Chapter 10

Torin had nowhere near the power of Artemis or Kai, and his body started to shrink like a grape left in the blazing heat."Ra, I thought he was dead." He whispers, having no energy at all. The heat was so intense centered on the two girls, that the water in his body began to evaporate.

Artemis replied to Torin watching as he tried to drink the drying water, "Gods don't die, idiot. Listen boy, because the next time we meet, you will die. Tell the girl she stronger, and I wish to know why. I will find out before she fall. Make sure she knows who I am, Artemis, the Goddess of Hunting, and the moon also grants me power."

Artemis knew this was only a warning from Ra. Who wasn't even present but making a statement to say they now had his attention, and if they didn't heed it, they would be reduced to nothing. She explained that the only reason they were alive was because of Kai. "Help her," she said, looking at Torin. Kai had passed out from the pressure and the amount of energy used in deploying the shield for the first time. Artemis told Torin that water is memory, something Kai controls. She mentioned that Kai should have been able to access her memory a long time ago, but if it has not come to her yet, that means Kai might have been fighting against it. Once she left, she wanted Torin to help Kai tap into her memory and remember. 

The only hint given was that Kai comes from the same place as Artemis, the Realm of Zeus. Exhausted from fighting against the pressure of Ra's attention and breathing heavily, Artemis revealed Kai's other bracelet. She showed this to Torin as it was their payment to her for letting them live. Besides, it would be foolish to go back empty-handed to Hera. Another thing she promised Torin was that she would find them again, but she expected them to be stronger. Even though she didnt accomplish what she came to do, they gave her a thrilling hunt, and the advice given, specifically to Torin, was to watch his surroundings at all times.

Artemis and her stealth force left. Torin continued to be amazed as he watched Artemis leap from building to building. As she retreated, still weakened, he watched as she collided with a few buildings, but it didnt faze her and she continued.

Seconds after Artemis left the sun returned to normal and Torin's strength returned. Torin walked over to Kai, calling her name with an extended hand, "Here, let me help you up; there you go." He said, helping Kai to her feet. She wasnt recovered and was fading in and out. Kai looked up at Torin and thought about how he was standing. The last she checked, he was weaker than her, and his body had withered like an old man. Now, he looked as healthy as ever.

"Well, that was intense. I'll have my share of chases, but never by an actual God. I mean, did you see her Goddess of hunting? She was doing exactly that just now, and if it weren't for your shield, I would say she was damn good at it. Without a doubt, I know my neck and above were almost gone at least twice, and that's enough. Who else can launch arrows like that? I need to know now," Torin rambled on. He knew Kai was going in and out of consciousness so most of the time its like he was talking to himself.

Kai initially thought to call Torin an idiot; she had just saved his life, and here he was bragging about the experience. This wasn't some thrill ride, and if it weren't for Ra, they probably would be dead. But before she could argue with him, Kai dropped to the floor, completely unconscious. This was her first time activating her power and at full streghth. When Kai unleashed her full power, the sheer intensity of it was too much for her to control. It overwhelmed her, and within moments, her stamina was completely drained, leaving her weak and vulnerable. Similar to sprinting at full speed while wearing ill fitting shoes, the pain and strain on you feet will wear you out faster than the actuall run. While asleep, her body underwent transformations to try and repair itself.

Torin lifted Kai over his shoulder, as he continued to talk, and walk to an unknown destination. "Hey, it's okay; you used a lot of power; let's take things slow. At least we found out you are a Greek goddess or demigoddess. I don't know, but the point is you're Greek. With water powers that you can't control, Artemis is chasing you, and she works for Hera, The Queen of Olympus. Oh, we dug a deeper hole than when we first started, and it's only been a day and a half."

Torin booked a hotel room nearby, and as Kai began to toss and turn, she entered a dreamlike state. While this unfolded, Torin witnessed yet another incredible ability. Tiny droplets began to form, gathering from the ambient humidity in the hotel room. Slowly, they coalesced above her into a small, dense cloud. Even with her unconscious the cloud moved as if it had a mind of its own and began to drizzle softly over her body. Torin was amazed and curious as he walked over, his hand outstretched toward the cloud. The rain felt cool and refreshing against his skin. To his surprise, he grew confused. Despite the cold water and the puddle forming at his feet, he didn't feel anything—no surge of strength, no burst of energy. The cloud gave him no benefit.

Torin took a step back and shook his head, marveling at the extraordinary events that had become a daily occurrence. Thankfully, he had opted for two separate beds as the rain thoroughly drenched Kai's bed. As Kai continued sleeping, Torin occasionally stepped outside for quick errands - grabbing food and drinks and, on one occasion, attempting to start the RV again, but it refused to crank. He examined the RV, contemplating, "What are her arrows made of?" She shot four, and they all pierced the engine with ease like it's not a hunk of metal." Torin knew he couldn't linger there, so he started packing and collecting the camping gear that came with the RV. He walked around to see what had survived but between the shockwave from Artemis and the downpour of Kai, nothing was certain.

