Was this my fault? Could I have done something, anything differently? What can I even do at this point? I-no I can’t think right now. I need to move.

I shook myself from my reverie and took off towards where I had last seen Artemis. Stumbling past Lamia preparing for war with equipment I had never seen before I found her quite easily. She was equipped with a massive brown bow yet curiously had no arrows or quiver in sight. Currently she was loudly arguing with Lady Cecilia.

“You expect me to take your daughter and run?! I will to stay here. I will protect our home. I’m a warrior prepared to die at any time. Our people are far more important than something like my life”

Cecilia gave a surprisingly cool response to her impassioned speech.

“Artemis, you’re the only one I can trust with this task. Take Ran and the human and flee. I want my daughter to have a future even if we don’t. If you can’t do this as a warrior for your people, do it as my friend.”

She gently took Artemis hand in hers as she asked. Artemis’ expression took on a pained look and she whispered hoarsely

“I… That’s too cruel… You’re asking me to abandon my role.”

“I know what I’m asking is cruel. That’s why I ask it of you. I know if anyone can do it, it’s you Artemis. We’ve spent a long time together and been through many messes in our time. That’s why if this is the one that I don’t make it I at least want you and my daughter to. You both deserve a future, I don’t want you wasting your life dying with us.”

Tears filled her vision as Artemis’ voice rose.

“Fine I’ll do it! But not just for you. I’ll do it for Ran, for Kieran and for the future of our people! I won’t forgive you if you go down easily. I-I better see you at the end of this.”

Cecilia gave a gentle smile in response as she picked up Ran who had been uncharacteristically quiet and clung to her mother’s side closely. She was lifted in her mother’s arms and they stared face to face. Ran with tears pouring down her face as she cried and Cecilia with a gentle, sad, smile.

“My little Ran, you know you mean the world to me. Everything in my life has led to you. And if my life is to cease here, than know little Ran, that I died proud of you.”

“YOU CAN’T DIE! MAMA NO MATTER WHAT I’L-“

Cecilia brought her into a close hug as she softly talked.

“Little Ran, worry not for me. Little Ran can you make me a promise?”

Ran hesitated briefly in her embrace, ready to shout back again but slowly softened into her warm embrace.

“mmm” is all she said with a faint nod. At the agreement, Cecilia gave a bright smile that almost seemed blinding.

“Ran, no matter what happens you can always push forwards. There will always be hope even if it seems like all that’s left is darkness. Promise me that you’ll never give up on hope. Even if it hurts, even if it seems cruel.” Ran looked up to her from her embrace.

“I-I will! S-So mama you’ll come with us right?”

“I’m afraid not my dear.”

“Then you’ll beat them! And come meet us after!”

A soft smile was the only response as she once again lifted her up.

“Goodnight my little Ran. I love you.” A soft green magical energy emanated from Cecilia’s hands as Ran’s eyes fluttered closed and she fell into a peaceful sleep. Cecilia gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before handing her to Artemis as her eyes took on a steely look. Grabbing hold of the magic staff slung on her back she quickly prepared herself as she began barking orders at all of the nearby Lamia.

“FORTIFIY THE WALLS WITH ANYTHING YOU CAN FIND! HUNTRESSES EQUIP YOUSELVES WITH BOWS AND SPEARS! MEN, ELDERS AND CHILDREN FOLLOW THE EVACUATION PLAN WITH THE YOUNGEST HUNTRESSES.

The army in the distance was trampling through the jungle as the ground slowly began to shake at their approach. Cecilia spared us one last glance and parting words as she continued her preparations.

“Artemis, I entrust you with Ran. And Kieran, whatever happens, take care of them both. I believe in you all.”

I nodded as tears threatened to spill down my face but I choked them down. Now is not the time for tears. It’s time to go.

Artemis and I took off in the opposite direction of the encroaching army with Ran in hand. The once familiar jungle gradually seeming more and more alien and cold as we sprinted through it. It seemed to warp around me as we went, the plants and wildlife going silent. Both of us stayed just as quiet as we fled. My fist clenched and both my heart and mind were sent racing.

So this is the filter, huh? If I had just told Cecilia earlier then we could have all escaped. Ran… Ran wouldn’t have to lose her mother… A familiar phrase rang through my mind at the thought. “Make sure to make a decision you won’t regret.”

Hah. That was just a dream. It-it had to be right? After all if it wasn’t…. Then, then I was the one who caused this. Even with the warning she gave me I just went and fucked off doing jack shit. What’s wrong with me?

My head began to ache as the realization set in. I felt a familiar sickness slowly closing around me as if it were constricting me. My world seemed to spin as I ran, throwing me off balance and sending me stumbling. Artemis seemed like she was about to say something when a loud whistling sound interrupted her. She instantly whipped her tail into my chest sending me head over heels until I crashed into a nearby tree.

