"I believe the bribing more than blood, sweat, and tears. I can't believe we used to protect you, fragile little creatures," she poked him with the branch much to his annoyance. "If not for that rule of not hurting humans bonding Gods from doing anything and those fallen weapons, we could wipe your kind out."
"I am well aware." That was what scared the past kings.
"I'm curious as to why your line of focus was only on Gods. Do you not fear demons, vampires, or worse? They were the ones preying on you for food. I don't hear of any hunts for them these days. Do you think they're a myth?"
Alexander shrugged his shoulders because he didn't know what to believe. He once thought it was pointless for the kings to chase after Gods because they might not even live in this world anymore. Yet, one was standing before him. He heard of such creatures of vampires, werewolves, and more existing but had never seen one before. Many thought they were just a myth just like how many thought Gods were a myth told by kings to make them sound heroic.
To most people, you believe in what you can see so these creatures' existence wasn't believed. Alexander knew they had to once exist for so many stories to be told about them but as none of them ever showed up before him, he didn't waste his time in fear.
"Well, they are very real and live behind the walls in this kingdom. Technically, the king didn't have a right to put up those walls. Didn't it ever occur to any of you that the reason you were not able to enter many places nearby was that it was inhabited by something keeping you out? The vampires live in the dark forest nearby with a castle similar to the one the king lives in. The wolves have a community like the towns you have here. It's time humans stop being so scared of everything and learn to coexist."
Artemis viewed humans as having a power complex. They wanted to be on top of the world and everyone else was beneath them. Seeing that the Gods were much more powerful, they became jealous and started to refuse their help. What was the end result? Wars, innocent lives were taken, slaves made, and not once did the humans push their pride to the side and asked for God's help again. In Artemis's opinion, some Gods might turn around and help even with everything the humans did.
"Coexist you say," Alexander chuckled at the dream. It would never ever happen. "Humans will never coexist with other creatures. Aren't these vampires and demons going to kill humans when they reveal themselves? How can a predator and prey get along?"
"With that same sword, you've been killing my kind with. You doubt me but best believe, one day I'll have vampires walking around the Harlow kingdom amongst humans and it'll be a normal day. I'll force the predator and prey to get along." She had the urge to prove him wrong that it could happen.
"Why? This sounds so unlike you. Why do you want peace?" From the way she spoke of kings and humans, Alexander thought she wanted to see the world destroyed not see peace.
"You are misunderstanding me. I don't care about peace for your kind but creatures who shouldn't have to hide in fear. I've lived in hiding for a long time and it has never once been fun. Your kind parades around throwing festivals and freely walking wherever they please. There are creatures I want to experience the world without being hunted." For example, there were wolf children brought to her for a blessing and then returned home. They couldn't run around and experience the world because there was always the fear of being hunted.
"This world is meant to be explored. I only have memories of being in this forest. I want to see the places the humans talk about but I can't. How can I enjoy the beauty of the world when I have to keep looking over my shoulder? What I will do will make the world better for those just like me. The ones tired of remaining out of sight."
To Alexander, it sounded like she had written her death into this plan because she talked of making it better for others and not necessarily herself. Now that she brought it up, he realized how lonely she must've been here. She seemed to be talking to the glowing tree and whatever had dragged him here but he never heard anyone talking.
"Can't you leave this place and go somewhere with no humans? Live with the vampires or something?"
"I can't," she admitted, looking out to the tree in the middle of the lake. "This place is like a prison for me and I have no idea how to break free. I can't stay out of the forest too long or pain will start to build up on the inside of my body forcing me to return. It won't kill me but it still hurts. If I could leave, I would've been gone by now. Probably back at my true home."
'True home?' He thought to himself. Of course, the Gods had to come from somewhere else but where?
"It might not mean much but I'm sorry for what we did to you," he apologized for others' actions. He hadn't killed a God but still, at any point in time, if he was ordered to, he would've. Had he not met her at the festival, they would've met when Darius tried to enter the forest. He most likely would be the one Darius sent to strike her down with the sword. He knew that and so did Artemis.
"I don't need your apology Alexander and I certainly don't enjoy the look of pity you have. It wounds me to think my victim pities me. You and I are enemies so don't pity me," she avoided eye contact with him.