Simi

I followed Kaori as she went back to the old nasty temple. I hated this temple. I liked her new one better. She changed when she stepped through the doorway. I followed. She was in black clothes armed with weapons.

That's not the Kaori Akri knows. I have to let Akri know what she is doing.

"Simi," I froze, "no need to fear or worry about me, little one. This is what I must do. If I do not return as I once was then do what you must, but I can no longer bury my head in the sand. This is a result of Apollo becoming human. This is my battle."

She turned to me. She still couldn't see me, but it felt like she was staring right at me. I watched as she glanced down at the ground. She looked up. Her hair turned red and her eyes stayed green.

"Stay safe Simi." She vanished.

A black rose was left behind in a vase where she was. I walked up to it. A note was left behind.

I'll be alright.

Kaori

I vanished from my temple and appeared in front of the building Apollo was currently living in. There were too many humans around. I have no doubt that was done on purpose. I frowned.

Pathetic cowards. Using humans to ensure your safety. They aren't pawns. Apollo will never change. Not even as a human.

I snapped my fingers and they were gone. I walked up to the building. I shoved the door open. It was quiet. I moved slowly and silently knowing this could be a trap. If this was how things were going to be, then I would end it. I heard a thought.

Please don't find us.

I stopped. There were children here. I bit the inside of my cheek. They were afraid of the angry goddess with red hair and green eyes. I continued moving. All the doors were closed, but I listened to every thought I could. This was a home for people. I grew angrier with every step I took. Apollo was using women and children as a way to make me hesitate to come after him. I turned a corner and found five apollites. They had weapons drawn ready to attack. Three males and two female apollites.

I can't wait to receive my bonus for killing this bitch, godhood would suit me well.

I can't die. I have a family. Do this so they can survive.

The third male apollites thoughts were quiet. I tilted my head. The first female apollite was trembling.

Please don't kill me.

The last apollite female was smirking at me.

This bitch is so dead. Bringing a bow to a gunfight. What a dumbass.

I transported behind her, "careful. This dumbass is the last thing you get to see before you die."

I snapped her neck. Her body turned to dust. I turned to the other apollite woman.

"Sleep," she collapsed.

The male whose thoughts I couldn't hear caught her. The first apollite male shot me. I transported behind him and shoved my hand into his back. I gripped his heart in my hand.

"You were foolish for believing the lies of a god who lost his godhood for 10 years." I ripped his heart out.

Blood splattered. Then his heart and body turned to dust. I saw the second apollite male staring at me in horror.

We don't stand a chance.

"Sleep," I caught him and lowered him to the floor.

"Why didn't you kill them?" I looked to the last apollite.

I looked down at my hands, "the same reason why I didn't hesitate to kill the others. These two had families and were following orders."

I met the final male's eyes. He didn't look away. I still couldn't hear his thoughts. That meant we would meet again.

"Get them to safety. Put them in a room and stay with them. They'll wake eventually and should have someone else there." I stood and walked away.

"Y'know you really shouldn't walk away from someone who has a gun with bullets that could kill you." I looked back at the last male apollite.

"Maybe don't point a gun at the goddess who has ignored the tons of women and children my foolish brother used as a first line of defense. I have spared many of your kind. I will continue that kindness, my brother on the other hand will make empty promises and neglect to keep them. So tread carefully." I turned away and continued down the hallway.

I reached a flight of stairs and transported myself to the top of them. I poked my head around the corner. I found it empty. I moved quickly and quietly. When I rounded the next corner I froze. It was Urian. Urian of all people.

Great.

He turned to me. He was armed to the teeth. I wasn't going to fight him. He meant too much and I had already done so much so that Styxx and Bet'anya could find him.

"Just let me pass, Urian. I will not fight you." His blue eyes met mine.

I hated that I couldn't hear his thoughts. I hated that stupid rule. Those who had a place in your future, their minds were quiet to you. It was irritating.

"Why should I let you pass? What is stopping you from murdering anyone you please," I was pissed, "I will not murder innocents. I have killed two. That's it. My brother had promised an apollite godhood. He fell for my brother's lies. The faster I get to my brother the quicker I can cut out his tongue."

I should've done it sooner.

Urian tilted his head at me, "so you haven't slaughtered helpless women and children yet?"

"NO," he was as surprised as I was, I had never had that much power in my voice when speaking, "no. I wouldn't do that. I would never do any of that."

I heard a thud behind me. I spun around. Stryker was behind me. A blade entered my shoulder. It hurt, but was bearable. I transported Urian away. I would not be forced to kill him. I yanked out the blade.

"Well well, for someone who isn't a real goddess you sure do know how to fight. Too bad you're not Athena." He came at me.

I dropped the dagger and summoned a short sword. I parried Stryker's attack.

"What," he smirked at me, "too soft to kill your own family?"

I knocked the blade from his hand with my own. I gripped his shirt and pinned him against the wall. I was furious.

