Hello, Fanpop! I recently posted part 1 of my story entitled, Tara, the tale of a daughter of Artemis, online. This is part 2. WHen we left off at part 1, Tara was falling into a "not-so-dreamless sleep."
This time, we'll be able to see what Tara dreamt. Enjoy!
That night, I had my first demigod dream.
The thing about dreams for us, they’re never just dreams. They’re either a glimpse of what’s yet to come, usually bad, a hallucination-type nightmare that’s seems chillingly real, or a subconscious chat with a friend, ally, or godly parent, or whatever. This time, it was a mix of all of them. I was suddenly inside a huge, creepy-looking cave facing monsters, six telekhines, I think, alongside a boy and girl my age. The boy had short brown hair and a splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose. The girl had blond hair tied back in a ponytail with uneven black streaks, as if someone had smeared charcoal on parts of her hair. I had a hatchet in each hand and a silvery bow and quiver filled with arrows slung on my back. The other two kids had swords and shields. Everything was made of a strange dull yelllowish material
, save the bow and arrows. Valuable deadly weapons? I don’t know.
A telekhine took a swing at me with its spear. I caught the spear at the hilt with one of my hatchets and dragged it to the left, unbalancing the telekhine and causing it to fall over. While it was down, I threw one of my hatchets into its gut. I winced, sure that it was going to cause blood and organs and other icky stuff to spill out but instead, it just dissolved into a neat pile of shiny golden sand. At the same time, another telekhine charged at me. I tried to warn myself, (Look out, um, me!) but it kamikazed directly into my spine.
“Tara!” the girl cried. She grabbed a little knife from her belt and threw it at the monster. It hit him directly in the eye and he dissolved into beach matter. The two kids ran up to me. I could almost feel the impact on my back.
The scene shifted.
I saw a dark haired girl sitting in an apartment around a table. Next to her was a thin, scarecrow-like kid with pale blond hair and two other kids. One of them had a red stain ringed around his mouth. A tie-dye accident? Maybe fruit punch gone overboard? They had a map of Long Island on the table with a little area circled on it. A pure gold knife was stabbed in the center of the circle. Literally. Pure gold. The blade looked like genuine 18 carat. There were notes every here and there like, Take this highway. Naval Assault? (this was x’ed out) and Over the hill! Donut crumbs were scattered on the map. I felt a sense of heightened caution and anxiety. This place was hostile. I didn’t belong here.
The scene shifted again.
I sat cross-legged in a large tent. Silky rugs and cushions decorated the floor. Right in the center, a brazier made of gold crackled and popped comfortably with, strangely, zero smoke effect. Atop a polished oak display stand, rested a huge bow shaped like gazelle horns. Lots of animal pelts decorated the tent walls, from tiger to hare and everything in between. But what really drew my attention was the woman sitting in front of me. She had beautiful silvery hair, striking eyes, and had a certain air about her. Sort of feminine noble and feminine intimidating. I didn’t recognize her, but I know that description. I couldn’t believe it.
I’ve finally met my mother. I sat before Diana.
“Hello Tara. It’s been a long time,” she said. Her voice was warm and comforting. It made me temporarily forget my troubles.
“Mom.” My voice was shaky. “I-”
“Wait.” She held up her hand to stop me. “First, please listen to me.” She took a deep breath.
“Millenia ago, I took an oath. I swore that I would never become smitten or become attracted with a boy. I lived through that oath for thousands of years. Through my first arrow to the downfall of Sparta, I have never fell for a boy. Until I met Allen Hayes.”
She shook her head in admiration. “That man is remarkable. We-how do you say it-went out for a couple of weeks until I had to go. I had to meet an amusing male named Perseus Jackson after you were born. I’m so sorry I left, but you will have an important role in the exchange.”
“The exchange?” I said. “What the heck is the exchange? Diana, you show up out of nowhere and tell me about my dad and something I don’t even know! I guess you being human, you didn’t even guess that I would have some questions. Is that it?!”
Artemis smiled. “I am not Diana. Nor am I human. I am Artemis. Goddess of the moon, the hunt, and wild animals.”
I was stunned, Not because my dad changed her name, (I guess Diana is a more believable name than Artemis) but because my mother was a freaking goddess. I didn’t drop to my knees in prayer or anything like that, I said something like, “Um, okay.”
Artemis looked amused. “Are you surprised?”
My shock turned into annoyance. “Um, yeah! Would you be surprised if you found out that your mother is an all-powerful goddess?! I think you would!” About then, I remembered something from history class. About Zeus and Leggo, no Leto being the godly parents of Artemis. “That is, if you were a mortal all your life and you found out that your mother was an all-powerful goddess.”
Artemis smiled again. “Nice save. Look, I sense that you have many questions. I can’t answer many of them, but I’ll answer one.”
One question? Whatever! “Fine. What is the exchange?”
Artemis’ smile melted. “I’ll give you this, it’s a very dangerous gamble. If it doesn’t work, the gods will fade and your world will crumble.”
Her head jerked to the side. I heard the howl of a wolf, then sounds of combat erupted.
“My camp is under attack! I must go and defend my hunters. We shall talk again, Tara, but remember,” she reached out to stroke my cheek, and suddenly I felt like a little kid again, “I will always love you. No matter what.”
