The Challenger (Apollo vs Artemis)
The Challenger
Also referred to as Apollo vs Artemis is a plot line featured in November of 2017 and is currently ongoing.
The Prelude
November 19th, 2017
It begins after night falls....
The cool starry night is still, quiet. The silvery crescent moon hangs low over the snow-capped mountains, offering little of her heavenly glow to illuminate the darkness that has settled over the lands of Lunaria. But blessed are these lands, where the shadows hold only places for pups to hide and play. The guardians that watch over all, a select few guided and led by the mighty Apollo, have always performed their duties well.
The silence suddenly breaks. Laughter, high and jubilant, echoes in the night as two young Wajas dash across a snow-dusted meadow. They are exhilarated by their daring, sneaking out of their warm and comfortable caves to continue their games of high adventure at the top of the hill where they had spent the previous day.
"One day, I shall be one of Apollo's Chosen!" one declares boldly, racing his friend up the snowy slope. "Nothing will ever stand against me! I will protect all of Lunaria, and I will never ever have a bedtime!"
"Me, too!" says the other. "I will be the greatest, the strongest, the fastest, the..."
The voices stutter away, young paws digging furrows in the snow as both slide to a clumsy stop. They had reached their favorite hilltop, and now stared at the place where just hours before, a wisened old tree stump had sat. Now, there was only shards of wood and dust. They stare in bewilderment and rising grief, their favorite place to play now gone. Their throne, their castle, their mighty mountain peak.
"W...what happened to it?" one whimpers. "It...it looks like it was eaten."
A flash of sudden light turns the snow to silver. Both pups squeal in fright, their heads turning to the heavens. A swirling glow of light, blazing red and violet, outshining all else. The shadows deepen and slant as it grows brighter, bigger. The pups stand frozen in fear and awe.
And then they let out wails of fright as a shadow momentarily blocks the swirling light, spreading wide wings as it soars down towards them. They turn and run for their lives, tumbling down the hill before catching themselves at the bottom and disappearing into the distance, leaving only frightened sobs in their wake.
Clouds of snow billow out as the shadowy being lands. Eyes glisten in the light of the swirling vortex above, slowly shrinking away to a glittering point high in the sky. It gazes at the remains of the stump for several moments, until the wails of the pups are long lost in the night. Finally, it blinks, growling softly as fangs flash in the dimming light.
"So...it begins again."
Episode 1: The Challenger
Dawn was breaking, filling the air with dazzling golden light. In the distance, the sounds of activity were already beginning to increase. Some great event was happening today. Those she passed seemed to have thought for little else. Only an occasional glance was ever spared her way as she ran.
Her mind was a raging storm of emotion. Fear, confusion, anger, determination. This place, it was so beautiful. So...familiar. This was what it had looked like once. Beauty and peace and happiness. Until...
She shook her head fiercely, bright blue and green fur rippling from nose to tailtip. She hadn't known what to expect when she had made the daring flight through the portal, but certainly it was not what she had seen. Undeniable evidence that THEY were here too. And all of the Wajas she passed, so blissfully unaware.
It would not happen here. No matter what she had to do, she would stop it. Hot breath furled in steam curls before her as she came to a stop, head high and ears sharply perked. She could sense it nearby, the same as the other three. There were others around here, more Wajas, all laughing and talking happily. The glances were starting to linger upon her. She ignored them all. It was close now, so close. Right...THERE!
The air of calm and focus was something that Apollo almost never lost. He was a wise, just, and generous deity, and there was none in all the lands of Lunaria who did not know his name. Night and day, he stood guard over the land and its denizens. Many moons had passed since real trouble had last stirred under his watch. He had taken to his rest the previous night quietly confident that all would be well for the grand celebration of his Chosen due to begin on this day.
But for the first time in many years, he had given pause. The light, silvery and blinding, that had arched across the midnight sky was something the likes of which Apollo had never seen before. But there had been no streak of fire, no hint that something had fallen from the sky. When the light had faded to little more than a twinkling glow hidden among the stars, silent peaceful darkness had settled once more. Apollo had chosen not to set out and investigate more closely. He had decided instead to wait, to see if it would happen again.
