Chapter 12
I was worried about how I should go about killing Noah. I can only take one shot at him because if he somehow survived that and ran away, then finding him would be hard, and if he awakened early due to my interruption and got the blessing of Cassandra, her followers would come running to save him, and then it would be all the harder to kill him. So, I can only attack him when I am 100% sure that I can kill him.
I can go and kill him myself after my awakening. In the original book, Aish awakened the power of darkness, so it could also help me if I want to assassinate him.
Aish's awakening ceremony was originally planned for a week from now, but after learning about the curse, I do not think Aish's parents would risk it now as my body is still weak and would delay it for some time. That also helps me, as there are some things that could help me better prepare for my awakening so I will have time to get them.
Aside from Noah, the ones who pose a big threat to me are Esme and Beric. Esme is in prison as of now, and she would be killed if Artemis learned of her vampire origins, so I do not need to do anything. But Beric is still free, and if he is the one who puts a curse on me, then I must take care of him faster.
Though killing him now would change the story as he was supposed to be killed by Leon much later, I cannot let him be free when I do not know anything about the curse.
Thinking about all this, I decided to tell Artemis about him. Knowing about Artemis's nature from the book, if Beric really was the one who cursed me, then I am sure she can get all the answers from him.
_
*** 3rd POV
"It was Beric Zastan who cursed me, mother. He's been working with Evil's Scion." Aish said in a serious tone.
Artemis, who was lost in her thoughts, was shocked when she heard her son's voice. She looked at his face, and seeing him all serious, she could tell he was not joking. "How do you know?" Artemis asked.
"When I was playing with Ria that day, I saw him talking to someone using communication devices that aren't ours. He was asking someone about NETHER CARDS. I was coming to tell you about that, but I fell unconscious on my way." I replied in the same tone.
Artemis still would have doubted Aish before, but after listening to his explanation, she knew he was telling the truth. He had no reason to lie about a matter this serious. She did not ask why Aish knew about Evil's Scion and Nether Cards because, as the future heir of Duchy, he was taught about everything that he should know about the world, and Aish himself was a genius at learning and never slacked off.
Artemis was now worried that if during Aish's awakening the Evil's Scion used Nether Cards, then what would have happened?
During the awakening ceremony, the mana present in the surroundings gathers around the person's body and rebuilds it to make it more susceptible to mana, and if at that time anyone used Nether Cards, which are used to disrupt the mana flow in a certain area and make it go berserk, the awakening process would fail and that person would be crippled and chances of dying.
Just one week later was Aish's awakening ceremony. Which means if Aish did not fall unconscious and they did not learn about the curse, there is no chance that Aish would survive that attack. With his body already affected by the curse and awakening, if they added the nether cards, his body would break apart.
The thought of Aish's death in such a horrible way made Artemis so angry that her mana went out of her control and pressure of an S rank started spreading in the whole mansion. All the remaining staff and nearby guards were on their knees as they had trouble breathing. Some weaker ones even fell unconscious.
Artemis clenched her fists so hard that blood started dropping out of her hands; her dark black eyes were shining as a red hue started surrounding them. Her bloodlust was leaking out as she imagined the scene of her son trapped in the outer zone dying.
It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulders; she turned around and saw her shadow. Myra, who was now holding Aish in her arms as a blue veil of mana surrounded both of them. Myra shook Artemis's shoulder as sweat drops started forming on her head. "Please control yourself, master."
It was then that Artemis came back to her senses and calmed her mana pressure. It was only for a few seconds, but just from pressure alone, she had suppressed everyone in the mansion.
She looked at her shadow and said, "Thank you, Myra."
Myra bowed at her master and freed Aish. She then took two steps back and stood there silently.
Artemis looked at her son, who was standing straight like nothing happened, his face still looking calm. She knew he was trying to show that he was fine and was not affected. And Artemis would have believed him if she could not see the sweat drops on his head or hear his fast heartbeat.
She started blaming herself again, because if not for Myra protecting him, he would be the most affected. Though his life would not be in danger as there are many treasures on his body that could protect him, it would still hurt him badly. She took a deep breath as she bent down. She wiped the sweat off her sleeve and kissed his forehead.
"Myra, take Aish back in. I have something to deal with. And stay with him till I come." Artemis ordered her shadow and turned around. She took a final look at Aish and then melted in the shadows around her. With no signs left that she was ever here a moment ago or where she is now.
_
(Shadow Queen of Schilla—So that is her power now.)
Aish thought as he looked at the spot where Artemis was standing. He was not afraid when she released her pressure, as he already knew about Myra and believed that she would save him. He was thinking about how he would have to fight Artemis once in the future if everything went according to the plot and if he would be strong enough by then.
"Let's go in, young master. I believe young lady Amelia is still waiting for you." Myra said she thought Aish was still shocked by the pressure. And his sister could help cheer him up.
It was only then that Aish remembered he had promised to come back early and play with Amelia. He shook his head and decided not to worry about that for now, for he was already changing future events and he still had time. So, he said, "Yeah, let's go in."
_
While Aish and Myra were going towards the mansion, Artemis was on her way to Beric Zastan. Who was currently sitting with his friends and chatting happily in the barracks? Unaware that his death was coming towards him.
_
Beric, who was listening to his friends talking about the increased security and punishment for the captured staff in the mansion. Suddenly he threw his drink aside and stood up. He drew his sword out and started looking all around him carefully. But aside from his 4 friends, he could not find anyone.
At first his friends were surprised by his unusual behavior, but soon they too felt that something was wrong; the mana in the surrounding area was getting thinner. It meant that either someone had cast a superior spell or used an artifact to make a closed barrier. Both were situations they were unaware of, so they too drew their swords out and looked around. All 5 of them got into a formation, and Beric, who was their leader, was standing at the front and said, "Whoever you are. Listen carefully. This is Duke Floren's territory. Get out now and show yourself."
Everyone looked around, but they could not spot anyone. It was then that the light around them started getting dimmer. One of them turned around only to see that their shadows started moving from the ground and covered all the windows and places from where sunlight was coming in. The hall was fully thrown into darkness.
"Captain, try to use your spelling. We need some light." One of the guards looked towards Beric and said,
"I'm trying; the mana is acting weirdly around here. Hold on." - Beric said as he had no idea who would be so brazen, so attack here. He was trying to cast a spell for light, but it was not working. Finally, when he gathered all his mana, a small white ball of light started floating above his hands.
He looked around towards his friends, but all of them were already on the ground, knocked out.
He pushed the light a little further, and there he saw shadows gathering towards one place. Soon he started hearing noises of footsteps coming towards him and then came a voice: "You would regret going after my son."
(First shadow magic and then a woman's voice—it can only mean it is her.)
A shiver ran down Beric's spine when he figured out who this voice belonged to. He did not even waste time trying to think about why she came here or how she knew about him. He took out a square black card and tried to supply his mana into it, but he could not do that. He already used all the mana he could in this affected area, and now he cannot even gather a little bit to activate the other card that he has on him.
"I told you; you would regret going after my son."
He heard the voice again, and before he could say anything, he felt the pressure of a mountain crushing on his shoulders, and he fell on the ground face first.
Artemis approached him; she bent down and picked up the fallen nether card. She looked towards Beric, and the coldness of her eyes was the last thing he saw before he fell unconscious.
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NETHER CARD: A card made by pure cursed mana. Once used, it could alter the flow of mana in the surrounding area and even make it go berserk. In the past, some Evil's Scion high-ranking officials also used it to kill themselves if they were ever caught by their enemies by infusing their own mana into the card, thus blasting themselves into pieces.