Not to sound like a moron, but I forgot Wendell lost one of his arms as punishment for being a destructive idiot. Let's just assume they gave him a prosthetic to make daily life less difficult ahaha ha ha a
—ML
P. S. I am the master of my universe and its shitty little calendar. January and October are 28 days, and all the other months are 30 days. That's only 356 days of bullshit a year. *shrugs* I would say I don't make the rules, but... to hell with it!
Chapter 19: Séance, Part Three
March 20, X792
Sayla quietly snuck out of bed, careful not to wake Minerva, who slept across from her in Kyôka's bed. The humanoid was a very light sleeper. The only exceptions were the creaking door and squeaky beds. The hornless demon still flinched at the obnoxious sound of the cell door opening and closing as she left.
She used the toilet and showered in total peace and quiet. Suddenly, her ears rang with Minerva's familiar scream.
She had woken up from another nightmare.
Sayla wore nothing but her undergarments and capris as she raced back to her cell, her toiletries under one arm. She found Minerva hiding between the back corner and Kyôka's bed. Some nights, Minerva would cover herself with a blanket, appearing as small and inconspicuous as possible.
Sayla knew what she was doing. Kyôka explained it before, based on her experience as a torturer. Minerva saw something disturbing in her dream. A memory must have scared herself so much, the only way to protect herself was to hide away from the threat.
"Minerva, it's me, Sayla," the hornless demon whispered, kneeling down. The humanoid did not respond.
Kyôka told her it was a bad idea to try touching Minerva in that state. Talk to her and help her come back. Only touch her if she initiates a hug, for example.
"Minerva, can you help me hide my book? After that, we can eat breakfast together with Lamy and Tempe," Sayla said in a whisper. It was still early in the morning. Although other inmates made noise whenever they wanted, Sayla still preferred to whisper.
"We're going to hang out with Naomi. She's a sweet girl, and she really wants to meet you properly. How does that sound?"
"..."
"Greg told me they're serving bread again, your favorite side."
"... With the oil and vinegar?"
"They're going to add herbs to the oil instead. Is that okay?"
"... Sure," she murmured.
Minerva did not move a muscle underneath her blanket. Sayla got up, grabbed her blanket, then sat closer to Minerva. It was a bit of a squeeze as she was a little more built than Minerva. Sayla loved eating, and Minerva went through phases without food like it was nothing. Sadly, her weight almost resembled Jackal's in November. One of the only foods Minerva cared to eat was bread. Sayla gave up on convincing her to expand her palate. For now, any food was good enough.
"Can I join you under that blanket? It's pretty cold out here," Sayla said. She felt their feet and knees touch. Minerva did not flinch, thankfully.
After a long pause, Minerva finally lifted her blanket up. She studied Sayla nervously.
"It's just you?"
"Yes, just me," Sayla smiled.
"Do I have to tell you my dream?"
"You don't have to if you don't want to."
The two shuffled a little closer under their blankets, creating a soft, cramped barrier. Minerva held both of Sayla's hands, leaning against the wall. Sayla leaned as well. Thank goodness Minerva was okay.
Sayla wished Angelic had scribed the day Minerva allowed her emotions to be influenced by Macro Lilin. It was the curse that washed over Minerva's anxieties with total relaxation. The "spell," whatever it was, helped her get to sleep on especially bad nights. Sayla gently rubbed Minerva's hands in circular motions with her thumbs.
You are safe with me. The threat is not here.
Minerva sighed tiredly, to Sayla's delight. It was always a good sign when the humanoid did not resist the urge to go back to sleep. As some form of an ethical succubus, swaying Minerva's emotions to a more balanced side was Sayla's responsibility now. She would use her power better this time.
Not like Elfman, she frowned. Minerva grumbled halfheartedly. Sayla shook her head. No, now was not the time for such silly distractions.
The threat to Minerva is gone.
One Afternoon
HIDE YOUR BOOKS
Sayla.
My book is hidden wherever Minerva placed it. I personally cannot tell you where it is. This is Bird's journal, written in French.
PREMIER JOUR
- Les tuyaux de la chaufferie sont indétectables.
- Minerva tranchera tous les tuyaux qui ne fuient pas de liquide; le gaz fuira quelque part, mais nous ne savons pas encore où.
- Si la fuite de gaz ne fonctionne pas, ciblez les canalisations d'eau et d'eaux usées.
- Bird transmettra une note à Ziggy pour obtenir l'identité des gardes infiltrés.
- Lorenzo et Naomi iront dans les mines à la recherche de livres ou d'autres outils utiles.
DEUXIÈME JOUR
- Armes en cours; je ne noterai pas où elles se trouvent.
- Greg fera tout ce qu'elle peut pour préparer un véhicule d'évasion; elle ne nous dira pas comment ni où elle prévoit de s'exécuter
- Bird a dessiné et mémorisé son propre plan, Greg a fourni un plan de l'infirmerie et des autres unités humaines inutilisées.
