The ride through the desert had been silent, save for Edwin complaining about the heat and his mother's reassurance that they'd be out of the sun soon. Other than that, not a word was exchanged between any of the passengers - especially between the Hamelians and their two newest additions to the group: Lu and Ciel.
The tension between the two sides was palpable even for Gerard as he weaved his way around the seemingly endless sea of sand dunes. The archmage had been looking for a way to break the silence since the Wind Temple Ruins had vanished in the horizon, but seeing as Chung appeared completely against the idea of even breathing the same air as the demons, it was difficult for Gerard to find the right thing to say.
As for the king himself, he was at a loss. It didn't take much for Chung to put the pieces together when Lu thanked Zudrich for his help and it was only confirmed when the fury guardian explained the situation.
Zudrich had given Lu some of his El during their first meeting. It wasn't much but it was just enough to last her a few hours. Zudrich had expected Chung to set up a night watch and specifically volunteered to take the second half of the watch, which gave him enough time to channel more of his El for Lu to feed on. That was what gave her enough energy to combat Karis and was the reason why Ciel was "returning the favor" the following morning.
To think his guardian would act directly against the king's orders- especially in favor of an enemy of their kingdom- was something Chung could not ignore. To make things worse, Zudrich had an accomplice.
During the encounter with Karis, Zudrich had carried Lu to Anduran's side who willingly gave the dying demon her own El. The priestess's purified magical essence was much stronger than any other normal source and was enough to stabilize Lu's presence in the mortal realm… which explained why Lu and Ciel looked much stronger than they had earlier that morning.
Stealing a glance at the demons, it was easy for Chung to see that the child was no longer teetering at the brink of death like she had been the previous night. In fact, her deep blue eyes held a glimmer of vitality he could only describe as youthful vigor - due in no small part to the fact that she looked like a young girl to begin with. Dressed like a poor vagabond, the only real article of clothing visible under her cloak was a pair of shorts and ripped stockings - all of which were different shades of blue. Her tail, a thin, light-blue appendage tipped like a spearhead at the end, was wrapped around one of her legs, nearly blending in with her striped stockings and appeared like it was as long as she was tall. Pinkish-white hair billowed messily out of the hood of her cloak so it was difficult to notice the demon's horns unless one actively looked for it. Any passerby would see nothing more than a kid. Which brought about another question as he looked her over: why did she look like a child in the first place?
"So does blondy always stare or is today some kind of special occasion?" Lu glowered, a glimmering blue eye stared daggers at the Hamelian as she pulled the hood further over her head, "Because if I'm going to be working with him, I'd like to know if something's on my face or if it's really nothing to worry about."
"It's none of your concern, demon," Chung replied, turning his head away with a grunt.
"Ah, he speaks," Lu motioned with her hands, exposing a bare belly underneath the cloak, "Thank hells. I was beginning to think you were the serious, silent type like Ciel over here. Super boring and a terrible conversationalist. You know you shouldn't frown so often. Puts wrinkles on your skin."
The slight directed at her partner didn't seem to bother Ciel as he neither acknowledged nor rejected the statement and simply kept his eyes trained towards the distant horizon behind them as he hung out at the back of the wagon.
"I'm very much capable of talking, thank you!" Chung replied, "You know exactly what's bothering me! And just so we're clear: you are not working with us!"
"My, so hostile towards the one who literally saved you and your friends from a slow, agonizing death! I bet you're great with the ladies, as well."
"Shut up!"
"Telling a little girl like me to shush? Oh, we definitely have a keeper, here."
Chung refused to respond any further, ignoring Lu's provocations as she slung more and more in his direction before giving up entirely. After having wanted the silence to end among the travelers, the rest of the group seemed to breathe a concerted sigh of relief once things quieted down once more. And the wordless trip would continue until late that afternoon when Gerard's El battery ran out of energy for the day.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to send those two hunting for food?" Chung asked Gerard as the king warily watched the two demons disappear over the dunes. He turned his attention back to the family once he was sure the demons were out of sight. Zudrich had already volunteered to take care of the heavy lifting on Nerin's behalf, moving out the heavy supplies from the back of the wagon to make room while Anduran unrolled the beds for her aunt and uncle.
