Before setting off, Leon had already determined his goal with unwavering clarity. Unlike Bell in the original tale, who had hesitated and wavered in the face of destiny, Leon bore no such doubts.
The moment he laid eyes on Antares, there was no hesitation, none at all. Everything moved like clockwork.
He immediately arranged for Hestia and the others to retrieve the bodies of the fallen members of Artemis' Familia, buried deep beneath the ruins. There was no time to waste, no need for second thoughts.
And then, Artemis' arrow was unleashed. It was as though the will of the gods themselves had answered the call.
In an instant, the divine arrow soared through the air with breathtaking might, its energy cutting across the battlefield like a divine verdict. Antares' fate was sealed from that very moment.
With Leon's precision, with the celestial force he wielded, there was no possibility of missing. Not even a sliver of it.
The terrible monster that had once brought dread to the world didn't even have the chance to complete its ritual, to condense its own arrow. It died before it could threaten the world.
As the divine arrow pierced the crystal that imprisoned Artemis' true body, Leon rushed forward. He knew better than anyone what would come next.
If he were even a moment too slow, Artemis would ascend to heaven, her body reclaimed by the divine beam and reborn among the gods, just like in the original story.
In the movie, Artemis had only taken a few seconds to disappear.
The beam of divine light would descend without warning, transporting her back to heaven to begin anew. If that happened now, Leon's mission, his wish, would crumble.
But this time… it would be different.
Leon caught her. His arms wrapped around her fragile body just before the light could take her.
Without wasting a second, he reached into his system storage and pulled out a black ceremonial robe, instantly wrapping it around her form. Then, he quickly activated the Sephiroth Graal.
Golden and violet light enveloped Artemis as the grail began its sacred work.
The divine power Leon had gathered over days was transformed, purified into resurrection energy, wrapping her body in waves of warm brilliance.
He knew full well that the lingering fragment of her consciousness born from the arrow could sense what he was doing. But he didn't care.
Whether Artemis knew or not, whether she approved or not, none of that mattered.
Because once she was brought back by the Sephiroth Graal, she would return in full, just like Alise and the others had before. With her soul stabilized by the grail, she would naturally form a connection to Leon. Just like the Angel Reincarnation Pool, her resurrected form would be attuned to him.
If the resurrection failed? Then Artemis would be reborn in heaven, her memories erased. That outcome also posed no danger to Leon.
This was a gamble, yes, but one he had already accounted for.
He heard her voice.
"Leon…"
But he didn't stop.
He simply looked up briefly, nodded at her quietly and then returned to his task, pouring everything into the resurrection.
Artemis stood there, stunned by his single-minded devotion. She opened her mouth, as if to speak but in the end, she said nothing. Her surprise gave way to a small, subtle smile.
"Thank you… Orion…"
The name slipped from her lips like a whisper carried on divine wind.
Leon heard it but chose not to respond. His attention was locked on her soul and body. On stabilizing the divine vessel. His brow furrowed slightly.
'The gods truly are extraordinary beings…' He thought as he monitored the process.
'Even with all the divine power I've collected, it's still not enough to resurrect her completely.'
His eyes narrowed. 'Then… I'll use magic power once divine power runs dry.'
'I just need it to be enough, no matter what.'
— — —
Elsewhere, Hestia and the others had descended to the bottom of the pit. They looked up toward the dazzling white light above, squinting, confused.
None of them could see what was happening but they all felt it. Something massive. Something miraculous.
Suddenly, Hermes narrowed his eyes and gasped. "Artemis' arrow … it's dissipating."
He had caught a glimpse of the divine crescent moon above, once radiant, now rapidly fading away.
"Leon… He's done it! Antares has been defeated."
The declaration rang through the chamber like thunder.
Hestia's eyes widened. "That means… Leon is resurrecting Artemis right now!?"
Hermes nodded solemnly.
"Then let's go! We have to bring up Artemis' Familia." Hestia shouted, turning on her heel and sprinting off into the ruins.
Hermes followed without delay. Asfi and the others, though utterly bewildered by the talk and the impossible turn of events, didn't ask questions. Seeing the gods move with urgency, they swallowed their disbelief and began helping search.
— — —
Meanwhile, back in Orario, the skies had returned to silence.
Artemis' arrow, which had stunned even gods, was now gone.
On top of Babel, Loki scowled. "What the hell was that thing?!"
She glared at the sky where the crescent had once shone.
From beside her, Freya sipped her wine in thoughtful silence. "…Arcanum. It was unmistakable."
"I know that. I asked what the hell it was. Who made it?!"
Freya's gaze didn't shift. "That was Artemis' arrow."
Loki's expression darkened. "…Then what's Artemis doing?! That arrow, using that kind of power, should've alerted the gods."
"She shouldn't have been able to use it without detection…" Freya muttered.
"Artemis came to Orario with Hermes not long ago and vanished after two days. Leon and Hestia disappeared too."
"You think they're connected?" Loki asked.
Freya finally turned her eyes from the sky. "Let's ask them when they return."
Loki snorted. "Tch. Or I'll just go ask Ouranos myself."
Without another word, the impatient deity vanished, leaving Freya staring into the heavens.
"…Artemis wouldn't use her arrow so recklessly." She whispered. "She knows what it would trigger."
"Then… how did that arrow appear?"
Her violet eyes shimmered in thought.
"…It can't be…"
Back at the ruins, Leon's divine power was gone. Completely drained. His breathing was faint, and his limbs trembled slightly.
"…It's almost done."
He looked at Artemis' form, cradled in his arms.
"The divine power wasn't enough… but my magic power can fill the gap." He murmured to himself.
That was when Artemis' projection approached quietly.
"Leon… are you alright?" She asked, worry etched across her face. Her eyes trembled with unspoken emotion.
Leon's face had gone pale from the sheer cost of his spellwork but he still smiled. "I'm fine. It's just magic power exhaustion. Nothing serious."
Despite the pain, he remained calm and steady.
Buzz…!
The Sephiroth Graal's glow began to fade. The sacred light that wrapped around Artemis' form dissipated bit by bit, vanishing like mist in the morning sun.
"…It worked." Artemis whispered in awe, staring at her own body glowing with restored divine light.
She gave a gentle, serene smile. Then, without a word, her figure blurred and merged with her true body.
A second later, Artemis' eyelashes fluttered. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Leon's face.
"Welcome back, Artemis." Leon said softly, smiling down at her.
"…Ah." Her voice trembled.
"I'm back…"
She blinked, her senses returning.
"…Thank you, Leon."
A soft smile formed on her lips. And then, her cheeks turned bright red.