"That is right! I won't kill you Stryker! I won't kill you because you're my family! That's not a weakness! I won't kill you because you are my nephew! I won't kill you because," I choked.

It felt like something was lodged in my throat. It became hard to see or breathe. I closed my eyes and gripped Stryker's shirt tighter. I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze. He gasped. I set him down and pulled away. I walked away from him.

"Is my family safe from you?" I looked back at him.

I saw the doubt in his eyes, "I swear upon the river styx. Your family will not come to any physical harm by my hand."

I turned away. I looked up. Two more floors. Then I'll teach Apollo the lesson I should've earlier.

"Artemis," I looked back, "why didn't you kill me? Or Urian?"

"I've lost enough family. I won't be the reason any of them die ever again." He looked surprised.

I ran off down the hall. I wasn't going to deal with him. I could've killed him, but he wasn't at fault. I reached the next set of stairs and froze. There stood a dragon, then it turned around. It wasn't just a dragon. It was a white dragon.

Think, Kaori. What dragon shifter was white? Which one? Think, think!

It roared. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't get a lock on its thoughts. I didn't want to kill him. I glanced down at my hands. Dried blood caught my eye. I looked back up at the dragon.

Focus, Kaori.

"I do not wish to harm you. Step aside and let me pass. I have no business with you. Let me pass so I can teach my idiotic brother a lesson." I expected it to strike.

To attack. It tilted its head at me. I glanced behind it. I needed to distract it.

You've only killed two people.

I met it's eyes. They were a pale blue, almost lavender with hints of silver. That's it! This was Blaise. I hadn't learned much about him, but I learned enough. I glanced down at my hands. The feeling of snapping her neck and ripping out his heart flashed before my eyes. I took a deep breath and looked back at him.

"You're right, but they had no guilt about trying to kill me. The others did and they had families. I have no business with you or Stryker. My business is with Apollo." I walked up to him.

I stopped next to him. I looked up and met his eye. If my memory serves me right he couldn't see well in his human form. I placed my hand next to his eye.

May you see with dragon sight as a human.

My hand glowed and he yanked away from me.

What did you do?

"You will see. Nothing bad." I kept walking away.

He didn't speak to me again. I made it to the top floor and was met by more apollites. Stryker was there. I sighed in frustration.

"Let me pass Stryker. The moment Apollo has his god powers back any promises he made will vanish. He doesn't care about you," he scoffed, and you do?"

"YES," he looked surprised, "out of all the gods and goddesses you're related to I care. I am partially to blame for this curse. You see the princess Ryssa had a brother. One whom could have saved her and Apollodorus had I not drugged him."

I saw fury build in Stryker's eyes. I focused on the thoughts of the apollites. They were angry, but some were fearful. They had families.

Sleep.

Many of the apollites fell. The hostile ones still stood. The ones who held no one in their heart still stood. They stepped forward, but Stryker stood angry.

They aren't dead Stryker.

He looked up at me.

They are simply asleep.

I snapped my fingers and they were in an empty room with Stryker. The others smiled at me.

"Come one fella's. I don't have all day." They came at me.

•••

I had finished off the last one by ripping out his heart. My head hurt. Along with other parts of my body. I finally reached the last door. I was through with killing. I transported them to the first floor. I kicked open the door and there was my brother. Surrounded by everything luxurious. That made me mad. He smirked at me.

"Well, well, it looks like my apollites failed as did my son. What a disappointment. So tell me Kaori, how does it feel to be responsible for the death of so many." I had the urge to kill him.

"Shut your mouth. Your children and grandchildren, let alone any of the apollites don't deserve to be treated this way. You took the cowards way out. Putting woman and children as the first line of defense. Pathetic." I spit blood at him.

It landed on his pants. He looked up at me furious.

"You stupid mortal! You dare humiliate-" I had him against the wall.

"I am a goddess, you broke the rules not me. You are stuck as a human for ten years not me." He laughed.

"You're not a goddess. You're a glorified human. You are weak. You think anyone would mourn your death or loss? You are beneath me!" I held him to the wall with my powers and gripped his face with my left hand.

I summoned a dull blade. Apollo looked at me.

"What are you doing?" I smiled.

"You don't need your tongue as a human, brother. I should've done this a long time ago." I held his mouth open with my powers.

Panic set in. I pulled out his tongue and began cutting. Blood splattered across my face. His screams were loud and once I felt the release of his tongue I threw it on the ground. I singed the end of his tongue so he wouldn't die. He looked pathetic. He had tears streaming down his face. His mouth was swollen. I felt disgust bubble up in my stomach.

"Now you can't lie. You can't tell your lies as easily now, brother." I stepped away and he fell to the ground.

You will pay for this, sister.

The door busted open. I felt my hands start shaking. I backed away from Apollo. I looked down at the fresh blood on my hands.

"Kaori," I looked up and found Inu.

He looked surprised. My hands shook more. I felt a dagger enter my spine. I spun around and hit Apollo. I saw how he looked and my heart broke.

What had I done?