Phobos spun around looking at Deimos with hate, "What are you doing here?" he hissed.
Deimos took a couple of steps towards him smiling smugly, "Father was worried, he was expecting you to have returned with the beasts by now," he surveyed the scene before him, his eyes landed on Kate and a disgusting sneer spread across his face, she would be taking many long hot showers when she got home. If she got home.
"Well hello again," he said smoothly.
"I have no need of your help brother, I was just about to take the animals back to Father when she," he rudely gestured at her, "Stumbled through the brush."
"Well the Fates must have been smiling on you at this moment because that is the vessel that holds our father's greatest treasure," his eyes landed squarely on hers and her stomach dropped, this couldn't be good.
Artemis came to stand between her and the gods, "This vessel has my permission to be here, however, do not, leave now and I will forget your transgressions," her hands were twitching, and as Kate watched a shadow of silver began to take form. It looked like smoke as it wound its way into the arch of a bow and a quiver of arrows whose tails shimmered like the dust of stars. Artemis didn't expect them to leave. Hekate began to build up her powers as well, fire filled her the veins of one side as the cool relief of water surged through her other.
Deimos chuckled, Phobos just stared at them the clenching and unclenching of his jaw was the only sign he was preparing for a fight. Without warning a blur of black fur launched itself from the brush, it clamped its wide jaw on Deimos' arm. He swore and began wildly hitting the animal with a fist the size of a cantaloupe. The beast growled and clamped down tighter causing Deimos to stumble back forgetting, for the time, that he was there for a reason.
"Aithan," Hekate's voice was full of fear for her son and she threw a whirl of fire hitting Deimos squarely in the chest and knocking him off his feet. Phobos who had been taking all of it in snarled and stood between her and his brother. Hekate stopped marching closer, her anger simmering beneath her skin bubbling rivers of fire filling her.
"You can't win against me Phobos, you may be formidable in war but you have nothing to counter my magick," Aithan came to stand on one side of her his jaw covered in black thick gunk that was Deimos' blood. The god had gotten to his knees a hiss between his lips tenderly touching the scorched skin of his chest.
"I may not be able to counter you Hekate," he said her name like it was a rotting piece of fruit he had to spit out, "But your vessel is still a mortal, all mortals are filled with fear and panic," his eyes locked on Hekate's, she felt him searching for Kate. Finding her he pulled every fear she had from her mind. A cruel smile spread across his face. Hekate blinked and when her eyes opened again she was standing in a small container above a dark lake. For a moment she was confused and then she felt it, the fear had been stifled at first but as Kate's panic rose Hekate realized what Phobos had done. This must have been one of Kate's fears.
"I need you to take a deep breath, Kate," the Mother said as calmly as she could hoping her soothing voice would aid her.
"Calm down?!" Kate yelled loudly making her mind shake, "I am not a god Hekate, I will drown if we plunge into that water!"
Hekate took a deep breath, "This is not real Kate, Phobos is trying to panic you enough that you and I will weaken and he can take us to his father. You have to calm down and fight against your fear."
Kate looked out and tried to calm her mind, she knew Hekate wouldn't lie to her but it was so real. A screech of metal on metal sent her bones on edge and she looked up. The container began to lower slowly towards the glass-like surface of the water. Her heartbeat picked up, how was she supposed to calm down when she was being dunked slowly into a nightmare?
"This is not real Kate, I promise you if you calm yourself you can escape his mirage, we need to escape this trance, Kate, the others will need us," the Maiden had chimed in her voice a little harsher than the Mother's, something in it had triggered something in Kate and she breathed deeply.
"This is not real, this is a nightmare, this is not your fate," she repeated her mantra to herself. Slowly she began to believe it, the stronger she believed the less real the mirage felt. It ebbed away and Hekate regained the reins and locked eyes with Phobos.
"It was a good try Phobos, but my vessels are stronger than your trickery," as she spoke she looked around her. Little time had passed since she had been pulled into his mirage, Artemis' starlight bow had taken full shape in her hands and she was holding in threateningly at the gods. Eleni and Aithan were still standing next to her.
