Pertemis A Moon's Tale

Final Tale: The Two Fates Entwined

Artemis's POV

The shock wave caused the Styx to churn violently. The cavern of the Underworld rumbled in its wake, sending the passing souls into a state of unrest. Hades rushed out from his castle, overlooking the other side of the Styx, the entrance out of the Land of the Deaths.

"It has begun" he muttered under his breath.

A Pegasus swooped through the end of the tunnel from afar and glide across the violent water of the river before landing in front of us. Riding on it was an immortal, possibly an Olympian warrior.

"Milord!" He bowed from his horse and started reporting. "The Werewolf armies have crossed the border, they are advancing fast towards Olympus. The King requires Commander in Chief Paecus and you to send out the armies."

"The general is critically injured" Hades stated and the face of that envoy turned pale. "Report to Zeus I'll dispatch armies to hold them as long as possible while you prepare to evacuate Olympus. Bring everyone to the Underworld here. I have set up enough defence to hopefully delay them for awhile. Quickly!"

"Yes, Lord" he bowed and turned his horse to fly it back to the other side.

"It's happened sooner than we expected" My mother said as she placed a hand on her chest from concern.

I grabbed her hand to reassure her. After all, we were not fighting to win this time. So, there wasn't any plan to recklessly attack and seize the lost territories back. But even then, fighting to hold back the Werewolves were another task.

"Milord," another guard bowed behind us. "The troops are ready"

"Good" Hades nodded as he pulled out his Scythian black sword. "Come with me, men! We must hold to save the people of Olympus!"

The moment he pointed his sword towards the river, it immediately parted away and created a path that led to the other side of the river. The wall of stone rumbled around us, debris and rocks rolling down the high cliff as the entrance of the Underworld began to open. Light surged through the gaps Hades had created on the far wall and I had to cover my eyes for they have adjusted to the darkness of this place.

"To Olympus!" Hades pointed his sword at the entrance and the armies appeared behind him.

They poured out like ants from the back of the castles. Olympian warriors marched in columns, rows and rows of golden armours. There were the House of Fire, whose crest was dyed in red and their shield held the symbols of Ares, the god of war. The House of Wisdom had the white crest, their shield craved in the image of an owl. The House of Wind marched behind them, their spears held banners of the lightning, the blue flag flew in the marching sounds of the Olympian might. Followed was the House of Vines, House of Iron, House of Dove and the House of Light. I knew the troops in the House of Light, they were my brother's personal guards. Gruelling in tactic and fighting. Deadly archers to the core. Indeed, despite their armour, the sons of the House of Light all carried quivers full of arrows on their back. But I had a feeling that many of them will not return home today.

"March forward my legions!" Hades commanded.

It was the largest display of troops I have ever seen. When I disappeared three thousand years ago, Olympian warriors weren't as numerous and mighty as this. Back then, even Hades legions weren't that impressive, just a bunch of skeletons holding weapons. But now, there were the warriors with full armour, the deaths of many battles in the past centuries. Charging out from the castle were the Dark Bringers, Hades deadliest and most elite warriors. Their curved blade sword desired the blood of the enemies, as they moved past the line of souls, their presence shimmered by the power of darkness. The ground underneath me rumbled. It was not caused by the explosion, but from the marching troops around us. Hundreds of thousands of them. For a moment, I thought...I thought me might have a chance to win this war.