Ch. 19-In the Hall of the Goblin Vault
The sun continued to beat down on them as they approached the mighty statue; Xavier being pulled threateningly along by a Death Eater, too weak to take the heat of the desert. Desra led the party along pulling Artemis along with the enchanted shackles. They now stood before the large monument, Desra asked.
"Well?"
"I have to press the key to the right paw", said Artemis. Desra then pulled the key from her coat and placed it in Artemis' bound hands. Carefully he backed into the enormous right paw and pressed the cool metal key to the hot stone. Immediately it surged a charge through the statue and the crackling of stone rang out as the head of the Sphinx looked down upon them and then squarely to Artemis. Its dark deep voice rang through the empty desert.
"What is always too late?
A cruel twist of fate
Makes us weep when it's here
Does not call when it's near
Compels us to go back
Turns our entire world black
Now you crave another life
But too late, you must live with your strife"
"What is it?" Desra demanded of Artemis.
"I'm thinking, he said sternly." The entire party thought in silence, the cruel sun pulling the sweat from their skin. Suddenly a voice of one of the Death Eaters spoke out.
"It's time, yeah time. Go back in time that's what it is." Artemis tried to stop him.
"I don't think that's..." The Death Eater stood before the shifting head and yelled.
"TIME!" The Sphinx reeled its head back, bearing its teeth and roared a mighty roar. In its agape mouth glowed a bright green light growing brighter and brighter as the sky grew darker. Then with a gust of power the Sphinx projected from its mouth an incredible beam of green death that enveloped the damn fool. All others hid their faces from the unbearable intense light. When they looked after the beam had receded they saw the shape of the man. He was a charred silhouette and fell to ashes, and blew away in the desert wind. The others looked around in panic.
"Think you can pick us off one by one eh Artemis!" Desra said twisting the shackles causing Artemis to seethe in pain.
"I didn't know!"
"What's the answer?" She said with a shout.
"I don't know!"
"Say it or he dies!" Desra motioned to the Death Eater holding Xavier who pressed his wand harshly into his neck. Artemis thought of what Gognar had told him; that he would need to look deep within himself to find the answer. Finally he knew and stood before the grand Sphinx and shouted.
"REGRET!" The massive head retreated back to its original place than formed itself once more as a motionless statue. The rumbling of the Earth shook them all as the right paw lifted from the ground and a large hole was opened before them. As they looked down they saw a long dark staircase, lit only by a few torches. All of their captors lit the ends of their wands and pulled their prisoners along down the deep dark passage.
The flickering torches along the stone corridor warmed the cool underground passageway. This place has known magic, a lot of it, but not the normal kind of magic you feel. He felt something like a warm prickling shoot through his body, and he stopped dead in his tracks. He spoke to his captors.
"Do you feel that?" All of them looked around cautiously and suspiciously.
"Feel what?" Desra asked in reply.
"That...never mind", the party continued down the hall passing steel door after steel door all having a key hole much lower than on normal doors. Above each door was an engraving of three symbols, similar ones were on the key. Desra kept looking from the key to the doors trying to find the matching vault. They came across a split in the passage, now they were at an impasse, turn left or turn right? Artemis felt that same warm tingle on the left side of his body; something was telling him the way.
"Left." Artemis said assuredly.
"How do you know?" Desra said. Artemis said nothing just looked to her. And then they proceeded down the left passage. As they continued on Artemis kept feeling this strange feeling around him. Wondering why no one else could feel it, when it dawned on him. This place is of ancient magic, antiquus magicom, Artemis was the only one here with it. Maybe he could control something here; he felt like a puppet master holding a string but didn't know what was tethered to the other end. Another turn, this time a four way turn. Artemis felt the sensation on his right side, and turn right they did. This place was something of a labyrinth; if he could get these shackles off of him, and get him and Xavier separated from their captors he knew that something could lead them out of here. Yet another turn, same as the first time only now they turned right, and again and again he felt the sensation pulling him to where he needed to be. He couldn't explain it, nor did he even care, but some part of him was being led by a guardian of some sort; another left, then straight through the next one. Artemis looked to the wall and saw that the flames grew in intensity when he walked by. And the chains along the wall pulled to him like a magnet. Finally he was being jerked to a halt.
"This is it!" yelled Desra. Above the door were the three symbols on the key.
