A single candle was lit inside the dark room. On one side, it illuminated the green skin of the goblin's face. The goblin was gagged and tied against a chair with its arms gone and legs tied together.
"Goblin," Artemis said, in his dark and cold tone.
A dark figure leaned on the candlelight, his red and blue eyes shining in the darkness. The goblin's muffled screams hidden behind its gag proved to Artemis that the monster was, in fact, scared for its miserable life.
"I know you understand the human tongue, I know you do," Artemis leaned forward, passing over the candle. He was now a few inches against the goblin's long nose.
"Now, tell me, what happened?" Artemis asked as he removed the goblin's gag.
The goblin then screamed, roaring at Artemis' face, but Artemis was quick to shut him up by placing his right palm over its chest. The palm then exuded a high temperature that gave the goblin third degree burns in an instant.
"Wagh!!!" Feeling the insane heat, the Goblin screamed and struggled against its bonds.
"You're not escaping until you tell me exactly what I want," Artemis said.
The goblin shook its head, it was a defiant bastard that needed more pushing.
By pushing, it translated to burning and Artemis was more than happy to oblige.
With each denial to answer, Artemis burned parts of its skin bit by bit. And Artemis knew its body would be acting to hold off the pain.
Deciding to do something different, Artemis used different fluids, mixing them then putting it on his syringe index finger, he then carefully pinpointing the part of its brain where the anti-pain hormones were made and then it dried without impairing the rest of the brain.
This ensured that the goblin would experience all the pain Artemis would endure without it passing out due to shock.
The goblin seemed to be as hard as the hardest rock but only because it knew Artemis wouldn't kill it. Indeed, Artemis was not going to kill it yet but once he got what he needed, Artemis would immediately kill him.
[It believes you won't kill it] Caitlyn pointed out after observing its vitals.
Pain wasn't going to cut it.
The goblin needed its fear to be pushed over the limits.
What better way to do that than to put it face first against the most terrifying aspect of Artemid' existence.
His eyes.
Artemis leaned over the goblins face and stared directly into its eye with his heterochromia eyes that slowly glowed brighter.
Deep within his eyes, it seems beautiful as the two moonlights in the night but what the Goblin slightly felt, there is something more behind those gorgeous eyes that will cause many people to feel both love and insanity.
Dream.
Destiny.
Desire.
Delirium.
Despair.
Destruction.
And Death.
Cutting the Goblin out of its thought, it was interrupted by Artemis as he began to spoke.
"Death will foll̷͎̋o̶͈̓w̶͖̾ ̴̺̋t̴̡̎ĥ̷̥e̸̦̐s̴͔̈́e̷̤͑ ̶̦̓e̵̱̊ỵ̴͐e̴͋͜s̸̛̹," Artemis said in a voice so menacing it sent shivers down the spines of the knights and Toby who were outside the room.
His menacing and terrifying aura leaked out of the room and spread to the surroundings, everyone within the immediate vicinity cowered in fear.
The goblin, having been overrun with so much fear, abandoned all the hopes and dreams a goblin would have and cooperated.
With its raspy and childlike voice, it answered all of Artemis' questions honestly.
"Now, what did you do to this village?" Artemis asked his first question.
"Kill… pillage.. eat children.. " Finally, it responded with an immense fear in his voice.
"No survivors?" Artemis asked.
"N-No.. survivor woman in.. water.. killed her.." It said,
[It killed the woman huh, no surprise there] Caitlyn said nonchalantly.
"Where are the rest of your brethren?" Artemis asked.
"Goblins... went.. go.. boss," It said.
"Boss? You mean the Cyclops?" Artemis asked.
"Ye-s... but.. big boss.. over.. at... village... far," It answered.
"Big boss? So you have a hierarchy huh, who is this big boss?" Artemis asked.
The goblin refrained to answer for a few seconds but Artemis drew out one of his energy swords and moved it near its neck.
In fear, the Goblin immediately shouted.
"Big!! Boss..... goblin.. mancer!" It immediately answered.
Goblinmancer? Artemis thought.
Artemis then asked his final question.
"Where is this goblinmancer?"
The goblin then suddenly began to experience a seizure. It convulsed and fell against its back while still strapped on the chair.
After a few seconds, it began to laugh and its yellow eyes changed from yellow to a grayness that shined similar to Artemis' red and blue eyes.
"Hello there," The goblin suddenly spoke clearly.
"I'm guessing you're the goblinmancer he told me about?" Artemis said, being blunt that he was aware of this trick.
"Oh you know? Well then, puny human. I see you defeat my strongest General and take the World Item from him—.. Oh, my apologies, I nearly forgot to tell the puny mortal about the Great One himself! For it is I! Strurruilk, The Mighty King of all Things Under His Feet and Ruler From His Throne of the Burning Hill and Sea Master of Thieves and Giver of All Goblin Life and Conqueror of All Lan—
Cutting him off, Artemis raised his hand, confusing the possessor.
"First and foremost, I have no time for your silly introduction. I don't understand why it's necessary to have a lengthy conversation with your enemy. What? You're gonna insult me? Me, a puny human? Well then, I know that conversing with you will bear no fruit and so I'll just kill your vessel right here and now," Artemis said with a bored look on his face. With a lightning fast Quick Draw, he then raised his gun and fired upon the goblin, tearing a huge hole in its chest, also the force of the impact from the gunshot pushes the Goblin, destroying the chair it's in and launching its body across the room.
[Dear, was that wise?] Caitlyn asked.
"Maybe, but no time. Check the magical readings of the surrounding areas and trace the magical trail," Artemis said. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Artemis had hypothesized that such a magic that used possession would likely involve magic molecules to bound and form a line between the possessed and the possessor.
Without a doubt, Caitlyn detected the line but it was decaying rapidly. Using some of Artemis' computing power, she was able to pinpoint the goblinmancer's last location upon termination of its connection.
"Excellent, Caitlyn," Artemis said, causing Caitlyn to chuckle.
[Aw, it's been a long time since you praised me] Hailey said.
With the location of the Goblinmancer pinpointed, they had no time to lose.
*Pweeeee— BOOM!!!*
Without warning anybody, Artemis blasted the section of the wall where none of the knights were standing and walked out.
This action ultimately frightened the knights who were already under the effects of his aura.
"Alright, let's go," Artemis ordered as he walked out of the house, followed by the knights, mages, and Toby who were still frightened.
Before Artemis could take his 6th steps, Caitlyn in his mind complained.
[You could have just used the door, dear! (°△°||) ] Caitlyn complained, dumbfounded by her husband's actions.