I graduated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee!!!! Anyway, without further ado, my lovely and loyal readers, here is another chapter!

Point of View: Ánemos

We walk out of the tent together and Phoebe comes up to me with a serious expression on her face.

"I sense you have something you wish to ask of me, what is it you are wondering about?" I speak before she can open her mouth. 

"Tis about love." Phoebe holds her head high.

"I see." I nod and Artemis looks befuddled. "Go ahead."

"Have you ever loved anyone before?" She demands of me as the others gather around to hear it, she must have told them then.

"Indeed, I have." I respond and the girls murmur to each other.

"Was it Zoë that you fell for?" She hisses.

I do not jump as Artemis does, nor do I cringe like the rest of them but Thalia do.

"No." I say simply. "My heart belonged and yet still belongs to someone who lives on even now. However, everyone is alive. No one dies. Your previous Lieutenant," I walk right up to her and set my hand over her heart, causing her to blush madly. "Is in here and she watches over you from above. You might find me coldhearted, but I admit I have not always been so."

"Her name?" Phoebe asks, her voice breathless as I take my hand away.

I shake my head. "I will never admit it to you, not even if ordered to by Lady Artemis. She may own me, but my tie with her does not force me into being uncomfortable around her. If I were to tell her, or any of you, I would not be able to live anymore. Do not ever ask this of me. I will even get down on my knees before you to beg you never to burden me with this weight. It is truly too much for even me to bear. My heart cannot take much more and it is on its final beat. I will protect you, love you as my family, cherish you as I used to cherish others, but there are some secrets you may not know about me. I will never be ready to reveal it to you, just as I will never show you who I am. I respect you and I hope and pray you will give me the same respect to honor my wishes."

"Why?" She asks quietly.

This time, it is a question for all of my answers, rather than a specific one.

"Do you want to see someone in so much pain, it would rip the world you know apart?" I reply.

She shakes her head. "Never."

"That is why." I explain.

"How would this pain of yours tear down the world?" Thalia whispers.

"I contain so many secrets, boundless knowledge, and my heart is at its absolute limit. My shoulders bear a weight that never seems to peak, only continue to grow. My mind may be strong, my heart may be strong, and my shoulders may bear the weight of others for all time, but to take on my own burdens with no one there at my side, I would be in such terrible agony, it would destroy all you and I hold dear. I am powerful, if you have not noticed." I shake my head. "Enough so that I would lose control and kill every living thing, erase it from existence. Do not push e past my breaking point. Even I have my limits." I elucidate.

"Very well. We will not ask again." Artemis nods.

"Somehow, I doubt that." I frown and she scowls. "Fate always finds a way of tormenting me. Avoiding others prolonged that inevitability, now I am out for all to see, not the wisest decision I have made in my time of being."

"Will we know her if we see her?" Thalia demands.

"Indeed, you would." I allow.

"I think she meant, if we watch you around her, will we understand at that point in time?" Phoebe rephrases.

"For the longest time," I sigh as I perch on a boulder as I expect to be here for a while. "I have held no emotions, no real ties. I just was. Now, I have accepted you into my heart and allowed my feelings to return. If I were to come near her now, she would not recognize me. Not by voice, not by presence, not by appearance, not even by scent, or memories of a past far behind the both of us. I have no idea if watching my reactions around her will clue you in. My aura may respond to her strangely, my heart may beat irregularly, I am unaware of what my soul, my mind, and my body will do if presented in front of her. "

"She gave you the choice you spoke of earlier, then, correct?" Atalanta inquires.

"Yes, she was responsible for that." I look up at the royal blue sky. "I was always so enticed by her eyes, mesmerized so by her radiant and carefree smile, in love with everything there was about her. After going through so much together, I finally broke as a person trying to save her one day. I did so in a horrifying way, I frightened her after that. It broke my heart. I knew it did and knowing that crushed it even more, I had hurt her in trying to preserve her life. I would do it again, even knowing what would happen to me, to her. And, as I watched her grow even more terrified, see her slowly push herself away from me, I decided to let her slip from my grasp. For reasons others might consider ridiculous."

"What reasons?" Artemis questions softly.

I look down to find all of them have tears welling, spilling, or just wet eyes. "The home we fought to protect," I let them see my ancient smile, but nothing else. "It was her home first. It was my fault and I would not dare to ruin it for her. I refused to make that place somewhere she was mortified to return to, afraid of calling it her home. I never belonged there anyways, not really. I was viewed as an omen, an outcast. I should have died so many times, but destiny dragged me out no matter what. I wanted her to be happy and I let go because I knew that would be the only way to give her what she truly wanted. I was no longer able to protect her because in doing so, I lost her. I separated myself from her and I felt betrayed, but I will never hate her. She was a part of me for so long. To cut her out bled my heart and wounded my soul. I will never regret my decision to save her that day, no matter the pain it has caused me. If I did not do so then, it would be worse than what I can still feel now. Knowing I lost her because I was afraid of myself, afraid of scaring her, afraid to lose her, doing it anyway because of all that fear. I miss her, but I will never go back to her. She deserves better than an old creature like me. I left to give her what remained of the home she had from her memories, one that always seems to change."

