Olympiad is Falling, The Rise of Artemis

Thousands of creatures lived in the mage dimension, others more populous than the next. Artemis could be a rare creature from the sea. I wanted her out of my head.

Her hair stuck in my mind like her baked blueberry scent. Her hair had tiny loose curls, it was so dark it almost looked blue. She held power I couldn’t let Hera possess. I couldn’t allow myself to get sloppy and let her fall into my bed either. Things got messy when sex coupled with obligation.

Artemis needed to stay away from my head. I had a court meeting to attend and all my attention had to go to the situation at hand. I was either early or got the wrong date. No one was ever late for these things. Solaris would have their heads.

I tucked my notepad under my arm and pushed the door in. No guards stood outside and no voices came from inside. Although, a single woman stood staring at the tallest throne on the wall.

‘Only the strongest ever sat on that throne,’ Solaris said.

‘You’re more than strong my queen.’

Her palm landed in my hand and I brought it up to my lips. A smile spread across her face. For years I wondered what it would feel like for her to be pleased with me.

‘I heard about your little spat with Storm, why didn’t you just hand the mage over to Hera to deal with?’

Artemis again. I pushed my glasses up my nose and willed myself to look anywhere else. ‘I don’t want Hera to have her. She holds incredible power and the mage queen can’t have more to fuel her stupid war.’

The smile on her face deepened. Her finger caressed my cheek, the sudden gesture nearly made me flinch. The only physical contact I had growing up was the back of a hand across my face or the slash of whip on my back.

‘You’re so clever. That’s why I need you in my royal court. We need angels like you. Who’s judgement isn’t clouded with personal gain.’

The doors burst open. The king and prince marched in, their guards behind them. The lesser members scurried in after. I didn’t have time to create an abyss between us. The king and his son saw me and their faces recoiled with disgust.

I bowed and found my seat. Solaris didn’t even flinch. She didn’t blink at Avon’s warning glare. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek, no doubt slipping a word in between. Instead she lifted her chin, challenging him in silence.

The throne wall filled its rightful members. My memory flashed back to the first day I set foot in this room, tall scrawny kid, dreaming of a life away from the farm and seated on the tallest throne.

‘Rumours are circulating your highness.’ A haggard lady on a small throne said. She was Solaris’ great aunt.

‘You know rumours are nothing but that rumours.’ Solaris spat.

‘Uh, your majesty. There may be some base to this one. Whispers in the mage dimension and Paradis is Queen Hera managed to kill a god.’ General Storm said.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

‘A simple mage queen? Defeat an Olympiad god? Nonsense!’

Voices rose and General Storm jumped to his feet. Solaris’ hands balled into fists on the armrests of her throne. I held myself back not to blast Storm out of the room.

‘One does not open the North Gates of Olympiad without the power of a native of the land. It is very likely the mage queen has managed to kill a god or more. We are losing this fight!’

‘Watch your mouth Storm or you’ll lose more than your ability to speak. Your worthless tactics have us backed against a wall.’

Storm swallowed. The murmurs died. I fixed my eyes on Storm, unable to prevent the smirk on my lips. The general caught it. He cleared his throat and sat down. Solaris ordered more soldiers be sent to Olympiad because the crisis was growing. Security in the mage dimension needed heightening. Mages were still disappearing. I had to check on Artemis and with contacts about her sister. If her sister was half as powerful she was probably on her way to Hera.

Solaris dismissed the court. The royal court would commence in a larger room. Marcus nodded at me on the way out. I was sure eyes burned at the back of my head. When I turned Avon’s glare was fixed on me. I gave the king a curt bow then marched out.

I went straight home to change before meeting Artemis and the witch. I needed a drink too. I’d already changed out of my suit and into grey sweatpants and a white shirt when pounding sounded at the door. I signed and set the brandy down.

‘What is it Marcus-‘

I was answered with a fist to the gut. I stumbled two feet. A man in a black ninja mask jumped into my apartment. Two other guys rushed in.

‘What the hell?’ I coughed.

‘You’ve been a naughty boy.’

He pulled out a metal stick and aimed at my head. I grabbed it, but a boot smashed into my back. I growled. It was beginning to get irritating.

On one knee I summoned a tornado. I knelt in the centre. I watched them slam into the walls.

‘You picked the wrong fight,’ I said.

The leader hauled himself up. He thrust his hand forward and a bolt of lighting zigged through the tornado and struck my shoulder.

‘Shit,’ I went down. The tornado died.

My assailants surrounded me. Their boots smashing my skull, cracking my ribs and bruised my arms.

I couldn’t calm my mind to manipulate objects. Every blow to my head a disruption to my power.

‘Enough boys. We didn’t come to kill him.’

‘Who sent you?’ I threw my fist, but my attacker deflected it and landed his boot on my chest.

‘I don’t need to tell you who you pissed off.’

‘Storm? Avon? Fuck them.’

Another sucker punch and my mouth filled with blood.

‘Watch yourself angel or next time it’ll be a different story.’

They jumped out of the place. They left my house in havoc. I sat up and coughed up blood.

‘Damn it.’

I crawled to the back of my sofa. My abdomen burned like hell. All this because the king saw me talking to the queen. No one would ever hear from me if he found out what else Solaris had planned.