Updated: 28/8/2021
Happy 29th Birthday to Me and Happy 55th Birthday to my Dad!
This is the biggest mass update I have done
Chapter .3.
Artemis steps forward with Apollo in wolf form at her side. The Council gasps seeing her patched up and dirty dress. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. And her eyes were full of Grief, Fear, Sadness, Anxiety and Despair.
"Daughter what happened?" Zeus asks, "Where is Apollo?"
Artemis looks at the Council and could tell even in her state they were disturbed to see her in this state. And she really couldn't blame them.
"Dad?" Artemis asks trembling a bit.
She was shocked to be back on Olympus after all this time and in this state.
Zeus and everyone's eyes widen at Artemis use of Dad it had always been Father and in a much more confident tone. But this tone was like she really couldn't believe she was here in front of them, in front of him.
"It is me daughter", Zeus confirms in an usually concerned way.
They see tears fall from Artemis's eyes. And she falls to her knees next to the large wolf that they had just noticed was there and clings to it. Burying her face in the wolves fur.
"We are home", she whimpers into the wolf's fur.
The people who bought her here look at her sadly. They saw how much this was effecting her. There must be more to the story.
"Athena explain!" Zeus demands.
"We found Apollo in the forest where the intelligence supported the location. He…he wasn't himself", Athena states.
"What do you mean? And where is he?" Poseidon asks.
"He called us by our titles. And seemed nervous and paranoid. And he sounded depressed. He looked like he had lost a lot of weight. He was dirty all over including his hair which was messy and had clothes like Artemis here that were worn, patched and had holes in them. There was not sign of his sunny personality that he used to have", Athena tells them.
They looked at Artemis who was still crying and basically unresponsive hugging the wolf too her. Hestia hadn't been able to bare it and had come down to her size and was trying to comfort the traumatized Goddess.
"He was talking in riddles and a buzzard hawk was with him", Percy tells them.
"If there was a hawk where is it? And where is he?" Zeus asks getting impatient as he was worried about his daughter and still his son.
They explained how he wouldn't or seemed he couldn't tell them what happened. They told the Council how they told Apollo about the war to come. And told him about the ascension of those to Godhood.
"And then…", Hermes hesitates.
"Then?" Poseidon prompts.
"He said we didn't have time and told us too leave because we shouldn't see what was going to happen. He mentioned a curse but we didn't know what he meant till the sunset", Hermes tells them.
"What happened when the Sunset?" Aphrodite asks she was interested and disturbed that the person she argued with the most was now nearly catatonic on the floor.
"He stepped back from us and runes of black and gold appeared around him in a circle and he screamed out as he changed the Hawk also cried out and changed. And Apollo's cries sounded like he was in agony and his cries turned into howls and the Hawks cries turned into a woman's cry. And then in place of Apollo was a wolf…", Athena says gesturing to the wolf Artemis was clinging too, "And in the place of the hawk was this Artemis"
Everyone was shocked and horrified at this.
"How can this be? Hecate?" Zeus calls.
Hecate frowns and waves her hands of Artemis and the Apollo/Wolf.
"They have a curse on them. It is by night and by day. Means one of them is human during the night and the other human during the day. I am having trouble ready some of it. It is like something is interfering with the reading. Those collars I think", Hecate replies frowning, "This feels like evil magic"
Gasps were heard from the Council. The Children of Apollo and Hunters of Artemis were furious how can this be? Who used evil magic on their Father/Mistress?
They all looked at the shaking Artemis.
How could this have happened to the Twin Archers that had been so full of life?
"Daughter?" Zeus calls.
Artemis doesn't seem to hear him. Hestia decides to try.
"Artemis your Father is trying to talk to you", Hestia says gently.
The wolf seems to hear and nudges her. Artemis looks up at him.
"I am sorry Dad. But I haven't heard my name in a very, very long time. I am not even sure if I can call it my name anymore", Artemis says shakily.
That was disturbing on so many levels.
"Daughter what has happened to you? What happened to you AND Apollo?" Zeus asks gently his Fatherly concern coming out.
Artemis whimpers at Zeus saving HIS name.
"Father, Artemis told us when they hear or try to say the others name they feel pain flash through them", Athena explains.
"That means they hadn't heard the others name in 550 years", Kayla gasps.
"Yes", Artemis replies.
"Daughter who did this?" Zeus asks wanting to tear the world apart to get the person responsible for this.
All thoughts of the war they were in were starting to leave his mind.
"I can't say", Artemis stutters.
"We need…"
"I can't say. I can't say", she repeats stuttering in fear, "Collar prevents me from telling who did this too us. It is the same with HIM. I'm sorry, I can't, I can't, I can't…"
They could see she was having a panic attack. Hestia rubs her back as Athena gets on the ground to help.
"Deep breathes Artemis. Nobody will hurt you here. Your safe. Your safe", Athena repeats trying to calm her down.
"Why can't I have him back?" Artemis cries, "I just want him back. I haven't seen him in so long I'm forgetting what he looks like, how he sounds like, the feeling of feeling safe in his presence and arms"
They all looked at her and started to feel the pain flowing from every pore of Artemis.
