粉红的窗帘

Artemis, her fate sealed, knelt before Fenrir, her heart heavy with regret. She had made countless foolish decisions, and now she was about to pay the ultimate price. As she braced herself for the pain that was sure to come, a strange sensation washed over her body—a wet, sticky feeling that made her question her senses.

"Did I die? Is this how it feels to enter the nothingness? I thought it would be more painful," Saying those words, Artemis slowly opened her eyes to see the view that only the dead people can see. She was curious to see what her afterlife looked like.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and what she saw before she sent a shiver down her spine, it wasn't the scenery she expected to see as soon as she open her eyes. Her entire being was drenched in the blood of the people who had held her captive, their life force now mingling with her own. The sight was gruesome, horrifying, but at that moment, it ignited a spark within her seeing something unexpected.

Fenrir, the fearsome wolf, stood before her, his eyes fixed on her with a twisted grin. His presence alone was enough to strike terror into the hearts of the bravest warriors, yet Artemis felt a newfound determination rise within her.

"Why? Why do you smile at me, Fenrir? Why didn't you kill me?" she asked, her voice quivering with a mixture of fear and defiance.

The wolf's low growl filled the air, resonating with a sinister tone. "You think yourself invincible, Artemis, but you have only scratched the surface of your own power. This blood on your hands is but a testament to the strength that lies within you and the betrayal you experienced."

Artemis clutched her trembling fists, her eyes narrowing as she absorbed his words. "Strength? Is this what strength truly looks like? A river of blood? Do you mean it won't matter no matter how much blood is shaken in the name of war?" Her voice wavered, a hint of anguish and confusion seeping through.

Fenrir's eyes gleamed with amusement, his fangs bared in a snarl. "Strength comes in many forms, Artemis. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made to attain it. The path you have chosen is stained with the crimson of those who dared to oppose you. Embrace it. Otherwise, your reluctance will cause damage to Tasha and Edona both. I decided to embrace my worst fear, I will face what's coming to face me, and you should also do that"

As the weight of Fenrir's words settled upon her, Artemis felt her fear transform into a resolve, a resolve that would guide her actions in the moments to come. She rose to her feet, the blood-soaked ground beneath her trembling with her newfound determination.

"Very well, Fenrir," she declared, her voice laced with a newfound conviction. "If this is the path I must walk, then I shall do so without falter. I will embrace the strength within me, but I will ensure it is not tainted by the innocent blood spilt. My hands will be only dirty with the blood of damn traitors like Apollo,"

Fenrir's laughter echoed through the desolate landscape, a chilling sound that seemed to reverberate within Artemis's very soul. "We shall see, Artemis. We shall see if you can rise above the darkness that is about to consume you and me both."

"Take care of Tasha, she has my child growing inside her, some unknown force will come to kill Tasha sooner or later, and I will fight it, the only reason I didn't kill you is because I want you to protect Tasha,"

With those ominous words, Fenrir turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest, leaving Artemis alone in the wake of her fateful encounter. She stood there, her body still drenched in blood, but her spirit ignited with a fierce determination and the pure shock she got from listening to his last words.

"..."

"A child? My Tasha bore someone else child and I should protect it? This isn't a joke," Artemis said, but deep down she wasn't really angry.

But she had many doubts.

How can an immortal being impregnate someone, when half immortals like Artemis cannot do that?

Who will come to harm Tasha and the child?

Can she even face someone strong enough to challenge Fenrir?

The path ahead was treacherous, and the sacrifices she would make would be great, but Artemis was ready to face her destiny head-on, for she had tasted both the sweetness of victory and the bitter taste of remorse, and she was determined to shape her own future, blood-stained or not.

"Ughhh~ what just happened?" Apollo mumbled, his hand gingerly touching the spot where something had struck him. Confusion clouded his eyes as he struggled to piece together the events that had unfolded before him.

Artemis's anger surged like a tempest within her. Her brother, once a trusted ally, had betrayed her in the darkest hour of her existence. The sting of his treachery cut deep into her heart, fueling a fiery rage that threatened to consume her.

