The sound of gunfire roared across the trees. The sound was deafening, making it virtually impossible to hear voices over communications. My name is Staff Sergeant Celestia Nadir, and I cursed as I used a thick tree for what little cover it provided. The rest of my four person base-of-fire element were posted at their own trees, attempting to keep the enemy’s ambushers pinned while the second five person team of my squad maneuvered into a flanking position, led by my second-in-command. This was only supposed to be a routine patrol; command hadn’t been able to confirm if enemy forces had managed to occupy the forest. A single negligent discharge from the enemy’s side was the only thing that saved my squad from the well placed ambush. The enemy had managed to get one burst of gunfire off before my squad returned fire with tenfold fury. My machine gunner had immediately proned out a little ways to the left, raking the area opposite with controlled bursts. Every bullet the big man fired now was less weight he would have to carry back towards base later, and I was sure he wasn’t going to stop firing any time soon.

As I fired from my rifle, I continued to keep an ear out for confirmation from the maneuver element that they were in position and engaging the enemy. With the foliage in the way and under fire, I had no idea where the rest of the platoon my squad was a part of was currently located. It was extremely frustrating. I was unable to call for possible air support or any other aid from the squads that should have been nearby, and all I could do was hold out in the hope that help was definitely coming. The most worrying thing was that enemy fire was increasing. They were either being reinforced or they now had a better idea where my fireteam was located allowing more accuracy by volume. Several bullets slammed into the thick tree trunk I was using as cover and ricocheted off into the distance. Wood splinters left superficial scratches on my cheek and I ducked down with a growl of annoyance escaping my throat.

Suddenly, the cadence of incoming fire shifted. At the same time I noticed this my second, Sergeant Millie Mirium, spoke over the headsets in her usual poised tone. “Celestia, we showed up on their flank and are engaging.”

I bit back her sigh of relief. “Any sign of the rest of the platoon?”

“Negative. For all intents and purposes, we’re alone out here. I should have ran into elements of at least one other squad, but they’re not where they should be.”

I frowned. That wasn’t good. A platoon’s squads usually kept within line of sight with each other for easy communication and the general location of the entire platoon. The other two squads being completely missing would be impossible if it wasn’t currently happening. The ambush happened so quickly I hadn’t even noticed that the rest of the platoon was absent. If I didn’t know any better… I cursed as soon as the thought crossed my mind.

"We’ve been betrayed.” My voice was cold, devoid of emotion. The sounds of combat seemed to fade away as the squad registered my words.

“What?” That came from the machine gunner. “No way. Why would they attack their own?”

I fixed a glare on the back of the man’s head even as he kept firing. “Your guess is as good as mine. But nothing else makes sense. The rest of the platoon is completely missing. Command was being awfully catty about whether or not enemies were even here. There’s no way I’m going to believe that satellites or drones were incapable of performing proper recon. Millie ranged a good half-mile out from our position to flank and she encountered no allies that should have been there. Either the rest of the platoon deliberately pulled back because they knew that enemies were setting up an ambush, or the rest of the platoon are currently trying to kill us.”

“Damn. Hard to believe after years of service this is how they repay us.”

“We’re mercenaries.” Millie shot back. “It was only a matter of time before someone decided to toss us to the wolves. No amount of pretending to be a regular army unit is going to change that.”

One of the other riflewomen chuckled lightly. “End of the line, huh? Thanks for everything you've done for us, commander.” She paused her firing, ready to give up then and there.

“Oi, none of that shit!” My slight accent came out during my outburst. “They're not going to get an easy meal of us! Fucking fire until you run out of bullets!”

“Rah!” The squad cheered, momentarily drowning out the gunfire. I slotted another magazine into my rifle with practiced movements and brushed the traces of blood from the wound on my cheek. Most others wouldn't be able to tell, but I had been doing this long enough to determine that the volume of incoming fire was decreasing. Millie’s arrival in the flank had clearly resulted in enemy deaths, and now they couldn't decide who to shoot at first. This also suggested that their foes weren't a regular army unit and were instead fellow mercenaries. Unfortunately, this also meant that their attackers were elements of the platoon we had been a part of.

Struck by a sudden premonition– a tightening in my guts– I started barking orders. “Millie, disengage. You're making a lot of ruckus over there and you're far enough away for the rest of our former platoon to pinpoint your general location. The rest of you, we're going to link up with her.”

There was a moment of silence. “Good call, Celestia. We disengaged fast enough to catch a couple of them trying to flank us. We killed them, but we're down a rifleman. I took a round to my arm.”

An icy fist closed around my heart. If I had been just a little later in issuing that order, I would have lost my closest friend in the world. Yet, before I could give more orders, a sudden chopping sound interrupted all other noise. I glanced up in hope that was quickly dashed. Those were helicopters, all right, and they were coming from the front. Not behind. They weren't here to help.

