Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 38: Demigod's Curse

As Aria ran toward the bright doorway, a shadow suddenly appeared. Aria nearly collided with the figure. She looked up in alarm, her vision focusing on the person in front of her, and froze.

"Alpha..." she said hoarsely, her voice trembling slightly.

Alpha stood in the doorway, tall and imposing, his gaze cold and piercing. The grayish light cast deep shadows on his face, highlighting his sharp features and the intense, wary glint in his eyes. He held a thin sword, the tip raised slightly, as if waiting for her explanation.

"What on earth are you doing?" Alpha's voice was cold and harsh, dripping with disdain.

Aria swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. "There was... a demigod..." She glanced back, realizing that all the explosive sounds had ceased. Behind her lay a scene of utter chaos, an inexplicable mess of a corridor.

Alpha's expression darkened further, his eyes like daggers aimed at Aria. "A demigod? What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I saw a demigod break in, so I followed him. He opened the cell doors inside, like he was searching for something." Aria pointed behind her, her words tumbling out in a rush. Her heart pounded, her palms sweaty. She couldn't be sure Alpha would believe her, given the eerie silence in the corridor, her hurried breaths echoing through the empty building.

"You said a demigod?" Alpha's black eyes glittered with suspicion and disdain. "There's no demigod here, just your wild imagination."

"There's blood on the ground. These glowing drops are demigod blood." Aria bit her lip after speaking, watching Alpha anxiously.

Alpha glanced down at the ground, the glowing blood drops flickering faintly in the darkness. His face paled, his brow furrowing deeply. He shoved Aria aside and stared intently into the darkness. "This area is off-limits. If I catch you here again, I'll throw you in the dungeon permanently." His voice was icy and threatening.

He stepped into the dim corridor, adding coldly, "Go back. I don't want to see you here again."

Aria, still shaken, returned to her room, unable to focus on watching the beast fights. What had just happened left her deeply unsettled. Whether the demigod was after her or not, she was certain something secret was hidden inside that could draw a demigod in. The thought of the demigod's magic made Aria shiver; she had seen such magic before, wielded by The Oracle, Adomoye. But she couldn't understand why. Was it just to chase a condemned criminal, braving the barriers with a Celestial Deer? Or was the demigod's target something else inside the abandoned building?

Aria paced her room, unable to make sense of it all. She was lost in thought until she heard footsteps and voices in the hallway. Sable knocked to remind her of the evening's gathering. Aria responded absentmindedly, realizing she had lost track of time as the sky outside darkened.

Aria approached her bed, pushing aside the tangled armor. She noticed her dress was missing, turning her room upside down but finding no trace of it. She stared at the disordered room in disbelief; someone had stolen that ugly dress.

The hallway was almost empty, with the Starguard having gone to the hall for the banquet. Aria stood in her uniform, feeling a pang of hesitation about whether to join them or not.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a key turning in the lock, and the door swung open. Aria glared at the intruder, furious when she saw who it was. "Do you ever knock? I need privacy, Master of Keys." Her voice was full of indignation.

"I brought you a dress." Neven held up a brand-new blue gown.

"You stole my dress?" Aria growled.

"I didn't steal it, I got rid of it for you." Neven corrected her.