- Lamy et Bird emprunteront un escalier scellé jusqu'au troisième étage et créeront un plan; Ziggy et Greg feront le guet.
TROISIÈME JOUR
- A la date choisie pour l'émeute, Minerva et Ziggy détruiront tous les fils électriques trouvés et détruiront la chaufferie.
- En supposant que Jackal revienne le jour de l'émeute, nous avons besoin de son pouvoir pour détruire le mur extérieur.
- Au cas où je serais compromise, Kyôka prendra le relais.
- Une fois l'eterano rétabli, les autres détenus auront le pouvoir de se battre.
- Idéalement, la Fée Tartaros s'échappera.
Quoi qu'il arrive, tout se passera comme ça.
Whatever else happens will just happen.
Bird gave Tempesta, Lamy, Izumi, Wendell, and Lorenzo just enough key words to understand the notes. It was universally decided that whatever role Sayla decided for each person was the role they would die defending.
Because Angelic gave no actual date of Jerza's arrival, the plan in place is just a rough sketch. Details would definitely change as time and circumstances changed.
Before expanding on her notes, Sayla said that the first thing everybody had to understand was the expected casualty toll. The consequences would most definitely be severe should they fail.
The scenario Sayla envisioned so far:
On the first day of April, Minerva would begin slicing pipes to cause a gas leak. By day two or three, the gas should attract a certain number of guards with the intention of correcting the problem. If that does not work, Minerva will target water and wastewater pipes. The boiler room is not very big, but Minerva is just the right size to squeeze through crevices and escape to the stairs unnoticed. Ziggy will also be present to ensure a proper escape, should something unexpected happen.
(Kill them all.)
Ziggy will also give Bird and Lamy access to the hidden third-floor stairs. According to Lamy, she found out about the stairs by eavesdropping on two guards in that same second-floor hallway. Bird is most reliable at memorizing maps, so he intends to draw as many copies as necessary for others to use.
(None of the guards fly. Throw them off the roof.)
Bird will also pass a message to Ziggy and Greg to identify undercover guards. Assuming Bird already did this, Sayla is expecting those results soon.
Sayla did not include it in the notes, but Elfine will also gather any other information that may aid the group. Additionally, Naomi and Lorenzo will volunteer for mine work in search of any books, tools, and weapons they could potentially make use of.
And speaking of weapons, some inmates without curse or magic tend to make and hide weapons. Tempesta found this out when he caught two men with razors in the shower room. They would have killed each other if Tempesta had not convinced them to keep their weapons for a different purpose.
(Aim for the throats of unarmed guards at night.)
On the second day of April, Sayla expects Tempesta to have spread their plans to as many innates as possible. He cannot hold back on explaining that many will die or get injured. Sayla will trust that Elfine can also talk demon folks into joining them.
(I already started. Listen well to the gossip.)
Greg is expected to plan Tartaros Fairy's immediate escape beyond the walls. She has her own plans for obtaining a desert vehicle and extra fuel. Sayla did not mind that Greg chose not to share further details yet. She just had to trust her to follow through.
On the third day of April, Sayla expects thorough damage to the pipes, maps of the second and third floors, and at least 100 allies. Jackal should return by then, wherever he was. A riot will break out when weapons are drawn and the undercover guards are exposed and killed. Assuming the electrical work keeping power on is traceable, that too will be broken.
Would Jackal risk his life to summon the Earthland Reaper? Sayla did not know for certain. At the same time, his death or near death will cause an explosion of the wall. Eterano will fill the atmosphere, and inmates will have power equal to the guards' strength to fight just long enough for Tartaros Fairy to get away.
.
"It is not a perfect plan, and we definitely end up relying on a lot of luck and coincidence," Sayla concluded. She looked up from her journal, half expecting only a few of her peers to have actually listened. Lamy raised her hand.
"Lamy, you don't need to raise your hand."
"Whatever! Why do I have to work with Bird?" Bird glared at her from the other end of the table.
"You're the one who found out about the hidden staircase, and Bird is good with maps. Did you miss that part?" Sayla inquired with an arched brow.
"No, I just can't stand him sometimes," she grumbled. Bird rolled his eyes.
"Oh, please. How many of us here actually like each other?" the bowl-cut demon questioned, motioning around to the others. "I think all of you are insane imbeciles, but I'm still willing to support your cause."
"Exactly. If we want a chance at anything going right, we have to put aside our differences," Elfine added. She was busy pulling her hair back into a ponytail. Lamy especially disliked her.
"Man-eater," Lamy hissed under her breath. The elf gasped in shock.
"What did you call me, you little shit?!"
"Shut your mouths!" Sayla ordered. Lorenzo snickered at her reaction. The hornless demon lifted her book up, pretending to read to hide a blush. This was embarrassing and awkward enough for her, working with an Elfman lookalike! Why did they all have to act so childish?
