The Devil's Tear

Chapter 4- Convinced

Demetri narrowed his eyes at Pyre Village. As he approached the bronze gates of the miniscule village, he noticed that every living creature was repelled from this village. A dot of gray in the miles of greenery, it resembled. He pushed the gates open, and his heart momentarily fell as he felt the overwhelming presence of the devil.

All eyes fell upon him, and the people moved aside to let Demetri through comfortably, although there was no need. There were less than twenty people out, so he would have made it through without causing them excess trouble.

A little boy with a disheveled appearance failed to let him pass, tripping nervously in front of him. Demetri stopped walking, and the boy covered his head, whimpering his apologies quietly. Demetri bent down and helped the young boy stand up. The boy's glassy brown eyes widened, and he stared into Demetri's lapis lazuli ones questioningly.

"You be careful now," Demetri said softly.

The boy's bottom lip quivered, and he nodded quickly, "Thank you, sir."

Demetri smiled kindly before walking ahead. The intensity of the negative energy grew, and Demetri clenched his fists trying to keep it out of his heart. He frowned as he reached the dilapidated shack. Instantly, a wave of pity came over him.

The rich nobles of Tytania could not spare anything for these poor people. He was disgusted.

Demetri exhaled sharply before easily pushing the door open. A smirk crept onto his lips. Artemis stood with her arms stretched protectively in front of a family of three, one being the young Euphrosyne Rains. They were all seemingly mortified. Demetri's gaze fell to the area he had stabbed Artemis. He raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement; the wound was completely healed.

"Since when were you able to heal?" He asked softly. He had no intention of battling Artemis. Demetri may be hold a title of being the worthiest mage, but Artemis was certainly the cleverest, and the most level-headed fighter one could encounter. She served as an equal to Demetri.

"Please leave our Rosy alone, Sir Demetri," Arisa Rains pleaded, sobbing uncontrollably. Demetri twitched his nose.

"I simply want to borrow your daughter, Mrs. Rains," Demetri assured politely. "I reckon Artemis explained? Yes. I shall only extract the tear from within 'Rosy'-.."

"Liar," Artemis interrupted with a growl. "She'll most certainly die if the tear is extracted."

"Now why would you feed these good people with lies, Artemis?" Demetri tried to sound as convincing as possible.

He turned to the family, "I must say, Sir Hugh Rains; you actually began to consider Artemis Delara's words?"

His voice was venomous as he had said Artemis' name. Hugh Rains, Euphrosyne's father, gritted his teeth.

"You must guarantee that I will get my daughter back unscathed," he said hoarsely. Artemis' arms fell, and her emerald orbs widened in bafflement. Demetri mentally smirked in victory. He met the eyes of the young girl who was almost in tears, and gave her the most reassuring smile he possibly could. Euphrosyne's hazel eyes showed that she was still unconvinced.

"We absolutely will press charges against your authorities if she does not return within..." Hugh negotiated.

"Three months," Demetri finished coolly. Arisa Rains was holding on to her daughter with her life. The bright woman's eyes shifted to the bewildered Artemis. 

"Wait!" Artemis shouted. Demetri smiled ravishingly at her, urging her to continue. Artemis was taken aback by his good looks momentarily before she scowled.

"Sir Hugh, you-.." Artemis tried desperately, "Demetri's tricking you! Euphrosyne cannot survive an extraction!"

Sir Hugh had his jaw set, and held his hand out to Demetri. Arisa Rains violently shook her head, as if snapping out of a reveri, and pushed Euphrosyne towards Artemis. She then pounced on Demetri. Demetri and Arisa crashed to the ground with a thud, sending off a cloud of dust.

"Go now, Artemis! Take care of Rosy!" Arisa screamed, as Demetri pried the woman off. Sir Hugh lunged towards his daughter, but Artemis conjured a spiral of wind to gently repel him. She grabbed onto the petrified child and teleported to where Rosy and her had initially met.

"Artemis!" Demetri shouted, finally throwing the clinging woman against the wall of the shack. He had been so close.

 Arisa had been knocked out, and Sir Hugh lay on the ground holding his head in regret. Demetri left the distraught couple and angrily stomped out of the tiny shack.

-

The warm embrace of the sunlight greeted Artemis and Euphrosyne as they arrived at the hill. Artemis relaxed, and used a last teleportation technique.

They were in the middle of nowhere; sunflowers extended as far as the eye could see, creating an ideal portrait with the clear, blue sky. 

"Euphrosyne," Artemis whimpered, "I'm so sorry."

Euphrosyne's eyes had darkened. "Will my mother be alright? Will that man hurt her?"

"No. She'll be perfectly fine. Your father will too. They have nothing to do with this anymore," Artemis reassured. Demetri wasn't as obtuse or cruel as to kill two innocent people openly and destroy his reputation. If necessary, he could accomplish any assassination in secret.

But Artemis knew that Demetri was unusually kind-hearted.

Euphrosyne began sobbing. "I don't care about my father! He tried to give me to that evil man!"

Artemis pulled her into an embrace and whispered, "No, Rosy. It was rational of your father to trust Demetri and not I. This kingdom has yet to acknowledge the fact that I am not the person I used to be."

Euphrosyne continued crying on Artemis' chest, and Artemis stroked the girl's silky mahogany hair soothingly. Euphrosyne's arms wrapped around Artemis, and her sobs grew louder. A few minutes later, the sobbing began to lessen. Euphrosyne pulled away and looked into Artemis' eyes.

"Why did my father not trust you, Artemis?" She asked curiously.

"Well," Artemis began unsurely. "I have a very dark past; I used to be a terrible person. Merciless, killing anyone in my way. I will explain in detail... later. When I'm in the mood."

"Does it hurt to talk about it?" Rosy asked sadly. Artemis bit her lip and nodded.

"Please explain why that man wants me! I didn't quite understand when you were explaining to my parents," Rosy pleaded quietly. "I don't want you to say that you'll tell me later, because this concerns me! I want to know now!"

Artemis smiled. Rosy reminded her so much of her best friend... of her. Artemis found that it was best if Euphrosyne knew why she was being hunted by Demetri.

Thus, she began the tale of the Devil.

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