Niven and Ffion had been invited to the private estate of a certain contact that claimed to have information of pertinent interest to them. It was one hell of a villa. Exquisite Classical architecture, fine artwork, fine wine, the works. And surrounded by such an idyllic landscape…It was absolutely beautiful by anyone's standards.
"You sure we can trust someone like this Heph?" Asked Ffion.
"No, but we're pretty much out of options. Sneck said this guy's got dirt on darn near everyone important. They wouldn't talk to us, but I bet they talked to him."
"That's probably cuz' he's done a few 'jobs' for them."
"In the underworld it's pretty easy to kill your way to the top. It's a sad commentary that such methods are quite effective outside of it as well."
The contact they were speaking of was one of the magical world's premier assassins, Axl Rose Bouquet (he always did hate his name). Axl had been active for over 20 years now and had quite a resume of death, not to mention all kinds of contacts. Thus, information brokering had become a way for him to earn supplementary income between jobs. It goes without saying that both avenues made him obscene amounts of drachma. Sneck knew him because he beat him in a drinking contest a few years ago and got him to tell him who and what he was. However, instead of silencing the witness like he normally did, he got a bit whimsical and became friends with him instead. To this day he has no idea why he did that. Still, it's not like it was a stupid move. Sneck could keep his mouth shut, had interesting stories, and could find and deliver any tool he needed for his jobs (which he got at "friend" prices to boot!)
He descended the staircase into the great hall were his guests were awaiting him. He looked rather average and had salt and pepper hair styled like he was some kind of politician (his favorite kind of customer). He was also, pardon the cliché, dressed to kill. Black jacket, black pants, black shoes, and a red tie. His guests were in similarly formal attire. Ffion was wearing some nice jewelry and a golden yellow China dress, whereas Niven was wearing his clerical cassock.
"You know, I never thought I'd see the day Mr. Hephesanes." He said with a slight southern accent.
"The day you'd what?" Responded Ffion.
"The day I'd see a Catholic Priest slash Magister Magi not here to condemn, arrest, or kill me. It must be moments like this that explain why I didn't kill that drunkard. So many interesting things have happened to me because of him. But I digress, you'll regard everything I have to say here as if I said it in a confession yes?"
"If that is your wish, I'll consider this an official confession. Since you seem to know what that means, I won't explain it." Said Niven.
"And the Kitsune?"
"Snitches deserve to die!" She yelled enthusiastically with eyes closed and a fist in the air.
"Ahhaha. Indeed they do Miss Rose, indeed they do. Alright, I'll tell you something you'll find most interesting. Do you know how the Mundus Magicus came into being Weaver?"
Niven siezed upon that last word, the demon at Stonehenge… "Weaver, why do you call me that?"
"Because that's your unofficial name in the underworld Mr. Hephesanes. This shouldn't surprise you. After all, you've done some rather crazy things in addition to the reputation you got during the war. You are most commonly known as 'The Great Weaver', the undisputed master of Grand Magic. But the stunt you pulled at Stonehenge, in addition to your use of underworld contacts and organizations has rendered you one of the more famous figures in our circles (for a Magister anyway). Didn't Jason ever tell you?"
"No. He didn't."
"I can see why. I bet you wouldn't like it if you knew people like me looked up to you."
"A heartless, soulless assassin looking up to me? A man of God? Impossible."
"Yet so very possible. You may not believe me, but we in the darkest shadows desire the same things you radicals do. We despise secrets (but mainly, we want new markets)."
"Now that's rich. One whose very livelihood relies on secrets despising them. You'll forgive me if I start to laugh." Responded Hephesanes in a rare tone.
"I will. As Evil cannot comprehend Good, Good cannot comprehend Evil. No…that's not completely right…some rare individuals really can understand both the light and the dark. I think you already know such a person. I'd love to meet them face to face one day. A ruthless criminal who did quite a bit of wetwork actually making it out of the underworld alive…now that is one thing I thought impossible. Tell you what, make that the payment for my information, and you can keep that large sack of Drachma you have on you."
"Who are you talking about?" he asked, fearing the answer.
"The Fateless." Again, another name he'd heard before.
"The fateless? Who are you talking about?"