Gerard didn't even look up from his work of breaking down one of the unneeded wooden boxes for tinder for a fire, "Would you prefer they stay here with my family while I send you and Zudrich out to hunt, instead? This is your first time visiting Sander, too, isn't it? Are you aware of our region's unique fauna? Do you know what to look for when hunting in a desert?"
"No. To all of those," Chung muttered in defeat.
Gerard nodded, "I think it's best we leave them to take care of that for us. They survived well over a month without a roof over their heads, after all."
"A month?" Chung cocked a brow at the archmage, moving to help him lay out the bedrolls and set up the cooking pot over the campfire, "How'd you know they've been around for a month?"
"Just an estimate. Typically demons, without a source of El to keep them grounded in our realm, last three, maybe four, days before being reduced to dust."
"Grounded…? Reduced to dust? I'm sorry, I don't know much about demons. I just know how to kill them."
"Ah, forgive me," Gerard chuckled, "I forget that not everyone is well versed in demonology."
Gerard tapped his chin in thought, squinting at Chung at the corner of his eye as if trying to give the layman's terms of layman's terms regarding demon physiology. Again, Chung couldn't tell if the archmage was subtly insulting him or if he genuinely meant what he said.
"El shards are an otherworldly object's go-to 'battery', if you will. Moving from one plane of reality to another is not an easy task and anything, be it living or inanimate, can quickly deteriorate when it's not in the realm they originated from. If you, for example, ended up in the demon realm, your body would be unable to draw El or any other life force the same way you naturally would here in ours. Without a source of power, your body would be reduced to dimensional dust in a matter of a few hours."
"Hours? Not days?"
"Unlike you and I, demons are naturally built for conquest. Invading realms is what they do, after all."
"But why do they invade realms?"
Gerard shrugged his shoulders, "In all my years of purging demons as an inquisitor, I've never found the opportunity to sit down with one and discuss the in's and out's of their culture over a cup of tea. If you're so inclined to know, you have two perfect specimens to question just beyond that dune."
"I'm not talking to those two," Chung insisted, "For all we know they could just lie through their teeth as demons do."
"They could," Gerard agreed, "But you're also denying yourself knowledge that is within your reach. If I were a decade or two younger I would have agreed with you on your decision. But I'm older and a tad more… indifferent… towards the acquisition of knowledge, Chung: There is a difference between knowing who's your enemy and understanding those you perceive to be your enemy. I hope one day you'd come to see things on all sides of the spectrum rather than the front that is presented to you."
Chung had a hard time understanding what it was Gerard was trying to say. Was he implying that he should give those two a chance?
Like hells he would.
Since as long as he could remember, he had been fighting against those monsters. Those beasts destroyed his home. They slaughtered thousands of innocents and when Chung fought back, they only responded with equal, if not increased ferocity.
He can still vividly recall the torture and execution of Noah's Royal Guard Julius; the stench of hundreds of rotting corpses as they killed off each and every soldier one by one in the ancient waterway. He saw no remorse in the demon-corrupted dark elves as they twisted and turned the arrow shaft in Elsword's gut as he lay there helplessly in Velder.
To give a demon a chance would go against everything he had sacrificed to get him this far.
"I wanna light it!" Edwin said, hopping out of the wagon and kicking up sand as he strode over to the campfire Gerard had just finished constructing. "I wanna light it! I wanna light it! I wanna light it!"
"Okay, Edwin," Gerard sighed. He put his arms up to still the child who, at this point, was jumping up and down in a mini tantrum, "Okay, calm down first and then you I'll let you."
"I wanna light it!" Edwin screamed.
"If you don't quiet down then I won't let you light anything ever again. You don't want that, do you?"
"No!"
"Then calm… down…"
"I wanna light it, though…"
"Shush," Gerard cooed, placing his hands on the young boy's shoulders. Edwin's shoulders relaxed yet his eyes stared at the kindling like a vulture would its prey.
"I don't think I've seen any matches…" Chung muttered, looking around the campsite for a means to start the fire.
"I don't need matches!" Edwin declared, "Watch!"
Gerard tried once more to hush his son."Okay, okay, Edwin… calm. Calm down."
Ignoring his father, the child raised his hands, his eyes widening as he uttered a phrase that Chung couldn't help but recognize. It was familiar in a way that sent a nostalgic chill down his spine as the boy shouted it outloud.
