Hades Helmet

• Shelby Clausen, Grade 6, Beaconsfield Upper Primary School
• Poetry
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

Her aim was impeccable...
Concentration. Focus. Target.
The arrow released, like a blade piercing through the air.
Artemis, pleased with her kill, glazed over the lifeless form that was once a grazing stag, unaware of the skilful hunter.
It was the headshot that killed, incredibly accurate and deadly. Artemis was born with both a blessing and a curse, the inability to miss! She stealthily appeared from the bushes to examine her game, when a rustle on the north side of the forest gained her attention. Suddenly a shadowy figure emerged from the scrub, startled to have Artemis's bow in their face. "Who are you, stranger?” She questioned curiously, bow poised to their head.
"Why should I tell you, Artemis?"
Artemis, bewildered as to why this goon knew her name, appeared thrown off balance. There was an eerie silence filling the air before the answer was audible. "Because I am the God of Hunting and I have positioned a bow and arrow at your cranium, would you like some more reasons?" Artemis indicated. Then before she could even blink, the mysterious acquaintance lunged towards her, yielding two hidden daggers and striking her side. Artemis whined as the sharp blade cut through her skin, the pain unbearable. The goon that had come to kill her took the opportunity as an advantage to strike her once more, but the impact was deflected by her bow. Artemis took aim and released her finger from the string... bulls eye, spearing his heart, as he dropped to ground level, the lackluster assassin attempted to strike her again, but to no avail. The lifeless corpse lay at her feet...
Nevertheless, her grin slowly faded away and was replaced by a feeling of despair as she turned around to discover, five more angry assassins glaring at her savagely. "Oh, great", she sarcastically muttered to herself as she took in her surroundings, holding her bow and arrow at the ready, waiting for movement. As if right on queue, this came. Quite suddenly five assassins simultaneously pounced on her, all equipped with the same daggers as the deceased hit man. She parried the first few daggers, and then released her arrows one after the other, all hitting the targets. One assassin, (a scared young mortal), had hidden in the bushes in hope that he wouldn't be found; yet Artemis sensed his presence. She was merciful, and so decided to spare his life. To encourage him to flee she aimed an arrow at the tree behind him, estimating he would be frightened. She released the string and the arrow landed right above him, exactly where she had planned. He cowardly ran from the scene as a strong feeling of satisfaction washed over Artemis. While she watched him vacate the premises, from the distance, her hunting senses were brought to life. She noticed a tattoo branded on his bare ankle. The symbol of Hades. A helmet that possesses the ability to turn the wearer invisible. This certainly baffled her, considering Hades was her Uncle...