"Dang. Sneck keeps you on a short leash doesn't he. That man, or woman for all we know, is the only person we know of that is completely immune to scrying. Normally, if you attempt to scry a person whose status is unknown (like if they're said to have perished) you either get confirmation or murky uncertainty. But for the fateless things are different. You get nothing, absolutely nothing. That's not normal, Mr. Hephesanes. It has freaked out seers for years. Vajra SunnyNight, (surely a pseudonym, nobody has a name like that), has posted stories about him for some time. All we know for sure is that he or she is a former old world "Universal Problem Solver", and that you know him/her."
"Enough banter and exposition," Said Niven, not wanting to answer the forthcoming questions, "what do you know of the Throne of Mnemosyne?" Asked Niven.
"Nothing I am afraid. Pity, I dug pretty deep. In fact, I think I got another hit put out on my for my efforts. Still, the horror I've uncovered is greater than yours Weaver. Are you sure you want to hear it?" He produced a stack of papers from his jacket.
"What horror can be greater than the deletion of the memory of over 7 billion individual's memories?" He asked seriously.
"How about the total extinction of about a billion existences?" Responded Axl.
"Extinction of… existence?"
"Yes. All MegaloMesembrian citizens (like me and you) and all old world entities don't have a thing to worry about, but everyone else…Well, they won't last more than 14 years."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I mean they are nothing but illusions. Ghosts, Phantasms, Mystic Constructs, call them what you will. They are not human, they are not even totally real."
"Nonsense." Said Niven.
"It isn't," Bouquet handed it to Niven, "Have your resident mad scientist look over the data if you doubt me, she'll come to the same conclusions I have."
"There is no way. This world has existed since time literally immemorial. It can't just…disappear."
"It can, and it will within the next 14 years, give or take a year. All non-Mesembrian citizens will simply vanish, the rest will be tossed out into the nigh unsurvivable wilderness of Mars. Gotta envy the abhumans in that regard. At least they get to die quick. People like you and me get the slow and painful treatment I only offer to frequent repeat customers. Well, that is, unless they plan on moving to the old world in a few years like I do. I'm thinking an estate in Texas, always did love vast plains, you?"
"What of Emiya and Sneck." Niven responded, ignoring Axl's question, "The offices told me they were ineligible for citizenship, yet they are undeniably human. They never told me why they were refused."
"Haha, it's because they know what I know. The reason they were refused was because there were instances of interspecies mingling in their family tree. That fact ties their existence to the existence of this world. All non-Mesembrian citizens slash non-old worlders are, as I said earlier, nothing more than a sentient mass of magical energy. Their form and properties may indeed be determined by what you call 'genetics', but that doesn't change the truth of their existence, their "substance", as you would understand it."
"I still cannot accept it. I've touched them, talked to them, cried with them. And if you're looking for 'scientific evidence' of their existence, I've got it in spades. They bleed out, their corpses bloat and decay in the sun, they have children, grow old, get sick…Everything a human body does and can do, they do as well in all perceivable respects."
"I'm not disputing that. I am just saying that when this world finally collapses and ceases to exist, so will they."
"What about me then!" Asked Rose.
"You're a youkai of the old world, and given those five tails, a very old and powerful one at that. You'll be just fine. So will Vajra and the fateless if they are what I believe them to be. Your other associates, however, are doomed."
"You lying." Said Niven, he had seen so much in his life, and lost many close friends for one reason or another. The thought of losing more…his mind refused to process it.
"I only wish I were Father. I…" He froze in mid sentence. The sound of someone approaching from behind pierced the new, unearthly silence.
"I would listen to that statue's words Weaver, not often you see a guy with a positive I.Q. Still in the single digits mind you but…" Said a cold, malevolent, and sadly familiar voice. Everything around them seemed frozen in time. Their contact, the particles of dust picked up by the wind, the water from the fountain, everything.
"You!" Responded Niven, recognizing the demon that almost killed his friend. He was dressed like a government agent, with the impeccably fine haircut that seemed all the rage with old world power elite that still had any hair.
"Yeah. Me. How do you like this little spell of mine? Can't escape, can't call for help, can do whateeeeever you want to the weak little shits who get frozen in the realm between dimensions."
"End this spell now! You'll rip us all apart at the molecular level including yourself!" He ordered in desperation. Tsuruda had completed the basic theory that would enable the use of this type of magic, but refused to attempt it because of the aforementioned danger. Dimensional manipulation of this sort was beyond modernity. At least, it should be…
"Naaaah. See, it's only dangerous if you're reaching beyond your place when you cast it. I assure you, a spell like this is a walk in the park for me. I can keep this up all day if I wanted!"
