A.N. Okay so this chapter contains very mature themes of a violent and sexual nature. This is your warning before you proceed. As always if you like the chapter vote for it. I'm always open to constructive criticism and if you think other's will like the story share it! Sharing is caring. 

-D

"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people."

-Carl Jung

Pandora awoke in the softness of her own bed. She was sore, but she felt so refreshed. As if today was to be one of the best days ever, and every day after better than the last. She dressed quickly and went to the common area where the children were circled around Artemis and a fairy that flew next to her. They all looked so amused, and so happy.

"Artemis." She called out as she walked forward.

Zeina turned to her and frowned, "Have you seen Alaister?"

Before she could answer Xandra answered, "He left early this morning, told me he needed to go clear his head."

The frown did not leave her face, but she let the topic go. Pandora looked at Artemis and asked, "Have you..."

"The Elder requested his presence. He told me to tell you to stay here until he returns." Artemis answered, "We will be taking the children now, would you like to come?"

Pandora thought it over and shook her head, "No, I will stay behind." She knelt down and held her arms out for the kids who all piled between her outstretched arms. She squeezed them tightly and whispered, "You be good and work hard. I will have a feast prepared when you return."

The cheered and she watched as Artemis and the fairy led them out and into the forest. She sighed and the silence felt heavy and vast. Without the kids, Alaister and Faunus there she would have to find something to do with herself. She almost wished she had gone with Artemis.

Artemis, the fairy, and the children had just reached their destination when the sickly sweet smell of a woodland nymph filled the air. She appeared before Artemis.

"The Elder wishes for you to come to her." The nymph said smoothly.

Artemis looked at the fairy who said, "Go! I will be fine with the human children."

They departed, and when they reached the cave where the elder lived, Artemis took off her bows and arrows and laid them at the mouth of the cave. Cinnamon and sage where the first scents to hit her nose, growing stronger the deeper the went, until they were in a clearing, candals I'm the circle illuminating the elder. An old elven woman with hair that was snow white that fanned the floor around where she sat. She wore a simple green robe and her eyes were shut. Faunus who also sat on the ground before the woman gave Artemis a questioning look. Artemis returned his look with a shrug, she had no clue what was going on.

"Very good, now we can begin. Faunus..." the old woman groaned, "it is almost time for you to join your mistress at the resting place."

Faunus regarded this woman and asked, "And why is that?"

"When the time comes where he is forced to forgive the unforgivable his real journey can begin." She said her voice sounding eerily similar to Lucinda's.

The old woman finally opened her eyes to reveal cloudy white that coverers her once green eye. "You must also know they you are to take Artemis, for it is her destiny to bear you a child."

Faunus frowned, "I have chosen a mate and we both know.."

"Your mates fate has already been sealed."

He shot up, "What is that supposed to mean?" He grabbed her wrist and he saw what she saw.

"You brought me here knowing this?" He roared in fury.

The elder looked at him without fear and calm, "I did. Because it is the way things must go."

He went to leave and her next words gave him pause. "Your destiny cannot be changed."

He left then. His anger vast as he raced to save the human woman he had fallen in love with. Artemis stood and looked at the Elder.

"Was there more?" Her voice was even.

The Elder pulled out a small box, "Yes. After everything is done you and only you can give them a second chance." She held it out and Artemis held it in her hands it felt cold, empty. "However there comes a sacrifice to you. That box holds souls, you can merge hers with yours but only after his seed has spilled inside of you."

She did not like any of this but one thing bugged her. As if sensing the question the elder smiled. "I would not choose to anger the Dragon god of my own violation. It was his creator that set him upon this path."

Artemis simply nodded and left. She did not know what exactly was going on but Faunus had treated her indiscriminately and she would follow him to her death if it was necessary.

Pandora had just finished tending to the garden when she smelled the fire. At first she hesitated, wondering if her nose was playing tricks on her. After the bandits had come to her village the first time she had nightmares and always smelled fire. It took a long time to recover from the trauma, she she did. She felt as if she had to if not for her own sanity than for the younger children who she and Alaister had been left with. She quickly snuck to the front of her home only to be greet with dark smoke that rose towards the sky. And it was then she saw a tall figure walking towards her. Alaister at his side, without thinking she ran to meet them.

"Alaister!" She called out, "Alaister what has happened?"

The man beside him chuckled his eyes undressing her slowly. "So this is her, the Dragon God's whore?"

It was then she noticed her friends dark look, the hatred burning in his eyes. She took a step back and the man reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling her roughly so that she stumbled forward. He held her tightly and smiled down at her wickedly.

