What happened? Ah yes, me and brother were fighting that strong old man – adventurer Jericho. Big brother was right – humans can be scary! It was just training, but, if the battle was serious, I – no, we - would for sure be dead! Even with brother we couldn’t defeat him! I feel ashamed for not believing him, I thought he wanted to limit or use me, but since the very beginning, he was really worried about me…

… He wanted me to be strong and independent without affecting my own view of the world…

… I failed his expectations. I failed to see it with my own eyes. I failed to grow into his independent companion… yet I am not sorry. One thing led to another and I ended inside of his. With him. Closer than I could even dream to be. We share body, senses – we can even share thoughts, thought big brother says that unless the situation isn’t dire, we shouldn’t do that. I believe it’s because he still wants me to grow… he is that kind of person. I am truly blessed to have such a kind mentor.

… but what now? We lost, we were knocked unconscious…

I felt it – the body. When we felt down we were still sharing access to it, but now, big brother was sleeping and I ended with whole control – that’s a defense mechanism big brother set up – if something would happen that would cause him to lose power or senses in battle, I would follow as a backup to keep on fighting or running away and finding shelter.

Very well, I will execute the task that I was given! First – check the environment!

Eyes! Open!

Eyes here! No can do!

What do you mean by “No can do”?!

The body is exhausted! It still needs some regeneration! Keeping eyes shut highly advised!

It’s a situation of life and death! Execute your order, soldier!

Sir, yes, sir… Buuuut

RIGHT NOW!

Blue and Green eyes with always sharp gaze opened scanning the surrounding. Kim knew the room he was currently – it was the one big brother Zariel was renting together with that annoying she-devil… I mean, she-dragon.

Someone was nice enough to carry them to his bed, so he could rest. Good. It means his task would finish here. The body is secured and ready to undergo regeneration.

Still, Kim felt no satisfaction. It was too easy. He wanted to perform something that would earn him praise.

“Amazing Kim! You took great care of me!” or “I expected nothing less from you, we truly are of the same blood” or “It’s great to have such a reliable younger brother!”

But with just sitting on his ass Kim was sure that he would hear no such words. Kim needed a good reason, or an excuse, to leave the room.

Putting host “in danger” just so he could “save him”? Was that a flawed logic? Flawed or not, to Kim, it was still a logic.

Now, his main task should be focusing on main body regeneration. But what would boost his regeneration?

~ Maybe food?

Kim heard a voice in his head. One of siblings he had voiced her mind

~ What are you doing?

~ Shush. Just watch. It looks like fun.

~ Aren’t you afraid that he will get into some mess?

~ That’s what we hope for.

Food? - Kim asked the Voices

~ That’s but a normal thing, isn’t it? The body needs fuel to deal with exhaustion. You will need some food with high nutri…

~ SWEETS!

~ What I am trying to say…

~ CHOCOLATE! LITTLE CAKES! ICE CREAMS!

~ Something balanced like…

~ CHEESEECAAAAAKEEEE

Will cakes help brother rest?

~ I dou…

~ ABSOLUTELY! Even more, his mind is the one that is currently exhausted, haven’t you heard that sweets all called the medicine for soul?

Sister Gluttony, you are so wise!

~ Ho-ho! But of course that I am, when it comes to nutriment I know everything! So now go and fetch me some cake. Or chocolate. White chocolate!

You mean, fetch it for big brother?

~ Oh, yes, yes that’s it. Slip of tongue, forgive me. Hey! Make sure it’s creamy!

~ I still don’t think it’s a good ide…

~ Shhh!

~ Hey, kid, one thing – I think that you should avoid interaction as much as possible. Zariel acts differently toward different people. Many may want something, many would want to leech on him, and many could tell right away that you are not Zariel they know. That could lead to many dangerous situations. So…

~ SPECIAL MISSION! Sneak into the kitchen and steal food undetected!

~ Special points for special mission 0 if you would look under waitress skirt!

~ Now, that’s just silly and unreason…

~ ONWARD! CHILD TO THE VICTORY!

~ Kim, for love of the three, don’t listen to th…

~ Sister Gluttony! They are trying to interfere with our plans to RESTORE ZARIEL’S WELL BEING!

