Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 49
At Sullivan's estate, Pandora hazily opened her eyes. The mansion seemed eerily quiet. Where were her friends and what time was it? It looked dark outside her window. Were the others asleep? Slowly glancing over, Robin's bright smile greeted her. "Welcome back, Pandora-san", he beamed.
Sitting up, she reflexively put her hand over her heart. Her chest felt strange. "Where is everyone?", she asked, still waking up. Robin softened his eyes, realizing she had lost track of time. "Fighting Victoria. They left hours ago", he explained.
She looked so crestfallen at the news. "Don't worry! Balam-sensei and the others will definitely bring Kalego-senpai back safe", he assured. She grinned slightly at his confidence, but that wasn't what she was upset about. She had complete faith in everyone, but she hadn't gotten to see them off.
"I see… At least Persephone and Lady Nene will be there to treat the injured", she uttered, worried yet grateful. Feeling his unease, she glanced back over. "Nene-sama is here with us. Only Lamya-sensei and her team of students are participating in the mission", he stated carefully.
Pandora tensed instantly. Why would they leave the master healer behind? She knew the reason, of course, but it only made her feel guilty. She felt they shouldn't be wasting such a precious resource on her. When would she stop being a hindrance to those she loved? Taking a deep breath, she tried not to berate herself.
"What happened? The last thing I remember is the start of the meeting about the raid", she said, meekly holding her head. Robin filled her in. She wasn't surprised that she had passed out, but she was irritated with her fragile body and she knew her cousin would chide her for not speaking up about her failing health when she returned.
Taking on a look of determination, she said, "I'm fine now. You two should go help!". Right then, Nene entered the room with a tray of refreshments. "Not going to happen, my dear. Have some tea and go back to sleep", she said calmly.
"But - !", started Pandora. Nene simply wore her usual serene smile as she handed her a cup. "No buts. Now be a good girl and don't argue with your mother", she said, firmly yet kindly. Pandora sighed as she stared into her tea. "Yes, ma'am", she said in defeat.
Sitting beside her, Nene quietly sipped from her own cup. When she finished, she set it aside and assessed her patient. "How are you feeling?", she asked. "I'm okay. Just tired", replied Pandora, still moping.
After a thorough check up, Nene grinned impishly. "If it makes you feel any better, I think I know what caused your little spell, but we'll discuss that later once I've conferred with Per-chan... For now, place your trust in Shichiro-kun. He will undoubtedly bring Kalego-kun home. After all, I've never known him to break a promise; Have you?"
Pandora stared at her as a smile crept over her face. Nene was right. "Never", she beamed, her hope restored. Nene lovingly patted her head, glad to have improved her mood. "There's a good girl...Now then, we all know that Robin-kun and I can't leave you unattended. Direct orders from Sa-chan, you know, and those boys will be expecting a smile when they return, won't they? So rest up and let us watch over you until they all come back", she said.
Pandora dearly missed her actual mother, but Nene still warmed her heart by the way she cared so deeply. "Yes, Mum", she ceded, settling back in. Nene smiled wide at her title. She knew it wasn't easy for Pandora, having lost her family so young, yet she was still trying to move on. Once everything was over, she would make sure the girl got some closure at her family grave. Until then, she would have to endure.
"Robin-kun, be a dear and recheck our perimeter, hmm? Mummy's a bit tired, too", she ventured. Robin eagerly agreed and left without hesitation. He was curious about the trigger for Pandora's curse, but he was at ease knowing that Nene-sama at least had an idea about it and that was good enough for him not to pry. After all, the Great Purifier had yet to let him down.
Alone, Nene looked at her patient with interest. "Per-chan tells me you have a question?", she ventured with a knowing grin. Pandora smiled to herself coyly. Of course Persephone would naturally assist in her quest to become more helpful to her friends. She fidgeted shyly for a moment, then swallowed her nerves.
