I slowly opened my eyes. For a moment, I was very disorientated. My head felt heavy and I kept seeing through hazy eyelids as I tried to take in my surroundings. I attempted to move my arms and noticed my wrists had been chained by hard cuffs. The cold material felt a lot like metal and dug painfully deep into my skin. I winced as I tried to move them, realizing they were not budging in the slightest.
I instead tried to focus my attention on the lower half of my body. I suddenly grasped why I felt so disoriented and my shock was nerve-wracking. I hung from the ceiling in a vertical position, chains and shackles bound around my joints, the only things keeping me steadied mid-air. My arms were tired and I felt drained.
A horrible realization started to dawn on me. I had no idea where I was nor how I got there.
It felt like days ago since I last ate. My mouth tasted dry and dusty, like sand. I wore the same Alium clothing I tried on a couple of weeks ago, the shirt and pants dirty and shredded in some places. I focused my attention on something other than my uncomfortableness and inspected the room I was held captive in. It was built in a circular structure made out of grey stone walls. There were no doors nor windows except for a lone trapdoor high above me.
I suddenly felt incredibly lonely. I wondered where Gandila was and if she was safe. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to Albert's partner and now - my closest friend. The kind faces of my new companions back in the underground city suddenly entered my head. I didn't realize I was crying until sobs echoed out across the empty walls.
For a while I only cried, letting my emotions take the better of me. At some point I fell asleep and awoke to the sound of voices high above me. I was instantly awake, my calve burning like fire as I twisted my body upwards .
They sounded close, but muffled as if the voices were obstructed by something - like a wall. I shook my chains in the hope that the metal was perhaps not fastened tightly enough, but sighed in defeat after several tries. I scanned the space around me as far as my confinement allowed. The stone walls had no exits or cracks. I was completely trapped and that worried me.
For how long was I already encaged? Days? Weeks?
My sense of time seemed to have faded away with the last remains of hope I previously mustered. I was left with nothing. Nothing that could give me an indication of what exactly happened to me.
Suddenly the sound of locks clicked into place and the sound shattered through my prison. The trapdoor above my head lifted. Sharp light shone down on my head and I immediately closed my eyes to protect them from the piercing brightness. I yelped as I suddenly felt myself lifting upwards - even though my hands and legs were still cuffed.
In the next moment, I was out of my horrible confinement and in a completely different room. My surroundings however stunned me so badly, I couldn't even manage to feel any sense of gratitude.
Room was not the correct term to describe the area I was in.
A black void of brilliant stars blinked down in their millions down on me from a ceiling so tall I thought it would never see its end. Huge statues of male and female Lepshares - I presumed - lined the far walls of the magnificent hall, every warrior armed with a weapon - each the size of a house. Creamy pillars built out of marble and each, as tall as mountains held up the night sky of dazzling stars. Dark purple curtains that reminded me of lilac silk, connected each pillar and swung lightly in the comfortable cool breeze that swept through the space. I loved the cold and enjoyed the feeling of it on my dirty skin.
My eyes rested on the sides of the hall. Everything around me was so radiant and imperial I wasn't able to comprehend the sheer beauty of it all. Pane-less windows lined the sides of the hall and were open to a snowy landscape with enormous mountains in the distance, forming a giant border to the icy tundra. Magnificent blue, yellow and green lights painted the frosty sky, making the sight even more surreal than it already was. Snowflakes danced outside the windows but never entered the hall, almost as if there was an invisible barrier draped around the entire space. Able to protect everyone inside from the very climate. The greatness of the sight left me absolutely speechless.
I almost jumped as I focused my attention on the floor of the hall. It was in a direct juxtaposition to the midnight sky above me. Pastel colours of pink, yellow and orange coloured the beautiful scene beneath my toes with a gorgeous sunrise. Puffy white clouds drifted gracefully across the room and disappeared past the far walls. It made me feel as if I was floating amongst them, on a journey to nowhere in particular. The length of ever on my hands.
My gaze finally came to a stop in front of a dark structure made out of a material I did not even think was of this universe. The dark black shades intertwined into one another to forge the shape of a throne-like object amongst the swirling darkness.
But the male in front of me was the real reason there was no air left in my lungs.
The tall Lesphares seated on the throne transcended any trivial fantasies I previously had of men - and now Lesphares. Angelus was an extremely handsome onyx haired Lesphares - his hair the colour of pure night sky. The satin locks framed his face like midnight. Dark mysterious brows overshadowed striking crimson eyes that sent electric currents through my body as if they willed my entire being towards their powerful gaze.
When I could finally focus my eyes on something other than his gorgeous face, my eyes trailed down to inspect his clothing. The male's regalia complimented his eyes perfectly. Dark mahogany armour covered most of his muscular body. A crimson red cape hung from his broad shoulders and draped on the floor like a river of blood. Dark metal greaves forged of yet another new material - my limited knowledge of Nova Terra could not fathom the origin of - were worn on both his arms and legs.
I gaped at him unabashedly. So this was Angelus Duncan. The Lesphares radiated both pure masculinity and celestial beauty that wasn't equal to anything I could ever dream to conjure up. He thrummed with power that thickened the very air of the room and somehow managed to compress every breath I took into shaky pants.
