Chapter 44: The Huntress and the Flames Dance

Artemis pulled out her bow

Along with a few arrows

Plucking away as if

It were a harp

And she strummed away

With arrows sailing across the air

Towards the burning flames

Spewing forth from the fingertips

Of a raging lunatic.

The flames leapt up

Flinging this way and that

Too unpredictable to see

Their movements as they lashed out

All the while Artemis kept her calm

And dodged the flames

With such grace

That the scene was eloquent

Other than the fact that

Each individual was trying

To kill each other.

Finally she reached out

With her leg pointed so

At the head of Asbetos

Who merely bent backwards

Reaching back with his hands

To hold onto the ground

As his feet left the ground

Coming up behind Artemis

But she too understood

The art of combat

And reached back

To grab his feet

And flipped herself on them

Taking him out

As she had him upsidedown

Dangling by his feet

In her hands

That is until the flames ripped up

Towards her face

And she began to scream in agony

As the flames began to burn her

The flesh peeling away

Flying away as little pieces of ash.

“Not so big now

Are we little girl?”

Asbetos proclaimed

As he got up onto his feet

While Artemis was on the ground

Trying to be rid of the flames

That kept at her face

Burning it and bringing her only pain.