"You dare to question what happened?" she spat, her voice laced with venomous anger. Her eyes burned with a righteous fury, and her hand instinctively tightened with pure mana leaking from this ready for a spell, ready to unleash her wrath upon the betrayer.

Apollo's gaze shifted from confusion to fear as he beheld his sister's wrathful countenance. He stumbled backwards, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "Artemis, I... I didn't mean for this to happen. I was merely trying to find a way to help you. To protect you."

Even though he said those words, Artemis clearly saw how Apollo's eyes were travelling everywhere searching for Fenrir's body. He still had no idea that Fenrir was just playing with him, so he still thought he had some kind of a chance.

Her anger only intensified at his feeble attempts to justify his actions. The betrayal cut deeper with each word he spoke. The rules of heaven, once an unyielding force that bound her actions, now felt like mere threads, ready to be torn apart.

"Help me? Protect me?" she seethed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "By siding with those who sought to harm us? By throwing your lot in with those who have stained their hands with our mother's blood?"

Apollo's face paled, his gaze falling to the ground in confusion. "I... I didn't know. I didn't understand the true extent of their intentions."

'Damn it, Idiotic wolf, come and kill her, what are you even waiting for?'

Under his breath, Apollo muttered but seeing nothing noteworthy happening, he felt something was wrong.

Artemis's grip on her hand tightened even further, her knuckles turning white. The sight of her brother's remorse only fueled her resolve to take action, to ensure that he would never betray her again.

"Are you looking for the Fenrir?" She questioned almost in a mocking voice. " Too bad, he won't come because he was acting from the beginning, he made a clown out of you Apollo, he was just having fun with you, just like how I was fooled by you, Fenrir made an even bigger fool out of you,"

"No! No! That can't be," Apollo roared, his voice echoing through the desolate landscape. The revelation was a bitter pill to swallow, for he had been played, a pawn in Fenrir's sinister game. The realization ignited a burning rage within him, a fury that threatened to consume him whole.

Artemis watched, her expression a mix of amusement and scorn, as Apollo's anger reached its boiling point. Her mocking laughter danced on the edge of her lips, a sharp contrast to the turmoil within her brother's soul.

"So, dear brother, you finally understand," she taunted, her voice laced with derision. "The great Apollo, the all-knowing, fooled by a mere trickster. How does it feel to be played for a fool?"

Apollo's eyes blazed with fury, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "You... you knew all along! You set me up!" His voice trembled with a mixture of betrayal and anger. The realization of his sister's deception cut deep, shattering the remnants of trust that remained. At least that's what he thought. Because of how angered he was, Apollo couldn't act calmly.

'What the hell is he talking about? I guess, I'll play along,'

Artemis's laughter filled the air, a sound that dripped with mockery since she didn't want to refuse what Apollo said knowing that, it would bring him more pain. "Oh, I knew, dear brother. I knew the moment you fell into Fenrir's grasp. It was all part of the plan, you see." She took a step closer, her eyes gleaming with a sinister delight. "You were nothing more than a pawn, a means to an end."

Apollo's face contorted with rage, his every muscle was taut with tension. "How could you? We are family! We are meant to stand together, not tear each other apart."

Artemis's smile widened, her words laden with cruel satisfaction. "Family, you say? How convenient for you to use that word right now,"

Saying those words, Artemis swiftly retreated, putting a considerable distance between herself and Apollo. She knew that facing him head-on would be a grave mistake, for her brother's newfound fury radiated with a power that matched her own.

Apollo stood tall, his chest heaving with each breath as he prepared to give chase. His anger had transformed into a blazing determination, his mind focused solely on confronting his sister and exacting his revenge for the web of deceit she had woven.

Artemis, her gaze locked onto Apollo, wore a smirk of confidence. She relished the challenge that lay before her, the opportunity to prove her superiority and show her brother the price he would pay for underestimating her.

"You will regret this day, Artemis," Apollo growled, his voice filled with anger and both of them got ready, their powers crackling in the air like electric storms. The atmosphere around them darkened, mirroring the intensity of their clash.