Its that time of year agaaaaain! I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday of all time. So, I've been doing this series for a while and I will probably have two stories this year (a League one and an Undertale one). I did one last year based on Doombots, this one I wanted to play around with Artemis, Apolla, and Ares again. So this one actually isn't set when they're kids. They're a bit older this time.
Thirteen Stories of Halloween: Shadows in the Hall (A We Are Warriors Story)
Gwen Noble was busy setting up for a Halloween party when she was nearly bowled over by a blonde blur, spilling decorations all over the floor.
"Oops! Sorry Gram!" a fourteen year old, blonde haired and blue eyed Apolla chirped, "Didn't see you there!"
Gwen shook her head as the teenager stooped and helped pick up the scattered cutouts of spiders, pumpkins and ghosts.
"Between you and your brother, I'm not sure who's going to tear the house down first," Gwen chuckled.
Apolla rolled her blue eyes, elegantly sweeping back her long hair in a smooth motion.
"Probably him," she said, "I might be a clutz, but he has as much grace as a bull in a china shop,"
Gwen laughed, shaking her head before looking at her granddaughter.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" she asked her.
"Going to the store to get the last piece of my costume for the party later," Apolla smiled, "Figured I've put it off long enough!"
"Just be careful, Apolla," Gwen warned, "Don't do anything that…"
"Mom wouldn't do?" Apolla asked, her smile faltering slightly.
The blonde teen and her siblings were effectively orphans. Their parents had died in an accident when they were just children. Artemis, their older sister had been six, Apolla and her twin brother, Ares, had been four when Gwen 'adopted' her grandchildren and raised them with the help of their other grandparents, Jagen, Astra and Orion.
"Yeah," Gwen sighed, "Just…promise you'll be safe,"
"I promise," Apolla nodded.
Gwen hugged her youngest grandchild tightly before giving a hum.
"Speaking of your siblings…where are they?"
"Ares is in the garage working on his costume…I dunno where Artemis is," Apolla shrugged, "Might want to ask Papou, Pappouli or Yaya,"
Gwen gave a smile as Apolla skipped out with unearthly grace.
"Looks more like her aunt every day," came a heavily accented male voice behind her.
Gwen jumped and turned around to face Jagen, who looked amused.
"Don't do that to me," Gwen scolded, "What would your grandchildren say if they saw their Papou jumpscaring their grandma,"
"They probably think it would be amusing," Jagen chuckled, "At least Ares would enjoy it,"
The Rakkoran former chief gave a pained smile, his golden eyes dim.
"He is so like his father…"
Gwen put her hand on Jagen's shoulder.
"I'm sure wherever Pantheon is, he is safe," she told him, "He is still alive, we know that…"
"Aye, but at what cost?" Jagen growled bitterly, "His soul is…and I don't even know about Arthur and what happened to him,"
Gwen's smile fell.
"I just hope Cira is safe as well…I don't think she is handling Leona being…" Gwen stopped, sighing.
"Leona not being her normal self," came another male voice as Astra and Orion came into the room, "Sorry, Gwen, we heard you talking…"
"None of them are acting right," Astra whispered, tears streaming, "The terrified look on Diana's face when we took her in…how she looked right through us as if we were strangers…that wrath-filled expression when Leona realized we had hid her…the…the…the flash…"
Orion held his wife close, kissing her head as Astra shook. Only thanks to the Kindred's intervention had the three Targonians been able to escape the Mountain.
"We are safe now," he told her gently, "I know it's been ten years since we lost them, but we have our grandchildren…and we have Gwen to take care of us and for us to take care of them,"
Gwen's face flushed, it was saying something that they thought that highly of her. When a tired and frantic Dianne suddenly showed up on her doorstep all those years ago with three wet, frightened, bedraggled Targonians behind her, Gwen had immediately taken them in. Dianne had explained who they were, given Gwen a hug "From Cira" and then disappeared as quickly as she had come.
"Speaking of our grandchildren, where are they?" Jagen asked.
"Ares is in the garage," Orion said, "He was working on something…a 'weapon' I think,"
"He could go in the basement to get one," Jagen chuckled.
"No!" both Gwen and Astra growled.
"Not until they are ready!" Astra hissed, "Artemis might be sixteen, but she does not have a Korr to complete. I plan to let her live to be a young woman unmarked by war,"
"Speaking of Artemis…" Gwen started, "Have any of you seen her?"
"All I've seen as Apollo running around like a poro promised with a treat and Ares tinkering in the garage," Orion told her.
Gwen frowned. Artemis was a quiet soul, but it would be best to go and find the young teenager.
Gwen ad searched around the whole house, but there was still no sign of Artemis. She's just given up hope…when she heard voices coming from one of the older rooms. Her heart leaped in her throat as she heard the gentle, sun-warm voice…of her eldest daughter.
The older woman opened up the door far quicker than she probably should have.
