Brother and Sister
Legend tells of two siblings that reigned in the heavens. The wolf of the stars and the doe of the moon; together, they brought balance and harmony on the world below them.
Her feet slammed on the ground as the lithe figure fell from the very heavens. If any mortal being having two legs other than her that might have tried the move, they would have been blood splatters all over the pavement. As it is, the shadowy figure peered left and right, silver eyes darting in cautiousness that would have put to shame any hunter's perception. No movement is wasted. Every turn of the eye catches details to the minute level, missing nothing and leaving nothing behind to chance alone.
Sure that no one is around the vicinity, the lithe figure darted forward in small flashes of silver, her form barely noticed by the people living in this part of the city. In fact not even the dogs sleeping outside the stalls where their masters' sleep in comfort paid any attention as the unwanted visitor of the empty streets of the New York, China Town run past, her footfalls barely making a sound as the soft hunter's shoes she wore made especially by a special leather on the forges of Hephaestus silenced her coming. A wraith would have made louder sounds than her.
She's not unobserved though. Even as the wary interloper ran past the silent shops, a lone figure in whitish armor looked down below, her skills not hiding her from its gaze. Piercing green eyes narrowed as it stared, warring emotions turmoil inside as it observed her turn towards the direction of the sacred shrine that the local people maintained as an attraction.
For the lithe figure, it never noticed the eyes observing her. Easily running over the hundred or so steps of the Wolf Shrine, she didn't slow down as she jumped at the closed wooden gates at least a meter thick that the monks of the shrine close every sun down. It's thick enough to withstand a battering ram and a stone thrown from a trebuchet before and its caretakers made sure that it remains in surprising good condition, the face of the sculpted wolf face on its giant gates standing out.
It's on this face that the interloper jumped, slender feet easily taking purchase on the ridges, hands pulling its weight as if the entire body weighed nothing, climbing over the face like a spider and over the thick gate as if it's barely a hindrance to her skill on climbing and sneaking over. Even the best thief in the world can't climb that fast and barely make a sound, at least not with a heavy set bow at the back and a quiver of arrows alongside it.
But the two siblings argued who could better rule their land. Their quarrel turned to rage and their violent struggle darkened the skies. Until the doe of the moon struck down her brother, and he fell to the earth, shattering the land.
Four guards below milled around. They are simply guards, assigned here to deter anyone stupid enough to try to rob a temple full of portraits and unknown relics. In fact their job is a very boring one and even the farthest guard let off his tenth yawn on his first hour of shift tonight. They never saw the shadow that loomed above them from the side. Tonight is simply not their night and they are facing an unwanted visitor simply way too high for their paygrade.
Drawing and shooting in a heartbeat, the first guard didn't eve register the arrow zooming up on him in godlike speeds before the arrow with the punching gloves as an arrowhead smacked him directly on the face sending him to Hypnos' realm in an instant. Of course the sudden knocking out of their group member galvanized the remaining three into alertness; their response however is not enough.
The nearest guard whose brain barely managed to calculate the trajectory and the source of the arrow much less comprehend why it is an arrow that knocked out their friend, frowned and turned just in time to come face to face with the butt end of a silver bow knocking clean three of his teeth and disorienting him. The second follow up hit that followed on his chest removed whatever air that remained on his lungs and if that isn't bad enough, the string of the bow almost strangled him as the unrecognized visitor pulled him with it, his body following the motion to avoid being choked before he was cleanly pulled of the ground and thrown to the balcony below where he thudded knocked out.
Fortunately his seconds of sacrifice is more than enough to buys his friends time to galvanize in action. The farthest guard barely managed to catch his phone in a panic after seeing two of his comrades being taken down in seconds. Thankfully he got the sense to know that all four of them are horribly out of their league and began running at the opposite direction, frantically typing at the cellphone on his hands for the local cops to be alerted.
His friend, brave soul he is tried to slow down their "visitor", not that he slowed it down though one bit. One block and a kick sent him visiting Hypnos' realm involuntarily, his baton falling down on the pool full of KOI fish below. The bow bent once more and the arrow zoomed straight to the running guard smashing cleanly to his phone just in time for him to finish dialing. The sudden closeness to being dead and surprise coupled by pure terror clearly unhinged the guard and his already panicky run lost coherence as he became unbalanced, his speed not stopping as he rammed his good self-face first on the metal bell which clanged loudly on the night, bringing fresh memories back to the lithe figure that now appeared from the shadows.
