Wart led him back to his estate. His estate was basically just a humble wooden hut on the other side of the river.
Artemis wondered how the hell did the dwarf even find him amid the heavy downpour. The humble wooden hut was surprisingly spacious and had a lot of furniture inside.
The dwarf ushered him in and told him to sit down on one of the wooden chairs.
"Sit down, young man. You need to rest, I'll go and prepare a warm meal for you," Wart said.
"I thank you for your hospitality," Artemis said. The dwarf laughed and gave him a simple pat on the back and hurried to the other room.
Though spacious, the hut only had two rooms. A living room and what Artemis assumed to be the kitchen, although it was in fact both the kitchen and Wart's bedroom.
Wart came back a few minutes later with a bowl of hot mushroom soup which he handed over to Artemis. Artemis, although not needed sustenance, took it.
The dwarf was not aware of who Artemis was, the rain obscured the obviously inhuman skin that covered most of Artemis' body and his red eyes that shined in the darkness.
Well, his eyes, maybe the dwarf noticed them.
Still, the dwarf was incredibly friendly. If he was indeed the lord of the surrounding lands, then either he was a humble and kind Lord that was very rare to come across or an exiled nobleman who was given this accursed territory to rule over.
Either way, civilization was civilization.
The dwarf sat down on the chair facing Artemis. Artemis then noticed he had an axe attached to his back that he removed and placed on the table beside him.
"I may not be the best cook in the world, at least it's edible," Wart joked.
Artemis, feeling the pressure of needing to act as if he was a normal human, took the spoon and ate the soup.
The soup taste fine. Well, as if he was someone who knew what tasted fine or not. As long as it was edible, it was something. Hell, even if it was poisonous, he was immune to it.
After Artemis finished the soup, Wart began to ask him questions, questions Artemis was more than happy to answer.
"I'll be honest with you," Wart said.
"You seem to be suspicious individual but I am not someone to judge a person by the first impression so I must ask, who are you and where do you come from?" He asked. His eyes set on Artemis.
Artemis needed a new name. He couldn't just say his name was "Artemis" or else he'd risk capture or being rooted out his enemies. And oh boy, he had a LOT of enemies.
"I am Erik. I don't remember anything other than waking up in the middle of the forest, I'm sorry if this answer does not please you," Artemis said.
The dwarf gently pulled his beard in what seemed to be amazement and chuckled.
"You are an interesting fellow. You see, I've been using magic to see if what you've been showing me was genuine or an act and I have to say, you're one of the most genuine people I have ever come across!" Wart said.
Eh, Artemis thought.
This was too far-fetched. Even he knew that his act was too bad of an act to even fool a normal human but for some reason, a dwarf with magic is exact same opposite
Artemis confirmed he was indeed using magic because he could detect the surge of magic within him which was different from before.
"I.. I see... I'm glad to be that kind of person," Artemis said awkwardly.
"No need to become shy, young man. Would you like me to get you more soup?" Wart asked.
"Oh no no no, I'm actually full," Artemis said.
"If you say so, anyways, I have more questions if you don't mind?" Wart said.
"Sure, go ahead," Artemis replied.
"Okay so, what are your skills? Do you remember any?" Wart asked.
"Skills? What kind?" Artemis asked.
"Well, any! Skill in farming, fighting, hunting, anything that could be of benefit," Wart explained.
"Well, practically, I could do everyone you said except for farming," Artemis said.
"Ohhh," Wart said with more astonishment.
"You're a warrior?" Wart asked.
"Well, I think so. I remember being proficient in fighting but that's about it but I don't have magic," Artemis continued.
"Ah! Something unheard of, how rare of a man you are, at such a young age too," Wart exclaimed.
He was accepting Artemis' lies one after another and kept referring to him as a young man. For all he knew, he looked more like a deranged uncle!
What Wart was doing was basically a job interview but this was an opportunity. Artemis was lost, he did not know where he was or how he got lost in the first place. What he knew for sure was that the goddess was the one to blame for his current state and situation and so must to find a way to return.
I hope Caitlyn is managing the Drones well, Artemis thought. He couldn't help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable at the fact of Caitlyn assuming control millions of strong army of various machines.
"Let me get to the point," Wart said after completing his 50th question.
"Since you remember nothing, have no work, have no family, I offer you a chance to swear allegiance to me and work under my roof. I will provide you with security and justice within the kingdom I serve in exchange for the fruits of your labour. Sounds good, no?" Wart proposed.
Artemis, having no choice but to comply for the time-being, stood up and knelt before him with his head facing the floor.
"I shall henceforth call you my Lord," Artemis said.
For now, that is.
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A metal door automatically opens as three Drones hovering the wreckage hallway.
The Drones itself was controlled by Caitlyn herself. Ever since Artemis was missing doing the siege of the capital of the Theocracy, shes the one in control of the network, she send out thousands of groups of Drones and Androids all around Fordalt to find him. She already knew he was still alive, if his dead, then his presence will completely fade away on her senses.
As for Valentine and Liz, the rescue team are nearly on their location which is good.
The Drones that Caitlyn sent were in another planet, one of the humanity's colonize planets which was already destroyed since the war, which the planet is now more dangerous as Venus.
The Drones hovers around looking seem appears to be an underground facility. As they went to the other hallway, they found a massive vault.
One of the Drones went closer, Caitlyn possessed the drone she open the vault, of how advance the security of tue vault, she could just deactivated the security with one swipe. The vault door opens and the Drones enters.
Inside the vault was bunch of strange cylinder containers, the one in the center seems to be the most important. Caitlyn inside the Drone easily opens the container which she is obviously a human AI manipulating the systems. The container opens revealing a white stone that emits a strange and powerful energy.
[Hello baby, did you miss your mommy? Its a long time I ever see you. Okay, R-4554, take the Neutronial Stone back to Earth. We are recreating Zack's old toy once again]
Then the Drone's blue eyes returns to red, which means Caitlyn is offline and the Drone will automatically returns to Earth safely.
What Caitlyn took was named as Neutronial energy. Neutronial Energy is one of the most powerful power source ever recorded within the galaxy, it could solve the problem of wasting power sources, the energy has the power that ables to power up one billion planets for thousands of years, and it is found on the core of PSR J0740+6620, the most largest Neutron Star. Its radiation readings are beyond that could completely malfunction or destroy their most advance measuring tech. It is essentially elements made up mostly of neutrons compacted so tightly that their atoms are already touch. And the best part of this element is not lethal, which the radiation is completely harmless.
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