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PROLOGUE
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2020-08-21 08:03:30"You are the goddess of the hunt Artemis, it has to be you" said Zeus, frustrated with his daughter's objections.
"But, why? If you put me to sleep there will be no one to protect them. Father, your creations, no, actually all of our creations will be in danger. Without me there to create safe havens and sacred spaces man will annihilate them. They are a cruel species, how can you leave them all undefended?!" Artemis stood, quivering with rage at her father and grandmother's suggestion. That she, should be put to rest. That man should be allowed free reign over the earth and all its inhabitants, inhabitants that she protects, she may be the goddess of the hunt but that is for a reason, it is a position that ensures balance and survival for all. Without her, it's just would not imaginable.
Her grandmother Gaia spoke next, "Artemis, stop being short sighted. Man's population is already growing, we created them with too much of ourselves, their numbers will exceed what we control and what you can protect either way. Whether you are awake or not." Gaia always had the ability to be both sharp and sweet with her words, both demanding and reassuring. Like the mother she was. Pusing Artemis to see the futility of her argument.
When Zeus spoke again Artemis already knew her decision was made, Gaia warms right, it was the only way. "Daughter," he said "you will go to sleep till Grandmother Gaia puts you back on earth. I will create an island for you to call home, and here you will be reborn.
But you must know, you will be human until your task is complete.
This is important because you also will not be alone. The fates will not reveal to us who you will be, so you must come to us. Only then can we grant you the gifts you will need to complete this trial." He sighed, for all his bluster in his own unique selfish way, Zeus still did care about his children. "Artemis if you fail we will all be lost, even man himself, our strongest creation will not survive themselves if we do not intervene. The prophecy has been laid out, when Mother Gaia is most in need, you must awake the guardians. We are still experimenting with their creation but when the time comes they will be on your island, you will just have to find them."
Artemis sighed, all her life she knew her role, her place. She belonged on the wild, innthe untamed areas her great grandmother had created. She protected the beasts from being over hunted and allowed the hunting of those who's numbers had risen too high. Thus, allowing man to survive with food and pelts as well.
She was the balance, that was her role. But if she gave it up in the short term, to protect the longer, then what would she be returning to? What would be lost?
Could she live with seeing a world that the prophecy stated would be in turmoil on her return, a turmoil she would be all but powerless to help with, until she had the gifts of the gods bestowed back.upon her.
And what would those gifts be exactly? Would they be enough?
She needed to prepare.
"Fine, I will go to sleep, but not now I want at least a century father, if what the Oracle said is true, then I will also have to prepare, try and extend that balance as much as I can. I will create as well, beasts to roam in the world in my place. Predators, who will in some way slow down Man's greed and his monopoly of control over the world. "
It was a risky option she knew. But what else could she do? To protect as many creatures as possible without herself to patrol her sanctuaries was impossible.
She would need the help of the other gods as well, and for some more territorial, their permission. It wasn't a coincidence that Man inherited his greed from the gods that created them.
"Artemis, for the work you wish to do, we will give you three centuries. Use them wisely child." Spoke Gaia, "Also for your own benefit I believe you should work with your father on his creation of the guardians. It will be in all our interests if you know what you are dealing with intimately when you are awoken."
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