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It didn't take long for the group to finish eating and get ready to continue the hunt. The food had turned out to be far better than any of them had expected from a place they had chosen almost entirely by accident, so before leaving, several of the demigods thanked Scáthach for taking care of them. The purple-haired woman accepted the compliments with a satisfied smile, though she made sure to collect every last coin of the bill before allowing them to leave the table.
"Ah, ah, ah... remember this, children. Money is the key to happiness," Scáthach declared with complete seriousness as she pocketed the payment. The moment she finished speaking, she brought one hand near her lips and let out a small laugh. "Fufu..."
The memory of the way she had said it still managed to send the occasional bead of sweat down the demigods' necks as they left the restaurant. Percy had even discreetly checked that he still had his wallet before crossing the door, something Thalia noticed almost immediately and, of course, had no intention of letting him forget for the rest of the walk.
Scáthach watched the group leave from the entrance before calmly heading back inside. Throughout their entire visit, she had barely exchanged more than a few words directly with Artemis, which hadn't surprised her in the slightest. The Celtic warrior knew the Goddess of the Moon's reputation quite well, just like a large portion of the supernatural world did.
In fact, who didn't know Artemis?
Scáthach was fairly certain that, even if Artemis wasn't among the most powerful goddesses still walking the world, she could easily rank among the five or ten most well-known female deities among both humans and supernatural beings. Her temples, myths, and legends had survived for thousands of years. But the biggest reason was probably much simpler: strange stories always traveled faster.
Punishments, men turned into animals, pursuits, and an absurd number of tales that had changed so many times over the centuries that Scáthach doubted even Artemis herself could still tell which ones were completely true. The ancient warrior had learned long ago that a good deed could be forgotten within a few generations, while a bad one could keep your name circulating for thousands of years.
"Fufu..." Scáthach laughed to herself again as she gathered a few plates from the table. "The Greek gods were never particularly good at keeping a low profile."
XXXXXXX
By the time the group left the busier parts of Kuoh behind, the city had grown considerably quieter. Commercial buildings gradually gave way to narrower streets, scattered homes, and small wooded areas surrounding the outskirts of the city. Artemis walked several steps ahead of everyone else, leading them farther out without showing the slightest difficulty keeping track of where they were going.
Percy looked around with some curiosity as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I have to admit, I expected something a little more exciting when I heard the word hunt."
"We haven't even been walking for an hour," Annabeth replied.
"Exactly. A whole hour of doing nothing," Luke added.
Artemis didn't join the conversation. Several minutes earlier, she had already located a target she could use to test the demigods. For her, finding a creature of that level posed no real challenge, and if she had been hunting alone, she probably wouldn't have even bothered wasting this much time tracking it. But orders were orders, and Artemis intended to follow them.
After moving farther into the outskirts of the city, Artemis stopped and gestured with her eyes toward several marks on the ground. "What do you see?"
Percy looked down at the ground first and then back at the goddess as though the question made no sense. "Well... dirt."
Thalia smacked him on the arm. "Can you take anything seriously?"
"I'm still right," Percy muttered under his breath while rubbing his arm.
Annabeth crouched down before Artemis could respond and began examining the ground. Several tracks overlapped one another, some human and others belonging to small animals, but after studying them for a bit, she managed to pick out a deeper mark near one of the roots. "Looks like something heavy came through here."
Luke moved closer as well and pointed toward a few damaged branches several meters ahead. "And it broke those branches."
"Correct," Artemis replied.
Selene looked ahead. "So we follow the direction of the broken branches?"
"Among other things," the goddess answered with her hands in her pockets before setting off again.
As they moved through the trees, Artemis sensed that the creature was much closer than the others realized. She continued walking with the same calm expression while her senses tracked every movement through the vegetation. She could hear its uneven breathing and the sound of its body brushing against the bushes.
That was good. At the very least, the creature still didn't consider them enough of a threat to run away and make her job more annoying than necessary. Artemis was pulled from her thoughts when a sharp noise came from the right. Luke turned in the same direction, but barely had time to open his mouth before a figure burst violently through the bushes.
"Watch out!"
Percy and Thalia reacted thanks to years of training, splitting off in opposite directions, while Annabeth found herself directly in the creature's path. Its body vaguely resembled an enormous, malformed dog, with front limbs that were far too long and a jaw packed with teeth. The daughter of Athena barely managed to raise her arms on instinct as the monster lunged at her.
Artemis made no move to intervene. Her senses followed the attack perfectly, and she was ready to stop it if Annabeth was ever in real danger, but before that became necessary, a burst of golden light exploded in front of the demigod.
"What the—?!" Aegis appeared on her arm before Annabeth even understood how she had summoned it. The shield took the creature's attack head-on with an impact that shook the path, forcing the daughter of Athena several steps backward. Annabeth nearly lost her balance, but managed to remain standing as she stared in surprise at the shield now strapped to her arm.
Percy looked almost just as confused. "Since when can you do that?"
"Percy, not now," Annabeth snapped as she pulled her attention away from her friend and focused on the creature again.
The monster rose with a growl, and Thalia moved forward to stand beside them, though she couldn't help glancing at the shield again. "We definitely need to talk, Annie."
