Humanity

The green grass was there, attached to the soil by its network of roots that penetrated deep. To drink, to absorb, the nutrients and the water mother nature had in store for it. 

But above its greenery, there was a speckle of blood. Beyond the speckle were pools of blood. The blood of humans and their Land Dragons, smeared against the grass, the rocks, and the soil. 

The ants underneath were confused, this red liquid that they only found inside corpses seemingly rained down from the sky like water from a storm.

Yet, as the worker ants searched further and beyond, they found their prizes. One human corpse, although clad in armor, the ants themselves were small, too small in fact. They could crawl within the cracks, the joints, crawl up even what could be considered the highest of heights from the perspective of ants.

They were tiny, yet, they were strong. Crawling against the skin, the iron, piercing the dead with their sharp mandibles and carrying off the bits of flesh for them to consume and to feed their future generations.

The ants were at first surprised and considerably happy with their find. A human corpse was something that only came every once in a while. 

Immediately, they swarmed the corpse and the workers were quick to work their way through the skin, creating several holes that lead inside the chest. 

Some ants formed a column in and around the ears as they entered through the eardrum and began feeding through the brain. 

As the feast started, some ants wandered off, to test their luck and see if there was anything left to pillage. 

That was when the worker ants found another body, and then another, and then another. 

Before long, the ants themselves were too few to consume all the bodies they were discovering and the numbers kept on adding up without an end in sight.

It wasn't long before other insects from the undergrowth went into a frenzy and swarmed the bodies. 

From above, several shadows loomed and the war cry of several birds filled the air. 

They swooped in and perched themselves over some of the bodies and began to eat their share. 

Competition seemingly vanished as vultures, songbirds, crows, and pigeons alike took their share of the spoils.

It was a glorious day for the insect and bird kingdoms. It was a feast that was undeniably a blessing from mother nature herself. 

Soon, swarms of flies that were once considered to be a rare species came, mated, and planted their eggs into the corpses. 

Soon, nature had begun to reclaim what was rightfully hers from the start.

But in the distance from the thousands of corpses, in the middle of where the airships crashed landed, a lone man was sitting.

He was unnerving, unmoving, and his eyes flickered. 

The morning sun reflected against his steel ligaments that were exposed after his skin was scratched off. The torn skin was beginning regeneration but he needed to wait a few more days before he looked the way he was back before that night.

Around him were the wreckage of Airships he single-handedly destroyed and the decapitated bodies of those who led the army before their demise. The Generals, High Mages, a Large Magic Golem, and a Paladin.

None of which could react in time to counter him. Before they could even lift their fingers to cast a defense spell or a counter attack, a glowing pair of rods would appear before them before their heads were lobbed off. 

The man was none other than Artemis. 

After the massacre he did, he went to Lord Rism's ship and suddenly, nothing. Even he did not know what had happened. Instead, he only remembered something that took over him before his eyes turned blue.

He still wasn't in control of himself. When he regained control of his own body, he opened his eyes and was greeted by a bloodbath, or the aftermath of which. 

He was standing in the middle of a wreckage of airships surrounded by thousands of bodies, the bodies of the imperial knights that were sent against them. He did remember he massacred them but after that while he was barging in Lord Rism's Airship, he remembered nothing of his transformation but he remembered the feeling.

He would periodically lose himself, his eyes would turn red and blue like a light bulb that flickers whenever. 

It was as if something inside him gained control of him. Like another AI invading his systems, a virus maybe? 

He couldn't even fight back against it, he is still too weak to counter it.

Whatever it was, Artemis needed to fight it. Or else, he would end up jeopardizing his mission, his goals, and plans.

And so he retreated for the meantime and sat down to where he was now.

He sat down and tried to contain himself, tried to contain whatever was trying to take control of him from gaining control yet again.

And it seemed like it was working. His eyes would flicker from blue to red and red to blue from time to time but would otherwise return to a consistent red.

But for how long should he wait? But judging from the aftermath of what had happened when he faced the Imperial army, there was no doubt that the people from the Fortress City would be rethinking their views on him.

From the strict, uncaring, benevolent, and generous persona he had so carefully crafted to that of a crazed monster in just a single night. 

He sighed.

"Everything I've built..." He whispered to himself.

Before long, another storm was approaching from the east. 

"Nature itself despises me too," Artemis said as he stared at the storm clouds looming on the east. 

"I wish things could have been different," Artemis said.

He didn't notice it at first but what was he saying?

Why should he care about his past actions? He didn't give a damn when he massacred the men, women, and children of the first sign of civilization they encountered.

But why, why did he have this aching feeling in his chest right now.

His humanity was returning.

But just like the pharaoh, his heart would return back to a stone and he'd suppress the very human emotions he always yearned for. 

Why?

Because he was afraid.