Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Trieu and Lost

As soon as Artemis can smell the presence of fairies, he glides down from the stormy heaven and transforms to a mortal form.

Jin who is with Artemis and Aguano whisper, "Dude, dragons are fucking real. I only heard about them."

"It's nothing compared to an entire division of dragons. They were majestic," Aguano smirks proudly. "They were super strong even when they looked like us. They're the apex of what a man should look like and be."

"And yet somehow the entire division returned to my father without their leader, Trieu," Artemis yawns and continues the journey onward by foot.

Jin looks over at Aguano, "You were there when it happened, weren't you? Why was the Queen's brother executed?"

"What? Who can dare to execute such a great dragon?" Aguano hides his cold hands under his armpits while bringing in his shoulders together, unaware of what he spoke of.

"Then what really happened?" Jin copies Aguano's form.

Aguano keeps his lips tight for a moment after realizing what he had let slip, and asks Artemis, "Promise that you would kill us here if I talk about it."

The dragon retracts his step and turns around to the two Aarthians following him with narrow eyes, "Do you want me to also know the true story? Or are you saying that even Maeve doesn't know what really went down with Trieu?"

"Well... Both. I really admire the dragons so I want you to know what happened, please just promise to not kill us."

"I don't mind not killing you two, but I can't say about anyone else," Artemis answers and advances toward the North.

"It was Master Lexin who murdered your brother!"

The other two's eyes are shot open and the falling snowflakes rest quietly on their lashes. The silence they give allows the wind to howl with the mountains they're surrounded by.

"Who the fuck is Master Lexin and what was his reasoning?" Artemis grabs Aguano by the collar and hangs him in the cold, frozen air.

Jin gets a hold on Artemis's arm, hoping to weigh it down, "Aguano, how can it be Master Lexin? He was locked up at the time, wasn't he?"

Aguano's face begins to turn purple as he gasps for air, so Jin shouts, "You're killing him! You promised not to kill us, remember?"

"Sorry," Artemis lets Aguano go and frowns aggressively. His head swings left to right, mumbling, "A mortal can't decapitate a dragon with a mere mortal weapon."

"That's because he used a Dawerilium sword forged by the Enzumin Elves," Aguano answers while catching his breath in the high altitude.

"Cool. Do you also happen to know Master Lexin's motives?" Jin hooks Aguano's arm over his shoulders to follow behind Artemis's fast pace.

Aguano winced in pain with each step, "No... But Borscht said that he thought Master Lexin wanted to anger King Nillin in hope that he himself would be executed."

"Borscht isn't wrong thinking that," Jin sighs.

"Who's Master Lexin?" Artemis lowers his body to give Aguano a back ride, "Sorry, I can't use my magic to heal you else they will know I'm here."

"No. I'm a man—"

"Ignore what he said. Carry both of us," Jin drags Aguano and jumps onto Artemis's back. "What's wrong with you. It's an once in a lifetime that mortals like ourselves get to ride on the back of a dragon right after riding on his palm!"

Aguano rolls his eyes as he hears the words coming out of Jin's mouth.

Artemis shakes them a little into position and moves toward the North.

"Who's Master Lexin?" Artemis asks again.

"Oh yes. He was King Nillin's best friend," Jin answers and adds, "But he's already dead for over a year now. Actually, now that I think about it. Aguano, why did Master Lexin want to be executed? That aside, there are better ways to get executed than murder the Queen's brother that is a majestic dragon! Things don't add up."

"If you weren't always on your adventures to find mythical creatures and joined the Revolution, maybe I wouldn't need to be talking and you could be explaining everything to 'this' Queen's brother," Aguano talks with short breaths while constantly rolling his eyes.

Jin laughs and slaps Aguano's back, "But I was the only one who believed dragons and such were real, so I feel obligated to find them. And see, they are real!"

"That hurts idiot," Aguano utters in pain.

"Didn't you say you're a man? This is nothing." Jin slaps Aguano's back again, "Come on. Tell us why Master Lexin wanted to be executed and why he didn't find a better way to do it?"

"One of these days," Aguano grunts annoyingly. But when he sees Jin's hand about to slap him again, Aguano quickly says, "The King's ex-girlfriend's soul was stuck inside Master Lexin who appears at night. The King was 'spending' time with her through Master Lexin's body so that's why he wanted to die."

"How come no one told me any of this? I'm the son and only heir of Master Jin of Gluria."

Aguano coughs a dry laugh, "Maybe that's why you don't know anything? Who even takes Gluria seriously?"

"I do," Jin purses his lips and glares playfully at Aguano. "Just kidding, if it's anyone else, I would be mad but since it's you, I know you're only kidding."

"Whatever," Aguano rolls his eyes. "Anyway, the answer to your other question is I don't know, but Borscht thought that maybe it was the first thing Master Lexin could do when he finally managed to escape."

"Who's this Borscht you keep mentioning?" Artemis asks in a calm voice.

"My baby brother. He's super smart," Aguano smiles proudly.

"Dude, why do your eyes always light up when you're talking about your little brother, but when you're with me you only roll your eyes," Jin shakes his head in disappointment.

"Because Borscht is cute and you're annoying?"

The two mortals continue to argue along the way until they reach a weak running stream in front of where the front gates of Artemis's grandmother's lair used to be.

Before where the lair that rise high into the sky and occupied mountains, a symbol of the powerful Northern Dragons for the rest of the world and a symbol of Zummarian's wealth and integrity yet couldn't be found by any mortal's wit, is now nothing more than large boulders decorating a landscape that doesn't match its ruins..

Tears drip from Artemis's chin onto Jin's hand.

"Are you okay?" Jin pulls out a handkerchief with his trembling cold hands.

Artemis shakes his head, "No. I don't think I'll ever be okay."