Right, so this looked a lot longer when I wrote it in my notebook. Anyways, sorry for the wait!

This chapter will be the last First-Person POV chapter for the remainder of the story.

ALSO since people have been saying I should put a warning whenever something bloody happens (apparently, an M rating isn't enough for that), I should warn you guys that Ares is in this chapter as a POV.

[Artemis]

I used to admire the view of the land from above whenever I was riding my chariot across the night skies. In ancient times, the light cast unto the world by my chariot was dim, barely enough to show me the beauty of the world as the darkness of the night embraced it. My eyes, sharpened by the innumerable hunts I've set out on, would observe as nature took on a new life under the cover of darkness.

Darkness. Everyone was afraid of that which the night brought along with it. The fear of the unknown that it held within. It was this fear that led them to prefer the bright and illuminating sun Apollo embodied. The unknown could now be known with the help of the light of the sun. I remembered thinking to myself how much they were missing out on. The darkness was also filled with beauty, I thought.

As the world transitioned into the modern age, and with it the advent of electricity, the night was not as inaccessible as before. Slowly, the world was filled with light powered by electricity, and humanity's fear of the dark was banished. Why would you fear that which is not there anymore?

This change of scenery didn't sit well with me. I started to like the chariot drives across the night skies less. Nature's night life had been shooed away by the encroaching lights, and the cities that came with them further destroyed the natural beauty I've loved for millennia.

These were the thoughts on my mind as I lay on a pile of garbage after landing unceremoniously on a dumpster in some alleyway. What had happened for me to end up here?

I got up from the smelly pile of trash and shakily stumbled as I made my way away from the dumpster. The clothes I had on were the ones I would wear when I was attending university, but they were marred by disgusting splotches of something I'd rather not identify.

I had awoken from the strong gush of hair slamming into my face, and saw that I was falling from the night sky. The land, which I had for so long looked over from above, filled my vision, with the lights from all over the city reminding me of the unnaturalness of the city of towering structures of steel and glass.

Seriously, what the hell happened? The last memories I could recall were of the council meeting, and Zeus calling me for a discussion.

Oh.

I should've figured. This was father's punishment. Why can't I recall what he punished me with though? No matter, I can just inquire about it at the council meeting. That way, he won't be able to make excuses.

I mentally willed myself to appear inside my temple in Olympus and closed my eyes. Odd, I didn't feel the sudden pull I usually get when I do that. It failed.

"Tsk. So, he's made me mortal as well."

I love my father, as all children should, but by fates was he a jerk. It couldn't be helped though. I failed my duties as an Olympian after not helping with Athena's plan. And what a plan it was. Just thinking about it now, I could definitely say I don't regret not helping with it.

Naruto.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. It seems I might not be able to keep my promise."

With my new status as a mortal, I had no way of communicating with him and the demigods he was with, much less finding them. No matter, I had more pressing issues to attend to right now.

I needed to see my hunters.

"So sorry, Artemis. I'm under strict orders from father to not offer you the assistance and hospitality of Camp Half-Blood," Dionysus drawled in that infuriating tone I hated hearing.

"Then my hunt-"

"And your hunt is likewise forbidden from interacting with you. Father's orders, I'm afraid."

Seriously? Was father going out of his way to punish me so?

Not even Apollo, who had also been turned into a mortal as punishment a few millennia prior, was forbidden from seeking assistance from demigods. I clenched my fists and sent a hateful glare at my brother, who was trying, and failing, to hide his smirk from me. 'Enjoying this, are you?'

"You can't possibly expect me to just accept that!"

"Oh, but I am. I'm not one for disobedience like you, you know? I follow the orders. Nothing more, nothing less."

Just then, I recalled just how much I hated this sorry excuse of an Olympian. I couldn't do anything though, and had to relent this time.

"I will remember this."

"I'm counting on it. See you around, mortal."

With those words, I hastily left the Big House and made my way out of the Camp. Chiron looked at me apologetically, but I shook my head at him. It wasn't his fault.

I looked to the cabin where my hunters are staying, unaware of my current situation. What should I do now? If I'm to regain my godhood, and be able to reunite with them, then I will have to prove myself to Zeus. But how? By hunting monsters?

"Or by hunting Naruto."

I see. My father must have figured I would resist if he orders me to hunt him down. This way, he would be killing two birds with one stone. I would be punished for failing to assist my fellow Olympian, and would also be forced to hunt that which he has deemed the enemy.

The question is, should I play along as his pawn? Naruto has not warranted such enmity from us, and does not deserve to be hunted down like a wild dog. In the beginning, I've wanted nothing more but to capture him and finish my task, but the entire month of observation has given me enough knowledge about him to know that he doesn't mean any harm. He was not an enemy.

I don't know if that fact still stands after all that's happened though.

Regardless, I will have to find him. What my next course of action will be, I will decide when we meet. I had been the one to suggest Alaska to him as the place for them to take refuge in. I needed to know if that's where they really went.

