Seated on his chair, leaning on his cheek onto his knuckles, Zariel stared as his sister raced around the kitchen. A blank look on his face.
"What are you making?"
"Hmm. Eggs."
"Didn't know you needed flour for eggs."
Zhu snorted cutely, " Shut up, bubba. Ya don't know!" and placed back down the flour, not daring to look at Zariel, who smiled through his bandages.
"Ella is coming, you know. Maybe she can help. God knows you—"
"Bubba."
"Hmm?"
"Shut up!"
Listening to her childish hums, Zareil looked out of the rising dawn. He picked himself up in a strained manner and slowly walked towards the balcony. Enjoying the winds through the bandages that made him out to be a zombie, according to some students, a small smile appeared.
Golden light ran over his serene eyes. He turned back to Zhu, destroying his kitchen. "By the Hells! How is it you can't even make scrambled eggs? Put the damn cinnamon down!" He argued, rushing into the kitchen as he pushed her to the side.
Finding a simple frying pan, he tossed it on the fire. Heated the pot and tossed in some oil and then the egg. Listening to the sizzle, he frowned, noticing the ancient arcana billowing into the air. But did not talk of it. It was clear to him Zhu had stolen something.
Smashing apart the yoke, he pulled the eggs off the fire, allowing the residual heat to cook through the eggs, and lightly seasoned them with salt.
"Cinnamon too, bubba!"
"Then crush these cinnamon sticks into fine dust just a little. A pinch of cinnamon at the end will do," he said, scooping out a dollop of butter.
Listening to the sizzle of the oil meeting the butter, Zareil stirred the eggs before putting them back onto the fire.
"Boom! Boom Boom Boom!" Shouted the Zhu as she smashed the cinnamon to dust. "Truck-Kun if victorious against the cinnamon!"
"Are you on drugs?"
"Zhu is the drugs, bubba!"
Giving way to a sigh, the young Lord plated the eggs and pinched a sprinkle of cinnamon over the golden eggs.
"You there. You happy?"
"I knew bubba loved me! Eat with wittle sista, bubba." She said, finding a seat with a bright smile on her lips. Her emerald eyes glistened with a look of anticipation. "Sit. Sit. Sit. Truck-Kun actually has something to say to you."
Wounds aching, Zariel let out a breath of cold air as he staggered to the table, falling down with a bitter look, the only solace being the small concoction he'd prepared with a pinch of cinnamon of all things.
"You've made a mess, bubba." Said Zhu softly." I've felt your battle quite a ways away. This Aldrich is no joke." she paused, picking up a fluffy piece of the golden yoke. "It's been what? Three weeks since that day?"
"Your point?" Replied the young Lord.
Zariels sister lifted her gaze, the childishness in her young eyes fading to black. " I also heard of the torment of the dragon priest. The reason I showed up was actually to warn you. Seven Dragons are on their way to trinity. Should arrive in a month, maybe two weeks."
"True Dragons?"
"Yes.
Putting a fork full in his mouth, the young Lord's eyes grew wide in surprise. "That's… that's not bad." He said, "eat your food."
"K." Said Zhu in a bright tone.
—
By day's end, Zhu had turned in for the night, returning to her master's fold through teleportation as Zareil made his way into his room, towards the portrait of the ruined city covered in flames, alongside a mighty dragon baring its fangs.
"So there coming." He whispered, soft as a ghost in the night. "Two weeks at the earliest and a month by the latest."
"Are you sure about this, Zariel?" Asked Zero metallically.
The young Lord did not respond.
"You'll be sacrificing hundreds."
"When did mortal or immortal life ever matter to you?" Came the young master strained voice. "The Academy will be fine. Hundreds may die, but this mysterious organization will be exposed."
"To what end?"
Pulling the bandages from his face, revealing small white blisters bubbling over the many wounds. He was smiling, yet a gleam of cruelty curled the edges of his lips, deepening as his voice became marred with bloodlust.
