An Arrow to the Heart [discontinued, may possibly take up again one day]

Chapter 13

I had a dream, for the first time I was in the Underworld. Actually, I'm not sure if it was my 'first' so-called dream. Anyways, it went like this.

"Where is she, Apollo?" asked Artemis, quietly at first.

When he didn't reply, she asked once more, screaming this time "WHERE IS SHE!"

"I...I don't know."

"Apollo, where is MY HUNTER!?"

"Lady Artemis, please, calm down!" said Zoë, her skin paling.

"Zoë, get everyone away from here. NOW!" shrieked Lady Artemis.

Zoë scrambled away, shouting orders for everyone to get out of camp. Just as they left, a silver light went on Lady Artemis. She was going into her divine form. I turned my head, in my dream, not sure if it would affect me. I wasn't going to take that chance though. Seconds later, Apollo was standing alone in the Hunt's camp. All of a sudden, the scene shifted.

"Father!" called Lady Artemis.

"Yes, Artemis?" replied Lord Zeus, looking astonished.

Most gods must've asked him a ton of favors, but apparently not Lady Artemis.

"My hunter is gone!" she wailed.

"Which one? Atlas' brat?" he asked.

"No, Aemilia is gone!" she shrieked.

Zeus had a blank look on his face, so she added "HER. Aemilia, is THE ONE!"

Zeus' eyes widened."How did this happen?" he said, all serious now.

"She was with Apollo! They were on a hunt! He said that she ran away from him!"

Thunder sounded, as Apollo appeared into the room.

"Is that true, Apollo?" questioned Zeus.

A curt nod was all he gave. A rush of madness happened then.

"Hermes!" Zeus thundered, his master bolt in his hand.

A blur appeared, showing Hermes when he stopped.

"Yes, Lord Zeus?" said Hermes, looking at who was with him.

"I'm guessing you heard most of our conversation." Zeus said.

Silence followed.

With a sigh, the lord of the sky said "I want you to find her. And, before the winter solstice!"

Hermes disappeared in an instant, going faster than ever. Before I woke up, I heard Apollo muttering something, followed by a blood-curling scream from Lady Artemis.My eyes opened. A sheen of sweat covered my entire body. I was gasping, fear entering my veins. Hermes was coming. To find me. No.

"No." I voiced. "No, no, no, no, NO!"

I flew off the covers of my bed. Somebody had brought me back into the room I was in last time. Also, I was still wearing my hunter's uniform. Digging through the black, wooden drawers, I found a purple shirt, and a matching skirt. Usually, I wouldn't be caught dead in it, but this was very important. I changed at a speed that would leave any normal person gasping of the floor. Running into the hall, I tried to find Hades, or Persephone. You see, the hunters had a tracking sense, making it easy to find prey, or detect people. A mass of black aura, hit me as I found it in the...dining room? Closing my eyes, I began to run, letting my senses take over my body. -THUMP- I crashed into Hades.

"My deepest apologizes, Hades." I said.

He nodded, with a "What's the problem?"

"They're looking for me! Lord Zeus has sent Hermes for me!" I shrieked, starting to panic.

"Please, Hades, hide me! Make it that they won't find me!"

"You never did tell me why you ran away from the Hunt."

"I kissed Apollo! I regret it deeply, but I did! Now, I can never go back! Please, lord, hide me!"

Hades took my hand, transferring us to a room. Persephone was looking in the mirror, getting her makeup fixed.

"Aemilia? What a pleasant surprise!" she said.

I repeated what I told to Hades.

"Oh, make-over time!"

"Please, Persephone, make me look dead. So, he confuses me with another."

Persephone crinkled her nose. "You actually want to look dead? Well, as you wish."

I noticed that Hades disappeared, and I wouldn't blame him. The next hour, I was pelted with make-up. She even put skull earrings on me! When I looked into the mirror, I was shocked, and pleased at what I saw. My skin, was usually pale, but Persephone had made it ghostly, and it almost looked see-through. No amount of makeup could make my birthmark disappear though. The red mark was still on, clear as ever. My hair, for once was fashioned, curling around my face. I looked quite gothic, and most of all, like a shade, minus the birthmark. Hades, reappeared at our side, approving of my new look. He gave me something that looked strangely like a coffin. I raised an eyebrow.

"Put it on your back. When Hermes comes into my realm, you will be doing your old work, he'll never suspect a thing." Hades said, almost gleefully.

A vision filled my head, but, for once, I didn't faint. Words tumbled out of my mouth though.