"Et si je ne trouve pas de bonnes choses sous terre?" Naomi asked. Sayla wondered the same thing. What if they didn't find anything in the mines?
"Nous ferons plus de choses nous-mêmes."
"Against magic, curse, and firearms? You're kidding!" Naomi huffed, crossing her arms.
"I know it is all wishful thinking," the hornless demon frowned.
"Well, uh... luh, l'alchimiste... nous aide?" Tempesta shrugged. Bird facepalmed. Lamy shot the bowl-cut demon a glare. Why did he have to criticize everything so much?
"Tempesta, you will find them for us," Sayla decided aloud. The snow-haired demon shot her a look of disbelief.
"Me? I can't."
"Nonsense. We could make use of your observation skills. Besides, you memorized the shift changes in the isolation unit by simply listening to their footsteps. There is no need to hide yourself from the public right now."
"Humph, anybody could do that," Bird said passively.
"I'm not hiding, I just... wanted to do it wuh ju..." he mumbled something else under his breath. Elfine snorted. Lamy grabbed the female elf by her collar. Elfine grabbed the bunny demon's hair. Lorenzo stood up from his chair, pulling the women apart by the back of their shirts.
"I'll rip your fucking tongue out, Elfine!" Lamy spat.
"Ohoho! You want me to match with you and the ringleader!" Elfine laughed. Sayla covered her mouth, suddenly a bit conscious of her butchered tongue. No one had mentioned it since that day so many months ago. Tempesta's left eye widened at her comeback.
"You'll match a corpse when I'm done with you!" Lamy tried to lunge at the elf, but Lorenzo's large hands were impossible for her petite self to escape.
Minerva, who sat beside Sayla, put her head down while covering her ears from the noise. Sayla shot up when three guards rushed into the courtyard towards their two tables.
"Scatter!" Naomi hollered, dashing away.
"Get back here, you coward!" Bird snapped as he ran after her. Lorenzo immediately dropped Elfine and Lamy, shaking his head. Sayla stayed with Minerva, rubbing circles on her back. The humanoid would not move when guards came near.
The guards in question slowed to a walk when the situation seemed to deescalate itself in seconds.
"Is there a problem here?" the one at the center of the trio asked.
"No, sir," Sayla replied with a smile. Tempesta kept his face down, looking over at Lamy. She got up, then grabbed Elfine's hand before she could protest. The elf glared at her silently, brushing dirt off herself.
"All of you need to keep it down. This bullshit is getting old," the guard to the right glared at Elfine specifically. She crossed her arms with a lean to the side, pouting.
"Sorry, Midfart," she said with a sarcastic tone. The guard to the left chuckled, earning a stiff elbow from the center guard.
"It's Milford, Seven—"
"My name is Elfine, Milford," she shot back.
Sayla rubbed Minerva's back comfortingly. The guards eventually walked away, but not before one looked at Minerva with pity. She hated their glances. Two of their own hurt her. Every single guard failed to stop them. They should know where to shove their useless empathy.
"Tempe, what did you say?" Sayla finally asked. Elfine sat next to Lorenzo. Tempesta held Lamy's hand while she joined his side instead. The snow-haired demon looked away.
"I... I wanted to search with Jackal," he replied quietly.
"How cute," Elfine chuckled lightly.
"Shut it, you long-eared fucker," Lamy grunted.
"You also have long ears. At least both of mine are intact."
"Ferme ta gueule!" Sayla interrupted.
Elfine simply turned the other way, resting her chin on her elbow-propped palm.
"Lamy, you and Bird will discuss your next course of action. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Tempesta, you will not wait for Jackal. Searching for knowledge of the alchemist comes first. Lorenzo, you and Naomi will work to collect weapons and tools, anything that will help us. With Greg on watch, she will of course "confiscate"—" she added with air quotes. "... Your findings. Bird will also figure out the identities of undercover inmates. I still need to find a role for Kyôka..."
"Et Jackal deviendra un martyr," Lorenzo said. Tempesta and Lamy stared at him in disbelief. Even Elfine tuned back in after that input.
"I didn't know you spoke it," Elfine whispered. The large demon smirked, then looked serious again.
"Think about it," the male demon expressed. "To summon a Reaper, you expect him to blow himself up. He will be lucky if he doesn't die. And so, you might just make him a martyr for your cause."
"He, he can't do it!" Lamy protested.
Tempesta looked down, staring off. He could lose Jackal forever. They already died permanently once. He might truly go to Hell and never come back if he died again.
"He is the only one who might survive the outer walls. Our deaths are absolute," Sayla replied. "I just hope he will understand when the time comes."
"Speaking of walls, why aren't the guards affected?" Tempesta asked.
"Bonne question," Lamy said, nodding.
"I don't know," Sayla answered. She could easily ask a guard. But what if Greg or Ziggy decided to lie that time? How would she know?