"She was a lucky woman." Phoebe admits.

I chuckle. "In the beginning, we were children. I fell in love with her sparkling eyes, her cheery laugh, that spirit she always had, even when faced with danger. Near the end, we were only young adults, too scarred to be treated like children. She was older than me by a few months and taller when we were kids. I was short until after the first few years. She made my world shine so bright, it was like I had never seen color before until my eyes laid on her. As we grew, I just got trapped in her spell more and more. I would have done anything for her...still would. After I left, I became a recluse. I refused to come near anyone. I drifted out of interest, giving up my life."

"Why did you not try to fade?" Artemis asks.

"I made a promise, one I intend to keep for the rest of my existence. It is held by two entities and a fire so determined to burn for eternity. My hope will never die out, though lost my hope is in my life. With you, I suppose it now rests. The question is not that it exists, but are you able to rekindle it? Are you able to make me believe in the life I lead now? Or will I be a shell to protect you always, instead of a brother to not only love you, but guard you with his life?" I slide to my feet on the grass. "We shall continue this depressing conversation later. I feel the annoyance of several gods resounding around us at the missing goddess from her throne, as unusual as it is." I lightly place my hand on Artemis' arm and flash her away.

On Olympus

I open my eyes slowly as I am kneeling at Artemis' feet where she sits in her throne. I rise and look around, no other gods showing but for Hestia at her hearth. 

Then, all of a sudden, flashes appear in different seconds to have the gods materialize in their thrones. It is very amusing to watch as Zeus looks gold at the sight of me. 

"Daughter, what is that?" Zeus demands.

"Not what, father, who. This is Ánemos and he is the new member of my Hunt. Sorry for keeping you waiting so long you had to go elsewhere, but I had matters I had to tend to with the girls and Ánemos before we came." Artemis answers.

"And why have you brought this...Ánemos...here?" Zeus has lost the darker color of anger, but is now confused as to who and what I happen to be.

"He is male, why is he in your Hunt?" Athena questions.

"He is the Hunt and its patron's new Defender." Artemis informs them all, seeing jaws drop.

The reactions and speechless Olympians amuse me.

I rise and look back at Artemis.

"Go on." She encourages.

I smile a little, to my surprise, and speak up so that Artemis does not have to. "As Lady Artemis told you, my name is Ánemos and I have received the title of Defender of the Hunt and Moon. You have no worries over me, I assure you. I once fought to protect you. More...than once." I gaze over at Poseidon, who looks extremely upset, but still very well considering. Now that my emotions are running amuck within me, I feel anxiety and worry for the old man, heartache, even. "I belong to Artemis and her sisters, I am unable to harm them and I will stop and hurt you should you try to do so."

"That is...reassuring." Apollo comes down from his throne and over to me, shrinking to a human height instead of a godly one.

"Is there something you want?" I reply as he comes to a halt in front of me.

"A closer look." He tells me seriously.

"You have the interest in studying me." I state.

He nods. "If you would let me."

"What would it include?" I inquire.

"Questions. Endless questions, reading your emotions and reactions, observing you in different environments, how you think, what your routine is, and if you could survive it and are willing, maybe dissection..." He trails off.

"Perhaps one day, but not any time in the near future, Apollo." I answer and he seems appeased.

"Why did my sister choose you?" Apollo is intrigued by my very presence.

"She told me she was taking someone's advice." I respond.

"I have my reasons, brother." Artemis says and Apollo glances over at her before looking right back at me like a lab rat.

"What inspires this need to learn about me?" I move so I sit on the armrest of Artemis' throne, feeling her little smile behind my back, causing a small one of my own in return. "Am I truly that which makes you curious? Or...is it something else that bothers you, gives your mind trouble?" I laugh.

Point of View: Artemis

It twinkles, his laugh.

It travels through the room, almost contagious.

Like a newborn's laughter that causes your heart to do terrible things to your chest, making you smile at it.

Why can he not see what we all see? I notice it in the eyes of my family, the eyes of the girls when he talks about something. His emotions that he has pent up for so long, they are so much so that we all feel them and understand him. I do not comprehend why he does not know this. It is so obvious. Perhaps he has always been this infectious with his feelings, never realizing what he is doing. Can someone live so obliviously?

Maybe he was meant to be oblivious to it...

Because then...

The magic would no longer be there in it.

In his eyes, in his laugh, in his smile, especially when he allows you to see them or they flash when his emotions are too high. But not quick enough to piece together he countenance, like you forget it as soon as it is gone. But I remember the emerald color of his eyes, the lost look. I want him to call the Hunt home.

I want him to be happy, like he deserves.

Hearing his story earlier, it dawned on me that he needs this life I have given him.

His sincere gratitude is aimed at me for this and I know it makes him jovial to have purpose, to have meaning once again. I do not blame him. I would, too, if I were in his shoes. I will never push him, not ever. He has been through enough.  

Uh-oh. Artemis has become possessive, guys. Lmao. Enjoy the update my lovely readers!