Desert Wings

Truths

"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know all of the myths and stories, all of the legends? Well, some where out here is where they are. This is their -our home."
"So does that make you a goddess Artimes?"
"Sort of. All of us are similar to the stories our ideas originated from, water down though. Less power, we also don't really follow the former guidelines our origins laid out for us."
"So, you guys are all here?"
"Yeah, even the creatures from your nightmares. This is our home. And every year, when all of you guys try to cross the Dark creatures try to stop you. Saddly, there are somethings about our nature we can't turn against no matter what, for them it's slowing people down, delaying their missions or flat out killing them."
"Wow."
"Yeah, it is pretty cool. Also on that note... have you ever created like a charter or something? Or just inadvertently a monster from a nightmare?"
I wrinkled my brow, trying to remember, "Not that I can remember..."
"I'm guessing you don't remember your dreams then? Great, well, be on guard, against literally everything and anything. You never know."
"Okay then. So anything else I should know?"
"Yeah, don't fly over certain areas, I would rather not have to shot you again." Apollo replied, not to sarcastically.
"I can get behind that idea. One more question. Do historical figure type people end up here after they die. Or if some one tells a story about you?"
"Possibly, we actually have no idea."
"Okay."
"Now, rest up, tomorrow is going to be tough." I decide to take Artimes advise and drift off to sleep.

*******
The next morning we set out on foot, hoping to cross the territory of a few monsters before night fall.
After trudging through the snow for a few hours Artimes, who was currently leading paused, each limb tensed staring straight ahead.
"Get down." She called, pulling out a bow and quiver of arrows from out of no where.
I turned to Apollo, "Where did she get the bow?"
"Later. Now hush ." He hissed. I grumbled briefly before returning my gaze to Artimes who now had an arrow trained on something in the distance. The wind danced through the trees but she didn't even blink, waiting watching.
"Look out!" She screamed, whirling around and letting her arrow fly. I dropped to the ground, spinning to look behind me, I stared up at the thing that was staggering backwards, it wore a shredded black cloak and appeared to be make if shadows. I watched as it slowly crumpled onto the snow, dissolving before twirling away on the breeze.
"Okay, I think we are safe now." Artimes called.
"What was that thing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
"Then why did you kill it?"
"I didn't," she sighed, "It will probably come back."
"Right. Where did you get that bow? Or the arrows?" I add.
"Long story."
"I think we have time to talk."
"Fine, we need to keep moving though." Artimes replied, trudging a head, "The bow and arrows, I am able to summon at will. Well now I can, when we first got here we couldn't summon our weapons. The Desert as cruel as it may seem doesn't leave us defenseless. Even you have a weapon. You can only summon out the first few times in battle though."
"Fun, I don't have to wait long to find out my weapon then."
"What do you mean?"
"Well more of those guys you just killed are coming so yeah."
Artimes cursed under her breath before pulling out her bow and arrows, "Welcome to the White Desert by the way." She called over her shoulder, letting her first arrow fly.
"Wait. Kara, don't summon your weapon." Apollo warned.
"What? Are you crazy?!" Artimes screamed shooting another arrow, killing another of the strange shadow things.
"Trust me. Use this for now." Apollo replied, hanging me a dagger.
I shrugged and sprinted towards a shadow thing, I pushed the dagger towards it, but, before the dagger could reach it's mark the shadow flashed past me.
Not even a moment later something landed near my back and a shadow lunged for me before the world went dark.