It was a fire spell.
The collection of wood popped loudly as the rapid rise in temperature expanded the wood from the inside, splitting the timber as the flames sputtered out of the cracks.
It was sudden, and the heat was enough to force Chung to step back from the fire as the initial pillar quickly died down into a calm, manageable, flame.
As the fires waned, Chung looked over the campfire, half expecting to see Aisha standing on the other end.
"Edwin, I said you had to calm down! You could have hurt yourself," Gerard scolded his son who was ignoring him and currently wearing a smug grin as large as the recent flash fire.
"Where'd your kid learn to do something like that?" Zudrich asked, hoping out of the wagon with the last wooden box on hand.
"From me," Gerard said with a sigh directed at his son, "It's only natural for an archmage to teach some magic to their offspring."
"Papa says I'm a genius," Edwin declared, rather proud of himself, "He says that I'll one day be the best mage there is, ever!"
"A genius, huh?" Zudrich snorted, "Try not to let that get to your head."
"Well, to be fair he's learning at a much faster rate than your average mage," Gerard said.
Chung nodded, "I actually had a mage friend as well. Compared to what she could do, Edwin's getting there in terms of raw power."
"See?" Edwin said, sticking his tongue out at Zudrich, "And I'll be much stronger than your dumb friend, as well."
"Hey! You take that back you little-" Zudrich snarled at the young boy, only to be stopped as he locked eyes with his king.
Chung shook his head silently at the guardian, immediately prompting him to stand down. It was easy to see, however, how hard the king was biting on his own tongue.
"Edwin," Gerard gripped the boys arm tightly, "You shouldn't be saying that about other people. Especially towards his majesty's friends. It's not nice."
"It's fine," Chung said, clearly withholding the urge to tell the kid off, "He probably would surpass her, eventually. She's dead."
"Ah… I… had no idea. My deepest condolences," Gerard said before squeezing harder on his son's arm, "There, now look what happened. Apologize to Chung, immediately."
"Sorry," Edwin blurted out before quickly moving from his half-hearted apology to a more pressing matter, "How'd she die?"
"Edwin! That's enough!"
"She died in battle," Chung responded rather bluntly, "She saved my life at the cost of her own."
Edwin tilted his head, "How did she die?"
"Edwin!" Nerin called from the back of the wagon, "Come here! Time to get changed!"
"Later, ma!" Edwin shouted back.
Gerard put his hands on his boy's shoulders and directed him out and away from the campfire towards his mother. "Go do as your mother says," he ordered firmly enough to pull Edwin's attention away from the king.
Thankfully, Edwin did as he was told and he hurried off to his mother's side, leaving Zudrich, Gerard, and Chung to tend to the flames.
Gerard took his seat by the fire, poking at the charcoal beginning to build as he stole glances at the young king sitting across from him.
"I'm, uh, sorry for my son's behaviour. I had no idea-"
"It's fine, really," Chung replied forcing a smile on his face as he sat on the sand, "I brought up the topic and you both didn't know. Edwin's curiosity is… tolerable."
"Again, I'm sorry," Gerard shook his head, "As a parent there's a fine line between giving your son future opportunities and outright spoiling him. I fear we've crossed that line a couple years back. The luxurious lifestyle I've given him is all he knows. Save for one other time we've had to relocate, my son is not used to life outside of our estate."
"Really, don't worry about it. The reason why I brought her up was I was actually trying to work my way into asking you something."
"Oh? And what was your question?"
"The whole… magic thing: I don't need to tell you that I know little to nothing about how to cast spells, but in all my years of being around my mage friend, I've never seen her use the kind of magic you use."
"Ah…" Gerard nodded.
"The whole… string thing that you did earlier today? What is it, exactly?"
"Time magic," Gerard answered bluntly.
"How does it work?"
The archmage chuckled, shaking his head, "Oh, where to begin?"
"Is it really that complicated?"
"Short answer: yes. Long answer: Absolutely, yes. To explain the intricacies of the string spell in detail would take several lifetimes of learning just the basics."
"Then how did you come about learning it?"
"I'm an archmage capable of manipulating time. I hope that answers that question. But on to your original question… how can I simplify this…"
Gerard grabbed the iron poker he was using to churn the fire and used it to mark a dot on the empty sand.
