Divine Enmity (Catnipz)

IV. A confusing first encounter.

Riding on the backs of those animals, she couldn't feel how fast they were going after a while. In less than fifteen minutes, she could already see the end of the city and how the road stretched out, with the buildings being replaced by the little nature that surrounded her. Finally, she could appreciate the hills, trees, and green fields of the area. Moreover, the wind on her face managed to cool her down a bit. The sensation was incredibly pleasant.

"Yuqi?"

The mentioned girl approached a bit. "Yes?"

"Where are your weapons? I doubt they fit in that small bag behind you."

Yuqi smiled. "They are enchanted. We don't have to carry them all the time; we can summon them whenever we want."

"Enchanted?"

She smiled. "Exactly. It's better this way; we don't have to worry about running out of arrows."

Haerin seemed more confused. "Are you hunters? You mentioned something about a hunt, and..."

"Yes, we are hunters. We answer to our lady Artemis."

Artemis.

That name was vaguely familiar. She remembered a school trip to a modern museum specializing in ancient Greece. She had no interest in history, in fact, she hated it. Too many names, too many dates, and her memory couldn't handle it all. Her dyslexia made it even harder to remember important names, and she almost failed the subject. She went on the trip because it meant a day away from school, away from that miserable town, enduring a bunch of kids her age whom she didn't like. But at least it spared her from mathematics.

The trip took place when she was fourteen, so she could barely recall anything. The other students complained about seeing only ruins and stones, as well as statues of people who never existed. Haerin partially agreed with them; their guide seemed less enthusiastic about life than they were. It was somewhat boring, but not as bad as she had expected. She remembered entering a large, round room where sculptures of Greek gods were displayed in circles, and she recalled Artemis.

The goddess of the hunt.

Like the rest of the gods, she wore a Greek toga, shorter than that of the other goddesses. Her posture was athletic, depicted with a bow and an animal at her side.

That room was her favorite part of the trip; for some reason, she was interested in seeing how each of the gods was represented in human form.

But they are myths.

"I don't understand. Are you saying you answer to her? Wasn't your leader named Soyeon?"

Miyeon laughed loudly. "She's adorable."

Yuqi joined in the laughter. "Soyeon is the leader of this squad. There are three others scattered across the United States, but we all answer to Artemis."

"But Artemis, like the goddess, or..."

Miyeon interrupted. "Not like the goddess, the real goddess."

Haerin was even more confused. "Don't worry, Haerin. You'll understand everything at the camp."

"But..."

Miyeon sighed. "It's true that it's not our duty to explain this to you, but we can't leave you with doubts either."

"Miyeon," Yuqi warned.

"I won't say anything!" she denied. "Well, not much more than what you've said."

Yuqi rolled her eyes. "If Soyeon finds out, it's your fault."

"Alright, alright," she raised her hands in surrender. "But you've told her things too."