"Yes. Mum, do you think I have what it takes to become a healer like you two?", she asked. Nene appeared to think it over, but it was all for dramatic effect. She had guessed what Pandora had wanted as soon as Persephone had mentioned it. Undoubtedly the poor girl felt useless amidst all this chaos.
"We'll see if you have the talent once you're better, but even if you don't, you can master it with enough hard work. Are you ready to do that for the sake of those you love?", ventured the healer. Pandora lit up with excitement, glad she hadn't been turned away. "Yes!", she proclaimed with vigor.
Nene smiled at her enthusiasm. "Very well. We'll discuss it further after you've properly recovered, but for now, you need your rest. Your heart is nothing to take lightly", said Nene. Pandora pulled her blanket back into place as she tried to relax.
"Mum? You said you had a theory about my curse... Do you know what triggered it?", asked Pandora. "Your heart's desire, dear… It's only an inkling, but I'll help you look into it once Per-chan gets back...And make sure you thank her for halving your curse's power", replied Nene, tucking her in.
Pandora peered over with worry. What did that mean? Was Persephone in trouble? Guessing her thoughts, Nene explained everything. Once she finished, she cast a mild sleep spell over her anxious patient. Finally, Pandora drifted off again, leaving the healer to sort her own thoughts and theories.
Back at the Victoria estate, Vincente and Purson stepped out of his portal and onto the battlefield. Thankfully, it was a quiet area. Still, Valiant felt rather pathetic to be leaning so heavily upon his student just to walk, but he was grateful to be free from his bonds. The last thirty-six hours had truly been Hell.
"Lamya-sensei, we made it topside. We're heading to Azazel next", said Purson into his radio. He knew she was concerned about the validity of his master's portal, so he put her mind at ease. After that, he looked for a small haven to stash Valiant. There was no way he'd make it all of the way to the security team.
Once they made it to a safe, secluded place, Purson gently lowered Vincente to the ground against a tree for support. Crouching in front of him, he looked at his master with worry. "Wait here. I'll find Azazel-san and get help", he said, getting up.
"Soi", called Valiant, his voice still hoarse. Purson turned and stared, frozen by his dreadful tone. He sounded awful and fresh blood was starting to seep from Valiant's lips from his shattered teeth. Yet despite his state, Vincente grinned softly.
"Take a good look, Soi-kun...This is what happens when a spy gets caught by the enemy...Take it in and burn this visage into your memory… Promise me you'll be careful out there", he uttered. They locked eyes as his point settled in. It wasn't just a warning for the present, but also the future. Purson made sure to take the harsh lesson to heart. He knew Valiant was genuinely worried for him. It seemed he had become rather fond of the lad during training.
"Rest, master… Here's my radio. If I'm not back in five minutes, call Balam-sensei", he said. They each nodded once in agreement then Soi vanished into the wind. Valiant smiled faintly to himself once alone. He hadn't anticipated becoming an instructor of his profession, but he expected great things from his star pupil. If he managed to survive the night, he might just look forward to guiding the boy further.
Halfway to Azazel, Purson froze in mid step. Staring at his hands, it became obvious something was wrong as the strange haze he had seen before overtook the area around him. It seemed to be spreading from the direction of the defense team.
He narrowed his eyes, knowing the smoke was somehow interfering with his magic. Still, this wasn't like Victoria's previous attack at Sullivan's. It wasn't that his movements had become chaotic or uncontrolled; He simply couldn't phase past his foes anymore. He was totally opaque and visible, just like everyone else.
A deranged man grinned maliciously as he came into focus. Soi had no choice but to prepare to defend himself. He was suddenly thankful for the bumps and bruises he'd earned in hand to hand combat practice. Then, as he stared down his foe, something unexpected happened.
A tall woman appeared before him, descended from the sky. Her feathered wings were huge with a smaller set for support both above and beneath the main pair. White downy slowly drifted toward the ground around them as she landed perfectly on the enemy, quickly taking him down by knockout without spilling a single drop of blood.
She was dressed in a dark uniform like some kind of prison guard. Was it possible she was one of Henri's agents? Turning to face the boy, her long pink hair blew in the wind.
