Chapter Four
Joshua and Artemis traveled through the corridor of light at break-neck speeds attempting to reach the reptile's home planet.
Artemis looked at Joshua and just stared at him for a few moments he was majestic riding on his hover-board like glider.
The goddess of the hunt felt differently around this male, and she knew why for this male…this boy was her child a forbidden birth likely to destroyed and tossed into Tartarus never to be seen again.
Thinking of this caused Artemis to remember the one she would've given everything to had it not been for her father and uncles she would most likely be married with a few younglings of her own, the man she was thinking of was not who many would assume it was another his name was Ventus and he was the son Tifa the Japanese Goddess of strength and valor and her own twin brother Apollo Greek God of the Sun.
It was an odd paring to say the least two deities from two different pantheons were romantically involved although it wasn't uncommon for Apollo but this was the first time he'd been legitimately in love with another in fact the arrogant sun god had asked Hephaestus to craft a beautiful pair of golden rings and he was going to propose too but, Susanoo the king of the Japanese pantheon intervened but not before the birth of a new immortal son; Ventus his name meant "Wind" in his native language.
Ventus was a kindhearted person unlike the other Japanese gods he didn't have black or white hair, but golden blonde much like Apollo and his hair seemed to defy gravity as it seemed to stick up every which way but it appeared natural his eyes were the purest blue she had ever seen, even purer than her idiot twin.
Artemis looked around as she came out of her memories Joshua was definitely focused on rescuing his father she spoke
"Joshua?" she called and he looked at her.
"Yes" he answered lightly
"Do you know who your mother is?" she inquired wondering if somehow he knew.
Joshua thought for a moment
"I think all children know when they're in their mother's presence" he answered showcasing his level of perception.
"Then who do you believe is your mother?" Artemis asked assessing how much his insight had allowed him to figure out.
"I believe…you…are my mother" the boy responded hesitantly and bracing himself for a hit when it didn't come he opened one eye and to his surprise Artemis was smiling proudly at him.
"Your perception rivals that of Apollo and Athena combined" Joshua blushed a furious red before something occurred to him
"If you are my mother and Apollo is my father…."he began
"Go on, you've almost got it" she encouraged him
"I'm not actually a half-blood am I?"
Artemis shook her head
"You are a godling"
Joshua was confused
"But how I thought you were a maiden goddess?"
Artemis turned red
"Well after I saw my brother and his son Ventus together I was left wanting to experience the trials of parenthood so I asked the one person I trust with my very exsistence with for help" she said with a mystified look in her silver eyes.
The meaning dawned on him; the one person Artemis would trust that much even if she never said it was her twin Apollo, his father.
"So you asked Dad to help you"
the moon goddess nodded
"We had to keep you a secret from Olympus or they'd know I broke my oath and you'd most likely be throw into Tartarus like Ventus."
Joshua picked up on the remorse in the way she said that name.
"Mom, you said that name twice…Ventus was it did you know him or something?"
Artemis eyes watered at the question
"Yes…quite intimately actually" Josh continued to say
"I've heard stories about him from Dad, but nothing bad enough to merit Tartarus."
Artemis nodded "He was the kindest man I ever had the fortune of meeting"
Joshua saw the look in his mother's eyes
"You loved him didn't you?"
Artemis again nodded
"I'd like to hear about him…if you don't mind of coarse"
The goddess thought for a moment
"Very well, this a bit of a lengthy tale we look to have enough time"
She took a deep breath
"As I said Ventus was the kindest man I'd ever met, I met him 1,000 years before Orion" She then began projecting the memory into Joshua's mind and they both watched the events of the past.
Flashback begins
Artemis was walking through a forest on the Northern most island of Japan an island called Hokkaido, she was searching for her missing brother.
He'd been away from Olympus a little too long and Zeus was ready to blow his toga so Artemis had been sent to retrieve the wayward sun god since no one was better at tracking than the goddess of the hunt.
