The school auditorium, which was filled with tension and anxiety was now still and calm. The twins felt a mixture of emotions, sitting frozen as the projected fight came to a close. Abel buried his head into his brother's shoulder while Cain sat dumbfounded, unable to understand how Ragnor could get the best of the mighty beast. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he shivered in anger. "Oh, seems like both the humans are doing their part in entertaining us. I guess I can forgive them for their hideous appearances since I get to bask in your suffering." Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction, said as he folded his four blue arms.

"Come now leaders of Tartarus, you may be filthy humans but at least you possess the spirit of good sportsmanship." White, the Norse God of Forgiveness and Kingship said as he joined his fellow captains. "Oh, we're missing one, but I'm sure he would say something like,"

Sitting here in the gym,

You underestimated him.

Watching helplessly as he tore your monster limb from limb.

Leaving you looking ever so grim

"Does that sound like him, God of Destruction?" White mocked. Shiva nodded his head, "I'll forgive your poor delivery simply because of how well you mirrored his words."

Cain jumped to his feet and grabbed White by the collar. Getting up in his face he warned, "Mock me all you want, but now that he had his way with us. The both of you are next!" White inched closer, looking down at the more vocal twin. His golden eyes glowed, "Do not compare us to you petty mortals. Release me else he won't be the one to fall by my blade."

Cain let go, looking away in frustration before heading to the door, followed closely by Abel. "I hope you enjoy mocking me," He turned his head slightly and watched them out of the corner of his eye, "Because when the time comes that you feel defeat by his hands, I won't stop until you off yourselves." The brothers left, taking the tension with them. "For being such a sore loser, I can't forgive him." Shiva shook his head in disappointment. "Nor should you, though what he said leaves a sour flavor in my mouth," White replied, touching his tongue.

Shiva sighed, "If you're thinking that there is even the slightest chance that we could be defeated by a human, I won't forgive you either." The god of destruction warned as he left the room.

Cain and Abel stood at the entrance to the Labyrinth, awaiting Ragnor's return. "Sigh, fifty points went to waste," Cain muttered. "But I know when I'm beaten, congrats." He said to Ragnor as he emerged from the entrance with 10 minutes to spare. "Thanks, I didn't expect you to be the ones to greet me," Ragnor said, looking around. "Your personal cheerleader wanted to come, but he got in trouble for ditching class too often already." Cain smirked before he grew serious, "So now that you have our blessing to leave the House of Tartarus, what are you going to do now?"

Ragnor wiped the soot from his helmet, "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to begin recruiting." He smiled. "Before you go, tell us one thing. How did you manage to obtain the items that you used in there?" Ragnor grinned, "Well since you're being such good sports, the string was forged by the greatest blacksmith, and I came to an agreement with a certain stuck-up princess to let me borrow her helmet. I can't really say much more than that." Ragnor clutched his bag tightly, "Relax, even if we wanted to take those items we couldn't. You did a quest and achieved them along the way so unless we kill you and take them, they're yours." Ragnor raised an eyebrow, "And you're not going to kill me?"

Cain laughed, "Believe me, I want to, but I much rather see you bring the other house leaders to their knees too. So, do me a favor when their time comes: completely obliterate them." He said with passion burning in his eyes. Ragnor simply smiled and walked past them.

Ragnor, exhausted from his day, returned to his dorm. He opened his door and let out a deep sigh from his hectic day. His room was like every other first-year's, a single room with an adjoined bathroom. The room was split into two pieces, a small kitchen, and a bedroom with a desk to the side. To make himself feel more at home he painted the room a light purple as well as put a shelf with plants near the window. "How was it?" He jumped in shock as he turned to see Artemis sitting on his bed. "Is it a custom to send pretty girls to a warrior's room after a battle?" Ragnor joked as he put down his bag and went into the bathroom.

"Yes, it is, but don't think I'm one of those girls." She rolled her eyes and came to the edge of the bed. "Oh, so why are you here?" Ragnor asked from in the washroom. "My brother is forced to spend the day with that disgusting creature, so I want to know what pain he's feeling." She said, her face turned at the mere thought of Elena. Ragnor peaked his head out of the bathroom, "So why don't you just go be with the two of them?" her stomach twisted at the suggestion, and she threw herself back, letting out a groan.

"Don't even get me started!" She said as she put her hands over her face. "Well, if your brother is getting to know that human, why don't you get to know this one?" He said coming out of the bathroom, shirtless and wiping his hair with a towel. She looked up, peaking through her fingers, "Are you suggesting what I think you are, human?" Her tone grew irritated. Ragnor let out a laugh, "No, of course not. Like I would let a filthy goddess such as yourself lay a finger on my perfect body." He said as he walked over to his bag. The veins in her head bulged but before she could say anything, he turned to her, "See, it doesn't feel nice being on the receiving end of those insults, does it?" She rolled her eyes, "Whatever human."