"What if the walls—y'know, the bricks—aren't the danger, but the anti-eterano forcefield itself?" Elfine asked slowly, deep in thought. "Most of us have grown up with some kind of magic. Force fields are typically invisible. In our case, the walls are just regular walls reinforced. Even if Jackal were to destroy bricks, the forcefield might still stand."
"That's true," the hornless demon mused. Minerva rested her head on Sayla's shoulder, angling her knees toward her. Lorenzo looked on curiously.
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine. The guards are just scary," Lamy replied. He did not need to know anything else. It was none of his business.
The worst part about reaching the peak is how slow the action is, Sayla sighed aloud, rubbing her temple.
"Izumi and Wendell, where are they?"
"Izumi woke up sick, and Wendell didn't want to leave her alone in the infirmary," Tempesta said.
"I'm glad they're okay," Sayla smiled softly. "That is all for now. Tempe, start your search today."
"Lamy, come with me," the snow-haired demon said as he took her hand. Her soft pink eyes lit up with joy. Of course she would go with him! She would go anywhere with Tempesta and Jackal. Anywhere.
She suddenly sneezed.
"Euch! Dust in my nose," she sniffed. She wrapped her arms around his, nuzzling his bicep. She noticed that his arms were slowly getting bigger and stronger. Lamy walked beside him, scanning the few eyes that followed them. She had no idea what to look for. In all their time, both living and dead, they never actually met a real alchemist.
"What am I looking for, Tempe?" she whispered to him. Tempesta snapped out of his thoughts.
"Hm? Oh, I have no idea."
"Damn it," she facepalmed. "Where's that card? Maybe a real alchemist will recognize their respective magic circle."
"It's in my cell. Also, it's alchemy, not magic." Tempesta winced when she punched his arm but smiled sheepishly when she pouted. How could he be offended by a face like that?
"Get the card and then we'll search. Rapidement!"
Somewhere Else
Pitch darkness was the first welcoming presence, followed by a closed space of warmth and fluff. Jackal nuzzled whatever heavenly embrace he had found himself in. He did not need to open his right eye to know that Columba was nearby. Well, at the forefront of his mind, he supposed.
"Jackal."
Go away.
"You are not finished here, Jackal."
I'm sleeping, Columba.
"You recognize me."
I have ears and a brain. Obviously I recognize your voice.
Jackal opened his eye. The air was still. Bricks tremor underneath him, then they too were still. Suddenly, they vibrated again. Jackal's ears angled outwards. He recognized the sound of an explosion anywhere.
"Great, more memories," he grumbled, sitting up.
A high-pitched whistle shot through the sky in a flash. The blonde demon had no time to react before something blew the "welcome" brick path to bits, scattering debris and dust straight out into space. Even Jackal flew outwards in a straight line, having lost a small source of gravity. He did not feel the explosion, thankfully.
The hunk of blue and white armor flew past him. The feline whipped around when something clashed metal. Jackal decided to follow the commotion. The tall warrior was locked in combat against several opponents. Arrows flew by the bow of a centaur. The case of arrows on his back and saddles replenished supply instantly and infinitely.
However, the warrior effortlessly dodged every wave of those arrows, swinging the clock hand longsword. Arrows scattered, broken to pieces.
But then, the warrior fell against a grey magic circle. One by one, her wrists and ankles were restrained in the shape of a cross. She was trapped that time, clearly struggling against the magic bondage. A spirit whose head looked like a giant cross hovered forward, scowling at the invader.
"You have taken some of our strongest spirits from us, Purgatory devil. We cannot allow you to tear our world apart anymore!" he bellowed in anger.
The glowing cuffs tightened all at once. She cried out in pain, releasing the clock hand. It floated aimlessly, then another spirit grabbed it. This spirit reminded Jackal of a human that herded sheep and dogs. His sandals were strapped up his calves. The thin robe of fur over his shoulders was secured with a belt. His style was ancient and bland, in Jackal's opinion.
The female warrior chuckled darkly. Her eyes scanned over the three spirits. The centaur prepared to release another arrow from his bow, pulling the string back as far as it could go.
"Sagittarius, the spirit of the archer," the warrior said with a smirk. "You grew out your wonderful hair."
Jackal knew that cocky voice. It was clear to him that she could free herself at any time. He knew from experience how a villain looked pretending to be weak. Furthermore, he knew these three lost because he was watching their memory. And he had to agree; the centaur did have long, wavy hair that looked very healthy and shiny.
"Boötes, the Shepherd. And Crux, the Southern Cross. Oh, how the mighty have fallen," the warrior continued, clearly ignoring the spirits' dark expressions. "What do you intend to do to me?"
"You must know by now that you will die if you spend too much time in this realm," Boötes replied. "Without your weapon, you are powerless against Crucifix."
"Powerless, you say," the tall female trailed off, attempting to close her fistsbut failing.
"And now, we will wait for the leader of the Zodiacs to cast judgment," Crux grunted.
"Oh? What about your Celestial Spirit King?" The spirits exchanged looks of uncertainty. "Oh, wait. He's GONE!"
