Chapter 5 edited

Atalanta stood, gripping a rope, frozen in disbelief as she beheld Artemis embracing Cyd. Her mind went blank, unable to process the scene before her.

"Wait a second…"

Cyd, fearing for his life, struggled to prevent Atalanta from tightening the rope around his neck. He reached out towards her, his face a mask of desperation.

But Atalanta seemed oblivious to his plight. In a trance, she moved towards Artemis and Cyd, her grip on the rope growing ever tighter.

Cyd swallowed hard. A deep sense of foreboding washed over him, convinced that the rope would soon strangle him.

"Ah, Atalanta, it's been a while," Artemis greeted warmly, seemingly unaware of Atalanta's strange behavior.

The sound of Artemis's voice jolted Atalanta back to reality. She released the rope, but before Cyd could breathe a sigh of relief, she yanked him out of Artemis's embrace and hurled him to the ground with a swift, judo-style over-the-shoulder throw.

"I…" Cyd crawled towards the white horse, clutching his shoulder in pain, his eyes darting around, wary of another attack from Atalanta.

"Lady Artemis, this man may have pale skin, but he's undoubtedly a man!" Atalanta exclaimed, pointing at Cyd with urgency.

"Yes, I know. But like you, he is also one of my followers," Artemis said, patting Atalanta's head.

"What?" Atalanta was stunned, her mind reeling.

How could a man take that vow?

"I've been devoutly offering sacrifices," Cyd interjected weakly, raising his hand. He knew Artemis was Zeus's favored daughter, second only to Hera in authority, and her vengeful streak was notorious. He didn't want to end up like the king who forgot to offer her a tribute and was punished with a monstrous boar.

"I'm very happy," Artemis nodded, smiling.

Cyd sighed in relief. As long as she was happy.

"Stupid man!" Atalanta glared at Cyd.

"You two need to get along," Artemis continued to pat Atalanta's head.

"If it's your will…" Atalanta struggled internally before reluctantly lowering her head.

Find a chance…

"No, I'll leave right now, not staying a second longer!" Cyd, looking terrified, grabbed the rope Atalanta had dropped and climbed onto the white horse. "Horse, take me to the Caucasus Mountains as fast as you can!" Getting along with Atalanta? No way! Not only did survival rules dictate against it, but her glare also didn't suggest she wanted to get along. She might not kill him outright, but she'd definitely find a way to make his life difficult.

Sensing Cyd's urgency or perhaps eager to show off its speed, the white horse flicked its tail excitedly and spread its large, white wings.

"You can fly?!" Cyd's jaw dropped.

How had it hidden such huge wings?

The white horse snorted proudly.

As Poseidon's steed, it had to fly. Anything less would be embarrassing.

"Leaving so soon?" Artemis watched the diminishing figure of Cyd and the white horse with regret. "We just got the chance to meet."

"Should I shoot him down?" Atalanta didn't hesitate to draw her bow.

Artemis blinked, then smiled and shook her head. "We'll meet again."

"I think it's better if we meet now," Atalanta said, drawing her bowstring, but by then, Cyd had vanished into the clouds.

"Tsk…"

Atalanta reluctantly lowered her bow. If only she'd acted sooner, she was sure she could have taken Cyd down.

"If it were you, Lady Artemis, you could bring him down."

"Even now, I could," Artemis petted the golden-antlered deer beside her. "But that would hurt him, so let's not."

"Why do you care about that man so much?" Atalanta kicked a stone in frustration.

"How to put it? Because… that child…" Artemis pondered for a moment before smiling. "Is the child of the moon."

I should have shot him in the head earlier!

Though she didn't understand fully, Atalanta felt a surge of irritation.

Clinging tightly to the white horse's neck, Cyd shivered, his head suddenly feeling very cold.

"That child has gone to Prometheus," Zeus, king of the gods, sat on the steps outside his palace on Mount Olympus, resting his chin on his hand. His eyes gazed into the distance as if watching someone.

"Is it wise? You ordered Prometheus to be bound there," Poseidon remarked, standing by a pillar and holding his trident.

"If he hadn't caused so much trouble and played tricks, I wouldn't have locked him up," Zeus recalled, irritation evident in his voice. "And you, sending your Divine Horse to the Caucasus Mountains for him?"

"I responded to the boy's prayer," Poseidon chuckled.

"Sending your warhorse for a mortal's prayer, even pushing schools of fish ashore for him," Zeus scoffed. "When did you become so dutiful?"

"I don't always understand mortals, but he didn't ask for much in five years. I felt obliged to fulfill his request," Poseidon shrugged.

"Be careful he doesn't steal your warhorse," Zeus teased.

"Want to bet?" A shadowy figure wrapped in darkness appeared in the palace's shadows. "That child will return the warhorse."

"He also offered tribute to you," Zeus mused, smiling.

The shadow nodded after a brief silence.

"Then I also bet that he returns the warhorse," Poseidon yawned.

"I, however, bet that he won't," Zeus grinned. After all, opposing his brothers was his specialty.

"And if I lose," Zeus spread his arms, lying down on the steps without any kingly dignity, "I'll favor that child a bit."

"And if we lose?" Poseidon looked at the shadowy figure.

"Then you'll help take care of my child," Zeus shrugged.

"Which one?" Poseidon smiled.

"There are too many to count," Zeus sighed.

The shadow flung its cloak and vanished.