They turned the key and creaked open the heavy metal door. These vaults were large with torches within them. In the middle of the room in a glass case stood the prized possession. The Sword of Salazar Slytherin in its entire splendor. Desra waved her wand at it shattering the glass case, stepping cautiously toward it. No matter what Artemis did, as long as Desra had these binds on him he could do nothing. He looked to Xavier, still weak but pulling through. His guard was distracted by the sword and didn't see Artemis making eye contact with him. He looked to Xavier than to Desra, shaking his chains to indicate what he needed to grab. Xavier nodded as Desra reached into the shattered case and pulling out the sword. Eyeing it like a priceless jewel. She places her wand in her pocket as to caress the blade with both hands. Her sinister smile extends across her face, pleased with herself. Now she turns herself to gloat at Artemis; holding the blade close to her, admiring its shine. She approaches him closely, now turning her back to Xavier, getting in his face.
"Thank you Artemis, he will be pleased." Xavier nods to him. The stage is set, now to draw the curtain. He arched back and swung his head full force, smashing into Desra's nose. Xavier ducked out of the arms of his sentinel and lurched forward grabbing the wand out of her pocket and stunning the other Death Eater. Artemis thought of the flames and beckoned them to expand and the room was swept up with warm flames distracting their keepers. Artemis spun round and ran out the door following Xavier. Artemis ran down the hall Xavier following, turning left then right then right again. From the room Artemis heard a bellowing cry from the infuriated Desra.
"AFTER THEM!" The two ran full speed, Artemis being beckoned left than straight then left.
"How do you know where you're going?" Xavier asked. "How did the fire..."
"Just follow me", behind them they heard the feet clamoring in pursuit; yelling in dismay.
"Where the hell are they?" yelled one. The two came around a corner; Artemis motioned to Xavier to use the wand to release him. Xavier pointed to the shackles yelling:
"Eximo!" The cuffs relinquished their grip and turned once again to their shiny silver sheik, falling to the floor with a clatter.
"This way!" A deep angry voice yelled out.
"Give me the wand and wait right here, I'll be back for you." Xavier nodded then slumped down to the floor waiting in the entranceway of a vault. Artemis asked all the torches to extinguish and the corridors grew dark. He pointed his wand and his eyes saying. "Atrum Videa", and now he saw everything perfectly clear in a glowing blue. He gave the wand back to Xavier. "Here, protect yourself." Xavier took the wand holding it at the ready.
Artemis could feel the sensation pulling him where he wanted to go, toward his enemies. Finally he came across one wandering through the halls, fighting through the darkness. Artemis crept up behind him and told the chains to bind him; they flung round whipping about like snakes and wrapped themselves around him hoisting him up by his neck strangling him to death, then searched through his pockets for his wand. Not here.
As he crept through the corridors he could hear the echoes of Desra and the other two Death Eaters, cursing the darkness. He saw the dim glow of their wands around the next turn, and followed round. As he bound the next one with his back to him, Desra swung round throwing several green flashes at the shadow of a man who had come and gone. Looking bewildered at her dead counterpart hanging by a chain. Yet again his wand wasn't there. Artemis crept around again but this time was met with the remaining Death Eater.
"Hands up!" Artemis put his hands up turning round seeing this one was holding the sword itself. "I've got 'im!" He yelled to his leader. Artemis saw a large brick wiggle in its place, and he simply moved his hand and the brick flew from the wall and smashed into his body. Artemis took the sword and found his wand. Now he was bounding back to where Xavier was. Feeling where he was sitting, the halls speaking to him. He rounded the corner to where Xavier was, but found he was gone. Artemis waved his wand across his face extinguishing the charm on his eyes, then commanding the torches to light once more. Where was he?
"Give me the sword!" Artemis turned, wand pointed to kill, finding Desra holding Xavier round the throat, wand pressing into his neck. Artemis saw the terrified eyes of his companion, and thought of Arthur, he couldn't bear to see another innocent die on his behalf. Whether this would be the end of him or not, he would not be responsible for his death. He threw down the sword and her feet, she commanded Xavier to pick it up and hand it to her. Silence fell through the corridor, the sound of the dancing flames purged the sadness of Artemis heart, he wasn't angry, only sad and filled with regret.
"Thanks much." Desra said plunging the sword into Xavier's back.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bellowed Artemis rushing forward as Desra turned heel and ran away. Artemis caught the limp falling boy, holding him and seeing the light go from his eyes. Begging him not to die, he held the back of his head. Blood spat from his mouth and gurgled out one last thing.