Her features were so unusual, her eyes especially. Purson stared, transfixed by their ethereal beauty. He'd never seen anyone with two toned irises before. The way their gradient faded from pink to violet was so subtle and natural, like flower petals. They were truly enchanting.
"Are you alright?", she asked. Soi blushed, averting his gaze, as he quietly nodded. "Be careful. Your magic won't work in this fog… Please forgive my intrusion. I didn't mean to steal your opportunity for battle."
"It's fine...Who are you?", he asked carefully, glancing up at her once more. She didn't look like any demon he'd ever met. Surely humans didn't have wings… Did they? Either way, it was an absurd thought. He knew there were rumors of Victoria keeping humans, but if they were that capable as fighters, they would have easily overtaken their captors by now.
The stranger grinned softly as her wings evaporated into tiny light particles, like a swarm of fireflies. They hadn't folded away into her back at all. It looked like magic, but how? She had just said, herself, that was impossible.
She looked at him as if staring directly into his soul. It was a little unnerving. "I'm looking for someone. Do you know a boy named Iruma?", she asked.
The fact that she had dodged his question didn't go unnoticed. He glanced back the way he had come, wondering if his wounded master was now in danger. Despite her startling beauty, something about this strange woman was unsettling.
Still, she had saved him from a potentially one sided fight and there was nothing overtly threatening about her, so why did he feel the seed of primal fear blooming deep within his heart? His entire body stiffened as if every fiber of his being was screaming to run away as she stepped closer. Swallowing his pounding heartbeat and trying to ignore the sweat running down his spine, he wrote it off as a recoil from his resurrection. It was likely the null field counteracting the healing magic. That had to be it.
The woman lilted her head in question, then she almost looked sad as if sensing his trepidation. "I promise I'm not here to hurt anyone and I don't blame you for protecting your friend… After all, you have no idea who I am", she said with a calm grin. How did she know that word? Hadn't Iruma made it up? Just how did she know him anyway? Iruma knew too many pretty women. It really wasn't fair...
She smiled pleasantly, but Soi could only stare in wonder. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on felt very, very wrong. To start, her teeth were strange. She didn't seem to have the usual fangs, yet the more he stared, the more they all seemed sharpened and dangerous. Was it some kind of illusion magic or was his fatigue simply catching up with him?
"Never mind Iruma-kun. Where are your leaders? I think their names were Azazel and Balam", she ventured.
Soi nodded meekly, snapped out of his reverie. Remembering how bad off Valiant was, he suppressed his illogical sense of dread. "Come with me. I'm heading to the security team now", he said, leading the way. She followed him without question, grateful for his cooperation.
He walked briskly, concerned for both Iruma and his master. Besides that, his body started inexplicably trembling if he kept his back to her without looking for too long. Did she have some kind of psychological bloodline trait and how was it even active under this damned smoke? However she was doing it, she maintained a careful silence the entire time as if hiding something important and he really didn't like that.
Finally catching up to the main arena of battle, everyone seemed irritated by their sudden lack of spells and, surprisingly, no one even seemed aware of their presence. Purson peered across his shoulder yet again. Somehow, it was her; She was concealing them without magic.
As they got close to the defense leader's assigned station, Azazel seemed to be directing those around him amid the panic of the null field while Bachiko glared with annoyance. She was trying to figure out a way to disperse the haze. Not having her arrows was irritating, but that didn't mean she was helpless. She dropped one foe to the ground with a strong kick to his groin and leapt onto another, biting him in the head.
"Azazel-san!", called Purson, but it was no use. He couldn't hear him over all of the shouting from the nearby fights. He froze as a large shadow loomed over him. Thankfully, it belonged to Lord Sullivan. The chair demon looked unusually serious as he approached.
Soi was caught off guard by a sudden embrace. Letting go, Sullivan looked him in the eye. "Purson-kun, I'm glad you're safe, but why are you alone? Is the rest of your team alright? Where is Iruma-kun?", he asked, clearly worried. Soi quickly caught him up to speed.