"Yeah, yeah. Later," Annabeth replied without taking her eyes off the enemy.
This time she was prepared to receive it, though saying that when she had literally just used Aegis for the first time was already an exaggeration. When the creature charged again, Annabeth raised the shield in time and took the attack head-on once more, getting shoved several steps backward by the force of the blow.
Artemis frowned slightly at the daughter of Athena's decision. She had expected something smarter from her. Having a shield didn't mean she needed to take every attack directly, especially against an enemy whose strength she still didn't fully understand. Aegis could protect her, but relying entirely on the shield's durability was a habit Artemis intended to correct sooner or later.
Meanwhile, Luke took advantage of the creature's attention being completely focused on Annabeth and attacked from the side, forcing it back. Percy and Thalia saw the opening almost at the same time and moved in together. Thalia's fist became coated in electricity while Percy's was wrapped in water, both blows slamming into the creature almost simultaneously.
The monster was launched backward before crashing heavily into the ground. Its body began convulsing as Thalia's electricity tore through its nerves and the combined impact left it unable to recover. Artemis nodded, satisfied with the coordination they had just shown, and with one quick motion threw a dagger straight through the creature's head, finishing it before it could rise again.
Selene, meanwhile, remained a few steps farther back with a frustrated expression. During the fight she had tried to activate her own Sacred Link, but no matter how hard she tried to remember the sensation she had experienced on Olympus, absolutely nothing happened. She frowned as she stared at her hand. "I missed the whole fight..."
"It's fine, Selene," Artemis replied without making much of it. "It's the first time you've tried using it on your own. You'll learn to understand your abilities better with time."
"Wait, wait." Percy raised a hand before anyone could continue, looking back and forth between Selene and Annabeth. "What's all this about new abilities? Because five minutes ago Annie definitely couldn't pull a golden shield out of nowhere."
"Sacred Links," Annabeth replied while examining Aegis with almost as much curiosity as everyone else. "Damon gave them to us while we were on Olympus."
Thalia frowned. "And when exactly were you planning to mention that little detail?"
"We were going to," Selene replied. "But when we got back to camp, everyone started asking us things at the same time, then Lady Artemis showed up and we ended up coming here. It's not like we know much more than you do anyway. You all just saw how 'well' things went when I tried using mine..."
Percy couldn't help nodding, fascinated and with a small hint of envy beginning to creep in. Lord Damon really had forgotten about him. Ahhh... those were the good old days, back when the man was still blond. "Hmm, I see. Annabeth gets a shield and you... what exactly do you do?"
Selene opened her mouth, but eventually shrugged. "Something like illusions. Once I actually manage to use it properly, we'll see what I can really do, because I still barely understand anything."
Luke, for his part, looked at his two friends with a smile. He had managed to leave much of the hatred he had carried for so long behind thanks to Damon's warnings, and even those strange dreams had stopped tormenting him. Meanwhile, as the conversation continued, Artemis suddenly felt something change.
A sensation that was far too familiar brushed against her senses.
It wasn't coming from another creature moving through the trees. It was something different, almost like a sixth sense Artemis had developed over countless years of finding human girls and young demigoddesses trapped in situations they often couldn't escape on their own.
And this time, the feeling came through clearly: fear. The Goddess of the Moon's expression hardened immediately, a change Annabeth was quick to notice. "Lady Artemis, is everything okay?"
"We're moving," the goddess replied seriously.
Percy blinked. "Now?"
Artemis had already started walking. "Now..." Her tone was enough to put an end to any further questions. The five demigods immediately followed as she left the path and moved much faster through the trees. It didn't take long before they cleared the thicker vegetation, revealing an isolated church several meters ahead, far removed from the rest of Kuoh. The building had clearly seen better days; some of the exterior paint had begun to peel, and the grounds surrounding it were neglected enough that the place had probably already inspired more than a few horror stories among Kuoh's residents.
Percy slowed slightly when he saw it. "Uhh... an abandoned church."
"Percy," Annabeth warned.
"I'm just saying... this is literally the first abandoned church I've ever seen."
Without saying anything else, the group reached the church grounds just as a man's voice cut through the silence from inside. "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!"
The five demigods stopped beside Artemis. The Goddess of the Moon's brow furrowed deeply, and the irritation she had already begun to feel rose almost immediately.
"MOVE ALREADY, YOU STUPID NUN! WE DIDN'T BRING YOU HERE SO YOU COULD STAND AROUND STARING AT THE FLOOR!"
Inside the church, Asia Argento gripped the fabric of her habit while keeping her head lowered. She had only arrived in Kuoh recently without really knowing anyone, and she was still trying to adjust to a situation that seemed to drift farther away from the life she had once imagined for herself with every passing day.
Donaseek paced in front of her with obvious irritation. "Start by cleaning up this whole mess. After that, you'll take care of the rooms and anything else we tell you to do. If you're going to stay here, at least try to make yourself useful."
Asia raised her head slightly. "Y-Yes... I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Donaseek let out a mocking laugh. "It's always the same thing with you. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Stop apologizing and get to work, you stupid nun."
Asia lowered her head again, squeezing her eyes shut as they began to water.
