Zeus's Declaration
Artemis froze like a block of ice at Zeus's declaration. She herself felt as if she'd turned as white and frozen as the surrounding landscape. It took her a long while to open her mouth again. In the meantime, Zeus fixed my leg. Astonishingly, with a single gesture of his hand, it regenerated perfectly.
"…What did you say?"
Her voice was one of utter disbelief. No wonder her hands were trembling. But Zeus remained cold.
"From this day forward, you are no longer the goddess of the moon."
Artemis stood speechless for a long time, unable to utter a word. Then she glared at him fiercely and spat venomously,
"Supreme God! This is not just punishment. Even if I am at fault, this goes too far!"
"What? Instead of reflecting, you dare to turn the tables!"
"Now I see. You've coveted the domain of the moon from the start and orchestrated this whole affair!"
Unable to contain her rage, Artemis crossed the line. Zeus, who had been pointing accusingly at his daughter in fury, suddenly stiffened.
"You think I did this to steal your power?"
His eyes bloodshot, his fingertips quivering as if in profound shock.
You've driven a nail into your father's heart.
Even the watching Secret Book assessed it that way. Recalling Zeus's temperament from the forbidden tome, I nodded in agreement.
Regardless of whether Zeus is a good father, his love for his children is genuine. Of course, his position as a god means he constantly tests and guards against them, but that doesn't mean the affection isn't there. He probably didn't intend to completely cast Artemis aside. Likely, he planned to give her a harsh lesson now and call her back to Olympus later. But Artemis couldn't know that, so she lashed out like this.
"Is that any way to speak to your father?!"
"What I went through today is no way for a father to treat his daughter either!"
Neither side yielded an inch. Silently observing from the side, I sensed the deep emotional chasm opening between the two gods. But Artemis wasn't done. It was as if all the resentment she'd bottled up was exploding at once.
"Am I really your daughter?"
"What nonsense is that?!"
"Then why won't you ever tell me about my mother?!"
Apparently, unlike Apollo, Artemis knew nothing about her mother. As twins, Artemis and Apollo shared the same one. In the Greek Roman Mythology I'd read on Earth, she was the Titan goddess Leto. But in this world, no goddess Leto existed. Instead, Artemis and Apollo were said to have been birthed by a "goat pregnant with a thousand young." Of course, that was a closely guarded secret. I'd only learned it thanks to Cycnus's foolishness.
At the mention of her mother, Zeus fell silent for some reason. Hatred spread across Artemis's face.
"So I really am not your child after all. Look at this human here—the foreign prince rumored to be your son. Now I see you rushed here immediately to save him? The treatment is worlds apart from a fake child like me. Father. Or can I even call you that?"
It was the kind of vile insult no child should hurl at a parent. Zeus stood dumbfounded. The supreme god of Olympus looked as if he might crumple at the slightest touch. The shock must have been immense, so even though I knew it wasn't my place, I had to intervene.
"Goddess, mind your words."
Artemis, already sick of looking at me, snapped.
"What do you know, you worm, to butt in?!"
A gale of divine fury nearly blew me away. Barely mustering my strength to withstand it, I retorted,
"How could I presume to fathom the minds of gods? But when it comes to parents and children, I know well enough. Goddess, you must not forget the one before you is your parent. This world counts sins in the thousands, but among them, filial impiety is the gravest."
I never imagined I'd feel pity for Zeus someday. I'd always seen him as someone without parents or children if it served his power or interests—and he'd acted that way. But hearing such words from his child face-to-face was clearly a shock. That's why I spoke up.
But Artemis scoffed.
"Ha! What a spectacle! Defending my father now, are you? You truly are the supreme god's son."
"A misunderstanding. I've received his power, but not his blood."
"Deny it all you want. No—even if that's true, it's all the more ridiculous. A bastard without a drop of blood treated more like a true son than me."
No words would sway Artemis. Truth be told, letting this play out benefited me. Their rift would become irreparable. But my heart moved my mouth anyway.
"Goddess. I know our relations are bitter. But don't dismiss my advice."
"I am a goddess! Don't judge me by a mortal's standards!"
I shook my head at her shout.
"They say the bond of parent and child is decreed by heaven, so even a goddess like you can't escape it. Unless you sprang forth alone from the void, no one can deny you lived as someone's child. Then, as a child, shouldn't you repay good with good to stand tall?"
My point was simple: unless you were born alone, shut up. Artemis hesitated, getting it, but shook her head.
"Rumors of your silver tongue are well-founded! But parents must be worthy of respect. In that sense, this Artemis has none."
