Awaking to the sound of beating drums, bass so heavy, his heart crashed and thumped within his ribcage. Greatly annoyed by his neighbours for once again playing their music on maximum volume, he was but an urge away from voicing his complaints.

"Artemis! Sir Artemis! Wake up please!"

 

Suddenly finding himself pulled from his bed and manhandled by a man much larger than he was. Artemis awoke in great surprise and shock, fists ready to rock and roll as the sleep within his eyes swiftly cleared, his fists collided against the bucket-helm the man wore. Crashing and bouncing off them as he was quickly thrown back into his bed.

"No time for jokes! We're under attack! Strap yourself and make your way to the yard!"

 

An iron short-sword and wooden circular shield was thrown into his stomach, before he could even react, as the intruder left as quick as he had entered, leaving the door open and hanging as Artemis remained entirely dumbfounded.

 

"Huh!?"

Observing his surroundings, he found nothing to be familiar, as every item, furniture, and the architecture itself was completely foreign to him. Looking down to the items within his lap, he almost figured himself having gone crazy, or perhaps it was all a dream and he hadn't yet awoken.

"T-this... is either some messed up dream, or one elaborate prank that's gone too far..."

The cold and rigid iron that left papercuts upon his fingers caused him to stir, greatly fascinated by how realistic their props were, as drums, trumpets, and the repeated banging and rumbling upon the stone-walls sent him into fright. Something akin to entering a highly-funded haunted-house alone, with professional actors to play out the roles of the aggressors.

 

Whilst he was about to leave the room, to play along with the TV-show, to perform in a way that would become stories to tell to his friends, rather than pissing-himself and complaining like a child. As such elaborate prank shows usually ended in the form of some reward or compensation, be it in luxury-items, holidays or straight up money. He endeavoured to act in a way he could later proudly brag about, over a couple of cold ones with the lads.

 

Climbing out of the bed, and strapping the wooden shield to his arm, whilst clutching the iron-sword like he had seen within roman documentaries. He was pleasantly pleased to find himself already wearing shoes, albeit them being squishy-leather boots.

 

Emerging out of the room and into the stone-hallway. Artemis made his way towards the sound-effects that were increasingly pounding into his head, making it also increasingly difficult to think properly. His heart couldn't help but continue to pound in adrenaline, as he was certain an actor was seconds away from jumping out to scare him in some sort of manner or capacity.

"Bloody hell... Can't they turn the music down a notch?"

 

 

The large wooden door before him crashed into splinters and fragments as two men wrestling came crashing down and into the path before him. Artemis paused, greatly surprised by their timing as he hadn't caught sight of a single hidden camera thus far. 

Watching, and observing their acting, he wondered as to what his role was. As the two men wrestled, punching and clobbering each other's helm-clad faces with their gauntlets, whilst their longswords were evidently unsuitable for MMA.

 

With great fortune, the man clad in iron managed to slip a retractable-dagger under his opponent's neck, causing him to collapse towards a side, apparently dying.

With bated breath, the victor rose to a knee before noticing Artemis simply standing there agape.

"Thanks for nothing my lord! Bloody useless!" Having two thoughts to literally abandon Artemis then and there, he almost turned to leave. However, a feeling, a notion, a certain value that was held dear to him caused the man to change his mind as he stormed towards the young-boy, dragging him by the elbow.

"oh wow, dude is strong!?" 

 

Being manhandled once again, he found himself easily dragged away. Using this moment to further inspect the clothing they had dressed him in, he found the elaborate designs upon the blank-tinted plated-armour that covered his body entirely to be ridiculously amazing. Flexing his left hand, and seeing how the chainmail clinked and moved, he wondered as to how much such a cosplay would cost to make.

However, for some odd-reason, he couldn't help but wonder as to why his legs appeared shorter than usual. And why the prop felt like it weighed so much more than it would on TV.

 

Being dragged into a hall filled with more men cosplaying as medieval knights, he was planted upon a bench as a woman who sported blonde hair, dressed in a maid-cosplay quickly ran on over to him.

"My lord! Thank the heavens you're alright!" With teary-eyes, and a face-filled with relief, Artemis was extremely impressed with their production. Having not a clue as to what to do, he merely sat there, watching and observing everything like a live-3d show.

 

"I think our lord has a few bones loose in the head." Commented one knight, who was pushing more benches and furniture towards the large gate that pounded from the other side.

"Nah, I bet a silver-coin the boy is merely scared shitless!"

 

Holding him dearly by the cheeks, the maid forced him to meet her gaze.

"Don't listen to them my lord, You are Artemis Dignitas, proud firstborn of Baron Nicholas Dignitas. You have nothing to worry about, for as long as I am here, along with these loyal knights sworn to your house. You'll be fine!"

 

"So, the character I'm playing is Artemis Dignitas, got it. Anything else I need to know?"

Seeing the young-boy's nonchalant attitude to their current predicament, the maid knew not whether to worry or to be relieved, unsure whether he had gone crazy, or was simply inhumanly-courageous, just as his father once was.

 

"Oi, Melody, how about you take the lad up on upstairs, get out of our way, let us real men do the work." Eager to ensure his line of command wasn't superseded by an ignorant and clearly frightened boy, a knight urged the two up a flight of stairs.

 

Following along with the scenario script, Artemis climbed and climbed, before he found himself reaching the apparent roof. Surprised to find himself outside, he took in the new surroundings with glee. With a spring within his feet, he leaned upon the stone-walls typical of feudal-societies and saw.

 

Saw hundreds of ridiculously angry men clad in armour dragging out soldiers from the castle he stood upon. Forced into kneeling position, their heads were soon decapitated, falling as their warm-crimson liquids spurted, staining the stone below.

Dozens of men died as the supposed enemies roared and cheered.

 

"Hey, Melody. Isn't that a bit too realistic? I don't think you can air this anywhere..."

Throwing the boy's face into her bosom, she cried where he didn't.

"It's okay my lord. None of this is your fault. It's okay..."

 

Rather than focus on the actor's attempt at comforting him, Artemis was entirely stupefied as something was stuck within his eyes. Even after rubbing his eyes until they were sore, blinking and even keeping them closed, the thing remained apparent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..

 

 

 

 

[Artemis Dignitas: Lvl 1]
[Title: Useless Trash]
[Skills unlocked:]

[N/A]

 

 

 

 

"Huh?"