On the other hand, still weakened, Artemis finally returns to Hera after multiple stops to take a break. She needed her followers to pray and bring offerings to regain strength. Hera was disappointed as she didn't see any physical wounds on Artemis. She ordered soldiers to take her to a room where all of Artemis's followers in her cult gathered to pray and bring offerings—decorating the room with flowers and small animals.

Before Artemis was carried back, she grabbed Heras's arm, "I found her," Artemis whispered. "She doesn't seem to remember herself or our world."

Hera, hearing such words from Artemis, was now even more disappointed. She asked a question to decide whether she would dispose of Artemis at that moment, "So, is there a reason she's not dead or standing in front of me?" Hera asked, snatching her arm from Artemis grip.

Artemis had meticulously prepared for Hera's inevitable fury and triumphantly revealed Kai's bracelet from her pouch. Instantly, Hera sense honed in on the enigmatic power pulsating within the bracelet. Artemis disclosed that she had crushed one, initially using it to locate Kai. Hera, understanding the surge of power she felt during the battle, wondered who had entered the fray with such formidable energy. Artemis elucidated that Kai had displayed a new power amidst the conflict—an aquatic shield distinct from Poseidon's yet reminiscent of a water deitity. She recounted the moment when she was about to obliterate Kai, only to be interrupted by Ra. Artemis emphasized that Ra's overwhelming power had rendered them powerless and urged Hera to consider regaining their full strength. He wasn't even present just; Ra's mere attention was potent enough; they needed to be cautious in their weakened state.

"Ra! Damnit, I wondered what he has been up to. He must have felt that girl's power," Hera stated, biting her nails. "We are not ready, but now he knows others are in his Domain, he will be coming. Wait, how did you escape?"

Artemis began to shed a tear, turning her face to the ceiling, "That's the thing. He just gave us a warning, but to meet another like Zeus was overwhelming." Hera's antennae perked up, hoping that Artemis could provide crucial insights into the nature of Ra's formidable power. Despite her weakened state, Artemis sat up to share her account, "Zeus commands dark skies and thunder so piercing that its resonance aggressively vibrates through your bones. Creating fear that beats your heart for you at an increasing rate. Conversely, Ra wields power that feels like a draining force, siphoning away every drop of water and blood in your veins, compelling you into a state of utter exhaustion, forcing you to kneel. Under his influence, the sun surpassed even Helios; it evaporated every trace of water right before my eyes. He didn't even need to appear; it was a mere display of overwhelming power."

Hera contemplated the situation, wondering why Ra hadn't sent someone like Horus with his watchful eye or perhaps Sekhmet due to her association with war. The recognition that the bracelet was forged by none other than Hephaestus and the immense power it contained left her deeply concerned about the other bracelet. Questions swirled in her mind—how much energy did Kai possess, and how did she manage to conceal it? Further more why were they so out matched, they were not gaining strength fast enough to keep up with the unfolding events. While they knew Kai's healing abilities, the revelation that breaking her bracelet could unleash a downpour of that magnitude, coupled with reports of a water barrier, left Hera uneasy. She wonder that if Kai had complete control over her powers, would she have defeated Artemis before the fight even began.

Hera, the queen of the gods, her eyes ablaze with a tempest of wrath, slammed her fist against the surface. Spiderwebs of cracks raced across the transparent canvas, capturing the essence of her unleashed power. Shards burst forth in a glorious expulsion, "Damn, is there no good news? Why can't men keep it in their pants? And when did Oceanus make such a nuisance," Hera grunted. She raised her hand up to her head as if it was in pain. "There's no telling how many of those brats are running around and its taking this long to catch one! The first thing Im going to do once I regain my strength is make all men infertile until we need them."

Artemis was confused and began to rain questions, "Oceanus is her father? How do you know? Wait, how long have you known? Who is her mother? Is she a half-breed? Does that make her a titan or god?"

Hera fell into silence as she contemplated the situation. She had overheard Poseidon making a similar statement, but the details eluded her memory. In Hera's opinion, something felt amiss; Kai couldn't possibly be a Titan. She seemed too human, and the confusion deepened about how her body could contain such immense power. As Hera pondered, she waved off Artemis's questions and signaled the troops to take Artemis to her cult, allowed Hera's thoughts to unfold.

Amid Hera's contemplation, a soldier, who accompanied a differnt god, returned to report and be updated about the General's plan. Hera responded by divulging every detail of the General's actions, dismissing his strategy as "Ideas for Dummies." Despite her initial hopes of bringing back a Siren, there was a part of her that secretly wished Triton would eliminate them all. The human population's from this earth naivety disgusted Hera; she found it absurd that so many believed the fabricated stories while the evidence of deceit lay right in front of them.

"The fools deceive those beneath them instead of ruling with an iron fist over these lowlifes. Worse, the poor have all the proof they need right in front of them and still accept the lies being fed to them. I finally want Athena's company and she is nowhere around," Hera muttered, rubbing her eyes in frustration.