Second Chances: Artemis

Chapter 3

"You're the actual moon goddess Artemis? The Olympian?" Thea asked, trying to wrap her head around it and the goddess smiled.

"Yes I am. And our meeting is long overdue. I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time." Artemis said.

"How is this possible? I thought that Diana was the last of the old gods who were still alive?" Thea asked.

"And technically that is still true, since right now, I'm neither living or dead." Artemis said.

"And what does that mean? I thought all the Olympians were wiped out when Ares betrayed the gods." Thea asked.

"They were. Except for me simply because I wasn't there when it happened." Artemis said.

"What do you mean you weren't there?" Thea asked.

"I was prepared to fight and lay down my life with my fellow gods to stop Ares from destroying mankind, but my father never even gave me the chance. Right before Ares stormed into the throne room, my father pulled me aside, told me he was sorry, but that I wasn't meant to fight him yet before he cast me out from Olympus and rendered me a mere mortal. Powerless aside from a long life and with no memory of who I was. He abandoned me and wouldn't even allow me to join my sister Diana in the final battle with Ares during your world war one. In fact it wasn't until after Ares was dead that I finally began to remember who I was. What I was. But even then, it was only glimpses, flashes. My powers began returning, but I was still no god. Or at least I wasn't. Until you were born." Artemis said.

"What are you talking about?" Thea asked.

"We're linked Thea. We always have been. From the moment you were born, your destiny was intertwined with mine. How this was possible with the loom of fate destroyed, I don't know, but the moment you were born, I began to regain my true strength. My powers started to return and so did my memories." Artemis said.

"You're the reason Diana brought me to the island." Thea realized and Artemis nodded.

"Eventually, my power grew to be too much for my human form to handle, but I could not return to my Olympian form yet, for a reason I have yet to determine. However, before my mortal form could take out an entire city, I was able to focus enough of that power to send myself into this void, the realm between the worlds man and god, since I cannot enter either until my form stabilizes. Something I am grateful for, since while I was always more compassionate towards humans than most other gods, it wasn't until I was forced to live as one of you for so long that I began to truly value your kind." Artemis said.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me?" Thea asked.

"Thea, everything you have endured in your life, losing your father and brother, your estrangement from your mother and sister, all the pain you've endured in your life, it's led you to this moment. It wasn't until I found you that I finally understood my father's plan. He was trying to protect me from Ares, but more importantly, he didn't just want me to survive, he wanted me to truly experience humanity and why he felt they were worth saving. I still don't understand all his reasons, but I do understand that they will become clear in time. However, while Ares is gone, I can still sense his presence somewhere on Earth, but I cannot interfere on earth until I'm able to stabilize my form and I don't know when that process will be complete, but until it is, I cannot leave the void. So I need someone to serve as my proxy, my avatar on Earth. Someone who can wield my power while also being able to walk the Earth to use it and you are my avatar Thea. My vessel. You always have been. It's your destiny." Artemis said.

"Wait, so you've been watching me my entire life?" Thea asked.

"Yes, however, I could not connect with you until you were in a position where you were open to accepting this. Which meant." Artemis said.

"You had to wait for me to hit my lowest point first. That's why Diana was at the hospital when I came too and got me out. She knew this was happening." Thea said.

"I reached out to her in a vision shortly before she came to you and made her aware of you and ordered her to bring you to Themyscira to be trained and prepared for this day." Artemis said.

"So, you're saying I'll essentially be a goddess?" Thea asked and Artemis chuckled.

"You'll still technically be human, but you'll have access to my powers. The longer we're connected, the more we connect and the stronger our bond gets, you'll be able to access more of my powers." Artemis said.

"How does that work?" Thea asked.

"If I knew, I'd tell you. Honestly, this is something that has never been attempted before. But I'm willing to figure it out with you if you are." Artemis said and Thea grinned.

"Let's do it." Thea said.

"Okay then. But just know, once we do this, there's no going back." Artemis said.

"I figured, but I said I'm in." Thea said.

"Okay then, let the process begin." Artemis said as she officially completed the bond between herself and Thea and Thea could feel the changes in both her body and mind, particularly in her memories.