Chapter 57

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CRYING AND MOURNING filled the air as I walked through the heart of the Capital. The once-proud city was now a desolate wasteland. Ash coated the crumbled remnants of once-grand structures, and flickering embers danced on the wind. Charred bodies lay strewn across the ground, their lifeless forms a grim testament to the devastation. The acrid stench of smoke and burnt flesh clawed at my throat, forcing me to swallow the bile rising within me.

The vision I had seen in the orb mirrored this horror perfectly. But this… this was not what I expected. I bit my lower lip as I stared at the ruins, my mind racing. Why would the Emperor do this? No... my memory rebelled. I had seen it clearly. This wasn’t the Emperor’s doing. Someone else was responsible for this chaos.

“My lady,” Sebastian’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. I turned to him sharply, meeting his gaze. His face was a mask of fury, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might shatter. His emerald eyes burned with an emotion so raw and unfiltered, it sent a shiver down my spine. For once, even he was struggling to contain himself.

“We need to go to the palace,” I commanded, my voice firm and unwavering despite the turmoil within me. He gave a stiff nod.

An arcane circle flared to life beneath us, its glowing symbols spinning with purpose. As the magic took hold, I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails bit into my palms. The bitterness of failure coursed through me. I had failed Arthemice. Her revenge, her final wish—I hadn’t fulfilled it. And now… it was too late.

“We’re here,” Sebastian said, pulling me back to the present. I blinked, realizing we now stood before the towering gates of the Imperial Palace.

But the sight before me was far from what I had expected. Gone was the grand and majestic palace, its beauty now marred by destruction and chaos. A crowd of people had gathered in front of it, their expressions shadowed by fear and smoke. My eyes darted to the center of the commotion, and my stomach twisted.

There, bound together by thick ropes, was a group of captives. Firewood surrounded them, and dense smoke from the smoldering fires cloaked their faces in an impenetrable haze. Ash floated through the air like cursed snowflakes, settling on their ragged clothes and battered bodies. Though their expressions were hidden, the way their heads jerked frantically and their wide, glistening eyes darted in desperation spoke volumes. My chest tightened, a heavy ache spreading through me. Who were they?

Suddenly, Sebastian’s hand gripped my head, forcing me to bow low. His voice, low and urgent, whispered in my ear, “My lady, something is wrong. She… she came back.”

My eyes narrowed. “She?” The confusion twisted in my gut like a knife. “Who came back?”

Before he could answer, a ripple swept through the crowd. One by one, the people dropped to their knees, their foreheads pressed to the ground. The air grew thick with an oppressive silence, broken only by the crackle of distant flames.

Sebastian dragged me behind a nearby bush, his movements tense and hurried. “Stay hidden,” he hissed. His usual composure was gone, replaced with something that unnerved me—fear.

We peered through the leaves, watching as the crowd bowed deeply. I followed Sebastian’s line of sight, my breath hitching when I saw her.

“Fuck,” Sebastian cursed under his breath, his emerald eyes wide with shock.

There she was, floating above the crowd like some twisted goddess. Her silver-white hair shimmered in the glow of the surrounding fires, cascading down her back like liquid moonlight. Her ginger eyes gleamed with malice, and her lips curled into a wicked smile that sent chills racing down my spine.

“Arthemice?” The name escaped my lips before I could stop it.

Sebastian’s voice trembled as he corrected me. “That’s Artemisia, my lady…”

No. My chest tightened, and a cold sweat broke out on my skin. This wasn’t Artemisia. This wasn’t the goddess the stories spoke of. This was Arthemice. Her presence, her movements, her essence—I knew them all too well.

I bit my lip, fighting back a scream. I had sworn to carry out her revenge, to honor her plan. But now, as I stared at the woman before me, a sickening realization took root.

What the hell is she doing here?