"If you think it's for the greater good, then you're wrong. I was attacked, and I wish for a challenge," he replied, " What other reason could there be aside from causing chaos? Or perhaps finding the truth behind Tiamat? Aren't you curious?"
"No."
'You should be. Who is Tiamat if not a powerful god."
Zero frowned behind his masked. " You seek an alliance? No… you seek a pawn. A face to hide behind as you make a public appearance. Dangerous, but useful."
"Is KO and Arsene on Iluthath yet?"
"Let's not discuss this here. This area is compromised.' Zero remarked cautiously, appearing behind the young master as he tumbled to the ground. "Get some rest. You are far from recovering. You sure you don't want me to heal you?"
"I'm about to resume my Perfection training, so no. it'll only stand in the way of perfection." He said as Zero placed him on the bed, wrapping the covers over his limp body.
"And Aurelia?"
"Killing her will only cause more issues. Leave her to die. She's close to death, isn't she?"
"Whatever Mephisto did, awaken something her body can't keep up with. Unless you do something, she will die in a few days."
"Then she dies."
'Surely your not dumb. Or has your feelings been hurt so much you are blinded by—"
"You speak as though you can grasp the insanity racing through this mind, Zero, my friend. She betrayed me. Although it's not the betrayal that I'm angry at. I expected that much. I think everyone did. No. It's the… hate that she holds towards me... the look in her golden eyes when she awoke… Was I so cruel to her?"
"I gave her a home, training, allowed her to grow mentally and physically. Taught her how to hold a blade, how to read, and write. Shit, by now, she should be able to speak over eight languages. If she needed something, she fought for it. And I always delivered. It's odd, Zero. Why did she hate me?"
Zero did not answer.
"She will die by her own hands. Nothing in this world is free… there is always a price. And only in death will she learn. Such a shame… I kinda…like…her."
Fading into darkness as oblivion came for his mind, Zero looked on from a distance and shook his head.
" Fool."
The door to Zariels chamber opened without the slightest sound as a shadow streaked in over the oak like a feline cat, noble and silent. The ghost approached.
The silver devil stirred and remained motionless, almost as if in a trance. His breathing remained steady. The lids to his trembled, halting the stranger's step.
And through his lower lashes, his lips picked themselves up.
"What's the matter? Is it already dawn?"
"It's noon," said Ella. "You slept the day away."
Zariel strained to lift himself up, releasing a dry yawn over his chapped lips. "Why are you here? Surely it's not to make me dinner… did I skip a lesson again?"
Ella's lips grew tight, and she shook her head, feeling her insides grow heavy and her cheeks wet. She fell to her knees and pressed her head to the floorboard.
"Help, Aurelia. She is doing badly. Her heart can't take anymore. She's so pale I can see her veins."
Staggering to his feet, the Young Lord maneuvered around Ella with folded arms. "I am starving. What do I want? A steak? Oh! I know Rack of Lamb. I've not had that since Mother prepared them for me."
"Master!" shouted Ella in a whimper. "Please! I'm begging you."
Zariel opened the covers looking around as if he'd not heard a word, and looked around for salt, the most basic ingredient, and sighed.
"Master!"
"Damn it! Who runs out of salt? I need a maid… wait, where is—"
"MASTER!!!!"
Zariel stopped and turned to Ella as something stung his cheek. " Help her!" she shouted through a slap that sent waves through the Devil's Icy heart. "You two have been through so much are you just going to let her fall? She's my sister! She's Sionn's sister. We can't lose her."
"Why the hell are you hitting a cripple! A pox on your house—"
Ella's tears bubbled, and her hand flashed over his cheek again and connected, turning the young master's cheek red like fire. "Stop bloody hitting me!"
'Heal her!"
"No!"
POP!!!!"
"Heal her!"
POP!!!
"No!!!"
"HEAL HER!!!!" Shouted Ella as she broke into tears, balling her heart out into the young master's chest as he stood still, unsure what was happening.
'Why? She tried to kill me?"
