Artemis paused, his face paling.
He didn't actually know this person. This didn't look like any of the attendants he kept in the Guard's Wing...
...and he certainly knew all of his by face and name.
But she had been in the Guard's Wing of the Palace when she had been attacked by the creeping abyss. Was it the case that she was an attendant from another wing? That could certainly be the truth, but then, why had she found herself in that place on that day? If the abyss had chased her away from another wing, then why was there no scramble? Why did no one ring the bell?
Too many things about that day were uncertain and disturbing to him. Why had his entire Guard disappeared? The only person that he had seen was the person that was now in front of him.
What if it was her that had made his Guard disappear?
What if she was actually a monster herself?
"Are you alright, miss?"
She glanced up at him, seeming a little bit wary. "I'm... fine. Who are you, and why do you ask? Actually, what's the point of a question... why not kill me? Aren't I suspicious to you? If you lack the necessary caution, are you a monster? If so, why not kill me? Actually, if you're not killing me... are you human? Or are you just sadistic?"
His face grew unusually blank.
What is she talking about? Is she a very inquisitive monster? If she's not a monster, then is she just crazy?
"My name is Artemis. I'm Captain of the Guard... I heard someone scream. I thought they might be in danger."
Her eyes bore a hint of recognition.
"Ah... you're that person from before..."
He nodded his head. "Yes, I saw you being chased by that abyss. I tried to save you, but I couldn't make it in time. It seems we both ended up here after all."
He expected her to enter the direction of apology, of trying to thank him for his good deeds. However, she kept that blank and inquisitive look on her face.
"I... didn't scream..."
"What do you mean you didn't scream? I heard it come from this room... I was sure of it."
She shook her head.
"It was the fog. It tends to make strange noises... every three minutes and fourty-seven seconds..."
The fog was screaming? Is it actually a danger I need to acknowledge? That wouldn't surprise me...
"You kept track of that? While cowering in fear?"
Her lips pursed up, scrunching the edges of her eyes in an annoyed fashion.
"I'm not cowering in fear. I'm simply... too tired to do anything else but curl up here."
As if reacting to the thought of fatigue, her stomach rang out alongside her complaints.
Then, she pointed upwards, ignoring her bodily instincts.
"Just... about now..."
Another grating scream howled through the open air. His eyes flitted upwards.
Indeed, that terrible fog had enshrouded the sky, growing even closer to the sea of ash that blanketed the cradle. It was almost as if it intended to swallow it whole, to engulf everything that it could. It churned like a terrible ocean, grey and black and filled with coruscating horror.
It was already threatening enough by itself.
So why was it screaming like that?
Were there some sorts of monsters that dwelled in its midst?
He was certain he did not want to find out.
And more than that... he was wary to discern the fog. For some reason, the very thought of doing so made his heart tremble. Like it was something he instinctively knew to avoid, as how babies would not approach fire, and cats would fear larger beasts...
Thankfully, she also seemed distracted by the fog.
When he was sure that the girl wasn't looking, he glanced at her and allowed the crimson serpents to rise up his chest, surging through his neck before settling at the front of his head. They twisted in his empty socket, forming into a deep malefic iris. Crimson runes pertaining to the supposed servant appeared in front of him, and as was habit, quickly twisted the words under his breath as he read through them.
"[Name: Ciafforah Emerey]
[Status: ???]
[Lineage: N/A]
[Aspect: N/A]
[Spirit Contract: N/A]
===
[General Description:]
Ciafforah Emerey is a ????
???????????????????????
???????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????????????
===
Artemis watched intently as the strange serpentine question marks slithered in the air, suddenly twisting and presenting themselves to him. It wasn't that they were just unknown to him at first. They took several moments to recalculate their position, retwisting into several new lines before him.
[General Description:]
Ciafforah Emery is an unknown to [Eyes of Discernment].
===
Artemis's eyebrows flew up,
What is this talking about? She is an unknown to this Daemon's ability? This ability that could discern the history of corpses and trees as tall as mountains? Is it because the ability cannot discern things from another world? But that can't be the case, I was mentioned many times in these abilities...
And more than that...
Why is it different? It offers her a biography, not a historical description like it did for the corpse of that Eocyro... is it because she is not yet part of history? She is still living, still writing her own story, so she can't be offered an epitaph?
How interesting...
The corners of his lips curled upwards.
I wonder what it would have said for the Daemon Knight? It was still a creature writing its own story, but it was also a Spirit, which means it was dead. Which part of its existence takes precedence, I wonder?
Well, now the historical part certainly would... since I brutally murdered it.
"Your face... it's oddly... malicious..."
Cia suddenly spoke up, her eyes filled with curiosity.
My face is... malicious? Was I making a strange expression without realising?
Memories suddenly arose in his mind of his Officers and Guard, who were constantly reminding him to remove his mad elation and replace it with a placid face. Those people were now... lost to him. But his tribulation remained. No matter the person he stood beside, it seemed he always remained the same.
"Ah... yes, sorry. I was thinking about the person... who stole my arm from me."
She tilted her head to the side. "He stole it? Why don't you take it back?"
Why don't I... take it back...?
This caused Artemis to laugh, truly laugh, for the first time since he had entered the Shadow. He almost forgot the remnant pain from his aching body, his fatigue and his endless madness.
"It's not that kind of stealing. When a person says that Death has stolen their mother from them. It's just a... hyperbole? It's exaggeration... my arm wasn't really stolen, it was cleaved off. But the act itself, even if the intent wasn't theft, still 'robbed' me of my arm."
But that description didn't seem to put her mind at ease. Rather, her expression was now etched with dismay.
"Ah... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked something so stupid."
"No, it's alright. Isn't it natural to be curious about things?"
"I suppose so. I am particularly inquisitive about all things."
Artemis had relaxed a bit by now. If it was the case that she really was a monster that sought his life, he genuinely thought she deserved it. It was a fantastic case of deception, for he genuinely thought she was human.
In the case that she really was human, he didn't mind the company. After all, the only other people had interacted with since he had arrived in the Shadow had been... well, a Daemon. What else was he supposed to do, seek the company of a true monster?
As far as Artemis liked to seclude himself for his studies and training, he did appreciate the company of another person. If this woman was truly a human, then she was a boon to him. He could not survive this Hunt placed before him without someone to keep him sane.
But the true question remained.
Was she up to it? Wherever she came from, did she want to survive long enough to return like he did?
"My name is Cia." She suddenly returned the introduction. "I don't remember much. I was suddenly somewhere, and then here. It was quite a switch, something I had a hard time getting used to. I remained here for a while, as long as I could, trying to avoid that Knight..."
"I killed that Knight." Artemis affirmed.
"Oh, thank goodness. Does that mean we can finally leave?"
He pondered this question for a bit. She referred to the both of them as 'we'. Did she assume that a simple introduction placed them both above a level of stranger? While he didn't mind the companionship during the Hunt, he wasn't so stupid as to avoid proper precaution.
"What do you remember before coming here exactly?"
"Well, I don't really remember much of anything at all..."
A sudden thought popped into Artemis's mind.
"So you're... unknown...?"