DG a.k.a Demon Gurl Ahhhh, thank you for reviewing! Is it that bad? Hmmm, so does that mean that the page-break line that I use doesn't work?
Little Bunny Ah, your enthusiasm makes my heart skip! Haha, I'm sorry for taking so long.
Yamanaka Usagi :)
Yukari Sendou No, no, no, I'm sorry for being super late with the update!
SummoningShadows18 Hahahaha, don't worry, he'll be back soon!
summary: Artemis Niels is a part-time topographer, gel maker, and merchant, with some medical talents just for kicks. Dressing as a male comes naturally. but she never thought she'd be dragged on a quest to save the world. 'Tales of the Abyss is not my property'
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Artemis closed her eyes as she remembered what had truly brought her into this situation. Bitter memories surfaced behind her eye lids and she squeezed her eyes tight as if it would stop her from the seeing the past…
"Artemis!"
She clasped her head in her arms.
"Artemis!"
That voice…She would remember forever.
"Artemis!"
"EVENOS!"
SMACK.
The sudden attack against her cheek forced her to stumble backwards.
"Now, now, children," the horrible man sneered from above her, "You really ought to behave."
"A-Artemis," Evenos whimpered in his captor's grasp.
"Why are you doing this!" Artemis hissed as she pulled herself to her feet again.
The man laughed cruelly, "'Why?' What do you mean 'why'? We need someone to read the score to the people, don't you know? And you two fit the part perfectly!"
"Th-there's the F-Fon Master for that!" the small Evenos cried.
"Ah, that's what you may think," the man's grip on Evenos' shoulders suddenly tightened and the boy grimaced in his grasp, "The current Fon Master is a false prophet."
"What?" Artemis said softly, "That's impossible, the Fon Master-"
"Is dead," the man said coldly, "He's been dead for the past week and that imposter has been in his place while we searched for a new Fon Master."
He looked eerily down at them both, "But who would have thought that we'd find two candidates for the Fon Master?"
The man smoothed out the creases of cloth on Evenos' shoulder, "We really don't need two…and even keeping one for back up might be a little risky for the public eye…" he dropped a hand on Evenos' head, "I guess one of you will have to disappear."
"Don't touch him!" Artemis launched herself at him and would have reached the pudgy man if a guard hadn't suddenly appeared and acquainted her with the gravel. He pointed the end of his spear at her throat.
"Ah, what a fiery spirit," the man smirked, "A little too energetic for the people though, you might alarm them. I suppose your brother will have to do." He shoved Evenos into the hands of another guard and shuffled over to Artemis.
"But for you, it really would be a waste of your attributes to just kill you off," he touched the back of her neck and smiled, "So I know exactly what to do!"
He increased his pressure on the nape of her neck and circled it once with his nails. Artemis grimaced at the contact. He stood up and motioned to the guard standing over Artemis. The guard put away his weapon and grabbed Artemis by the back of her shirt.
"We'll have you become the perfect guardian."
Artemis' shot open like a spell breaking and she came out of her trance. She shoved any remnants of her trip down memory lane and threw the sheets off of her. She jumped out of the bed and grabbed her satchel and decorative piece that the God-General had ever so conveniently left in the room. There was no way she could just sit and wait anymore, especially after something like that. Forget riding the rest of the way to the closest town. She needed to get away now.
She buckled the cloth together around her waist and fit the sword around her, then scanned around the room. There was only one door, but plenty of windows. She walked over to one and looked down. The ground was quite a ways from the window. She looked around again. It seemed the best way out. As for any of the problems with landing…she'd deal with those repercussions later.
Her black gloves, along with the rest of her clothing, had been left on in her capture, so she removed the expensive fabric to work with what she was about to do. She slid the gloves into her pockets and slipped a hand into her satchel.
'Acid,' she thought in her head and flicked her wrist once before the vial landed in her hands. She felt other glass vials that clinked against each other at her finger tips but paid them no mind; She only needed one at the moment. She pulled it out and looked at the glass container. She rolled her wrist and observed the green liquid swish around in the vial. It flashed from green to yellow then back to green. This one looked fine.
Carefully, she removed the green threaded seal on it and pulled the glass cap off. She placed the whole vial from the top perpendicular to the glass window and let the acid hit the glass. She let it pool out slowly then spread it over the whole surface of the window with the glass vial. Nothing happened with the green liquid.
She took a step back and looked to the glass in her hand. Artemis tossed it into the air once before chunking it at the window.