Taking control of the situation, Sullivan made his orders. Purson led Bachiko back to Vincente while he called Opera and Persephone over their radios. He was grateful the others were unharmed, but he was also deeply concerned about Iruma's dramatic exit from the group. His lack of a communicator or healing supplies was also rather worrisome.
He pressed Opera to hurry in their search. He couldn't relax until he knew for certain that his beloved grandson was safe. At least Persephone had come across Lied and Clara. She would undoubtedly delve deeper after Kalego, but Sullivan knew he could count on Iruma's friends to look for him. Whoever found him first was to call in right away.
Once everyone had their orders, Sullivan stared pointedly into a space that appeared empty to everyone around him. "Your presence here is unexpected. Are there more of you?", he inquired carefully. The woman he addressed respectfully lowered her head. "There are not", she replied.
"I know who you are and why you've come, but it was foolish to do so, Parisa-chan", he chided. She smiled faintly as she resumed her natural stature. They had never met face to face before, but each knew who the other was.
Sullivan glanced beside them, impressed she had made them invisible so easily. Her magic seemed unaffected by Ai's null field. That alone was both interesting and frightful indeed.
"Then you understand why I made this journey… I've been to see Dali; He told me I would find you here. Please tell me, is it true you've entrusted my daughter's life to a mere adolescent human?", she asked, clearly distraught. Sullivan smiled softly. With pride, he stated, "Iruma-kun is no ordinary human. He will undoubtedly find Sage-chan and bring her back safely."
Becoming more serious again, he added, "Parisa-chan, you must leave this place at once. If Henri-kun learns about this - ..." He purposely trailed his words, but she knew the rest without them being voiced. Still, she intended to stand her ground.
"With all due respect, High Lord Sullivan, I have only come for Sage. I have absolutely no interest in anyone else here, let alone harming them. All of your students are safe, I promise you...The only one who even saw me was the boy with the lilac hair and you can easily erase his memory of me, so do not presume to tell me that I must leave my child behind. You know I cannot do that and, while I respect that you have near absolute authority here, I will humbly remind you that I am not entirely obligated to abide by it."
They stared at one another, quietly judging one another's character. Her dedication as a mother was admirable. She'd crossed realms and broken an ancient treaty just to bring her little girl home. Sullivan felt he'd met a kindred spirit in that aspect. He would do the same for Iruma without hesitation.
Lowering her gaze and tone, Parisa said, "I have left Dali-kun to his fate. You have full judicial jurisdiction over him... It saddens me to see just how far he's fallen, but he's made his bed; Now he must lie in it, even if it hurts for me to watch... However, I won't leave Sage to the same rules. She's innocent and you know as well as I do that she cannot survive here on her own. How you've managed to get a human to thrive in the netherworld is beyond me, but I promise Sage won't fare nearly as well… Neither of our authorities need to be any further involved. I just want to take her home."
Sullivan understood her feelings and he wasn't above bending the rules when needed. She had shown him respect and hadn't hurt a single demon. Perhaps she could be trusted. After all, Dali had to see something in her and Sullivan had faith in Dali's judgement once. Perhaps he could abide by it one last time.
"Parisa-chan, can you dispel this null field? It's become rather bothersome and we have several injured parties in need of healing. If you can do that and silently remain hidden until this fight is over, I will gladly let you leave with your daughter without further incident… However, should more of your kind appear, it will cause quite the ruckus with the border patrol", he said, peering at her closely.
She looked across the field of battle in thought. Seeing demons fight so hard against one another was a sad sight, but nothing she could do would change it. Every race had their internal quarrels and power struggles. An outsider trying to break it up would only make things worse.
Holding her hands together near her heart, she closed her eyes as if in prayer. Moments later, a strong wind came from seemingly nowhere and blew the stifling smoke away. As she looked up into the chair demon's face, tears filled her lovely eyes, knowing both injuries and casualties would now increase in severity with the free use of magic. Still, she had made her choice.
