Olympiad is Falling, The Rise of Artemis

Sophia stood on the edge of the tower, overlooking Olympiad. The quiet village of fewer than two hundred people went on peacefully. The way she fought for it to be. She looked up at the moon in the east and the sun blazing in the west.

Sophia felt movement in her belly and heat in her chest. The golden bands around her wrists glistened and an arrow shot through the blue sky.

‘Artemis.’ She gasped.

Sophia picked up her white dress and raced into the castle.

‘Zeus!’ She screamed as she ran through the golden halls.

‘Apollo!’ Her voice bounced off the walls.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor. She made it to the castle's ground floor, but her husband and son weren’t there.

‘Your highness.’ Orion and five guards rushed in.

Sophia could barely stand. Orion placed his hand on her waist and guided her to the study.

‘Where are Zeus and Apollo?’ Sophia sobbed.

Orion sat her down, but she rose again. She shut the study door and walked to the window. Tears ran down her cheeks.

‘Athena’s feast for the locals is today and she wanted them there.’

Of course, Zeus’ favourite daughter didn’t invite her stepmother. It didn’t matter.

‘Sophia, what’s wrong?’ Orion adjusted his sword.

Orion was the general of Zeus’ army. He wore his glistening armour with pride non-compare.

‘It’s Artemis… she’s alive Orion.’

Orion stepped back. The goddess’ body was never found. It couldn’t be impossible.

‘Are you sure, your highness?’

Sophia wiped her tears and chuckled. ‘I can feel it. I saw her arrow flash across the sky.’

The study doors burst open. Orion’s hand darted to his sword.

‘Relax Orion it’s just us.’ Apollo strolled in.

Zeus embraced his goddess and pressed his lips against hers. ‘What is it? A guard told us you were in distress.’

‘Athena was not pleased.’ Apollo flopped on a chair behind the desk.

‘It’s Artemis. Zeus, I felt her.’ Sophia clutched her chest.

Apollo and Zeus exchanged glances. Zeus gripped his wife’s hands and pressed them against his lips.

‘I know you want our daughter to be alive, but how could she have survived all those years? Could the mages have kept her? Unlikely, they probably killed her after learning she was a goddess.’

Sophia chuckled. ‘Her arrow shot across the sky, just like the morning she was finally born. I felt it in my bones, my love.’

Zeus walked to the double doors leading to the balcony, his armour clicked against each other.

‘Something must have happened. A spell must have broken.’ Orion said.

Sophia nodded.

‘I feel her too, more so recently. I thought it was a rue.’ Apollo murmured.

‘We have to bring her back. Summon Solaris’s court!’ Zeus demanded.

‘No, they must not know a goddess is in their dimension. She won’t be safe. She’s likely lived in hiding her whole life.’ Sophia turned to Orion. ‘I want you to bring her home. I can only trust you, Orion.’

‘Mother, Orion is a general. Let me retrieve my sister.’ Apollo stood.

‘And you are a god, Apollo. Your head is worth a pretty penny I don’t want to pay.’

‘I thought I was your favourite son.’ Apollo frowned.

Zeus rolled his eyes. ‘Let’s keep that between us.’

‘Will you go Orion? Bring my daughter home?’ Sophia begged.

Her blue eyes spoke to his soul and there was no way he could deny her. He bowed. Once more the doors burst open and several guards stormed in. They threw themselves to the ground.

‘Your Highness. The North gate has fallen.’

‘What?’ Sophia gasped.

‘How can this be?’ Zeus demanded.

‘There was a battle last night, our forces were subdued. Their power was too immense. The invaders have entered Olympiad and headed straight for the village in the south.’

Zeus sneered. ‘How dare they attack Olympiad.’

He brushed his red cape aside and brushed past his guards. Apollo and Orion followed behind. Sophia opened the doors to the balcony. Yet again Olympiad was under siege. A more significant threat than the last. She tilted her head to the blue sky and waited for the arrow to blaze.

Emergency court meetings were never good. The last time Queen Solaris called for one was to announce her youngest son had turned into an angel of darkness and fallen from Paradis. The six elders took their places on the smaller silver thrones on either side of the king and queen’s thrones. I sat on a plush chair next to other lesser members of the royal court.

I adjusted my glasses as two people behind me whispered about a war with the angels of darkness. They wouldn’t dare. Prince Jason strolled in wearing his white uniform, his blonde hair pinned down by his heavy crown. He didn’t spare me a glance. Marcus stood beside the door with his hands behind his back.

There wasn’t a seat for princes, he sat on the same plush chair as I did across the room. The king walked in with his head high dimming the room's chatter. His blue cape swished behind him. He sat on the bronze throne and glared straight ahead.

Avon might have been a king, but it was Solaris who ruled.