Chapter 6: The Python

Four times Artemis shot her silver bow for practice. First, she split a pine tree in half, then an olive tree. Then she shot a wild boar. Lastly, she shot an arrow into a city of unjust men and those who denied her mother shelter when she was wandering the earth. The arrow pierced all of them, never ceasing its flight till they were all dead.

As soon as she was satisfied with her archery, she summoned her brother Apollo from Olympus.

"Brother, come with me," she said. "We have an enemy to slay."

"There is no doubt that I shall go and fight with you, sister," Apollo said. "Tell me who is this enemy?"

"This one is a dragon who had hunted our mother," Artemis said. "It is called Python, a beloved pet of Hera."

"Aye! We must go and avenge this monster," Apollo said vehemently.

"Good brother, you must keep it a secret between you and me," his sister said. "If we succeed, I will give you all the glory."

Apollo agreed and followed her. Dryads, who were tattletales, told them that they would find the dragon at Mount Parnassus. There the twins sped with their mighty bows and quivers full of gold and silver arrows. Together, they were unstoppable and the only game Artemis had in mind was Python.

The two siblings traveled the seas for several days, accompanied only by Artemis' hounds. It wasn't until they reached the summit of the mountain that they found hints of the creature lingering about.

"Follow these tracks," Artemis said to her hounds when they found the swirls on the ground. The beasts swiftly spread out to find the monster.

"Because of this hateful creature, our mother has never left the isle of Delos ever since we have sprung from her womb," Apollo said bitterly.

"After we end its life," Artemis said, "Hera shall know her reign of terror is over."

The hounds returned with the knowledge of the monster. The twins followed them. As they stood on a hill, they saw the great winged serpent weaving its dusty coils far below.

Artemis notched an arrow, drew her bow and let fly. It darted like light, they saw it strike the huge coils flail in agony.

"Let us split ways, brother," Artemis said. "See if either of us can kill the beast first."

Apollo smiled and nodded. Artemis sprinted off with her hounds. She took to the woods while Apollo headed through the plains and foot of the hills. Shouting with savage glee, the two raced down the slope.

Artemis, fast like the wind, reached the place where they saw the monster first but it was gone. It had left a trail of blood. The huntress wasted no time and quickly pursued the serpent's trail. She fanned her hounds out, hoping they could surround the Python.

She chased the dragon to the Oracle of Gaia, at Delphi. Python was hiding in a cave, where it could not be followed. Artemis breathed on her arrowheads and shot them into the cave as fast as she could. They broke into flames when they hit. Smoke filled the cave, and the winged serpent had to crawl out.

It was bigger than she had thought, almost the size of a small mountain.

While she could not see Apollo, she could sense her brother climbing up the hills to find a vantage point to see the land and locate the beast. All he needed was one good aim to kill the Python and she was going to give him that opening he needed.

Apollo, standing on a rock, shot the monster so full of arrows it looked like a porcupine. He did not want to kill the creature but rather to torture it.

One of her hounds leaped through the final line of trees and into an open plain where she saw it rush straight into the side of the Python. The creature with its majestic wings that could cover the sky, twirled around and slammed its tail against the hound.

"No!" Artemis screamed and quickly retaliated by drawing an arrow from her quiver and knocking it to her bow. She then yelled to her brother, "Do not let it pass!"

Her dogs formed a circle and surrounded the wicked Python, ensuring that it could not pass through the valley and fly off the cliff.

The creature roared in anger and attempted to wipe them out of its path but each time it did Artemis would fire an arrow, breaking off one of its claws or nipping away at its scaly skin.

Artemis yelled in the heat of battle, "Die, spawn of Hera, and burn in the depths of the underworld!"

But the dragon was a powerful creation of Gaia, Mother Earth. It could not be killed easily.

The swipe of its tail broke away mountain rocks. Apollo fired his golden arrow. The arrow sang as it pierced the wind, tearing through the open air and nailed down the Python's tail to the ground. The creature roared in pain and attempted to slither and fly out of the battlefield but the arrow pinned it down.

"Go!" Artemis ordered. Her hounds launched at the enemy, nipping away its legs and wings with quick, sharp bites. The Python bit back and swiped with its claws that could break through bones. She knew the Python was a lethal foe if it could get the upper ground.

More arrows rained down. Several pierced right through the Python's wings and another struck its hind leg. Others were too scattered and hit nothing but the rocks and trees. Fortunately, none of them had hit Artemis' hounds.

"Apollo!" Artemis yelled into the skies. "Belay your volley, O brother, and fly one true strike at the beast's head!"

Lightning crackled amidst the skies and she knew her brother had heard her cry. He sent down another arrow that struck the dragon's scalp. An ear-splitting roar echoed through the valley.

Artemis could have killed it, then and there, but the Python took a gamble and spread its wings in a sudden burst. It shoved Artemis and her hounds clear of its path. In a blind rage, Python breathed fire at its surrounding. The pillar of fire that flowed from its mouth burned the plains and woods, devouring the land with its wrath and hatred. One of Artemis' hounds was severely singed, forcing it to flee the battlefield and dive into the stream to recover.

"Curse you!" Artemis cried.

Then the mighty Python reared its ugly head to her direction and blew forth a wave of flame. Artemis, thinking quickly, ducked underneath the breath of fire. She rolled over and dashed out between the dragon's legs. Python's jaw opened. Artemis could see the glow coming from its throat as it was about to breath fire again. An arrow danced like a beam of light through the skies, and it struck right at the Python's neck, choking it with its own flames.

"That's for my mother!" Apollo cried from the top.

Artemis got down on one knee and raised her bow high. She let loose an arrow at its leathery chest, spilling blood. Then she sent the final one. The piercing energy of the Arrow of Moonlight severed Python's head. It rolled off its neck to the wet, grassy plains. Blood spurted from its open wound like a crimson fountain.

Artemis rolled out of the way and watched as the Python landed with a heavy thud, lifeless.

The young goddess released a sigh and lay down on the grass. This was how her brother found her when he finally reached the battlefield.

"Good shot!" Apollo said.

"Couldn't have done it without you," she told her brother. "Now, the beast is gone and our mother can rest in her home in peace. Hera will not dare disrespect us again. This shall put that blasted woman in her place."

"Hera's hatred for us has no end," he said. "Believe when I say she will retaliate again. However, if Father Zeus summons us to Olympus, I will take all the blames. No one shall know it was your proposal, thus leave you out of the Queen's wrath, dear sister," Apollo said.

"Thank you, Apollo, this victory shall be yours," she said. "When mortals talk of the slayer of Python, they will only know your name."

Her brother laughed and put his golden arm around her shoulders.

"Now, let us head to our mother's home and greet her properly. I must skin this great dragon and save the hide as her gift."

Artemis smiled and nodded.

After they left the corpse of the Python at the shore of Delphi, Hera mourned the death of her dragon. When she went crying to Zeus and complained about it, Apollo smoothly promised to make amends.

At Delphi where they had done their killing lived the oracles of Mother Earth, whom the gods themselves consulted. They were priestesses, trained from infancy. They chewed laurel, built fires of magic herbs, and sat in the smoke, which threw them into a trance wherein they saw - and told in riddles - what was to come. Knowing that their killing had already violated a shrine, Apollo said he would make his deed and claimed the oracles for his own, bidding them prophesy in his name. He instituted annual games at Delphi to appease Mother Earth, and these he graciously named after their enemy, calling them the Pythian games.