“Sorry, Millie. Looks like we're not going to get the chance to finish saving up money for that house we wanted.” Those were the last words I was able to speak to the one who had been by my side since childhood. In the heat of the moment, that was what I was most worried about, and I started to flush from embarrassment.

I still had the pleasure of hearing my best friend chuckle one last time. “We had a good run, you and I.” Millie dropped her poised manner of speech, her voice filled with far more warmth than the squad usually ever heard from the second-in-command. “Guess now would be the only time I'll get to tell you that I love you.”

My entire world went crystal as I heard the words I’d always longed to hear. But I never had the chance to reply. With a burning fury, the approaching helicopters released their rockets. I never even got a chance to cry out before my existence was replaced by a cold pain and burning numbness. When the world stopped tumbling, I realized that I couldn't feel the lower half of my body. I was too terrified to look down to find out why. Instead, I kept my eyes aimed above. Everything was on fire. I had been tossed against a large boulder, and as I laid there tears started to fall from my eyes, unbidden. It was getting so hot that the salty tracks on my cheeks began to evaporate as soon as they formed. There was no further communication in my ear. That initial volley of munitions had likely decimated my squad. There would be no further survivors, and the fact that I was still alive, still capable of drowning in sorrow, was a very cruel twist of fate. Against my better judgment, I glanced down. My entire body below my torso was missing.

Every moment that passed caused more of my lifeblood to seep into the uncaring ground, but the helicopters were already moving away. There would be no second attack, as nothing should have been able to survive for this long. I knew that I was already a dead woman, but the end was approaching far too slow for my liking. I wasn’t about to spend the last minutes waiting for either the fire or the blood loss to kill me. Fumbling around a bit, I managed to find my sidearm. The weapon had landed right next to me, thrown free of its holster when I landed. I gripped it with my dominant hand and brought it to the base of my chin. “Fuck you all,” I rasped. “Whoever betrayed my family can go rot in Tartarus.”

I rested my finger on the trigger. Even though I knew I wasn't long for this world, I hesitated. No one ever wanted to die, even if my profession carried the expectation that it might happen. Yet in the end, I was going to go out on my terms. “Hang on, Millie. I’m following after you.” My finger tightened as a half smirk decorated my lips, and then there was no more.

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***

In a completely different plane of existence, two figures sat facing each other at a round table. One was a man, only discernible as such by his overall stature and build. His entire being was cloaked in shadow, courtesy of a full body robe with hood. His head was oddly shaped, almost like a snake’s head, and a forked tongue sometimes darted out to taste the air. The second figure was a gorgeous, svelte woman. Her hair was a rich lavender tied into a ponytail and she was on the tall side. Her outfit was a white tight tunic and skirt combo, with boots laced up to her knees. A crescent bow and a quiver of arrows sat off to one side. Her blue eyes studied the man opposite her intently, and one got the sense that they were in the midst of an intense discussion. “Are you sure about this, Artemis? As the God of Fate I am more than capable of… stacking the deck, as the mortals say, to give you a fair chance in the game the other gods are playing. But there has to be balance. This task you’re asking of me is going to handicap you, up to and including being unable to interact with whoever answers your call.”

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon, sighed slightly. “I’m aware, Shai. But I’m tired of being relegated to a two-bit goddess with no champions and few followers to my name. My last several champions ultimately ended up dead or betraying me for a different god. So when the announcement of this annual game of ours reached my ears, I sought you out. You play a role in the final judgment of departed souls. I figured that you would be able to help me find a soul that isn’t going to end up making me even weaker in the eyes of the other gods and goddesses.”

There was a long silence as the God of Fate studied the goddess opposite him. He never would have expected Artemis to come to him. Most deities were content to ignore him. Shai cocked his head slightly. “Tell you what, Artemis. I’ll help you find a suitable champion. You will be restricted from interacting with them outside of an official shrine or temple; this means you won't be able to whisper hints and suggestions into their mind. In addition, since the soul I have in mind is exceedingly compatible with you and your current situation, you are forbidden from contracting any other champion for the duration of this soul’s tenure as your champion. This is as far as I can help you. I’m already bending quite a few rules here. Any more than this and the deities that oppose you will find out and complain.”

Artemis bowed her head. “This is acceptable. Are we going to meet the soul now?”

In response, Shai turned his head. Artemis glanced over and realized that they were no longer alone. A soul hung in the air, appearing as a ball of flickering flames. The soul itself was a brilliant silver color and was easily one of the most beautiful Artemis had ever seen. Despite the fact that the soul had no face or even eyes, the two deities had the distinct impression that the soul was looking around the flat, nearly featureless space. “Where… where am I? Fuck! Millie, where are you?!” The voice was definitively feminine.

Artemis held out her palms towards their new guest. “Easy, there. I’m afraid that you died years ago, by my understanding. You were… betrayed by your organization? Is that correct?”

“I… yes. But, I’ve been dead for years? It feels like no time has passed at all. Who are you, and how do you know what happened to me?”

