THE CADETS: Children of the New Aion

PROLOGUE - IN DREAMS

    "Lo, now the old stories come to life!"
     It begins as always and he is now a fierce hunter traversing the treetops freely, scanning the ground for her next kill. She is proud. Strong. Diligent. A noble warrior nymph who came up under the tutelage of the powerful Artemis. This is the life she leads is simple, but empowering nonetheless. Nothing offers the same thrill as releasing a tense bow, and nothing gave her the same satisfaction as the look in her master's eyes whenever she presents a fresh kill. This is the life she desires above all else.
   She sees her Master sitting peacefully on a fallen log from afar, her chin resting on her clasped hands. Her eyes are closed in a dream, and her lips form a small, restful smile. The Hunter leapt to the ground, now focused completely on the subject of her desire. .
     She took her Master's hand and led her to her feet. She planted a soft kiss on her lips, eyes closed and pulled away with a smile. When she opened her eyes, she saw her Master's eyes were open. They were milky white and blank, not the jade green she loved.
      They were the eyes of the God of Thunder.
      She tries to keep it a secret in the spring, where the other Hunters come to soak and share in each other's pleasure. When her true Master arrives, she can't even look her in the eye.
     She doesn't disrobe for the child growing in her belly. When her Master asks why she still wears her hunting gear, she doesn't have a good response. At first the other Hunters pick at her clothes to tease her, but her heavy resistance led them to hold her down and tear at guise.
     She was expelled as soon as her swollen belly was revealed. The look of disgust in her Master's eyes was palpable. The piercing glare replaced every memory of pride and admiration from her Master. The Hunters threw her from the garden, and warned her never to return.
     She would only have the child for a year. It was a painful, desperate time of poverty and sickness. She kept the child well hidden, so that she wouldn't face punishment from the other gods for her assault. Even after being expelled from Artemis and the hunters she would never break a promise. A little birdie told her that Athena wanted her head on her wall. There was no expectation that the child would be spared.
     Then, one day, she sees a vagrant woman crouching over the toddler's leaf cradle. She aims an arrow towards her skull. It goes clean through the vagrant's head, but the Vagrant doesn't seem to notice. She stood up, and turned to meet her eyes.
     These are the eyes of the Goddess of Wisdom.
      She spends the next fifteen years a snarling, hideous beast. She doesn't see her child once. All she does every day is hunt, eat, and sleep near a hot spring. She misses her Master in every way. Her body aches to know her one more time. The spring reminds her of those carefree days soaking in pleasure with her fellow nymphs. The sweet nectar of nostalgia brought great sadness. Sadness over what was taken from her, and what may never happen again. Her only hope was to maybe find some acceptance from her once again. Then maybe she'd find peace.
     She feels her final day. It's as though what would happen was dictated to her the night before. She sees her son once more, standing with a spear in hand. She snarls at him, and he lurches back in fear. She approaches, and he aims his spear. She lunges, and he throws his spear.
     And it's that image that everyone sees when the stars are out in full. Not her dedication. Her chastity. The love of her Master and companions. Not even the year of sacrifice for her young. All they see is her punishment.
     "Take from her tale what you will, for her path is the same as yours."