Chapter 4:
The titan brothers. Or as Rin like to call them dumb, dumber, dumbest, stupid and idiot. Guess which one Kronos was. But now was not the time for laughs, because right in front of Rin were all five brothers and they were all at their prime. Rin could barely defeat Kronos when he was in Drake's body and now he had his own!
Kronos was not what Rin imagined as, he looked young, almost 20 if he were to guess, and what's more, he looked a little bit like Poseidon, except he was well… evil. His eyes were golden true, but Rin could almost see something behind that, something green?
The titans stood over 15 feet tall, even Iapetus grew. Rin looked at Artemis, if what she said was true and she had no godly form then this was about to get very ugly very fast. With no choice Rin took a step forward with Void Ripper drawn, he looked at Artemis, "run while I hold them back Artemis!"
The huntress looked shocked, but then her face changed into a frown, "do you think I am weak boy? ``I can fight!"
"You are a hunter, not a fighter now r-" Rin's words were stopped by a strike from Iapetus's spear. Rin dodged it, then he ran to the titan, jumped and just as his blade was about to strike Iapetus's skin, he was knocked away by Hyperion's hand.
Rin slid on the ground, the grass staining his shirt. He rolled up just in time to block an attack from the sword of Krios. Rin held onto his blade, and pushed Krios with nothing but brute strength.
Just then Rin was blown back by another hand this time it was Kronos himself that did so. Rin looked up and there he was the titan of time, the asshole who sent him here. Rin gritted his teeth, he needed to use some of the godly powers he got. He wasn't stupid he knew that something happened to him recently and resulted in him gaining the gods powers, but he had no idea how to use them.
Rin got up and his sword was ready to strike, but just then a flash of lightning lit up the sky and the boom of thunder hitting the earth was felt, the sky darkened and the smell of ozone filled the air. Rin remembered the words, "Light the way to the future!" He could see a bolt of lightning coming right towards him, he jumped back leaving Kronos to receive the full force of the blast.
Rin looked up and saw the lighting slowly fade away leaving a very pissed of Kronos.
"That's enough father," said a booming voice, Rin looked back and there, standing next to him was Zeus. Everytime Rin looked into Zeus's eyes in the future there was nothing but arrogance and pride, but now, there was none of that, only fierce determination.
Zeus looked different, he wore a plain tunic which had a yellow trimming on it, nothing fancy, no Gucci $2000 dollar suit, or diamond cuffs, just a simple tunic.
"Zeus, my son," he spat, "what a pleasure, have you come to surrender?" Kronos smirked, while the other titans laughed.
"Kronos, you are violating the truce we agreed to, no battle to be fought until a years time," replied Zeus in a calm voice.
"I am the god of time boy! You do not tell me what to do!" said an enraged Kronos. Wow, that was the first time Rin had heard someone call Zeus, boy. that just seemed ... wrong.
But Zeus kept his cool, which was surprising for him to see Zeus do. He usually would have blown a fuse by now, "you may not listen to me, but fate demands you stop this attack at once, if not the Styx has already formed some very ... creative punishments for you," ended Zeus with a smirk.
Kronos's face turned sour, he looked at his brothers and nodded, they flashed away one by one, Kronos looked at Zeus in disgust, but before he left he looked at Rin in wonder and then disappeared in a flash of gold.
After that the clouds turned back to normal, Zeus sighed a sigh of relief, he turned to Artemis and hugged her, "oh little girl I'm so glad you are alright." Artemis buried her head into his shoulder and hugged her father back.
Zeus broke away from the hug and looked at Rin who was now standing on the side kind of feeling awkward at the whole situation.
Zeus smiled, "you saved my daughter stranger, tell me who are you?"
Rin sighed it was going to be a long day. And so the three retreated to Artemis's tree and sat down with the deer roasting over the fire. Rin told Zeus everything, well no details, but the general gist of things.
"So we win this war?" asked Zeus still a little shocked Rin was from the future, Artemis took that fact much more easily.
"Yes Lord Zeus."
"Please do not call me Lord, I have done nothing to deserve such a title," requested Zeus with another gentle smile.
Rin was really not feeling comfortable, a nice Zeus? A humble Zeus?! What the hell? "Alright Lo- I mean Zeus."
Artemis smiled at the banter between us too, she took out her knife and cut of a piece of meat and ate it, "oh, Rin did you not have something to tell father?"