While she walked she had to wonder what was going through her father's head attempting to restrain Apollo especially at this time of the year especially since these disappearances were caused by Zeus himself.
It was only 300 years since the death of Asclepius; Apollo's first half-blood child at the time the law forbidding gods from having contact with their mortal offspring hadn't been made yet and Apollo spent a lot of time with his son but Zeus became threatened when Asclepius began showcasing healing skills that rivaled a god's and feared it would upset the balance of life and death so he struck Asclepius down with a blast from his master bolt.
Apollo had been so devastated by the event that he was an emotional wreck for four and a half centuries.
Artemis truly hated seeing her twin so depressed he eventually got through it but began disappearing which infuriated Zeus to no end but Hestia commented that due to his killing of Asclepius he owed Apollo that much as this was the first of many, many betrayals Apollo would suffer by Zeus' hand.
Artemis eventually came to a large clearing where a small Japanese cabin stood near the opposite edge decent sized trees stood with beautiful pink cherry blossoms adorning the branches.
The moon goddess began to approach the cabin just as she reached what she believed to be the doorstep he heard someone laugh it sounded like there were at least three inside she then heard an unmistakable laugh she knew immediately who one of those people were.
But the laughter wasn't coming from inside of the cabin but out in the yard. She look around the side of the house and saw none other than Apollo himself, she noticed he wasn't at all depressed to the contrary he seemed to be in a very jovial mood.
Artemis investigated but kept to shadows as not to try and spoil her brother's eccentric mood.
Upon further inspection the goddess of the hunt realized Apollo was throwing a discus to someone she spied across from the sun god and saw a young boy maybe twelve or thirteen.
He had spiky blonde hair that just appeared to grow that way, his eyes were of the most breathtaking blue she had ever seen and almost the same spark as Apollo that's when she noticed that the boy was a godling, his aura alone confirmed that.
"Papa!" she heard the boy call and Artemis' heart stopped he was pointing directly at her
"How on earth did the godling sense me, I am the Hunt personified but a mere child immortal or not was able to sense me."
In a split second Apollo wheeled around his fiery golden bow in his hand but when he realized who it was he let out a sigh of relief.
"Artemis, dearest sister what're you doing this far from Olympus?" questioned the sun god.
The huntress knew she was caught and answered honestly
"I'm here on orders from our father Lord Zeus to bring you back to Greece" answered the moon goddess.
"Does Father not remember our deal, we swore on the Styx for Hades sake…I have four weeks left here and I intend to enjoy them with my family" Apollo stated in a voice that dared Artemis to challenge him.
That word struck her as odd
"Family? Apollo, Zeus is your father, I am your sister regrettably ; we are your family" Apollo nodded in agreement and smiled
"Not what I meant Sister dear"
Artemis thought and looked between Apollo and the lad who just came up and stood beside him and deep blue eyes watching her suspiciously and then a woman walked up and pecked Apollo on the cheek.
Artemis' eyes went wide when she realized what Apollo meant
"Apollo…is this little godling…is this boy…your son?" she asked breathlessly .
Apollo beamed at her
"Yes he is"
Apollo looked down at his son
"Artemis, meet young Ventus my first immortal son…Ven this is my sister, your Aunt this is Artemis"
Ventus' eyes lost their suspicion and he smiled just as brightly as his father.
The black haired woman walked
"So you're the sister this one goes on and on about, I am Tifa Japanese Goddess of Strength and Valor."
Artemis shook her hand when she offered it.
"Papa was right you're even prettier than Lady Tsukoyomi-sama" Ventus said Artemis noticed how gentle his voice was and she gave him small smile.
"Brother, one thing bothers me how was your son able to sense me before you did as you know I am goddess of the hunt and forests are my domain"
Apollo smiled again
" Yes forests are your domain…in Greece but here in Japan forests belong to Ventus here; Amaterasu the queen goddess of this land granted him control over the western winds and forests as well as the graphical arts and boyhood so he'll probably age a little further then this before he stops" the sun god explained
"but Susanoo her husband isn't fond of foreigners like me so he has been trying keep me from coming back…" Apollo stopped and looked up as the sky went dark and large samurai appeared.
