Prologue: The Awakening
Our story starts in a small wooded forest in Athens, Greece. There were many different forests in Greece; many even larger than the forest where our story starts. But this forest was special. It was the very epitome of a winter wonderland, with snow huddled in small mounds, some bigger than others, and the skeletons of trees that were once gilded in red and gold casted thin shadows on the snow-covered ground. In the middle it all was a small hut that squatted snugly into the white powder. This hut, which was once crackling with life, now sat desolate and empty. It was like an alter, but the gods had all gone away.* But do not fret, dear readers, for the gods will soon return.
The moon seemed to shine unusually bright on this night, as if signaling to the people of Athens an important event. The people of the city observed the moon and murmured, "Selene is in a good mood tonight. Make haste! For if we plan our drachmas right, she will bless us." They were right, in a way, for Selene was celebrating the birth of a new moon goddess.
Unknown to the partying city of Athens, the old cabin that had marked the death of one of the city's best storytellers was surrounded by the brilliant light of the moon. Inside lay the body of a twelve year old girl. How did she die, you may ask? All in good time, dear readers.
One silvery moonbeam escaped its brethren, crept through one of the small windows surrounding the house, and tiptoed over to the bed in the corner, where the talented storyteller had been laid to rest. This beam settled onto the girl's pale but youthful face, and, this is where it gets confusing, dear readers, for even I do not know what happened next. Part of the beam began to sink into the girl's skin. Her hair absorbed the silvery light, and color began to return to her features. But she changed, too. Her hair, which was once a dark, almond brown, lightened to an auburn color, and her body became lithe, like the body of a panther. Her clothes, which were once a wool dress that reached her ankles, became comfortable black jeans and a silver parka, while her shoes, which were once moccasins, became combat boots that would run much faster than moccasins would. Her skin, which was previously a sickly pale porcelain, became a healthier tan color.
The girl sat up with a gasp, and when she opened them, her eyes were a vibrant silver; the same color as the moonbeam that had restored her to life. Staring around in confusion, the girl tried to remember what she knew. All she remembered was the darkness that had surrounded her, like the thick, inky blackness of space. Stumbling out of the bed and the hut into the cold air outside, she breathed in the icy cold air. Even though she loathed to admit it, she was scared. Scared of the sharp coldness like the flat of a blade and the foreboding darkness that promises pain.
But then she saw the moon. It projected a calming aura, so strong that it calmed her fears. She knew that as long as the moon was there, she would be safe. Not knowing where to go or what she was meant to do, the girl began trudging towards the loud sounds of partying that seemed to come from a city up ahead, until her foot hit something. Staring down in surprise, she found a magnificent bow made out of silver, with a quiver full of arrows and a set of hunting knives made from the same material. A traditional hunting horn lay next to them. They were partially covered in snow, so she wasn't sure if they had just appeared, or if they had been sitting there for a long time. Eyes sparkling with glee, the girl carefully notched an arrow, before shooting it at a nearby tree. It hit with surprising accuracy, but what surprised her more was the green leaves that sprung from the previously barren branches. This green tree stood out from the rest, and it caused a smile to appear on the stoic girl's face.
Whistling softly to herself, the girl began to sprint, and reached the city in no time. Wandering between the bustling stalls of the market, she tried to catch someone's attention, but nobody noticed her. She shrugged it off, blaming it on the loud noises usually attributed to partying. Spying a young girl being chased by an older boy, she hurried over to the pair and began asking "Excuse me, can you please tell me where I-", but never finished. The young girl ran straight through her, the boy following close behind. The girl jolted back as if shocked, before sprinting back into the safety of her woods. Falling to her knees in despair, the girl hears a small voice whisper in her head the following message: "Artemis, child, I am the Man in Moon. You are one of my most powerful spirits. Your domains cover that of the original Greek goddess, including power over the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity, and young children, especially girls. You are also the Guardian of the Moon, as Selene is in Greece. Go do what you do best, my child, and I will see you soon."
"I do not understand," she protested, but the voice had gone away. Wiping her tears away, she decided to heed this stranger's advice: to do what she did best, although she did not know what she was best at yet. Eying the hunting horn curiously, the girl brought it to her lips and blew a long, steady sound. The sound of the hunting horn rung through the forest like church bells, and the city dwellers all stopped what they were doing to hear the sound. Mothers told their sons "That is the sound of Artemis's hunting horn. She will protect you from the monsters tonight," and fathers told their daughters about the mighty goddess Artemis and her huntresses.
The girl, however, did not hear their words, and instead waited patiently to see what would happen. Nothing did at first, but then a silver chariot pulled by deer descended from the sky. The chariot shone with power from the moon, and the girl gave the head deer a pet on her furry head, before climbing in and driving her team off into the night sky.
But that was a long, long time ago.
So, what do you think? I sat up writing this until 10:00, so it's not the best. It's also pretty short, but I hope you liked it. I will try to update this story as much as possible too, and will set my goals for one chapter a week, like for The Dreamer. Please support me! Happy reading!