Ballad of Stars and Chaos

“Those heinous creatures beheaded yet another Nymph. Such evil should be obliterated, but instead, we must sit back and watch,” Selene spit out the final words.

I didn’t have to look up from my spell to realize she was referring to one of my Lampades. Learning that another one had died meant that I was down to four.

What a pity. I thought to myself.

I wanted six because anything less would produce noise, and I much preferred silence. These species were known to be social. So it was smart to have multiples so they could talk among themselves.

“The humans tied her body to a tree and put her head on a spike,” Selene, the goddess and personification of the moon, enragedly told me.

Even though it was true, Zeus forbade us from interfering with human lives. I didn’t have to follow his rules and laws. And every now and then, I found myself either punishing hideous humans who injured the innocent or honouring those who deserved to be rewarded for their good efforts.

But it took every fibre of my being not to leap from my spell and wreak agony on the men who had hurt one of my precious followers. I’d grown to tolerate all six of them as if they were minions I’d never had.

“Are you listening, Hecate?” Selene inquired.

It was only then that I noticed the rage in her eyes.

“Why aren’t you as mad or more furious than I am?”

I had no idea why she was questioning me. Everyone dealt with grief in their own way.

What was the nymph thinking when she went into those woods? She was well aware of the reason for our modest domain. For fun, humans hunted what they didn’t comprehend. Why jeopardize her safety? Maybe to get a glimpse of the outer world.

What was it outside the limits of my realm that was so wonderful that kept her secure from those beasts that she needed to leave?

“Which one died this time?” I asked her, and I could see by the look on her face that she thought my question was harsh.

“They killed Loralie, and they nearly got Freyja, but she returned moments ago,” Selene stated, and I could see she was hoping for a reaction from me. “Are you not fazed at all by what those men did to Loralie?” she demanded, her tone getting more hostile.

“What would you have me do, Selene?” I demanded, and my tone rose, and if it hadn’t been for my power restraint, I might have lost control. “We cannot simply do as we please anymore.”

“We or you?” My eyes widened in surprise as she fired back. Selene knew I could deal with those men if I wanted, but I hadn’t felt like dealing with people recently. They did, however, viciously murder one of my own.

Standing, my black gown flowed around me as I proceeded to the pond, aware that Selene’s furious gaze was on me. I should have dealt with these people as soon as she brought it to my attention.

Why didn’t I do it?

As I sank down, the water surrounding me turned dark. An electrifying power coursed through my body as I closed my eyes, picturing the men and what they had done. The cruelty of their methods and the havoc they would leave in their wake if I let them live

I imagined them running through the woods, and I came across them hunting a deer. If Artemis had seen this, she would have put arrows through their eyes and called it a day. I created a black arrow by imagining myself in the woods, standing behind the men.

I took a deep breath and drew back before unleashing the arrow. It didn’t take long for it to reach its target, and I stood there silently watching as the arrow pierced the skulls of each hunter until none remained.

With that in mind, I climbed out of the pond until my lungs no longer ached from being underwater for so long, and I discovered Artemis with her arms crossed before offering a hand to aid me out of the water.

Selene was standing behind Artemis, mouthing something to me. I didn’t care if she was congratulating me or informing me that I had gone too far with their deaths.

“I see you got my prey before I could,” Artemis exclaimed.

As I shook my head, I couldn’t help but smile. Of course, she was aware that men were stalking an innocent deer—she was always aware. “I only acted out of anger for what they took from me,” I explained to her.

Artemis arched her brow and cocked her head. She only did that when she needed more information from me. Normally, I would explain further, but I was exhausted and didn’t want to socialize. I rolled my eyes before groaning as the look on her face grew more intrigued.

“They killed one of my nymphs, and Selene wouldn’t stop nagging me about it,” I said to Artemis, hoping she’d be content with my response and allow me to get some sleep.

I noticed Selene glaring at me as I looked in her direction, and I understood why. “Nagging?”

“I didn’t lie when I said you were bothering me.” I snapped

Instead of responding with a retort, she bit her tongue and moved away from me. I merely grinned at her defeat and was a little disappointed she didn’t come after me.

“I see, but was the black arrow necessary?” Artemis inquired, and before I could respond, she continued on her way. “I’m aware of how much energy that spell saps from you. You could have just severed their necks and finished the job quicker.”

Then I smiled. Artemis was correct; I could have cast a simpler spell, but deep down in my core, I craved vengeance, and so I gave in to that desire.

“Indeed, I could have, but where’s the fun in that?” I inquired.

As I walked away, I realized Artemis was in my small realm, a space between the mortal and immortal realms. “Why are you here, Artemis?” I questioned, knowing that I didn’t want to hear the answer.

Artemis’s face turned pale, and even Selene, who’d been here the longest, lacked colour, as though blood quickly drained from their bodies. “I am not sure how to explain this,” Artemis said. Selene played with her hair and kept her eyes away from me.

“What is the matter with the two of you?” I asked them. “I’d like to sleep, so if you don’t speak, I will take my leave.”

Neither of them spoke, and it was starting to aggravate me. I’d grown accustomed to them speaking their minds—Selene more than Artemis, who was more or less like me when it came to socializing among the other gods. But at this moment, I couldn’t help but feel as though they were scared to say what was on their mind—as though they were scared to bring something to the surface.

“I will not ask again,” I said, my steps making no noise as I approached the two goddesses I enjoyed spending time with above all others. “What brings you here, Artemis, and why do I get the feeling that Selene knows and you made her swear not to say a word?” My words were cold as I waited for one of them to spit it out.