She jumped up and Ragnor turned as the door slammed open. "Your favorite is here and ready to celebrate my little hero!" Loki barged in with a bottle of scotch in his hand. He stopped in his tracks as he saw Artemis sitting on the bed and a half-naked Ragnor nearby. In an instant Loki clung to Ragnor with tears rolling down his eyes, "Tell me it isn't how it seems, my darling! Why would you do this to me?" He wailed and fell to the floor. "Is she giving you something I can't? Tell me and I'll change, I really will!" Artemis sat, growing uncomfortable by the show while Ragnor tried to hold back his laugh.

He took the bottle from Loki and took out three cups, "Actually, she is." He handed one cup to Loki and approached Artemis, "Since you're here, why not tell us how you lost to Elena and why it made you hate her so much." He turned to Loki, "And in return, I'll share with both of you how I beat the bastard of Mischief." The two gods smiled and took a sip from their glasses before beginning their stories.

Most children of the gods are born in the luxury of a palace and immediately adorned with gifts and prayers. However, it was a completely different story for this goddess. Artemis, a bastard born from the extramarital affairs of Zeus and Leto, emerged from her mother's womb but instead of crying her purple eyes scanned the damp cold cave before seeing her mother. The lady who was burdened by pain and suffering winced as she had another contraction. Less than a minute into the world she would call home and she knew she could not be a normal child. She crept over to her mother and helped her to deliver the younger brother. A boy resembled the man that would cause them multitudes of suffering in the future.

Artemis held her little brother against her fragile body. She used her small arms to rock him, playing with his golden hair as he cried. Their mother looked at them smiling, with tearful eyes, she said.

Some nights I wish things were not the same,

My choices are to blame.

What you must endure is my biggest shame.

Stolen story; please report.

Though who would think two miracles would come from an old flame.

Artemis is your name,

Be no man's game.

Seek your own fame.

Beat the obstacles I could not tame.

My dearest Apollo,

Do not let your sister feel any sorrow.

If you seek advice from your sister, you should borrow.

Together I pray neither of you feel hollow.

Those were the first and last words their mother had said to them before leaving them alone. Artemis remained quiet, the tears streaming soundlessly down her face as she looked at her mother's lifeless body. The holes in the rooftop let light sneak in and caress Apollo's sleeping face. Artemis, still less than an hour old, had so much on her mind. She was not like other newborns, and it was solely because of this fact that they survived.

While her brother slept, Artemis gently put him down next to their mother and crawled out of the cave. She scoured for berries, fruits, and anything edible. She found the first tree, looking up at the apples on the high branches. She pressed her hands against the tree and began to climb. She continued this lifestyle until Apollo was two and old enough to join her hunts. Artemis was the classic case of, 'she's an adult in a child's body.' She knew they had a purpose, her mother's words ringing in her head. This drove her forward, refusing to die before they achieved it. The little girl did not know what this purpose was but was determined for them to find out.

They stayed on this island for four more years where they trained and learned the skills of the hunt. While her methods were crude and clumsy, Artemis could procure enough food for both her and her brother. Apollo was of little help, but his company was all she needed to be happy. They knew little language outside of their mother's poem, but be it the twin's telepathy or another force, they could tell what the other was thinking and always knew what to do.

Days before their seventh birthday, they finished a poorly built raft and set sail with little supplies. Be it through luck or fate, they made it to shore just before the food supply finished and the raft gave out. Apollo opened his mouth in shock as for the first time, he saw civilization. He stood there admiring the stone buildings and the busy streets. Artemis was more wary of their surroundings and skeptical of the people that stopped to stare at them. "Hey are those kids, ok?" A strange voice said. Artemis pulled her brother closer as people slowly started coming towards them. She didn't have a weapon but when the first man to get into range she swung.

He grabbed her little fist and looked at her with a gentle smile. "It's okay, no one's going to hurt you." She did not know what he was saying, but she felt comfort in his words. The man leads the two children back to his house where he lived with his new bride. It was a sudden change for them, but they both knew they could not leave two children to fend for themselves.

Relik was the man's name, and he owned a small tavern in the town. He was particularly proud of the full beard which he kept neatly groomed. His teeth were a worn yellow from the years he had spent smoking and whenever he flashed it at the children, they found themselves smiling back. His wife, Mary, was a teacher and was always fond of kids, however from the moment she laid eyes on Apollo she knew something was different about him.

She was a kind soul and soft-spoken. She always feigned confidence around the other children but knew that this didn't work on Apollo. She was elated when she finally found someone besides her husband who loved her for her clumsy meek self.

They adopted these children as their own, and Apollo quickly picked up their language as well as any other his adopted mother had books about. Artemis, however, spent more time with Relik and accompanied him on hunts to gather materials as well as helped him in the bar. Mary frowned at her behavior, considering it too 'boyish' but remained quiet as doing these things seemed to make Artemis happy.

