ARTEMIS POV

I couldn't hold back the gasp that comes up my throat when I see the person on the screen. I felt the familiar burn in my eyes at the black haired, green eyed son of Poseidon that has been plaguing my nightmares all these years. The face of Perseus, my only love, reflects back at me and I suddenly felt it hard to breathe. I avert my eyes from the screen painfully when father stumbles back in shock onto his throne, face awash with shock.

"That's impossible" He breathes out. I look back at the screen again to see him talking with a girl and have to stop myself from growling as jealousy rears it's head inside me. No, I think firmly. This is not Perseus. Calm down. But all my thoughts evaporate as the girl calls him Perseus and I hear his laugh before the screen fades away. No. This.. It's the same name and the same laugh. The laugh that used to fill me with joy, but now it feels as if a thousand hot knives are stabbing my heart.

A sob escapes me before I could even hold it and I flash away from the meeting, the states of my fellow Olympians regarding me with mixed emotions and Poseidon's eyes filled with unspoken threats.

I fall on my bed as soon as I flash back to my tent. We have been hunting near the forests of Florida and have camped for the day. The feeling I've been trying to forget all these years comes back in a flood at seeing his face and hearing his laugh. I clutch my pillow to my face and sob feeling as if the world is breaking apart around me. The memories long back forgotten flash before my eyes as if happened yesterday bringing the longing and pain back a hundred times more. I want to hate him for leaving me and I hate myself for killing him. I scoff at the thought. As if I don't hate myself enough already. More memories flash inside my brain and I couldn't do anything to stop them.

"... think you can defeat me Artemis? You know very well..."

"... promise me? I know it is..."

"...you are my moon and I am the tide that pulls towards you. I love... "

"...never leave you Moonbeam. I promise..."

The memories of his sweet words and promises of a happy future fills me with poison that threatens to swallow me whole. The last memory is like a knife to the gut that twists painfully wishing me to curl up then and there and die.

The flap to my tent opens and Zoë enters looking at me in shock before closing the flap and hurrying towards me.

"Mi'lady!!" She exclaims. "What happened?" She asks but I ignore her as I try to control my tears.

"Mi'lady... " She sighs. "Artemis, is...is this about brother Perseus?" She asks and I couldn't hold back the look of shock at that. How? She looks at me with sad eyes at my shock.

"Look at thee Artemis" She says softly. I glance down at my self and I understand. I'm in my nineteen year old form opposed to the thirteen year old form I use now a days.

"Thou haven't used this form since his passing Artemis. Except on the anniversary of his birth and death" And it's true. On both the days I visit Delos, both Apollo and mine sacred place and also the place I met Perseus. On both the days I am just Artemis, a girl seeking her mother in her grief. Mother doesn't ask any questions just comforting me as I cry to sleep. I shake my thoughts as Zoë speaks again.

"So what happened that made thou sad? Did anything happen in the meeting?"

I divulge her off everything that happened and watch as her eyes flicker with various emotions before settling on understanding.

"Yes, this is certainly a grave news. But remember mi'lady, this is not our Perseus. Thou can't go through that path again. It leads to nothing but heart break. "

"I know it Zoë. I am well aware how it will end. I was just not ready to see his face is all." I try to say firmly but it sounded weak even to my own ears as I change back to my thirteen year old form.

"You can go and carry on what you've been doing." I dismiss her. I watch as she walks to the flap and before she can open it I call to her.

"Zoë?" She turns to me curiously and I avert my eyes to the ground. "Thank you for everything even though I haven't been honest with you always." I say guilt seeping through me. I see her hesitate for a second before looking at me square in the eyes.

"I don't know what happened that day. Nobody knows except maybe Lord Apollo. But I know one thing and I believe it. Thou are not guilty. Thine luv' for Perseus is too great for you to kill him with no proper reason. That I have no doubt of and thou will always have my support." She says and leaves closing the flap behind her.

Reason...her voice echoes in my brain. A reason indeed. There has been a good reason that had me kill him. A reason that I hate but which forced me to take action, I think darkly as I remember that day.

The day I rued my heart with my own arrow.

The arrow that pierced his heart has pierced mine too and broke it to many pieces.

And they have yet not glued back.

APOLLO POV

I look at the gardens of Olympus below me from the balcony of my palace. I think of the events that happened today and really Artemis' sudden leave had surprised no one. While I longed to go after her, I know my request would be denied. Father recovered soon after her leave and calmed down but I know it's only a matter if time before he does something foolish. But at least no one has suspected if he is our Perseus. Doppelgangers and look-alikes while rare are still possible, hence no one thought about a possible reincarnation. I take a sip of nectar from the goblet Perseus had gifted me during the early days of our childhood friendship. The time when we were just godlings. I still remember the day we met vividly. Artemis has come home with two boys in tow who later introduced themselves as sons of Lord Poseidon. And I saw the protective nature of Triton towards his younger brother Perseus who was barely few months older than us. The sea dieties mostly Triton have always been very protective of Perseus even then and it certainly hasn't decreased in this life. If not it increased more to the point that I fear their wrath should something happen to Perseus.

And I fear that there will be a war, not because of the bolt but if father or any Olympian for that matter touches a single hair on Perseus. A dangerous war that would destroy the mortal realm. I've always known that he would come back one day but not when the situation is so dire. I can feel Kronos' power increasing everyday, the time of the Great Prophecy is coming near and Perseus will be in the middle of it. I remember the last time he visited me just a few days before his demise.

"...afraid Apollo. What can... "

"... I don't want to be the reason of everyone's suffering... "

And I remember my words after many days of our research and spectaculation.

"...only one option and I don't like it... "

"...to die...to reborn...a hero... "

And he will be the hero indeed. But a prophecy line resonates in my ears.

Heroe's soul a cursed blade shall reap

A hero or a martyr, I think darkly with heavy heart. And that might just be the end of the world.