𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨

Powers.

"Do something! Heal her!" Ares yelled, quickly running next to Tal.

"I...I...don't...I can't..."she tripped on her words, anxiety rising on her chest.

Tals breath was shallow, as Ares pressed on her wound.

" You're a God. You can heal...Just...do...whatever it is you do! " Rhea yelled and Ares shook his head.

" I can only heal flesh wounds. This one's too deep." he said, pressing on it.

Tal was trying to stay conscious.

"Get...the kid...to safety..."she said in between sharp breaths..."Tell..tell..him..." she sucked in a breath and started coughing.

"Atalanta...I..."Rhea went to say but Ares shot her with a glare.

Tal gave her a small smile.

" It's...okay...I...I deserved it.."she said softly.

Rhea shook her head.

" You didn't...I...I'll figure something out...Ill get Apollo...or Artemis..."she mumbled and Tals eyes widened at the mention of her former mentor.

" Artemis? "she whispered.

Ares still tried to figure out how to take out the knife without her bleeding out.

Rhea disappeared from sight.

Tals mind raced to everything that had happened the past decades, years, months, weeks, days even seconds.

And then she looked at Ares.

"Go get the kid. The prophecy...it's...I'm not his wielder....he is...he is his own weapon..." she murmured before passing out.

James stood near the entrance looking at the scene, his eyes filled with terror.

He quickly run to her, kneeling beside her.

" Shit. Ares. What happened? " he asked but then looked at the marks around her neck.

His eyes went to his, glaring, furious.

"You did this." he said. His voice low, burning with anger.

Ares frowned.

"I..-I didn't..." he went to explain but was quickly interrupted when James grabbed him by the colar and lifted him up, showing more strength than ever before.

His eyes grew golden and his fingertips darkened while Aries felt himself grow weaker.

"James...let me explain..I—"he tried to say but James pushed him to the wall until it cracked.

" No. You don't get to explain! I've seen your kind before. How do you think my sister died?You manipulative pricks always playing nice until  something doesn't go your way and you finally snap! I was too weak then. But I've grown now. You fucking killed her. God or not I'll make sure you suffer the same fate!" he growled, pushing him further against the wall, making him grow weaker by the minute as he felt himself grow stronger. It was as if he drew the powers out of him.

" Stop! " a  booming voice said from behind him and he immediately released Aries as if the voice compelled him to do it.

Rhea stood there, wide eyed, behind her a taller figure of a woman looking at the unfolding scene with interest before going to approach Tal.

"He didn't do it. I did. I'm to blame." Rhea said, guilt in her eyes.

James looked at a nearly unconscious Ares, trying to regain his strength.

He then looked at his hands, watching his fingers return to their normal color.

He run his hands through his hair watching from the side of his eye as the taller woman healed Tal.

"What...who...who are you people?" he asked, confused of all these things around him. Of his newly found powers, of the people standing in front of him, everything.

"Rest now, child." the taller woman next to Tal said before planting a kiss on her forehead.

James frowned as she approached, all eyes were on her. She had this authoritative energy on her, like a lioness,a protector.

"I am Artemis. I assume you are the weapon Zeus speaks of?" she asked.

He shook his head, beyond confused.

"Look. I'm getting out of here. We're getting out of here. This was a bloody mistake." he said hurriedly, rushing toward Tal.

Artemis didn't try to stop him as he lifted her up, bridal style.

"She's unconscious and will need healing. Healing you mortals cannot provide." she said.

James glared at her and then looked to Aries and Rhea, standing guiltily at the side of the room.

" I never should've gotten mixed up with this in the first place. Neither should she. I'm staying only for the sake of her. And then we're leaving. Only us two. Deal?" he said, holding her more tightly to him.

Rhea and Ares went to protest but Artemis held up a hand to shut them up.

" As you wish. "she said with a small nod.

Rhea frowned and went to say something but with a warning glare and maybe a hint of something in Artemis eyes, her questions were gone.

"Follow me." Artemis said and they all did.

Ares looked at Tal one last time before shaking his head and taking another road, realizing she was in safe hands.

James watched him with the side of his eyes, anger drowning his regret.

Rhea fidgeting as she walked, guilt filling her being, over the fate of her best friend and that of the newcomer who seemed more complex than the inanimate object he was described as.

They had all started to regret this.