"Why are you forgetting? Surely you see him in your other form?" Nemesis asks.
"I can't. Part of the spell makes his imagine different through my hawk eyes. I can't really understand or hear the right voice with my hawk ears", Artemis informs them.
Now they understood in Artemis eyes she hadn't really been with her brother in 5 and a half centuries and hadn't had the comfort he usually provided in just that long.
"I haven't felt the sun on my face in so long. I have forgotten what it feels like. I haven't seen the sunrise in so long. I have forgotten how beautiful it is. I haven't smelt the morning air and I have forgotten what it smells like. I am forgetting. I barely remember my name. I am forgetting more and more as each day passes", Artemis tears falling.
Many of the Goddesses in the room were crying at what Artemis was saying and nobody could imagine what Artemis AND Apollo was going through. If this is what Artemis felt then surely Apollo felt the same way.
"I don't want to forget. But I am", Artemis sobs.
To everyone's surprise Aphrodite gets down with Artemis and hugs her.
"WE will make SURE you BOTH don't forget anymore. Right everyone?" Aphrodite asks everyone.
"Of course", everyone says.
"We won't let you forget him Milady. I swear on the River Styx", Thalia swears.
Many others swear an oath too.
"And we won't let HIM forget you", Hera says to the surprise of everyone.
"Thank you Lady Hera, Lady Aphrodite", Artemis says trying to bow.
"You don't need to bow to us", Hera wave her to stop.
And Hera herself gets down on the ground with Aphrodite.
"It seems we have wronged you by allowing this to happen", Hera states.
"No you haven't. You're the Olympians you have more important things to do", Artemis replies much to their shock.
"Your family Artemis, you and your brother both. So don't ever believe you have to lower yourself to us", Hera says sternly.
Artemis was shocked by this. She and her brother weren't worth anything.
"Ok?" Hera asks.
Artemis couldn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. As she didn't believe what they were telling her.
They could see that in her. And that saddened them. How low have the twin Archers believed they have fallen?
"We will MAKE you see", Aphrodite tells her.
Artemis could only nod.
Aphrodite gives her a final hug before going back to her throne and Hera hugs Artemis too. Before going to her throne.
One thing they noticed with these hugs or touches was Artemis flinching. They wondered when that happened.
"Why didn't you both come to us for help?" Hades asks after things begin to settle.
"We couldn't part of the spell. Only when you found us we could contact you and come back. Those conditions were filled tonight at dusk", Artemis replies.
"What are these rules or orders you have to follow?" Zeus asks not liking this.
"Lord Zeus I already told you about contacting and about not being allowed to say the others names. We are really unable say names without Lord or Lady in front. We are unable to give each other written messages or leave them for each other to find after the change. I am unable to really read now. Another thing I am forgetting. And our healing factor is really slow and injuries WILL leave scars", Artemis tells them.
"The collars do that to you?" Hecate asks.
"Yes Lady Hecate", Artemis confirms.
"Maybe I can help", Hecate offers, "Maybe I can get you to be able to recognise each other and maybe help you to NOT forget"
"I have wanted to have that back. But it is not possible and I believe as long as this curse runs through our veins we will keep forgetting", Artemis replies.
"How is that?" Ariadne asks.
"As a hawk me senses become of the hawk. I become what I turn. But when I turn back, the hawk is behind my human mind and something lingers at the front of my human mind and as animals understand and see things differently then humans then so am I and probably HIM as well", Artemis reveals.
Athena nods that made sense.
What could be the consequences of this besides what they know?
"How have you been living all these years?" Hestia asks with worry.
"On the streets and in the forests Lady Hestia. We steal food and money to survive or hunt our own. I leave our weapons in a place HE can see them when HE turns back and he does the same. But some days we are so weak we can't hunt so we HAVE to steal to survive. We don't want to so sometimes we go days without eating while human", Artemis reveals.
"So you eat as a…wolf and hawk eat?" Persephone asks.
"Yes Lady Persephone. But remember our forms are behind our human minds so we don't see the wrong in it really. A hawks mind is different and has different tastes from my human mind mostly", Artemis replies.
Again to Athena that made sense.
"So do you feed him and he feed you? How do you stay with each other if your wild?" Zeus asks.
"Lord Dad yes I feed HIM if I can. But a wolf kind of can reply on their own. And I believe HE feeds me sometimes. Sometimes I turn back and more food then normal is not waiting for me. As for staying near each other. The collars make sure of that too. We can't leave the other and run away. We are bound together even though we are apart", Artemis replies.
"Do monsters find you?" Jason asks
"Of course. We smell like demigod children of Lord Zeus. We attract many monsters and the most dangerous of them. That is how I got many of my scars and I am sure HE does too. Because of how weak the change makes us and how we live we don't fight as well as we used too. Well I don't anyway. I believe I am forgetting that skill too", Artemis replies.
They realised that Artemis seemed to be forgetting an awful lot.
How was that connected? And was Apollo the same?
"How do we fix this?" Zeus asks.
"You don't need to know Lord Zeus. As it is unlikely ever to come true", Artemis says with tears falling.