"Then how in God's name were you bound? If this kind of spell is easy, then only an S ranked mage could ever hope to defeat you, let alone bind you."
"Whose to say they didn't?"
"Only the members of Al Rubra and Evangeline bear that classification, and as far as I know they don't have any pet demons. Especially not one's on your level."
"Pff, oh come now, do you really think they're the only demigods in existence? I mean look at you, you're definitely powerful enough to hang with those assholes, especially in your younger days. I seriously wonder if all of you mundus magicus fucktards cream your pants at the mere allusion to those so called 'heroes'. Seriously, they weren't all THAT great. And "The Dark Evangel?" Please, a powerless little bitch like her isn't worth my time."
"Why are you here, answer me!" Demanded Niven.
The "Statue" that was called Bouquet emitted a harsh light and began to move. He took a moment to catch his breath
"*Ahem* Well that was embarrassing. I've always made it a point to avoid killing without payment, even if they've pissed me off," He pointed at the demon, "but I'll make an exception for you."
"Damn, you really are the kind of bastard my master says you are! Why am I here you ask? Well, I guess there's no reason for me not to tell you. Me and my associates have been ordered to gauge your little group's progress. You do outnumber us at the moment though, so we've had to carefully select our targets. Find a suitable sample of the population, as it were. And even in that regard you screw us over by getting a random high level assassin involved. He even managed to synchronize himself with this space against my will! Very impressive. I hate his guts, but damned if he doesn't know how to pick em'."
"Gauge our progress? What for?" Niven asked.
"Ahhhh. I'd love to tell you. Really, I would, but the binding you see."
"So your master is afraid to face me, is that it!" He was well and truly pissed off, his own ignorance fueling his rage.
"Pretty much. Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I hate him too. Buuuuut I have to follow orders. Seriously folks, this is why it truly sucks to be a demon. Yeah you get damn near eternal life and a shitload of power... But that really doesn't matter if all it takes is one bad day to make you somebody's prison bitch for all of eternity! Damn my life sucks. Oh well, who wants to die first!"
"That's not fair! You said you were testing us!" Complained Ffion.
"No. See, if you can't hold out long enough I get to end you. Or rather, I have to end you, but fuck technicalities," He assumed a stance, "Let's dance!"
The demon launched a fireball at each of them. Ffion and Axl dodged while Niven simply counter spelled. They tried to attack, but the demon was too fast.
"Rose!"
"Alright, Adeat!"
Apparently, nothing happened, not even a change of clothes.
"An artifact? Ooooo, I'm so scared!"
"Now you see me…" She kicked into the air, "What? Oh no! It's not working!" Said a terrified Rose.
"Oh wait, lemme guess. It's an assault type artifact related to space-time manipulation. See, that's not going to work in here. I made sure of it."
"Adeat!" Ianaset yelled as three small, unadorned white spheres appeared in his hands, "Rose! Bouquet! Catch!" He threw one to each of his allies
"An enhancement transference artifact, very nice." Said Bouquet telepathically.
"What are you planning? Sharing buffs isn't going to do much." Said Rose using the same mechanism.
"This one will."
"I'm afraid I agree with Miss Rose. I don't know of any enhancement that could elevate us to that level. Even if we were to stack multiple instances of Kanka we couldn't take this monster. I hate to say it, but we are outmatched Weaver. We must run away." Said Axl.
"This enhancement makes kanka look like a preschool cantrip."
"Are you insane? That spell almost killed you!" Objected Ffion.
"We're facing an S class enemy, we're not going to make it unless we do something really, really stupid."
"Forbidden magic? I like where this is going. I'm in, do it." Responded Axl.
The demon seemed focused on eliminating Ffion and Axl, ignoring Niven completely. When he focused on one the other attacked to no avail. When they tried to chant a powerful spell or charge a more powerful attack the demon would switch focus and interrupt them fractions of a second before they could complete their preparation. This fighting was meaningless. Even at his restrained level the demon was just simply better than both of them combined. They were completely and utterly outclassed, mere tools for the demon's amusement. And he made sure they knew it.
"But you might kill us all!"
"It's a risk we're going to have to take. Besides I think I've figured it all out. Just make sure he doesn't break my concentration you two. If he does, we really will die."
