ARTIZEA
ARTIZEA REMOVED ONE OF HER BOOTS, then slowly sank her bare, aching foot into the lake's edge. It's water carried a silver glow from the moon above, meeting the overlapping sand while its water rippled against her ankles. For a moment, stilled, she swore she felt something, or someone, watching her. But when she scanned the surroundings, there was nothing. Just the sound of soft rustling leaves against the chilled breeze and the distant choir of crickets.
"Paranoia is unbecoming of a Pendragon," she muttered to herself. Still, she glanced over her shoulder once more, ensuring no one was indeed around, and began to kick off her other boot, then started to undo the fastenings of her corset. Piece by piece, her main garments fell away until she stood with a sheer tunic, her skin luminous under the nigh sky. She let out a deep breath upon welcoming the cold water. Then submerged herself for a few seconds before rising back up. The chill was refreshing against her rising temperature from the tension of the day. She let out a quiet sigh of relief; she felt it. A presence, far too close for comfort. Before she could react, something solid pressed against her back, firm.
"Enjoying yourself, Princess?" a familiar, maddeningly smooth voice murmured near her ear.
"Rhyssand." She hissed with a mixture of shock and irritation, spinning to face him, who smirked, completely unbothered by her tone or appearance, while her body now decided upon itself to react, flinging her arms around herself to cover.
"I did not ask for company," she said softly, though her words lacked the bite she intended.
"I offer it, nonetheless," he said, his voice dripping with mischief. "Call it concern, you are far too careless, what if Someone may see you?"
Her pulse raced, her chest rising and falling with every shallow breath. Her gaze dropped instinctively to his shoulders. She blinked, realizing something was missing. "Your wings—" she started, then frowned. "Where are they?"
His smirk turned into a grin. "I do not like to get them wet," he said casually, "Heavier to fly." The moonlight caught the sharpness of his jaw, making him look even more godly, which set her teeth on edge. She then noticed faded patterns along the shoulders …almost like scars. Her eyes widening at a peculiar freckle on his chest, she shook her head, mentally pushing the curiosity aside, "Is that what you did at the ball?" she demanded.
Rhyssand tilted his head. "This is the first time you realized?" he asked.
Her jaw clenched. "Be serious."
"I am Curious," he chuckled.
"Yes," she said reluctantly.
"How did you suppose I fit under that desk? Hm?"
"I-i do not know. You tell me," she shot back, flustered.
His expression softening only slightly, "A simple concealment spell."
Artizea scoffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Couldn't find a tux, bird-sized?"
Rhyssand leaned slightly closer, "You invited me, remember?"
"I did not do such a thing—" she hissed.
"If you are spying on me for someone… Tell him to come find me himself, was the message I received. Her eyes widened while he learned in closer."I took it very personally, you see. So much so, I not only wished to find you, but I wanted to see you up close for myself."
Artizea froze in déjà vu. This was not supposed to happen. She had sworn it would not. Weeks of building walls against thismagneticpull between them. But now, every last one of them fell within the vivacity of his presence.
"Say it…" he murmured in her ear, "Say you remember the ball, that you remember me…"
Her jaw clenched. But she did not deny it. "You are so… intolerable—" she gritted out instead.
Rhyssand rolled his eyes.
"You undermine me at every council meeting—" She snapped, as if she was waiting for a moment to release.
"And you are insufferable…" he shot back, his jaw tightening while leaning slightly closer. "Do you ever stop talking and just—listen—?"
Her eyes narrowed."Why should I listen to you? You're always so smug, so—"
His sun rays bore into hers with all their intensity that always left her breathless. "Gods, you're beautiful…" He closed the remaining distance between them, his hands on her bare hips, pulling her closer. His breath was warm, ragged, and entirely too close. "But you drive me—crazy!" he growled out in frustration.
Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. "Good—" She whispered defiantly. "—because I hate you just as much as I loathe the way you make me feel every time I try to express it…"
They stood there, the night air thick with unspoken tension. The moment was shattered by the sound of snapping twigs and Eugene's distant voice calling their names.
