Chapter 15: The Hounds at the Gate

Mira clutched the **Bow of Artemis** tightly to her chest, her pulse pounding in her ears as she crept toward the temple's exit. Every step felt heavier than the last, and the eerie silence of the temple seemed to amplify the sound of her breathing. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting the statues to start moving again, but the room remained still.

As she reached the grand archway leading to the outer grounds, a faint **ping** echoed in her mind.

**[System Notification: Incoming Message.]**

Mira flinched, momentarily losing her balance. Her eyes darted toward the interface hovering in the corner of her vision. A golden scroll icon materialized, and the message unfolded before her.

**From: Hermes**

*"Hey, kid. You might wanna speed it up. Artemis is heading back your way. She's furious, and trust me, you don't wanna be here when she arrives. Oh, and her hounds are sniffing around. Good luck!"*

Her blood ran cold.

*"Of course,"* she muttered under her breath, clutching the bow tighter. *"Why can't anything ever go smoothly?"*

Steeling herself, she activated the **Helmet of Invisibility** and took a cautious step outside.

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### **The Hounds of Artemis**

The temple's outer courtyard was bathed in silver moonlight, its intricate stonework gleaming faintly. The air was thick with tension, and Mira froze as she spotted the first of the **hounds.**

Massive and spectral, the beasts prowled the grounds, their glowing eyes scanning the area. Their sleek forms moved with a predatory grace, and their noses twitched as they sniffed the air.

Mira swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the bow.

*"Okay, Mira,"* she whispered to herself. *"Just take it slow. You've got this."*

She edged toward the perimeter, her movements painstakingly careful. The helmet kept her hidden, but she wasn't taking any chances. She had seen enough movies to know that invisibility wasn't foolproof.

One of the hounds lifted its head, its ears perking up. Mira froze, her heart hammering in her chest.

The beast sniffed the air again before letting out a low growl.

*"Oh, no,"* Mira muttered.

The hound turned in her direction, its glowing eyes narrowing as it sniffed again, more insistently this time.

*"It smells me,"* she realized, panic surging through her veins. *"This is bad. This is really, really bad."*

Before she could think of a plan, another ping echoed in her mind.

**[System Notification: Newbie Bonus Remaining: 0%.]**

*"Great. Just great."*

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### **Caught in the Shadows**

Mira's breaths came in shallow gasps as she pressed herself against the cool stone of the temple wall, desperately trying to think of a way out.

The hounds were circling now, their growls growing louder. She could feel the weight of the bow in her hands, its intricate carvings digging into her palms.

*"Come on, Mira. Think. You're not going down like this."*

But just as she was about to make a run for it, a voice behind her made her freeze.

*"I should have known."*

Mira whirled around, her heart skipping a beat.

Standing there, her presence as commanding as the moonlight itself, was a woman cloaked in shadows. Her piercing eyes glowed faintly, their silver hue almost hypnotic.

Mira's breath caught in her throat.

*"Mother,"* she stuttered, the word slipping from her lips before she could stop herself.

Hecate crossed her arms, her expression unreadable as she stared down at Mira.

*"You've been busy,"* the goddess said, her voice calm but laced with something that made Mira's stomach churn.

Mira opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

Hecate's gaze shifted to the bow in Mira's hands, her lips curving into a faint smirk.

*"Artemis' bow,"* she said, her tone almost amused. *"You've outdone yourself this time, haven't you?"*

Mira swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet the goddess's eyes.

*"I… I can explain,"* she said, though she wasn't entirely sure she could.

Hecate raised an eyebrow, her smirk deepening.

*"I'm sure you can. But explanations will have to wait. For now, we need to get you out of here before Artemis arrives."*

Mira blinked, caught off guard.

*"Wait… you're helping me?"*

Hecate's eyes glinted with something that Mira couldn't quite place.

*"Of course. You're my daughter, after all. And besides,"* she added with a shrug, *"watching Artemis lose her temper is always entertaining."*

Mira couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh, though the tension in her chest didn't ease.

*"Right. Okay. So… what's the plan?"*

Hecate's smirk widened as she raised a hand, her fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. The shadows around them seemed to ripple and shift, enveloping them in darkness.

*"Hold on tight, little one,"* she said, her voice almost playful. *"This is going to be fun."*

Before Mira could ask what she meant, the shadows surged forward, and the world around her dissolved into darkness.

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