"Lord Susanoo-sama what are you doing here" Tifa asked preparing to defend herself.
"The only way to make sure this…foreign bastard causes no more trouble here as well as his half breed son"
Tifa's eyes widen as she realized what her king meant
"APOLLO! Run take Ventus and run I' ll hold him off if you or Artemis try anything it'll start a war."
Artemis looked at her brother and he looked torn
"Susanoo how'd you find out I was here" Apollo asked although the moon goddess had a hunch of who let him know.
"Your father boy! Now I shall take what you value most and send them to the underworld…well one of them will be going to the underworld the other's tenure is over!"
Susanoo then raised his sword and pointed at Tifa whose godly glow vanished Apollo's eyes hardened as Artemis froze when she felt betrayal cross her brother's mind Tifa turned towards Apollo and kissed him deeply
"Apollo my radiant man, please I will always love you and watch over you from the Faded Realm please take Ventus and go back to Greece and never set foot here again and promise me that me that you'll use all of your power to protect Ventus"
Tifa asked pressing her forehead against Apollo's and holding his hands.
"I swear on the River Styx" he whispered "I love you Tifa darling, I will do all in my power to protect Ventus even if it means being sent to Tartarus for it"
Artemis watched the whole seen and realized Apollo was in love with her.
"I know Sunshine, now go take Ventus and run…Ventus I need you to be a strong boy for me alright and be good for your father and do whatever he tells you…Now move Apollo I can only hold him off for a short time"
with that Tifa wheeled around and ran towards the divine samurai; Apollo stared for a moment but quickly came to his senses and picked Ventus up and ran with all his might
"Come on Artemis, Let's go he said letting loose a whistle to summon his chariot and Artemis blew her horn to summon hers.
Just as the chariot descended to the ground there was a huge explosion the fleeing three looked back to see column of red-violet energy shooting over the trees Apollo swallows his emotions and jumps onto his chariot Artemis following his lead they flick the reins at the same time a take off into the sky streaking toward Greece.
Apollo looks back
"Sayonara…my precious panda"
and they hit hypersonic speeds and were in Greece by the next afternoon.
Artemis' moon chariot and Apollo's sun chariot land on Mount Olympus.
Apollo picks up Ventus and carries him to his palace and lies him on the bed
"Sleep Ventus, you need to rest"
Ventus didn't have the energy to argue and complied as he was asleep in no time.
Apollo leans in and kisses his son on the head
"Sweet dreams Ventus"
He walks out and closes the door when the sun god turns around he finds Artemis staring at him.
"Apollo…you loved her didn't you?" the huntress asked quietly.
Instead of answering the sun god let out wail of anguish and sank to his knees.
Artemis runs to her brother and pulled him into a comforting embrace and he grasped on to her and soaked her hunter's tunic with golden tears.
Artemis rubbed soothing circles on his back she sensed his emotions and could tell Apollo's heart had shattered into a million pieces.
Soon enough Apollo calmed down but was still too distraught to pick himself up.
"You know the ironic thing Artemis" Apollo questioned his voice quiet and subdued.
"And what would that be brother?"
"I was going propose to her tonight once Ventus was in bed."
Artemis gasped
"You loved her enough to marry here…Apollo I'm sorry I had no idea you had finally found someone."
Apollo chuckled
"No one did Arty I was going to tell you when I got back this time. Queen Amaterasu was elated that a cross-pantheon marriage was going to occur because it would've connected us to them and we would've gained a very powerful ally but no! Zeus had to ruin that too."
Artemis was startled by her brother's outburst
"Apollo there is one thing you can do to keep her memory alive…keep the boy safe even from Lord Zeus"
[So there is chapter 4 what do you think of The Ventus X Artemis hints if you like it send me a PM or Review and I'll continue it]
[The story eventually leads to Joshua's birth so keep that in mind]