Artizea stiffened, while her eyes widened in panic, déjà vu indeed, but before she could move.
"Then add this to the list."
"What—"
In one swift motion, his lips crashed against hers. Capturing her lips in a swift, bold kiss. She froze, and then, with a sharp tug, he pulled her under the water with him. The muffled sound of overlapping liquid echoed upon descent into the underwater world below. A kiss, she thought, was supposed to take your breath away, but this was different. It was not air she lost, it was air she gained. She opened her eyes slightly to see his veins now pulsing with light, from his neck to fingertips, though she no longer cared to know the reasoning. The crunching footsteps grew louder, then softer, fading into the distance.
When they resurfaced, Rhyssand was laughing softly. "I adore your family, Artizea," water dripping from his dark hair. "They always put us in the most curious of predicaments."
"Piss off." She muttered, shoving him, then began stomping toward the shore, her wet hair plastered to her face.
His smirk returned, maddeningly casual, "I will take this," he teased, "As reward and payment for our missed lesson, Today."
Artizea immediately spun around and shoved him back under the water and stalked out, "I am going to kill him," she muttered.
He resurfaced again, shaking his hair like a mischievous dog, "You enjoyed that more than you care to admit."
She rolled her eyes, turning to wade back to the shore. "Like hell I did!"
So what if I did, she thought.
That night, she dreamed of fire and blood. Screeching filled her ears, shrill and inhuman. Then, voices. At first, a chorus. Then just one, cutting through the chaos like a blade:
"Artizea—wake up."
Her eyes snapped open to find Eugene crouched beside her.
"I found the signature!" he exclaimed joyfully.
"Well—we did." Rhyssand stepped closer, his voice low with concern. "Are you alright?"
It was a dream, Artizea thought. Thought the memories were too vivid to pass off upon looking into the second sun. But she refused to show weakness. "I am fine," she said quickly, rising to her feet; her pulse was still racing at the one question she would never dare ask."There's no time to waste."
As they pressed on with the ruse of the sun, they entered a vast chamber with a towering statue at its center. The air is growing cooler and thicker with every step. The walls were lined with glowing runes, their light pulsating faintly, casting eerie shadows.
Eugene continued his animated chatter, rattling off theories about the architecture and the possible origins of the site.
"This has to be pre-Mār'dus'keshiah era," he mused, tracing his fingers over a set of runes. "Look at the precision of these markings! This is not just any celestial craftsmanship—this is—"
Rhyssand was walking ahead and glanced over his shoulder. "You're not gonna nerd out on me, are you?"
Eugene frowned. "I am not nerding out, okay? I am conducting valuable research that will help me be a head scholar one day, because of my vast knowledge, and not because my father told them to."
"Okay…" Rhyssand said, smirking while turning his attention back to the path ahead.
Artizea sighed upon meeting back up with them. "Eugene, can you not touch the glowing runes? I would rather you not trigger another trap like Arthur…"
Eugene waved her off. "Arthur is an idiot, and —this is perfectly safe. I should know, for I have studied ancient seals exclusively for four years straight along with their predictable traps, and so I can assure you this is not one of them—"
A loud rumble interrupted him as the floor beneath his feet began to shift. Rhyssand grabbed Eugene by the collar, yanking him back just as a section of the ground gave way, revealing a deep chasm.
"Perfectly safe, huh?" Fin said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The longer Eugene stared at the pit, the more color drained from his face. "Okay, maybe not entirely safe…"
"No more touching old ass shit, please…" Rhyssand said.
Eugene whimpred then gathered himself, "Can I touch your wings then—?" he asked outright.
"No."
"Just one feather, I promise!"
With a trick of the light, Rhyssand's wings vanished.
"Amazing…" Eugene awed.
Artizea rolled her eyes, "Yeah…he's a real magician," walking past them both, then glanced at a figure depicted that was of a beast of some kind, its claws clutching a sphere that glowed faintly with an inner light. The air hummed with power, and Artizea felt a strange pull in her chest with every step she took.
