The Devil's Tear

Chapter 23- Hopeful Reunion

Artemis and Demetri arrived at the intact palace. Four golden towers soared into the sky, blinding them with the reflected light. A deep, wide moat encircled the gigantic, but deserted palace. Artemis was relieved to see a huge bridge built over the moat, and started towards it. Demetri followed without a word. The entire surface of the palace was either golden or royal red. Artemis stopped short in front of the wooden double doors that towered over her ominously. Demetri reached into his black glove, retrieving a jewelled, small blue pin. He traced the wood slowly and carefully. The doors instantly gave way, and swung open with loud creaks.

Demetri grasped her elbow and ran across the marble floor, disallowing her to gaze at the palace. The first time she’d been in here was when she’d caught Demetri and Lord Xerxes discussing Rosy’s capture. It was when Demetri had almost killed her.

A question suddenly rang in her head: Why hadn’t he killed her then, when he could have done so easily? Artemis gazed into his unfocused lapis lazuli eyes as they ran, contemplating on whether to ask him or not. Upon reaching the wide, red-carpeted staircase, Demetri slung Artemis over his shoulder.

“Demetri,” Artemis whispered ominously. A dark aura emanated from her, causing the slightest shiver to pass through Demetri’s body. Artemis hated being carried, ever since childhood.

“Just a bit,” Demetri said softly. Artemis unconsciously softened to his tone, and let herself be carried. In one impressive leap, Demetri stood straight on the top of the staircase. He turned right, dashing off into the complicated maze of hallways.  Finally, after less than two minutes, Artemis was set on her feet. To her surprise, the man wasn’t even out of breath! He let out a snicker.

“What?” She asked suspiciously.

“Nostalgia,” he replied vaguely.

“Why didn’t you kill me back then?” Artemis blurted out. But she felt no regret. Demetri’s eyes lightened a shade.

“I wanted to kill you in a fair battle,” he replied truthfully.

“You could’ve asked then,” Artemis countered, “I would’ve put up a fair fight if you’d just asked!”

“Oh, please,” Demetri smirked. “You would’ve run away.”

“We’re forgetting our reason of coming,” Artemis muttered in defeat. Demetri rolled his eyes. He entered the room on his right, motioning Artemis to follow him. He sighed heavily. Artemis clasped a hand over her mouth and nose. A horrid and pungent scent lingered in the room.

“Demetri,” Artemis’ voice was muffled.

“Wait,” Demetri frowned. He bent down towards the thick black liquid on the carpet, twisting his nose in disgust. He stood up straight, and walked to the middle of the room, an empty space.

“The mirror is safe,” Demetri confirmed with a sigh of relief. “But Alexei and Cytheria may not be…”

“Sir Demetri?” A voice rang through their ears.

“Irma?” Artemis asked disbelievingly. How could she forget! Irma had gone with them. Irma’s figure slowly appeared from within the right wall, her eyes fearful and bloodshot.

“Irma, what happened?” Demetri asked calmly.

“V-vesta! S-she took them both!” Irma clenched a fistful of her own hair. “I couldn’t do anything.”

“Why not?” Artemis asked rather coldly.

“Before we arrived, Cytheria gave me a device, to teleport, if something were to go wrong. I-I teleported on her command, but I couldn’t teleport back! Cytheria’s energy would not allow me to!”

“Why did you stay in there all this time?” Demetri inquired softly. “It has to be suffocating in a wall.”

“I didn’t!” Irma denied frantically. “I-I was able to teleport out of the wall when the mirror exploded. B-but instinct didn’t allow me to. Instinct told me it was still unsafe!”

The girl’s frame shook with sobs as she continued, “I was right. Vesta was unharmed by the short explosion. She took b-both of them!”

Irma paused, and sighed heavily before continuing, “R-right after Vesta left, I teleported back here… but a while later, I heard someone coming. It was you, but I didn’t know… so I teleported back inside for safety.”

Artemis quieted Irma, disallowing her to speak further. She understood completely, the reason for her anguish. Her precious Alexei had been taken away in front of her, and she was aware that she couldn’t do anything to help him.

“Wise choice, Irma,” Artemis whispered. “It’s a good thing you didn’t try to save them. You would’ve gone along with them, and wouldn’t be standing here relaying the event to Demetri and I.”

Demetri’s expression was unreadable. “Irma, I want you to rendezvous with Euphr-er-Rosy and Arisa. You can find them easily. Leave the rest to us.”

Irma nodded obediently. “Will you be okay?”

“A person cannot die twice!” Artemis and Demetri said in unison with a reassuring grin. Irma stroked the silver bracelet dangling from her thin wrist, and gave them a hopeful look before her figure degenerated.

“Vesta has outwitted Cytheria and Alexei,” Demetri muttered furiously. “Do we stand a chance?”

“We do,” Artemis’ flat black eyes glittered for the first time since her death. “We will rescue them.”

A blush tinged her cheeks pink. “B-but first, w-we have to search for them.”

Many great men have died in this particular dungeon. Be proud of it. Vesta’s words rang through his mind. Demetri shook off the thought. That could not be. Vesta wouldn’t take Alexei and Cytheria to that dungeon, not if she was planning to extract the Bahamut from Alexei. She would need a larger place, would she not?

“The catacombs?” Artemis suggested innocently. Demetri shook his head in response. “The same place I died.”

“Why would they be there?” Artemis asked sceptically.  

“I-I don’t know,” Demetri admitted. “You’re right. Let’s go to the catacombs first.”

A/N: Haha. He got it right the first time~ Just made their lives more complicated. xD I'm such a sadist. Ah.. I'll change it in the next chapter. I won't drag this part on for long, I promise. ^^