...

Without A Resolve

Artemis steps forward again and this time the minions create a blockade around Nuisin, Juda, and Jaufasi.

"Stop it! I won't let you hurt my mommy!" The little boy forms a barrier with his tiny body.

Nuisin rolls his eyes and pushes the boy away.

When Juda goes to comfort the boy, Nuisin begins beating the fairy with his cane once more.

"You little shit! Do you even know how hard it was for me to get them after being exiled? You're so fucking useless! Damn you for loosing it!"

"Stop!" Artemis grunts with much pain.

"What? Does it hurt you when I do this?" Nuisin lands a heavy blow to the back of Juda's neck.

The fairy tells the boy to run away as he gradually lost his consciousness.

Then the dragon's roar burns down the cabin and the surrounding trees in a ten kilometer radius.

Six of the seven minions who hid Nuisin from the roar burned into crisps while the one who survived tremble in despair.

When the snow begins to fall again, Artemis takes Juda and Jaufasi with him, leaving the two survivors comfort one another in fear as the incoming blizzard is approaching.

After a while, Artemis rests them in a cave North of the town.

"I don't know how terrible you were raised, but I want for you to one day find the courage to lean on me," Artemis combs through Juda's hair with his fingers gently after treating him.

Jaufasi grabs onto Juda tightly as he sleeps, fearing that Juda might tries to leave him again.

Artemis listens to the blizzard he called until Gozen and Joan shows up with death on their faces.

"How is this talking to your partner?" Gozen and Joan sit across from Artemis with confused anger. "You could've destroyed this entire region."

"It happened again," Artemis rests his face in his hands.

"What happened again?" Joan places a hand on Artemis's shoulders. "Did he rejected you again?"

"That too, but that wasn't what I referred to. His father showed up and beat him unconscious yet again... He rejects me not because he hates me, it's because he has a psychological fear that he father implanted in him."

Joan brushes the hair on Juda's face with a sad expression, "Poor child. And look, your son adores him so much."

"Gozen, I'll be King with Juda by my side. I'll build a fortress where he can heal in peace. I'll never allow him to lower his head to anyone undeserving of his respect."

The elder brother looks to his wife and bites his bottom lip, "Um, I don't know how to tell you this... When you were younger, you once drew and told me about this girl in one of your dreams. You said she was somehow your fated partner. We saw her in Maeve's house today during lunch."

"We just want you to make sure that you didn't choose the wrong partner because you feel that you want to be the hero in Juda's life," Joan knits her brows uncomfortably.

"No." Artemis can't seem to find a place to focus his eyes on, so he just closes them. "I'm not delusional. I'm sure Juda is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Arty, this is a very important decision. I want you to be open minded," Gozen stares at Artemis with a stern look on his face.

Juda wakes from his pretend rest with a scared grin, "I told you we're not destined to be together. I'm happy for you."

"How much did you hear?" Artemis consciously stops himself from grabbing Juda's hand.

"Enough," Juda forces a chuckle and loosens the strong gripping hands of Jaufasi. "I'll be okay, and I'm happy for you."

It is not until Juda has already stepped out of the cave that Artemis asks, "Where are you going? What about Jaufasi?"

"Anywhere where you're not there, and for our—um, and for Jaufasi, it's better that he doesn't end up like me."

And with that Juda disappears into the blizzard meanwhile Artemis is still scrambling for a proper understanding of what to do next.

"Do you even love him?" Joan gently slaps Artemis's cheek. "No wonder he rejects you. Look at your resolve, it's pitiful."

"How am I supposed to already have a resolution with the new information you just gave me?"

Joan sighs and answers him, "You were supposed to have faith that he is the one for you. But I guess it is true like he said, you're not destined to be. Better go check out your fated partner and see if she'll reject you as well."

"Be prepared for your son to long for his mother for the next century or so," Gozen comments as he and Joan takes Jaufasi with them.

"Aren't you coming? Your dream girl is in town at the moment and she might not be later," Gozen gestures for the disarrayed dragon to follow them.

When they step outside, they notice a group of myths surrounding Juda. They rush to help if needed, but suddenly brown wings grown from Juda's back and he takes off to the Northwest in the winter storm.