She seemed beyond salvaging the broken bond. As I opened my mouth again, Zeus stepped in.
"Peleus. Enough."
Sadness laced his voice.
"I thank you for speaking on my behalf. But this is between father and daughter. Withdraw."
I had no choice but to bow.
"As you wish."
Backing away, I glanced over—Zeus's face was set with resolve. Emotional as he was, unfit for a supreme god, once decided, he was firm and cold. Artemis's fate would be truly miserable, I thought.
"Artemis."
"Speak, oh benevolent father."
Knowing it was hopeless, she still sneered. That twisted attitude seemed all she had left.
"For deceiving this supreme god and acting recklessly on earth, I strip you of your status as goddess of the moon and remove you from the twelve Olympians."
Artemis, expecting it, closed her eyes gently. But that wasn't the end.
"Furthermore, I consign you to Tartarus, the deepest abyss. You shall not emerge until the world's end."
Artemis, listening silently, bit her lip until it bled at the far harsher punishment than anticipated. Her long eyebrows quivered.
"A splendid decision. Applause. Now I know for sure I'm not your daughter. Did you send my mother to Tartarus too? No wonder she's nowhere in heaven or earth. Kyahahaha! Perfect. I'll search for her in that pit."
Zeus said nothing more. Instead, solemn divine power surged from his right hand, slamming into the ground.
Kuuuung!
A heavy rumble echoed as the earth split long and wide, like a colossal beast opening its maw, filled with fathomless darkness below. Was this the path to Tartarus? Said to be so deep it took nine days and nights of falling to reach on the tenth.
"Artemis. Any last words?"
At Zeus's question, Artemis opened her eyes.
With calm voice, she said,
"I curse you. And if I return, I'll repay this a hundred—no, a thousandfold."
"You won't return."
"Who knows? When the world ends, perhaps."
With that, Artemis glanced at Zeus and me once each, then turned to the earthly fissure. Zeus hesitated, hand outstretched, but couldn't call to his daughter. In an instant, she leaped into the chasm and vanished.
It had all happened in a blink.
"Like a lie…."
The words slipped out, but the wind rising from below carried Artemis's horrific scream, proving it real. A soul-chilling wail, no longer a goddess's voice but a vengeful demon's. The earth shifted, sealing shut. No trace of the rift remained. Artemis had truly vanished into the deepest Tartarus—a path of no return.
Kang!
With a bursting sound, frozen time thawed. Artemis's power had vanished.
Chwaaaa.
Waves crashed again, sea breeze rushed in. Seagull cries and cool air brushed the skin. Suddenly, the world felt so full of sensations. In contrast, Artemis plummeted into a sensory void like the world she'd frozen.
What opposing fates.
"Peleus."
Zeus, silent for ages, finally called me.
"Supreme God."
"I have much to discuss with you. This place isn't suitable—will you come?"
"Gladly."
Zeus nodded lightly. Suddenly, we were elsewhere. Astonishing—teleporting so effortlessly. Barren mountains surrounded us, jagged peaks like blades, scarce even a blade of grass. So desolate, I wondered if this was still earth. Had he taken me to another dimension?
"What do you think this place is, Peleus?"
I scanned around, racking my brain, but had no clue.
"This fool knows not. Enlighten me."
"Natural. Mortals can't approach here. Look there."
Zeus pointed skyward. Following his finger, an eagle soared far in the heavens, riding updrafts on vast wings.
"An eagle."
"See anything odd?"
"Hm?"
Focusing, I realized it was impossibly huge. Hard to gauge from afar, but as it descended, the scale dawned. Big enough to carry a man and fly freely.
"What in the world…."
"Watch where it heads."
The eagle flew purposefully toward a mountain peak.
"That way?"
"We'll go too."
Zeus leaped space again. Instantly, we stood atop the massive peak the eagle approached. The horrific sight before me sent chills down my spine.
"Gods… this one!"
On the sheer cliff of the needle-sharp summit, a colossal figure was bound. A giant, easily fifty meters tall. A massive spear pinned him to the rock like a nail.
"Grraaah!"
The giant writhed in agony. Black smoke poured endlessly from the spear's shaft, cascading like a waterfall. But the spear wasn't the horror. The giant eagle landed beside him, thrust its beak into his torn belly, and devoured his liver.
"Graaaak!"
The giant screamed as his living liver was ripped out. Beside me, Zeus watched impassively and asked again,
"Do you know who he is?"
At this point, even a fool would know.
Humanity's creator, the Titan who loved mortals most. Punished eternally for giving them fire, incurring Zeus's wrath.
"…Prometheus."
Dread crept in. Why had Zeus brought me here?