Outside, Artemis had heard enough. Rage began to boil inside her as her brow furrowed deeply. This was exactly the kind of man she always talked about: abusive, cowardly, and perfectly willing to take out his frustration on a young woman who clearly couldn't defend herself. She didn't even bother consulting the demigods. Her body vanished in a burst of speed, and an instant later, the church's worn doors exploded inward with a deafening crash.
Asia flinched on instinct, partially covering her head as pieces of wood scattered around the entrance. Donaseek, who had already started walking toward one of the hallways, spun around sharply with an alarmed expression. His eyes landed on a young woman stepping through the remains of the doorway with a look that promised absolutely nothing good.
"What the hell...?" Donaseek turned fully toward her. "Who the fuck are you?"
Artemis didn't even answer. Donaseek barely had time to frown before his power began gathering around his body, ready to reveal his wings, but the Goddess of the Moon raised one hand before he could do anything else.
A flash of silver light engulfed the Fallen Angel. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING—?!"
His body began shrinking rapidly. His arms and legs contracted until they disappeared completely, his skin turning green and taking on a damp texture while his torso warped until almost nothing about him resembled a human anymore. Within moments, Donaseek had been reduced to a small larva-like creature barely larger than a frog, writhing across the stone floor without arms or legs to even lift himself.
For a moment, silence filled the church. Donaseek tried to look down at his new body, awkwardly squirming across the floor as his expression shifted from confusion to horror. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" His voice was still recognizable, though now it sounded much higher and more pathetic coming from such a tiny creature.
Donaseek began thrashing and dragging himself furiously across the same patch of floor, completely unable to adjust to his new form. "TURN ME BACK TO NORMAL, YOU DAMN WOMAN! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"
Artemis looked down at him with complete indifference. "No... but do you know who I am?"
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHO YOU ARE! I'M DONASEEK, A FALLEN ANGEL! WHEN MY SUPERIORS HEAR ABOUT THIS, YOU—!"
Donaseek tried to turn around and escape, though calling it running would have been far too generous. Without limbs, he barely managed to drag his tiny body a few inches across the floor before Artemis's boot came down on top of him and pinned him in place.
"Scum like you disgusts me," the goddess declared as she began applying pressure.
"H-Hey, wait!" The arrogance vanished from Donaseek's voice almost immediately. His tiny body squirmed beneath her boot as he struggled to free himself with absolutely no chance of succeeding. "Wait, wait! We can talk about this!"
Artemis only pressed down harder.
Asia watched from beside one of the pews, completely frozen. Her green eyes were wide open and her body trembled as she stared at the scene without being able to say a single word. Only moments earlier, Donaseek had been insulting her and ordering her around; now the creature that had managed to terrify her had been reduced to a tiny larva beneath a stranger's boot.
"Please!" Donaseek begged as his body began to deform under the pressure. "Wait!"
Artemis showed no mercy. With one final movement, Donaseek's tiny body burst beneath the goddess's boot with a wet sound, spraying blood, fluids, and bits of viscera across the church floor. An uncomfortable silence followed as several reddish drops slowly seeped into the cracks between the stones.
"Pff..." Artemis scoffed with obvious disgust before lifting her foot and looking down at the remains without the slightest concern.
By then, Percy, Luke, Thalia, Annabeth, and Selene had reached the shattered entrance. All five stood there without saying a word, looking back and forth between the goddess and the bloodstain on the floor.
Artemis finally looked away from the remains and turned toward Asia. "Come on, girl. We're leaving."
Asia didn't even react. Still in shock, she remained beside the pew with her arms pulled against her chest, breathing unevenly and completely terrified.
The Goddess of the Moon frowned. "Are you not listening to me?"
Asia shrank back even more.
Annabeth instantly understood the problem and stepped forward before Artemis could say anything else. "Lady Artemis..." she murmured, trying to make it clear that pushing the girl probably wouldn't help before turning her attention to Asia. "It's okay. You don't have to be afraid of us."
Selene approached as well, keeping some distance so she wouldn't overwhelm her. "Really. It's over. We just don't want to leave you here alone."
Asia looked back and forth between the two girls, still shaking... "Lady Artemis isn't going to hurt you," Annabeth added calmly, referring to the goddess. "She only came in because she heard what was happening."
Asia looked toward Artemis again, who remained a few steps farther back with her arms crossed. Then she lowered her gaze to the floor and swallowed. She didn't know any of these people, nor did she know who Artemis was. The only thing she knew for certain was that staying in that church no longer seemed like an option.
Finally, she took a small step toward Annabeth. Selene offered her a reassuring smile. "That's it. Come with us."
Asia moved a little farther until she stood beside the two demigods. Artemis waited until she was sure the girl was actually going to follow them before turning around and heading toward the exit, leaving the others to keep her calm enough to come along.
One by one, the demigods left the church behind their goddess.
Asia was the last to pass through the destroyed doorway. Before stepping outside, she turned her head and looked one last time at the inside of the building that had begun to feel more and more like a prison over the past few days.
She didn't know who these people were or where they were taking her. But at the very least, she had managed to get out of the church.
For now, that was enough.