Ep 164. Plead Your Case. (3)

  Uhe other deities, even the divinity of death could n Zenon to heel – nor could Zen the Reaper to heel.

  Resultantly, the agreemeween them had been simple: her would meddle with each other’s affairs, respeg their own boundaries. With the Historian choosing to be a loner of his own accord within the Archive, this arra had worked wonders since genesis.

  That is, until today.

  “…!”

  “…”

  While the Reaper and the Historian had busied themselves in their argument, three others had watched them argue on, fused and amused at the same time.

  And once again, it was Light who broke the sileo make a ent towards Aymeia.

  “I wish the entire world could see what a mess you guys are.”

  “…It’s not…usually like this.”

  “Really? From what I’ve seen so far, you guys all hate each other.”

  “That’s not-”

  “Not what? Not true? Look me in the eye and tell me that’s not hating each other.”

  “…”

  As the two behind her also began bickering, Serenis let out an amused snort.

  To aent, Light was right – although ‘all’ may be an exaggeration, the Twelve certainly didn’t seem very funal as a group. In fact, it seemed like a miracle they’d beeogether for the past millennium.

  ‘Though, I suppose…it’s only natural …’

  As Serenis recalled, when a group couldn’t keep itself at peace, having a dictator of extremely high power did, ironically, help hold things together: a number of other demon tribes only funed because their lords maintained an iron grip over their kin.

  And when two higher entities were equal in strength, the best way to keep peace was to have nothing to do each other: this was exactly the retionship Kedor had sought with the other tribes.

  Apparently, the Twelve weren’t all that different from her brethren.

  ? ? ?

  Eventually, the Reaper’s argument with the Historian would e to its clusion: a divine verdict that would be heard by everyone present.

  Awkward silensued as Serenis locked eyes with the panicked Reaper.

  Truth be told, Felicir had expected Zenon to be furious from all the disturbance Serenis had caused in the world they’d established. He’d at least hoped for the Historian to oppose Serenis, if not kill her ht.

  As, the reality was hardly anything like it.

  - ‘Your soul will be permaly voided upon its death.’

  Once Felicir stepped out of the archive, this verdict would not be enforced; the Historian himself had attested to this much.

  But in other words, it would be enforced as long as they remained within the Archive.

  And, as fate would have it, Serenis was standing in the way of Felicir’s only avaible exit.

  “I suppose you imagined our pces switched.”

  “…”

  At other times, Felicir would’ve ughed off the dragonlord’s mockery.

  But as matters stood, he could hardly muster a ughter anymore.

  ‘…How…do I…’

  While Felicir lost himself in thought, Serenis leisurely raised her hand. Her palm shimmered in yers of prismatic light, ready to smite her foe as many times as it would take.

  Then, the sound of someone’s sharp breathing stopped the dragonlord’s hand.

  With widened eyes, Serenis spared a momentary gnce behind her.

  “…”

  “…”

  In stark trast to the dragonlord’s indifferent gaze, the eyes that met hers were far more plicated: worried, relut, and even afraid to aent.

  And, at core, still hopeful.

  ‘You still…haven’t…’

  Light stood in pce, her lips firmly sealed. She was fully aware how ridiculous it’d be to step forth to stop Serenis; among everyone here, Light was the one who wished Felicir’s death the most.

  But ironically, it was also Light who wished for that oute the least.

  “…You still haven’t given up.”

  “…”

  Instead of answering, Light’s gaze fell to the ground.

  But that was all Serenis o still her hand – at least for the time being.

  Following suit, the dragonlord casually called out to the deity behind the possessed academic.

  “…Historian.”

  And this time, Zenon immediately raised his gaze to meet his caller’s.

  “Yes?”

  “…”

  As Serenis was about to speak her question, a pang of fear g her from within – fear of what the answer may be.

  But as relut as she was, if she didn’t ask the question now, then there may not be another opportunity.

  “Is Karas…still alive?”

  “Karas?”

  Zenon momentarily paused as he gnced over at the possessed academic.

  After realizing who the dragonlord was referring to, he returned an obvious, nont answer.

  “Why, of course. Surely you see them as I do?”

  “…They’re currently uhe Reaper’s possession. Does that not affect their being?”

  “You’ve just spoken the answer yourself. This ‘Karas’ you speak of is not dead, but merely shadowed by Felicir’s presence; should his influehdraw, the inal will resurface.”