He summoned a small mass of prophecy spirits and began to utter an alien incantation. That is to say, it was in a language completely alien to all the peoples of the Earth and the Mundus Magicus, defiant of all conventional description. Yet somehow, as he spoke the words, their meaning appeared in the minds of all who heard it. The demon was so focused on eliminating Rose and Axl that almost a full minute had passed before he noticed that Niven was chanting. Though obscenely powerful and viewing most other forms of life as inferior to itself (a view he was pretty much justified in holding), he made a point of being realistic. The most powerful High Ancient incantations will hurt anything. You can only take so many "Thousand Thunderbolts" before you cease to exist. The fact that Niven was said to have mastered the art of doublecasting such incantations did not inspire any kind of confidence in himself.
"Oh no you don't!" Yelled the demon as he shifted focus to Hephesanes.
"Too late!" Said Niven as a translucent aura formed around him and his allies. Ffion instantly appeared in front of the demon and kicked him in the face, slamming him through the wall and into the courtyard. The world began to move once more.
He wanted to make a snide remark, but his head was swimming from the impact. Before he could recover Rose teleported into his path and delivered a backhanded fist to his noggin, stopping him in his tracks. She thrashed him about for a few seconds with her five now very long, flaming tails before slapping him into the air with them and delivering a savage reverse kick as he fell into range. This, predictably, sent him skipping along the ground like a rock thrown across a pond.
"I can feel it in my soul…this power…I've ascended to the ranks of the legendary Kyūbi! I can do anything!" Thought Ffion.
Bouquet was waiting for his quarry at the opposite end of the courtyard, his enemy skipped right past him.
"Adeat!" A strange looking bow materialized in his hands. It looked like it had seen way too much use, as though it had been shattered like a glass and glued back together, piece by piece. On the front of it was an ornate inscription in English. It read, "How's My Sniping?" He took careful aim at its head, keeping track of it perfectly in spite of all the bouncing. There was no arrow per se, just a collection of magical energy resembling one that was getting more and more potent by the second. When he finally came to a full stop at the other end of the courtyard he fired. The demon managed to jump just before the "arrow" would have decapitated him, instead taking the shot in the chest. It managed to pierce his shields and drill a good distance into his body, but didn't go all the way through like it was supposed to.
"That was 10 times more powerful than what I can normally manage and it still didn't go through him. He truly is on that transcendent level." He thought.
"Ghe-aaack *cough* *cough*" A black substance spurted from his mouth into his hand. He looked at it for a second, "hehe…Haha…AAAHAHAHAHA! You hurt me. You actually managed to hurt me! Before I rip your throats out you're telling me where the hell you found that book. I was certain I destroyed every last copy."
The air grew cold as ice began to form on the demon's body. It plugged the wound and formed a few pieces of evil looking armor, sharp claws on his hands and feet, and two sets of horns. One stet sticking out of his forehead, the other sprouting from the back of his head and hugging his skull to around his temples.
"I see, a partial transformation. Why not go all the way? Why not show us your true form?" Asked Bouquet.
"See, nobody who's seen that has lasted more than 5 seconds. I'm supposed to gauge strength, not end it. Remember?"
"But you said if we couldn't last you'd kill us!" Protested Ffion.
"Yeah yeah, I'm one big fucking hypocrite. Spare me the lecture would ya. I've got a great deal in mind, so listen up. If you manage to hurt me again and you pass the test and you all get to live. But this time…" He moved almost faster than the eye could track, getting right in Niven's face.
"I'm not going to fuck around. Got it?"
Ffion teleported next to him and once more sent the demon packing before he could touch the wizard, just like any good ministra. This time, however, he was virtually unfazed and quickly recovered, launching a volley of large, glowing shards of ice at his attacker.
Kyūbii Flaaaare! A large burst of orange flames melted the ice on contact, but beams of light pierced the inferno and hit their target. Ffion raised her barriers just in time, but she still took a good hit.
"Damnit! Attacks within attacks…" She said telepathically.
"That's it! I know how we can end this abomination! Ffion, I'm going to need your help on this." He said as he beamed his plan into her brain.
"A combination attack? HELL YEAH! I've always wanted to do one of those!"
"I'm going to need some time to prepare this. Can you keep him off both me and Niven for around 90 seconds?"
"I am the legendary Kyūbi , I can do anything."
"We'll see." He crossed his arms in front of himself and started his incantation.