"Imagine this dot is a single moment in time and space…" he traced a line outward stopping at another point, "Time for you, as you perceive it, is the movement from one point to another like so. As you move through time, you are essentially moving from one point to another. Correct?"
Chung shrugged, "Sure, I guess."
"Wrong!" Gerard then proceeded to use the line radially, drawing a circle around his initial point, "Time isn't a line but rather an area. To move from the central point to the outer edge one is free to twist and turn as they please."
He then proceeded to draw a second line, this time with curves and arcs that moved outward until eventually reaching the second point on the outer edge of the circle.
"Within this circle… every millimeter of square area represents millions - no, trillions - of possibilities when traveling from one point of time to another. The path you take to get to the outer edge is what is known as a string. To the average person, they see nothing but the string: the single straight line from one point to the other… but to a time mage, you see everything around it. The time mage has the ability to see every turn, every split in the thread. They are essentially gazing into what is colloquially known as the 'Everything'."
"The 'Everything'...?" Chung rubbed his chin in thought. He felt like he had heard that term used before but he couldn't quite pin from who he heard it from.
"I'm lost," Zudrich chimed in, "So we're not traveling in a straight line?"
"No, you never do," Gerard explained, "but before I confuse you even more we'll leave the basics at that. What you've seen me do, in regards to manipulating the strings is far from manipulation at all. When I use that spell I find the ideal string for us to follow. I memorize key junctions and events that lead us along its path, and try to recreate it in the present."
Chung recalled back to when they were in the stables getting ready to leave. He remembered how Gerard's tone of speaking felt robotic… as if he were reading lines to a play. He also recalled the moment he stood directly in the guard's path, unflinching if not a bit nervous as he waited for a spear to almost be driven into him. That meant…
"So you knew Lu and Ciel would come to our aid," Chung muttered.
Gerard nodded, "When timed correctly, it was the only way we would have survived that encounter without casualties."
"Without casualties… So that means-"
"It was our best option. I preferred a scenario where my family escaped with their limbs and lives intact and I surmised you would have preferred the same for you and Zudrich, so, despite your apparent distrust of demons, I had to compromise in my choices."
"So then will they betray us? Lu and Ciel, I mean."
"Unfortunately, I can't tell you that."
"Why not?"
Gerard sighed, "A number of reasons. The string spell has its usage limits and even if I did know, telling you its result will most definitely alter the string's path entirely."
"But wouldn't you use it whenever you could to get the best outcome all the time? Does it require a lot of El to use?"
"No. It's actually quite easy on the El reserves when you cast it. I have a set limit on how often I can use it."
"Why would you willingly stop yourself from always gaining the advantage?"
Gerard's face grew serious as he turned his gaze to the burning embers. Chung felt as if he had stepped on a landmine as there was a long, uncomfortable pause in the way he searched for an explanation.
"And now we have arrived at the crux of why I am no longer part of the inquisition and have been dismissed from the Seven Tower organization. There are laws in place that dictates what is and what isn't considered 'forbidden' schools of magic and I would have been more surprised if your friend had been using the string spell as opposed to outright avoiding it."
"Time magic is forbidden?"
"Time and space, yes," Gerard nodded, "To wield such power recklessly would go against the laws set forth by Seven Tower and result in rather… harsh consequences."
"But you're all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. How would Seven Tower catch you-"
"It wouldn't be the organization or the inquisition that would apprehend you… No, something far worse would be sent to hunt you down."
Chung's brow furrowed as he leaned closer, "Who?"
"The Cult of Henir."
"The Cult of Henir… where have I heard this before…"
"The dark god," Gerard continued, "He who governs the very existence of time and space itself! Surely you've at least read about him! He is more than just a celestial being he IS the 'Everything' and he guards what belongs to him very closely. Control the elements of his domain if you will, but it is he that you answer to when you recklessly abuse his gift. By using the string spell I tap into that well of knowledge that he watches over. If I, or any mage with some semblance of sanity, ever overstep our bounds, I cannot imagine what horrors await us. And that is why the Seven Tower forbids the use of Time magic."
"How do you know if you've overstepped this boundary?"