  “…If the Reaper were to die…would that not kill Karas as well?”

  Zenon tilted his head, twirling his quill in amusement.

  His lips curved into the ti grin – before it would fade away again.

  “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

  “…?”

  The answer only left Serenis fused even further.

  The same went fht and Felicir, who were all ily listening to the Historian’s response. No one could make sense of the st answer.

  ‘Perhaps, perhaps not?’

  Before, it was Felicir himself who’d reminded Serenis that monsters did not have a cept of life ah: they simply ‘were.’ Because they possessed no soul, it could not be used as a determinant of their state of being.

  When a monster is born, the enviro’s mana is densed into their being. There is no soul that begins to develop within.

  And when a monster dies, their body dissipates into the mana that prised their body. There is no soul that leaves the physical self.

  ‘If the body alone decides their state of being…’

  “…As long as the body remains intact, he’ll be fine.”

  The Historiaher firmed nor dehe dragonlord’s drawn clusion.

  Instead, it was Reaper who answered, scowling at her words.

  “As if you possessed the means to rid of me without harming the body. Isn’t that all yic’s good for? Causing harm to others?”

  “…”

  “Step aside up, dragonlord. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve your precious youngling in my hands as well – wouldn’t want to ie her as well, would you now?”

  It was a simple matter for Serenis to decimate the Reaper over and ain until Karas’ reserve of souls would run dry. With said reserve being practically exhausted at this point, killing Felicir was trivial.

  But that would utterly destroy the body, and Karas with it – not to mention the wriggling spider in the Reaper’s grasp.

  No. This time, she needed a different approach.

  ‘To rid the body of his influehout causing harm…’

  A strange warmth began to spread from her chest, causing Serenis to look down upon her heart.

  And from within, it felt as if an eager fme had suddenly sparked to life.

  - ‘I trust that you will make the right decision.’

  “…”

  With a faint smile, Serenis took a small step forward.

  She began to approach the Reaper ever so casually, almost as if she was on a leisurely stroll. It even seemed like she was snickering to herself.

  Twitg his eyes in disbelief, Felicir held the spider before him, waving it like a on of sorts.

  “What in hell’s name…? Step aside, dragonlord!”

  “I will not.”

  “…”

  “Whatever’s the matter, Reaper? Have you exhausted yourself of souls to devour? Karas would be disappointed.”

  “…That’s none of your business. If you don’t want your precious kin squashed in my hand, step aside.”

  “Ha…calm yourself. I merely thought I’d hand you a parting gift.”

  Still grinning, Serenis only came to a halt inches away from the academic’s body.

  Felicir’s eyes rapidly darted around, looking for even the smallest of openings to escape through. He had ample faith that the dragonlord’s as were nothing more than a bluff – as far as he was ed, dragons knew little besides brute force.

  But trary to his expectations, the dragonlord’s hand hovered over her ow, produg a shimmering white stone.

  As soon as the shard came to view, Aymeia squinted her eyes at the sight.

  ‘Is that…?’

  As its previous holder, she reized the stoh ease: it was the divinity she’d once held.

  But strangely enough, the shimmering lights emitted from the stone now seemed to retain an e hue.

  “You seemed quite fond of your divinity, Reaper. Perhaps this will make up for it.”

  “Wh-“

  There was no time to react.

  Before he k, the shimmering stone ushed into the possessed academic’s chest – and an alien warmth rapidly spread throughout the Reaper’s body.

  It wasn’t literal warmth, of course. It wasn’t his actual temperature that was ging.

  Rather, it was his thoughts that were melting away.

  ? ? ?

  ‘…Damn it all.’

  Felicir’s voice rang hollow through his mind.

  ‘Damn it all. Damn it all. DAMN IT ALL!!’

  No matter how much he screamed, there was no way to reverse the divinity that was embedded into his body; the result would either be to succumb to the stone as Aymeia had, row to overe its influence like Serenis had.

  But still, there was hope.

  ‘Just…o calm down. If I just keep it together…for just a few minutes…’

  While this particur divinity oison to one’s mind, divinity was still divinity; with it in his possession, Felicir could not only escape his current predit, but potentially learn to trol it aurn to his position as deity. And if naught else, he could keep his mind afloat for just a few mio escape the Archive. He could discard the divinity thereafter.