"This must be it," Eugene whispered, "The source of the energy signature we detected."
Artizea nodded, her gaze fixed on the sphere. "Something about this place…"
Rhyssand stepped forward, his expression concerned, "Careful. That artifact is imbued with celestial energy."
Artizea frowned, "I would love, if you ceased telling me what to do."
"I am not telling you what to do…" he replied firmly, "I am telling you what you should not do."
"I do not recall requiring your opinion nor instruction, Your Grace, amba—"
Before Artizea could finish, the runes on the statue flared to life, glowing brighter with every passing second. A deep, resonant voice echoed through her heart, where she felt the pull of the dragon's power within her, stronger and more insistent than ever before. Not noticing the ground beneath her feet was cracking open.
Rhyssand reacted just in time. He laid a hand on Eugene, teleporting him out of the sphere's peril, then reached for Artizea, pulling her close. She stumbled into him breathlessly, his wings appearing once more, flaring out to shield her.
"What is happening!" Eugene shouted, shielding his face from the blinding light.
"The chamber is reacting to her," Rhyssand grunted.
Eugene scrambled to help, flipping through his notes, muttering frantically.
The repetitive hum in the air as runes on the statue began to glow brighter from the wave of energy, forcing them to their knees.
Rhyssand growled, "There has to be a counter-spell—something to stabilize the energy! Hurry up, kid."
"I am working on it!" Eugene snapped, his hands shaking while tracing symbols in the air. "Got it!" he exclaimed, then looked up, "What if I get it wrong—"
Rhyssand held a sharp gaze. "You know what to do. Do not rush the binding; let the flow guide you." Then nodded.
Eugene knelt before the rune, his spell book open beside him. His hands began to trace symbols in the air, each stroke glowing faintly before merging with the rune.
The vortex's energy swirled around Artizea, suffocating her vision until it blurred. Then, she abruptly shot awake, scanning her surroundings. The real world seemed to fall away. She was no longer in the chamber but standing in an endless expanse of dark, swirling clouds. The faint sound of a heartbeat echoed all around her, slow and thunderous.
"Child of my blood,"
The angelic voice resonated deep within Artizea's chest as if the voice was inside her.
"You must control your power,"
"How? What am I supposed to do?" she demanded, "Can anyone just give me a slight answer!?"
"Trust no one."
Back in reality, Eugene is trying and failing to find a counter, "I got it!" The corrupted energy roared, pushing back against his magic. He whinced, but he did not falter. The symbols he drew began to form a protective lattice around the rune. Like the one Rhyssand had taught him, suddenly the lines came to mind—He muttered the last line of the sequence. With a final pulse of light, the vortex began to dissolve.
Artizea gasped upon regaining her consciousness. Her hands were trembling against Rhyssand.
Eugene slumped to the ground, exhausted, and still he looked up at Rhyssand with wide eyes. "I really did it—"
Rhyssand looked down at Artizea as they both panted, his black wings half-unfurled. "What happened?" She glanced up at him, her mind still swirling with the image of a piercing gaze and the weight of her words. She opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat.
"Trust no one."
"I-i…" she managed, shaking her head, pushing off of him. "I am fine, just… the energy was overwhelming for a moment."
Eugene crouched beside her, his expression shifting from worry to relief. "Thank the gods. I thought the sphere might have… I do not know, done something permanent."
"It did not," Artizea said quickly, standing on shaky legs and brushing herself off
Rhyssand narrowed his eyes upon rising, "You sure that is all it was?"
"Trust no one."
She forced a thin smile. "I said I am fine, it is nothing I cannot handle. "She glanced at Eugene. "Let's head home before we are missed." He did not seem convinced, but nodded. Eugene jumped back into his usual rhythm, already rambling about the intricacies of the sphere's design and how they might replicate its energy signature. He turned to the tutor, who stood with a faint smile on his face.
"Well done," Rhyssand said, his voice carrying a note of genuine pride. "You handled that like a seasoned mage."
Artizea stepped forward, placing a hand on Eugene's shoulder. "Thank you," she said softly.
