Chapter 5

Time passed and the moon began to descend and illuminate the water of the oasis in a purple hue. Alessia went ahead and prepared her dinner after I decided to stick around from fear of another earthquake. She didn’t even offer me a bite of it...It seems Tiamat returned to her master’s realm and the old man was recovering from the loss of breath and bone cracking hugs.

Alessia was facing the other way from me and appeared to be sleeping, although it just looked like she was lazing around by laying on her side with one hand propping up her head. Everything had calmed down and was almost tranquill. I heard the peaceful sound of the swaying water and decided that it was the perfect time to take my leave without bringing too much attention to my departure. I made sure to fill up my canteen to the absolute brim, got up and began walking toward the direction of the supposed exit.

“You’ll never defeat him.”

I stopped and turned my body around slightly and spotted Alessia in the same position but facing toward me.

“Defeat who?”

“The first Prince of Bael, no matter how strong you are, no matter how many familiars or how much demonic energy you have, even IF you’re stronger than him overall, you still won’t stand a chance.”

Alessia was staring at me with the same expression that she had been showing since I first met her. Just who was this girl and how did she know so much about me? Going by what she said and how she said it, she must be referring to the first prince’s ability to use the Will of Lucifer to control other Devils, an ability that I also possessed. Thankfully she was unaware of the later, so I decided to respond to her without giving that away. I turned my body toward her fully, my back was highlighted by the ever illuminating moon.

“It’s not a matter or will or won’t, or can or can’t.”

I clenched my right fist and gave Alessia a determined and confident look.

“It’s a matter of MUST.”

For the first time since I met her, Alessia gave me a different look, it was a condescending look laced with pity. I ignored her new expression and began making my way to toward the exit.

“Feng-san told me that at the end of this desert, there are ruins, within these ruins there is a secret warp point to leave these burial grounds.”

“W-what, then I can…”

“However, guarding this warp point is one of Lord Lucifer’s most loyal and trusted familiars, I only informed you of this to make sure that you avoided entering the ruins and allowing your childish curiosity to get you killed.”

Alessia was still making that same face at me, in fact it showed more pity

“Hm, I don’t know who you think you are, or how much you think you know about me, but never underestimate my power and most of all, never make that face at me again.”

I tried emulating the expression that Shiro showed to that Cassius guy, but I failed miserably...

Alessia shook her head and turned the other way, I took one last look at her back and started making my way to the end of the desert. Thankfully Tiamat no longer stirred, but I did feel the old man react to my determination. Lucifer’s most loyal and trusted familiar huh? Wonder who and what it was...

I was trekking through the starlit desert night and was nowhere near reaching the end. I couldn’t stop thinking about the expression that Alessia made after I reaffirmed my ambition to defeat the first prince of Bael. It’s been a long time since anyone has doubted my abilities.

“Wahahahahaha, that was a nice little detour foolish boy, yknow that girl was pretty attractive, her melons were a lot bigger than the snow girls, pity about her attitude, maybe if she didn’t have my little sister as a familiar then…”

“W-would you shut up old man! I’m trying to have a self loathing and character developing moment here!”

“Wahahahahahaha, foolish boy, you have nothing to fear, with the great ME as your familiar, there is no familiar of Lucifer’s that you need to worry about, well, not anymore…”

“Hey old man, do you have any idea who or what this person in the ruins is?”

“Waha, nope, no idea, all of Lucifer’s familiars were loyal to him beyond belief.”

“W-wait, Lucifer used the will of lucifer to control his familiars?”

“Wahahahahaha, of course, how else would he be able to assemble such strong subordinates.”

This gave me an idea, there was nobody around so it just might be possible to do it without raising to much suspicion, although, I had no idea if it was going to work.

“Old man, no matter what happens in those ruins, I want you to promise me that you won’t intervene, even if I’m on the verge of death, don’t even release bloodlust. If my plan fails then I want you to deliver Shiko back to Seir, before you return to that stupid hiding place of yours.”

“Wahahahahahahaha, what’s with the serious expression foolish boy? Very well, it’s not like I’ll die if you do, so do as you please, I will hide my presence and just enjoy the show.”

I continued walking, soon after the moon was replaced by the scorching sun and I could just make out the ruins that Alessia had mentioned. I smacked my chest with my fist to steady my resolve and made my toward them.