Some heart-rending screams and screams began to resound around, loud growls and the hollow ringing of steel.

Artemis wished with the last hope that it was Raphael. She prayed about it in her head. She also prayed to stay alive. No matter how loud Ivrim’s words sounded in her head that she had to sacrifice herself, she still didn’t want to die. She wanted to live.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard Lillian’s voice, she was shouting something that was difficult to make out in this merging mass of different voices and intonations. But Artemis could make out her anger and the corners of her lips lifted with a smile, with a tiny hope.

- Raphael. - She was almost crying when she screamed his name at the top of her voice, breaking into wheezes.

She hoped he would hear her, because he always heard her whenever she called. Her and Thea.

She opened her mouth to scream again, but someone’s boot kicked her hard in the face, forcing her to bite her lip. Blood trickled down his chin.

- Shut up, bitch.

Her head tilted to the side. A nasty squeaky head cut through the eardrums of Those, and Thea also tried to excite her consciousness, shaking her from the inside and threatening if she did not release her.

- You’re so cocky, but Lillian will kill you just like the other witches she doesn’t like. Keep pretending to be nothing, you stupid witch. - She hissed in disgust, licking her own salty blood from her lips.

Her gaze fell icily on the young and probably still inexperienced witch, who was trying to assert herself by having Lillian mark her merits. Like many others, she blindly believed her queen, followed her as if with a clouded mind, refusing to open her eyes to the world and see the truth hiding behind the thick curtains.

But She was not going to indulge in pity for the witch, because her own life was at stake, and everyone’s choice brought responsibility for this very choice into life as well.

- You’re the only stupid one here, otherwise you wouldn’t be in such a sorry state right now. - the witch quipped the phrase and grinned at them.

- No matter how deplorable my condition is, you should not worry so much, because I am still a witch with magical blood. - She bared her teeth, which were smeared with traces of blood after the blow.

Her hands dug into the hard ground, clinging to it as if it were her lifeline. Magic gently flowed out of her, yielding to the order, unexpectedly slipping under the witch’s feet and wrapping invisible chains around her legs, pulling her into the thickness of the earth, literally burying her alive.

The witch’s hysterical screams attracted the attention of the others and some rushed to her aid in horror, but it was already too late. An evil smile brightened Artemis’s sad face.

She had been too wasteful with her magic when she literally distributed it to her people and her allies, doubling her strength and their power, but in doing so she condemned herself to the weakness she now felt.

And plunging one witch into the depths of hell was given to her with great difficulty, but with such a pleasant aftertaste, as if she had switched to the villainous side.

She tilted her head back, capturing in her eyes the bright blue sky, which contrasted sharply against the background of the darkness of battles and the sea of blood.

One by one, her legs and arms began to twist the barbed cords of witchcraft spells, stretching her limbs to the sides. She tried to resist uselessly, but was faced with another spell thrown in her direction, blocking her movements. There were chuckles and obvious taunts everywhere, going off to the side of mockery.

How much cruelty and evil did the hearts of these witches keep, that they were glad to kill a man they had never seen in their lives and who had done them no harm? How much did Lillian’s darkness envelop their hearts?

The next moment, Lillian’s smug and arrogant face and that creepy bright lipstick on her lips appeared before her eyes again. She hovered over her like a predatory vulture, studying the immobilized victim, who now resembled only a doll.

- You know, this look suits you better, my dear Artemis. - She chuckled. – The kind of pathetic sorceress who has suffered a tragic fate twice already. What’s it like to know that you’re going to die again? 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Artemis looked at her with unshakeable calm, not showing the inner fear that had shackled her. Although, Lillian probably heard her heartbeat, and therefore the gloating did not leave her smile.

- But believe me, I will make sure that this time it will be our last meeting. - She spoke with a special coldness, and her lips moved in a slow chant, and a bright flame burned in her hands. – I like to see your fear, but even more, I like to see the horror on your husband’s face.

She turned her hand so that the fire from her hand fell to the ground, instantly breaking out into a wildfire.

The witches parted in horror, retreating to a safe distance as far as possible, but Lillian was still there. She couldn’t look away until she was convinced with her own eyes that no one and nothing could save Artemis.

The fire was slowly creeping up on the defenseless girl, completely immobilized, but her wide-open eyes were filled with genuine fear of reliving everything again. To be alone with your tragedy again, not to wait for help again, and to die again.

Lillian stretched out her hand, touching the bright tongues of hot flame. Her skin instantly burned and began to smolder, but it was worth removing her hand and everything returned to its original state.

- It’s so amazing. - She was examining her hand, fingers spread out. – I can’t stop enjoying my new body.

Abruptly turning her head to the side, her eyes flashed brighter than usual, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed, taking on an even more intimidating appearance.

- And here’s my windy friend. - She said it softly enough, but Temi heard her anyway.

The warmth of hope suddenly flared up inside and she began to pray with all her might that only the fire would not have time to get to her too quickly, so that only Raphael would have time to come to her rescue.

Still holding Thea inside, she cried and begged her forgiveness. But she had promised Ivrim, and she could not betray that promise. She had to take the consequences on herself, she had to trust him. But she still did not know the answer to the question "why exactly did she have to do all this?".

Lillian, having set priorities, left Artemis in captivity engulfed in flames and disappeared in an instant to solemnly greet the one for whom all this performance was being conceived.