BANG

A smoldering crater with massive spear slammed into the middle of it appeared where I had just been standing a second ago. The spear was a bright eye-catching silver with a blue tassel hanging from its pommel. The spear itself seemed far too large for any normal human to wield.

Artemis held her large wooden bow in her hands and A sleeping Ran was given to me by her tail as she stared at the spear.

KABOOOM

An even louder crash echoed throughout the jungle as a massive beast-like demon landed behind the spear. A booming voice echoed from him as he casually tore the spear from the dirt.

“Quite the eyes for a snake. Maybe cutting down the fleeing cowards wasn’t as bad as a job as I thought it would be! HAHAHA” his boisterous laugh echoed throughout the jungle.

He looked as if a lion had taken human form. A proud mane and bright face complimented his muscular fur covered body. The only thing that seemed out of place on a lion was a pair of large horns growing from his forehead. He was approximately twice my size standing easily over ten feet tall and wielding the absurdly large spear casually in one of his large clawed hands. He wore a thick white leather cuirass with blue accents and a dramatic blue cape finished the look.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Artemis didn’t even deign to respond as she drew back her massive bow string, a bright white energy suffusing the whole weapon as an arrow of similar silver formed on it.

I guess Artemis never took me seriously in our fights… Alright let’s do this.

Before I could even and try to make my move the massive demon’s attention whipped towards me as he growled out.

“Don’t even try to run. Do that and the kid di-“

Interrupting him a massive silvery arrow arched towards him at a speed I couldn’t track. He barely reacted in time, slamming his massive spear into it in a last ditch effort to parry the blow. He was sent stumbling from the force of the arrow as it crashed into a tree to the side splintering it. Three more quickly followed suit.

“YOU HONORLESS BITCH!”

He howled in distaste as he frantically set to dodging and parrying the blows. Yet even as he managed to avoid all of the fatal wounds he quickly found the arrows seemed to have a sort of a homing property to them as they curved and warped their trajectories in a vain attempt to turn him into a pin cushion. At this point I had Ran in my arms as I closely watched searching for an opening to sprint.

Seeing their levels I’m a dead weight in this fight. Both of them know that. But thankfully he hasn’t targeted me or Ran yet. Hmmm, maybe if I can create an opening for Artemis I can give her the chance she needs to finish this. All I can do for now is watch and wait.

I took a deep breath to calm myself as I intently studied the ongoing duel.

The lion demon batted aside an arrow as he barreled down on Artemis. She quickly slithered up the tree behind her with her massive tail all while firing off arrow after arrow at her foe. He let out a howl of frustration before slamming his spear into the ground below the tree as three arrows bared down on him.

His spear suddenly seemed to warp and shift in the light as it suddenly tripled in length sending the massive lion up with it.

What the fuck?

Artemis couldn’t react in time as he tackled her from the tree. His massive claws gripped on her bow as they both were sent tumbling downwards.

“STOP SHOOTING ME YOU STUPID SNAKE”

He slammed Artemis into the ground under his enormous weight. She was barely holding onto consciousness after the assault as he tore the bow from her hands and flung it to the side. He rose his clawed hands to finish the job but I had already leapt into action.

Ran was set onto the ground as I sprinted towards the leftover spear. I had hefted it up with all my might after barely managing to heave it over my shoulder. I dashed fueled by adrenaline using it like a javelin in an attempt to spear him.

“GET OFF OF HER!” I cried out hoarsely as the spear stabbed into him.

shunk

The spear sunk into his hand and he spun around, growling and slashing me across the chest with his other hand. I kicked back barely dodging the worst of it. The spear had been stabbed into his massive hand. He tore it out, but that was all the opening Artemis needed as her tail quickly coiled around him rapidly constricting in a valiant effort to crush him. I fell to the ground clutching my bloodied chest, yet still alive as adrenaline pumped through my veins.

“YOU FUCKS, I’LL KILL BOTH OF YOU” he yowled out as he struggled against his binds. Yet Artemis only let out a deep hiss in response. By this point her usual calm façade had fallen to a more bestial appearance. Her pink red eyes held an ominous light which I had never seen.

“You’ll be nothing more than paste.” she growled out as her coils tightened around him.

The spear still embedded in his hand suddenly began to grow again. The end of the spear still sticking out found purchase on the ground as I struggled to stand. Digging into the dirt, the spear continued to extend at rapid speeds pushing both of them towards a tree as it grew. The lion demon grunted in pain as it dug deeper into his hand a thick red blood seeping into his fur around the wound. He shifted his hand, angling the spear so it would stab through Artemis’ scaled lower half as well if it were to grow long enough.

