Percy's POV:

As I started to regain consciousness, I heard voices talking in hushed tones. I felt my hands tied behind my back. I shifted slightly as I opened my eyes to see myself locked in a wooden cage in a dark cave. I groan in pain as I shift to my feet and look around spotting a cup of water.

"Well would you look at that, he's finally awake" a female voice said as a woman wearing a mask walked up to my cage and I had the feeling she was looking me over "So, mind telling me your name? it will make the transaction so much easier" she said and I narrowed my eyes as I jumped into the air and tried to move my arms under my feet

However, I felt a rope tighten around my neck causing me to panic slightly as I fell to the ground coughing loudly as the woman started laughing.

"I see you didn't notice the rope around your neck, I'll cut your bonds if you tell me your name" the woman said but I glared at her and stayed silent

'Oh, what's the point... you'll never be normal... might as well...' I thought to myself as the woman turned and I saw that she had a tail 'if I tell her my name, I can be one step closer to escape' I continued to think

"Oh well, it's a shame that such a handsome fellow like you wont even give me your name" she said as she started to walk away

"Perseus" I said quietly and she turned and looked at me before she produced a dagger

"Come here then and turn around" she ordered and I did as she said and I felt my bonds be cut

Once my hands were free, I moved away and rubbed my wrists that had marks on them from the ropes. I then removed the rope around my neck and sighed.

"Your buyer will be here in a few hours so be on your best behavior Perseus" she said before walking away laughing

The realization hit me that I was about to be sold as a slave and my mind flashed back to when I was a kid. When Gabe treated me nothing better than a slave and I felt my blood boil in anger. I felt my mind shift from escape to vengeance and I smiled viciously. I quickly hid the smile and felt my pockets to find that Riptide was still in my pocket. As I was planning my revenge, I distantly heard Artemis' advice when hunting re-enter my mind.

'Sometimes you must sit and wait for the right moment to strike' her voice echoed in my mind and I sat down and closed my eyes resting myself in my anger. As I did this, I started to plan out what I would do when I escape the cage. As I did this, seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. I waited patiently as the hours passed and after eight hours, I heard a loud commotion nearby. I smirked as I stood up and reached into my pocket and brought out my pen.

"Perseus what are you..." I heard the woman from before start to say but she went quiet as I flicked the cap off of Riptide and cut the bars of my cage "W-What?!" She stammered and I looked at her eyes through her mask and my cruel smile returned

"Run" I said as I let Riptide rest at my side and I slowly stalked towards her

She turned and ran away from me and I let my smirk deepen as I walked towards the other masked hunters. I got behind one unsuspecting one and grabbed her hair before putting Riptide at her throat and drew the blade across her neck. When I was finished her head was completely severed as her body fell to the floor with a thud causing the others to turn and look in my direction.

"Oh, it seems your friend was really tired so I helped put her to sleep" I said calmly as I stalked forward

In a moment I heard several arrows being shot toward me. I spun to the side and activated my shield when I heard a few thuds of the arrows bouncing off. I lowered my shield to see the shocked faces of the hunters.

"Oh, it looks like you missed" I spat before I lunged forward and thrusting Riptide through one's stomach

"They're here!" a newcomer said before a door was kicked down and a few men with spears ran in

"Wailers! Spread out and capture the poachers! Do not let any escape" a masked man with a spear yelled and in a quick and organized type of chaos the men quickly overtook the hunters and had them bound
I stood in silence as the hunters around me were captured. Then the one man who ordered the others walked up to me and took off his mask to reveal a long slender face with pointed ears. He had a commanding air about him but his eyes were soft and warm.

"I apologize for being late young man, I do hope these poachers didn't give you much trouble" The man says and I reel in my anger and smile

"Not much, just annoying is all" I say with a small smile "Thank you for your help"

"It is of no issue, but if I may request something from you. We will be taking these poachers back to our main city for trial, it would be a great help if you could testify" The man says and I nod

"Of course," I reply as I follow him out of the poacher's hideout

As we walked out the man introduced himself as Sergeant Agreux Rainecie of the Wood Wailers, he also explained what his mission was with the poachers.

"So they have been causing trouble for years now?" I asked as he poured me a cup of tea and handed it to me

"Yes, ever since the Calamity the poachers have had more freedom as we have been forced to rebuild" Agreux said as he sipped his tea "We only have a small band of Wood Wailers here policing the poachers, not nearly enough to protect this area however, which is why when we found out that they had captured a civilian to sell, I gathered every Wood Wailer available to try to save this person which turned out to be you" He finished

"I am grateful, I really am, but where will we be going now?" I asked as I sipped my tea which tasted a lot like Black Tea

"We will head to Gridania, it is there where we will hold the trial" He said as he finished his drink "But for now, eat up and get some rest, we have a long journey ahead of us" He said before leaving my company

I followed his advice and ate my fill as well as finished my tea before finding a small sleeping role that the Sargent had laid out for me. When I laid my head down, I mulled over the words the Sergeant said and smiled.

'He really is a good man' I thought to myself before I fell into a light sleep