It was hard to suppress the twinge of regret, even in his mighty heart. His wings were spread wide as he glided low and swift over the lands slowly coming alive with the rising sun. The Wajas hailing him and the four members of his Chosen that followed behind him were not the first ones he had seen today. The first hour of this day had been deeply troubling. Wajas coming to him, telling him of the damage they had found. A matronly Forest with her garden torn bare. Two Corsie brothers who had a long task ahead of cleaning their cave after the flood of water had spilled in, brought upon them by the sudden breaking of the old beaver dam that had for years held back the water of the neighboring stream without fail. And the tiny Imp pup, crying into her father's chest, while the elder spoke of their barn, inexplicably reduced to shards of wood and sawdust, the animals scattering. The young pup's prized pet lamb had not yet been found.
Apollo would have taken the time to offer a word of comfort, and guide the pup to the place where he could sense the lamb was safely hiding. But the frantic Tempest running up to him, and the words she shouted in fear and panic, distracted him entirely.
"The Park, my lord Apollo! The Wajas Park! Something is happening there! You must come, quickly!"
And so Apollo and his accompanying Chosen were now making haste towards the Park, pausing only to tell the Imp pup's father where to find the lost lamb. And the closer he flew, the more he could see that something was indeed wrong. The happy voices were fading away, turning to cries of shock and fright. Dust was rising into the air. He swooped down and landed before the gates, his great wings clearing the air around him, allowing him to see. A long moment of silence passed, as for the first time his expression of calm broke into one of astonishment.
"Oracle," he said at last, glancing over his shoulder at his Chosen Earth. "Make haste. Gather the others to me, quickly!"
Oracle nodded and was gone in scarcely a blink. Apollo turned back around, focusing on another Earth that was running towards him. Familiar green and yellow fur and a mane of orange were all dulled by dust.
"Peace, my friend," Apollo said sagely, seeing the wild look of fear in her eyes. "Did you see anything? What happened here..."
"Still here, my Lord Apollo!" the snack stand keeper panted. "Still here! It's...it's..."
A sudden gale-force gust of wind blew over them, forcing the shop keeper to stagger. Even Apollo had to squint as dust flew past him. But then the air was clear again, and everything was in view. The broken gate to the park, branches torn from trees, the snack stand in near ruin, wisps of smoke still curling up from smoldering remnants. And in the shadow of the ruin stood...
The Chosen standing with him did not speak. All of their eyes were upon the figure. All could see what Apollo saw. His exact height, the same aura of strength, great wings spread wide as the last of the dust settled back to the earth. The Waja was a mirror of his own image, and yet...she was not. Instead of calm, her expression blazed with determined anger. Her teeth were bared and her eyes flashed as she raised her head high.
"So it is you that has marred the peace of Lunaria this day?" Apollo said, his tone calm but firm. He could hear the rapid approach of the rest of his Chosen. "Explain yourself, stranger. Who are you?"
The Waja did not flinch, but stared back fiercely. She paid no heed to the rest of his Chosen forming a circle around them, but strode forward until they were scarcely inches apart.
"Can you not sense that we are one and the same? I am the bravest of my kind, the first volunteer. I am the defender of the once proud lands of Solaria." The Waja looked around, growling at the destruction she had caused. "I came here hoping to find salvation. Instead I find doom. I know not your name, and I do not care. If you and your followers are the ones meant to defend these lands, then I have grave news." She growled again. "My name is Artemis, leader of the Artemis Corps."
"And you have failed."
Great Plague
Absolute silence fell. Only Apollo kept a determinedly calm expression. The rest of his Chosen, the gathering crowd further beyond, and the speechless snack stand keeper were all staring at Artemis with various ranges of shock. Artemis growled sharply, her fur bristling.
"Well?!" she barked. "Can you not sense what is right in front of you? Are you and your Chosen just going to lay by and let this land fall to ruin?"
"What ruin? The only ruin that has been seen on this day was by you!" his Chosen Forest snapped. "If not for the celebrations today necessitating an early start, lives may have been lost when you broke the beaver dam. And what of..."
"Peace, Antheia," Apollo said firmly. "I do not think Artemis is unaware of the trouble she has caused. She is fortunate there has been no lasting harm."
"No lasting harm?? No lasting..." Artemis stuttered off, seemingly too incensed for words.
"My lord Apollo, the Park!" the stand keeper protested. "All of this mess could take weeks to fix!"
Apollo did not respond to the stand keeper, no longer hiding his confusion. He could sense no danger anywhere. The damage he could see around him was nothing that could not be repaired in time. The land beneath his paws breathed the same as it always did, a comforting presence that had been the tie to the power he wielded to guard Lunaria from harm since time immemorial. It told him no concern, not even from Artemis. This was what kept his tone calm as he spoke again.