"Thank...you..." Artemis was grief stricken and confused. "...for...everything" He released his last breath and his head fell back, dead. Artemis held the boy in his arms, stunned and angry. Inside he felt something brewing; horrifying shame and remorse now were mixing with raw seething hatred. He slid his fingers over his eyelids and laying him on the ground stood looking down at him. Falling back to the day his parents died, as he held their dead bodies he felt as if the entire world had gone dark, and time had ceased. Everything moved so slowly, so purposefully as to imprint this moment into his mind. He was feeling it all over again. Falling to his knees now he yelled a horrible scream; flashes in his mind flew by like painful knives on his brain: Arthur's body in the trunk, Artemis' powers being stripped, Broderick catching fire, Adora being thrown into the ceiling, Abraxas beating Lucius, his dead parents lying motionless.
He thought of his purpose and what he knew it to be, now more than ever he questioned it. As anger tapped its hot fingers on his shoulder, he was reminded of the murderer who was getting away. He ran forward down the passage. Letting his feelings guide him to the exit. Soon he was upon the final tunnel, which at the end of it bore the light of the desert sun. A figure was sprinting for it, just out of reach. Artemis bolted as fast as he could, but suddenly felt himself going even faster, the walls seemed to be pushing him along. He was in range.
"Avada Kedavra!" The green flash flew down the dark hall and was deflected by the shining silver blade to which Desra clutched. Her snide laugh echoed to Artemis and beyond. He ran trying again and again but the blade would not allow it; would not allow it's bearer to die. Suddenly she was on the stairs fleeing; soon she would be able to disapparate. She pulled herself into the sunlight now staggering up the stairs approaching her escape. Artemis had a thought, and without analyzing it shouted.
"THIEF!" The halls rumbled and Desra turned round confused to his cry. The familiar roar of the Sphinx echoed through the catacombs as Artemis made his way to the top of the stairs. Desra turned to Artemis waving goodbye. Then the mighty head of the Sphinx came down and swallowed her up. Her screams of terror were ended as the great statue closed its grand jaw, finishing her off; the beast then spit up the sword landing with a thump on the hot sand. Artemis reached down for the sword, his hand nearly touching the handle when he was thrown to the side with great force. He landed in a dune, looking up to see the bloody face of the Death Eater he had clobbered with the brick holding the sword in his hand. Artemis pulled his wand sharply. Crack! He was gone.
The paw of the Sphinx closed once more and returned to its fixed nature. Artemis yelled into the emptiness of the desert, shooting charms into the sand, blowing large clouds into the air. His anger was boundless.
Finally he collapsed into the sand, panting with disappointment as his thought polluted his mind. Tom would soon have the sword, and soon he would be unstoppable. He had no idea what to do. First thing is to get out of this sun. He stood and disapparated arriving just where he had left. Seeing the chair Xavier was sitting in, its upholstery stained with his blood. He suddenly had the urge to cry, he wanted to cry; a feeling which he hadn't felt in quite some time. He felt the sadness welling up in his stomach and making its way to his throat, but he couldn't do it. No matter how many sad things he polluted his thoughts with he could not bring forth a single tear.
The sadness now mixed with fear; fear that he had somehow become less human. He remembered back to what Desra had said about Tom "He's been disappearing now and then, and each time he comes back less human". Was he becoming less human, was it already too late? Could it be that he was no better than the monster who calls itself Lord Voldemort? These thoughts shook Artemis down to his core, literally shivering him. He collapsed onto the floor, no air, just endless regard; endless regret.
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Artemis sat on his back balcony that night, gazing out over the endless forest. Drinking away his anguish, he was thinking less and less of his troubles as he slipped from reality. He began to feel he inebriation fall over him as they night grew darker and darker; crickets chirping and the noise of the greenery below hissing into the twilight. He slumped back into the chair perched on the high stone veranda.
"What could I have done? What could I have changed? What could I have done differently?" He said these questions out loud to himself hoping an answer would come to him, hoping someone would speak to him. As he moved further into intoxication he thought of how he could have stopped this in his past, if only he had known then what he had knew now. He knew he was wrong to oppose Broderick, that he only had his best interests at heart, and how all those he believed cared for him were traitorous villains. All he had now was his only love Adora; she was now in the clutches of a monstrous evil creature, and his son. He had early forgotten about his son, nearly twenty years old. Without a father all those years, and Artemis being helpless to he there for him, added to his regret. He had dreamed of having a son with Adora, and now he too was a prisoner in Tom's lair. He had always dreamed of raising Lucius, but now he too was as evil as his father. He had failed in that instance as well. Now with Xavier dead, the only real live friend he had ever had since his isolation was now gone, and it was his entire fault. All of this was his fault.
As he thought of his loneliness, Amicus landed on the arm of his chair and brought a slight smile to Artemis' face. With that glimmer of happiness he slumped into his chair feeling the rest coming over him. He passed out in the cool night; Amicus nestled on his arm, sinking finally into peace.