She is clearly female if her bust size through the tight hunter's uniform is any indication. The leather breastplate doesn't cover her stomach, showing pale skin below and the hunter's skirt garb made in the same leathery material as her upper apparel, boots and armguards barely covered half her lower thighs emphasizing long legs of beauty, strength and grace. The female's beauty is ethereal with barely a blemish. Elfin face, angled, features, a thin mouth showing that its owner spent more of her time being serious than laughing, piercing sky blue eyes and long auburn hair. She is a picture of ethereality that no man can ever touch.
The doe of the moon had triumphed, but as time passed, she realized her solitude. The sweetness of victory turned to ash.
Every step she made on the Wolf Temple is a stab on her heart. Everywhere her eyes look is a familiar place containing memories that made her want to fall down and start crying. Already she could see ghost images as she passed by of a time passed. Images of three siblings running around as monks smiled at them with a tall woman looking over; two children, one boy, one girl closer than anything else playing ball over the entrance, said two promising to be with each other forever even as the third one makes kissing motions much to the irritation of the two and the amusement of the tall woman watching over them, images of said two sleeping on the bark under the eaves of the peach tree even as purple flowers fell over them. A promise made to be forever together; image of three people now young adults fighting off the serpent, Python that had plagued them for years, the girl holding an arrow and bow alongside the other boy while the other took the form of a snarling white wolf with green eyes biting the head of the giant serpent even as ropes of the monks hold it down. And as she passed once more the final entrance, ethereal figures of a beloved memory the two pressed to each other in a romantic embrace even as the light of the moon and the stars shine over them. She almost lost her composure and would have cried loudly at where she stood for that. The man holding the woman looked so peaceful and at rest while the woman looked content, no sign of pain, worry and prejudice on her face.
She blinked her eyes and the image disappeared leaving nothing of the image but an empty doorway of an otherwise empty temple only lighted by candles. So does the memory of that warmth feeling in her heart that seemed nothing more than an echo of the ages and a constant reminder and shrapnel that dug itself deeper every time she came back here ever year.
Forcing her thoughts to put a sense of sensibility in them, the female huntress went inside, her usual jog transforming into a respectable walk as she stood on the place that is her home in her childhood days. As usual her eyes roamed over the area resembling a clean temple with polished wood, oiled floor and delicately made drawings of the monks and their initiates. It is as if nothing has changed, as it should be. She could still see the blood she spilled here after that horrible moment when she killed the only person closest to her due to a misunderstanding on her part. An act that she thought was right after her brother opposed their father's will.
Reaching the front center of the open spacious room, she can't help but look at the broken sword pieced together by the monks sitting at the front of a small shrine. Atop it, scribed on the wall is a name she won't forget made in the finest calligraphy. She still had memories of that sword; she mentally smiled as ghost memories of him practicing a wooden katana that made him bonk his head with it every time he tried doing an overcut during their younger days. This is his weapon of power and it is broken and cracked into pieces….just like her heart and soul, and it's all because of her.
For years, the bereft doe's grief threw the world into discord, and she knew only bitterness and sorrow. One day, a stranger went up to the doe of the moon and asked: "Oh deer lady, why are you so distraught?"
The doe answered: "Seeking power, I killed my brother, but without him. I am lost,"
The stranger replied "You have inflicted wounds upon yourself, but now you must heal. Walk in two feet as I do, and then you will find peace,"
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she put a jar, over atop a handle and a small violet rose at its side encased in ice and covered in silver. It is a gift that she cherished and a constant reminder of her pain. A small spark of her power at the sticks brought it immediately to a small burn and a sweet smell filled the large spacious hall. It is her ritual, she does this every year, for so long she no longer knows; only the fact that this is incense ceremony is the final way she could both remember him and honor him for the part he have in her life.
And as usual, she could sense someone on the room that took the opportunity of the moon goddess' daily routine to take pot shots at her either at the command of jealous gods and full-hardy monsters. However she had to admit, whoever they sent this time is actually quite skilled. She did not notice him at all until he's inside the same hall as she is. Normally she could sense her stalkers a mile away. She already had her respect, out of his skills at least.
