lips as she remembered those two days when she had asked how he had defeated those monsters so easily.

The response she received...

"It was magic," he said.

She had obviously been annoyed by not knowing how he had done it but respected his secret since it wasn't her business.

"By the way, yesterday was my birthday. So, you owe me a good present," Ikki said with a faint smile, crossing his arms.

Artemis's heart raced at the sight of the smile she had longed to see for months. Somehow, it looked even more beautiful to her. A blush spread across her cheeks, and she couldn't look away from him. Her stupor lasted only a second.

She then asked, "Your birthday? How old are you?"

"Thirteen," Ikki said with a small smile as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

Hearing his response, Artemis found it hard to believe he had only turned thirteen yesterday. The boy before her seemed older and far more mature than his peers. The worst part was that she felt a sense of guilt for falling for someone so young.

Falling in love—when this fact resurfaced in her mind, a blush appeared on her cheeks, and she looked at him strangely.

"What is it?..." Ikki asked curiously. Why was she looking at him like that?

"Nothing. Are you sure you're only thirteen? You seem much more mature than someone that young," Artemis said, her curiosity piqued as she placed the arrow back in her quiver.

"Have you ever heard this quote, 'Your age doesn't define your maturity, your grades don't define your intelligence, and what people think of you doesn't define who you are'? It applies a lot to my case. I had to grow up very early," Ikki said calmly, a faint smile crossing his lips.

In his mind, memories of his past life flashed.

The Goddess of the Moon found it deeply unfair—why was his smile so perfect? Her heart sped up again, and her cheeks burned. She admired the boy's smile but quickly snapped out of her stupor upon hearing his quote.

Smiling, she admitted, "Your quote is quite good! At least you're much better at this than Apollo. He's terrible at it."

Ikki simply replied with amusement, "If you think so, Arty..."

Artemis narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Did you just call me Arty?"

She still didn't like that nickname, though butterflies fluttered in her stomach when she heard him call her that.

Ikki said innocently, "Why wouldn't I? That's the nickname I gave you, my friend."

Hearing his reasoning, Artemis blushed slightly. She pursed her lips and said mischievously, "If that's the case, I think it's only fair to call you Airhead..."

Ikki's brow twitched at the nickname. He feigned sadness and said, "That nickname is really offensive. I called you something cute. It should be a cute nickname too..."

"Then how about... Little Man?"

Artemis asked thoughtfully, though she seemed amused.

"Whatever. Both nicknames are bad," Ikki sighed and said, "Wow, Arty. You're terrible at giving nicknames."

"I like them," Artemis said with a smile.

"If you're going to call me that, I want compensation," Ikki said, crossing his arms and giving her a wronged look.

"Oh? What do you want?" Artemis asked, looking into his deep blue eyes. She was amused by his aggrieved expression—it was so adorable!

"How about you spend the day with me? Consider it my birthday present," Ikki said with a faint smile on his lips. As he spoke, his eyes maintained contact with the beautiful Goddess before him.

Observing his smile and hearing his words, Artemis's mind descended into chaos. Spend the day with him? Her heart raced at the thought, and a blush spread across her cheeks.

A part of her, which wanted to forget her feelings for him and thought the only way to do so was to distance herself, whispered in her mind not to agree. However, her heart practically shouted for her to accept. She decided to follow her heart.

"Alright, I'll join you... But first, I need to take this deer to camp and inform my hunters."

Artemis tried to speak in her most pragmatic tone, but anyone could see she was excited. She looked at him as she finished her words, her blush finally fading. An indecipherable gleam passed through her silver eyes.

"I'll wait here," Ikki said calmly. He didn't think it would be a good idea to go to a camp full of man-hating women, being a man himself.