King Darius banged his fist on the table out of anger. Why was it taking them so long to find the other two artifacts he needed? They were all disappointing him with their little progress.
He needed them soon or all his planning would be for nothing. How could he control what was in the forest if he didn't have the other artifacts?
He refused to be a failure like the kings before him but his servants were all useless. He had been too lenient as they were not doing their jobs properly. He'll chop heads off if it meant them understanding how serious he was.
"Dammit," he cursed, trying to think of what to do next. He laid everything out plain and simple but it wasn't going his way for once in his life. It was stupid to even believe his servants could surprise and complete his command in a matter of time.
"Got a little cocky did we?" The voice in the shadows said. It was fun to see others in distress as it brought joy to their empty souls. The king was nothing more than entertainment for them.
Darius gritted his teeth at the voice as he forgot they were in the room. They were always there watching him and ready to make a mockery out of him.
"Don't you have something better to do?" He didn't like anyone seeing him when he was failing. Should he move them to another room? Then again, he would kill them before they could ever whisper about his failures
A sound of shackles could be heard in the darkness as the person in the shadows moved around as much as the shackles would allow them.
"When is there such a fun scene in here? No! The great king couldn't even find one little artifact. It's simply not as fun as I thought this would be," the voice seemed as though the person was circling the room, the sound of shackles hitting against each other was becoming louder. The lit candles in the room flickered out so the king couldn't pinpoint where they were.
"Maybe you're not as powerful as you thought?" The voice in the dark questioned taunting the king. They knew how to poke at the king to get the reaction they wanted.
"Shut up! I told you I'm sick and tired of hearing your voice! You are my servant, no, even worse, my prisoner. You have no right to question my power when I have you captured here," Darius yelled looking around the room left and right as he didn't know where they were.
There was so much he had to deal with other than this fool. He didn't have time for this.
'And yet I feel the fright radiating off you. How fun', they thought. The big and powerful king who claimed to fear no human nor God still trembled in fear on the inside. It brought a tingling sensation to the person in the shadows feeling the king's fears grow.
"My mistake king Darius, I forgot my place," they said, backing down for now. The candles in the room were suddenly lit again but yet Darius had no clue where they were.
Darius ignored their words and turned his attention back to the map he showed Alexander before. He was searching high and low for the artifacts but hadn't found the others. He wanted more power right now. To not have anyone question him and would tremble in fear. Every being would bow down to him soon.
...….
Artemis stared at the night sky enjoying the view of the stars. She was laying by the lake as she normally did at the time of night. There was nothing else for her to do right now but enjoy the beauty of the sky as always.
'How beautiful', she thought, wanting to be up there. She knew she belonged up there. Anywhere but here. To be somewhere free, to be able to do as she pleased, and not have to hide. Not having to live alone.
She was tired of being alone and hiding in the forest but she had a plan and would start putting it in motion now. On her way back home she thought about her revenge. It wasn't just the humans but the elders with whom she needed to get revenge.
The elders sent the Gods down here and turned their back on them quicker than the humans did. Their actions shouldn't be overlooked just because they were her elders. She knew everything which occurred started with them. The Gods obeyed their every command and feared them but they were nothing but cowards. Hiding behind a throne as their servants protect them from those who oppose them. The elders were no different from the kings and Queens here.
They should have welcomed home the Gods after humans no longer needed them but yet they closed the gates and watched them die off one by one because they cast a sword and other artifacts down to the humans. Gods couldn't fight back as they imposed a law they were bound to not hurt humans.
"I'm coming for you," she said out loud and watched as lightning spread throughout the sky. One lightning strike was heading in her direction but she paid no heed to it as she cleared up the sky making the lightning vanish. "This is my territory you fools. Count your last days."
Artemis sat up to look at the lake. It was lighting up as usual as the wishes came in. She decided to stand up and get an important piece of her plan. She walked closer to the lake and looked down at the water.
"Bring me my chest," she said to the water but it was really directed to what was living under the water.
Slowly a chest was lifted out of the water by a creature in the lake. Artemis bent down to take the chest from one of the sirens who live at the bottom of the lake. She looked beautiful in the water but as her hand brushed against Artemis's hand her face turned to that of a witch.
"I hope you weren't thinking of trying to drown me," Artemis said, holding the chest in her hands. She took note of how many more they were coming to the surface of the water. Surely, they were living well down there. "Why don't you just leave to go to the sea? It would be more fun out there. Plenty of you has already left and terrorized the sea."
"How beautiful," She commented on the appearance of the siren which returned to normal.
The siren released a loud screech before she returned down below the lake followed by the others. They certainly weren't the most friendly creatures.
"So much for complimenting others. See what happens when I'm nice?" She asked the tree in the middle of the lake. She had no one else to talk to.
Artemis looked at the old chest she had received from the siren. It was one of the things she asked them to hide at the bottom of the lake many, many years ago. Now it would be time to use it.
She placed the chest on the ground and opened her hand to let a small bright orb move from her hand to open the chest. The chest popped open to reveal one of the three old artifacts which had fallen from the sky. A bracelet that was used to have someone under the control of whoever put it on.
She smirked remembering the day she came across the artifact. Artemis never thought she had any use for it until now. The bracelet would have a new home on the hand of the general, Alexander Mclane.
"We'll be having a guest in the forest soon. Try not to kill him," she said to the ancient tree.