Olympiad is Falling, The Rise of Artemis

‘Are you sure you’re feeling okay Stella?’ I asked.

She didn’t have any visible scars, but her eyes seemed off not tired, though irritated. When Daylen brought me back I found Stella home. She didn’t offer up any explanation of how she escaped, she wasn’t pacing the room worried about me. She didn’t blast at me for vanishing either, nor was she upset I fought with Marcus. She was probably too pissed to feel anything.

‘Are you mad at me?’

She blinked at me a couple of times.

‘I’m fine. Maybe it’s the shook of almost being buried alive by rubble.’

Her response felt pre-generated.

‘Sorry about that.’ I winced.

A couple more blinks, I thought her eyes were dry or dust caught in them.

‘Tonight we meet a man at Escar’s club. He can help.’ She said and started for the hall.

‘You said it’s dangerous to be out at night.’ I stood.

‘Do you want to find your sister or not?’ She snapped.

‘I-I of course I do Stella.’

She shook her head and attempted a smile that wasn’t like her at all. Stella never hid her emotions from me if it was rage it was rage and she’d never been remorseful about it.

‘I’m sorry, my head does hurt a little.’

I nodded and returned to the couch.

‘I’m heading to bed, don’t let anyone in. No one.’ She ordered and I nodded quickly.

The mission stress was getting to her it was getting to me too. We’ve been in the mage dimension for days and hadn’t gotten anywhere. If we didn’t find Rocky soon I might end up in Angel jail. I bit my lips, they were Angels maybe it wasn’t so bad. Jail was jail unfortunately. I gripped the necklace on my chest.

Pounding came from the door and I rushed to check who it was before they woke Stella. I assumed it was Daylen and opened the door.

‘Oh shit,’ I slammed the door, but Orion’s foot jammed my efforts.

‘How did you find me?’ I wined.

‘It wasn’t too difficult, we have to talk Artemis.’

‘I don’t know if I can trust you.’ I said, battling to keep him out.

‘I’m an Olympiad demi-god in Zeus’ army.’ He said.

‘Oh that’s very original.’ He stopped before thrusting the door in.

I stumbled and frowned. The demi-god part was probably true. He wore a large blue jacket that fit his muscles perfectly from the battle with Marcus I knew he had incredible strength.

‘I was sent by your parents to you bring your home. Goddess Sophia and Zeus.’

I looked at the hall where Stella slept then back at Orion. I grabbed Stella’s coat off the hanger and stepped outside.

‘We do need to talk.’

It was three in the morning, but the days in the mage dimension had no division. Day was dark and night was darker. The sun ceased to entertain the people here only storms ruled in this land. Even Paradis, the city of angels showed glimpses of the disaster to come.

The walls had ears and the sky could see. Safety was a myth here, but if what Orion said was true then a goddess and a demi-god could take whatever danger threatened us. On my part it meant more broken buildings. We found some sort of shelter in an alley with dead rats, debris between two chard walls. I stepped on a burned blanket and my heart shattered. Their world was already broken. They were forced out of their homes and thrown into the chaos that would only try to consume them.

‘No matter the reason behind the war it’s no reason enough to destroy countless lives.’ I said.

Orion nodded, he was a solider and wars in this world were just as deadly as the ones in my own he knew what I was talking about.

‘When you and your brother were born-‘

‘My brother?’

He nodded, ‘Apollo, god of women and wine.’ He rubbed his head.

‘He’s your twin- when you were born Olympiad was at war with the mage world your mother placed you with guardians to protect you, but your guardian Arke never returned. Your parents thought you were dead until your arrow shot through the northern sky.’

‘All these years… I had no idea what I really was. Now that I do, how does it sink in? What about Rocky? My sister?’

Orion chuckled. ‘You have many brothers and sisters. Most of the Olympiad gods are your siblings. The one you speak of has to be Arke’s biological child.’

I rubbed my shoulders, family reunions must be crazy.

‘I can’t leave her here. She doesn’t know this world or any of this.’

‘But Olympiad needs you- Your mother… the reason the skies are dark and storms ravish this world is because her powers are weakening with each day she fights and she drains herself knowing you’re out there in danger.’