The demon appeared next to him and whispered in his ear, "Damn, another asshat intellectual. That article was refused publication in mainstream journals for a reason baka. It. Doesn't. Work." He slashed at Axl with his claws. Blood spewed from Bouquet's body as he allowed a satisfied look to creep across his face. That look turned to one of annoyance as the body evaporated into nothingness.
"Ohhhh fuck me." He said as everything he saw started to blur and bleed together.
"Yes, fuck you. I think it's time I reminded you what you're fighting," A force impacted his face.
"You stand against," multiple kicks to the midsection, "The forces," an invisible leg sweep rendering him horizontal in the air, "Of!" a high kick to his head sending him skyward. "Justice!" Hundreds of impacts rained down on every part of his body from all directions, cracking his armor and piercing his guard. "Destruction!" She crashed right through him as a flame engulfed fox. She landed on the ground and howled as a massive explosion filled the sky, seemingly consuming her enemy.
"Yeah! I look and sound so cool right now! I should have my own T.V. Show." She thought as she howled away.
Arca Archa Glacies! (Ice Coffin) He screamed as he reduced the area right in front of her to absolute zero. It's a good thing she struck that pose, The incredibly hard block of ice formed millimeters in front of her. Had she just been standing on all fours her head and shoulders would have been inside said block, rendering her helpless.
"Mmmmmmmm!" She yelled through closed lips with a frightened look on her face, tears pouring out of her eyes. Shards of ice were raining down on random places. Praise God, that last attack was a fluke! Thus, She had already won. All of her enemy's senses were relaying to him bald-faced lies. He was falling towards the ground, yet to him he had at all times stood strong on Terra Firma. He knew all of this, but he couldn't counteract it. He was her bitch at this point, and he knew it…
"So this is the power of the fox spirits. No…of a true nine-tailed freak! The power of over 900 years condensed into this instant through impossible means…Damn you woman." He thought.
"My incantation is complete. We got 20 seconds, let us wail on him for a bit my radiant kitsune." Axl said telepathically.
"Let's!" She moved into position.
"Now!" He yelled into her mind.
"De-story!" She yelled.
She resumed her human form as they got on either side of him. She whirled around in the air, whaling on him with hands, feet, and tails encrusted in flame and Ki. Axl's bowstring unhinged itself from one end and showed his artifact for what it really was, a collection of hardened shards that fit together into a bow shape fastened onto a central string. Except for the shards that formed the handle, they spread out over the length of the string. He lashed out with this "cruelty whip", slashing him again and again and again. Their onslaught went on for about ten seconds before they decided it was time for the finisher.
"Return…" They yelled as they both kicked the demon into the air in perfect synchronicity, "To the void!"
Ultimate Kyūbi Laser! She thought as she fired nine beams of raw Ki from the tips of nine illusory tails behind her. They wrapped around each other and surged forward, drilling towards her enemy. The very air weighed down by the power she unleashed from the depths of her soul.
At the same time, Axl fired the spell the demon said wouldn't work. The article he mentioned was written by Niven after he was recognized as a radical magister. Since academia on both sides is, in Koine's words, "Full of idiots more dogmatic and closed minded than the Vatican" it was refused publication in the well-respected (read: Mainstream) academic journals. Their editors hate radicals, so they completely ignore everything they have to say. No matter how right or wrong they may be. As Saul Alinsky said, "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon." They think that by ridiculing them and ignoring their ideas they will go away.
Too bad they fail to realize a most important fact. You can never kill the truth, no matter how hard you try. Combination spells have been managed by many individuals in the past. Their spells wrapping around and fusing with each other to form something far more powerful than each spell would have been if cast separately. The only problem was that it always took two or more mages working together to achieve this effect. Niven had created a way to do the same thing with only one mage, and he wasn't limited to just two separate spells either. He could combine as many as his power allowed. Three. Four. Twenty? No sweat! So long as you had the mojo that is. If what you need is as much destructive power as you could possibly tap in one blast, this was one of the best ways to go. Even better, the spell you fired would be totally new in every sense of the word. It would warrant a new name. Axl had managed to fuse four spells, two Jovis Tepestas Flurguriens (Jupiter's Thunderstorm) with two ούρανία φλόγωσις (Blazing Fire in the Sky). The result of their fusion would be akin to a flare from the hottest stars.
"Yes, that's it. That fits this spell perfectly. Now rage…" He thrust his arms out and launched his attack. "Eta Carinae!"