"It is done… High Lord Sullivan, I'm putting my faith in your words as well as your chosen herald. I will remain a ghost as you've asked... I pray you both follow through." Then she vanished like a mirage.
Sullivan sighed, well aware she was still nearby. Angels and demons rarely interacted these days. It was simply too dangerous, like playing with fire. Yet the fact that Dali and Parisa had overcome their instincts and preconceived notions spoke volumes about each of them. Perhaps there was hope for a reunited future after all.
Either way, he would leave that decision to Iruma-kun. After all, only the demon king could challenge the ancient treaty and if any changes were to be made to the three worlds' political balance, it was up to the future.
Meanwhile, Opera increased the speed at which they searched the underground complex. They were glad to hear from their master, but learning what Iruma had done was rather troubling. Sure he'd saved his friends, but now he was alone with someone rather dangerous. They'd have to give him quite the scolding later.
Hurrying along, they found the crater from Iruma's charged arrow. Surveying the scene, the massive hole went down several floors. It made the most sense to follow the shaft directly to its bottom and search from there. Still, the blood stains nearby were concerning.
Trying their radio, Opera attempted to contact Iruma's team. "Calling the infiltration team. Someone from team Iruma, please respond. I'm heading your way. Over."
Thankfully, someone answered. "Pera-san!", beamed Clara, "We were getting worried about you." Opera grinned faintly. It was a sweet sentiment, but entirely unnecessary.
"I hear you've made contact with Lamya-san. Where are you now? Have found Iruma-sama yet?", they inquired.
Lied and Clara exchanged glances. Apparently Opera was up to speed on the current situation, expected by one so impeccable. "We're on level four. No sign of him yet", replied Lied. He was trying to sound hopeful for Clara's sake, but Opera could hear the darkness in his voice.
"Very well. Continue from where you are. I will head directly to the bottom of the crater and try to sniff him out from there… Keep an eye out for the remaining rescue targets and take care not to get separated. Watch each other's backs and if you are unlucky enough to come across Victoria, call me at once and I'll hurry to your location", said Opera.
After exchanging a few more words, Opera jumped into the darkened shaft, heading below. Once at the bottom, they quickly sniffed the air for Iruma's perfume. It was faint, but he had been there recently.
Seeing a puddle of blood, they inspected it closer. Dipping one finger in and investigating, it was definitely Iruma's. Narrowing their gaze, they followed their nose. Opera's young master would not be left alone much longer. Hopefully, the boy's injuries weren't too serious. "Wait for me, Iruma-sama."
Elsewhere on the fifth level of the underground complex, Iruma and Sage had relocated from their hideout in storage. The girl was clever and had been using her small size within the ventilation system to get around unseen once she had escaped her assigned nanny.
It was a tight squeeze, but Iruma's petite stature allowed him to follow her through the ductwork maze. He was really impressed with how well she had healed his shoulder. Angel magic was really incredible in his mind.
He stopped just shy of his ward within the metal shaft. "Sage-chan, is everything okay?", he ventured. The poor girl looked to be shivering in the gloom.
"Iruma-nii, the way down to the next floor is just ahead. We'll have to drop down... I'm scared", she said meekly.
Smiling softly, he made a plan. "Do you think you could slide underneath me so I can get by?", he asked. She sniffled and nodded. "I think so."
"Then let's do that. I'll go down first and catch you after, okay?", he said, his tone brimming with kindness. "Okay", she agreed.
Sage carefully lowered herself and slid backward underneath his body. He was extra careful not to squish her.
"Great job! I'm going down first... Wait until you hear me knock on the shaft three times, then jump. Got it?", he said. He didn't have enough room to turn to see her face, but he knew she was quietly sniffling in gratitude. She was a crybaby, but she was rather young and awfully sweet.
"You can do it. Just be brave and don't forget you can use your wings to slow yourself down, okay?... Sage-chan, do you remember our pinkie promise? I won't abandon you. Do you trust me?", he asked, filling his words with confidence.