They knew their children were special, not like how every other parent thought but rather something was strange about them. By the age of ten Apollo could speak five languages fluently and was proficient in many instruments while Artemis on the other hand had begun going on hunts by herself where she would put any man to shame with her skills.

It was at this time however that word of the two 'wonder children' had gotten to Hera's, the wife of Zeus, ears. She used her magic to take a look at the two children. At first, she gazed upon Artemis and her skillful hunts. The girl, while having a frail body, could conquer any beast. She knew something was off about these children, but they were just suspicions. Upon seeing Apollo, however, her mood changed. An insatiable anger clutched her heart, and her mind became clouded with resentment. His blonde hair was undoubtedly her husband's. The fruits of her husband's unfaithfulness churned her stomach, and she could not relinquish this seething rage.

With a flick of her wrist and a simple command, her minions laid waste to the village that took in the children. This was their punishment for going against the Gods. Artemis grabbed her brother and with the help of Lady Fate narrowly escaped Hera's watch into a thick cluster of trees. Apollo protested the entire time as he screamed and tried to pull away from his sister. He constantly looked back as he tried to rush to his mother's side as she fought off a lizard creature that stood twice the human's height. Tears ran down his face as panic grabbed at his soul, he wasn't ready to lose another mother but no matter what he did his sister was stronger.

She hated running away as well but her father's face burned into her mind. His yellow smile was tainted with blood as he got on his knees before her. He ran his hands through her hair as the beast behind him struggled back to its feet. "Go, get your brother out of here. We'll be fine, we'll come meet you." He tried his best to reassure her but even without seeing the wound at his side she knew he was lying.

She listened, tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew this was the last time she would see them, that they would no longer be able to hunt together. She wanted to stay and fight, to kill the creatures that were taking away the life she loved but she knew she couldn't. She was scared of losing them but what she was even more terrified of was losing the one person she had known longer than she knew herself. She had made a promise to not just her mother but herself. She had to keep her brother safe no matter what.

After she was sure they weren't followed and that her brother wouldn't go rushing back into battle she released Apollo. He punched a tree out of anger as one of the minions' words echoed through his mind, "You look just like your unfaithful father." He continued to abuse the tree until Artemis pulled him away. She pulled him close to her breast and rubbed his bleeding knuckles.

"Why must everything we love be taken away from us? All because of a man we do not even know!" Apollo's muffled cries resonated with his sister. Artemis pulled her brother closer as she did not want him to see the expression she wore. She burned with hatred. Hatred for the mother that abandoned them, for the humans that could not protect them, for the man that let their mother suffer, for the woman that hated them for being born.

Though the person she hated the most was herself, for being too weak to fight back, for not being strong enough to stand up to these bullies but most of all for having these thoughts. She knew that her mother and adoptive parents loved them more than anything, but she couldn't rid herself of her anger.

The two of them fell asleep under the cover of the trees with Artemis cradling her brother close to her chest. When she woke up the next morning another wave of emotions took her as her brother missing. She began to panic, searching the forest until she came to a lake where the young boy stood. He turned around as he noticed her footsteps, the sun's rays peaking through the canopy and giving his face a radiant glow. "Apollo? What did you do?" Artemis' eyes widened as her brother turned to her. He touched his hair, "This?" He gave her a warm smile as the dye that painted his hair trickled down his face. The sunlight that once reflected on his golden hair was now absorbed in the black and purple mess that matched his sister's, "Now no one would question that we're siblings,"

Apollo walked over to his sister and took her hands into his own, "This is the last time we let people hurt us for just existing. When we come out of this forest, we take our destiny into our own hands and crush anyone that stands in our way."

The last sentence came out fuzzy as Artemis fell into a drunken sleep. Ragnor looked at Loki as Artemis fell face-first onto his sheets. "Damn, and she was only halfway through her story." Loki sighed. "You knew her life story?" Ragnor asked. "All the Gods know each other's origins to a certain degree, more so the outcasts like this little one." Ragnor turned to the sleeping goddess and moved her purple hair out of her face, "She acts like a proud adult exuding confidence and reliability but deep down, she's a broken little girl who wants nothing more than to right the wrongs done to her." Loki's voice grew a little more serious than usual, "Do you think we all had perfect lives? We're just puppets to amuse those that came before us and to be admired by those who follow."

Ragnor sighed and placed his head on the god's head, "I think we all had a bit too much to drink." He said as he got up. "Oh, are we going to share my room tonight?" Loki smirked as he shot up from the sheets. Ragnor smiled, "She's angry at me on a normal basis, I rather not see how a hung-over Artemis would react to waking up in my bedroom. Let's just leave her to sleep it off." Ragnor headed for the door followed closely by an intoxicated Loki who hopped with every step. He closed the door and turned off the lights as they left the sleeping goddess to her dreams.