Luna Silver: Daughter of Artemis: Chapter 35

Chapter 35 – Mastermind
“That was really cool, baby sis.” A voice came from the sky, I looked up and tried to see who it was but the voice was sadly familiar. Artemis had an annoyed look on her face when a flaming red Maserati Spyder land in front of us from the sky. A nineteen year old looking blonde boy with big blue eyes and a blonde, silver-eyed woman got out, wearing casual clothes and pass off as mortals.

“That was a job well done, Artemis.” Leto said, giving her daughter an embrace then she faced the three of us, “And well done the three of you.”

We thanked her and fell silent as Apollo started to argue with Artemis. But something happen that shocked all of us. The wind started to manifest on top of Mt. Skylight, looking a miniature typhoon. And a cold, chilling laughter of a woman was heard from the center of the winds.

“How sentimental.” She said in a dark, sarcastic voice.

“Show yourself!” Apollo shouted.

The woman laughed again, louder … more amused somehow. Then the winds started to die away, slowly showing the woman. And when the wind was fully gone, I saw beautiful woman wearing a golden brown dress, her hair piled up on her head, she had dark brown hair, and big hazel eyes.

“You!” Leto huffed.

“How are you ---?” Artemis was speechless and Apollo was simply fuming from where he stood.

“Who is that?” I asked Cuinn, he merely stared at me and shrugged.

“Surprise … surprise, I see. How are you, Leto?” the woman asked.

“Niobe!” Leto said it as if it were a curse.

“Niobe? The Queen?” Nico asked.

“Yes.” The woman, Niobe answered, “It is I, Niobe, Queen of Thebes, wife of Amphion and mother of my children, The Niobids.”

“You’re the Queen from Thebes who boasted your children’s superiority to that compared of Leto’s children.” Cuinn said it as if he was reading it from a book, though the only resource I see is his brains, “As punishment for the queen’s impiety against the gods, Apollo killed all the queen’s sons as played Athletics, while Artemis killed each daughter in swift, soundless death. And Amphion, seeing his sons’ dead bodies, killed himself, and the queen, Niobe, alone and grieved was turned into stone as she wept.”

“Well, you certainly did your research, young man.” Niobe said, her voice filled with bitterness of the past.

“How did you return?” Artemis asked, while she looked like she was about to hit Niobe, but Apollo put a restraining hand on her shoulder. “I’m the ‘all knowing one’ here and you have to ask her?” Apollo asked his twin. Artemis, annoyed as she was, didn’t have the time to play with Apollo and only glared at him. Seeing the daggers Artemis is sending him, he continued and said, “She was revived and reformed after many years.”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“What do you mean?” I asked.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“Souls from the Myths are very old, and some who behave in Hades’ realm are given, well, we call it a pardon. The pardon is when that soul can return into the human world only as a spirit and is not allowed to cause havoc; this is only for human souls.”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">Niobe laughed, “Not cause havoc, eh?” she laughed again, and more sinister this time, “I returned here to have revenge!”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“Is that why you used The Twin Giants?” Cuinn asked.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“YES!” she didn’t deny it, she seemed proud of it; “If only those two could have stuck to plan and I could’ve killed you!” she pointed at Artemis.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“What?” I screamed at her.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“Haven’t you noticed something, Artemis?” Niobe asked in a teasing tone.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">Apollo looked stunned at her words, “The Chrysó schoiní! How dare you!”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“What is it?” I asked.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“The Chrysó schoiníor the golden rope is designed especially for the gods. When it tied among an immortal, the immortal is restrained to use his or her powers. And what’s worse,” Apollo stared at Artemis, “some of the powers are taken.”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“You mean that witch stole some of my powers!?” Artemis bawled.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">Niobe was ecstatic, “Yes, quite enough really.” She danced on top of the mountain, “If I could’ve killed you, I would have had all your powers.”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">I stared at Cuinn and Nico, they both nodded. What this woman was doing was against the laws and she had to pay. The three of lunged at her but we could even come near her, we were hit by an invisible shield protecting her.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“That’s why we weren’t attacking!” Apollo told us.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">I clenched my jaw and glared at Niobe. Niobe stared back with resentment, anger and revenge in her eyes. “How pitiful.” She said.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“Niobe!” Leto screamed, “What you are doing is wrong. You’re living in the past! And besides, the death of your children was your entire fault!”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">Niobe shuddered, Leto’s words have struck her to the core, and she was trembling in guilt and anger. “No! You immortals punish too much! I will avenge my children, I will! You all will pay! And I’ll start with you!” she pointed at me and started to disappear into the cold night.

<p style="text-align:center;line-height:115%; tab-stops:499.3pt">***

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">(At Camp Half Blood Borderline)

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“My daughter, I apologize for all of this.” Artemis said and placed her hand on my face.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“Don’t mother,” I told her. “You don’t need to worry. I’m fine. I can manage on my own.”

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">“I know you can.” She said and gave me once last hug before leaving with Apollo and Leto.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">I turned around to return to Camp Half Blood. The five days I’ve spent in my Quest were the best days in my life. And in those moments I know I can survive, I know Niobe can’t do too much to me.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt">I walked towards Camp and seeing my friends, I felt like the real me, the real thing … I felt like my life is only beginning.

<p style="line-height:115%;tab-stops:499.3pt"> ℓʋиα ƨιℓvɛя iƨ α wιɛяdgιяl [ bαdɛ iƨ bɛck+jαdɛ ♥]  14:44, June 2, 2011 (UTC)