DA : Chapter 152: Darkest Hour I

Raven almost sighed as her eyes drifted around, a knot of guilt forming in her gut as she took in the sight around her. She sat near the edge of their 'rescue' encampment within the borders of the Third District, watching as all manner of mortal volunteers, satyrs, nymphs, and such tended to the demigods literally dragged and plucked out of the battlefield. Her heart ached seeing so many of them looking so shaken and tense, as if expecting immediate death to things even worse.

She knew that those brought had wanted to leave the fight for one reason or another, thanks to the combined efforts of her mother and father to subtly inspect dreams and desires the same evening of Annabeth's departure to verify who to spare.

Granted they couldn't allow themselves to be recognized by said demigods during their investigations, otherwise only one chatty demigod was needed to tip off the Olympians to their efforts. Still, in an effort to keep the Olympians and army in general off balance, their kidnapping attempts couldn't exactly be gentle leading to more fear and confusion for the taken mortals.

Raven herself had been one charged with such a task, making use of her relative tiny presence to hide in treetops and shadows saturated with the power of her step-mother and father respectively. Still, she'd mostly done quick snatch-and-grabs before returning to the field and it was only now after having picked up most of the easily separated targets that she took a moment to rest in the camp. But that's what lead her now to seeing just what state they were in.

Even with her other step-mother, Hestia, being present and radiating a sense of warmth and safety as she tended to the demigods as well, the sheer combination of shock from the sudden attack and kidnapping to the pressure and tension inherently present during times of war was pushing many of them to and past the point of mental collapse. Raven also felt sick at seeing just how many of these demigods were barely teens and just not ready for battle like this.

She understood why so many were at the age though. Crude as it was, the simple matter is that when people celebrate, people fuck. Especially gods with the ability to be in many locations at once. After the second Titan War and Giant War, she was fairly sure many gods including those merely hiding in their homes as demigods laid down their lives were all too ready to go out and celebrate as if they played a part in it.

Considering over a decade has passed since the wars it made sense a large portion of the increased demigods population was entirely new generations rather than other demigods finally being recognized and brought to the camps thanks to her father's first request to the gods.

And now those same demigods were being dragged into it and used as cannon fodder because the Olympians couldn't fight their own battles.

Sure she knew her own father had been this young and faced similar or even worse horrors ever since Zeus had his bolt stolen but he had been willing to an extent.

Each time something happened, he had a personal reason for going and seeing things through and even then he'd readily admitted that half the time he was scared out of his mind and unsure what to do. But these children didn't have the personal drive or reason to fight other than fear of their own leaders or vague obligation thanks to being filled with notions of glory and duty.

But there was no glory to be gained here, no power or riches. Just a near hopeless battle, watching as their own fall and on the off chance that somehow the Olympians win, it would only be an empty victory for the demigods as they watch said gods crow and strut about, completely forgetting the loses and traumas inflicted on the mortals amongst them. Her fist balled up as she pictured it easily, her own substantial godly aura flaring in response making some of those working in the camp to pause and look in her direction.

Luckily another presence flared up momentarily making Raven glance up and look to it. Her icy blue eyes met the honeyed gold of her fellow Valkyrie, Piper, as the demigoddess sat several meters away while holding onto the crying form of her own sister, Tracy, another one taken from within chaos of the attack.

The message was clear; to calm down otherwise her agitation would only serve to further aggravate the demigods brought in. She sighed with a nod as her power settled out and Piper returned her attention to her sister.

Raven suppressed the desire to sigh again as she took her eyes off them, instead looking at the rest of the camp only to zero in on a cluster of blondes. At the center was Athena attempting to calm and reassure her own children which consisted of one of the larger groups brought in.

Almost glued to her side was her youngest daughter present, Lola, if Raven remembered correctly, still wrapped up in a small blanket and now holding Anesi, Athena's puppy, in her arms snuggly. That little one had latched on like a tick the moment she saw her mother and had refused to be separated until Athena had spotted Raven herself and made an odd request.