  Serenis had no pusible way of threatening him without causing physical harm. it stood to reason that giving him the star’s divinity was her st resort.

  Then, if Felicir could just get out of his headspace this once – just this once – he could emerge victorious. If he could foil this ohreat, then he’d have another ce t the dragonkin to heel.

  As, his own mind was the obstacle that stood in the way of reag said goal.

  ‘…What is all this?’

  As far as Felicir was ed, the star divinity entailed an excessive amount of memories that overwhelmed one’s sense of being. The retainer would soon fet their owence, drowned out in a sea of tless others.

  But for the Reaper, that wasn’t what was going on at all.

  There were no threats to Felicir’s sense of self, and he certainly wasn’t recalling any memories that weren’t his own. His mind erfectly intact, prised of his own being and nothing else.

  …Well, almost nothing else. But there was one peculiar element that didn’t seem to belong.

  ‘These…fmes.’

  If the mind could catch fire, then this was exactly what it’d be like.

  Every thought seared his mind; every memory was hiddeh veils of burning sparks. The aerely thinking caused a burniion throughout his entire body, and every memory he recalled drowned in r fire.

  And standing amidst those fmes was a familiar silhouette, approag the Reaper from afar in slow, vigint steps.

  ‘Who-‘

  Spiked, flowing hair, sharing the hue of the fmes surrounding it.

  A pair of unfiving eyes that refused to wilt, even as they resigheir fate to Death.

  And a pair of crimson-tipped horns that clearly testified to their inhuman in.

  As a lone dragon emerged from the streaks of fire, Felicir could scarce hide his shock.

  ‘You…it ’t be!’

  ‘…’

  A wake of embers followed the dragon’s every step as he approached the Reaper, lighting more and more of Felicir’s internal world afire.

  And, with a stern expression, the dragon offered his hand to the former deity.

  ‘Reaper. Your time has e.’

  ‘…Time?’

  ‘We do not belong in the present. You and I both.’

  Felicir spped away the offered hand, scoffing at the disgusting sight.

  He gred into the dragon’s e eyes, his voice lined with anger.

  ‘And what would you know? You’re but a figment of the dead – a ughable failure of a king!’

  ‘…Perhaps.’

  With unwavering eyes, the dragon once again put forward his hand towards the Reaper – this time to grab the former deity by their colr.

  And as the dragon tightened his grip, the fmes that surrouhem burned brighter than before.

  A boundless white hue washed over the r fmes.

  ‘I’ve failed as king. I’ve failed my brethren, and I’ve failed my mother. I’ve lo my fate to be cursed and fotten.’

  With every word, the surrounding fmes closed in owo.

  Colorless fire began to eat away at both of their ethereal forms, burning away what remained of the Reaper’s being – as well as the dragon that had summohem.

  ‘But I will not fail them again.’

  ‘You…godsdamned dragons…!’

  Within the fines of his own mind, Felicir was no more than what he’d been born as: a lone, powerless human being.

  And struggle as he might, the dragon’s fming hold showed no signs of breaking – nor did the fire surrounding them show any sign of dying down.

  A desperate scream rang throughout the innards of Felicir’s thoughts.

  He could scarce tell if the inferno was real or not; he could scarce tell if the dragon before him was real or not. All he could feel was the realness of the searing pain that was swallowing him whole.

  ‘Let…go…!’

  Felicir desperately reached out his hand, g at the dragon’s hold.

  But with the dragon’s grip remaining still as stone, all he could do was gre into their firm, resolute gaze.

  ‘You will suffer for this atrocity, dragonlord…! You will never find salvation in the beyond! Your soul will rot in the deepest pits of hell for all eternity!!’

  ‘…Perhaps.’

  Felicir’s very st sight was that of an e-haired dragon, drowning in his own fire together with the Reaper.

  But unlike him, the dragon was smirking back at his dying words.

  ‘I will join you anon, Reaper.’

  Only when the Reaper’s being withered to nothing did the dragon loosen his grip.

  However, his fmes showed no signs of withering; they tio devour their own summoner, burning away his st remains.

  He merely stood in pce, waiting for the fmes to take him away.

  ‘…’

  A long, exasperated sigh escaped his fading form.

  He couldn’t see outside.

  He couldn’t see what was going on outside of the Reaper’s mind.

  But the dragon heless looked up, whispering the words he’d loo tell.

  ‘…Wele home, mother.’