The trio of spirits covered their ears, cringing from the strike of noise. Jackal covered his ears, but the noise did not affect him.
The warrior pointed with two fingers, motioning for something to come toward her. Boötes realized too late that he had accidentally released the clock hand to coverhis ears. With the motion of its wielder, the clock hand immediately jammed its blade into the centaur's chest.
"SAGITTARIUS!" Boötes screamed in horror.
The warrior pointed two fingers at the other two spirits. The archer made no sound as the blade sank deeper and deeper. A hole in his back split open. The warrior made a twirling motion. On cue, the clock hand spun rapidly, drilling right through the spirit like drywall.
Crux was next. The spinning clock hand tore through his head. No blood spilled, to Jackal's surprise. But Virgo bled, right? He saw and felt blood and gore! Was it different in the Celestial Spirit World?
"G-get... get a... w-way..." Sagittarius croaked. He tried to reach for the trembling Boötes. The centaur and the cross slowly turned into light and dust, vacuumed into the clock hand. The crucifixion disappeared, setting the talk warrior free.
She hovered towards the shepherd. He whimpered in fear. The warrior's cape floated off her spiked shoulder pads. She looked massive before her meek opponent.
"Will you wait to be executed in front of your Zodiac master?"
"No," he whispered. "M-m-muh... m-my dogs. W-will you s-s-spare..." Boötes flinched hard when a large, gloved hand grabbed his head. Jackal was also on edge, expecting another brutal execution.
"Luckily for you, your Zodiac master ordered the rest of your comrades to stay out of this world for as long as possible. That includes your dogs as well, Asterion and Chara."
Boötes let out a sigh of relief. Jackal found it oddly heartwarming that he only cared about his dogs in the end. Boötes proceeded to fade into that clock hand. He gave up without a fight, knowing his dogs were safe.
Sagittarius
(Hello. Although we have met under inconvenient circumstances, I am honored to finally gain your acknowledgement. I am certain we will work excellently together.)
Crux
(Trapping an enemy is too easy. It is far more interesting to test the limits of pain and death. A slow, agonizing, and painful death by the cross. But without the power of a more suitable Zodiac to cast judgment on the sinner, I was useless, made into another fool on a mortal being's checklist.)
Boötes
(I can't fight. I can't do anything special, really. I am nothing without a wizard or my dogs by my side. Just knowing my little ones were spared is good enough for me to surrender peacefully.)
The warmth of the cocoon embraced Jackal again. This time, he had to open his eye to the real world of total darkness. The dark did not scare him anymore, knowing he was no longer alone in it. Somehow, he knew the others sat in that quiet place, their radiance invisible yet lively for his gaze alone.
He shivered when a freezing cold aura brushed the back of his neck.
"Hello, Aries," he whispered. She said nothing, not even a routinr apology for nothing. "And Triangulum, Virgo, uh... Draco, Scorpio, red Aquarius... Aquila, Columba. What's the ugky bird? Oh, Pyxis! And Boötes, Sagittarius, and Crux."
He tried to sit up, but found that he was wrapped tightly in a blanket. He lay back down, his head landing on a pillow. He sniffed the air. Jackal looked towards the door.
"Yuichi."
"Yes?"
He froze up, genuinely surprised to hear that human's voice. The events of last night (or whatever time of day) resurfaced at the same time. He squinted his eye, turning his head away from the direction of Yuichi's scent.
"You... you shot me, didn't you?"
"I didn't want to, but you gave me no choice."
Jackal remembered everything by then. The lashing out, the screaming, and the terrible, awful aggression. In that moment, he did not feel or see anything but red through the pitch darkness. He felt a little ashamed, letting a needle rile him up like that. He hated that he drove the human to use it.
"I'm sorry."
"I should apologize for revealing it in the first place, knowing how it would trigger you," Yuichi replied. Jackal agreed. The bastard could've avoided that incident if he kept the needle to himself. Idiot.
He tried moving again, finally managing to slither out of the warm, secure blanket burrito.
"Did you swaddle me? I'm not a damn baby."
"It was a part of my training. You slept soundly after I wrapped you in that blanket," the doctor explained, probably fixing his dumb glasses out of habit. Wait...
He touched me in my sleep?!
Jackal felt the anger rise again. He took deep breaths in and out, trying to calm himself. The doctor touched him in his sleep because he had to. He was unconscious and probably cold. As a doctor, helping was his job.
"... Right, just... doing your job," he exhaled slowly.
He would be dead if he tried anything else.
Jackal looked around in alarm. That voice; he did not recognize it, but it also sounded somewhat familiar. He was probably hearing things again.
"You listed twelve names of celestial spirits," Yuichi said.
"Yeah, twelve spirits living in my body against our will," he affirmed. "I just need one more day if there is more to find."
"I can easily arrange that."
"What day is it?"
"The passage of time is not meant to be relevant in isolation. But if you must know, it is still late March."
