Loving Reunion

"Silv!"  Pandora shouted. She ran across the slimy floor and dirty walls. There lay her friend, Silvanna, unconscious and considerably injured and covered by white slimy goo all over her body and the floor.

Pandora hugged her tight and cried her eyes out while Wart, Artemis and Reinhard watched from the open door. 

"Tell me, Reinhard. Why didn't you do anything?" Artemis asked.

Reinhard knelt before Wart and Artemis, his forehead wet from his sweat. 

"I did not know that Ava had her dragged here not until a few hours ago, please, have mercy!" Reinhard begged.

Wart looked at Artemis and sighed.

"I can heal her wounds but I doubt I can heal her mentally," Wart said.

"Yes, milord," Artemis said.

"Reinhard, see to it that every criminal here is interrogated. I want everyone accountable to confess and if I find evidence that the number of those guilty are higher than who confessed, mark my words Reinhard..." 

Artemis placed his face near Reinhard's.

"I will massacre them all," Artemis said.

"Y-Yes!" Reinhard screamed. 

"Good, now get going. I can't have my king be crowned at a time like this," Artemis said.

Artemis stood and called upon the guards of the tower.

"Round up the prisoners and prepare the torture chambers!" He shouted.

"Are you sure that torture is necessary?" Wart asked Artemis. 

"It is, milord. Don't forget that the ones who did this to her are criminals, actors of heinous crimes. They do not deserve anything but pain," Artemis said.

"I see," 

Artemis' plan of turning his newfound king into a puppet was working. Although Artemis appeared to be a trusted vassal by the king's side, he secretly controlled his decisions and influenced his ways by means of psychology.

The Dwarf was oblivious. 

But Artemis knew he needed to maintain his image that he was a strong, independent, and noble king to the City of Diadel.

And his stage was going to be set soon.

Despite their efforts, a few knights and a handful of mages loyal to the Count managed to escape. It won't be long until Lord Rism sends out an army to reclaim the Fortress City.

Depending on the size of the army and the composition of its forces, Artemis could either eliminate them in one fell swoop or rip and tear all of them until it is done.

But if Lord Rism was to personally lead the siege or send out a Demigod into the field. Artemis would just himself go into the battlefield and challenge him or the Demigod in a duel.

If Lord Rism has an honor to maintain, he would blindly accept Artemis' offer and it will be his doom.

But before Artemis could drool over his supposed inevitable victory, he needed to repair the damage in the city. 

Artemis planned the city's reconstruction as soon as Wart was crowned King over the land. 

The excess workforce in the outer district would be more than enough. 

First and foremost, however, Artemis needed to deal with the grieving Pandora. 

"Milord, after this is settled, you will be crowned in the throne room of the castle in the presence of representatives from the outer and inner districts," Artemis said.

"Yes..." Wart said. He was obviously nervous.

"Milord, do not be afraid, I will be by your side and will make sure nothing comes to harm you," Artemis said.

"They have to kill me first," Artemis continued.

"Y-Yes, I trust your abilities, Erik, I know I am safe in your hands," Wart said.

"Yes, sire," Artemis said. 

Not long after Artemis and Wart's conversation ended, the wounded mage in the distance then slowly opened her eyes. 

"Si-Silv! Silv! It's me, it's Pandora! You're safe now, you're safe," Pandora cried out to her friend. 

"Pan-Pan?" Silvanna whispered with all her might.

"Milord, you can now heal her," Artemis said.

"Yes, but let them have their reunion first, I believe her trauma will be lessened at the sight of a friend," Wart said.

"Hm, very well," Artemis said.

Artemis and Wart watched as the two had a tearful reunion. Artemis was somewhat grateful with what he was seeing. 

It made him learn how humans cared for each other, even in the darkest of times. If someone was indeed your friend, that friend would always find a way to save you. 

After the tearful embrace, Wart walked forward and lifted the wounded Silvanna from the dirty floor and carried her out through the door from which they entered. 

Artemis walked by Wart's left side while Pandora walked by Wart's right. 

Rain poured down from the heavens as peasants, knights, and mages alike watched from the sidelines. Wart, their soon-to-be king was a dwarf walking side by a side with an Elf and a being with Demigod strength.

They exude an aura of kindness but only Wart and and the Elf. The Man in Black and the human Wart was carrying, however, had an aura of the unknown. 

The woman had an immense desire for revenge. 

Artemis sensed it also and decided to take advantage of it. 

They made their way through the streets of the outer district and into the inner district's medical facility which they called a "Healing Sanctuary" but was more of a rundown hospital than a sanctuary. 

There, Wart placed Silvanna on a bed and began healing her.

"You two over there," Artemis called two knights outside.

"Y-Yes sir?" They asked.

"Guard his holiness and make sure nobody gets near him without permission," Artemis said.

"Yes, sir!" They drew their swords and hurried to the door. 

Artemis then walked to the castle and into the throne room. Just as he had ordered, Artemis had men enlisted from the outer district to clean and and fix the damage done to the city.

Artemis promised them equal pay and food that would last them for the upcoming winter. Artemis' promises, however, depended on how well the harvests would be and the amount of silver he could extract efficiently from the nearby mines. 

Still, progress was progress.

In a few days, Wart will be crowned as King Wart, the first of the kingdom of…

Wait, Artemis was taken aback. 

He didn't think one thing thoroughly enough.

"I didn't think of a name," Artemis said.