"We've all tried to kill you! And you probably deserve it. Have you met yourself? You're an Ass, Master!" Ella rebutted, staggering back as she tried to wipe the tears falling without end. "She'll die in a few hours without you. Please, you have to save her."
"Why?"
Somehow Ella found a smile. "She's family."
A derisive snort escaped as Zareiel walked to the balcony closing it as he looked on at the darkness creeping into the skies with the setting of the yellow sun.
Despair filled Ella's eyes as she turned her back with shattered hope, leaving without another word and a cruel realization: Zariel would not help.
"I truly did not think you'd be so cold-hearted." The sinful voice of Mephisto proclaimed materializing by his side and took a seat on the armchair outside. "Are you really willing to let her die? You'll die, you know. The Ruler of Iluthath will smite you."
"I hold the concept of Severance. The last of the three concepts I have." The Young Master announced, his cheeks turning paler; finding it difficult to remain standing; he took a seat on the outside decor. "But what's it matters to you? Surely you can help her?"
"I can't directly assist. A rule Father made, which is why I make deals. And why I am here now. I need you to save her. I'd thought you'd change your mind. But you're colder than I thought."
Zariel snorted. " Liar. You know what goes on in the Hells. You know what I had to do in the Nines."
"Perhaps… but I'd thought Aurelia would be different." He mused, somewhat disappointed. " Had I succeeded, Lucifer would descend in rage. Shame. Seems your just too young… or broken."
Bursting into laughter, Zariel coughed up a mouthful of blood as he continued to laugh." To young? I fucking hate that excuse. Not after what happened to me. Age is a fucking lie. The universe doesn't give a fuck about how young a person is."
Mephisto shook his head. " I can't let Aurelia die. So name it. What do you want?"
"A name," Zariel said in a fiendish voice. "I want the name of the Bastard who sent me to Hell to burn for all eternity?"
"Names hold power."
"And I hold the Weave." Came the Devil's reply sliding his icy gaze to the smiling Fallen. "So give it up. Aurelia doesn't have long."
"The things we do for love. You're lucky I like Aurelia. Family first." He chuckled and stood to his feet.
"The name of the King of Ilutahth, and Sovereign of the Sea of Chaos, is known as Alister Fel, wielder of the Book of Crowley, Lord of the Black Haze, and the God who tossed you into the Nine Hells."
"Alister… Fel. " Whispered the Silver Devil, with such a smile he shuttered. "Lord of the Black Haze is it?"
Astral Essence racing from his pores, the young master took to the skies heading for the infirmary near the eastern district. Making his way through an open window, he pushed his senses out and headed for the highest level, finding a large crowd outside his target's room.
"Duke Blackwater," Arthur and Aldrich said.
Ignoring them, Zariel walked past Sionn, the dean, alongside a few students he didn't know and pushed open the room, where a heavy medical scent pierced his nose.
"What are you---!" Arthur shouted, but the young knight grew silent as Aldrich pressed his arms to his shoulders and shook his head.
He stepped in, closing the door with his mind. And gazed upon a young woman with long silver hair. Her eyes were wide open and unfocused, but her cheeks were so pale that Zariel first thought he was staring at a corpse.
He stepped closer and sensed movement. Aurelia slid her gaze to him.
"... Have… you… co…come… to… gloat?" Aurelia stammered to say as a tear of blood streaked over her pale cheek. "Go… A… Way."
"I'd thought a dead woman would be silent. Seems not even death can stop your trap from speaking. " he paused and chuckled " Oh, I see. Eldritch is keeping you alive. You should have been dead days ago."
"Go… A… Way."
"Unfortunately, I am in quite a good mood. And a deal is a deal." He said, filling his vision with lines and nodes connecting infinitely.
"Thank Mephisto for this. Not only did he harm you, but he also asked me to heal you. Seems you can't do anything."
Tears falling, Aurelia trembled as her cheeks grew paler; she shouted. " GET OUT!! Please… just…get…."
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