Chapter XIX: Artemis' Decision -Artemis

Artemis always had a connection with the forest. She could tell where a wounded animal had fallen, or when a person that was not suppose to be there, had stumbled upon the precious forest hat she, Yatina, protected. Now, as she rode on Fang’s back, the forest was telling her of happenings anew. Hatchlings were being stolen, deer were being hunted, but the one that caught her attention, was that the forest was telling her something very new. The forest was going to...

Yatina, we’ve arrived at the temple. What’s wrong? You seem very deep in thought. Fang told her. Artemis climbed from the wolf’s back, and nodded.
Come on Fang, we need to talk to Jake. She replied, and walked into the temple.

The temple was a small structure, but with its tall columns, it seemed very large and forbidden. Actually, that was why it had been built in that manner. The temple was forbidden to outsiders.

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A very long time ago, the forest guardians that protected and watched over the forest knew that their time was quickly decreasing. Humanity was now converting to monotheism, thus causing their powers to diminish. With their last will, they created the forest temple to be the center of life in the forest. One keeper was appointed; Jake. His job, was to be the keeper of the temple, and to record all happenings. Several years later, the animals started to rebel, and attempted to be rid of the temple, and Jake.

That was when Kamiko saved the forest. As the highest forest god, Kamiko’s powers had not yet totally evaporated in the human’s conversion in religion. He contacted CR of Parallel Earth, and convinced him to put a time hold on his dimension. The hold was to cease when Kamiko’s chosen ward would be born.
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A tall teenage boy rushed out of the temple, and gave Artemis a very brief hug.
"Artemis, thank the gods that you’re here. The forest is..."
"I know Jake, I know. Slowly, very slowly it is. Not all of it though, the temple will be bypassed." She said, cutting him off. Jake nodded, and gave Fang a short pat on the head, at the cost of almost getting his entire hand chomped off by two rows of razor-sharp teeth. Artemis flicked him on the nose, and gave him a stern gaze before turning her full attention on Jake.
"What’s going to happen to that part of the forest though?" Jake wondered aloud. Artemis shook her head, her mind filled with the same wonder.
"All I know is, that I have to go with it." She replied. Jake snapped out of his state of wonder, and stared at Artemis.
"You can’t be serious! We have no idea where the forest is going to go! Another dimension, another planet, it could even disappear into thin air! Artemis, you can’t go, you have a duty to the forest!" Jake exclaimed, shaking her shoulders gently. Artemis pulled away from him, and glared at him with eyes full of a defiant anger.
"That’s exactly why I have to go Jake. There will be no one to protect the animals, they’ll think that they were abandoned. Now, are you going to give me my sword that doesn’t seem to like you so that I can get ready to leave, or does Fang have to get involved in this argument, too?" Artemis demanded. Jake sighed, and replied,
"You stubborn ass."