Rin's eyes widened in realization, "oh right! Lord Zeus I know how you can defeat the titans! You see-"
But Zeus then put his hand up and stopped him mid sentence, "Rin in your time, I was the one who figured it out correct?" Rin nodded to that. "Then I will do so again, do not tell me anything of this future, one word and the entire timeline could be rewritten. My father's lack of judgment and rule is infuriating sometimes. The man has no respect for his domain, time."
Now Rin was shocked, since when did Zeus of all people becoming worried about the space time continuum? And rules? He himself in the future broke his vow with Hera numerous times!
Zeus smiled at Rin as he bit into his meat, "tell me Rin, how am I in the future?"
"Ah you look the same if that's what you mean."
Zeus laughed, "haha no I mean am I the same person?"
Rin was worried about that question, past Zeus was a 100 times better than present Zeus. Where did Zeus changed so much? This guy seems almost as cool as Poseidon. "Well yes I suppose you are," Rin lied, but if he could he would not want to tell Zeus the truth. Something like that could break this man.
Zeus nodded, "that is good to hear. Now what to do with you? I assume you wish to go back to your time?"
Rin nodded frantically, this idea never actually occurred to him, in all honesty he never expected this. He always thought Kronos was the only who could mess with time, but maybe Zeus could help.
"Maybe the Fates could help us," said Artemis.
Zeus nodded at his daughter, "maybe they could, very well that is what you should do, Rin seek out the Fates they are the only ones most likely to help you." Zeus stood up and went to his daughter, "Artemis I must go now, dinner was amazing my daughter thank you." He kissed her on the forehead and disappeared in a flash of light, but the light was kind of dull, not very Zeussy, like not up to his level.
Artemis and Rin finished the rest of the deer and threw the leftover away from the top of the tree.
It was only evening and Rin still had energy left to spare.
"Hey Artemis could you help me find the Fates? I don't exactly have google maps on me."
Artemis raised her eyebrow, "google? What's google?"
"oh...you'll find out. Just remember that if you hear a company by that name, buy it."
"What is a company?"
"Ah…. forget about it, future stuff. So just forget about it."
Artemis smiled, "you are the worst time traveler I have ever seen."
"No need to rub it in Artemis." replied Rin, he then started pouting.
"HAHA are you pouting? Really? HAHA."
"Yeah yeah laugh it up."
"HAHA oh Zeus! That is so funny, who knew you had a cute side to you? Anyway like you asked of course I would love to help you Rin, after all I have nothing to do tomorrow anyway."
"So where are they?"
"Well you see that mountain over there?" asked Artemis pointing at a mountain behind which the sun was setting. "Basically they are beyond that in a cave behind a waterfall. Not exactly difficult to find, if you know where to look. Problem is the monsters there, most of them one person could take out, but only with an arrow. Even tho as good as you are with a sword Rin, if you get anywhere close to them, they will tear you apart."
Rin nodded dumbly, he figured if he needed to he could just activate Artemis's power and use it to shoot arrows. "All right then, got any spare bows and arrows I can use?"
"Ha sure I do and with that would you like a bath in a tube indoors as well with hot water?" Rin was sure her tone was sarcastic, he couldn't wait until she found out those things exist in the future.
"So that's a no then?"
"Yes, that's a no. If you want a bow, you're going to have to make one. They really are not that easy to get."
"How do I do that?"
Artemis sighed, "alright what you do is, go to the top of this tree, cut off a branch and carve your bow out of that. Then come back down use some of the skin we took from the deer to make the string. I assume you know how a bow should be shaped?"
Rin just nodded dumbly, Artemis shook her head, she went to the edge of the branch and jumped of. She reached out and caught the closest branch she could and spun herself up and then jumped down the tree branches until she hit the ground. She looked up at him, "don't take to long!"
After Artemis went inside Rin looked up and began his climb. At the top of the humongous tree was a branch that was growing dead center, and upwards, it was of a different color, a darker shade of the trees wood.
Drawing out Void Ripper Rin cut the branch and with the now free branch he jumped down and sat on a bigger branch to begin his work.
He had no clue where to begin, he knew how a bow looked of course, but there has to be more than that right? It is going to be long, thats for sure and thinner at the edges. He could make a greek version, or a Persian bow. But then again who knew. OH GOD!
