The alley smelled like burnt rubber, blood, and something rotten. Perfect. Just perfect. My hands were slick, trembling but not from fear. Adrenaline, baby. Pure, unfiltered, survival-mode adrenaline.
Furies were sprawled at my feet, wings fluttering, claws twitching. Their snake-like eyes glared at me, full of hate and hunger. I wiped sweat and gore off my face. Jacket ruined. Dagger dripping. Knees raw. But hey… still alive. Technically.
I exhaled, letting the tension in my shoulders go just a hair. "Alright… that's three? Four? Who's counting?" I muttered. "Still breathing. Not dead. That's… a win. A good enough win."
One of them twitched. Just a little. But my chest jumped anyway. Reflexes ready.
I rolled. Dagger slashing. Sparks flickered along my skin. Pain flared, vanished, healed itself. My eyes focused.
"I can do this all day."
Another lunged. I sidestepped, dagger up, muscles screaming. Another one on my tail. Another roll. Another stab. Blood everywhere. My vision blurred. Everything a mess of red, shadow, and adrenaline.
And then… the alley pinched. My escape routes vanished. Furies were smart. Way smarter than last night's alley freaks.
"Shitshitshit."
Three now. Circling. Hissing. Teeth like knives, claws like razors.
I grinned anyway. Because why not? When you're standing on the edge of death and still alive, you either laugh… or panic. I chose the laugh like a certain clown.
"Alright… let's dance, you freaky-ass snakes," I muttered.
Dagger in hand. Blood and sweat mixing. Feet scraping concrete. Heart pounding. Everything screaming fight.
Then… instinct took over. Something primal, old, pulsing. My fingers twitched. And suddenly, a bow, glowing, humming, lethal as hell appeared in my hands.
No. Idea. Where it came from. Never used a bow in my life. Don't care. I just… knew it had to happen.
The furies lunged.
Instinct, adrenaline, everything aligned. I fired. One down before it hit me. Another. Dead mid-air. Third? Pulled the string, aimed, released… it dissolved into ash before it even blinked.
I dropped the bow, chest heaving. "What the actual fuck…?"
I didn't know what just happened. Didn't care. One thing I knew: the bow was mine now. For a moment. And I was going to kill anything that came at me.
.
.
.
[Artemis POV]
The bow.
Used. Alive. Blood on the hands of that child.
Disgust. Irritation. Surprise. Not admiration. Not pride.
That… thing… should not have survived. Should not have used it. Should not exist in this way.
It's marked now. Dangerous. Alive.
The sparks. My blood. My lineage. Heredity defied.
And yet… it returned. Clean. Safe. But the child… the spark persists. A mark on the world. A blip on the order I maintain.
He is awake. Too aware. Too strong. Not yet fully. But soon.
And I will not allow it. Not ever.
[MC POV]
The city didn't feel safe. Not even a little. Every shadow, every flicker of movement made my gut tighten. My hands still tingled with that blue-gold spark, my spark. Whatever it was, it wasn't just a fancy healing trick. It was alive. Hungry. And it was mine.
I ducked into a side street, keeping my jacket hood up. The smell of smoke, exhaust, and garbage clung to everything. Perfect camouflage. Not that it mattered. I had a feeling whatever or whoever was hunting me didn't need eyes to find me.
The bow. I kept thinking about it. The weapon had appeared like it was calling to me. And even though I had no idea how to use it… I had. And I killed. Efficiently. Bloodless. Clean. Instant.
I muttered, "Yeah… okay. That was terrifying. And awesome. Mostly terrifying."
I leaned against a dumpster, trying to catch my breath. The adrenaline crash was brutal. My legs trembled. My hands shook. My lungs burned. And yet… I didn't feel weak. My wounds, barely noticeable now, tingled faintly, reminding me of their existence.
I flexed my fingers. Sparks danced across my skin like fireflies in the dark. I grinned despite myself.
"Alright, then. Let's figure this shit out," I muttered. "You… whatever you are… I don't care. You saved me. So now we work together. Cool?"
I tested it. Pressed my palm to a fresh scrape from my fall. Blue-gold light flickered. Tingling. Pain vanished. Smooth. Perfect.
Not human. Not natural. Not fake.
Mine.
I ran my hands along my arms, watching the faint shimmer pulse with my heartbeat. My chest tightened. Not fear. Not adrenaline. Awareness. Something ancient, primal, whispering. This is only the beginning.
I shook my head. Couldn't think about it too much. Had to move. Survival first. Understanding later.
The sounds of the city faded as I ducked into a more abandoned street. Perfect for hiding or an ambush.
Then… it happened.
Movement.
A shimmer in the corner of my eye. Small. Swift. Human-like.
I tensed. Dagger in hand, instinct screaming.
The figure emerged. Not a Fury. Not a monster. But a girl. Blonde. Striking. Posture sharp. Confidence radiating from her like a damn aura.
I blinked.
"What the—?" I muttered.
She didn't speak. Didn't need to. Her eyes narrowed. Like she knew.
And I… didn't know. But I felt it.
Something about her… electric. Dangerous. Familiar.
She tilted her head, cocky smirk spreading across her face. "You're not supposed to be here," she said finally. Voice sharp, dripping arrogance.
I swallowed. "You're… supposed to be… what?"
Her gaze swept me up and down. She didn't flinch at the blood. Didn't flinch at the dagger. Didn't flinch at the faint glow beneath my skin. She just… stood there assessing me.
"Not meant to survive," she said simply, shrugging like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Some of us aren't. But here you are."
I chuckled bitterly. "Yeah… I guess I just don't follow the rules."
She smirked wider. "I like that. A lot."
Okay. New problem. Blonde girl. Obviously not your average girl. Cocky. Too calm. Too confident. Dangerous. Probably dangerous for me.
But… I couldn't tell if I should run, fight, or just… follow her. She seemed to know things. Things I needed.
And then, faintly, I felt it. The hum in my chest. Sparks flickering. Reacting. She was… close to whatever that power was.
Shit.
I muttered, "Great. Just what I needed. A witness… or a guide… or a killer."
She tilted her head again, reading my expression like an open book. "Relax. Not my problem… yet. But it will be if you die before you figure this out."
I narrowed my eyes. "You… gonna help me, then?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." Her grin was cocky, proud, and infuriatingly confident. "Depends on if you can keep up."
.
.
.
We didn't talk much after that. Words were useless anyway. Sparks danced across my skin like the night itself was alive. I experimented. Tried small cuts, tiny movements, testing how far the power would go. It was responsive. Smart. Protective. Almost like it could… think.
And I realized that I didn't need a bow to kill tonight. But if I had one, it would know how to work. And I would survive.
The girl watched me, arms crossed, smirk never leaving her face. "Not bad. Could be worse," she said.
I laughed. "Thanks… I think?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get used to it. You're still a mess. But… promising."
My chest tightened again. Not pain. Not adrenaline. Awareness. Someone… or something… was watching us. Waiting.
And I didn't even know why yet.