She wiped her face and smiled for him. "Yeah! I know you'll catch me, Iruma-nii", she grinned.
"All right, here I go." Then he slipped from view into the darkness below. It would have been better if he had backed into the drop, but he didn't have that luxury. He barely had enough room to crawl as it was.
Fearing for his safety, the young girl crept forward and peered into the downward gloom. It was awfully quiet, but she understood they couldn't yell for one another or they'd be caught. A fresh set of tears welled up in her eyes in concern. "Iruma-nii?", she sniffled.
Finally, three distinct vibrations traveled up the shaft to her. She smiled in genuine relief. Her trust had been well placed. She wanted to be brave like Iruma, so she took a deep breath. Holding it in as not to scream, she took the plunge.
Back outside at the defense team, Balam and the others looked up in question as the stifling haze blew away and their mana flowed freely once more.
Initially, Gaap had tried to use his windblade to disperse the smoke, but it only managed to suck it in and condense it instead. Thankfully, there was one wild card on their side.
When Balam had arrived on scene, he was astounded to see Agares still using his bloodline ability. It didn't make any sense. How was it possible? Only one feasible reason came to mind. He knew the team leader held one of Persephone's phoenix pinions.
Now that things were settling down again as the others rejoined the fight, Balam had a chance to investigate. Apparently, Gaap had nagged his friend to charge the feather in advance in case of a fatal emergency, and somehow, doing so kept the vile fog from affecting him.
Those pinions were truly amazing. It was certainly an interesting turn of events, but he'd have to look into it more later. The good news was that their magic was working again. The bad news was that meant the enemy had access, too. Still, the misfits and their allies seemed to have the upper hand.
Then Balam noticed Elizabetta and Allocer staring up at a strange object. Following their line of sight, something, or rather someone, was dangling from his vines, hanging from a second floor window. "Senpai?", he thought, confused. It certainly looked like Opera, but he knew it wasn't. Opera was far too skilled to be caught up in the aftergrowth. Besides, they were supposed to be underground, so who was this body double?
Balam watched the wriggling form, wrapped tightly in his vines as he activated his radio. "Senpai, are you still below?", he asked. A moment later, he had an answer. "Yes. I have yet to locate Iruma-sama. Is everything alright?"
"We are okay, but did you leave someone conscious in the mansion by chance? They look an awful lot like you…" He glanced at his earpiece, concerned by the deafening silence.
Opera sighed on their end. "Of course she would", they thought. "Balam-kun, that's one of Victoria's agents. Her name is Keket and she can take on the guise of anyone she wants. Don't let her get loose or we'll never find her again… She claims to be on our side since I beat her, but I advise that you watch her closely."
Balam quietly agreed. There were a lot of variables already in play amid the chaos of battle. Beyond that, Iruma was missing and they still had two rescue targets to locate. An enemy that could steal faces was definitely not something they needed running around.
As he got closer to the writhing vine caterpillar, a familiar face awaited him. It was no longer Opera looking at him.
"Shichiro-kun, please untie me. This is so embarrassing... I really wanted to help", said Keket in Pandora's voice. Even the apologetic grin was a near perfect copy.
"Balam-kun, be careful with her. She can read memories, too", said Opera in his earpiece. Shichiro sighed. That would have been useful information to start with. Steeling his gaze, he stared at her without emotion. Her tricks weren't going to work on him.
"Shichiro-kun, please untie me. If people see us like this, they might get the wrong idea", she blushed. Fighting the redness from his own face, he lifted the captured demon with one hand, annoyed by her ploy. She clearly knew how to mess with him.
"Keket, you aren't fooling anyone. Opera-senpai already told me about you", he said, putting an end to her fun.
Pandora's face melted away back into Opera's. "Be that way", she huffed. "I like this face better anyway...Wait, did you say senpai?...Does that mean you knew Opera-sama in their youth?!", she asked excitedly.