He shrugged, trying to downplay the accomplishment. "I had a decent teacher for once."
Rhyssand chuckled, crossing his arms. "I will take that as a compliment."
They turned their attention to the now-dormant rune. For the first time in hours, the forest felt calm.
Rhyssand reached for it, and with a powerful grip, it dissolved. They were mostly more scattered across the human realm, which must be destroyed as well. Artizea sighed. Another artifact that may have given her the answer she sought was crushed in her face once more.
While they headed out, Artizea fell into silence. Eugene's excited chatter and Rhyssand's occasional quips about his 'apprentice application' faded into background noise. Only those repeated words echoed in her mind:
"Trust no one." Her fingers brushed against the fabric of her cloak, the edges fraying slightly from their journey. She clenched her hands into fists to stop their trembling.
How could she tell them? How could she admit what she had seen? That she was a harbinger of destruction. How would Eugene look at her then? Or Rhyssand?
Her stomach twisted. No. She had to carry this alone, for now.
"Artizea—"
She looked up to see Rhyssand and motioned to the portal, and for once, she had nothing to argue about. Upon seeping through, the palace gates came into their full glorious view, and with it, the reality of their momentary alliance.
Eugene turned to Rhyssand, extending a hand. The celestial looked confused, "Oh, right—it is just something we do to say thank you, among other things… but this one is thank you," he explained the best he could at the moment, "For your help… and the spell-work, I won't forget it,"
Rhyssand smirked. "I know what a handshake is, Kid." Ruffling the young Prince's hair in a casual, almost brotherly gesture. Instead.
"Hey—" Eugene hissed. Batting his hand away. "I am not a kid, and my hair is my temple—"
Rhyssand chuckled, " You have talent, Eugene. Do not let anyone convince you otherwise," he replied.
Eugene smirked, then glared at Artizea, rolling her eyes. "I shall keep that in mind," then headed inside.
Artizea lingered, looking down at her hands hesitantly. The tension from the forest was gone, but something else had settled between them. "Is there any way I can repay you for what you did? For helping Eugene and… me?" She whined internally, "Please do not make this harder for me than it is."
Rhyssand tilted his head, studying her for a moment. "Is that what you truly wish? To repay me?" he asked
"You are so… intolerable—" "And you're insufferable,"
Artizea nodded. "Name it."
"Do you ever stop talking and just… listen?""Why should I listen to you? You're always so smug, so—
He tilted his head, his black wings twitching slightly.
"You drive me crazy—" "—Good—Because I hate you just as much…"
"I believe your people call it… a date."
Artizea blinked, "A date?"
"You know, two people spending time together, asking each other questions?" he teased, his grin widening.
Artizea stared at him. Confusion turned to realization, torn between distrust and curiosity. "I see your arrogance has not yet left the battlefield, Rhyssan'dsneeshnie—ya… Rimat, feeling proud of herself, only to see his nose crunched at the way she kept bucthering it.
"Nor has my confidence…" He replied."And call me Rhys."
The request made her freeze. "I-i—" How many names can one man have…
"…Please, for the love of all that is good in this world…" he pleaded as if her pronunciation shipped a little piece of his soul every time she attempted it.
"Where would we even meet?" she stutttered.
"Maybe by that lake?"
"I am inclined to the name, though I am unsure of the latter—" she said.
"Think about it, is all I ask," he said, turning away with a casual wave. He spread his majestic wings wide."Until next time, Artizea… Pendragon… And with that, he took to the sky.
ARTHUR
The moment Eugene made it to his chamber, he was bombarded with questions by Arthur.
"What happened? Why do you smell funny? Why do you look so… happy?" Arthur pounced.
"We found it, slew it. End of story."
"But why are you so happy—"
"Goodbye, Arthur…" Eugene groaned, brushed past to close his door.
Arthur narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself, "Oh, I see how it is… He thinks he's bad…got a taste of blood, now suddenly he's the shit. Well!" He jabbed a finger toward the ceiling. "Let the gods be my witness! I will show him who's the original shit. Game on!" he declared while storming off.