"You'll know," Gerard nodded, "My time as an inquisitor had led me in a direct collision course with this cult more than once. They waste no time in their work. The moment one crosses that line, they appear, they apprehend their victim, and they vanish without a trace. What they do to the victim is beyond my knowledge. I just know that they're never seen again."
The archmage glanced at Chung, clearly entertained by the expression on the young king's face. Did he really look that mortified to the archmage?
"Is everything making sense, Chung? I don't want to have lectured you only to learn that I've lost you long ago."
"No, it's nothing like that, Gerard. It's just that… I think I've heard about bits and pieces of what you've told me before. I just can't remember from who."
"Perhaps your mage friend?"
"No. Definitely not her. She avoided talking about time and space magic entirely."
"Well, regardless, do you understand my hesitancy in using time magic? It is powerful in a pinch, but reckless use can lead to… unfavorable consequences."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it."
At the corner of Chung's eye he saw Zudrich look up from the conversation before rising to his feet. Chung followed his gaze back towards the top of the nearby dune where the demoness could be seen waving to get their attention.
"Hey! A little help here?" Lu called, her voice barely reaching their ears at the bottom of the dune.
Chung looked to Zudrich and the two of them moved to see what the issue was. As Chung and his guardian's feet sunk into the sand while they climbed, the king became acutely aware that of the two of them, only he was carrying his cannon.
"Aren't you forgetting your weapon?" Chung snorted, getting a half-shrug from Zudrich.
"I don't see a reason to, Chung. I trust them."
"I don't."
"I can see that."
"Can you two move any slower? I'm starving!" Lu said, tapping her foot at the sandy peak.
"See? She's going to eat us," Chung pointed out, clearly trying to remove any tension between him and his companion.
Zudrich shook his head, a small, but relaxed smile appearing for the first time in what Chung felt had been weeks. "You're just trying to find any reason to kill them, aren't you?"
"Not at all. Whatever gave you that idea?" the king chuckled before the smile faded and his serious tone returned, "You know I can't ever trust those two."
"I know, my king. I know."
They reached the top and Lu turned, pointing at the opposite end of the dune they scaled. Against the pale grey sand illuminated by moonlight was Ciel who, at that moment, was struggling to drag the corpse of what appeared to be a seal up the gentle slope of the dune.
"Well? Are you two going to stand there and gawp or are you going to help my servant bring me my dinner?"
"Zudrich?" Chung called, to which his companion wordlessly moved to assist.
He watched as Zudrich hurried downhill, leaving the king alone with the demoness at the peak.
"So he's your servant, huh?" Chung said, keeping his hand on the cannon's grip as he watched for any suspicious movement on Ciel's part.
"I know, right?" Lu snorted, "Absolutely useless. Can't even carry a sand seal up a hill."
"A sand seal... First time seeing one."
"They're fat, juicy, and weigh a ton. Perfect for a big meal."
"And you just expected him to carry that alone?"
"Well, yeah. But clearly I underestimated just how useless he is. Which is why I'm having you two help."
"You know, you could've helped your servant, too," Chung suggested.
Lu pouted at the king, clasping her hands together over her chest as she traced circles on the sand with her foot. "Asking a poor little girl like me to do the heavy lifting? How cruel!" She gave Chung a toothy grin before standing with her hands on her hips. "Please! As Chiliarch of the Sourcream Legion, gruntwork like that is beneath me."
"Sourcream…?" Chung cocked a brow at her.
"What? You got a problem with my clan name?"
"No. Not really. It's just that… of all the intimidating names one could have for a demon clan-"
"Oh? And what in hells is a Chung?" Lu fired back, "What, did your mother bang pots and pans together for inspiration when she named you?"
"Say that again, demon," Chung growled, gripping the cannon slung on his shoulder.
"She must've, seeing as how you clearly can't hear me!"
"Glad to see you two are getting along," Zudrich sighed as he carried the dead seal on his shoulder.
"Oh we're just peachy," Lu snarled, not taking her eyes off of the king, "We were just exchanging pleasantries. Ain't that right, blondy?"
Not wanting to get roped into another spat with the demoness he turned from her. "Let's go, Zudrich. We got a family to feed."
"Tch. Giving up already? Coward," Lu grunted, bringing pause to the king's step.