Raven had questioned at the time why she needed to go to Medusa and Athena's (temporarily?) home to pick up the pup.

But seeing the results as Athena diverted Lola's focus to the puppy even if Lola still refused to be more than three feet away from her mother but at least Athena could more evenly share her attention. Still, even from here Raven could see Athena's sadness as she tried to comfort her children and any others that might be near, especially now that the goddess showed a far more empathetic and caring side than ever previously witnessed.

"Rough stuff isn't it?" a deep voice rumbled beside her.

She glanced up to see the familiar face of Hercules, the large god having been standing close by for some time himself after having handled a particularly agitated demigod.

Raven didn't know what was said but after one demigod, possibly a son of Hephaestus given the build and size, had been brought in he'd still been on offensive. He'd swung around his hammer and rapidly scanning for any attacks after suddenly falling out a shadow portal causing any close nymphs and mortals to back up.

Luckily Hercules had been close and with the skill honed over millennia combined with a surprising level of speed, had disarmed and restrained the demigod with his bare hands before speaking calmly to the panicking mortal.

Raven had watched as the demigod mumbled something back and slowly looking around before going almost limp and tearing up while Hercules patted him of the back reassuringly. She hadn't stuck around to see what else went on before returning to the forests to get another demigod.

Still, returning to his question she went with a very unlady-like grunt which still seemed to be sufficient answer for him going by his nodding in response. How he got anything remotely satisfying as a response form that, she wasn't sure. However, with her continued silence he spoke again.

"War never was pretty or honorable, regardless of how many authors glorify it, how poets romanticize it, or how leaders vouch for it and the possible gains from it. It's Hell and in the end there are no victors … only the survivors." Hercules then paused as he looked down at Raven, his electric blue eyes pinning her to the spot. "And now, it's a lesson all these demigods are sadly being forced to take. At the very least we are here to help some and now none of these have to fight any more."

Raven softly nodded at that, taking comfort that these demigods were at least removed from the fighting and wouldn't be needing to any time soon. So, with a deep breath she stood back up and shook her legs, getting ready to head back out into the battlefield.

There were still demigods that could be brought in scattered around. However, before she could mentally decide on where to shadow travel, a shrill scream followed by other short shrieks, gasps, and worried murmurs broke out from the camp.

Both Raven and Hercules wheeled on the spot, their choice weapons drawn as they scanned for any possible enemies but instead only saw more and more heads looking up and pointing. Following the action, Raven tilted her head up only to cover her mouth in shock at what she saw.

The moon, glowing a harsh silvery light far above them, its surface littered with craters. However, where once were small and numerous markings were now absent, instead one massive crater close to the center stood out.

Raven almost couldn't believe her eyes and jumped as another one suddenly formed on the right side. Her eyes widened as she watched on, transfixed as more craters and trenches formed along the surface, having a strong guess as to what was going on.

"Papa …"

...

( Artemis, Same Time )

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she moved, racing across the barren landscape only to meet in another collision with the bastard, crushing the sterile rock around them and kicking up waves of dust only to be blown away in the same shockwaves. He met her head on, matching her unrestrained strength much to her fury, those eyes of black flame and icy pupils never leaving her.

So much was said in their gaze as both separated, Artemis with her two knives at the ready while Jackson remained with only one of his blades. Was he not taking her seriously? Did he think this was a joke!? Whatever it was, the fact that he wasn't apparently fighting at his full and still looking at her with those damn eyes only brought her wrath to new heights.

"What's wrong goddess, having doubts?" he asked, his voice having returned to normal along with his appearance even if he stood at an equal thirty feet in size to her.

"Hardly," she bit back as she readied herself, looking for any and all openings in his stance. "Just thinking of what I'll do once I have your head on a pike!" she shouted as she charged at him again, moving in a silvery blur.

