𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

⁰⁶my immortal

After eons of patrolling her domain, Artemis had come to know every nook and glade like the curves of her silver bow. She followed faint traces the demons had left—scratches in ancient standing stones, fetid residue clinging to certain ash and rowan trees.

The trail led unerringly to a secluded glen shrouded with mistletoe and poisonous nightshades, repelling normal woodland creatures. Here the taint of dark sorcery was strongest.

Within the glen sat a figure veiled in shadow, muttering incantations over a foul-smelling cauldron. Her presence warped the very essence of nature around her. Artemis nocked an arrow and called out.

"Reveal yourself witch, and end your profane workings against my realm! By the moon I swear, none shall corrupt this sacred domain without my judgement."

The figure cackled and walked slowly underneath her dark robe and veil. "Oh ho, the chaste huntress dares threaten me? Your little forest bores me Artemis, so I thought to liven it with a touch of my art. These demons merely do my bidding to challenge your sovereignty—and it seems they've come close to desecrating all your precious sprites and glades."

Artemis growled, fury rising like flames within her. "Leave now witch, before I put an arrow in your black heart. I will not be toyed with for your amusement any longer."

The witch sneered. "Make me immortale—I welcome the chance to bathe in your essence."

With a guttural word she summoned the largest demon yet, a hulking scorpion dripping with vile ichor. It lunged with claws outstretched as Artemis loosed her arrows in a silver storm.

Its oozing carapace glinted an unnatural ebony hue under starlight as pincers clacked menacingly. A poisonous barb quivered, exuding a miasma that sent primal panic searing through even immortal circuits.

Orion fought valiantly at her side, but the monster was immense and relentless. Artemis took a deep gash to her arm before spotting an opening. Before she could even plunge a gleaming hunting knife into the fiend's corrupted heart, the abomination struck. Its sting lashed out with blinding velocity, catching Orion full in the shoulder as he parried the lethal blow.

The impact flung him smashing into an ancient oak's time-worn trunk with sickening force. Artemis cried out in horror, rushing to her fallen friend's side.

His enormous frame lay broken and limp, massive chest barely rising as the venom's black tendrils spread swiftly through his mortal veins.

"Noooo!!!" Artemis howled, a cry to chill any soul fortunate enough never to witness a goddess's agony.

Artemis lifted her arrow and bow to shoot the vile creature, however it was nowhere to be found. Just as quickly as it appeared it was gone. She turned furiously toward where the witch had been. Only to find she was no longer there, like the scorpion. Gone, without no trace. As if nothing vile ever set foot in that forest.

Artemis gathered Orion's lifeless form cradled to her breast, tears the first in untold ages streaming uncontrollably down her ageless face. Death was a stranger to immortals—but loss and anguish were not. In that crushing moment, the pieces fell painfully into place.

Grief consumed her as dawn broke upon still features leached of life's vibrancy. Suspicion slithered into her mind—what unholy force dared send such corruption into her most sacred sanctuary?

Vengeance would come, but first the trail must be followed. With trembling arms Artemis lifted Orion, vanishing in a flash of moonlight to lay him finally to rest in a shrine befitting his devotion upon Olympus' heights in the where none could ever violate his memory or defile his sacrifice.

Then she returned alone once more to haunted woods drowned in heartbroken silence, any further companionship with mortals never to be risked again lest new horrors arise. The Huntress's heart remained in shadowed grief, haunted by what might have been and was so cruelly denied. Vengeance was sown that night in furrows watered by immortal tears, destined to bear bitterest fruit. The age of man had darkened forever in the all-seeing eyes of ages.