"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!" Jackal's shriek of fear travelled for miles, his cry awakening slumbering beasts who went through hibernation but to be awaken early by a human child's screams of desperate cry.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" It was now Homura's turn to yell and wake the beasts. "I TOLD ARTEMIS NOT TO BRING YOU ALONG! NOW I HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR IT!" Homura yelled angrily knowing that the human boy doesn't even understand his fox tongue.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO STEAL HIS JEWEL!" Jackal wailed.

Ear piercing whistling hisses pierced the very air, it's venomous screeches like crackling flints sent a jolt a fear of the two who ran for their life. It's millions of pointy chitin legs slamming and breaking everything in its way as it began to catch up with the two beings who disturbed it. It's poisonous claws clapping together ready to snatch it's prey into its tight grip and inject it's venom inside.

"AHHHHHH!" Jackal screamed from fright; his cries being heard even by the gods.

The human boy and the fox ran even faster, their lives on the line. The thief's eyes began to tear up with the salty waters of fear. Again, with a desperate cry he shouted "I'M SORRY MR BUG! I WON'T WAKE YOU AGAIN! GO BACK TO SLEEEPPP! PLEEEEAAASSSEEE" it was this that Jackal nearly tripped on his own feet, but he contained his balance, and this made him run more than he could ever thought he could.

It was the racing of his heart that drummed in his ears like a count down to his death. Short heavy breaths being exhaled and inhaled quickly as he felt himself beginning to get tired and his feet weakening from the amount of running, he is forcing his legs to commit.

Like a hurling tornado, fear circled his mind and the only thing that was laughing in the back of his mind was the grim reaper.

He should have listened to Artemis and not have touched anything that didn't belonged to him. But the glimmering of the ruby was far too valuable to be left behind on the scaly armour of this ugly worm legged bug. He fucked up big time when he had awoken a whole family of these giant bugs and now Artemis...

The thief doesn't even know if Artemis-Sensei is alive. She probably is being torn limb by limb by the horrifying centipedes and eaten alive while her flesh is being burned to crisps by it's acidic saliva.

No matter how skilled Artemis is, someone without magic and just a sword cannot take on a whole giant family of crawling centipedes that shoot out acidic spit.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry" Jackal whimpered. His breath was worsening, and his vision began to blur his surroundings. This was it for him. 'Please don't be dead.'

It was the sudden blood curdling screeches of cries that startled him back to consciousness. However, this last hiss was not one that was angry or hungry for a snack, but it was one that rattled in agony. The boy didn't have the energy to look back and just kept on running hoping whatever it was would slow it down.

It let another deafening screech before Jackal felt a wave of impact hit behind him and the momentum sent him and the fox flying forward. Both landed back to the ground of the forest. Jackal gasped from the hard impact he felt as both the human and fox began to roll swiftly among the leafy ground of the forest before they were stopped by a bush or a tree.

The body of the centipede had slammed dunk and onto the earth before skidding across the earth and creating a wide trail of crater as it crashed onto the ground, making everything around it fly in all directions.

Jackal gasped for air, his heart hammering inside his chest and the pain in his back just bearable. He lifted himself on all fours, his vision battling with the dirt in his eyes as it tried to focus on the whirling ground.

Slowly he turned his head and what his blurred vision saw, his heart had stopped, and he felt every bit of his muscles tense.

Standing in front of the rising centipede was his Sensei. Her katana in hand, shining it's metal reflection across the grass. She stood fearlessly upon the mighty bug, hair swaying gracefully with the settling breeze and her posture strong and firm not a single bit shaken.

"So, this is where you ran off too?" Artemis said unfazed by the clacking of the centipedes claws. Her tone was cold as ice but to Jackal and Homura it was like the sweet tune of survival. "I knew I was tripping when I counted 8 of you shit heads." She said sending jolts of icy glare at the centipede that screeched even more loudly, it's acidic spit flying everywhere.

"Sensei ...." Jackal stammered, the tears running down his cheeks. His face smudged with dirt and the blood that trickled down his pounding forehead. The feeling of relief had consumed the pain he felt over his body. He sniffed, wiping away the tears and the mucus of his nose. "Your alive"

Homura growled angrily but his amber eyes glimmered with pride that Artemis-Sensei was going to take down this monster like she had with the rest of them without even laying a scratch on herself.