"You are not the first assassin sent to kill me, you will not be the last," she spoke out loud laying down the incense sticks carefully on the set, taking extra care not to disturb it knowing at the same time that her follower heard every word of what she said.
At the darkness above her, carefully concealed in the shadows, green luminescent lines turned on showing the silhouette of a humanoid that then dropped itself on the floor, not even making any sound. It's pretty obvious for anyone observing that he's up to no good if based on attire alone. His entire form is covered in thick leather black carapace. Armor plates of white fiber cover served as protection, their edges glowing in that luminescent green that shone brightly like some sort of power source. No sign of living flesh can be seen on him, even the face is covered by a metal mask with only a green light inverted V on it. At the back of his head, the flowing lines of an old weathered bandana stuck.
And if that wasn't enough proof screaming: "assassin" literally, the tanto at his left side and a longer katana strapped at his back is more than enough evidence to show that this person, whoever he is, is really up to no good…especially at night.
"You are bold, to come to this temple, the den of your former allies," the newcomer said with a hint of admiration in hiss slightly mechanical toned voice as he straightened up to his full height.
Artemis tried not to wince at the reminder that the monks here are no longer her friends thanks to the murder she committed at this sanctified halls. Alongside it, a surge of anger that her testy temper always have trouble controlling. This stranger really did his research and is pushing her buttons. "This was once my home, did your masters not tell you who I was?!"
Faster than even the eye could blink; she has already picked up the bow and loosened an arrow at the direction of the would-be-assassin judging his position by his sound alone. She's pretty sure he would be shish-ke-babbed by the surprise attack alone. This assassin however simply is not anybody and the arrow simply passed his side as he moved his shoulder sideward, the arrow missing its intended target on the heart.
"I know who you are Artemis, greek goddess of the moon," he proclaimed smugly making Artemis eyes widen at the declaration of her name and how easily he dodged her arrow that would have made even Hermes squeal in terror.
As it is her irritation only grew and she let loose another arrow, this time however it curved to the side before going to its intended target…the jugular at the neck. Much to her surprise however, the assassin simply leaned backward before posing in a mocking pose as her arrow landed in front of him….missed again. He did not even draw his weapon.
"I know you come here every year at the same day,"
Artemis was now angry. The fact that her shots are being treated as such without worries and the assassin not looking the bit scared despite knowing what she is really hurt her pride and ego big time. Adding insult to injury is also of her reason her being lectured to her.
UNACCEPTABLE!
Grabbing another arrow, but this time with two arrows at her knuckles in reserve, she let loose another curve shot, aiming at the same target before expecting the assassin to make the same trick. Well she planned for that. Fast shooting after all cannot be avoided if it is made in rapid fire.
The assassin however once more surprised her. Instead of doing the same evasion tactic, he dodged back, hiding in one of the "paper pillars". Artemis however is not done yet. He may run but he can't hide. Her godly brain processed distance and elevation in a split second and the two arrows in alternate intervals on the paper pillar. She growled though as she saw the shadow behind avoid it again…barely this time. At least he's showing signs of struggle instead of making it look easy like before.
"You risk so much, to honor someone you've murdered!" her opponent hissed back and Artemis had to step back as he broke out of cover, three metal shurikens flying at her without warning. For Artemis however, it was just a simple matter to block as she used the edge of her bow to swap them all aside. Though she looked nonlachant, the moon goddess had to keep her wince aside. The strength beside those shurikens is great and though she does not show it, swapping them numbed her arms. His words though as he threw those shurikens registered to her brain just now turning her irritation to a full scale kettle of anger at the presumptuous bastard.
"You know nothing of what happened?!" she half-hissed, half-shouted as her arms went to reload her bow in reflex. Rolling forward drawing the silver bow, she used the momentum to increase the bow weight before releasing, giving the arrow an extra boost of strength and agility as it sped towards the now exposed assassin. The speed and agility of the arrow would be impossible to dodge at this rate.
Her opponent must have thought the same thing as he didn't dare to dodge but instead drew the tanto at his side in a flash blocking the arrow. With all the strength and momentum of the moon goddess with it though, it's not a simple thing to block. The strength of the shot sent the assassin stumbling backward and falling to the sides of the second floor down in a cascade of broken wood debris. Artemis immediately gave chase, another arrow already nocked and this time charged with a little power of the moon goddess as she was given the much needed seconds to imbue it when the assassin got knocked away.
