Twelve

ch 2: The Hunter

"Virgo, Aries, Sagittarius, Pisces, and Leo," reported the oracle.

The god frowned. "Leo? Really? Leo has always been the last."

"The time has come."

"Yes, well, perhaps that may be. It is not as if we're certain though. It could merely be a coincidence. Where is Orion?" He asked almost nervously.

"I do not know. I can not see him. Your anxiety is disrupting my sight."

"Me? Anxious? About a little demigod? Pythia, that hurts me."

As they were speaking, the hunter was examining his latest kill. He smiled to himself. It was finally time. He was going to find the key and return home.

Orion the Hunter had pursued this chase for what he knew to be centuries. It was probably much longer than that, but he could not remember. He could not even remember how he had descended from the stars, but he knew that it was a gift from the gods. It was a gift that he would not take for granted.

"I'm mostly sorry," he said as he kneeled next to Leo's lifeless flesh body.

"Coward," a slightly muffled voice spat.

The voice had come from a jar inhabited by five entities. Each a resembling miniature version of the zodiac that they were. Small, glimmering figures that emitted power.

Orion did not acknowledge the entities in the jar but continued speaking. "You know why I have to do this. I have no other choice, brother."

Leo snorted. "Of course. The only choice you have is to murder your innocent siblings of the sky. The brothers and sisters that trusted you and still trust you in every lifetime. Whatever you say oh noble Hunter. And I am not your brother. Never again call yourself my brother. "

Leo was met with silence. Eventually, Orion responded, "You always say this."

"Then it must be true."

"You fools can't even remember who you are until the first one dies. You can't even remember what happened the last times even when your minds return."

No further conversation came from the jar. Orion shook his head in disappointment and continued to make his way toward his base. It was an old museum that had long since been used. The architectural style was Greek. Simple yet intricate pillars lined the exterior of the temple. The interior contained a standard altar to the twelve gods, the Olympians.

Orion knelt in front of Artemis's altar and gently placed the jar before it. "Oh Great Goddess of the Hunt I praise thee. I beg your blessing and guidance in my hunt. I-"

"Why do you even pray the her? You know full well that she can not hear you, Orion," Leo interrupted.

Sagittarius nudged Leo with his elbow. "Leave the Hunter to his own business. You taunt in hope of gaining what? This is the last time we will have to go through this, so you might as well shut up already."

"Sag, he murdered us. He will murder our siblings. You remember our siblings, do you not? Or have you been kept in this jar for too long?," Leo replied angrily.

Pisces shut his eyes and presented an expression of calm annoyance. Virgo and Aries shook their heads but remained silent. Leo was stubborn, but Sagittarius was right. This squabble was pointless and they all knew it.

"The proud leader is put into his place, yet continues to fight back," Orion remarked quietly.

Orion's gaze focused on Artemis's statue and he spoke again. "I truly am sorry. But nothing will keep me from her. Not this time."