I needed to see Owen.

As I entered The Blank, the warm and comforting atmosphere that most definitely didn't belong inside a bar waffed over me. I quickly looked over to the counter, but Owen wasn't there.

"Owen?" I called out. Maybe he's in the stock room again, I thought.

I walked further inside the bar. The place was open, so it's likely Owen's somewhere deep inside the place.

"Owen? You there?"

Suddenly, shuffling from inside the store room resounded, and a tired voice spoke out, "H-hold on, I'll be right there!"

Ah, so he was here. I breathed a sigh of relief and took a seat on the nearest stool. It didn't take long for him to enter the main bar. As soon as I laid my eyes on him, a look of befuddlement took over my features.

"…Are you okay, Owen?" I carefully asked.

Owen looked like he'd seen better days. His hair, disheveled. His clothes were ruffled, and seemed to not have been ironed out in the past few days. His eyes were sunken and had dark eyebags underneath.

Even so, he was able to send a well-meaning grin towards me.

"Oh, it's you, Selena. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. How's school?"

I pursed my lips in apprehension. He was lying, but seeing as how I've already violated his privacy once before, an incident I'd rather forget, I quickly let go of the issue.

"It's fine. Still tiring. How is the bar going?"

As I spoke, he had taken a glass from the cupboard and had filled it with what I could only assume to be juice.

"Haha, well business is the same as usual." That meant it's still a dead bar. He chuckles. "Though it did get a bit lonely around here after Naruto left five months ago. Speaking of which, did you go with him?"

…five months?

"I'm afraid I don't understand," I said, still confused at what he had said.

I've been gone for five months? Why didn't Dionysus, or even Chiron, inform me of this?

"Hmm? Ah, it's just that I thought you guys were dating. When he told me he'd have to leave five months ago, I thought it was only natural for you to go with him. Was I wrong?" His smile had now faded, confusion also becoming evident in his eyes.

As one of the three maiden goddesses of Olympus, even considering the thought of me dating a man laced my mouth with unsavory flavors. I shook my head.

"No, we're not dating," I clarified in a stern tone.

He furrowed his brow before sighing and chuckling.

"Well, that's that, I guess? So what can I do for you?"

"Did Naruto say anything before he left?"

"Hmm?" Owen gained a thoughtful look and stroked his chin. "Well, he said they'd be going to Alaska. Didn't he tell you this?"

I already knew that. After all, I was the one who suggested for them to go to Alaska, where the gods' reach falters.

"He didn't, but is there anything else he mentioned?" Alaska was a big place, and is located in a not-exactly-hospitable environment. I had to narrow down the area I would have to search.

"I don't think so…? Ah, but he did give me this," he reached into his back pocket and took out something that looked like a charm you'd buy in temples. It was pitch black.

"He told me that as long as I have this, it'd be like having a piece of him around. Something to remember him by," he chortled. It's obvious that he saw great importance in such a small trinket, but just seeing it bugged me. Have I seen something like this before?

I sighed. That seemed to be the extent of Owen's information on Naruto.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Owen."

"Leaving already? Ah, alright. Take care, Selena!" he said, sending a kind smile my way.

I nodded and turned around. I made for the door, still mulling on the possible spots that Naruto would most likely go to.

"W-wait, Selena," Owen's voice called out again, stopping me from my tracks. I turned around and faced him once more. He had left the bar counter and walked towards me, still clutching the trinket.

He looked at me for a second before reaching his palm out to me.

"Take this," he said. He was giving me the trinket Naruto gave him.

"I can't take thi–"

"You're looking for him, right?" he interrupted. "Then this might help."

Help with what, exactly? A mere trinket wouldn't help me find him, nor would it help narrow down the areas I should search for.

In response to my silence, he laughed.

"Haha, well, even if you don't think it'll help, just trust me on this. Call it a hunch."

I pursed my lip before nodding. "Okay, thanks."

"Don't mention it. When you find him, tell him to come visit as soon as he has time, okay?"

"Alright."

I take the trinket from his hands, and instantly, I felt the overwhelming amount of nature energy it contained. I stumbled a bit, causing Owen to look at me worriedly. I shake my head at him, and steady myself.

"It's okay, just tired."

"You haven't been sleeping? Selena, that's not a good thing to do, you know?"

"…Yeah, but college is pretty demanding. I apologize, I'll make sure to catch enough sleep when I get home."

He frowned, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, take care then?"

"Thank you."

And with that, I left the bar. Setting off on a journey to the north. It's been five months, which means Naruto and the kids are probably already settled somewhere there. Now, how do I get there?

I clutched the trinket tightly, the energy from it still unabating. Just what did you give Owen, Naruto?

[Ares]

Being a god had its perks.