"... How much information are you allowed to keep secret?" Jackal asked. Maybe it was time he told this human about their escape plan. Quite frankly, Yuichi seemed like the most trustworthy enemy-to-ally right now. But first, he had to make sure he wasn't lying to himself.
"As much as I want," Yuichi replied. "I treat injuries and support the minds of my patients up to the day they die or get killed off."
"Isn't that fucked up, "helping" people who will die anyway?"
"Well, I like to think I was chosen as a peacemaker in a realm of chaos. My knowledge is limited in some fields. Therefore, I limit their knowledge of my field here."
Limits? Fields? Jackal rolled his eyes. It sounded more like spite than fairness there.
"Well, what if I told you someone was planning an escape? Would you keep that a secret? Write it in your little book, maybe?" He pricked his ears attentively. Did the doctor bring a notebook?
No pen-on-paper sounds came.
"What if I told you I already know?"
"Y-you do?" Jackal crept towards the human. Yuichi was aware of his friends' schemes? Could he trust him with more information now?
"Your boyfriend is seeking an alchemist for that very cause," he whispered. "I told him about it before, of course. I told him that this alchemist can turn matter into a different form. If that alchemist is skilled and bold enough, he could change the chemical makeup of a person as well."
"I knew you told him that much, but you're really okay with this? With inmates and guards possibly dying for us, Tartaros Fairy?" Jackal questioned, creeping closer. Yuichi chuckled lightly.
"They sort of predicted this outcome. I was asked by that very system to help you figure out your power."
The blonde demon stopped in his tracks, on his hands and knees. The "system"? The guards and their top dog, obviously... right?
"What... do you mean by "system"?"
"Those who oversee operations at this prison. They think I'm merely studying your physical side effects of the lacrima and helping you control the energy. But what they don't know is that you've not only spoken to the spirits in the lacrima, but your body is already merging with it. You are becoming a celestial body, essentially."
Celestial body. It had a mysterious ring to it. It almost sounded like Heavenly Body magic, used by one Earthland mage that he knew of. But Celestial Body magic? It was unheard of.
"I've never seen magic like this before. And so, I'm studying for my personal gain and the greater good of your guild."
Jackal stood up on his knees. He felt the human draw closer, sitting on the floor in front of him. When the blonde demon squinted his eye and focused enough, he saw that Yuichi smiled cheekily.
"I'm not supposed to tell you anything, but I want to. The perseverance of your kind truly inspires me."
"Oh, uh, thanks," the feline demon shrugged, a little bashful from the praise. He smelled inside his shirt. Good, he still smelled clean.
Smelling your shirt right after learning important information? What a random thing to think about, Angelic wrote.
"I need to brush my teeth," the blonde said, standing up. "My hair too, probably." Jackal did not want to think about anything outside the Isolation Unit. His main focus was his séance with the spirits. He did not have the luxury of distracting himself right now.
"Most certainly."
He closed his eye when the cell door was opened. A guard came into view, a ring of keys in his hand.
"Dr. Misono," he nodded to the human. "Se—er, Jackal," he nodded to Jackal. How did he know his real name?
"Thank you, Mr. Milford," Yuichi smiled as he exited. Jackal rolled his eyes at the doctor's attire. Black slacks and a black button-down with a dark blue bowtie. However, his glasses were different, more plain and circular. For all he knew, Jackal might have broken them during that meltdown the other day.
"Nice glasses," Jackal said. Yuichi smiled plainly. "You look like an old crone now." The human's expression dropped as the blonde snickered, having fooled the human easily. He still did not like the doctor. And so, he would keep insulting him as much as he wanted to.
One Night Before Dawn
Angelic.
It was like almost every other sleeping moment. Their perverted, dead eyes burned through her clothing like paper. Their claws scraped her body and groped until pale flesh turned red and purple. Their whips and fists were so real. Too fresh in her memory.
Those two. Metallic odor with hints of a cologne she did not recognize. Their wicked grins.
They took so much joy out of her suffering. Destroying the body and soul was a sport to those demons. It was obvious.
Falling asleep was no easy feat. Staying asleep was a worse battle.
Minerva felt their hands and claws all over her almost every night.
Leather sliced her skin until it was raw and bloody.
And then, the creation of a child who was taken away in her sleep.
Sometimes she remembered how it felt to carry that little girl. She remembered the first and only time she ever held that fetus, thinking it was a boy.
The memories haunted her in slumber. Her only escape was the medicine Greg only gave her when the symptoms were severe enough.
Food became repulsive. Children made her depressed. Guards and men in general scared her. Aggression was terrifying. All she wanted to do was hide away.
Life was so unfair.
Sayla got her demon eyes back; Tempesta, Lamy, and Jackal had each other; Sayla and Kyôka had each other too. Sure, Minerva had strong claws, but they could easily get taken away if she cut too many seams.
Minerva was also afraid of talking to Jackal.