Her opponent however is not idle. He barely managed to stand up and he's already speeding away in fast speeds that would have made Apollo jealous the moment that Artemis let loose the power fused arrow. Immediately the arrow despite failing to hit the escaping figure started multiplying itself on the dozens trying to cover all angles forcing the assassin to use his tanto to block some of them as he is forced to a corner before jumping up high in the air and landing at the second floor once again with one of his mocking poses aimed at her, the tanto once more sheathed at his side. Before Artemis could make another attempt at attack on him though, he disappeared in a flash of green blur to the balcony outside. The moon goddess still fuming and angered now at the taunts of her murdering her brother and lover didn't hesitate on giving chase.
The assassin is an idiot, she mentally thought to herself. The moon shone brightly over them imbuing with her with extra strength and speed. The balcony is open with pillars etched with a wolf holding the roof over her. It provided a great view of New York City and the sprawling China town surrounding the temple. Artemis however ignored all these as her eyes scanned back and forth searching for the assassin, anger burning hotly in her heart.
"I know you tell yourself that your brother or might I say, lover disobeyed the family…," Artemis moved in automatic loosening the arrow at her bow to her left where the voice came from only for it to hit nothing as she realized she fired at empty air.
"…and that you had to kill him to maintain order; that it was your duty," the irritating assassin said again lighting the forges on Artemis' heart and mind as the flashback of her killing her brother and dropping his arrow riddled corpse over the falls to scatter his essence came to her. She barely held on to her self-control on unleashing her divine form here and then. None in Olympus after all knows where she is, and using her power fully would make them aware and disapprove. As it is, she drew the last two remaining arrows from her quiver.
"It was my duty….and my burden!" faster than the eye can blink, Artemis drew and shot in speeds that only gods can do. Fast as she is, the assassin is faster. The tanto left its sheath parrying the flying arrow making it twirl in mid-air, landing arrowhead first at the wooden floor. This of course did not improve Artemis' temper one bit.
"That does not mean I don't honor him!" the moon goddess half-hissed, half-spat letting loose the final arrow she have at full draw at her opponent, with the velocity of sound. Despite herself, Artemis can't help the wicked smile that adorned her face as her mind estimated the velocity and the angle of the arrow. This shot is a clean hit. He can't avoid it and he can't parry it. She has won already.
At least in theory she should.
The assassin's mind processed the same facts that she did. Unable to counter, unable to parry, he did the one thing that Artemis didn't expect him to do…..He attacked. The tanto went in a clean horizontal sweep facing the silver arrow cutting it clearly in half sending the two pieces flying through him, lodging themselves at the wooden wall behind stunning Artemis as her silver eyes stared in awe at her enemy and her arrow.
That shock of seeing her last ammunition depleted didn't last though. Knowing that she's dead unless she does something, Artemis charged letting the previous words of the unknown assassin fill her heart, bringing to it a rage that would have made Ares jealous. She had no weapon, but her bow string immediately retracted making the moon goddess whirl the silver bow of hers like baton. Made of pure silverite, one of the rarest materials in the planet and one that Artemis only had access to, the bow is more than capable of taking extreme cases of damage against anything.
The assassin didn't fail to deliver as he also charged. The moment that the first hit met, Artemis knew immediately that she's heavily outmatched. In fact she got a nagging feeling that the assassin is playing with her as she wielded her bow in masterful strokes like a baton which he either parried or evaded. Their skirmish in fact didn't even last thirty seconds. The moment that her enemy changed from defending to attacking, Artemis found herself panicking as she barely managed to block the sharp slashes of the tanto before a flying dropkick connected with her bow sent her smashing to the aisle, making her lose her breathe for a second as her lungs struggle to recover. She barely managed to take her first breathe when managed to see the flying downward strike of the sword aiming straight at her face by a flying white blur from above. As it is, she just got her bow in time between her and the deadly point of the sword making her nearly scream out loud as the boots of the assassin planted themselves on her navel, the impact jarring her insides even as her skin protested at the contact.
