Split Spirit

Chapter twenty

Artemis

That night as I laid with my head over Zeke's heart the Goddess called me to her so that we could talk.

Opening my eyes I found myself sitting in courtyard with pliers of polished marble behind me.

"Come sit dear, we've much to discuss and little time to prepare. Things are going to be moving quicker than I expected. Dajaa and Walker will be able to guard all the pups and infirm when the time comes. In fact that is to be their and their children's new path in life, to protect the pups of our world.

There will come a time that they will journey the world over, finding pups in need of care and finding them the families and homes where they will flourish." The Goddess says and it brings me hope for Nora and Bell.

"For now they will put up a barrier around your packhouse. You have done well in the pups of your pack's training so far, but it's time to focus more on your warriors. Also those who dont know how to fight but can. It will be important to focus on self defense for the non warriors.

Also remember that not everyone can be saved, the most important thing is to do the best we can. I'm sorry that I can't help you more than I am right now." The Goddess says sadly and I nod for her to continue.

The enemy have been going after the young because they are working on a philosopher's stone. It requires living sacrifices, more specifically souls to create it. Not just a few either but many.

It's a forbidden art that the alchemists have made taboo for such a reason." She says visibly pissed off.

"My lady for what purpose have the enemy gone to such trouble to go against their own laws?" I ask hoping that we can stand against them.

She looks me in the eyes and says, "the leader wants true immortality and everlasting youth."

I roll my eyes, and she laughs knowing as well as I, only a power hungry person would want to live forever. Especially if the only way to gain such a thing is to take the souls of others to get it.

For what feels like hours we go over strategic plans for fighting the enemy.
She said most of the people that had made up that pack have been used for small stones. Even most of the alchemists have been used. Most of his fighting force will be golems now, for they are easily controlled and ask no questions.

"Artemis he is truly mad, the reason that pack was half wolves and half alchemists is that his mate was an alchemist. She taught him and he killed her after she refused to teach him something called human transmutation. He wanted to bring others back to life is what she had initially thought. But he proved her wrong really wanting what he wants now. He made her into a small stone that he keeps by his bed side. Her soul is trapped within it," the Goddess says sadly.

"Is there anything, anyway we can save the souls trapped inside?" I ask truly upset for the first time.

"I'm not sure but I can ask another Goddess who knows more of their customs, she may know how to free the souls. Even so they will not be able to return to the lives they had, it just gives them a chance to move on or start again." She tells me so I don't get my hopes up.

"I understand," I say with a heavy sigh. She takes one of my hands and gives it a gental squeeze.

"You must head back now your mate is worried," she says standing and I follow suit.

"I'll be on my way then," I say then open my eyes to see a worried Zeke.

"Artemis are you ok you weren't responding at all what was that?" He asks pulling me into his arms.

I look around to notice that its morning now, "I'm sorry Z the Goddess needed to speak with me." I say then yawn snuggling into his chest.

"What did she say?" He asks worried starting to tense up.

I relayed all of what we spoke of as I rubbed his back so his muscles wouldn't be as stiff. When I finished he put his face in the crook of my neck.

"Did... did our people that were taken suffer much?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I don't know baby, I pray that they didn't but I have no clue and I wont lie to you." I say and he kisses my shoulder.

"Come on we need to eat and hold a meeting with our people, if things are indeed going to be moving quicker than even the Goddess has expected then we need to get a move on." He says lifting me and carrying me downstairs to eat.

Breakfast was fast just some leftovers from the night before and a cup of coffee. We linked our top ranked people and told them to meet in the conference room in fifteen minutes.

"Do you think Bell will make it there without his coffee?" I ask trying to get Z to smile but he's deep in thought and let's it go.

As we pass the kitchen I ask some of the wolves working in there to please get some pitchers of coffee ready for the meeting. Also they had just made some crescent rolls, I thought those would be nice so I ask if we could have some of those as well.

The ladies said it would be their pleasure and got to work getting things together.

I continued on following Zeke's scent to the conference room where he paced along the far wall. "Babe you're going to freak everybody out and it's not going to help matters please come sit down," I say softly and he come and sits next to me taking my hand in his.

"Sorry this just has me on edge how do we stop golems?" He asks and I hope we find an answer.