A husky voice that filled the entire hall with utter dominance and control, suddenly sounded - reverberated against my very heart. It crowded my mind with its vitality.
"This must be the woman that protected you, Gandila. I cannot say I am impressed, but will hopefully be proven wrong soon."
The name made blood roar in my ears. I finally forced my gaze away from the striking male and almost cried out in relief when I spotted the beautiful sapphire creature that stood next to the ethereal throne of darkness. I had absolutely no idea why Gandila was there nor why she stood next to Angelus Duncan of all people, but the relief of seeing my friend overcame every other question in my mind.
I suddenly realized two things at once. Firstly, Angelus did not speak in his own native tongue as expected and instead verbalized our human language faultlessly.
Second, the fact that the male was speaking to Gandila - as if they knew each other.
I glanced at the feline that stood comfortably next to him, completely unharmed and unbruised. I tried to formulate a thought that could express my sheer confusion to Gandila, but suddenly froze.
Angelus narrowed his eyes at me, his dark brows furrowing. Even though I felt like my frightened heart would collapse at the notion, electricity still managed to burst through my body. Shameless excitement raced through my bones.
"I do not think it is wise to communicate by any means right now Artemisia." His voice was that of velvet, elegant like no other. Laced with tremendous power, each word vibrating against my skull.
I shivered. My own name sounded completely unfamiliar on his tongue, as if it belonged to someone else entirely. It was as if my delicate identity was entirely erased and instead replaced with a completely different one.
"W-What are you?" I stumbled out the first obvious words I could think of. My mind was a sludgy mess. I couldn't believe something as beautiful and horrifying as Angelus existed. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a sympathetic expression cross Gandila's feline profile. Probably because I looked just as terrified as I felt.
"I am Angelus Duncan but to my people, I am known as The Defender of The Realm." The words hummed along the floor beneath my feet. As if an ancient force now filled the hall. Old and immemorial.
"How is it possibly for you to speak our language?" I asked, finally grateful for starting to receive answers to all my million questions. Angelus didn't betray any emotion as he answered, his red eyes slightly darkening - the motion causing my breath to hitch.
"That I cannot tell you." The answer was simple and yet, relayed the silent order I immediately understood.
Don't question me any further. Conversation over.
I silently begged Gandila for further explanation regarding Angelus's reluctance to answer, but her yellow eyes were focused solely on the Lesphares.
"Gandila how-" I started, but was interrupted by a low growl from behind me. I suddenly realized I wasn't alone in the hall. I felt incredibly stupid. My attention was so focused on Angelus Duncan and Gandila - that for a few minutes - my surroundings totally ceased to exist. My chains didn't allow me to turn around and I was instantly annoyed by not being able to see my capturers.
They must also have been the ones who encaged me underground and I felt the need to suddenly hit something.
Angelus' voice abruptly broke my train of thought. "You have not been brought before me to merely ask questions Artemisia. You made the decision to protect Gandila against the Huntsmen of Zack Unity and I am curious to know why."
I ceased struggling abruptly and stared at the Lesphares. That was the last question I expected he would ask me and I wasn't at all prepared with the answer he would probably deem worthy.
I grimly remembered Zack Unity also wanted to know the exact same thing. Odd that it was my decision that bothered everyone.
I finally said the first coherent words that came out of my mouth. The initial thoughts that flashed through my mind when I replayed what occurred in the hall of the underground city.
"I... just thought it was the right thing to do. Gandila is... important to me. She is the last thing I have left of home." I finally managed. There was silence in the hall. The only sound, the howl of arctic wind outside the pane-less windows. Goosebumps covered my arms as the comfortable air raced past me. I wanted to cover my exposed skin, but was unable to move.
Angelus had a strange expression on his face. It was perplexed as well as astonished. His eyes bore into mine, dark maroon with thought and I was suddenly grateful for the bounds around my legs that kept me from falling. Finally his deep voice filled the hall again, suddenly loud in the previous silence.
"I see... I must admit I am interested." He muttered and then turned to Gandila that still stood motionless next to him.
"I will agree to your proposition not to harm her. I can see that she is also important to you so I will not act immediately." He stated and then looked back at me, expression suddenly stern.
"You may stay in my home for the period of time I exchange information with Gandila, but I warn you. Do NOT mistake my hospitality for mercy or you will be the one to suffer." He said in a tone that made the hair on my neck stand on edge. My tongue was stuck in my throat and I could only manage a weak nod, afraid to say anything that might get my head decapitated.
The painful metal that had started to puncture the skin around my wrists and legs, dissolved in an instant and clanked to the ground as if they never existed. The beautiful clouds below floated by carelessly, the sky slowly turning more orange than pink as the sun rose higher.
My wrists aching, I stood a little straighter. Gandila's eyes were suddenly on my face and I could see the message she tried to relate to me, her expression desperate.
We will speak later.
I looked back at Angelus, his angelic face, expressionless again. The deadly promise to kill me as soon as I did not comply, entirely forgotten. "Take her to her chambers." Were his last words to me before I felt strong arms wound around my waist, turning me away from him and from... Gandila.
I glanced at her one last time before I was taken away, finding her glowing yellow eyes focused on Angelus once again as if they were continuing the private conversation they were having before I had interrupted it.