Artemis only hissed as she saw the pointy end of the tanto coming closer and closer to her face. She knew that she's losing this stalemate every second. The enemy is stronger than her, taller than her and bigger than her. She's gonna die,
"Do you think you honor your brother Percy with incense offerings?" the assassin suddenly goaded without warning making whatever feeling of defeat that came up on the moon goddess' brain to dissipate as she glared angrily at the assassin. That name alone triggered deep seated feelings that only came every time she comes back here. "Honor resides in ones actions," the assassin continued not noticing the silver eyes that darted behind the interlocked bow and tanto, eyeing the last arrow nailed on the floor that got blocked a few minutes ago.
Artemis simply doesn't care anymore if the other gods noticed her or not, such is her rage.
"You dare..to lecture me about honor?!" she hissed angrily at the assassin letting her power gather at her arms to dangerous levels. "You are not worthy, to say his name!" unleashing them without warning, even the assassin is caught off guard as Artemis sent him reeling away bashing his head with the bow giving her the needed space as she ducked over the instinctive tanto strike and sliding in one knee to the arrow and picking it up immediately from the floor.
"Dynami tou tou fengariou, apelefthrosi!" (Power of the moon, release!) she roared feeling her godly essence fill the bow. This is an attack she rarely used. In fact the last time she used this is during Giant War. It essentially harnesses the power of the light of the moon at night, transforming said power to an energy essence that can be released by the goddess. It takes a great toll and can only be used if the moon is present and even then rarely, even by her thanks to the cost of energy it extolls.
Blue light immediately encircled the moon goddess' arm before circulating on the arrow she immediately released. Power exploded like a vacuum alerting everything related to mythology to her presence as the very essence of the moon goddess is felt. Twin stags have jumped out, made of the same bluish material from the bow galloping thunderously towards the assassin who managed to pick himself up. The stags lowered their heads, their massive antlers of energy aiming to skewer the beleaguered enemy of the goddess.
For a moment, the assassin looked extremely done for it as he readied himself on drawing the undrawn katana at his back as if making a last stand over the charging antlers of the deer. It is then that Artemis felt as if the very air is sucked and something overlapped over her aura smudging it down like a blanket and keeping it contained. Green aura flooded the assassin as he drew the edge of his blade which is shining yellow green in color.
"Fos ton asterion, xypniste!" (Light of the stars, awaken) he roared back sending off a powerful burst of pure starlight energy as out of the edges of the sword, an energy wolf of roaring green followed its masterful strokes meeting the two stags face first, its howls echoing on the night.
Artemis felt her heart drop as she watched in awe and astonishment as her stags faltered, the energy wolf biting the first one on the neck, forcing the other stag to follow as it followed the point blade of the assassin which made it circle around him before leading it back towards Artemis' direction. The wolf immediately let go of the energy stag turning Artemis' attack back towards her…double the force.
As it is, the moon goddess barely has the time to cover her face with her arms as the twin continuous bursts of moonlight energy slammed in full power over the meager layer of magic she ensorcelled herself with. It took all her remaining power and self-control to remain on her toes as the twin stags of the moon continued their onslaught and she can't help the agonizing scream that left her lips as her miniscule shield finally ran out of juice and she felt face first the full power of her own strongest attack in its last few seconds before everything finally ended leaving Artemis wobbling as she felt her knees lose whatever strength they have left as she fell kneeling at the ground in front of her soon-to-be-killer.
The assassin however despite his almost near victory looked cool as a cucumber, no muscle in his body twitching in recognition even as the moon goddess fell to the floor. The drawn katana elegantly went back to it's sheathe at his back smoking a bit.
For Artemis however, only one thing remains in her head as she glared at the offending assassin. She's so angry in fact that she doesn't give a flying fig anymore even if she dies as long as she takes this bastard with her. Seeing him use that power reminds her of the person she loves the most in this entire world and she won't allow anyone to use the same powers almost parallel to he does.
"Only one god can use the power of the stars," she hissed accusingly despite it coming more off as a tired groan. "What are you?"
The assassin's reply is to only charge forward making Artemis close her eyes in instinct as the green blur flashed too close for comfort at her front, the cold kiss of the tanto's blade touching her throat. She knows in her heart that it's over already. The bow has fallen far from her reach half a hand away and majority of her muscles felt like someone poured hot lead over them. This is it, after so many years of fighting, living and simply existing, it is such an unfitting end. She imagined herself falling over defense of the other gods and her pantheon, not being murdered by some random assassin who stole her brother and lover's power for some reason. Such irony though, she who killed him is brought low by the very same power. It would almost seem like divine justice for her, and the murder she made.