Percy didn't respond as he blocked her first slash before sidestepping the following thrust with her second knife. She internally cursed as she kept the offensive, her arms moving on sheer instinct as Percy maneuvered in and out of her slashes with contemptuous ease.

Then, like a coiled viper he struck, making a low stab aimed for her gut. She was too close to backpedal out of reach so she step in and arched her back in response, mentally cursing at the unsteady position it left her in. She awkwardly spun and crossed her knives in time to bloke as the stab turned into a rising slash half-way through but it took her eyes off his free hand.

She only noticed too late as his right hand clamped down on her braced forearm and before she could react or shake him loose, he pulled her up and off her feet. Finding herself momentarily upside down threw off her sense of direction and so she received a punishing blow for it. With a grunt Percy pulled her back, slamming her head first into the unforgiving ground with a boom that she was sure could have been seen and heard on earth.

Regardless before she could even try to recover she felt the same pull, ripping her from the ground and then throwing her. She felt her back plow through stone and dirt, creating another trench on the surface of her moon before she finally skidded to a stop. She hastily stood as she shook her head, steadying herself before looking back in the direction she was thrown from.

There, clear as day even if over a mile away was Jackson, calmly walking in her direction as his gaze easily found hers. How she hated it. That steady unwavering look, not only looking at her but almost seeming to pierce the flesh and look beyond it to her very core, judging her, dismissing her. She grit her teeth as her power flared more around her, the moon literally pulsing with her anger.

The ground beneath her began to shake and crack as her frame glowed in an intense silver, the pressure around her rising to the point the relative gravity around her was increasing. Her state did not go unnoticed judging by how Percy paused in his approach, his eyes taking a wearier glint, not that it would do him any good. With an animalistic roar she blasted forward, her arms and knives glowing in silver.

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AN : 

Notes on Power Levels:

I know I did this before but I feel like it needs more elaboration. Before I used Bleach comparisons and I'll do it again to explain power levels. If the gods have traditionally three states, then it mirrors the Shinigami.

Zanpakuto Standard = Mortal Form

Shikai Release = Godly Form

Bankai Release = Divine Form

However, for gods like Primordials who can't assume divine form in the mortal plain and are fundamentally more powerful, they are more comparable to the Arrancar/Espadas.

Standard Espada = Mortal Form and Godly Form (They won't use it much and it's just an increase in power but not much else since they have the unique features of their Manifestations of Power)

Resurrection/ Resurrection, Segundo Etapa = Release of the Manifestation that pushes their power to a semi-divine state which allows them to fight near their fullest without breaking Chaos' laws.

So, just like the Shinigami needed to use Bankai to even push the Espada to using resurrection, the same applies to the primordial versus regular gods. Of course, just because their stronger doesn't mean the Olympians can't hurt them.

Note: I know some will comment on Hyperion's fight being to long in some cases and then others will wonder why Artemis can put up such a fight and that is simple. Jason didn't fight while in proper control and only dominated after using his manifestation. Also, Hyperion had escaped for a few weeks and wasn't blessed by Pontus with more power. Hyperion was WEAK and RUSTY so obviously he wasn't much.

Artemis is the STRONGEST Olympian goddess and can't be dismissed as a threat.

ALSO: A lot of the time these stories work without really explaining the mechanics of the world or how things work which I am trying to set for this AU. In this case, a lot of human physics is either incomplete or incorrect since they can't attribute for mystic forms and elements beyond their comprehension.

Like, if they got a same of god blood the best they'd get is comparing it to liquid nuclear energy. They don't know about literal god particles such as Ether that takes up the 'empty' space out of the atmosphere and in all substances which is why any god can breathe underwater (unless drowned by a water deity) or in a place such as the House of Primordials.

So please no complaints about the physics don't work like that or such since I'm trying to fill in my own info on it.

Alright, now that that's out of the way, ENJOY!

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

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