"This might sting," she breathed,"ACID!"
As soon as she had started the Arte, a lavender glowing rune projected from the green liquid before shattering. The potion suddenly bubbled rapidly and ate away at everything it had been touching, including the unsealed vial it had originally been in.
"-rd shouting!"
All she heard was some muted shouting before the door to the room was slammed open. Guards flooded in with the green-haired God General standing in the middle.
"Stop!" Sync ordered.
Artemis' form jerked to a stop. Gritting her teeth she turned to look at him and smiled weakly.
"Good bye."
She leaped out of the window. Sync raced over to the opening to stop her but didn't make it in time.
"Release," the seals on her glowed a bright golden with the exception of the Curse Seal and she landed on the ground. Sync watched as she unsteadily stood up again before sprinting off.
He growled and turned on his feet. He couldn't believe he just let him escape.
"Stop the ship I'm-"
"We don't have time," the deep voice from Largo stopped him, "We have other responsibilities at hand Sync."
"Hey are you all right?"
Artemis grimaced as the unrelenting sun shined in her eyes. She was relieved when someone's shadow obstructed the light from her face.
"Hey, he's awake!"
"Chesedonia…I need to get to Chesedonia…"
Her vision dimmed and she lost consciousness. When she woke again she was in an inn.
The sun was gone and the moon raised high in the night sky. As luck would have it, she was in the same inn from her last stay in Chesedonia.
"Ugh," she groaned.
After jumping the Tartarus, she had run for a long while. She probably ran until she passed out. That was when the group of travelers picker her up. She was exhausted. Maybe, just maybe, she could just lie down for a bit and pretend she wasn't in any sort of hurry.
"He must be some sort of convoy."
"Did you see the crest on his sword?"
"Who do you think he is?"
Or not.
With another exasperated groan she pushed herself out of the bed and pulled the covers off her legs. It was time to get out of there.
She pulled all her things together again for the second time that day and left some gald on the bedside table.
As much as she wanted to rest a bit, she needed to figure out where the others were. The sooner she confirmed that, the sooner they could leave as a group to Akzeriuth, and the sooner she could split up with them. She had her own plans before the clock stopped ticking.
Jade may have been able to sleep quickly, but it did not mean in any way that he was a deep sleeper. A trait like that would be all too dangerous, especially for someone of his rank and caliber. So when someone was sneaking around outside, he stirred from his sleep.
Mildly concerned, he slid out of his bed in the room that he had to himself and hid by the window. It'd be trouble for them if it was one of the God Generals, though he doubted they would go out of their way to do something like this.
"Not here either…" he heard from outside. The person was probably looking into the room right next to his. He heard the shuffling as the person made his or her way to Jade's own window.
He watched as the head of the person eclipsed the moon, sending a shadow across the room.
"There's not even anyone here," the person groaned, "I thought the manager said all the rooms were taken."
Jade's feelings were eased as he recognized the familiar voice.
Artemis.
A light smirk crossed his face as a plan formed in his head. He waited till the map-maker made her way past the window. Only when her whole body was in front of it did he act. He flung the windows open and grabbed the unsuspecting woman by her wrist.
He saw her eyes widen with surprise as she was pulled into the window. She let out a short yelp as she was half tackled to the ground, a thud resounding in the previously quiet night.
Jade ended up above the smaller woman, one hand holding her captured wrist to the ground the other flat against the carpet covered by her hair. His legs trapped her in place and his hair pooled around in her own.
Her face changed from surprise to mildly annoyed, "Thanks for leaving me behind."
"It's nice to see you were able to catch up, Artemis," Jade chuckled.
Artemis opened her mouth to retort when there was the stampeding of feet and the door to Jade's room was slammed open.
"Jade, are you—Artemis!" Guy exclaimed.
"I'm afraid not, Guy," Jade said nonchalantly.
"Because as you can see," he lifted his hand that wasn't holding Artemis up to point down at her, "this is Artemis."
Artemis gave him a deadpanned look to ask if the colonel had really 'gone there.' And of course he responded with a 'why, yes, yes, I think I did.'
"Is everything all right?" Tear's voice called out from behind Guy.
"Hie," Guy jumped forward into the room, "T-Tear."
"Hmmm, just Tear and Guy?" Jade mused aloud.
"Yes," Artemis glowered at them, "and what's that supposed to mean?"
Tear's eyes lightened at the sight of Artemis.
"Artemis, are you okay?" she asked recalling the last time she had seen the topographer.