In his frustration Rin wondered what Hephaestus would do. Then the process started all over again, he remembered the first time he met the god. And the machines that have been made by him, most of which tried to kill Rin. Then the words rung out, "Imagination is the fuel of the forge."
And then Rin could see, a bow, inside the wooden branch. Rin used his sword with it's edge and set to work cutting it closely making sure to take only one level of wood at a time.
Artemis was inside her home in the tree looking at the ceiling, she was in deep thought of the happenings of the past days.
Who was Rin, the moment she met him there was something about him that made her want to trust him. He swore to her he was Kronos's enemy and she believed him,why? Because people never swore oaths unless they were serious, because the only thing a being has in times like this is their word.
Then she saw him fight Kronos and all doubts left her mind. But the mystery of time just grew bigger and bigger. The things he could do, he was faster than her, his skills with a blade was second to none, not even Ares.
And then there were her feelings. He was the first male she had ever seen who was not her family, trying to kill her or a total ass. And the way he smiles, it just….. just made her heart feel something. Maybe she should ask Apollo what to do. But she didn't know what was happening with Rin, every time he smiles at her she felt warm, and when he saved her from Iapetus and what would have been her death, he saved her without a second thought.
Artemis let him carve his bow to get her some time, because she had a lot on her mind. And so she set out to clear her head the only way she knew how, hunting.
She went out of her home via the front way and went about her hunt. She ran faster and faster, the forest was quiet and night was falling down, but Artemis never felt more safe than that moment.
Then suddenly she heard a rustle from the bushes. Artemis drew her arrow and aimed, she took several step back slowly lowering her center of gravity.
"Grrrrr…." came the growl of what Artemis knew would be a Hell hound.
The hellhound jumped out of the bushes. pouncing at Artemis. The huntress released her arrow and rolled away, she got on her feet, already holding another arrow in place.
The arrow embedded itself inside the hellhounds skull, who slowly disintegrated into golden dust.
But hellhounds never hunt alone. Artemis' reflexes kicked in, she jumped out of her spot just as another hellhound pounced on where she was standing. Mid air she launched her arrow which imbedded itself between this hellhounds ears.
Artemis ran the moment her feet touched the ground. She knocked another arrow and looked back only to see 4 pairs of red glowing eyes staring back at her, chasing her through the forest.
Artemis released her arrow, losing a little bit of distance, but in turn the arrow took down a ran again, heading to her home. It was enchanted, it would protect her.
Soon the trees were thinking, she was almost there. The moment she broke through the tree line and her tree was in her sight, she was thrown to her right by a large hellhound that had rammed her.
"UGH!" she huffed out as she held her ribs. Some of them were broken, she held her bow up, her hand shaking. She reached for another arrow, but they had all spilled from her quiver and were now on the grass.
The large hellhound looked at her, snarling, his yellow teeth and red eyes could be seen even through the darkness of the forest.
The other remaining 3 hellhounds joined the larger hell hound, who was obviously the alpha. The approached slowly, the alpha taking the lead. They were enjoying this.
Artemis felt fear in seeing those eyes, those red eyes. This wasn't right, she was supposed to survive this war, not die like this! Did Rin change something by coming here? Artemis didn't know, all she knew was that she was afraid.
Her life passed before her eyes, her mother, helping her mother give birth to her brother. Meeting her father for the first time. Then the war, the countless battles she fought in. The numerous monsters she had killed. The friends she had lost. All this and she was only 15 years of age.
The alpha crouched back, preparing to pounce. Artemis felt her life at an end, she closed her eyes, oh what the hell she had a good life anyway. The hellhound jumped, its claws coming down like spikes, its mouth opened with drool spilling out. Artemis closed her eyes, and smiled, her only regret was she never gotten a kiss, and an image of Rin popped in her head.
But it never came. The feeling of pain she was so used to never came, no bite, no claws imbedded in her. She opened her eyes and saw gold dust rain down on her. She looked with open eyes as an arrow laid in the golden dust piled, along with the coat of the hellhound. The arrow looked strange, made completely out of wood, the arrow head was comical and the tip looked to be made out of something shiny.
She looked to her tree where the arrow has been shot from, and there on one of the top branches, holding a wooden bow with a leather string and an arrow made out of wood, was Rin Merlin.