Balam wasn't quite sure what to make of the strange woman, but she was his responsibility now. Adding one more tight vine, he broke her encased body loose from the rest of his plants.
"I did", he said carefully. Keket's natural form quickly emerged amid her enthralled enthusiasm. "Tell me everything!", she said, stars in her eyes, "I must know my new master!".
Balam sighed faintly as he hoisted her onto his shoulder. He was too tired for this kind of headache. Grinning to himself, he realized his thoughts sounded an awful lot like Kalego just then. He looked forward to seeing him again soon.
Activating his microphone, he said, "Senpai, I have Keket in custody. I'm handing her over to Azazel-san. I'll make sure he and his team are aware of her abilities before I return to battle...Good luck down there."
As he cut off his radio, his ward wiggled excitedly, making her hard to hold onto without dropping. "Was that Opera-sama? Can I have a radio, too? I can help guide them through the lower levels!", she ventured.
"You're being arrested. If you have any useful information, you can tell the police chief", he said. She pouted in response. "Hmph, so boring, but it doesn't matter. I only care about Opera-sama anyways."
Shichiro sighed as he got to the drop off point. Normally, he would likely be able to deal with her quirks and enthusiasm well enough, but seeing her try to use Pandora against him had set him on edge. It was strange, that deep feeling of irritation. Was that how Kalego-kun felt all of the time?
With her null field in place and unaware of Parisa's dispersal, Victoria decided to visit her beloved Naberius one more time before completely annihilating her intruders. He hung limply from his bonds, but it was no fun for her that way.
A firm slap across the face stirred him. It was a mild awakening from her, but he still glared at her in silence. Withholding a response was all he could do to irritate her at that point. She smirked at his simmering malice. If she hadn't thoroughly drained his strength and mana, she wouldn't be so confident.
"Can you hear it, my sweet? Your allies are up there in a panic without their magic. They'll be easier pickings now... Which of your precious students should I kill first?", she taunted. He held his peace, knowing she was only trying to rile him.
"It'll be fun to bend a few of them to my will, don't you think? I wonder how many bones I'll have to break before I crush their spirit… I can picture their pitiful faces now. Why didn't sensei save us?", she chuckled, but a faint grin on her victim's face was getting rather annoying.
"What are you so smug about?", she asked, dropping her smile. "You're underestimating them again. Magic or not, those brats will find a way to defeat you. They don't give up easily", he stated, recalling their history and how hard they had worked, first obtaining Royal One, then time and again facing each new challenge.
Ai's cold eyes glared, but she grinned anyway. "So faithful. How cute...but I'm hardly scared of a bunch of daleths. Besides, I have my own trump cards in play", she said calmly.
Stepping closer, she ran her hands over his chest in twisted affection. "I had planned on saving this one for Shichiro or senpai, but I'll go ahead and show you since you're feeling so defiant. You see, my love, I've perfected a new way of using 'drain'. It's taken years of experiments, but it's finally ready. Do you want to see it?"
She lingered close to his face as she tauntingly traced his lips. "Go to Hell", he said, turning away from her. He knew she was planning to kiss him again and his skin crawled just thinking about it. Entertained, she smiled with a sadistic blush. "Suit yourself", she grinned.
Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him deeply. As if that weren't bad enough, a horrid sensation like nothing he'd ever felt followed. It was as if his very soul was being pulled through that kiss. He could feel his nerves being dragged over hot shards of glass as his body tried desperately to hold on. He couldn't breathe, his chest nearly collapsed, and his eyes rolled back into his head. It was an entirely new kind of agony.
After around twenty seconds of this new, unorthodox torture, she released him with a satisfied sigh as he gasped for air. She savored the taste of his soul with a deep red face, shivering with excitement to her core.
Every muscle in his body convulsed for a moment. Finally getting ahold of himself, he glowered darkly at her. "What did...you do?", he panted. Victoria grinned evilly as she ran her fingers over his skin. "Did you like it?...I just drained about a year off of your life, Kalego-kun", she replied.