“Well, well, well,” she began, her voice silky yet dripping with malice as she hovered effortlessly above the trembling crowd. Her silver-white hair flowed unnaturally, unaffected by the wind, and her ginger eyes gleamed with a wicked intensity that sent shivers down my spine. She surveyed the people beneath her, her lips curling into a grin that promised nothing but pain.

“Isn’t it amusing?” she sneered. “You all grovel before me now, yet not long ago, you spat on my name, turned your noses up at me, and treated me like filth. How quickly loyalty is born from fear.”

She raised her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, a man from the crowd rose into the air, his legs kicking frantically as if trying to find purchase in the void. His hands clawed at his neck, desperate for relief from the invisible grip choking the life out of him.

“You,” she purred, her voice dripping with mockery. “I remember you. A mere vendor, weren’t you? You dared to sully my dress—threw rotten fruit at me—because I didn’t ‘help’ during a monster outbreak.” Her laughter, cold and cruel, echoed through the ruins like the tolling of a death knell.

The man’s face turned a deep shade of red, his eyes bulging as he fought in vain against her power. The veins in his neck pulsed violently, and his gasping breaths turned to silence.

I couldn’t move. My legs felt like lead, my heart like a caged bird battering itself against my ribs. This isn’t happening. This can’t be her. She told me—no, she promised me—she only wanted revenge on the Emperor. She said I was the only one who could help her. But now... Why is she doing this? Did she lie to me? Was I just a pawn in her game? My training, my sacrifices—was it all for this?

I watched, horrified, as the vendor’s lifeless body dropped to the ground like a discarded toy. A collective cry erupted from the crowd, but it was short-lived.

“Silence!” she thundered, her voice slicing through the chaos like a blade. The air itself seemed to vibrate with her fury. The crowd instantly obeyed, pressing their foreheads to the ground, their trembling bodies barely daring to breathe.

I turned to Sebastian, my voice caught in my throat. He gripped my wrist tightly, his emerald eyes narrowed as he hissed, “We need to get closer, my lady. There’s something I must confirm.”

I nodded numbly, unable to speak. My mind was a storm of questions, each one louder than the last. Who is this? What is happening? Could I have been wrong about everything?

We moved cautiously, weaving between debris and broken pillars, until we found another hiding spot. My breath caught in my throat as my gaze fell on the group tied together with ropes in the center of the square.

“I knew it,” Sebastian muttered, his voice taut with rage, his veins bulging as he clenched his fists.

Arthemice drifted toward the captives, her movements slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. “Look at them,” she cooed, circling them like a vulture. Her fingers reached out, trailing across their faces as they recoiled in disgust. The Crown Prince—Lumine—turned his head sharply, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Oh, don’t be shy,” she said mockingly, leaning in closer. “You’re the heroes of this story, aren’t you? Yet here you are, bound and powerless, reduced to mere trophies in my game.”

My stomach dropped as I took in the captives. Lumine, Cecelia, Zacharias, Darious, Reynald, and Athena—all of them bound and gagged. Cecelia and Athena’s tears streaked down their soot-covered faces, while the men remained outwardly composed. But their eyes—burning with hatred and defiance—betrayed the storm raging within.

I started to rise, my instincts screaming at me to do something, but Sebastian’s grip tightened on my wrist. “Not yet, my lady. Stay hidden. Just wait,” he whispered, his voice low but commanding.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I forced myself to obey. My gaze returned to her—no, it. This wasn’t the Arthemice I knew. This wasn’t the broken girl desperate for revenge.

She had become something else entirely. Something monstrous.

I froze when her piercing gaze landed on our hiding spot, sharp and unyielding, as if she had known we were there all along.

“Oh, there you are! My honored guests!” Her voice was saccharine, dripping with mockery. Before I could react, she vanished from her perch and reappeared before us in a blink. Her ginger-colored eyes gleamed with cruel delight as she grabbed my chin, her nails digging into my skin.

“I’ve saved a special place for you two,” she whispered, her breath warm against my ear, sending a chill down my spine. Her hand lazily gestured toward the empty spots among the captives—one in the center and one right beside it.

