A drop of water landed on Alexander's cheek. He froze, touched it, then looked up.
"Rain?" he murmured. The sky above was cloaked in heavy clouds.
"I'm coming, Artemis." He surged through the forest, his movements a blur, heading toward where the gorgon had claimed Artemis was being held. His heart thundered, bloodlust dancing in his eyes—but beneath it all was something foreign. Fear.
He had never felt fear before.
"Master! Master!" Her voice echoed faintly in his ears.
He kicked the door of the abandoned shack open with a crash. Relief washed over his face for a fleeting second.
There she was—tied up, hair disheveled, her dress filthy and torn at the hem. He rushed to untie her, and the moment the ropes fell away, she launched herself into his arms.
"I was so scared," she sobbed, her voice breaking.
But Alexander didn't return the embrace. His jaw clenched. He exhaled sharply.
She pulled back, confused. "Master…?"
In a split second, he slammed her face into the ground. She let out a grunt of pain just before he kicked her, sending her crashing into the wall. Her body crumpled to the floor with a groan.
"Of course, that's not enough to kill you," he muttered coldly.
Stalking toward the girl now cowering in pain, he grabbed her neck and hauled her up with one hand.
"Where is Artemis?" His voice was low and deadly, eyes flickering with unstable red light. His grip tightened until thick black blood spilled from her mouth.
---
Outside, Artemis jolted at the distant noise. The ruckus was growing louder.
The door burst open.
Her heart skipped. Hope surged—only to freeze within her. There was something…wrong.
Alexander stood at the entrance, blood dripping from his knuckles. He tossed in a broken, battered body—mangled beyond recognition.
Then he stepped fully into the light, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
Artemis's breath hitched.
She wasn't hallucinating. She could see it clearly now—his eyes.
Red. Slitted.
Darone and Elenore instinctively moved in front of Artemis.
"Well, if it isn't the famous Alexander Quinn," Darone said with a shaky smirk.
"Move," Alexander growled.
"And what if we don't?" Darone began, "You wouldn't want to hurt your—"
He didn't finish. Alexander was already there.
In a blink, he smashed Darone's head into the wall. There was no sound, no warning. Just a sickening thud as Darone's body dropped like a ragdoll.
Artemis gagged.
Alexander turned to Elenore slowly. She didn't hesitate—flames erupted from her palm, surging toward him.
Black fire.
It hit him squarely in the chest.
Nothing.
His clothes didn't even singe.
Elenore trembled. "M-Monster…"
He raised a brow—and mirrored her gesture.
Red flames burst from his hand. Elenore screamed as fire engulfed her, her body disintegrating in seconds.
Artemis stood frozen in disbelief—stunned, horrified, and just a little afraid.
Alexander turned to her, his eyes returning to normal.
"Sorry I'm late, little bunny."
"Master…" Tears welled in her eyes.
He rushed to untie her, then pulled her close, inhaling the scent of her hair, the warmth of her body.
They could mimic her voice, her scent, even her features—but they could never replicate the rhythm of her heart.
"Are you hurt, bunny?"
She shook her head, still trembling. "I'm fine, Master…"
He smiled and helped her to her feet. At the door, he offered to carry her, but she blushed and declined.
Just as they reached the entrance, Artemis froze. A strange sensation swept over her.
"Artemis?" Alexander asked, but then six black witches materialized before them.
He scowled and stepped protectively in front of her.
"Hand her over," one demanded. "She's coming with us."
Alexander crossed his arms lazily. "May I ask what for?"
The witches grinned among themselves.
"Since you're going to die anyway, we might as well tell you."
In an instant, they whipped long black cords at him—wrapping tightly around his limbs, dragging him to his knees.
He grimaced.
"These are woven with black arcane magic," one sneered. "Even you can't break the whips of punishment."
Alexander stayed still, curious. He could snap them at any moment—but he needed answers.
"So... what's so special about the girl?"
The lead witch chuckled darkly. "She's a vessel. A living descendant of the Great Flame. She will be sacrificed to awaken the Great Cataclysm. Demons will rise, darkness will spread, and the Black Witches will reign supreme."
Alexander's eyes widened. What the hell?
Artemis's eyes suddenly turned pure white.
Tendrils of blue flames erupted from her back. She stepped forward, her voice echoing in three distinct tones:
"You have defiled the Great Flame. You shall be punished. The agents of darkness deserve no mercy."
Panic broke among the witches. They hurled dark magic and black flames—but nothing touched her. Or Alexander.
Alexander chuckled—and with a twist of his shoulders, the black whips shattered like thread.
"So much for your magic."
They recoiled. "How did you—"
His eyes glitched red again.
"You… You are…"
"Thanks for the intel." He stretched his hand forward. "Now… Die."
Red flame tendrils stabbed three witches. They screamed—and exploded.
Blue flame tendrils shot from Artemis, skewering the other three. They melted into black puddles.
Alexander exhaled and turned to her.
She turned to him.
"Stretch forth your hand, Son of the Flames," she said.
He obeyed.
She laced her fingers with his. The blue flame ring on her wrist slithered around his own. In turn, her wrist now bore his red flame ring.
"It is done," she said, closing her eyes. "As she has ordained."
The flames vanished.
She collapsed.
Alexander caught her immediately, holding her close.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and stared down at her.
"…This is more serious than I thought," he murmured—and carried her away.