He stared in horror. The terrible feeling made sense now. She wasn't bluffing this time. The crazy bitch had actually found a way to drain his very life force. Gritting his teeth, he started to worry about the misfits. If she could use that attack on multiple targets at once, they were in serious danger.
"I was thinking of using it on a few of those nosy pupils of yours. Once they see the withered husks of their so-called leaders, they might just get the message and fall into line... Still, I think I'll enjoy sucking out Shichiro-kun's soul. I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one. I don't want to miss the look of fear on his marred face as his future slips away."
She paused to laugh. "Just picture it! He finally has his precious Pandora back and he threw it all away just to save you. Now he's going to die in the most agonizing way possible and it's all your fault, my sweet. How does it feel to know that you failed them both?... You know as well as I do that once he's dead, your beloved Pandora will take her own life. She'll have nothing left to live for. Her lover will be gone, you're already mine, and you killed her only relative with your own hands...Do you think she'll curse your name with her last breath? I know I would."
Kalego's entire body shuddered as the convulsions finally ceased. Hearing such horrid things only made it worse, but he couldn't let her see him shiver. Taking a breath, he tried to calm his racing heart.
"You're insane if you think Shichiro is going to let you close enough to try and Pandora will be fine. She knows we'll both be back soon", he said evenly. Watching her fight off an eye twitch in irritation was almost worth the pain he'd just endured.
Victoria sneered for a moment before returning her smug grin. "Oh, Kalego-kun, you'll say anything to keep from having to think about Lamya, won't you?", she teased. However, the pained look of guilt no longer seemed to possess him on a critical level. Something was wrong. Had she finally pushed his mind to the breaking point?
"Persephone is more cunning than you give her credit for...I'm willing to bet she's up there fighting, too…I've had plenty of time to think it over thanks to you and that haunting memory of her murder makes less sense every time I conjure it. She likely used 'rewrite' and you know it, don't you? That's why you keep bringing her up", he said with an irritatingly smug grin.
Victoria didn't give him the reaction he wanted. In fact, she had an eerie smile on her face. "So willing to forgive her, are you? She wounded you in a way I can only dream of and she still has your love? How disgusting", she sneered. Resuming her dark grin, a sense of dread started to fill the air between them.
"It doesn't matter if she's alive or not. If you did kill her, I'm happy enough with that… However, if she is here somewhere, rest assured that I will find her and when I do, I'll devour her heart and steal her ability. Then I'll change your memories to make you love me. Seeing the look of betrayal in your eyes when I finally eat you will make your taste all the more delectable."
That twisted look of pleasure on her face as she spoke was proof enough that she hadn't made an idle threat just then. Still, Kalego sincerely hoped his hunch was right. Persephone just had to be alive. His memory of killing her was still vivid in his mind. It was so real, merely trying to reject it with the hope of 'rewrite' tore open his soul all over again.
If she had changed his memories so darkly, could he really forgive her? He wasn't entirely certain, but he wanted to. Still, the sting of such a situation would leave an indelible mark on both of them. Their relationship may not recover.
Ai watched his thoughts play out over his face amusedly. She really wanted to play with him some more, but the thought of being outfoxed by her romantic rival was beyond irritating and the possibility of Lamya actually being in her compound was vexing indeed.
Heading for the door, she grinned over her shoulder. "I'm off to play with your allies, but just one thing before I go. Consider it a gift", she ventured. He glanced over in question. Now what did she want?
Smiling, she stated, "Just so you know, Dali was the one that sold you to me. Have fun with that", with a wink.
She chuckled at the look on his face as she left the torture cell. In the hall, she really hoped Kalego was battling his rage and a deep sense of betrayal inside. Yet knowing the others had come for him, she wasn't willing to risk losing her precious Naberius.
Several intricate locks lined the door and she made sure to use every single one. Even if someone somehow found their way to Kalego, they would have an awful time trying to get to him, time she could use to kill her challenger. She would consume his heart if it was the last thing she did.
To be continued...