“My lady!” Sebastian’s voice was sharp as a blade as he unsheathed his sword and pressed it against her neck. His emerald eyes blazed with fury. “Get your filthy hands off her,” he snarled, his teeth clenched so tightly it looked as though his jaw might crack.

“Stop it, Sebastian!” I snapped, my voice trembling but firm. “She’s the real Arthemice. Don’t you dare hurt her!”

He hesitated, his weapon lowering slightly as his eyes darted to mine in disbelief. “What?” His voice was barely a whisper, his hand shaking as he stepped back, stunned into silence.

I turned to face her fully, forcing myself to stand tall even as my knees threatened to buckle. The proximity to her—this version of her—was suffocating.

“Now,” I began, my voice low but firm, my teeth clenched in barely contained anger, “care to explain what the hell you’re doing?” My words were sharp, each one laced with fury. “I pushed this body to its limits. I trained, fought, endured—all for your so-called revenge against the Emperor. And yet here you are, wreaking havoc, no better than him!”

Her hand dropped from my face as she burst into laughter, the sound cold and hollow. She clutched her stomach, doubling over as if I had just told the most absurd joke. Tears glistened in her eyes, not from sadness but from the sheer joy of her twisted amusement.

“Did you just played with me?” I mumbled.

“Oh, Faerie,” she said at last, her voice trembling with a mix of mirth and menace. She stepped forward, the smile fading from her lips as her expression hardened like stone. In one swift motion, her hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my neck with an ironclad grip.

“Did you really think I manipulated you?” she hissed, her voice a chilling whisper that seemed to echo in the space between us. Her eyes gleamed, burning with unbridled fury.

“No,” she continued, her grip tightening ever so slightly, making my breath hitch. “I didn’t manipulate you. I gave you a gift—a glimpse into the life I endured.” Her voice dropped lower, every word laced with venom that dripped into my soul.

“I wanted you to feel it,” she spat, her face inches from mine, her hot breath fanning my skin. “Every ounce of pain. Every shred of despair. The crushing weight of betrayal. The endless cycle of torment. Only then,” her lips curled into a bitter smile, “can you truly understand me.”

Her words cut through me, each syllable tearing at the fragile strands of my sanity. My mind spiraled, desperate to comprehend her twisted reasoning. Her eyes bored into mine, unrelenting, her hatred palpable, leaving no room for doubt.

This wasn’t a misunderstanding. This was deliberate. She wanted me to suffer, just as she had.

“Enough!” Sebastian’s voice rang out like a crack of thunder. His blade flashed as he pointed it directly at Arthemice’s wrist. “I don’t care if you’re the real Arthemice or some twisted ghost,” he growled. He grabbed her hand and yanked it off my neck with a force that made her stagger back, her feet sliding against the rough ground.

“Stay away from her!” His voice was unwavering, his stance protective as he placed himself between us.

Arthemice steadied herself, a smirk curling her lips. “Oh, how sweet,” she cooed mockingly, brushing the dust off her dress. “The loyal knight protecting his precious lady. But tell me, how long can you keep her safe?”

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, but I refused to look away, meeting her gaze with unflinching defiance.

“Do you know why you’re really here, Faerie?” she began, her voice soft but laced with menace. She floated gracefully before me, her movements almost hypnotic, like a dark specter dancing on the wind.

Her ginger eyes burned with fury as she continued, “Because you made me this way.”

Her words hit me like a cold slap, but before I could process them, her voice rose into a snarl. “You created that godforsaken novel and game, and in doing so, you destroyed me!”

Novel? Game? My heart pounded in my chest. What is she talking about? I didn’t create anything like that. I… didn’t…

“You made me your main character, yet what did you do? You turned me into the one who suffered the most!” Her voice cracked with anguish as she jabbed a finger toward Lady Cecelia. “Her! That perfect woman! You handed her everything—glory, love, a happy ending! And me?” Her voice became venomous, her words dripping with contempt. “You cast me as the villainess. You let me endure torment after torment, and for what? So everyone else could have their happy little endings while I rotted in despair!”

