Chapter 16: An Act of Courage
"My, my," The witch reappeared in front of Luna and Artemis and clapped her hands sarcastically, "Well done."
"What do you want?" Artemis glared with Luna in his arms and looked at the floating women.
Luna, exhausted from concentration, eyes grew wide and was speechless.
"To kill you, of course." She laughed and snapped her fingers. Three guards appeared, "Seize them."
"No!" Luna screamed and pulled out of Artemis' grip, "He has nothing to do with this!"
Artemis pulled out an arrow and shot at one of the guards. That guard turned to dust and another guard took his place. He fired several more arrows and they saw the same results. It did not take long for the witch's guards to surround them.
"Witch!" Luna rose to her feet, "Lower your guards. I'm the one you want."
She cackled, "On the contrary, my dear, I want both of you. Alive." She added the last word bitterly and disappeared once again.
One guard elbowed Artemis in the back of his head, which cause Artemis to black out. Luna flung herself on top of him and screamed, "Leave him alone!" Armored guards began punching and kicking Luna so hard that it was not long until she fainted herself.
"Hey! Hey, kid! Wake up kid!"
Luna heard the hollering of something and felt her face being poked at by a stick.
"Mmmm…" Luna mumbled, "Where... am I?"
"In the Witch's lair, kid." The something slapped her cheek. Luna knew that this something was small because she could feel its tiny hands.
"A Harvest Sprite?" She asked.
"The name's Mars, kid, now wake up!" Mars shoved Luna, "Your friend ain't looking too good."
"Artemis!" Luna shot up in response and tried to lunge forward. She was chained to a wall behind her and Artemis was across the room from her. He was still unconscious and Luna could not tell if he was breathing.
"Help me out of these chains, Mars!" Luna pulled and tugged on the chains. I'm going to murder that women!
"Working on it, kid!" He wiggled the stick in the keyhole, "Hey, Mercury! Help me out over here!"
Luna saw Mercury fly from Artemis' side over to help Mars with the chains. "Mercury!" Luna gasped, "Is he breathing?!"
"Faintly," Mercury answered and struggled with his lock.
Mars finished his lock before Mercury and immediately Luna reached out for her sword by her waist, but it was not there.
"Damn it!" Luna cursed and frantically shot her eyes around the room, "Where is it?" She found it outside of the jail cell and it was hung up next to Artemis' bow and quiver bag. Luna held out her hand and thought of the sword slipping through the cracks in the bars and into her hands.
"Can't use magic in here, kid." Mars moved to Mercury's lock.
"Get me my sword, Mercury!" She ordered him and waited for Mars to finish with the last lock. Mercury flew over the sword and struggled with the weight of it.
Once unchained, Luna ordered Mars to help Mercury, which he did swiftly. She scurried to Artemis' side and hugged him, "Come on, sweetheart, wake up, please wake up."
He did not respond.
"Artemis, come on, wake up!" Luna started to cry, Please Goddess, please let him be alright! "Artemis, I know that you can hear me! Wake up!"
"Here!" Mars shouted and carried over Luna's sword with Mercury. She grabbed it and swung at his chains. They broke free and he fell face down on the ground.
Luna turned his body over onto his back and felt his pulse. He's still here, but why isn't he waking up?! "Artemis, come on, please…" Luna flung herself on top of him, "Please… wake up." She looked at his pale face and saw her tears drip onto his cheeks, "It's not suppose to be like this… it's not.."
"Just give him time," Mars listened to his heartbeat, "He should be around soon."
"I'm sorry, Luna," Mercury apologized, "This is all my fault."
She looked up at Mercury and wiped away her tears, "No, you had no control over yourself." Luna looked at Mars, "How did you arrive?"
"I am the God of War," Mars answered proudly, "But also of courage and strength, and you flinging yourself on top of him was very brave."
"You could have died!" Mercury added.
'I don't go that easily," Luna laughed and turned her eyes towards Artemis again, "I wonder…" She remembered her father's spell and whispered, "Oh heart of gold, never weary or old…"
"What are you doing?" Artemis coughed and sat up. Luna was hovered over his chest and her hand was placed over his heart.
She moved it quickly, "You're alright!"
"Of course," He rubbed the back of his head and winced, "Geez, if you wanted to see me shirtless, all you have to do was ask." He teased and his teasing smirk turned into horror, "What happened…" His eyes widened, "What the hell happened to you?!"
"What?" Luna looked at her arms and found swollen bruises. They were the same on her legs and when she touched her face, her eyebrow was cut and her temples were enlarged. "Oh," She closed her eyes and focused her energy on healing her wounds.
Artemis reached out for her wrist and pulled her close to him. Luna opened her eyes and blushed, but she did not have the strength to pull away. "I'm sorry," He choked on his words, "So… sorry…"
Oh Goddess… Luna's throat tightened and she felt a tear on her shoulder. She closed her eyes again and concentrated hard on healing herself. Why is this taking forever? Is it because of the witch?
"I swear…" Artemis pulled away from her and stared into her eyes with icicles of his own, "She will never live to see the day of hurting you again."
Luna's body froze, He's a bit frightening when he's serious. Artemis kissed her forehead which gave a chill throughout her body. He did not let go that kiss for at least of minute, and when he did, her body was burning hot with magical energy. Her healing process sped up and her wounds her gone. What was that about?
He stood to his feet and teased, "Ready to face the witch?"
Luna smirked with a laugh, "Always."
"Oh yeah!" Mars fist pumped, "I am always ready for a battle!" He fluttered out the cracks of the bars and Mercury followed close behind him.
Luna drew her sword and cut the lock on the jail cell.
Artemis complimented her as he grabbed his bow, "You're pretty good with a sword."
"You haven't seen the beginning of it." Luna tossed him his quiver and arrows.
He caught them, "Better not let me down, princess."
"Don't plan on it," Luna loved a challenge. Artemis ran ahead of her up the stairwell that led to the witch.
Written to "Start a Fire" by Ryan Star and "On My Own" by Ashes Remain
Author's Note: Hey guys, I apologize for the year hiatus, but I am back! I am going to update what I have of this story and finish it within the next week or so. I can't keep this one hanging, so I will finish it, but then I will move on. I do have another Harvest Moon like story started, but it is more realistic than fantasy. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and onto the next chapter!