"Cir…" Gwen choked off as she saw Artemis sitting on the bed, holding her knees as she sat her chin on them, "Artemis! We've looking for you all day…"
The eldest grandchild looked up, her long red hair rippling down her back as her golden eyes flickered.
"Sorry…Gram," she started slowly, "Just…wanted to get away,"
'Apolla?"
Artemis nodded. She loved her little sister dearly…but Apolla could just be so loud. Gwen gave a soft smile and came over to her granddaughter, putting a hand on her shoulder. Artemis took after her mother far more than she should. Including the fact that she was 'augmented'. When she and her siblings arrived to Earth, it had messed with Artemis and hurled all her senses into overdrive. Loud noises were deafening, bright lights blinded her…the schools immediately diagnosed her with having a form of hyper sensory autism, something that Gwen and her new family ran with. After all…how were you going to explain to a six year old that she was more than human?
"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, looking at the television Artemis sat in front of.
"Watching a video I…found in Mama and Daddy's room," Artemis said, picking up the remote and hitting 'play'.
Gwen watched, her heart hurting as she saw the familiar red-blonde hair and stormy blue eyes of her daughter as she laughed on the screen.
"Arthur! Put that thing down! You know I hate seeing myself on camera!"
"Oh c'mon, Ci, no one is going to see it. It's just for the Halloween/Harrowing party,"
"I wonder how long ago this was…" Gwen whispered.
"Long time," Artemis said, "Not long before we were born I think,"
"The guests will be here any minute!" came a third voice, Mir, as said Chosen came into view, "I…"
There was a knock on the door and Cira gave a brilliant smile, nearly lighting up the room as she trotted towards the door and opened it, revealing many people dressed in costumes.
"Come on in!" she laughed, "Everything is ready for you all!"
Gwen heard a faint sniffing sound and turned around to see tears streaking down Artemis' cheeks.
"Artemis?" she asked, drawing the sixteen year old close.
The red head clung to her, soaking tears through Gwen's shirt.
"I just…I wish I could have known her," she sobbed, "Known Mama and Daddy and Aunt Mir…but they're gone…"
"They're not gone," Gwen whispered into the scarlet locks, "Your aunt lives in your sister: determined and steadfast in her beliefs, and will fight for what she thinks is right. Your father lives in your brother: Strong, loyal, and brave. And your mother?"
Artemis lifted her head, her golden eyes reddened as tears brimmed. Gwen gave a soft smile, brushing the soft crimson strands away from her face.
"I can see her kindness, her gentle soul and her protective fire in you," Gwen told the teenager, "Bright as the sun and just as warm. But God help whoever tries to harm your siblings or someone you love. They will not have a good time,"
Artemis gave a sad smile and looked up at the screen just to see the camera get taken by Mir and quickly recording Cira and Arthur sharing a kiss before Cira curled up on the couch next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. Two pairs of golden eyes smiled at the camera as they waved.
The young teen's heart fell. Regardless of how much she looked and acted like her mother…it was not enough to fill that awful hole in her spirit.
On Runeterra…
Dianne sat on the rocky outcrop in the middle of the ocean, the water lapping at her hooves while Wolf grumbled beside her, glaring at the mist-shrouded island before them. She didn't have to wait long as the mist writhed and revealed a spectre in archaic armor with three spears piercing her back.
"There a reason why you're here?" the spectre asked, her grey eyes curious.
"Finding you is not easy, Krista, and you know it," Dianne pointed out.
"True," Kalista's Chosen shrugged, "What news from the mainland then? The world hasn't ended yet has it? Remember our deal…"
"Yes I remember," Dianne snorted, "And no it hasn't…otherwise Wolf would be having far too much fun in the Shadow Isles,"
"So would Lucian and Jonathan I think," Krista smirked, "Though they've been reunited with Senna and Sienna both. But again…why are you here?"
"I'm still worried about…well…you know," Dianne muttered, "Even Andrew's not himself since it happened,"
"Hate to sound callous but…there's nothing we can do," Krista deadpanned, "Whatever curse is on the Mountain is too strong for the Summoners to break,"
"I know that!" Dianne huffed, "But there has to be some way!"
"What about the kids?" Krista asked, "I mean…they just…kinda disappeared. I think only you know where they're at,"
Dianne's eyes flashed under her mask and she stood up.
"The kids! Krista! You're a genius!" she squealed, "I've got to go find them…and get them here!"
"Glad to be of some help," Krista chuckled, "Now, if you excuse me…"
Her eyes flared white as she looked past Dianne.
"We have business to attend to on the mainland," Kalista stated, "The Harrowing has come,"
And with that, the Spirit of Vengeance faded away into mist…and Death melted into a silvery white and blued black blur as she dashed away.
I had to mention Harrowing at some point lol. And now you've seen the kiddos as teenagers! You'll get to see a lot more of them in the actual story...but I need people to take Champions before I can do it! Anyways...keep an eye out for the Undertale Halloween special :) That one will be mostly humor and not bittersweet stuff like this.
Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!
Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)
Máriessë ar mára tecië
Farewell and fair writing
