ARTEMIS

This is just a rough draft of an epic-magickal fantasy I wrote when I was fourteen years old. Feel free to comment and let me know what I can do to make it better, I know it is quite incomplete and lacks depth, but yeah, here it is.

ARTEMIS 

2003-2010

 EDIT 

CHAPTER ONE

“Where am I?” 

Night Had fallen once more and Artemis’’s sleeping patterns magnified.

It seemed that the cloudy, dark black sky was spinning around him in an attempt to make him dizzy.

“Stop just stop spinning”…, he whispered right before he saw her. Another girl. Slowly the spinning stopped and Artemis found himself floating high in the air where the wind flew past without a whisper. He wiped his blowing hair from his face then sharpened his eyes in an attempt to see what was going on down in the grass below him. There she was: the young girl with bronzy brownish hair only more noticeable by contrast to her pale white skin. It appeared she was being assaulted by someone.

“What the!?” 

Trying to focus, Artemis attempted to identify who the second figure was. He squinted his eyes. He could still only see a dark silhouette shaped figure. Something about looking at the figure made him feel angry so he closed his eyes as a means of escape.

“Is this really a dream?” 

It felt too real this time. Touch. The first sign that he knew something was going wrong. And something was.

Everything began to rush inside his brain, faster and faster and faster. Tension mounted inside his head. So much fear, so much hatred, so much pain. Artemis screamed as he awoke, his head was not bleeding but it may as well have been. He felt as though he had been in two places at once. His physical body left shaking from the frosty wind didn’t enhance his emotional state either. For the first few moments he sat awake motionless, like a patsy. Snap.

His dream haunted him. He stared blankly into his reflection - taking a good look at his rough blonde hair and baggy morning blue eyes, just to make sure he was who he remembered. This boy stared transfixed at the palms of his hands, his brain both terrified but also amused with images from his sleep. After a long while he decided to take a look outside of his closed window in solemnity, in hopes of manipulating his body into calm.

--

Rose peered up at the sky eager to release the millions of thoughts floating randomly inside her while at the same time considering what would happen if she let anything go. The grass surrounding her was a green silver color and bright trees stood magnificently; giving whoever knelt under them much needed shade. The Garden itself was endless eclipsed only by sky as far as the eye would let anyone see. Sitting under the shade of a beautiful kowari tree, she hummed sweetly and projected her thoughts through a screen of green and yellow melancholy: smiling at grief. 

Being a young teenager, Rose took pride in her hidden ego but kept a close tab on revealing it. She was beautiful. Her milky white skin reflected the sun when she stunned it with her piercing green eyes. Her hair appeared as long as the day while more beautiful than a bunch of roses, glistening a dark coffee bronze in the warm rays. 

Like an energy ball, she was dangerous and excitable though also on the verge of an impending implosion without being careful. The sad thing is that she was alone. 

A peculiar flash of dark light softened the atmosphere, she could tell something had changed. Rose figured as much and wondered why he was back so soon though without acknowledging the sudden presence of evil. 

A shadowy silhouette like man appeared in front of her. Stepping forward with a smirk, he revealing an injured eye. He appeared to be a demon like monster sporting both slicked back blue hair and the usual blood seeping eye sockets.

“”What do you want?”” Rose whispered calmly. 

“”I’m here to warn you, Rose”.” 

He spoke with a low pitched, gruesome tone. Carrying a staunch persona, one would have to look very deep down to notice how he looked at her through a lens in fear and anticipation. Rose twisted her head in his direction. The blank looking facial expression she carried not fitting for the situation.

“

”You’re not supposed to be in the Ravin, let go!”” Rose screamed in anger while the beast lunged uncontrollably at her skirt and ripped off the left shoulder strap in its wake.

“”Stop!”” A voice gasped. 

His voice echoed. 

The creature ceased and tried to decipher who was about.

Rose glanced up at the sky quickly, unable to notice either. 

She didn’’t need to because the prophecy spoke of his coming.

“Enough,” the demonic figure demanded. 

He raised his long, cold, icy spew colored hand to her forehead. A dark purple light formed in his palm. 

““I have been waiting for this day”” 

The energy emitting from the dark and powerful ball of light sent physical ripples through the air. Rose was swept off her feet, causing her body to wince madly and keel over towards the grass below her.

“”Where are you Galeia?”” She cried out right before disappearing, just in time to avoid the ravaging ball of energy which punched a massive hole in the earth. 

Nearly a split second later she re-appeared, this time behind the beast. However, she was not alone. Standing next to her was a trusted friend.

““This isn’t your place Demian, get out of here”

The woman ordered the monster thus. He took heed and vanished seconds later…

--

Carrying himself confidently, Artemis entered the Garden for the first time. He didn’’t notice that he was being watched. The markets were buzzing with noise as they normally did, especially considering it was a special day to many of the magical creatures. For the elves it was a joyous occasion, it had been exactly a century since they had waved white flags and made peace with the elks. The same thing could be said for Cleft’s who, once shunned from the entire magickal community for centuries: had been invited back. The conflict in the past only actually arose because of general tradition. 

Being a young Cleft himself, Artemis didn’t always appreciate how much his ancestors had to fight to bring about as much change. It was a feeling he should have savored. 

You see, fate has a way of re-aligning conflicting groups to create an  entirely different world. The creatures of the now should have remembered that change in itself can easily be reversed. The universe works exactly the same way lives do. There is much change, there is heightened growth, there is innumerable experience to be had. 

But at the end of the day we all end up right back where we started different, changed but, always home.

Rose crept out from the shadows. She stood up to reveal her face. It was one that Artemis knew at least he thought he knew in his dreams.

“”What do I do now?”” 

She asked out loud, though nobody stood near her in the physical sense. A few seconds later she nodded, raised her fingers upwards and concentrated. Artemis stared blankly, unsure of how appropriately to react. Rose imagined bright white orbs surrounding her with her eyes closed. A small white light appeared a few breaths away from the tips of her fingers as she opened her eyes and smiled. 

--

Further above, an elder concentrated. 

His jade eyes peered across the clouds cautiously. Sensing danger he called out.

““Galeia. If you’re here show yourself, I have some news.”

”His voice was very stern, poignant and precise. It was a matter of seconds before she appeared a few meters away from him. She caught his glance and took a step backwards. It had been a long time since they had been in contact with each other in person. 

“”Leon. What is it?”” she asked without a breath. 

She scanned him; noticing how different he looked were since they last met. 

Greasy, spiky black hair stood out obviously. This was seriously not the way an elder should want to present himself. 

““Artemis is not of greater concern yet, but there is danger in the Garden. He tried to kidnap Rose again and cannot be trusted.””

The pupils in Galeia’’s eyes darted from side to side. She didn’’t believe he knew it. Although the Garden to her was one of the only sacred places left in their world, she had experience with its darker roots.

“”I know, I was there helping her. How do you know of this?”” She asked. Galeia always thought of Leon as suspect ever since he had been removed from imperial service.

““I have my own connections.”” 

He replied abruptly with a small smile.

“”Okay,”” Galeia gasped, her hands rubbing stressfully across her forehead.

“”What do I do then?”” she asked, the girl’s youthfulness not helping her confusion. 

Leon thought for a moment.

He unlocked a glass door in the sky tower and exited downstairs, curiously leaving Galeia in silence. 

He glanced down on his way further down and felt uneasy at what he could see. The power to observe the aftermath of what was about to happen was no gift. He knew that it was time. Nobody else would dare try and get a premonition about what was about to occur... a perfect secret. 

Everything had been pre-determined. 

Fate was like that. 

It lavished at the idea that it could plan things millenniums in advance.