"I have better things to do than argue with a child," Chung said, staring daggers into Lu over his shoulder, "But before we go, I'd like to set one thing straight: you can berate me all you want. But don't you ever - ever - speak ill of my mother. Consider this your only warning."
He left it at that, moving to help Zudrich carry the seal carcass back to camp.
With little knowledge on how to prepare the catch on Chung and Zudrich's part, it was up to Nerin and, surprisingly Ciel, to prepare the meal. An hour of cutting up and cooking would pass before plates of freshly cut seal steak were served on wooden platters for everyone gathered around the campfire. Though Chung didn't want to admit it, he was starving for food and was grateful for Ciel's unexpected expertise in skinning and dissecting the seal into edible portions.
As for the food itself… it was filling and nothing else. With no seasoning available, Chung chewed his way through a grainy, bitter-tasting steak that left a rather unpleasant aftertaste that Gerard and his family didn't seem to mind. Chung ultimately put it up to different regional tastes and left it at that. A meal was a meal, afterall.
It was when Chung was just about finished with his plate that Lu suddenly moved to sit next to him.
"Hey," Lu said, staring at the fire as she sat cross legged and draping her cloak over her form, "So? Whatcha think? Fresh caught sand seal, I mean. Hunted by yours truly, and served by her ever faithful servant."
"Hm," Chung responded. Lu waited for Chung to say more, but it was clear in the way he silently sipped his tea that he wasn't going to indulge her.
"So," Lu said, after a while, "About earlier - the whole… mother thing."
"Hm."
"I... didn't know."
There was a pause as Chung took the time to down the rest of his tea before pouring himself another hot brew. "That's odd coming from a demon."
"What is?"
"An apology."
Lu turned towards Chung and was visibly taken aback by that. "Wh-what's that supposed to mean? Demons are capable of compassion and remorse, you know!"
"It's news to me."
"Oh you mother f…" Lu bit on her knuckle to stop herself. She paused to take several breaths before starting anew.
"Listen. I get it. You're not pleasant to be around," Lu said, "But I was serious when I said I'd be working with you."
"And I've never agreed to it," Chung retorted.
"It's not a question of whether you do or not. You don't have a choice on the matter."
"Oh, I don't, do I?"
"And neither do I!" Lu continued, "What went on at the temple ruins? That was just scratching the surface of what's really going on and the fact Karis is operating in this area confirms it. Something big is going to happen and I think it was fate that brought us together."
"Fate, huh? Not some time mage manipulating strings?"
"What?"
"Nothing. What's your point, demon?"
"My point is our goals are the same. We both want to keep the priestess safe and we both have business in Sander's capital."
"How did you know we're going to the capital?"
"Oh please, you wouldn't shut up about it last night and I have these things called ears, you know," Lu said. She then turned to Chung, extending a hand towards him, "So I was thinking: a truce. Since we're going to be practically traveling together, we should set our differences aside and-"
Chung smacked the hand away before returning to his meal. The others didn't seem to notice the interaction between the two as the tension reached a boiling point between them. He stuffed the rest of the steak down his throat, before speaking, making sure to let the demon wait as he casually finished his dinner.
"The only reason I haven't killed you is because of what you did to protect us. That doesn't mean we're allies, or friends, or anything close to your idea of a team. I don't trust you. I never will."
"Listen, human, you don't seem to understand the threat Karis poses to Sander. If she gets her way-"
"I couldn't care less about the in-fighting going on between you and your kind. I'm here to protect Anduran as long as you're still within spitting distance of her. And when you're gone, or dead, or both, I'll carry on with my business and go to Sander. I have a kingdom to rebuild and I'm way behind schedule as it is."
Lu ground her teeth as she looked as if she were ready to attack him. Chung was waiting for her to. He was looking for a reason as he quietly gripped the cannon at his side.
But she didn't. As bloodthirsty and ruthless Chung had expected the demoness to be, she showed an alarming amount of restraint.
With an audible huff that caught everyone else's attention she simply crossed her arms under her cloak and fumed almost as much as the campfire they sat around.
"Asshole," Lu muttered under her breath.
"Go to hell," Chung replied.
A/N: Big thanks to Aevari, Exian, and taee for tje edits. Im drubk. Leave me commwnts wjat u think of lu. I like her