Then everything went black.
This time, we'll be able to see what Tara dreamt. Enjoy!
That night, I had my first demigod dream.
The thing about dreams for us, they’re never just dreams. They’re either a glimpse of what’s yet to come, usually bad, a hallucination-type nightmare that’s seems chillingly real, or a subconscious chat with a friend, ally, or godly parent, or whatever. This time, it was a mix of all of them. I was suddenly inside a huge, creepy-looking cave facing monsters, six telekhines, I think, alongside a boy and girl my age. The boy had short brown hair and a splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose. The girl had blond hair tied back in a ponytail with uneven black streaks, as if someone had smeared charcoal on parts of her hair. I had a hatchet in each hand and a silvery bow and quiver filled with arrows slung on my back. The other two kids had swords and shields. Everything was made of a strange dull yelllowish material
, save the bow and arrows. Valuable deadly weapons? I don’t know.
A telekhine took a swing at me with its spear. I caught the spear at the hilt with one of my hatchets and dragged it to the left, unbalancing the telekhine and causing it to fall over. While it was down, I threw one of my hatchets into its gut. I winced, sure that it was going to cause blood and organs and other icky stuff to spill out but instead, it just dissolved into a neat pile of shiny golden sand. At the same time, another telekhine charged at me. I tried to warn myself, (Look out, um, me!) but it kamikazed directly into my spine.
“Tara!” the girl cried. She grabbed a little knife from her belt and threw it at the monster. It hit him directly in the eye and he dissolved into beach matter. The two kids ran up to me. I could almost feel the impact on my back.
The scene shifted.
I saw a dark haired girl sitting in an apartment around a table. Next to her was a thin, scarecrow-like kid with pale blond hair and two other kids. One of them had a red stain ringed around his mouth. A tie-dye accident? Maybe fruit punch gone overboard? They had a map of Long Island on the table with a little area circled on it. A pure gold knife was stabbed in the center of the circle. Literally. Pure gold. The blade looked like genuine 18 carat. There were notes every here and there like, Take this highway. Naval Assault? (this was x’ed out) and Over the hill! Donut crumbs were scattered on the map. I felt a sense of heightened caution and anxiety. This place was hostile. I didn’t belong here.
The scene shifted again.
I sat cross-legged in a large tent. Silky rugs and cushions decorated the floor. Right in the center, a brazier made of gold crackled and popped comfortably with, strangely, zero smoke effect. Atop a polished oak display stand, rested a huge bow shaped like gazelle horns. Lots of animal pelts decorated the tent walls, from tiger to hare and everything in between. But what really drew my attention was the woman sitting in front of me. She had beautiful silvery hair, striking eyes, and had a certain air about her. Sort of feminine noble and feminine intimidating. I didn’t recognize her, but I know that description. I couldn’t believe it.
I’ve finally met my mother. I sat before Diana.
“Hello Tara. It’s been a long time,” she said. Her voice was warm and comforting. It made me temporarily forget my troubles.
“Mom.” My voice was shaky. “I-”
“Wait.” She held up her hand to stop me. “First, please listen to me.” She took a deep breath.
“Millenia ago, I took an oath. I swore that I would never become smitten or become attracted with a boy. I lived through that oath for thousands of years. Through my first arrow to the downfall of Sparta, I have never fell for a boy. Until I met Allen Hayes.”
She shook her head in admiration. “That man is remarkable. We-how do you say it-went out for a couple of weeks until I had to go. I had to meet an amusing male named Perseus Jackson after you were born. I’m so sorry I left, but you will have an important role in the exchange.”
“The exchange?” I said. “What the heck is the exchange? Diana, you show up out of nowhere and tell me about my dad and something I don’t even know! I guess you being human, you didn’t even guess that I would have some questions. Is that it?!”
Artemis smiled. “I am not Diana. Nor am I human. I am Artemis. Goddess of the moon, the hunt, and wild animals.”
I was stunned, Not because my dad changed her name, (I guess Diana is a more believable name than Artemis) but because my mother was a freaking goddess. I didn’t drop to my knees in prayer or anything like that, I said something like, “Um, okay.”
Artemis looked amused. “Are you surprised?”
My shock turned into annoyance. “Um, yeah! Would you be surprised if you found out that your mother is an all-powerful goddess?! I think you would!” About then, I remembered something from history class. About Zeus and Leggo, no Leto being the godly parents of Artemis. “That is, if you were a mortal all your life and you found out that your mother was an all-powerful goddess.”
Artemis smiled again. “Nice save. Look, I sense that you have many questions. I can’t answer many of them, but I’ll answer one.”
One question? Whatever! “Fine. What is the exchange?”
Artemis’ smile melted. “I’ll give you this, it’s a very dangerous gamble. If it doesn’t work, the gods will fade and your world will crumble.”
Her head jerked to the side. I heard the howl of a wolf, then sounds of combat erupted.
“My camp is under attack! I must go and defend my hunters. We shall talk again, Tara, but remember,” she reached out to stroke my cheek, and suddenly I felt like a little kid again, “I will always love you. No matter what.”
Then everything went black.
