46 Choices (1)

The boy behind Silas Fidi growled and screamed as the gusts kicked up and exerted more pressure on his small body. At first, the Great Apothecary was careful not to touch a single hair on the child's body. But with the spell's newly amplified force, multiple gashes were opening up on the young male's skin leaving trails of red in their wake. The boy with the Talent of Salamander howled and growled. Each shriek sounded more pained than the last.

The man's gaze was as sharp as knives as they continued to bore into the young girl that stood in front of him. "Make your choice."

Black orbs remained transfixed on the golden-maned boy that was trapped within the whirlpool of air that was under the control of the tall imposing man with blood red hair. Without making a single sound, the girl took small steps towards the Great Apothecary, her eyes brimming with reluctance.

The blood curdling smile reappeared once more on Silas Fidi's face. "Good girl. If you want to keep both your lives, I suggest you obediently make your way here."

As 373 moved closer, the violently swirling wind tousled her long brown hair making her look disheveled. A few seconds later, she stopped. Her black eyes were glaring at him with a ferocity that matched the raging flames that surrounded them.

"Put him down."

The girl's small voice sounded familiar in the Magno Deorum's ears. He didn't delve too deeply on this fact and instead, slowly decreased the power of his spell yet maintained the young boy within his grasp.

"See? This way, everything becomes simple," Silas Fidi stated. He beckoned her to come closer with and single finger. "Come here quickly."

She wordlessly took steps towards Silas Fidi, her gaze inscrutable. Step by step, she inched her way closer to him. Their shadows touched. When he looked down to study her face, Silas Fidi noticed that the fire in her eyes was replaced with a steely glint. The cold in her bottomless orbs seemed to suck him in. The man held his breath for a split second. His pupils dilated as a frigid iciness bit at his skin.

The Great Apothecary exhaled quickly and tried to put distance between himself and the girl in front of him. However, he found himself unable to take a step backward. Black shadows shot out from beneath his feet and latched on to his body. He summoned all the energy in his body yet no matter how much power he summoned, the energy dissipated into thin air.

Sweat drenched his back. His heart hammered against his rib cage. Silas Fidi glared at the small girl who returned his glare with just as much fervor. Black blotches were peeking out from her collar and were spreading to the porcelain-like skin of her neck. Beside her, a figure clad in dark robes materialized. Black wings unfurled behind a perfectly shaped body that was adorned in gold.

Orange orbs widened as he continued to stare at the face of the Adonis that appeared before him. It was a face he would never forget. Silas Fidi grit his teeth. "Astaroth… you-!"

"Consider this as my thanks… for the past few years you have taken care of me." The demon stood proudly behind the small female with his hands crossed in front of his chest. The Duke of Hell's cool velvety voice made the temperature of Silas Fidi's body plunge.

Silas Fidi roared. Bright red energy enveloped his body as he thrashed against the black strands. His bloodshot eyes were as piercing as daggers as the man glowered at the demon opposite of him.

A melodic laugh echoed in the hall. "Do not fret. I cannot kill you. Because her body is still young, the most I can do is put you to sleep and bestow upon you a wonderful dream."

"You-!" The Great Apothecary continued to flail against the wisps of darkness that besieged him. Without warning, the ground beneath him turned into a viscous substance. The shadows dragged him into the black liquid. The more he resisted, the faster he sunk into the unknown depths Astaroth had conjured.

The demon watched him slowly being swallowed up by the shadows with golden orbs that held not a shred of emotion. The lips on his alluring face perked up into a smile.

"Sweet dreams and good night."

As Silas Fidi finally disappeared into the shadows, a fuzzy sensation shrouded his mind. His thoughts became clear. The haze that had shrouded a part of his memories faded as scenes he had forgotten rushed through his head.

He finally remembered why the little girl's obsidian orbs filled him with a sense of déjà vu.

Those black unreadable eyes belonged to the girl who had mysteriously vanished into thin air. And she was the same girl who had twisted his memories and made him forget about her very existence.

***

Astaroth stared at the little girl who had, with a flick of a hand, erected a barrier around herself and the unconscious Silas Fidi that was lying at her feet. Multiple black marks were on her body and were spreading up to the skin on her neck. A faint glow covered her entire body and as the seconds ticked by, the blemishes on her skin slowly faded revealing porcelain-like skin.

The Duke of Hell nodded appreciatively. "Good. Continue to circulate your energy in that manner in order to repress the effects of the miasma."

"You didn't say that there was a way… to slow down miasma decay when you suggested it." 373 glowered at him. Her eyes were narrowed and her fine eyebrows were furrowed. She was staring at him like she was looking at something utterly deplorable. She had sported the look ever since he had suggested that she present herself to Silas Fidi and use his power to subdue the Magno Deorum.

The demon's lips quirked up and his golden eyes shined with a hint of mischievousness. "Something like this is a well-guarded secret between us demons. If all of mankind knew about this, demons would have to experience lengthy periods of suffering under harsh masters that do not die soon enough."

The girl's face turned slightly red as she puffed out her cheeks and looked away. Astaroth found his eyes glued to the little female's face. He found her inflated cheeks and furrowed brows very endearing and adorable. Once they were in a safer place, he was going to take his time teasing her. And he was going to tease her as much as he wanted.

As soon as the blemishes disappeared from her body, the small child knelt beside the man with blood red hair that was unconscious on the floor. Her gaze fell on his chest that was rising and falling. Her delicate eyelashes fluttered as she blinked and continued to scrutinize Silas Fidi's breathing before turning to Astaroth with a blank face.

"He's still breathing."

Astaroth chuckled. "Would you rather he was dead, then?"

The girl visibly froze before she slowly shook her head from side to side.

"Do not fret. He still lives. I simply made him watch an interesting illusion as well as reminded him something he forgot," the demon explained. He had done Silas Fidi a favor by undoing the locks that had repressed the Magno Deorum's memories. The Great Apothecary was probably spewing blood uncontrollably in the land of dreams.

...Or should Astaroth call it the land of nightmares instead?

He watched 373's expression change from guilt to understanding. He hummed and squatted right beside her. "For now, take his memories and find the ones that will lead you to Elisium's exits. Sort through the memories later once we have fled this place."

"Mm." The girl nodded and focused her attention on Silas Fidi's figure. She placed a small hand on top of his closed eyes and began using her Talent to absorb the Great Apothecary's memories.