Falsified (Tarnished Book 2)

39 A Lost Tomorrow

In my hurry toward the den of beasts Ravela created, Artemis got in the middle staring me down. She held her hands out and the air around her swirled with warmth. My short swords appeared in her open hand.

"I will not stop you this time. Do what you feel needs to be done, but do not point the blame at anyone but Ravela."

I glared at her. "I don't need those to beat him." I stepped past her and she held my own sword with ease to stop me.

"Don't be an idiot, Your highness. They have their place in this fight, and you will use them, or perhaps you want to be as beastly as that heathen desires." She raised a brow and then slid her fingers to hold the blade itself with the hilt extended to me. She jabbed the hilt at my chest. "Take them now, or I will."

I eyed her uncertain of her insistent behavior. She never let me have an inch, so how does she know how to wield a sword? I took my swords from her and attached them to my empty sword belt. "When this is over, we are going to talk about the real reason you want to help me."

Artemis smirked. "I think you will figure it out before too long, idiot. Now go rid this world of that scourge on humanity."

I got ready to leave when I felt the warm breeze around her. It was familiar. "Have we met before now?"

"I can't tell you that, but I can say I have been nearby." She gazed into my eyes for a long moment before she sighed. "I know you, and so do my sisters. Destiny is always in your hands, remember that when you go in there." She pointed to the grove. "The beasts you hunt are not ones that belong in this world. It is your turn to heal this world with the swords your father bestowed you with."

I nodded and broke into a stride off into the edge of the grove.

Running into the beasts' territory, I accelerated ready for this fight to end. Ravela will rue the death of Judas.

Up ahead, I saw beasts had spotted me. They charged me and I drew my swords poised for striking them down. As soon as they got within range, I slashed off their heads with my power coating the blades. Their corpses fell to the ground and I heard more coming to avenge their deaths.

I readied myself for the onslaught I was about to rain down on the grove's inhabitants. These beasts will never leave here because I won't allow it, not when I know who made them.

Several beasts had encircled me cutting off any chance of running further into the grove. Many unusual species and variants of wolfgon, winged beasts, and atrocities this world could do without. There were easily a hundred of them against me. I furrowed my brow and held on tightly to my swords.

"Mind sending a message for your master monsters?" I asked before I lunged at my left slitting through several beasts' throats and leaping into the air to drive a blade through a wolfgon's skull.

The beasts came all at once trying desperately to tear me apart. I evaded every claw, talon, fang that attempted to pierce me. Their numbers continued to dwindle while I had become coated in their blood.

The battle continued for a long while until none of the beasts remained standing. I walked over the bed of corpses I made and heard the enormous flapping wings above me. I turned my head to see the obsidian dragon readying a pillar of its dark flames.

Its flames could incinerate a man with ease which means I could go up in cinders if I made one misstep. I still have no way to murder a beast of its caliber yet. However, that does not mean I won't try.