Her words were like shards of glass cutting through my mind. My thoughts spiraled as I tried to make sense of them, but nothing clicked. None of this made sense!

“Wait—what are you saying? I don’t understand!” I stammered, but she ignored me.

With a sudden burst of movement, she blinked to my side, her hands closing around my neck in a vice-like grip. Her face was inches from mine, her expression twisted with hate.

“You,” she hissed, her voice low and trembling with rage, “you made my life a living hell.”

I stared into her blazing eyes, trying to find answers in their fiery depths, but all I felt was confusion. What is she talking about? What novel?

She released me, throwing me back with surprising force. I stumbled but managed to steady myself. She floated higher, her laughter echoing around us—a sound so unhinged it sent chills down my spine.

“I watched you,” she continued, her voice trembling with a sick kind of satisfaction. “I watched your life fall apart, just like mine. And oh, how I enjoyed it. Watching you struggle in your world—it was like watching a mirror of my own suffering.”

Her laughter faded into a sinister smirk. “But then you died. And your suffering ended. And for me? That suffering wasn’t enough.” Her eyes gleamed with malice as her voice dropped to a chilling whisper. “You needed to suffer more. So I pleaded—begged the gods to let you live my life. To make you endure what I had endured. And the gods, merciful as they are, granted my wish. They sent you here, to suffer in my place.”

Her words twisted around me like a noose, tightening with every syllable. My chest felt heavy, my mind spinning. What the hell is she saying?

“You said…” I began, my voice shaky, but I forced myself to meet her gaze. “You said we were bound together. That I was destined to wear your face, to live your life. But now you’re saying you chose this? That you brought me here intentionally?”

She tilted her head, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “Those parts were true. Our souls were always bound together. But why? Because you made me.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, but it echoed in my mind like a scream. “You made me, Faerie. And now, you pay the price.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, unbidden, as I stared at her. My mind was a chaotic storm, her words clashing with every shred of logic I clung to. Nothing she said made sense, yet it felt like the ground beneath me was cracking open, threatening to swallow me whole.

“That’s right,” she said, her voice cold and sharp like a blade against my skin. “You can’t remember anything. Why Kyro is doing this to you, and the real reason behind his actions.”

“Remember what?” The thought echoed in my mind, desperate and raw. What happened? What is it that I can’t remember?

She took a step closer, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity. “And the reason I became like this,” she hissed, her voice dripping with venom, “was so I could manipulate you. To use you—not just to bring down the Emperor, but to make you, the creator of this twisted world, experience the same torment I endured. I wanted you to feel the pain, the despair, of being trapped in the very world you created.”

Her piercing gaze bore into mine, freezing me in place. My breath hitched, and a cold tremor snaked down my spine as confusion tangled with fear, tightening its grip around my chest. I tried to process her words, but the more I thought, the more I unraveled.

“You—” she began, but before the rest of her words could fall like a hammer, the air rippled and sparked.

Three glowing arcane circles materialized in front of me, their intricate patterns pulsing with power. My heart thundered as Sebastian stepped forward, his hand raised, the magic flowing from him like a tidal wave. Then, suddenly, I felt his arm wrap around my waist, firm and steady.

“Stay still,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing, grounding me. His grip tightened slightly, as if to shield me from the suffocating weight of her presence. My breathing hitched, but his hold offered a semblance of calm amidst the chaos.

“You’ve said enough,” he growled, his voice steady but laced with anger. “Now, we’ll take our leave.”

The arcane circles spun faster, their light blinding. The world around us distorted, warping into a whirl of colors and shapes. Just as reality began to shift, her voice cut through the chaos like a sinister whisper.

“Then come again... when you remember everything, Faerie.”

Her words clung to me like a curse as the spell surged, Sebastian’s arm still secure around my waist, anchoring me. In a blinding flash, everything disappeared.

fin.