粉红的窗帘

The air crackled with an electric tension as Edona, her body weakened and frail, lay down before Artemis under the shimmering sky. Her emerald eyes, filled with determination, met the sombre gazes of the ancient texts surrounding her that appeared out of nowhere.

A forbidden spell, that shouldn't be used inside the second dimension, echoed in her mind as her trembling hand traced the intricate runes etched onto the Artemis' hand surface.

"Life... intertwined," Edona murmured her voice barely a whisper. "Transfer the essence, protect the future. By the will of the law, make thy wish come true,"

Artemis opened her eyes expecting something to happen, but nothing happened so she looked at Edona with confused eyes only to see her trying to whisper something.

"I... activated the spell.... say it.. repeat what I said," She muttered and Artemis nodded her head without even trying to question her, but suddenly Edona caught her hand again and looked at her with her eyes starting to water up.

"I'm sorry for doing this to you, when you use this spell, you will be punished by the laws but at least Apollo won't be able to kill you, this is a forbidden spell to use in heaven, so I'm sorry," Edona didn't want to hide anything so she told the consequences of her actions, even if Artemis decide not to do it.

But unlike what she expected Artemis smiled at her words and reassured her telling her that she won't mind getting punished if it means she can protect Tasha and Edona's wish.

"I'm going to do it, Mother," Artemis said and started chanting the same thing, which Edona taught her.

"Life... intertwined, transfer the essence, protect the future. By the will of the law, make thy wish come true," As soon as she said those words a surge of raw energy surged through her veins as she channelled her magic, invoking the ancient incantation. The room filled with a blinding light, and the very fabric of reality seemed to ripple in response. At that moment, the life within Edona's womb, destined to fade away, was ripped from her and sent hurtling through the ethereal planes.

Artemis' eyes widened as she sensed a sudden presence within her, a foreign heartbeat pulsating in harmony with her own. She staggered back, clutching her stomach in disbelief.

"What is this?" Artemis gasped, her voice filled with awe and confusion. "A life... not of my own?"

The weight of the unborn child settled within her, a shared burden that tugged at her heartstrings. It was as if fate had chosen her as the vessel to safeguard a precious life, one that Edona had entrusted to her through forbidden means. A mixture of fear and wonder swirled in Artemis's thoughts.

Gradually, the foreign life force within Artemis began to integrate with her own, forging an unbreakable bond. As the playful goddess embraced her new role, she found herself growing stronger, her divine power amplified by the unexpected arrival of a strong child.

"I am honoured, my brother," Artemis whispered, her voice filled with both affection and determination. "Though you are that damn Fenrir's blood, I shall protect you as if you were my own. You shall grow under your sister's gentle gaze, and together, we shall face the trials that lie ahead."

The child's essence, now nestled within Artemis's womb, carried a fragment of Edona's spirit. With each passing moment, the magic intertwined their destinies, intertwining the paths of two strong and resilient women. Edona's sacrifice had ensured the child's survival and a chance for a future that seemed all but lost.

"Mother! It was successful," Artemis exclaimed triumphantly. Her heart raced with a mixture of exhilaration and unease as she turned her head in the direction where Edona was supposed to be lying. But to her astonishment, the space was empty, devoid of any trace of Edona's body.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, searching frantically for any sign of her dear friend. The room remained silent, save for the faint echoes of her own breath, as a shiver of uncertainty crept down Artemis's spine. It was as if Edona had vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions and a sense of profound mystery.

And slowly Artemis came into the realisation of what this meant to her and other goddesses.

Death! It was the death of the kind and compassionate mother, who shaped heaven for an uncountable time period.

Artemis fell to her knees, her whole being overcome by a wave of grief that threatened to consume her. Tears streamed down her face, as if a dam had burst within her soul, releasing a torrent of sorrow.

"Mother," she whispered, her voice choked with anguish. "Why did you have to leave me? How will I go on without you? What should I even do now?" The previous brave front she had was nowhere to be found, instead, it was replaced by the look of a weak girl, that just witnessed the death of her parent.

She reached out to touch her belly, where the precious life of her unborn child resided. Her fingers trembled against her abdomen, as if seeking solace and reassurance in the delicate presence within.

"I promise my little one," Artemis murmured, her voice trembling with determination. "I will protect you with every fibre of my being. I will be the mother you deserve, just as my own mother was to me. Your sister will be the woman, who will always save you as a mother, I will call you Nikol, and I won't let anyone else touch your body,"

Her grief transformed into a fierce resolve, fueling her determination to create a world of safety and love for her child. She would channel her sorrow into strength, her pain into purpose. Artemis swore an oath to herself and to her unborn child, vowing to honour her mother's memory by embracing the role of protector and nurturer, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.

"Tonight, I will give birth, I can feel it, this child is fully developed now,"

***

As the news of the forbidden spell spread, whispers echoed through the realm, fanning the flames of curiosity and concern. Some feared the consequences of meddling with such powerful magic, while others saw it as a beacon of hope in a world veiled in darkness. None could deny the weight of responsibility now thrust upon them, whose strength and grace had long been revered.

But all the gods and goddesses that were fighting on the castle that Edona built knew one thing for sure.

"At last, she's dead, let's get out of here, the castle is collapsing," Apollo shouted, as he grabbed Artemis' sister's hand and left the building leaving all the gods and goddesses from both sides to die.

"Serves them right, for betraying me," Apollo shouted happily seeing their bodies getting crushed Artemis' sister was rather quiet because she didn't know whether her decision to betray everyone was the right one.

Apollo turned his gaze towards her, his expression twisted with a mixture of arrogance and cruelty. "You see, my dear sister of Artemis," he sneered, his voice laced with venomous delight.

"You thought you could join forces with me, revel in the power of darkness, and escape the consequences of your betrayal. But I am not one to be so easily deceived."

Fear began to flicker in her eyes as Apollo closed in on her, his grip tightening around the hilt of his deadly blade. She trembled, suddenly aware of the gravity of her actions and the price she would have to pay.

In one swift motion, Apollo struck, thrusting his Fenrir arrow into Artemis's sister's back, the blade finding its mark with precision. Pain seared through her body, and her gasp of disbelief mingled with the collapsing sounds of the castle.

Apollo leaned closer, his voice was cold and devoid of mercy. "You see, dear sister, a traitor will always remain a traitor. If you could betray your own flesh and blood, what loyalty could you possibly offer me? Your treachery ends here."

As Artemis's sister's lifeblood spilt onto the ground, her body weakened and crumpled. The weight of her remorse was replaced by an emptiness that consumed her being. Her eyes, once filled with uncertainty, now stared lifelessly at the falling debris around them.

The castle continued to crumble, a testament to the crumbling alliances and shattered loyalties that had brought them all to this point. Amidst the chaos, Apollo stood tall, a ruthless victor revelling in the destruction he had wrought.

The winds carried away the echoes of betrayal, leaving behind only the haunting silence of lost trust and broken bonds. The web of fate had been irrevocably altered, forever entwining the names of those who had dared to betray and those who had paid the ultimate price.

"I will be the only power now, as long as I have these arrows, nobody will be able to stop me except that damn wolf, I should find a way to tame it, but this time, I won't lose," He thought and a genius idea came into his mind.

"That's right, I will create a creature with equal power to that apocalypse, I shall conquer everything then,"