Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 42: The Devil's Eye Unveiled

Aria was about to shout to warn Stormblade, but the light suddenly grew blindingly bright... brighter and brighter... until it exploded, enveloping everything around them. A piercing cold wind followed, forcefully pushing her backward. She landed hard on the icy ground, intense pain radiating from every part of her body as if every nerve was screaming. At the same time, she heard Stormblade collapse next to her, groaning in agony.

"Demi-god..." Stormblade's voice was weak but filled with pain and concern. He tried to move, but it was clear that every effort brought excruciating pain.

As the light gradually faded, Aria struggled to blink, trying to focus her gaze on the dark building in the distance. Her ears were ringing, her vision blurry; she felt she was on the verge of losing consciousness. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead onto the icy ground, her heart pounding violently, each beat underscoring her fragility and helplessness.

She felt a chill run up her spine, her entire body frozen in place. She wanted to shout, but her throat was dry, unable to produce any sound. She watched helplessly as the demi-god approached, his figure growing more menacing in the moonlight.

The demi-god stepped closer, muddy feet stopping within her view. Aria painfully moved her eyes upwards. The demi-god looked down at her, his silver hair glistening in the moonlight. She blinked hard, her vision gradually clearing. It was a twisted face, one eye bloodshot black, like a vision from the depths of hell. The other eye gleamed coldly, like a beast eyeing its prey. His mouth curved into a cold, cruel smile, his voice low and hoarse: "Aria, you didn't disappoint me. You really came back to Sovereign Bastion."

"You're..." Aria managed to squeeze out a few words, her voice weak and hoarse.

The demi-god's bloodshot black eye seemed to wait for Aria to name him.

"Lucius... Argent..." Aria used the last of her strength, her voice barely audible.

Lucius's smile deepened, his face appearing even more monstrous in the interplay of moonlight and shadows. "Correct, I am Lucius Argent. Since we parted at Celestial Sanctum, we finally meet again."

"You can't do this..." Aria wanted to fight back, but her voice was as weak as a whisper in the wind.

Lucius bent down, his icy fingers tracing her cheek, stealing away her last warmth. "Can't do what? Hurt you? Kill you?" He laughed coldly, his tone filled with cruel mockery, "Did you think I haven't been waiting for this moment all these years?"

"Why..." Aria's voice was almost swallowed by the night wind.

"Why?" A flicker of madness crossed Lucius's eyes. "Because you owe me, Aria. You owe me a promise, a promise you never kept."

Aria felt a wave of dizziness, her vision blurring as the last bit of strength rapidly drained from her body. Her heavy head fell back, striking the icy ground. In that final moment before losing consciousness, she thought she heard Lucius's low chanting, the dark void swallowing her completely.

Finally, everything went black, and she passed out.

As Aria's consciousness returned to her body, she found herself lying on something soft. Her entire body felt shattered, reminiscent of the pain she experienced at Celestial Sanctum, a pain she would never forget. She slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry, and saw that she was on a large bed. Voices were speaking nearby. She moved slightly, but the sharp pain immediately made her freeze.

The voices stopped, and someone approached. Neven sat down by the bed, with Alexander standing behind him.

"What happened to me?" Aria asked, her eyes barely open, the pain overwhelming. She never wanted to feel such agony again. She recalled the incident at Celestial Sanctum; she must have been struck by a demigod's power during the capture.