Some things were better left unsaid, she always thought. Jackal seemed to avoid the topic altogether as well.
Some nights, Minerva dreamt that Jackal would hold her. Not to use her body, but to comfort her like a friend. He had done it before. She wanted him to comfort her again. But he avoided being alone with her. Was he disgusted by her? Did she do something wrong?
Sayla and Kyôka practically babysat her all the time. She was forever grateful they did not treat her like a burden.
She couldn't write down any of her thoughts out of fear of troubling others. They had enough to deal with. Minerva did not want to contribute anymore to their stress.
For the uncounted night since they last hurt her, the dreams turned into nightmares. Her wrists felt sore and aggravated by the cuffs. Her body hurt. Her throat hurt from screaming for hours.
Just like that one day many months ago, Jackal suddenly emerged from his hiding place. She would never forget the humiliation chilling her to the bones. The despair in his eye was burned into her memory forever.
"I'm so sorry... I'm sorry I failed to... protect you."
Why did he have to apologize? He did not do this to her. He was just as powerless as everybody else. They would have shot him or done far worse if he had been caught that day. She hated that he saw her at her worst. Minerva used to feel anger that he chose to follow her. He should have felt sorry for himself instead.
I, Angelic, watched Sayla pull Minerva into an embrace in her sleep. Spooning, I think. Sayla gently wiped a tear away from the corner of Minerva's eye. As expected, that demon eye opened up, lulling Minerva back into a more stable slumber.
Meanwhile, I veered back into a dream that was filled with a cloudy paradise. I call it a paradise because the clouds looked very warm and cozy under a bright yellow sun. If only Purgatory had that kind of sunlight more than once every half-century.
We should all know by now dreams are the brain's way of processing information, no matter how big or small. Sometimes the brain will present information as an escape from the real world.
For example, I am watching Minerva on her own cloud surrounded by children of many ages I refuse to count. There are at least 30 faces that looked like hers. I cannot believe I'm seeing this, but they look a little bit like Jackal too. I'm not sure how long Minerva was infatuated with Jackal. She did an excellent job of suppressing that side of her.
Minerva lay with Jackal on a cloud of children that do not exist. He held her the same as the aftermath of that nightmare. Instead of bruises and other wounds, her body was clad in flowers, vines, and very plain undergarments I've never seen before.
Jackal looked like her too, but naked. Gross. His flower crown was full of green and brown thorns. Odd.
The small platoon of children is looking at me now. Oh dear.
Minerva doesn't see me, but Jackal is staring right at me, crying for some reason.
What do I say? What do I do?! It's just a dream!
Jackal found himself in a strange dream. He and Minerva floated on a white cloud across infinite blue skies brightened by yellowish-white sunlight. Was he on some kind of Earthland again? Wherever he was, it was a much-needed break from days of séance and memories.
They lay on the cloud, hugging each other in silence. He winced when thorns pricked his face. He touched the source, picking a small flower from a crown. Minerva also wore a crown. Daisies and thorns much too soft to scratch her.
He vaguely remembered how she looked before she was reborn a demon. Her skin was slightly tanned, her thin lips always wore lipstick, and her hair was the same raven black. Two random braids and two buns. She looked so unfazed by her darkness; he was a little envious of her. He assumed he looked just as broken as real life.
He sat up on one elbow, reaching over to touch her face. Her eyes fluttered open. Oh, she wasn't dead. The light of the sky could not compare to the light in her eyes. It filled him with sadness. She would never look this peaceful again because she chose to die an Etherius demon.
"Don't be sad. I don't regret dying for this guild," she reassured him with a blank smile.
Without warning, Jackal and Minerva were surrounded by dozens of small children. They seemed to manifest out of thin air. The blonde demon did not care about children. But these ones were different. They all had dark blue, black, and blonde shades of hair. Green eyes, black eyes, hazel eyes, and red eyes looked back at him.
One, two, four... ten... sixteen... Why do they look like me?
More of their faces appeared. A little boy sat next to him, his little blue ears flat. One girl, a black-haired copy of Minerva, curled up by his knees. Minerva held him with no intention of letting him go. He would not let her go either. What if the cloud suddenly split if they did? He had to keep her safe, especially from these creepy brats surrounding them.
But then, Minerva broke free from the hug, holding the smallest child of them all. A baby girl slept soundly on her chest. Blue hair, but kind of dark green. It looked nothing like her strange siblings.
"Is that... yours?" Jackal asked hesitantly.
"My Rojessa," she said, closing her eyes again.
Jackal felt the tears forming. No, it wasn't Aries that time. Minerva looked so happy with Rojessa in her arms. He knew Minerva would either wake up and cry or spend all day longing for something that would never happen.
Life was so unfair.
The children turned their heads in one direction in unison. Jackal also turned his head in confusion. Before him stood another little girl. She looked nothing like her similarly aged peers. Short, white hair, dull gray eyes. No, they were black. Definitely another set of brown! Was it some kind of blue-grey, or sunlight playing tricks on his eyesight?
