It snarled, and Artemis saw a glow build up in the back of its throat. Fire jetted out a moment later, her vision becoming engulfed in golden flames. She reacted quickly, and with her knives in hand, slashed forward with both in an X, silver energy leaping off the blades.
The two met in the air, and exploded brilliantly. The blast made her skid backwards on the dirt, and her hunting tunic was singed, along with her hair, but she was unharmed
...
Artemis looked down at herself, and laughed, feeling alive as she fought this beast. The Chimera too was singed, but unscathed. However, two spears sailed forwards, both finding their target, impaling the Chimera in the shoulder and side. It stumbled back, favoring its left side, whirling towards the spears' thrown direction. Alexander and Hephaestion drew their swords, and with Perseus, advanced.
Artemis, not to miss out, sprinted forward, joining them. She watched Perseus run around to the Chimera's back, while Alexander and Hephaestion both split up, circling the Chimera. It looked back and forth, its cat ears pulled back against its skull. Suddenly, the ram's head was revived, swinging up madly from its lifeless position. Artemis closed the distance, and leapt forward, knives whirring in a wheel of silver light, slashing at the monster's lion head. The beast jerked back and swiped with its front paw at her. She dodged, which gave her the opportunity to see the others.
Alexander and Hephaestion were both fighting the erratic ram's head, which swung back and forth at them like a battering ram. She couldn't see Perseus, and only saw the back of the snake tail writhing, biting down on something out of sight.
She focused back to the Chimera, and took a running jump, driving a knife into the beast's paw as it raised it to strike her. She slashed the other across the monster's left eye, causing it to shake its head wildly. Artemis didn't hesitate, and buried her hunting knife in the Chimera's neck. She leapt back as it lashed out in response, roaring, however, the sound cut out as it fell back heavily, losing its footing on its back legs.
Artemis watched Alexander drive his blade into the ram's head, snapping off a horn and silencing the deadly weapon.
She walked forward, standing a spear length from the defeated monster.
"You will… pay." It hissed, trying, and failing to get to its feet, hitting the earth with a heavy thud. Behind her the now massive gathering of Macedonians cheered, their yells and chants echoing around them.
The noise quieted, and saw Alexander and Hephaestion step back from the prone form of the Chimera. It was hers
"I doubt it." She responded icily. With two strides forward, she jumped and slammed her right foot into the hilt of her imbedded hunting knife, sending it into the Chimera's skull.
It shuddered and slowly rolled over, dissolving slowly into dust, amidst the dying fires and debris. Artemis stood over the scene, the other hunting knife in hand, reveling in the fight. She hadn't felt so alive in a long while, and proudly added the Chimera to her list of hunted beasts.
"Lady Artemis." Alexander said, walking forward.
She turned to him, at last studying the man up close. He wore decorated chest plate, with worn greaves. He had not plumed helmet on, which showed his curled blonde hair and smooth face. The Macedonian King suddenly sheathed his sword and dropped down to one knee bowing his head, shield at his side. Hephaestion did the same, and behind her, Artemis heard the noise and shuffling, signaling that the entire Macedonian army did the same.
She immediately thought of Zeus's order, and shrugged, 'The chimera shouldn't have insulted me.' She thought, smiling internally.
Alexander, and the others rose, "We are in your debt. I cannot thank you enough for helping the us with the Chimera."
"You are lucky that he insulted my power. Do not think I am available at your disposal." Artemis warned, pointing her dagger at Alexander. It was the truth. She would not have come had the Chimera not called her puny.
Alexander nodded, "Of course. We will sacrifice what remains to you." Perseus walked up to Alexander's side, he was covered in dirt and his shield had two large puncture marks.
"Lady Artemis, an honor to meet you again. However, if we ever meet again, I request that I not fight the ass of a beast." He tossed two giant fangs at Alexander who caught them, laughing, along with Hephaestion, who had a piece of the ram's horn in his hand. Perseus grinned to his companions, before bowing low to her. Despite herself, she smirked, where she knew, in another time, she would have transformed him into a jackalope. On a good day.
"Perseus, that is where you belong in a fight," Artemis snapped lightly, before turning to Alexander, "Your expedition is under my observation. I will not interfere like this again."
Alexander nodded his head, hiding a smile, "Understood Lady Artemis, I will make sure Perseus is put in the rear of the fight in your stead."
She smiled lightly, before disappearing into the night air, in the form of a hawk, flapping up towards her ambling chariot. The sound of cheers and chants sounded below her. Swords and spears beat against shields, and she had no doubt that Zeus would be furious. The sky was silent for now, but she didn't really mind. The rush of the fight was coursing through her, and her power rolling within her. It didn't strike her until later in the night that while she had faced the Lion, Alexander and Hephaestion the ram, Perseus had faced the serpents head alone. And he had won.
Artemis finished her retelling, and looked to the sky. Not yet noon, still a way to go. She looked back to her hunters, who were all amazed, even Zoe, she realized.
"You killed the Chimera?" Phoebe asked, a look of satisfaction on her face.
Artemis laughed, remembering that she had never told her hunters of this hunting story. For obvious reasons. "Yes, it was a great fight. However, I have not seen the Chimera since. It is a dangerous monster. Alexander, Hephaestion, and…" she flinched, still unable to say his name, "he adequately distracted the other weapons the Chimera had."
"From the sound of it," Jennifer reasoned, "Perseus killed the snake head, and slashed the Chimera's legs. Maybe that's why it fell when it did, so you could incapacitate it." The hunters all chattered away, and got into a discussion about their own best kills during their stay in the hunt. Zoe quieted them all loudly, and the girls laughed as she bragged about her long experience in the hunt.
Artemis froze at Jennifer's offhand comment, weighing the situation. The hunters paid her no mind, and she absently watched Zoe chase Phoebe jokingly for calling her an old lady, chuckling lightly. But he came to mind again.
She hadn't ever considered the possibility, but Perseus was the reason that the Chimera had fallen. He had dueled a deadly giant adder, and crippled the Chimera without praise, nor any serious complaint.
She knew that he was always selfless, and always loyal, but even then… she missed him even more now.
===================
Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.
...
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