"I, I'm fine," she replied with a smile, "but…"
She pointed at Jade, "Can we get this old man off of me?"
Tear's eyes widened when she realized the rather questionable position the colonel and documenter were in.
"J-Jade."
"Hmmm," Jade ignored Tear for the moment, "What's wrong, Artemis? Worried this old man doesn't have enough 'stamina'?"
"Wh-What?" Artemis sputtered, "When did- What does that have to do with anything? You're the one always calling yourself an old man!"
"Ah, that is true."
"WHAT IS GOING ON!"
Everyone turned to Anise who was standing aghast at the doorway, Ion right behind her.
After a long and tiring lecture from the smaller Anise, everyone managed to go back to their own rooms; Guy back to his room with Luke; Tear back to her room with Natalia; and Anise back to her room with Ion. This of course only left Artemis to Jade's room, which had the only free bed in the whole inn.
"What's wrong, Artemis?" Jade smirked, "Nervous around an old man?"
Artemis cringed and turned slowly to "Jade the Necromancer."
"You know, Jade," she started, "I actually saw this nice little inn, not too far from here. I'm sure they've got room there."
"Oh, nonsense," he waved her off, "there's no point in wasting gald when we can use what we have here."
"…" Artemis was silent before she sighed heavily and sank into the bed behind her. There really was no point in her separating from the group again, especially if it was just to get away from Jade. Something like that was just too childish.
"Unless you wanted to share a bed instead?"
Artemis stood up again, "You know, I think someone's reserved a room for me at the other inn—"
There was a knock on the door. Artemis and Jade both looked at the door then exchanged glances. The wooden door creaked open and Guy was there.
"Guy?" Artemis and Jade questioned aloud simultaneously.
"Ah, Artemis…" he looked away suddenly.
Artemis glanced at Jade. She leaned forward, pressing against her legs as she stood up. She made her way over to Guy and patted the man on his shoulder.
"I'll see you later, Jade," she said over her shoulder, "I think Guy wants to talk alone."
"Oh, I can only imagine what he has to say."
The merchant gave him a mildly confused look while Guy seemed almost panicked.
"Anyway," Guy started, "Can we talk outside?"
He didn't understand. He didn't know if he was okay with not understanding. He didn't know if he wanted to understand.
"Guy?" Artemis started. They had gone some distance from the inn and reached an alleyway.
The golden-haired man suddenly turned and grabbed the other man's shoulders.
"I don't understand!" he gritted out.
Surprise crossed in the green-haired man's eyes before it softened.
"This has been bothering you for a while now…hasn't it Guy?"
Guy pulled away and stalked away for a few steps before turning around suddenly.
"I don't understand! I don't understand you!" He threw an arm out behind him while his other hit his chest. "You just keep disappearing and…" He didn't mean it to sound so harsh though. He had intentionally called Artemis just to catch up on the situation and learn if the man was alright now. But…the stress of everything must have been catching up to him.
The merchant reached out and held onto Guy's shoulder. He gave him a reassuring look.
"Guy," he said smiling softly, "Ask me anything. I'll try to answer it the best that I'm able."
Guy stared into Artemis' eyes for what seemed like ages before he looked away, only to turn back to his green eyes.
"Just…what are you to me?"
Sync found himself staring at the broken hull of the ship again. That man had escaped right before his eyes. He didn't even have the chance to ask him any questions. He didn't get to ask why he felt so damn familiar. Sync also wanted to know how it was that the ex-slave could tell he was a replica so easily. Was it a side-effect from the Peacock eyes or something else?
Then there was another mildly unsettling matter…Artemis' master. He might not have been his real master, since there was no way he could perform a Daathic seal, but he was the one named as her master. Sync wasn't sure how it could have happened. Perhaps the previous Fon Master was asked to seal someone and then handed Niels over. Then somewhere along the way, Niels was caught up in a human-slave camp. Or maybe the previous Fon master did it all himself.
Sync shook his head, they were all only possibilities. The one thing he did know was who assigned Largo to watch over him.
Mohs.
Sorry everyone, it's been really...ridiculously hectic over here on my end of things. I'll try to get things straightened out, but I'm working at my parents store while they're gone for my mum's surgery...So that's 80+ hours a week I think as an estimate. Not to mention I've been really sick till just recently too. (I keep getting sick for some reason...) Anyway, that's just a bunch of excuses, sorry!
I do have a new laptop, so hopefully that will give me more chances to work on stuff.
R&R if you're still here, ahahaha..