Artemis didn't even glance back, but her aura was one of a murderous killer, cold and brutal. "I'll deal with you later" she said half-heartedly to Jackal.

The giant centipede let out a whistling hiss that erupted the earth, shattering the trees to a stiffen fear. But for Artemis it was the sound of her annoyance being beaten to pulp by this million-legged bug that dared to touch things that belonged to her, "Even bugs get cranky when they are awoken".

The ground beneath her began to whither, consumed by the growing of the frost that crystalised the plants she stood upon, and a glow of blue emitted from her. The air froze and her icy blue eyes that darkened, glared furiously at the bug.

Her hand on the handle of her Katana gripped tightly and she turned to the direction of the sharpened blade. "Don't worry sweety my katana will sing you a lullaby..." she breathed, her breath cold and frosted from the sudden drop of temperature.

Her words like a switch for the giant bug, it lashed out at her, claws clapping violently ready to catch the dared human who killed it's family.

Jackal watched as the figure flickered to a disappear, leaving no trace behind. His mouth dry and agape. His silver eyes darting around looking for Artemis-Sensei, left, right under but she is nowhere to be seen until a flicker of movement caught his eyes.

The reimaging of Artemis body flickered above the centipedes head, her body positioned in a stance and her katana ready to slice down with just one blow.

'Is this the power of an assassin?' Jackal thought, eyes flickering with pride and idolising his big sister.

"Now go back to sleep" was the last thing she said with her cold tone before she came slicing down, like butter against hot knife, the head of the centipede flew off. Green blood burst out from its neck like an exploding volcano.

It's long body waved violently in the air, swaying left to right and spilling it's acidic green blood all over the place and painting it with steaming green as it slammed it's body to the nearest trees.

Jackal and Homura watched a horrified silence as the body quivered it's last movement before it stopped and finally laid dead.

As Jackal shifted his attention away from the dead centipede his was met with the cold gaze of Artemis who stared down at him angrily from above. Her face darkened and the cold glow still emitting from her.

She looked extremely pissed.

The fox growled bitterly as well at the shaken boy who shamefully looked down at his hands. Tears fell down and plunged to the ground with a faint splatter "I-I did-"

"Are you dead?"

Surprised, Jackal looked up with trembling lips. "N-No" he replied with constant sniffs.

"Good then get up" Artemis commanded, sheathing her Katana that she cleaned with just one slash that splattered off all the green blood.

Hands and feet trembling, Jackal heaved himself up ignoring the pain all over his body.

Homura on the other hand was barking constantly like angry chihuahua, wailing around like a maniac but Artemis ignored him and gazed coldly at the young kid who pulled himself up.

Half his cloak was burnt off by the acidic spit that had landed on the cloak, it still left it's steaming residue behind. His vest torn and tattered, sleeves ripped and stained with muddy dirt. His forehead was trickling with blood that run down his cheek temple, cheek, chin and down his neck soaking in the white top.

"You should be mad" Jackal managed to say under his streaming tears. "I put all of us in trouble because of my greed"

"I know" she answered quite calmly, reaching her hand into her sleeve.

Homura jaw dropped and his eye twitched. He couldn't believe his fox ears. Was Artemis possessed or something?

"A boy who stole valuable items his whole in order to survive and even dared to steal from me. Do you think I wouldn't know you would be tempted to steal a piece shiny stone" she raised an eyebrow, as she twirled the diamond shaped ruby the size of a walnut around her hand. "When had I specified for you to leave it?"

Jackal eyes looked down shamefully again. He couldn't look into her enchanting eyes without feeling so much guilt and uselessness of someone who should be helping her instead of causing trouble for her and everyone around him.

"I'm sorry" was all he managed to muster up to say. His lips pursing shut yet still trembling. His silver eyes continuing to glitter from the coat of tears as he wiped away more tears.

"Don't cry, Jackal" She ordered getting him to look up at her with the same silver eyes that had the soul of curious kid. "An assassin never cries" said Artemis-Sensei, throwing the ruby to Jackal who caught it with both his hands.

