Artesia POV

I shuddered upon remembering what happened to me and my friends. I feel a slight tinge of rage and regret trying to claw its way through my heart. I feel…different. I know that my master gave me life anew but everything about me is familiar but at the same time, unknown.

While walking to my destination and lost in thought, I bring my formerly severed arm close to me and I take in every little detail – every blemish, every imperfection and every vein and bone and sinew but to my surprise, my skin was close to perfection. I felt stronger but I noticed that my body looked more fragile, as if it was made from porcelain that would touch at the gentlest of touches.

I don’t understand – just what is my master? He says that he is no God but he is clearly one that surpasses common sense. He was able to give me life but..at what cost?

I remember feeling foreign…things..entering my body when he was healing me. I felt the familiar presence of some of my friends and subordinates but there was no happiness in them – only anger and bloodlust.

Have I fallen so far as to discard my humanity? And for what? Regaining my chastity? This seemingly perfect body? I was already beautiful, to begin with, I’m no simpleton but I am effectively compromised by how seemingly perfect I look to be.

I don’t mind. I gave everything up – most importantly I gave my everything to him. Despite being sullied, being beaten, being ruined, he still took me in. I have no thoughts for his agenda or reason for doing so but he gave me what I desired the most – the second chance I so desperately seek so that I can have my vengeance.

With the darkness inside of me growing, I notice the life around me start to slowly wither at my presence. Am I becoming something worse than death? I don’t mind.

I can feel the souls of my friends inside of me, begging me to find my enemies and to brutally murder them where they stand.

With the world slowly starting to become gray around me, I find myself falling into madness as I wander the forest alone.

“KILL” “PILLAGE” “CONQUER” The voices would whisper to me.

What have I become?

A single tear forms in my eye.

With the wind blowing through my hair and with dusk approaching, I find myself crumbling down – crying and laughing in a half-mad state.

I take out the sword that my master gave me and I admire its beauty – its craftsmanship.

He said that it was a silver sword – truly fitting to take the life of a monster like me.

“I failed before even starting but at least I can rid the world of some of its darkness..”

With the world dyed in gray and with my heart and mind in tatters, I plunge the holy blade into my chest.

Blood splatters everywhere but I feel no pain nor discomfort.

“You shouldn’t take what isn’t yours, mortal.” Said a familiar, but reassuring voice.

Artesia POV End

John POV

What a foolish little girl. I knew that she would be overwhelmed by the side-effects of my magic but I didn’t expect her to mistake magic sickness with madness. Of course, I didn’t really use the souls of the people around her to make her whole again – in fact, I simply viewed their memories because I didn’t want to miss anything.

I was walking through the forest looking for my newfound travel buddy – to be honest though, I was enjoying my little stroll. It’s been forever since I had the freedom to simply do as I wished.

After sending her on her way to ‘rest’, she actually went on her own to find her enemies. The problem was that she was heading in the wrong direction and she was experiencing some mental fatigue due to magic sickness. On the other hand, I was “fixing” her allies like new. I gave them their life back, restored their bodies to their original pure state and removed the memories and trauma of their ordeal.

If I didn’t remove their mental burdens then I’d have a couple more idiots wandering around the forest thinking they were possessed by some evil force like Thanatos or even his cousin, Hades. Of course, those guys are too serious for their own good so they wouldn’t do something like this. I think.

With the wind blowing in the air and as I was putting one and two together, I find Artesia mumbling to herself as she was trying to stab herself with the sword that I gave her.

Of course, she wouldn’t be able to succeed in taking her life even if she wanted to because her body is blessed with holy magic as well as her life belonging to me. I manipulated God’s Fragment around me to distort the space between me and her and by simply willing it, I find myself at her side.

Everything is slow for me. With her blade at the ready, she was in the middle of stabbing herself in the chest. I leisurely took my time as I took her blade into my hand and let it stab me right in the middle while letting time run at its normal speed.

“You shouldn’t take what isn’t yours, mortal.” I wryly whispered into her ear.

The moment I brought my face close to hers, her face reddened and she started crying.

“What’s with the ‘let me have my vengeance’ vibe you were giving out earlier? Why are you crying now? Did you lose your resolve?” I asked half-heartedly.

In the middle of crying with the wind caressing the forest behind her as her backdrop, she nodded at me vigorously.

“Nay, master. I did not lose my resolve but I am regretting for my friends, my subordinates…my family.” She lightly said, with tears in her eyes.

Of course she’d miss them. Though I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to mess with my Amaterasu, I’m pretty sure I would feel the same way if she died or disappeared.