"Artemis, explain," he said. "What is going on? What do you sense? If there truly is danger, then we will quell it."
Artemis gave a single derisive snort. And then she raised a hind leg and kicked viciously, sending one of the smoldering snack stand displays tumbling over onto its side, where it instantly cracked into pieces on the grass. The stand keeper let out a wail of shock, but Apollo did not hear it. He was staring at the display remnants. On the outside, the wood looked normal, if charred in places. But within, it was the dry gray color of cold ash. Artemis turned towards it and raised a paw, knocking aside a few broken shards, clearly searching for something. Finally she raised her head and glared at him.
"There," she growled coldly. "See it now? Take a good look, all of you."
A single small insect had been revealed, crawling feebly over the burned and decayed wood. It did not seem abnormal at first, but then Apollo saw its strange rippling golden color. He blinked slowly, and then raised his head, meeting Artemis's gaze. The anger in her eyes slowly faded as a silent understanding passed between them.
"The great plague," he said grimly.
"The great plague?" The tone in the voice of his Chosen Divine was skeptical. "My lord Apollo, how is that possible? Legend says that the great plague will only rise from below when the living force of the Pear Tree begins to wither."
"What what is the great plague?" the Chosen Corsie asked.
"Legend long claims it is a destructive menace held at bay by the great power of the Pear Tree," the Divine explained. "It is an old story, but it is said that the Pear Tree itself is what binds the lands of Lunaria together. Should its power fail..."
"The lands will crack and shatter as they are devoured from below," Artemis said bitterly. "When the Pear Tree of Solaria withered, it left almost nothing behind. It is a desperate struggle to keep the remaining infestations from taking what is left." She growled again. "So now you see, oh mighty Apollo. What happened there is happening here. This is proof." She suddenly lashed out with a snarl, crushing the little insect into the ground. "I could sense the infestation the instant I arrived here. I have taken out all of the nests I could find. This...this one was the biggest, but for now, it is the last one. But there will be more. Thousands more, millions more."
"Pear Tree is fine," Bill said simply.
There was a brief pause as everyone momentarily glanced towards Bill.
"But what ARE they?" the stand keeper asked, having backed well away from the wreckage of her shop.
"They are known in Solaria as isopterons," Artemis answered. "For lack of a better word, they are termites. Termites capable of devouring the foundations of the earth itself."
Apollo nodded slightly. It was starting to have a strange sort of meaning now. He took a deep long breath, feeling for the warmth of the Pear Tree's embracing roots. It was still there, ever constant and unmarred.
"I think I see," he said aloud.
"See what, my Lord?" Oracle asked.
"What is happening here." He gave Artemis a calm smile. "Artemis, there is hope yet. I could not sense these creatures burrowing into my lands, but now I know why. It is the same as you, who seems to be unable to feel the warm embrace of our living and breathing Pear Tree. These creatures, these...isopterons...are not the plague of Lunaria. They came with you. Either ahead of you, or following behind. You have my thanks for stopping them before they could spread further."
Artemis looked at him for a long moment, clearly struggling to decide whether he could be trusted. Finally, her stance seemed to relax.
"If your Pear Tree is truly alive, then I want to see it," she said.
"I will take you there myself, but not yet." Apollo glanced up at the sky, now a clear cloudless blue. "Last night, I saw a great silver light flash across the heavens. I know now it signaled the moment you crossed into our world from yours, as you call it, Solaria."
"A portal, a gateway, I know not what it was. It appeared in the night sky without warning. I came, because I could see no other option."
"But where did it come from?" his Chosen African asked. "My lord Apollo, I fear it still does not make sense."
"There are still many questions to answer," Apollo agreed. He looked around, his gaze sweeping across the crowd of nervous Wajas standing in the distance. Then he turned back to his assembled Chosen. "My friends, I am afraid our celebration must wait. The infestations may be gone, but there is still much cleanup to do. I will not be long in returning." He beckoned to Artemis. "Come with me."
"And were is it that we are going?" Artemis asked warily, but she mirrored his movements as he spread his wings and leapt airborne.
"To see the only one in all of Lunaria who might know anything about portals in the sky and the sudden appearance of strange creatures." He glanced back at Artemis and allowed himself a slight grin. "We are going to see the Mad Scientist."
