Edited by: Flubbykin

Fuck.

Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fcuk!

FUCK!

I acted with my instinct. The spell was overkill, not only for the monster but for me too. It requires lots of preparation, mana, and focus, and I had none. Bah, I even cast the spell with a shortened version of the chant. Because of that, the backlash was quite... significant. My head was already spinning and a small stream of blood started dripping from my nose. It is only a matter of time until the effect of mana fever would occur.

I turned around to hide my condition and drank a mana potion both to replenish energy and wipe the blood off my nose with a sleeve in one fluent motion.

And now I have to keep her believing I am all cool. You know, in the: "cool guys don't look at explosions" style. Otherwise, she may get some funny ideas like, for example, taking advantage of the situation. You never know what sits in heads of those justice-obsessed people, especially that somehow justice is always on their side. If you attack me it's aggression, if I attack you it's required by law. My law.

WHY DID SHE FOLLOW ME!?!

- "E-everything alright?" she asked from behind my backs.

Here we start. This whole situation is dangerous. Very. If I say no - look above, if I say yes, she may get little too pushy in the dungeon thinking she has the support of all-mighty magician.

- "Of course that no! Do you have any idea how much mana I wasted?! It will take quite some time to replenish it, even with potions, next time watch your surroundings."

Giving her mixed answer just like that appeared to be the best option - on the one hand, I told her to hold her horses, on the other I said that with a more pouty tone as if it was more annoying than threatening.

- "You are full of surprises, aren't you?"

I knew where it was going, I was supposed to ask then she would try finding out how can I use dark and holy magic. And that could cause once again lots of troubles

- "Indeed, I am. And let's keep it that way."

I was being rude again, not that I care, but this way I cut the topic not letting her prying any further.

- "I just want to know if..." no. NOT AGAIN.

- "Listen..." I wiped out blood once again before facing her. I had around 10 or 15 seconds before a new wave of blood would start gushing again "... Maybe you didn't notice, but right now we are inside of an irregular dungeon. It breaks all schemes, and because of that, it's extremely dangerous. I may appear to neglect situation, but I don't. In the same time, I am scanning the area with magic and boost my physical senses. I am trying to watch corridors, spot scents and listen to the echoes. And you are disturbing my focus. Can we have this conversation once we leave this place?" and not waiting for her answer I just spat one quick: "... Good."

And then turned around.

Just in time.

It was bad. My eyes were getting heavy. The spiritual world around me was getting at the same time much more visible, yet blurry - as if textures of realities overlapped one another. Soon I would be surrounded with a mist of magic that wouldn't let me see past few meters for a duration of a few hours. Making me defenseless. I needed excuses and needed them fast.

And the proper opportunity came out pretty quickly - a crossroad. The tunnel turned split into two exactly same looking corridors.

Before my mana manipulation became completely crazy I sang once again a song of summoning. I watched the rift being torn open in the tissue of reality as Remus and Gilbert stepped of the shadows. I didn't see their new vessels, I couldn't even properly read the notifications. I just let out one last order to them - scout the areas ahead, and don't come back too quickly, if you have to, walk in a circle, buy us time.

Then I said something along the lines that it would be too dangerous to just pick randomly a corridor and we have to use this time to take a break.

I quickly moved under the wall, sat under it resting my backs on a cold stone while pulling a hood over my head. I closed my eyes and started meditation and quick detoxicating and dispelling chants in my head reducing the duration of the dangerous debuff.

Then I started to ignore her.

A beast. A beast walking among mortals. It is impossible he was JUST a magician! Triple casting? The raw power of a spell? Two new familiars!? Using holy and dark domain one after another? The man was dangerous, no - dangerous was a wrong word, he was a calamity - a ticking bomb.

This combined with his short-tempered nature made it only a matter of time till something truly terrible would happen.

Yet... what she could do to stop him? To stop... this... thing? He has the ability to melt body into stone, yet, despite his power, he does not lose his vigilance - he admitted that a moment ago - scouting even empty corridors on multiple levels and taking unnecessary breaks in order to avoid making even smallest mistake... if she would betray any ill intentions toward him... she would soon share the fate of colossal beast they left in previous room.