The girl had no clothes. That was not as strange as the doll-like appearance her form took on. No humanoid features, toes, or even fingers. Just torso, legs, arms, and little thumbs like a doll. But her head was so human, it was uncanny.
What should he do? Should he say something?
"Uh, hello," he nodded to the doll person. She nodded back robotically. That did not help the creepiness at all.
He looked back at Minerva. She appeared to be sleeping now, her hands resting on her little baby's back and head. He looked back, then jolted in surprise when she was much closer, close enough to phase right through him.
"Holy shit!" he swatted the girl on accident. His hand went through her. What the fuck was she? Why was she?
"Listen to me, and listen to me well," the girl said, her eyes never leaving the sleeping mother and child. "Jerza is coming back very soon. When you hear bullets fire rapidly from a machine, you will take action immediately and—"
"Whoa, whoa, pause. What do you mean Jerza's returning?" he blurted. The only person to preach about Jerza's return was Sayla, who got her information from a faceless freak called... Angelic?
"Wait, a-are you Angelic?" he questioned in disbelief.
Like a switch, everything came flooding back at once. Their first meeting, the bombarding of her childish questions, her ridiculous powers, her detailed writing in his journals, and finally the day he literally kicked her out of their lives. Along with the memories came mixed feelings of anger, regret, relief, and more anger.
Angelic sighed.
She had some nerve acting like she was tired. He could call her worse things, but that would accomplish nothing. He couldn't even cry or scream his emotions out. All Jackal could do was stare her down. How could she let them suffer, knowing she had the power to change everything?
And how dare she come back to play God at the very last minute?
"I'm... I'm not allowed to interfere," she whispered. Right, a telepath casually strolling into his dream would still read his mind in this make-believe world too. Who would've thought?
"Says who?" he inquired.
"The ones in charge, like Jerza," she answered. His eyes widened in shock. In charge. In charge of Angelic. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. The anger was palpable.
"You... work... for them?"
Angelic looked down, her stumpy hands behind her back.
"They don't know I'm still here, watching you all," she murmured.
Jackal looked at Minerva. To think Angelic was involved with the same powers that allowed the atrocities they witnessed. Involved with whoever took organs and body parts from them for no reason. Involved with a bunch of sadists, rapists, racists, and any other -ist Jackal could think of.
She was just a child—well, a thing shaped like a child, letting herself be used as a puppet by truly evil people.
That's right. She's just as weak as they were despite her power. And she still wanted to help again.
"What was that you said about bullets?" he asked, turning back to the doll person. Angelic's eyes lit up. Jackal recoiled slightly. Was she grateful that he still cared? Her uncanny face was honestly gross regardless.
"I'm so glad you believe me," she beamed.
Ugh, creepy...
"You have to remember this. Jerza will come to dismantle the prisoners who are secretly organizing for a riot planned by your friends."
Jackal figured that much was the case. He put all of that on the back burner for his own plans with his body and mind. So, they were actually committed to a full-blown riot? Idiotic choice, but he admired their perseverance anyway.
"On the day Jerza comes back, you will hear bullet fire at a very fast rate. A machine gun. As soon as you hear it, get out of isolation. Only kill guards who try to kill you first. Only. Shoot. The killers," she emphasized, getting close to his face with wide eyes. Jackal leaned back, staring intently into her dull orbs.
"What exactly do I use to kill them?"
"You will know what to do when that day comes. But rightno, you need to wake up," Angelic monotoned. Jackal frowned.
"I don't want to. I'm happy here!" he protested. Suddenly, Angelic gasped in shock and perished. A small whine of a restless baby snapped his attention back to Minerva, who had sat up. She lifted the infant's head to her breast. Jackal watched her feed the child. The sadness came right back in seconds.
The brain is so cruel.
"You are going to be big and strong," Minerva cooed at the infant girl.
"Minerva."
"Hm?" She looked up at Jackal. The light in her eyes melted his nonexistent heart. He inhaled slowly.
"Wake up."
Minerva's eyes opened. She faced Sayla in her bed. Her arms were wrapped around Sayla, holding her back and head. It was so comfortable, although the hornless demon was confused. Minerva frowned sadly, resting her forehead against Sayla's.
"Did you sleep well?" Sayla asked in a hushed tone.
"I had the most wonderful dream," the humanoid replied. She felt odd recalling the vivid dream. The children loved her. Jackal kept her and her children safe. "He looked so happy to see me. He felt so close I could hold him again."
"I'm glad," Sayla smiled warmly, hugging Minerva a little bit tighter.
"It's okay. Jackal and Rojessa are going to be..."
Minerva choked back a sob. Sayla could only hold her while she cried. No amount of reassurance would stop that.
Heaven was a safe space far away from all the trouble. It existed in imagination only.
The brain is so cruel.
Tempesta.
Birds locked in a cage
Die by the flame to escape
The boredom of jail.
— ML