Hell, it only had perks. Immortality, godly strength, nigh-omnipresence, having those mortal women fawn over you, that kind of shit. It was great to be a god.

But it also had responsibilities that came with it.

A wind god would be responsible for ensuring the flow of the wind is set to what their senior god, probably father, wanted. A river god would be responsible for maintaining the flow of the water, as well as the life beneath them, according to the decree of Poseidon.

This responsibility gave the gods their purpose. After all, what would eternal life be, if it's one without a purpose? Shitty, that's what.

As the god of war, I had the responsibility of ensuring that conflict, and everything that comes and derives from it, is controlled. In war, I take my place as the most powerful being on the planet. I controlled who won, who died, who lost, and who lived. Gods would ask for my favor, humans would do the same. It was pure bliss.

That's why this sham we call peace shouldn't last. It has been half a century since the last World War, and my power has been slowly dwindling in the ensuing world 'peace' and disarmament that followed. This played in well with the other gods. The absence of wars weakened me, and those jealous bastards are all too happy with keeping it that way.

I dodged a strike from the opponent I was currently facing. Huh, kinda forgot about I was fighting someone.

"Is that all you got?" I drawled, hoping to rile up this trash of an opponent I was facing. As expected, a high-pitched shout accompanied the sloppy and wild swings that came after.

This was boring.

Even in my currently-weakened state, I was still among Olympus' strongest gods. I would've loved to test out my strength against the others, but father's controlling nature would almost certainly prevent me from doing so. No matter, there was already one being that even Zeus hated.

Naruto Uzumaki.

Just thinking of his name pissed me off, and I grabbed the incoming sword by its spine and quickly snapped it with but a twist.

"Get another one!" I barked, watching the rat scuttle off to the edge of the room.

Man, I hated Naruto Uzumaki.

That beatdown I received from him months ago was still fresh in my mind. Another one of the God of War's humiliating defeats. It's funny, really. The only things people would record for me are my defeats, which are almost always in times of relative peace, when my strength is at its lowest.

If that lanky bastard fought me half a century earlier, I would've demolished his ass.

Anyways, that didn't really matter now. War was nigh. Poseidon's domain was getting restless with the disappearance of his son, a knowledge that enraged Zeus as well. And with the parting gifts I left right in Hades' front desk, the suspicion was piled almost entirely against that bone-breath of an uncle. That's what he deserves for going off on my ass after the millions of deaths my prized war: World War II.

Of course, Poseidon still suspects Zeus for the act, but that just makes it even better for us.

My thoughts drift to my grandfather, who I had been assisting all this time.

It's funny how such an insignificant event would lead to a partnership like we have now. I still didn't trust the bastard. Who would? He was the boogeyman for gods. But it won't matter once the war between the sea, the sky, and the underworld begins. Once that happens, I'll have enough strength to destroy those who are foolish enough to stand before me.

A slight turn to the left was all I needed to dodge a pathetic attempt at a sneak attack from this idiot I was fighting. Honestly, I've been training you for eight months, and you're still as pathetic as you were back then?

"I'm feeling like I'm wasting my time here, you rat. Should I just kill you now?" I asked menacingly. Fear was a great motivator for improvement.

His pudgy face contorted in anger, even as tears streamed down his cheeks. I grinned. Ah, this was the stuff. His negative emotions served to lighten my mood even further. I guess this is enough for me to tolerate his stupidity, for now.

"AAAAGH!" with a war cry, the rat lunged at me, this time with the fervor I've been trying to instill into him since day one. I smiled.

And grabbed him by the neck, easily bringing him up to my eye level. I laugh at the funny sight of his pathetic struggling.

"Too slow."

"I… I..!" the rat was trying to speak? Let's humor him.

I loosen my grip on his neck for a bit. "Hm? You saying something, rat?"

He desperately gasped for air. "I-I'll… I'll kill you..!"

Ohoh? His spirit is admirable. Maybe I should reward him for his insolence?

I buried a punch into his stomach before flinging him into the aqueduct by the side. "Sure you will. Haha!"

With a snap of my fingers, a spartoi appeared from the ground.

"You know the usual, indulge him," I ordered flippantly. I had some godly business to attend to. This spartoi has been entertaining the rat since day one, so I didn't have any worries of the rat suddenly dying. I then visualized the place I was to go to. It wouldn't do me well if I was late.

After all, grandfather hated waiting.

Pretty short, huh? I apologize. My laptop was carelessly handled by the authorities at one of the checkpoints I had passed through while on the way home, which resulted in it breaking. So I've been trying to write down the chapters from memory into a notebook, before asking my neighbor for permission on using his computer to type them down. It's a hassle, I tell you.

I've also been writing other stories in my boredom, because I lost motivation in continuing this when I couldn't recall what I had written, but it's back now. I just hope I recalled everything properly, and didn't go off the outline. Once the HDD Enclosure I ordered comes, I might rewrite this chapter just in case.

See ya!