“I suppose introductions are in order. I am Shai, the God of Fate. She is Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. I believe that the fact that we are deities should tell you how we know what caused your death.”

“Time flows differently after death,” Artemis added. “Without a proper body, time becomes rather meaningless.”

“I see.” Those two words held an ocean of melancholy. “I’ve never been a particularly religious person. Still, I had hoped that whatever awaited me after my death I would get to walk besides Millie.”

Shai studied the soul for a moment before coming to a decision that he hoped wouldn’t tip the balance too far. “Millie Millim, correct?”

The soul seemed to perk up, the ghostly flames flaring brighter. “Yes! Can you summon her?! I want to tell her I’m sorry!”

Shai shook his head. “I passed the Final Judgment on a soul named Millie Millim, yes. All I can tell you is that she was summoned by a different goddess. You may or may not be able to see her again in the future.”

The soul deflated slightly. “Damn. Okay, no use dwelling on it. You obviously know who I am, but I still feel as though I should introduce myself. Staff Sergeant Celestia Nadir at your service. Though, I suppose my military rank is pointless, eh? Its been a part of my identity for so long I just use it. If I can be frank, why am I here?”

The two deities shared a look. “Well, you’re here because of me.” Artemis began. “Currently, I am a goddess with little power in comparison to other gods and goddesses. I don’t have a whole lot of sway in governing the vast universe. I don’t even have a single planet to my name, and thus few followers.”

The soul shifted slightly, causing Artemis to pause. “So wait. You’re Artemis, right? I was never particularly good at mythology, but you should represent things like hunting and stuff. How do you not have followers? Don’t you just automatically have followers everytime someone hunts animals? Or are there just not enough animals to hunt considering the vastness of space and the different planets?”

Artemis chuckled a bit. “That’s not how it works, I’m afraid. If a kill is not made in my name, I cannot claim them as followers. In this case, hunting in my name requires the hunter to own a temple or a shrine dedicated to me. If there’s nothing for potential followers to pray towards, I don’t receive any power or recognition. All deities are governed by these rules. Faith doesn’t just appear out of thin air. To answer the second part of your question, there's nothing in the rules that govern deities that states I have to specifically hunt animals. I gain power from the thrill of the hunt and the act of hunting; there are plenty of things in this universe that can help me regain power.”

“Okay, makes sense. What does this have to do with me, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Feel free to ask whatever is on your mind. In answer to your question, I’m specifically looking for a champion. Hopefully one who won't get themselves killed before accomplishing anything in my name or betray me for other deities. Champions are the primary way for a god or goddess to start to obtain faith from the masses. They perform an action in the name of their deity, the masses take notice, then they start building shrines, praying, and mimicking the thing the deity likes as thanks. Or at least, that’s the super simplified version of it.”

There was one word that stuck out to Celestia. “Betrayal, huh. Sounds like you and I have something in common. But what exactly can I do? I’m only a single… uh, being. A soldier at that. Or, I used to be. Wouldn’t you have been better off with say, a game hunter or something?”

Artemis giggled. “Not likely. You were chosen because your skillset from your previous life will lend itself well towards hunting my new prey: criminals. I want someone who will do their best to help me grow my power, and space is full of the scum of the galaxy that no one will begrudge me getting rid of. And if Shai says you have a high compatibility with me, then I’m going to trust him. So basically, it's like this. The universe is vast. That means plenty of space that has the potential to provide faith. It's a constant sort of game between deities, attempting to undermine each other and sway more planets over to their alignments, except my faith will come from you and your allies putting down scum. Every decade, gods and goddesses are allowed to summon forth a champion to carry out their will, but I don’t possess a whole lot of power. What power I do have I wanted to save in order to give my champion as strong of a start as possible. If I’d needed to summon a soul myself, I wouldn’t have been able to provide good aid to my champion. So, I turned to Shai. He’s at least kind of sympathetic to my plight.”

“Indeed.” the cloaked god spoke again. “The rules binding the deities are centered around balance. Artemis gave up quite a few of the usual boons that champions receive in order for me to call upon the most powerful soul I could find that fit her criteria. All that’s really left is for you to accept, if you wish to do so. You will be crafted a new body and entered into this game as Artemis’s champion.”

“Wait, I’m allowed to refuse? I would have figured you’d just force me into being a champion.”

“The choice has always been yours,” Artemis shrugged. “I’m not about to force you to do anything, regardless of my own rather sorry state. If you refuse, Shai will send you to the eternal rest you earned in your previous life.”

Celestia was silent for a long, long moment. She sighed. “Y’know, I kind of see a little of myself in you, Artemis. Betrayed by those you had thought allies. Straining against the current status quo relegating you to a weaker existence. But I’ll be damned before I don’t at least try, and I’ll be damned before I get the opportunity to see Millie again. I accept. What do I need to do?”

Artemis flashed Celestia a beaming smile. “All you need to do, little huntress, is sleep. When you awaken, you’ll have work to do.”