~ FOR ZE CAKE!

At the bottom of Zariel’s mind, a fierce battle between sins started. Every weapon was used, no attack was prohibited. The glasses were shattered, billiard polls used and attacks on genital areas allowed (guess who targeted these places). Using havoc that occurred, Lust gave one last order to Kim – “go, child, go”. And with pure intentions naïve chimera did as he was told.

“YOU OVERDID IT AGAIN, PA!” meanwhile, Giselle was yelling at the head of adventurers “… you completely kick him out of cold!” “You exaggerate, sweetie, you know that he would be up on his feet before the day ends!” “Oh? So let’s use him as a punch bag!? And because of what? Of innocent misunderstanding during breakfast!? Seriously… I used to have a better opinion about you!” “… Giselle, child, don’t be like that! Our wish to spare was mutual, bah! – I was the one asked out for a duel!... and jokes aside. He does grow quickly. I had to be serious during that battle. He is one hell of a beast… This old man could walk his old bones again. I am happy to know you travel with such strong people, at least I don’t have to worry about you getting hurt” “Hey! I am plenty strong myse… Wait. F…father, did you just… praise someone? Without mockery at the end?” “Haaa? No, you must be clearly mistaken! I did n…” “You did. There was , or … you just complimented someone…” “I DID NOT!... maybe?”

They were sitting by the inn table with rest of the party – Lanele was finishing her meal, cleaning her mouth with a handkerchief and Blanka was polishing her dagger under the table.

“The oracle has been chosen, Arthur, king of men, regains his powers in his own country and Jeremy Jericho is praising someone… Truly, the doomsday is upon us. “THE END IS COOOOMING!…” could be heard from the outside. Some mad man in dirty robes was yelling “Crazy John is wildin’ again…” bystanders commented actions of mad man “REPENT! For I have seen! The beast with face of a man shall rise to his throne at the crown of the world! And he shall be fought by the man blessed by the angels, though with the heart of the devil! Under the city made of sun, they shall clash, and the echo of their battle shall wake the End of man – first of ten, lying in his slumber uneasy! Nothing we can do! Nothing that can be done! The end is upon us! REPENT!”

The man’s voice was getting quieter and quieter as he kept on walking down the street sharing his visions with the others, completely ignored by the party sitting by the table.

“Also, Giselle, aren’t you are rude one? I have been here for quite some time, but you didn’t yet introduce me to your friends!” “Mostly because they know you, as you are a living legend, and there is no way you didn’t use your contacts in another guild to spy on me.” “Giselle, I love you, and every moment of my free time I indeed spend on checking how you are doing, but, if you think I have nothing better to do than to pull my strings and get my contacts to work just for sake of spying few adventures…” Giselle throw an angry gaze at father “… then you are absolutely right, because I did. I am sorry.” “ Gis, don’t be so harsh to your father. You can clearly see his intentions are pure… My mother also spies on me… thought it’s only because she wants to secure her lineage. I bet she waits for any excuse to force me back into Alabaster City… and yes! You can repeat that to her!”

She suddenly turned toward one of the corners, where no one was standing, yet after, few seconds, the shadows moved slightly and disappeared

“… wait. I thought that was someone from our special forces, but there is no way that I could sense them so…”

Something rolled, something rumbled, some shape blinked at the corner of their vision, before the door to the kitchen was opened slightly and in the instance closed.

“Did just… someone broke into the kitchen?” “Should we bother?” “Most likely not. I heard that head-chief in this kitchen is crazy, only a fool would try to cause them any harm.”

And a few seconds after the team managed to resume their peaceful talk, there was a scream filled with terror from behind the close door.

“THE CAAAKE! THE CAKE I PREPARED FOR THE KING! WHERE IS IT?! THIEF! WE HAVE A CAKE THIEF! ALARM! ALAAARM!”

Man screams were followed by mechanical sounds of mechanisms being triggered

“ARM THE TRAPS! LOCK THE KITCHEN DOWN! I WILL FUCKING MURDER THIS CAKE-STEALING BASTARD! HE WON’T GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE!”