‘In danger of what?’ Thunder replied to my cries and I ducked.

‘Hera killed a god and stole their power. That’s how she was able to open the gate to Olympiad. If she discovers you’re here you’ll become her target. Hera knows the secret of killing gods, she’s too powerful already.’

‘Hera kidnapped my sister because she thought Rocky was me.’ She already knows I’m here. The other god she killed had to be Dad. That’s how she knew about us.

‘I’m sorry Artemis- Best believe your sister’s dead.’

‘Orion!’

He gripped my hands and pulled me deeper into the alley.

‘If Hera had even a demi-god at her hands she wouldn’t keep her prisoner.’

‘You can’t know that.’ I sniffled.

My little sister couldn’t be dead. I slipped out of Orion’s hold and wrapped my arms around myself. Daylen would know, he promised he’d help me find out what happened to her. My hand went to my necklace, no not in front of Orion.

‘So, what? I return to Olympiad, my mother gets better and you win the war? Then what? My life’s completely upside down.’

‘I wish it were that easy.’ He shoved his hands in his jacket. He sighed and his breath materialized in the air. ‘You don’t belong here Artemis, you belong in the sky. Only there will you learn who you really are.’

‘I’ve never known the real me, Orion. I don’t know if I will anymore.’

‘I’ll arrange safe passage back to Olympiad. In the meantime be safe and out of sight. I’ll always be close just in case you need me.’

Orion wanted to walk me back inside and nearly carried me when I refused. I needed to talk to Daylen and I didn’t want to do it at Stella’s. If anyone tried to attack me I wouldn’t hesitate to blast them. I thought about Daylen’s reaction when he found me freezing my ass off in an alley. It wouldn’t be pretty so I took the rickety steps up to Stella’s floor and couldn’t bring myself to go inside.

Sobs rattled my body. I felt my eyes grow puffy from all the tears. Rocky’s laugh echoed in my ears. I balled my eyes out more. She wasn’t fuel for a meaningless war she was my baby sister. I’d never get to see her again or hold her.

A hand crawled up my back. I jumped and hit the door.

‘Shit Daylen!’

‘You called me remember?!’

He wasn’t dressed in all white, it was a change. He wore a grey shirt and white sweatpants.

‘What happened?’

He stood in front of me a whisper of air between us. He lifted my chin.

‘Artemis? What happened?’

I shook my head, not because I didn’t want to tell him, because I wanted him to back up. The close proximity between us made me want to be in his arms. He made my body heat up and every time I looked at him I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss his pink lips. I exhaled and remembered he was right in front of me.

‘My sister… Rocky, do you think she’s dead?’

‘Who told you that? If it was Marcus then he just said it because he’s bitter because you kicked his ass.’

I shook my head, ‘Daylen don’t lie to me.’

‘You want to sit down?’

I pressed my body against the door. ‘Stella doesn’t want people inside.’

‘Since when do you listen to people?’ He grinned.

‘Daylen…’ I looked into his eyes through his glasses for the first time since he got here. Did all angels smell so good?

‘There’s a possibility, if she’s half as powerful as you then- The chances are slim.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me that a long time ago! If she’s dead I’ve got no reason to be in this disgusting world!!’

Daylen stepped back when I threw my arms in the air.

‘I wish this place never existed! I want my Rocky back.’

Daylen grabbed my hands and pinned them to his chest.

‘I’m not sure if she’s dead Artemis… apart of me doesn’t want you to leave.’

He let me go as soon as the words left his lips. He walked to the wall, hands running through his hair. If I left I wasn’t sure I would forget this man. I held my arm and waited for him to speak, but he couldn’t even look at me.

‘Is there a chance of finding a body?’ I asked.

‘It’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.’ He kept his back to me.

‘Do I just give up? Go home?’

‘It’s best if you left anyway. This isn’t a place for a woman like you.’

‘Daylen-‘

‘Get some rest Artemis. It’s nearly five in the morning.’

He left. Like an abandoned kitten on a sidewalk I turned to find shelter.