Through their Eyes

#14- Hunters of Artemis - ANZAC Day

I lied. I'm not doing a Lazel one shot now, because it's ANZAC day, I wrote this. It only took me a day to write 😪 I'm so tired now.

I read this article on a Feminist who has decided she wanted to stop the Celebration of ANZAC Day. Now, I follow the path of a Huntress of Artemis, I absolutely hate men, but I was beyond appalled at her words. So I had the idea to do this.

Set: 25th of April, 2015, Gallipoli (if you don't know, do your research. This is Australian and New Zealand History) Yes, she is still dead in this.

Theres a bit of swearing later on and a slight BoO spoiler practically straight away.

<Phoebe (Huntress)>

I looked down sadly, 100 years since my crush faked his age and joined the ANZACs. 100 years since he went to Gallipoli to fight the Turks. 100 years since he died. 100 years since I joined the hunters. My poor Ivan. I stood in the bushes surrounding where the Dawn Service was to be held in the place it happened. He was the first to be killed, the first to step foot on the beaches of Gallipoli, his blood was the first to stain the sand and dye the ocean red.

The son of Hades, Nico di Angelo stepped up behind me and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. If he hadn't gone, I would probably be married, I would probably have a child, I would be possibly dead, I wouldn't have ever known Zoë, Lady Artemis or any of my sisters. I would have been a daughter of Ares still, but I wouldn't have had the life I ended up having.

"Hey you!" A familiar voice yelled. At first, I thought it was a mortal that saw me, or even Nico, but then I recognised the voice. Eyes wide in shock, I turned around "Ivan?" I asked hesitantly, not believing that he was just a few metres away from me. He was currently glaring at Nico, then he noticed me and his eyes widened like he couldn't believe what he was seeing "That couldn't be... Phoebe?" I nodded "Oh gosh, I never thought..." He trailed off and ran towards me.

I also ran towards him and when we reached each other he gripped me in a hug and spun me around. "Oh gods... I've missed you so, so much. I'm so so sorry! I shouldn't have let you go!" I whispered in disbelief. He shook his head, stopping me from speaking and then he kissed me. I was shocked so I didn't kiss back at first, after all, being around man-haters for so long makes you forget how to kiss one. I eventually kissed him back and when I did, I saw piercing silver eyes and vibrant auburn hair. It was Lady Artemis.

When we stopped kissing, Lady Artemis stepped out with a few hunters, the ones that actually knew my story. Nico stepped up next to them and put an arm around Thalia in a cousinly way. "Did you tell them I was coming here?" I hissed at Nico, mad. He smirked and nodded and I was about to attack him when he said "Yes, I did, but I was the one who let Ivan's spirit up here as well as yours." I could see mine and Ivan's bodies flickering from solid to transparent. I ran up to Lady Artemis and hugged her and my other sisters, aware of the fact that I was only partially solid.

We then watched the Dawn Service from the bushes and I gripped Ivan's hand the whole time as if he was going to disappear suddenly. He squeezed my hand when a student had recited a recount titled 'The First ANZAC' about the first one to die, not knowing they were basically reciting his death. Once it was over, Ivan led us to where they entered ANZAC Cove. "So we stopped the boats there." he said, pointing out to an area in the water "My squadron leader had given us a pep talk 'If you don't survive this day, know that you tried. You died defending the world, freeing our country. Fighting for the future.' and we must have had the shortest pep talk of all the groups." He stepped to a spot where the water lapped at the sand with a wince.

"I was the first one to be sent out. I had my gun ready and I ran out. I only got this far before I was shot. I think I felt at least 6 bullets pierce my skin. I saw the sympathetic face of my leader and as I died, I thought about you Phoebe, I thought about the fact that we wouldn't have a future together." I grabbed his hand "Three days later, I was given a letter, I remember what it said, I actually still have it on me.
'Dear Family and Friends of Ivan Evensong,
I'm afraid to say that Ivan has been killed, the first ANZAC, the first casualty. Our condolences are with you.
Australia and New Zealand Army Corps' It was short and each word dug daggers into my heart. A few weeks later, Lady Artemis found me and I recited the oath and joined her." I said painfully. Ivan spoke up again "Charon gave all of us ANZACs a free pass through to Elysium because we fought for the freedom of the world." Lady Artemis had closed her eyes and snapped them open suddenly.

"A feminist has gone too far with her cause. Is it okay if I take you all to tell her the truth?" I nodded and all my other sisters, Ivan and Nico also nodded and we were flashed to a room where a brunette girl was laying on her bed, a phone in her hands. Ivan and I were still flickering "Cassidy Boon." Artemis said, her eyes flickering with anger. The girl, Cassidy, looked up "Yeah? That's my name, not my number." she muttered.

"I have heard of your... thoughts on ANZAC day and they are wrong. You do not know anything of what happened during that time." Artemis stated through gritted teeth, glaring at Cassidy who was on her phone again. "Why? It's true." I laughed and looked at Nico sharply "Yes? You think that my boyfriend cheated on me when he went to war? He can tell you firsthand, after all, he was the First ANZAC." She looked up, pale faced at us, we were flickering still. She looked between me and Ivan and our interlocked hands. "I highly doubt it." she scoffed and I glared at her scornfully.

"I am a goddess, I saw the whole month long training they had to endure. None of them 'Cheated on their wives with whores' and they weren't 'Just going on a holiday to Turkey and dying to try and be treated like gods.' They actually fought for your freedom you selfish little bitch." Artemis spat "And I can't believe I thought you would be a good huntress." She said, shaking her head sadly.

"My last thought was of my Phoebe. Each day I had an hour break and 5 hours of sleep. In that hour I wasn't sleeping, I wrote letters to my family. They were never sent." Ivan stated, looking down sadly "And you, thinking that they weren't thinking of their beloveds. My older brother, who was married, had told his wife to move on from him because he knew he would die, fighting for our freedom. And he did die, it took his wife 15 years to move on. Their daughter was 17 when she met another man, but neither of them stopped thinking of the other." I stated, shaking with anger.

Nico frowned "I'm sorry Phoebe, Ivan, father is telling me you must go back to the underworld. Although, you are now living in the same house in Elysium. I'll get Silena and Kai to show you there." I nodded and walked up to Artemis and the hunters. I hugged them one last time before going to Nico and hugging him, thanking him for letting me watch the Dawn Service. I led Ivan over to beside Cassidy's bed and just before I went back to the Underworld, I slapped her, hard.

With 5 Minutes left of ANZAC Day, As we grow old, they shall not grow old. And at the going down of the sun, we will remember them. Lest we forget.

~dreameh🌈⭐️