DARK MAIDEN

PROLOGUE

1942

Down below the dank parts of the Earth's crust laid poor Seth Bain of twenty-two, tortured and bleeding, bounded and stiff, from the thick chains that constricted is human body.

Seth was barely conscious, but he was well aware of what was going to happen to him.

He was going to die.

Seth heard footsteps, slowly making their way towards him. He looked up, suddenly squinting, due to the tortuous lights that hung above him.

"This is the first time I've visited, Artemis; and I must say, this is a quite cozy place that you have. Reminds me of home." The female voice chirped.

"Why thank you, Lucillia. You should come over more often. Your company is very comforting in this lonely abode of mine.

It was then when Seth's eyes had suddenly grown accustomed to the glaring lights and attempted to view his surroundings.

There was sand; yards of it, surrounding the area; boiling and bubbling.

Beyond that, rocky land stretched and surrounded the three. It resembled the insides of a cave. Torches hung along the rocky walls, adding to the intense heat.

The only thing separating them and the steaming sand below was a vast rocky surface, in which he, Lucillia, and the stranger named Artemis, stood upon. The 'island' stood only four feet above the sand.

Seth keeled over, completely exhausted and drained from the heat. Lucillia bent down to him, pushed him over onto his back. A groan of pain managed to escape his throat, well aware that it was the only sound that he could offer.

"Well, Seth?" Lucillia asked him.

Seth strained to turn his head to look up to her.

"Any last words?" her voice full of patience.

Seth struggled even more, to deliver his final message to his beloved.

"Lu…Lucillia…I'….so…s-so sorry…" He whispered in an unfamiliar, raspy tone.

"Seth, you were always sorry. (Artemis hand me the yarn and needle will you?) You were sorry for this, for that. Does a certain Rose Thomas ring a bell? I can't possibly let that one go. Luckily when she had her so called 'accident' on the cliff the other day. I was sure you'd get the message. Lovely girl though."

Artemis handed Lucillia the needle; and it wasn't the typical one that you found in your everyday sewing kit.

"You're just a sorry man, darling."

Seth sadly sighed, accepting his dark fate. He then glanced over at the mysterious Artemis.

What intended to be a horrifying scream, turned out to be a weak grunt, in a reaction to the god-like figure that stood before him.

Artemis showed no sign of human flesh, but reddish, rocky clay for coverage. It was if he were carved from the earth's very crust. He was perfectly formed, and disturbingly attractive.

Lucillia grabbed a hold of Seth's lips, slowly penetrating the very bottom of his lower lip with the needle.

Surprisingly, no sound was made. He didn't even flinch; for he was numb from the chains, cutting off all blood circulation. Seth was slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

Lucillia made neat 'x's' along his lips. As she was doing this, Artemis had taken the liberty of bounding Seth's ankle with a titanium cuff, which was attached to a chain which in turn, held a gigantic boulder.

"Seriously, Lucillia I don't know why you waste your time with these awful humans. They're nothing but nuisances."

"I know, Artemis, but they don't give me as much trouble or competition compared to our kind. If they misbehave I can easily rid myself of them," Lucillia turned to Artemis and smiled sweetly at him.

'Not like you, or anyone else from Tromaliya. After all, we are immortal beings."

"True, very true, my dear." Artemis agreed.

Lucillia pulled the needle from Seth's bleeding lips, then gently ran her fingers over them.

"I've always loved your lips, Seth. They were so soft, so promising. It was almost as if you kissed me with meaning, like you actually loved me."

Artemis began to make his way across the sandy platform, dragging the boulder towards the edge.

"There's no turning back now, Seth."

Tears began to form in his blue, desolate eyes.

Lucillia bent over and kissed Seth one last time.

"I'll see you in hell."

Lucillia turned to Artemis, giving him the signal. Artemis nodded, the pushed the boulder off the edge, dragging Seth into the boiling depths of the sand.