[i]Mistake mistake mistake[/i], Artemis' life was just one long string of [i]mistakes[/i], wasn't it? The great wolf was snarling warnings and scoldings at her, but its feral teeth weren't the only to shine in the Lantern's light.

The Lord of Shadow's voice boomed through her, reverberating through her muscle and bones, blood and sinew. It was like it lived in the very shade of her body, echoing up and down her skin. Her white hair stood on end, bumps raised along her flesh. The lion jumped at her. With a gasp Artemis raised her arms to form a feeble shield in front of her face, Lantern in one hand, staff in the other. The green rune on her right hand glowed.

With a crackle of lightning the ground erupted in front of her. Thick, wicked roots shot up, shaking the earth and destroying the forest floor. The tremor shook her, sending her falling backwards to land roughly on her rear, the shock of the impact stunning her jaw. Her eyes were still shut. But she felt the hot splash of blood – she heard the strangled, unearthly cry. 

Artemis opened one eye. Then she could only gape at the scene before her. The lion was suspended mid-leap, paws still outstretched, claws extended, mouth open. But its eyes were still trained on Artemis, but they were oddly vacant. Four tree roots stood straight out of the ruined earth like pillars, covered in dirt and blood. They had impaled the great lion. Artemis scrambled to her feet, Nura frantically nudging at her still. The rune on Artemis' hand pulsed again. And then it extinguished.

The roots went slack, falling. The lion fell with it. It hit the ground, still impaled, with a great thud that shook the ground again. Artemis fell too, suddenly exhausted. Her knees hit the ground, and it was all she could do to keep her staff planted and use it for support. It was suddenly hard to keep her eyes open, with how tired she was.

But Artemis grit her teeth. If she fell unconscious she would die – there was no question. Her knuckles turned white around her staff and she fought to stand.

[color=turquoise]"You,"[/color] she panted out, finally getting to her feet, [color=turquoise]"you're not the only one with power. And you haven't killed it yet. You've had it trapped for centuries and you never killed it. Which means you either [i]couldn't[/i] kill it, even when it was weak and captured, or you were stupid enough to think it would never break free."[/color] Sweat was beading on her brow as she turned over her shoulder to look at whatever new monster the Lord was bound to throw at her. [color=turquoise]"You all keep calling me Sun-Child. And whatever the [i]fuck[/i] that means, I'm gonna guess that means I'm too important for someone as opportunistic as you to not use. So stop playing coy."[/color]