The conversation dissolved into light hearted bickering for a few minutes, as Artemis sat back and looked over the steadily darkening park around the Parthenon. It was time to move in.
"Alright girls, it's time. Gather round." Artemis called out, standing up, her armor and weapons shimmering in a silvery glow.
...
The Hunt dropped their playful expressions, or in Zoe and Phoebe's cases, their slightly amused expressions.
"I have seen the Parthenon before, and there is only one place I can think of that would be suitable for the Lernean hydra's lair. Behind the Athena Parthenos is an antler room. It is one of the only enclosed spaces that is big enough for such a creature. Zoe, take Emily, Jennifer, Winifred, Anna, and Christina on the right as we enter. Phoebe, take Elizabeth, Kathleen, Victoria, Mara, and Sarah on the left. I'll lure it out into the middle of the building's interior."
"Your will, My Lady." Zoe agreed, "Shall we blind it?"
"Yes, just as I mentioned in my time at Tyre. Go for the eyes. Once it's blind, I should be able to get a clean shot at its hearts. It has three, remember. A twin heart on the left breast, and another below the liver. If you see an opening, take the shot there. By no means go close quarters. I will do so if need be."
Her hunters all wore hard-set faces, and Artemis felt idiotic, for telling the story of the Lernean hydra beforehand. While educational, the imagery of the Macedonians who died in gruesome matter against the monster was no help to anyone. Artemis glanced to Angelina as a default, her newest hunter. The girl was ready, but Artemis could sense her unease, mixed with the charged atmosphere of adrenaline and anxiety.
"Let's move." Artemis ordered crisply, before leading the hunters towards the entrance of the Parthenon. The dim yellow glow of the night lighting on the marble building almost brought Artemis back to the torch-lit Athenian Acropolis.
They shuffled along the pillars to the wide double doors, which remained open. A mortal night guard sat in a booth on the side, with an iron fence and metal detector serving as the real entrance.
She wasted no time in swirling the mist around the guard, hiding their presence to the cameras and his own vision completely. They slipped through the detector, its beeps going unnoticed by the guard. Artemis stood to the side, making sure no one else noticed their incursion, while simultaneously sending a mental order to the wolves.
'Cinder, guard the perimeter, make sure you howl if any one approaches.' Artemis flashed herself into Cinder's mind. She didn't need any confirmation to know if Cinder had received the message. The wolves were already running around the sides of the Parthenon, as Artemis could feel their familiar presence all around.
Artemis followed Angelina into the Parthenon, as she was the last hunter to enter. Already, Zoe and Phoebe were creeping around on the left and right with the hunters, finding positions against the wide marble pillars, arrows on their bowstrings.
The stench of the Lernean hydra was unbearably strong here. Artemis walked forwards into the golden hall, seeing the giant statue of Athena, clad in gold, looming ahead. However, a dark shape sat behind the massive marble work, bundled tight alongside two pillars in the shadows of the gleaming splendor of Classical Greece.
It sensed her presence as well, and the shadows began to uncoil themselves. A horrific scream pierced through the Parthenon, as the Hydra threw itself forwards, slipping between the pillars and the Athena Parthenos.
"It is good to see you again, I haven't had the pleasure in far too long." Artemis growled, steeling herself for the coming conflict.
The Lernean hydra reared upwards, becoming fully visible in the dim light. Its heads almost reached to the ceiling, all five twisting and turning, its red beading eyes never leaving her. The scaled body sat squat, their dull brown color melting into the light of the room, making their weak point invisible to most.
"Now!" Artemis shouted, raising her own bow as she called for the Hunt's assault to begin.
Silver arrows shot out from the sides in lightning quick volleys, arcing straight towards the Hydra's eyes, but in a blur, the hydra twisted its heads, causing most of the arrows to fly off target; They clanged against the marble walls and pillars, or bounced off the armored scaled of the beast.
The middle head screamed, twisting back and forth toward her hidden huntresses. Artemis immediately launched an arrow from her unerring bow at the hydra, but it came too late, and too hurried.
The middle head belched forth a devouring jet of hungry flames. It cascaded down through the hall, licking around the pillars. Two hunters, Emily and Jennifer, had to dive out of the way, as the fire curled around the marble, snapping at the images of the hunters.
Her arrow caught the hydra before it could do more damage. The silver shaft, humming with magic, slammed into the beast's lower chest, piercing straight through the scales there and imbedding itself in the monster's heart. It recoiled instantly, squirming and coiling backwards. It gave her hunters the time they needed.
More arrows flew through the air, and this time, with the hydra injured, they found their marks. One by one, silver arrows buried themselves in the Hydra's eyes, blinding the monster. With each eye it lost, it desperately tried to find the hunters, but the enclosed space and thick marble pillars kept them concealed. Even still, it was a fearsome beast.
Its blind heads slammed into pillars with shattering force, sending deadly chunks of marble raining down on the hunters. However, it was all going to plan, when Artemis nocked another arrow on her string, settling her sights on the exposed breast of the hydra. The other heads were preoccupied, and the shot was clear.
She let out a breath, and let her fingers slip from the silver bowstring.
And she missed.
...
Its blind heads slammed into pillars with shattering force, sending deadly chunks of marble raining down on the hunters. However, it was all going to plan, when Artemis nocked another arrow on her string, settling her sights on the exposed breast of the hydra. The other heads were preoccupied, and the shot was clear.
She let out a breath, and let her fingers slip from the silver bowstring. The arrow sailed straight and true, slamming into the scaled chest of the Hydra. The silver arrow punched straight through the heavy armor there, lodging itself so deep that only the fletching, covered in black blood, stuck out of the Hydra.
The great beast lurched backwards, its heads that were still unharmed twitching like a dying snake. Two of them wrapped themselves around a damaged marble pillar, roaring in pain. But then it died, slumping down to the ground, its huge body hitting the marble floor with a thud. The coiling heads were strewn over the ground around them, most with at least three or four arrows lodged in the eyes and unarmored frills behind the ears.
One by one, her hunters emerged from the pillars, all unscathed. Artemis breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her bow. Jennifer and Winifred, who had been stationed on the right, also emerged from the area where deadly marble fragments had showered down. Jennifer had a small bruise on her cheek, which was bleeding sluggishly, but they too were relatively unharmed.
The hunters were all jovially patting each other on the back, and Artemis smiled, walking up to join the majority in front of the carcass of the beast.
But something wasn't right. The warning bells in the back of her mind tolled loudly, blaring that something was nearby. Artemis stopped, flaring her senses outwards, her eyes and ears alert for any more movement.
Her senses found the monster that was close. It was the Lernean Hydra.
...
I want to recommend my new fanfic.
Name : Harry Potter: Fairy Tail.
Story :
Six years after Acnologia's attack, Tenrou Island and everyone on it are thrown into another world with unfamiliar magic, new threats, and one very famous wizard. Dragon Slayers meeting the Boy Who Lived was bound to cause problems.
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