"So where are the children you told me about?" The man asked Alaister licking his lips at Pandora.

Pandora's heart fell to the bottom of her stomach. She still did not know what was going on, what was going through Alaister's head to bring this man here.

"They are gone." She said, no intention on telling him where even if she did know where Artemis and the fairy took them.

Alaister frowned at the man, "Do what you want with her, but the kids remain unharmed. They should be returning soon."

"Very well." The man responded as he tugged at Pandora roughly, half dragging her to the house. "I shall test her out, see if she is worth what you paid for her."

Pandora's eyes widened as she finally understood what was happening. Alaister had sold her to this man. She fought with him kicking and screaming as he flung the door open and threw her inside. She fell onto the floor and scrambled to get up, running towards the kitchen searching for a knife anything to protect herself from whatever he intended for her. He laughed in the door way his arms folded over his chest.

"It will go easy for you if you don't fight me." The man warned, "But I do like it when they put up a fight."

Her fingers found the handle of a knife and she held it out in front of her, "If you touch me he will kill you, he will tear you apart."

"He has the means to kill him." Alaister said a smug look on his face. "He told me so himself."

Pandora laughed madly, "And you believed him." She glared at the man she had once called her friend. Who had been there through everything and found that she did not recognize this person. Doubt played on Alaister's features and the man waved a hand dismissively.

"Like I said we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

He took a step forward and Pandora stood rooted. She would fight him with everything she had.

"I would rather die than let you touch me."

The man moved quickly his hands on her wrist tightly twisting the one that held the knife until she dropped it. She tried to knee him in the crotch and he back handed her, but even then she did not stop fighting him. Even as he wrestled her to the floor and ripped her clothing she fought, she kicked and screamed until he punched her in the jaw. Pain shot into her head as he forced her legs open and she could feel him hard as she tried to skrim away even with her her head pounding. But he was too strong and she cried out as he entered her roughly. He groaned as he held her still her hands above her head. She looked at Alaister who regarded her with empty eyes before turning to leave. Two men also stood in the doorway.

"And just where do you think you're going?" The man stopped and grinned evilly at Alaister, "You can't leave yet we are just getting started."

One of the men punched Alaister in the stomach as his leader went back to what he was doing. Laughing as tears streamed down Pandora's eyes. When he was finished he stood, pulling up his trousers with a satisfied look on his face. He picked up the knife that Pandora had dropped and knelt over her.

"She was right about one thing, I have no way to kill the Dragon God." The man laughed, "So that he does not discover us and seek retribution I will kill her and then you. Make it look like you did it. You were jealous right?"

The men that held Alaister began to beat him sensily, "Not too much boys we have to make it look realistic. That bitch did put up one hell of a fight. To bad I have to kill you, I would love to take you and keep you but alas it is too dangerous." He plunged the knife into her stomach and she screamed.

The man turned to walk towards Alaister and did not get two steps before he froze. His men stopped and looked in the direction of their leader and they too froze, dropping Alaister to the ground as they began to back away. Faunus stood there, his eyes glowing. The earth began to shake and before they could even think to run large roots shot through the floor twisting around the bandit's arms and legs and around their necks.

"Was it worth it?" Pandora gasped at Alaister who lay on the floor unable to move. "Was..."

He said nothing, he couldn't even look at her. Regret and shame begin to settle inside of him. There was a crack as the roots released the men their bodies falling to the ground with a loud thud. Faunus immediately went to her, kneeling in her blood as he lifted her head and placed it in his lap.

"You're dying." He said softly, "And I do not have the power to save you."

She smiled up at him, "It...it's okay. I knew you would come for me." Her eyes wandered to Alaister, "Do...do not hurt him." She coughed and a stream of blood began to fall out of the corner of her mouth. "I, I don't understand why...why he would do this, but he really is..." Her eyes fluttered shut and Faunus lifted his head up letting out a roar that shook the earth.

Artemis came just as Faunus walked towards Alaister and picked him up roughly throwing him against the wall. "I should kill you!"

"Go...go ahead." He said in a low voice. "I don't deserve to live."

"You don't, but she told me not to kill you so I won't, but you will go with me." He released Alaister who feel to the floor in a large heap. "Get up." He commanded coldly as he walked out of the home. He did not need to wait he knew the man would follow. It was the very least he could do.

Artemis went to Pandora's body and frowned sadly. She opened the box and held it open, and when at first nothing happened she though maybe she had waited to late, maybe she failed. Then a bright light began to spill from Pandora's body into the box, and when it stopped the box slammed shut.

"This is not goodbye." Artemis whispered before she too turned and walked out of the house.