He opened the palm of his hand to see the shining red stone glimmering like a hundred stars under the light rays of the sun. He could feel his heart flutter and more tears began to rile up in the corners of his eyes but chocked them back because an assassin never cries.

"Next time when you want do something be sure to know your ready to fight for it to the end" she placed a palm on his head. She was going to ruffle his hair like something an older brother would to his younger brother but seeing his injured state she just left it there, feeling how rough and oily his hair was but she didn't care right now. "And make sure you inform me too. The first rule I implied when you joined me remember?"

He nodded quickly.

Artemis cold eyes softened a little seeing how sorry Jackal was even if she told him about it. "Plus, I hadn't had fun like that in a while." She stretched her arms up and liked that satisfied pop of her bones. "It was a good exercise for me stiff body" she added to make the little boy down and cheer him up a little.

It was true though. She did have fun killing those scaly monsters to the bitter end. It was a great exercise as well, a great build of her stamina and body.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Homura who was sitting, had glanced from Jackal to Artemis before he lout that confused shout.

Artemis nose wrinkled in annoyance. She had completely forgotten about the angry fox who was not happy with her reaction to Jackal's stupidity.

'Why do I suddenly wish you had been turned to bug food instead?' Artemis pursed her lips, her eyes going blank.

"What the fuck am I hearing right now!" he yapped, "You forgive him?! AFTER WHAT HAPPENED A MOMENT AGO!" the snaring fox shouted, his amber eyes growing hostility. Artemis realised she hadn't checked up on him and he had the right to be angry. His orange fur was dusted with dirt and a spot on his tail had become bald from the acidic spit from the centipede.

She pondered if she should tell him or wait till, he finds out.

"And look!" he growled lifting his slumped tail as if it was a dead thing that he slowly picked from the ground. "MY TAIL IS UGLY! I am the most hideous fox in the whole of Alphyria" he said dramatically placing his paw upon his forehead. "I can't bare to look at myself anymore"

"Sorry" Jackal mumbled, fiddling the hems of his sleeve. He may not understand Homura but the way he moved his body it was obvious even for a fool how upset Homura was.

"Your apology will only work if I scratch your eye out" he hissed baring his rows of tiny sharp teeth.

"You touch him, and I will cut your tail" Artemis shot back, her cold glare competed with the hostile amber eyes who didn't seem like he cared for her threat.

"Try me"

Anger had blinded the fox to compete with the human who was an assassin and killed people for a living.

Jackal shut his mouth not knowing what to do with this situation and watched as the two stared down at each other to see who would stepped down from their competitive gaze yet neither of them wanted to lose.

He spoke to soon.

Artemis-Sensei's body stiffened and her hand instantly went to her tanto, her icy blue eyes beginning to scanning the surrounding very carefully. He could see how focused she was when she looked around. He followed after her not questioning her and looked around. Yet saw or felt nothing out of the ordinary.

The Isvandy had suddenly felt something unsettle in the air, something that creeped the hairs of her neck to rise. It felt like something was walking amongst the shadows, following her every step, and watching her closely.

It was not Edmond. That douche bag didn't have the uneasy feeling in the air when she sensed him and in addition, she already knows he has been following her but this thing that was there not even Homura was sensing it.

He was far to busy stroking the slumped tail of his as if it was something so precious, mumbling sweet nothing to it.

Just like it came, it disappeared so suddenly.

Artemis lowered her hand and her posture relaxed just by a little, but that didn't mean she would lower her guard. She knows she wasn't just paranoid. Something is defiantly out there, something out of this world.

Whatever it is, she will be ready.

"Sensei?"

"Lets keep moving" She answered, her gaze still focused on the surrounding.

"I'm so uglyyyyy!" Homura cried out, gazing at the sky as he yelled to the sky.

Artemis rolled her eyes at his statement. Sometimes it was nice having him around. It was a nice entertainment source he provided when he was in despair.

The moment she took a step to walk, her defensive system kicked in like a bullet being fired from its shell and her hand dived to her tanto. Just like the sudden presence appeared, she pounced towards it so fast Jackal nor Homura saw it coming, sending it and her plunging to the ground from behind Jackal in which the unknown thing had appeared from above the little thief.

They landed on the ground, and the unknown thing let out a painful grunt. Shockingly for both the fox and the boy it was a man.