"Brother why don't we allow Artemis to sleep the last four hours till dawn and we discuss the developments?" Hestia asks, "She is dead on her feet"
Zeus realises that Hestia was right.
"She is right daughter. You can sleep and we will wake you up", Zeus replies.
"Before dawn?" Artemis asks.
"Yes", Zeus replies.
"You and HE can sleep by my hearth. You look like you can use the hope", Hestia says gently leading Artemis to the hearth.
Apollo/Wolf follows and lays down. Artemis does too and curls up next to the wolf. Hestia puts a blanket over Artemis and Artemis says a quiet 'thank you' and was asleep within seconds.
"Father this is bad. And what Artemis said is true the cure is a long shot", Athena says softly.
"And you know the cure?" Zeus asks.
"She told us", Thalia replies.
"What is it then?" Poseidon asks impatient he wanted like the others for Artemis and Apollo to be fixed and then they could murder the people responsible for this.
"They both must face us in their true forms together side by side. At the same time. When the Moon and Sun a line with all the planets with the Chaotic Planet. And ALL Olympians must be present. For the curse to break. So that means the whole new Council", Athena tells them.
"So if a lunar or solar eclipse happens they would BOTH be in mortal form at the same time", Hecate says with wide eyes.
"Yes. But that is easy. The rest is not don't you agree?" Athena ask,
Everyone had to admit that it won't be easy. As they didn't what rotation the Chaotic Planet goes on. So how could they fix the Twin Archers?
They discuss the situation for hours and Zeus ordered Hecate and Athena to do research of these types of curses. Poseidon offered his library and so did Hades. Hera offered to talk to the peaceful Titans to see if they knew a way. And Aphrodite offered to go with the Queen of Olympus.
Everyone was determined to help these two. But they wondered just how bad off Apollo was if Artemis was like this.
As Athena, Hermes, Thalia, Percy, Annabeth and the rest didn't talk to Apollo long they couldn't be sure.
They didn't know as Dionysus had told them the Twins minds weren't there to him. So he couldn't do nothing to help.
As time passed they had tried to come up with a few plans. And they realised they must tell Artemis AND Apollo about the war. They weren't going to make/let them fight for them now they knew the truth.
So they would try to come up with something they could be capable of.
Soon they realised dawn was approaching.
Hestia sadly goes to get Artemis up. She had been with Artemis through the last few hours and had seen how many nightmares she had. And she couldn't see how Artemis ever got a peaceful sleep or enough sleep to function.
Others had noticed too. But they decided to see how things went before they said anything to either of them.
"Artemis you need…"
"I know Lady Hestia. I can feel me other side stirring more", Artemis mumbles as she climbs to her feet.
Artemis goes to the doors and to the steps with the Apollo/Wolf, and the others follow.
"You shouldn't watch this. Go back inside and HE will probably meet you inside", Artemis tells them.
"We will ALWAYS be here for you Daughter", Zeus states.
"You will not have to do this alone again", Hestia says with sympathy.
Everyone even Ares and Dionysus were in agreement.
"This is not something I even thought would happen. I never thought this would be my life", Artemis tells them looking at the setting moon.
"Who would?" Ares mutters.
"I always believed HE would be beside me and have my back no matter what. But now…", Artemis trails off looking forward at the sky a tear falling.
"I believe he would argue he still is", Athena points out.
"Maybe but it is not the same", Artemis replies sadly, "He has always been the one consent in my life and it was taken away 550 years ago before we could make amends"
"Make amends for what?" Hades asks.
"He wasn't happy for how I handled things when he was human. I never got to tell him I agree with him I should have done more", Artemis replies.
Zeus felt more guilt eat at him.
"That is MY fault daughter and I'll be sure to tell him this", Zeus admits and promises.
"And I am sure he doesn't blame you now", Hestia says softly too her.
"Maybe. Maybe not. I guess I won't know", Artemis replies still looking forward not looking back.
The saw the night begin to fade and they see Artemis's breathing pick up in fright.
"Tell HIM I am sorry. That I am sorry for forgetting", Artemis says.
"We will but he won't blame you", Hermes tells him.
"I can't believe that. Now ALL of you go. None of you should suffer to hell of watching this", Artemis begs them.
"We aren't leaving you", Annabeth says firmly.
"We are here. We saw HIM change and we will see you", Thalia adds.
Artemis sobbed at their kindness but doesn't respond as symbols of black and gold appear around her and pain engulfs her.
Her scream echoed through Olympus and the council steps back at the force of the pain. They just hear above the scream the wolf howling in pain.
The council could just see Artemis's body twist, turn and explode into the shape of her Hawk as her scream and cries turn into a birds.
They saw the wolf twist, turn and explodes the same painful way as the wolf and the howling turns into a poorly dressed man and a males loud cries of pain.
The transformation finishes as the sun appears at the dawn and the moon is gone.
There standing there panting, trembling and crying is the former Sun God.
Apollo.
And where the Former Moon Goddess was…
Was a hawk with rapidly flapping wings.
Now they saw the change they were more determined then ever to cure them of their curse. Even if the war had to take a back seat too this…
What they didn't know was that their war and curse were connected. A lot more then they realised…
Author's Note: What do you think? Please Review:)