“I don’t want to alarm you, Hecate, and I would feel much better telling you this somewhere safer,” Artemis said. I’d always known her to speak with me in private when it was something serious, but not to the point that her face was bleached of colour. Whatever she wished to tell me was of great importance, but why wouldn’t it be safe here, in my domain, created to keep me safe and secluded when I needed to be?

“Whatever you wish to tell me, I promise we are safe here,” I assured her.

Artemis took a deep breath then. She gestured for me to sit in the grass beside her, and I did as she wanted. Selene didn’t follow, and I took in the way she surveyed the area; it had me on full alert.

“My father did not want to worry you, but Azazel has been spotted alive, and his followers are growing in numbers,” Artemis said, and by the look on her face, I knew my entire body had gone numb, and whatever colour was in my almond skin turned white as snow.

I didn’t bother to stop Artemis from explaining further as my body shook, realizing what all this meant. We weren’t safe here. If what she said was to be believed, Azazel would have sensed my power the moment I used it to kill those humans.

Selene swallowed before saying, “More humans in the Arcanum Imperium have gone missing and we suspect that they have been turned into—”

“Demons,” I whispered. The hairs on the back of my neck rose the moment Selene conjured the sword of pure moonlight. Artemis and I got up from where we sat, and all three of us surveyed the woods around us.

I closed my eyes and brought forth my power. The stars in the sky became blurred behind the clouds I summoned, and thunder roared to life in the sky, causing the ground around us to shake. It was then that we saw movement in the woods. I shot a bolt of energy in that direction and felt the lifeless monster collapse to the ground.

“He found us,” Selene said.

I shook my head as I slowly backed away. He couldn’t have; I saw him die. I killed him myself—it nearly killed me in the process.

“Selene, you need to find Athena and tell her what has happened. Don’t come back for us unless I call for you. Do you understand?” Artemis said.

Selene nodded, and her body turned into pure starlight as she shot to the moon. I prayed she’d reach Athena before Azazel got to me and Artemis.

But why were we going to Athena and not Zeus? I knew it was too late to ask that question and that we needed to focus if we wanted to stay alive.

Artemis turned to me and said, “I need you to cover us in mist so we can get to the gateway and get out of here.”

I could barely register what she wanted me to do, and before I could do as she asked, an arrow the length of a spear and the thickness of a sword struck right through her, causing her to fall to her knees as she screamed.

I dropped to my knees as well to tend to her wound. “What in Tartarus could shoot such a thing?” I asked, and the arrow was as black as my shadow arrows but ten times thicker. I hesitated at first to pull it out when I saw black ooze pour out of Artemis’s shoulder.

I turned back toward where the arrow came from and saw more movement. We were surrounded. I could feel the demons thundering steps echoing from the ground around us.

Even if I were to help Artemis get onto her feet to run, we wouldn’t get far with those monsters lurking in the shadows.

I helped Artemis lay back on the grass before getting up. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and summoned my power once more. Dark clouds shielded the moon from us as the rain began to fall.

Thick mist swirled along my feet, and I released it into the woods until thick fog surrounded us. With the mist, I could hear the beating hearts of each demon; each heart thundered with anticipation. But I waited until I sensed the one heart I knew they were connected to.

Azazel wasn’t here. If he were, I would have already sensed him. His power was bottomless, but he was always hungry for more.

I smiled then. Azazel had sent his creatures to do his job. I opened my eyes, and I knew they glowed a powerful silver as I slammed my hand into the ground.

The earth shook and cracked open, swallowing the demons whole. Their shrieks and clawing could be heard from where Artemis and I were.

I cleared the mist to find more than twenty demons running toward us. Crimson eyes locked on us like prey, and claws were outstretched to rip us to shreds.

I didn’t hear when Artemis got up, nor did I hear her aim at the demon closest to us. It was only when her arrow flew past my head that I turned back to see that she had been releasing arrow after arrow.

I watched as five demons fell to the same arrow, and I wasted no time using my magic to multiply the arrow until all the demons running toward us fell at once.

“Run, now!” Artemis shouted. She strapped her bow to her back and grabbed my arm.

We didn’t stop running as the ground shook, and when I looked behind me, there must have been thousands, if not more, of demons on our tail. If I wasn’t horrified before when Artemis was shot, I am now.

There was no reason for Azazel to come himself when he had sent his entire hoard of demons after me. Was it foolish of me to feel disappointed that he thought this would defeat me?

As we ran, Artemis released arrow after arrow, and I watched as the creatures of the night who chased us fell. I looked up and could see some swinging in the trees to get us, and Artemis shot up.

I forced myself out of her hold and looked toward the coming army of monsters. I was no coward, nor would I run from monsters that should fear me.

A dark green mist swirled around me, and from the ground came witches who had died in these woods. The undead sisters of the secret Order of the Phoenix rose from the dead as I commanded them.

“Kill them all,” was all I said, and the witches charged toward the demons without fear.

“Was that necessary?” Artemis asked.

I said nothing and pulled a silver key that sparkled out of thin air. Artemis took a step back so I could focus on finding the invisible keyhole.

“You might want to hurry,” she urged me. Artemis unstrapped her bow and began releasing arrows again.

“Do not rush me,” I snapped.

I glanced behind me and saw why she was rushing me to hurry. Some of the demons were getting past my undead witches.

As though placing a hand on an invisible wall, I placed the key in the keyhole and turned it. I took a step back as a door made of ash wood appeared and was opened to us.

I pulled at Artemis’s arm and threw her in before waving at the demons as I, too, disappeared into the white light of the door as it closed.