Colossal pillars of flame, wind, and lightning erupted from his hands as they merged instantly to form a single stream of annihilation. The blood red fires becoming a deep blue. The ultimate attacks of Ffion and Axl met their target at the same instant, creating a truly impressive explosion. For a few moments, it looked as though it were noon. With their combined power, they had banished the night. Nobody could possibly survive that holocaust. They were sure of it.
"*hah* *hah* *hah* *hah* Won't work…will it?" Bouquet remarked as he fell to one knee.
"Ya-hooo! We did it we did it WE DID IIIIIT!" Yelled Ffion.
Aeternus Vāstus (Eternal Wasteland!) A beam of blue energy plunged through the smoke and smashed into the ground. A wave of frost encasing all in ice emanated from the impact zone. Everyone and everything was frozen solid. The demon slammed into the dirt a few seconds later, struggling to get up.
"Fuck *gasp* me. Damn that was close. You bastards almost managed to kill me. Never going to ignore him again. Yo, predestination buggers, you listening?" The mass of spirits turned and acknowledged his presence.
"Very good. When that pedophile wakes up tell him this." Niven's prison began to crack.
"Hehe, won't give in will he. Nevermind then." It shattered and he fell to his knees. The spirits faded away.
"You've actually managed to surprise me Weaver. Let me guess. Old leather tome. 'The Book of E' scratched onto the spine? You know, the guy I killed over it wasn't all that good at English. See, the book's true title is 'The Grimoire of Esmerelda'. The spell you just used was from Chapter 4, 'Elevation to the Status of Thine Enemy'. You're supposed to be reaching beyond your place whenever you cast it. Only a few seconds of action, massive recoil, grievous wounds. I think you've tried it before. But your artifact and those prophecy spirits helped you get around the limitations. *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* I have to hand it to ya Weaver. You are just what that spell needed. We could have taken out the grand master fucktard if you were around back then."
"How... how do you know all that!" Niven was shocked on too many levels. Not even The Vatican knew or even suspected of the existence of the book Alexander threw at his feet that night. The Book of E… The Book of… Esmerelda! That was it, it had to be. But...
"How do you know where I got that incantation!"
"Oh come on now Weaver, isn't it obvious? Your I.Q test says you're a bona fide genius! You can figure it out, right? Right!"
"Tell me…Tell me damn you!"
"Tell yourself baaaaka!"
"Have it your way demon. If you won't tell me…then you can burn in the flames of his most righteous judgment!" He crossed his arms in front of himself and began chanting in Greek. The demon grabbed his throat and held him up in the air, interrupting the spell.
"You just don't get it do you. You're a pawn, and I'm a bishop. I'm better than you on so many levels it'd be a chore to list them! You did entertain me though, so I'll offer you a deal. Just give up. Just look me in the eyes and admit my superiority and I'll let you live. And maybe, just maybe, if you get on all fours and beg like the old barren bitch that you are, I'll unfreeze the fox and the assassin."
"O *gah* K. I sub-mit. You-re bet-ter than *gurgle* us, please..." He said.
"Damn right I am." he released Niven, who after catching his breath assumed the pose of supplication, touching his forehead to the frozen Earth.
"Ok, that's good enough." He snapped his fingers, shattering the remaining prisons. Their contents were out cold, they just slumped over and fell to the ground.
"Your S ranked master, who is he demon? Tell me, and I swear to almighty God I will free you from your bondage." He said with complete honesty.
"Daaaaaamn. You really are one hundred percent radical aren't you. It's official Mr. Weaver, I love you from the very depths of my oozing black heart. But that doesn't change anything. All I can tell you is that you're playing right into my master's hands." He teleported away, but his voice remained, "You are his favorite pawn. From the instant he saw you..."
"You're wrong! You're wrong! Even if it costs me my immortal soul, I swear I'll destroy your master. You hear me Demon! I'll destroy you and everything your master stands for!" Niven said with unrivaled conviction.
"Willing to destroy yourself then?"
"What?"
"Oops, said too much. You'll see what I mean later on."
All that surrounded him was silence. He tended to his friends and returned them to health. He tried as hard as he could to contact Itsuki, but to no avail.
"Damnit Cipher, of all the times your power would become a liability. Why did it have to be now?"
It's kind of hard to capture in text what the manga does with people's thoughts hanging off to the side while they say something. So whenever a character's words are in parenthesis, he/she thought it while they were speaking and didn't say it.