An orange haired man laying on his back, the sole of his feet digging into the ground for the leverage he applied as his hands were clutching the arm of Artemis who was trying to kill him with her tanto that she tried to lower down to his neck and the other hand that held tightly of the kunai knife that was dangerously close to his head.

Artemis never felt so much fury when competing with an enemy. They were always weaker than her, in strength, skills, agility and endurance but this man, this fucking handsome looking man had strength that defiantly overshadowed hers. So strong in fact that she could feel her bones being crushed.

She blamed this weak body of Diana's that she can't compete with this man's strength. If it was her original body, she would have definitely had killed him by now.

"I'm not an enemy" the mysterious yet familiar looking man said. His ocean blue eyes staring defensively into her icy blue eyes. For a slight second, she was hypnotised by those familiar eyes she saw she once saw before but shook that feeling away and put more into her strength.

"That's everyone's last words when I have my blade against their throat" Artemis hissed, not believing a word coming out of his mouth.

"Stay down fairy" it was Homura's voice.

'Wait did he say fairy?'

Because of what Homura had suddenly said the assassin lost the fight with this man; she watched as everything turn 180 degrees to the left. Artemis was hurled to the side, landing on her back and blinking open her eyes, she was face to face with the familiar man, just an inch away from her as his eyes stared firmly into the angry icy eyes as if he was taming a wild beast.

To Artemis's dismay he had her hands pinned above her head, both of his strong hands gripping her wrists tightly that she couldn't move but squirm and struggle under his grip. Moreover, his whole figure was large that it shadowed over hers. He was literally on top of her, his legs trapping her body and legs.

'What kind of drugs does this guy take!'

It was utter infuriating for Artemis who was a skilled assassin was pinned down by this guy. Not even Damon someone who was so called the strong fighter was able to fight het yet this man.... She FUCKING HATES HIM!

What made things even more annoying was the fact that Jackal was standing around and not doing anything.

"JACKAL!" she called out to him, but he didn't answer. It was now or never. She was going to use her ultimate weapon against the weakness of a male human.

Kick his dick.

As she was about to she suddenly felt the ting of range when the man's thin light pink lips formed a smirk and a smug expression appeared on his face, his ocean blue eyes analysed her face quickly and looked back into icy blue eyes. "Elisaria wasn't kidding. You are feisty one"

Her struggling immediately stopped after hearing that name and her feet lowered.

The name of the witch.

Elisaria. But how? How does he know of some lonely witch living in the forest?

"That old bitch!" Homura shouted from all the way over where he was.

Her grip on her weapons however didn't loosen, her eyes narrowed, and she frowned at him. "How do you know of her?" she questioned; her tone cold as ice that may have intimated the man a little, just by looking into his ocean blue eyes.

"She saved me just like how she did with you and Demarcus" by the dragon's name that left the deep husky voice of this man, her weapons dropped, and her pupils quivered.

Demarcus, the dragon that accompanied her even if she forcefully took him. He was one of the gentlest creatures she has ever came across with. But how does he know?

It only came to realisation as she scanned his face even more clearly.

Such pretty eyes that glimmered like sparkles upon the surface of the water, strong yet gentle features, that sharp yet smooth jawline and the ridiculously perfect nose that nearly touched hers and his flawless porcelain skin. But what stuck out the most was his orange hair.

Now she remembers.

It's Ciel. The guy who told her to come the next day because the dragon barracks were closed.

Ciel's face lightened but his stern look was still there.

She felt his grip on her loosen and he face went emotionless "I told you I wasn't an enemy" he implied again, and this time Artemis pursed her lips and glared at him.

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHIT!"

"UGHH!"

The anger of being pinned like this and having her hands pinned above her head like this even by someone who declared he wasn't an enemy doesn't stop her from kneeing him in the cock.

Ciel had fell to the side, hands cupping his dick for dear life. His face turning into a bright shade of red as his brows knitted into one knot, that agony expression on his face was priceless for the assassin and that hit was for making her feel like some weakling under him.

Her pissed of gaze shot to Jackal who squeaked suddenly when he saw how angry and frightening his sensei was.

"WHAT THE FUCK JACKAL!"