The Bloodkeeper

Chapter 19

The King laughed. "You have chosen certain death!" He said. "You have chosen—"

"Shut up," Artemis growled. "You've said and done enough. I have seen the bodies of children and their mothers piled in the alleyways of this town. I have seen the pain and suffering you have caused with a simple order. I charge you with genocide, and your sentence is death!"

The King simply laughed harder. "You are funny, my boy, you are," He said. "But now is the time for you and your lovely, lovely woman to die."

The King raised a hand, and one of the busts that surrounded the room began to float, and he flicked his hand, and the bust came rushing towards Artemis. Artemis hardened his skin, scales forming on his body, and as soon as the bust made contact, it clanged noisily, bouncing off of him.

"You have learned how to use your powers, I see." Said the King. Artemis advanced, and the King magically flung several of the busts and their pedestals at Artemis. The gold busts clanged, and the stone pedestals broke against Artemis' skin. Artemis looked at the King and said, "Given up?"

"Never!" The King growled, and flames shot from his hands, engulfing Artemis. His scales protected him.

"You think that flames can kill a dragon?" Asked Artemis. "You mind as well be throwing water at water, or dirt against dirt." He advanced, his blood-thirst reaching for the King, wanting nothing more than to drink his blood.

Artemis suddenly felt the Bloodkeeper be flung from his hand and down onto the ground, spinning away from him. The King laughed a mirthless, evil laugh.

"What will you do without your precious weapon?" He asked. Artemis held his hand out towards the Bloodkeeper.

"Come to me," He said, and the sword raised off the ground, and flew into Artemis' hand. 

"The Bloodkeeper is mine," He said. "I am attuned to it, and it to me. You can't separate us. I discovered this when training with Iris, that the sword will not leave me without my consent."

The King raised both arms, and the stone from the floor cracked and rose from the ground.

"Haven't you learned?" Artemis asked. "I am your maker. Lay down and die, like an honorable man."

"You sound like me!" Said Leviathan. "When I killed Arkesh, he fought, but I was stronger!"

"I have the powers of a dragon," said Artemis. "I am stronger than you."

Leviathan held his hand out, and Artemis felt like a hand had grasped his throat, and it squeezed, blocking his airway. Artemis choked, and the hand began to hold him in the air by his neck.

"Are you now?" The King asked. "Are you? Because even dragons have a weak point." Artemis clawed at his throat, panicking.

Then he saw Iris, rushing towards the King. No! He tried to say, but Iris couldn't hear him.

The King swept his hand, and Iris was magically backhanded and sent flying backwards.

Artemis saw red. He held his hands out, and flames burst forth, engulfing The King in them. The King's hold on Artemis slackened and let go, and Artemis dropped to the ground. Artemis coughed, and the flames dissipated, to reveal the King, completely unburned, but backed away significantly from his throne, where he had been standing.

Artemis didn't know he could command flames from his hands, just from his stomach. He held his hands out as he coughed, trying to catch his breath, but fire merely sparked from his hands and went out. The King said, "There is no power in an ability you can only use when in dire straights. Learn that."