“So mortals could feel this profound feeling too…” I whispered to myself.

Seemingly hearing what I said, Artesia meets my eyes with hers as she stands in attention, with her hand at her heart as though she was saluting.

“…forgive me for losing my resolve..and thank you for protecting me against myself in my moment of madne,ss” she said.

Wait, what about my wound? It was gone the moment I took out the sword. No damage at all but it did hurt a little though. It was like that one time when I was angrily punched by Minerva when she beat me at chess. Also I let the blade stab me so this much is fine.

“I’d always protect you but you should never try to harm yourself ever again,” I replied as I tucked her hair behind her ear. “you hear me?”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Clearly startled by my actions, she paused but then immediately gathered herself and replied. “Your servant hears and obeys.”

Standing in place and clearly fidgeting, I called her attention and I placed my hand on her head.

“M..Master?” She stammered.

I smiled as I spread Red String in front of my mouth. “Vengeance. Right?”

The Village of Fran, Wilderness

And the forest around us started to distort and in its place, stood an empty village. The smell of blood permeates the air.

“KAKAKA. Did you see how I toyed with her pussy mouth?” claimed an uncouth young man in the distance.

“I enjoyed her bottom more – it was tight as a virgins!” Replied another.

“Which lip are you talking about? The princess’s front or her back?”

“Doesn’t fucking matter, we fucked all of her holes!” The first man shot back.

And wild laughter followed along with some whistles and cheers.

“..I hear the commander fucked her nose.” Interjected another soldier,  “HER FUCKING NOSE.”

Silence.

“IS HIS DICK THAT SMALL?!”

Wild laughter resumed and I felt Artesia tensing up beside me.

Oh right. I transported us to the location of the soldiers and demons who violated her group. Of course, Rolando is here but he’s having some ‘fun’ of his own at the moment. Artesia is right beside me as we are trying to hide our figures in a densely-packed field close to the village.

We are observing the criminals with some observer wards that I created with my magic which allowed us to track their every movement, conversation and laughter.

I pat her head out of reflex and I felt her relax beside me.

With the campfire all around them and with mead, women and meat on their tables, the criminals were taking part in some more debauchery.

“I think I came inside the princess twice.”

“I did too. But it was in her asshole. Did you know that even her asshole is pink? None of that dark shitty assholes from the local whores but pink!”

“Hey hey, I feel my dick hardening up again just remembering how her breasts violently swayed as I pounder her from the back with the commander in front.”

More pointless talk.

I looked at Artesia and I signaled for her to remain quiet.

I cover her lips with my index finger as I gestured for her to follow me.

The cold wind in the air of Village Fran as well as the smell of blood around me, I felt a feeling of listlessness. Death is a natural part of life but for it to be wantonly taken, abused and violated like this is tiring.

Needless to say, I was describing the current state of the poor farming village that the criminals were using as a hideout. A majority of the houses were burned to the ground with corpses littering the ground left and right. Women were either dead or wanted to be and the children were mercilessly toyed with.

“Why do you love humans so much, Amaterasu?” I asked her despite knowing that she couldn’t hear me.

I turned to Artesia and I stared at her with resolve.

“Do you still want your revenge?” I asked.

“Yes, master.” She replied with a dark smile on her face.

“I understand.” I patted her on her head. “But it will not be yours to take.”

Confused, she asked: “Eh..? What do you mean, master?” while tilting her cute head to the side.

“I meant that I would take your vengeance for you. Do you understand?”

“I don’t mind. I just want justice to be served – at all costs, master.” She replied with a serious look on her face.

“Fine. Then vengeance is yours.”

I planted my feet firmly on the ground while I held my right fist in front of my chest. I used my left hand to summon some energy to infuse to my right hand – and immediately I could feel the world around me vibrate.

Animals stopped chirping and the wind stopped howling. Rocks and other things, living and non-living were lifted in the air due to the lack of gravity in the area – a natural side-effect of focusing dense divine energy into a single location.

With curiosity in her eyes, Artesia simply stared at me.

“Master, what are you d-“ Unfortunately, she couldn’t finish her sentence.

I gently pushed towards the direction of the criminals and I unleashed a blinding hot streak of light on their target location which resulted in a contained, dense blackhole that ripped every piece of matter in their vicinity. Simply put, every living being that I designated as a ‘target’ was eliminated from the world without leaving any trace.

With the deed done, I was surrounded by black lightning that crackled and sizzled – clearly a result of over-compressing divine energy with the physical world.

“Satisfied?” I asked.

“..Master..what did you do?” Shaking with fear, Artesia turned to me.

“I killed them all…is that a problem?”