"Do it then, kill me," she said simply trying hard not to swallow as the blade of the tanto seemed to press closer on her neck for a few precious seconds that she almost closed her eyes as her self-preservation kicked in, not wishing for her to see the final blow. However the blow never came.
"No," the unexpected answer stunned the moon goddess as the tanto pressing to her throat suddenly left, the feeling of doom that it gives off suddenly lifted like a cloud moving away from the shade of the moonlight. Still in her wearied state, she can only look at the assassin whose stance turned from the offensive one he is making a second ago to a more relaxed stance of simply standing, his tanto carelessly swinging at his side.
"I will not grant you the death that you wish for," the assassin said simply. "You still have a purpose for this life….sister,"
It took the moon goddess' brain a few seconds to register and Artemis' eyes widened as the assassin's last word finally kicked in her brain making her stand up as the points finally connected in her mind though every part of her doesn't want to believe it and believe it at the same time. The power of the stars, the wolf magic, the voice that seems familiar to her but she can't place a finger to who. It all only points into one direction as to who this person is.
"No…no, my brother is dead," she half-whispered, half-said as her brain screamed in denial despite the evidence and the proof that it just connected. She only watched in both horror and fascination as the assassin seemed to press something at the back of his head, the front face cover that it wore immediately disengaging showing it to be some kind of mask piece as its sides puffed smoke. Sea green eyes immediately greeted her and Artemis has no doubt anymore as her heart felt as if it's been stabbed by a spear. She would recognize those eyes anywhere. Time has not dulled it and the long centuries did not make her forget those loving eyes that once greeted her every morning ever since she is small.
"Percy," she whispered both in longing and no small amount of apprehension and fear at the brother and lover she killed before.
"The deer knelt upon the ground, for the first time he was able to see clearly the world around her and she became human. The stranger revealed himself as her fallen brother; together the two set out to rebuild what they have once destroyed,"
"What have you…become?" Artemis immediately regretted the question that left her lips as she noticed that the armor that her brother wore is in fact his very own body. When she saw the face, only the eyes remained the same, everything else is covered and her heart broke seeing how different, and yet so the same her brother is.
"I've accepted what I've become," the former god of the stars answered, covering his face once more with the face mask leaving nothing but the green inverted V visor lighting in green. "..and I have forgiven you. Now you must forgive yourself," he finished clasping her left shoulder before walking past the still stunned goddess at the revelation.
"The world is changing once again Arty, and it's time to pick a side," he stated before jumping off the edge in one leap, the light of the stars shining on him in the night as he landed on the next few roofs away.
Artemis for a while didn't recognize that her brother is final leaving. Seeing him jump away however finally ignited a rage in her that she didn't know she have; rage of the fact that he didn't show himself to her ever and left her wallowing in darkness and misery, rage of the fact that he's also leaving her again just like this. As usual her mind went back in defensive mode as she ran forward pulling the arrow from the wall, notching it on her bow aiming at the back of the white figure.
"Real life is no like the stories our mother told us!" she hissed in anger though her heart begged for her to stop what she's saying and lower the bow. These are the same words she used before she killed him. And as horrified as she is for saying it again, her impulsive attitude once more showed itself out and this is the only thing she came up with to at least try to make him stay.
"Perhaps I am a fool for believing there is still hope for you," her brother stated sagely in reply catching Artemis by surprise at her words. As usual her brother loved her and she wanted nothing more than to tell him that back. "But I do," he finally turned towards her.
"Think on that…sister," his hand went to a strange ninja sign at his chest, smoke immediately engulfing him as he disappeared into nothingness leaving behind nothing but a hawk's feather and a broken-hearted and crying moon goddess who went back to the sanctum to meditate in piece. Only this time above her, a tapestry covered in cloth before now fully revealed by the light of the moon and the stars is the painting of a doe and a wolf intertwined as they reached for the heavens.
..
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So that's it. I actually took this from Overwatch and made it an almost 6K story. It is inspired by Vampire Huntress from Cassie's old work in this account. Hope ya like it. This is my first PJO one shot.