But there was still enough time to-

“RAAAAAGH”

Crack

The spear suddenly exploded in length as it cleanly impaled both his hand and Artemis’s tail. The tree the spear end stabbed into echoed a loud crack throughout the forest and ominous splintering ran throughout its base. I stumbled towards Artemis’ dropped bow as she stared at the demon a shocked expression etched onto her face. Her coils slowly loosening their grip as he tore her off of him before throwing her to the side. Blood poured from both their wounds as he tore out the massive spear from his own hand. A gaping hole was in both his hand and Artemis’ scales. Their blood mixing in a dirty mess on the jungle floor.

Artemis slowly dragged herself up supporting herself on a nearby tree. I was at the bow by this point grabbing it and throwing it to Artemis with all my strength when the beast like demon let out an ear piercing roar. A bright red flash of energy coated him as the wound in his hand seemed to regrow. The flesh seemingly stitched itself together. Muscles recombining and even the cracked bone quickly resetting itself as tendons repaired themselves made for a sickening sight. Artemis caught the bow and took aim.

This isn’t fair. What can we even do against that? Maybe fire or acid would work but we don’t have anything like that. If Artemis got a good shot off on his head it might kill him. But how the hell would I make that happen? Even if I sacrifice myself I probably couldn’t make an opening large enough for him to let that happen. Come on, think Kieran think.

The world seemed to shift into slow motion as my head tumbled through as many possibilities as my panicked brain could muster. Yet nothing I thought of seemed enough. No matter how wild the idea or drastic the solution I lacked the capability to achieve any of them

Artemis spared a glance towards me and shouted.

“STOP THINKING! JUST TAKE RAN AND GO!” Her eyes had a steely resolve to them and a ferocious light that refused to back down.

She wanted me to just abandon her? After all she’s done for me? But even if I sacrificed myself I know I couldn’t save her. I-I need to at least save Ran. Her innocent smile flashed through my mind as I resolved myself. I’m sorry Artemis. I’ll do what you want and I’ll at least save Ran. I whispered one last quiet

“Goodbye.”

I took off. A set of arrows flashed from Artemis’ bow as I sprinted, scooping up the sleeping Ran and making my escape.

“NICE TRY!” the demon bellowed as his spear extended in an attempt to impale me. A quick shot from Artemis sent it careening into the ground. He growled in response and once again charged her. I sprinted as hard I could. My heavy footfalls sending me flying through the thickly wooded jungle. My heart raced as I spared a glance down at the precious lamia in my hands. Her fluffy green hair bouncing and framing her soft face. I’m sorry Ran… I’m sorry Artemis and, thank you…

I heard the sounds of battle echoing behind me. I just sprinted not giving myself the chance to look back. I didn’t want to. My sense of time warped as I continued to run, maybe it was a few minutes maybe a few hours. But eventually I had reached the outer edge of the cavern. I stared up at the craggy cliffs that were to be my exit before glancing back down to Ran in my hands.

I slowly turned to look behind me and I felt my breath hitch. I could hear the faint screams from here. The jungle itself had been lit aflame, the blaze was centered on where the lamia’s camp had been. Smoke slowly filled the cavern blocking out the glow of the crystals sending the cavern into an ominous dusky haze. I couldn’t see most of the true devastation, and a part of me was thankful for that as I gazed upon the scene.

Perhaps some could even call it beautiful. But not me. The utter destruction wrought upon them and for what? For simply living there way of life. Is it their punishment for not ascending? Their punishment for taking me in? What the hell did they do to deserve this? Whoever caused this…

My heart blazed like the flames before me as a fierce hate filled me.

You will feel the pain they did.

I swore this promise to myself as I turned to leave. Yet as I turned around there stood the very same lion-like demon who had been dueling Artemis. A bright grin decorated his face and he was covered in blood. His armor held numerous holes in it yet the wounds inflicted were already gone.

“Nice expression you got there kid.” He casually remarked.

A deep dread filled me as I cradled Ran. My fiery hatred combatted with the ominous fear.

“W-Where’s Artemis?”

“She was a great warrior. One of the best bouts I’ve had in recent memory. Her strength even made me want to honor her request. Can’t believe it was to save someone like you two. But look at you, you can’t protect yourself. Much less this little one.” He stated gesturing to the sleeping Ran.

“Tell you what kid, join us and I’ll train you up while our clan can keep the little missy safe. Not often you find a human down here. Curious to see what kind of warrior you could make.”

Before I could even think a proper response my head was filled with a red hot rage.

“YOU THINK WE CAN JUST TALK AFTER YOU KILLED HER?! YOU SICK FUCK I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

Before I could make my move he slammed his massive hand into my face sending me into the ground. I felt the weight of Ran leave my arms as he casually picked her up. My head spun as the world seemed to blend together as I tasted a mixture of blood and dirt.

“Fine, have it your way kid. If you manage to live long enough our clan will be taking care of this little missy. And if you really think you can kill me then try. Boss wouldn’t be happy if you succeeded though. So you’ll have to get stronger than just me and your beloved Artemis. “

With that my world sunk into a deep eclectic mess of colors as my brain finally let go of its consciousness.