With a slight smile on my face, I asked her if there were any problems to how her revenge was taken. Obviously, she didn’t say anything but I too feel that this was a little anti-climactic but power is power.

*Chirp Chirp*

The animals and insects resumed their activities, clearly unperturbed by the sudden surge of divine energy. We were surrounded by laughter and sin a few moments ago but now, silence and the gentle breeze of the wind remain.

(Shiver)

I notice Artesia shivering beside me. Is it because of the coldness of night or because of what I have done? It doesn’t matter.

“Artesia.” I calmly call to her.

“Yes, master?” She replied with a tinge of curiosity and wonder in her eyes.

“The price that I told you about earlier about saving your life and for your vengeance..” I paused, “I have taken it in full. I hope you do not renege on your promise.” I added.

“B..but..” Stuttering a little, Artesia tried her best to complete her statement. “What price must I pay? I have given you everything – my mind, body and soul.”

You know, she never once mentioned her heart but I shouldn’t point that out.  

I breathe in deeply, savoring my first few hours on Elysium. I have taken many lives in the hopes of saving many more – or so I hope. Does it really matter? Maybe – so long as I do not disturb the balance between the natural forces then this much should be fine.

“I do not mean that you should give me anything more.” I placed my hand on top of her head and ruffled her hair. “I simply mean that you are already dead. You cannot return home to your friends and family.” I added seriously.

Confused, Artesia looks at me blankly. “My friends are all dead, master. You saw what became of them.” She replied in earnest.

I chuckle at her reply. “I gave them their lives back and sent them home.” Feeling her change in mood, I quickly added “I gave them the impression that you fell in battle valiantly.”

Surprised by my words, Artesia grabbed my hand and held it tightly. “Master my friends – they are alive and well? You are not lying?”

I held her hand tightly as a gesture of sincerity. “They are all alive and well but you on the other hand..”

Shaking her head vigorously, Artesia replied “That doesn’t matter. This servant is thankful, master.”

Artesia took a few steps back and bowed down with finesse and grace. I seem to have forgotten that she was a noble in the first place.

“Eh. There’s no need for this much formality you know?” I raised my hands in front of me as a show of rejection. “You aren’t my servant. Consider yourself my partner [Companion] okay?”

(BLUSH) Artesia’s face suddenly became red at my words. Fidgeting, “I did not know you were that bold, master.” (Fuu) [Taking a deep breath] “It doesn’t matter. All that I am is yours. I will be your partner [Spouse] from now on.”

Artesia comes close to me and with her breath tickling my nose, she adds “For you to accept me even though I am a dirty woman..you really are one hell of a man, master.”

*chu*

Artesia kisses my forehead. It’s kind of a sweet gesture but for some reason, I dislike it.

I gently push Artesia away from me as I ruffled her hair again. “Well what do we do now?” I looked around us and since there’s basically nothing, I add “I’m new here and I’d like to see the world.”

Artesia brightens up at my words, recovering from my rejection earlier. “Well if you want to travel, we obviously have to go to Clotho the mercenary City!”

Mercenary city eh? Why does that sound ominous? Ah well don’t mind, don’t mind.

“Ok then! To Clotho it is then!” I cheerily start walking towards a random direction.

“Eh..master, that’s the wrong way.” She smiles triumphantly, “are you surprisingly dense?”

Hey that’s offensive. And why is she still calling me master?

“HEY. I am not dense. I am just a free-spirited, healthy young [relatively] man.” I poked her forehead – which is something that I do to Amaterasu all of the time out of habit. “And please, call me..well my full name is a mouthful so call me John.”

I gave her a bright smile.

Her face reddens again as she stares at me dumbstruck.

“My name is Artesia – but you already knew that…” she pauses, clearly hesitating. As I was about to retort, Artesia interjects “John” she added sweetly.

I smile at this surprisingly cute woman.

“Then let’s start our journey for real!” I said as I started walking towards what I thought was Clotho’s location.

“THAT’S STILL THE WRONG WAY MA..JOHN!” Artesia retorts as she walks towards me to pull me towards what is apparently the correct way.

With my hand in hers, we begin our easygoing adventure. I wonder how Amaterasu is doing. Should I go see her?

With the moonlight illuminating the night sky and with darkness enveloping us, I started thinking about my childhood friend. It won’t do to visit her when I am on my adventure though and it hasn’t even been a few hours yet. I promised myself that I wouldn’t come see her in a year so I should remain steadfast.

Amaterasu…I found a new friend.

I prayed to myself as Artesia and I started bickering over the smallest things as we made our way towards our first destination – Clotho.