- "She-blade!..." raven devil called her making her jump in place "... you will help me check the tunnel behind us. Come." and started heading back in the corridor they came from.

In the same time, the wolf-beast rested next to its master lying its colossal head on his thigh.

- "But why would I..."

- "Art of ambushing - the best way to attack your enemy is attacking from behind, very often tunnels have additional hidden entrances allowing monsters to surround the group. You have a gift of mana-seeing. Now - walk."

Once again shiver ran down her spine. She didn't like the idea of staying alone with the devil, even if she could defeat it in its current vessel - the beast was intelligent and this whole situation could be nothing more than a way to trick her into leaving Zariel alone allowing him to prepare some nasty spell...

... No, if he wanted to get her killed he could do that in more ways, all less tiresome and require less scheming.

As soon as they vanished behind corridors the devil turned in place. He did that so suddenly that Blanka almost slashed him with her blades.

- "Master will require your help." the devil said after few seconds of silence.

- "I beg your pardon?"

- "Didn't you use your mana sensing on him? He may pretend otherwise, but he is exhausted."

- "But..."

- "He is afraid. Of you. Of people. Of showing weakness. He kept himself safe this long by misinformation. By saying true lies and false truth. By saying words that make everyone interested in their own ways, by making himself being considered either much more powerful or completely non-threatening in the eyes of different groups. The spell he used to save you is not your ordinary fireball, right now his body is swollen and senses are twisted."

- "Why is he doing that... And why are you telling me that?"

- "As for your first question - because that was a correct thing to do, at least from my perspective. What happens when people spot a new source of power? They try to exploit it. Use it. Enslave it. He managed to live this long only because he doesn't truly believe anyone. As for your second question..."

The devil became silent for the moment.

- "... I am not really sure. Your credo, even though naive, is quite... splendid, I would say, You and I are not that different in this matter. For you, the only important thing is serving the people and you do that following the law which is absolute. For me... I am serving my mistress, and to me, her word is law. I believe that when you would see him from the correct perspective, you would try to protect all the good he is making - even while not accepting his very behavior. And that would benefit him, and indirectly - me."

- "Is he a champion of your goddess?" Blanka would eventually ask "... or... maybe he is her..."

- "Child? No, he is not Heira's child."

- "For a moment I thought he may be an avatar of god..." she admitted despite knowing how embarrassing that sounded.

- "What is a god to you? Is it the one that exists on a celestial plane? The one that partook in the creation of the world? The one that possesses the ability to on whim shape the reality? Then he is not... But, did you know, that far on the South-East, there is a village worshiping a huge eight-headed white snake?"

- "Yamata no Orochi? The divine Hydra?"

- "Indeed. The creature is, or at least was, a mortal, that gained extremely huge magical power and was called a divine, the whole area worships it, make sacrifices and pray in its honor, for which the divine beast blesses the land and worshipers... if it has a good mood. Zariel is... similar. In some aspects. He is not on the level of the divine, that's for sure, but his existence is an irregularity. Just as an eight-headed snake. Just as the moon shines in the night being beacon of light in a tempest of darkness. A paradox."

- "I... I think I understand."

- "Then you are wiser than I am, for even I can't comprehend the real meaning of such existence."

Sebastian didn't lie. Not a single time. Zariel wasn't a son of Hiera - he was a son of Aira. He didn't lie while saying that Zariel was not on the same level as demigod Serpent - for in celestial hierarchy he was far, far above it, when the time would come, even the white snake of the east would bow its head before him.

She-blade didn't have to know the truth. Not the full-one. For now, Sebastian gave her as much information she needed in order to secure the well-being of his master. By glorifying his deeds he played on her emotions. Soon, he will feed her with few more sophisticated half-truths. Who knows, maybe she would picture him as a victim of society? The one that was unjustly hurt by so-called law?

That would surely earn the favor of this skilled swords-woman. At least in the nearest future. But it was needed and required. And who knows, maybe properly manipulated executioner could become a useful tool for future?