"Cassandra? Where's Cassandra?" Kate asked her voice on the edge of panic, she needed to know the girl was safe. Hekate didn't want to take her eyes off the brothers but she knew Phobos would take advantage of Kate's panic if she didn't ensure the girl was safe. Her eyes quickly scanned the foliage behind the gods looking for a flash of hair, skin, or even clothing. She finally found her crouched behind a tree gripping its trunk so tightly she was sure if she looked the girl's hands would be bleeding from the bark digging deeply into her palms.
"She is fine Kate, we need to focus, Deimos and Phobos are not known for giving up so we will have to escape them quickly."
Artemis' bow was at the ready, an idea formed quickly in her mind but she needed to catch Artemis' attention without drawing their attention. She looked down at her wolves who looked up at her, Aithan's jaw was still covered in Deimos' black blood but she saw the ready smile in both of their eyes. She discreetly place a hand on both of their heads and let the fire and water magick flow from her palms, suddenly the wolves became each of the elements. Aithan burst into flames that licked at his body but didn't burn his black fur. Eleni became flowing water in the shape of her wolf. Snarling they launched themselves at the gods. Deimos growled and stood his ground as Aithan's flaming body slammed into him. Deimos tried to hold the wolf in his deadly grip but each time he seemed to be able to handle the pain of the flames they would amp up and he would scream and swear and release the animal.
Phobos however did the opposite, as Eleni barreled towards him he waited until the last minute before smoothly sliding out of her way. Unfortunately, Eleni was smooth as water, using her momentum she arched her liquid body in his direction and began to swirl her body around him creating a cyclone he couldn't break out of.
While her children kept them busy Hekate made her way slowly towards Artemis who was glaring at her.
"You really do bring destruction with you don't you Hekate?" Hekate tripped slightly, she knew Artemis had been upset with her but they had been friends once. The goddess just shook her head and waited expectantly for Hekate's plan.
Shaking off her one-time friend's disappointment Hekate gestured towards her arrows, "If you allow me I think we can take them out of the fight, for now at least." Artemis reached behind her and pulled one of her arrows from its quiver handing it to her. Hekate closed her eyes and reached down inside her body, letting her feet connect with the earth of Aretmis' forest, she let her magick feel out the earth beneath her and gently pulled it up through her and out the palms of her hands. The arrow began to grow longer until it was the size of a spear, it shone darkly the head flashing with the stars it held. She handed it back to Artemis and turned back towards the brawl between beast and god.
"Nock the arrow, wait until they are near enough to one another," Hekate said, she let out a low whistle and the wolves darted back to stand next to their mother. She inhaled and took the power of flame and water back from them. Phobos, who was drenched from head to toe, his face was full of hate and fury as he searched for his brother. Deimos' clothes and skin were singed, some of his skin had blistered and burst making it look as though a pen had exploded all over him.
"I have had enough!" roared Deimos', he lumbered in front of his brother his eyes locked on Hekate. She just needed him to take a few more steps and...
Artemis released the arrow and as it flew through the air, aided by an extra push from Hekate, she sent her magick flying toward it. The arrow exploded, and flames of gold, silver, and copper licked at it. The sound of it slicing threw Phobos and Deimos was louder than anyone had expected. It shook the earth knocking Hekate to a knee. Her eyes searched and found Cassandra, she quickly gestured the girl to her and turned to Artemis, "I am sorry but we have to leave, that should keep them down long enough to get them out of your forest."
"What about your body?" Artemis asked accusingly.
Hekate sighed heavily, she would have to leave her body here, at least for now. "I'll be back for it my friend." She gripped Cassandra, whistled for her wolves, and took off for the edge of the forest. She needed to find a portal back to the mortal realm. As she was running she began to trip over brush and twigs, an uncommon thing for her. Her vision began to blur and her body began to shake. Frustrated she stopped and leaned against a tree.
"You know what it means Hekate, give me my body back."
Hekate shook her head, "Not until we are as far away from them as possible," she huffed out trying to catch her breath. She was seeing dark spots and knew she wouldn't be able to hang on to control much longer. She looked at Cassandra who was staring at her with concern. She needed to get them to safety, she took a step and was suddenly engulfed in darkness as her vessel's body slumped to the forest floor.