Artemis

prologue

Many know of the goddess Artemis, virgin goddess of the moon and hunting. Artemis, the twin of Apollo and daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis, Ancient Greek goddess. Artemis, goddess who had several different stories of her.

Many know of the various stories, many don't. Many know of Artemis as a vile, aggressive goddess. Many know of Artemis as sweet and loving. Many know of Artemis as many things. Many know all the stories.

Except none of them are true.

It's not the truth.

This is the truth.

Artemis was running and running and running, as fast as her feet would carry her. Her lungs felt like fire with every panting breath that went in and out of her lungs. The trees raced past her as she ran forward, her fists clenched by her sides, moving in sync with her feet. The bright moon in the night sky provided enough light for her to see her closest surroundings.

A storm was gathering above. Gray clouds dotted over the horizon, carrying thunder in its wake. Rain began to fall. Artemis knew what was coming, and she quickened her pace.

"Artemis!" she heard the loud yell of her one and only father, Zeus. His voice shook the ground from the heavens and Artemis stumbled, falling to her knees. Artemis clutched at the ground, her mind screaming at her to get up. Artemis' hands clawed at dirt and there was dirt collecting underneath her fingernails, but she didn't care. She quickly picked herself up again, running as soon as both her feet were level with the ground. "Artemis, you will pay for eternity for this defiance!"

Artemis continued running, ignoring how terrified she had become of her father and how threatened she felt by his words.

"Artemis!" Zeus' voice boomed again, louder than the last. The ground shook much more violently and Artemis fell, but not before her head hit a tree trunk. Artemis yelled out in pain as her back collided with the ground, pain invading her head like wildfire. Artemis touched at her head, feeling a slick, wet substance and knew there was blood oozing from her wound. Artemis' vision was blurred and her mind was spinning with dizziness. Artemis forced herself to turn over onto her chest, her hands beneath her in an attempt to hold herself up as much as she possibly could.

Artemis groaned as her head throbbed painfully. Her vision cleared and her dizziness subsided, only to see she wasn't in the forest she was in when she fell. Artemis gasped, moving back suddenly, now her butt on the ground and her hands propped behind her. Artemis could feel the dirt and grass beneath her so she knew she must still be in the forest, but experiencing an illusion created by her father.

The scene before her was Artemis herself and her father Zeus experiencing the most beautiful memories of theirs. "Father, leave me be!" Artemis yelled.

The scene turned into another dramatically. The scene became Artemis hunting at night, as she always did, and bumping into Orion. "Father-" Artemis began.

"I know all, Artemis!" Zeus yelled angrily from the heavens. Thunder boomed loudly from above her and Artemis flinched. Her father had never been more angry at her in his existence and Artemis could see why. Artemis had betrayed his wishes for her and went behind his back. "You cannot hide anything from me! I am god of the skies! The skies see all, Artemis!"

The scene continued playing. Orion was the handsomest man in the world. Many women and men loved him because of his loving and generous nature. Yet all he payed attention to was Artemis.

Orion and Artemis becoming the closest of friends. They spent the summer together training, hunting, exchanging stories, and so much more. They bared themselves bare, letting the other know all of their desires and secrets. Orion and Artemis fell in love, despite Orion's misinterpretation of himself that he loved men only.

"Artemis, my dear Artemis," Zeus said, soft and gentle his tone was this time. "You lay everything bare. First, your ambitions and desires and very secrets.

"Then, your body," Zeus said and Artemis' heart sank in her chest. "The one thing I have always demanded you never lay bare to anyone! I wanted you to be free from man! I wanted you to never suffer from their ravages and outrages! I gave you everything you ever wished for and this is how you repay me!"

Tears burned in Artemis' eyes. She loved her father, loved him more than anything else in the universe. Until she found Orion and loved him more than she could ever love anyone else in the world.

"You have tried to run from my wrath, Artemis," Zeus said, and he was right. Artemis had fled from Olympus to escape Zeus' punishment once he discovered her actions. Artemis' wish was to flee Olympus with Orion. "For that, you will be punished."

The scene changed and Orion was before her, beside the fire she had left him near before she could return to him. It was where she was headed now. "No, Father!" Artemis cried, already knowing of what her father was going to do. "Father, I beg you! Please!"

"He will pay for your foolish acts!" Zeus yelled.

Orion sat by the fire in peace. Orion's nose began running, blood escaping his nostril. Artemis cried for her father to stop, but it was no use. Blood began spilling from his ears and eyes, like tears of blood. Orion coughed and blood fell from his lips. Orion coughed and coughed as more blood escaped from his nostrils and mouth. Orion collapsed onto the ground, coughing and sputtering as he choked on his own blood until his body went limp and the life left his eyes.

Artemis was screaming in horror, yelling for her lover.

"From here on out, Artemis," Zeus said, "you can run all you'd like. I will always find you and I will always know all. From now and eternity, anyone you love will die at your hands, one way or another. You will never romantically find safety or peace in any single person again. You will never find the love and peace you're searching for."