Compromise

Arthur closed his eyes waiting for death.

As the spear touched his dead everything blacked out accompanied by a loud noise.

"Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....."

....

"??"

Austin exited his tent, to get some air. Just when he was deciding where to go, some random portals started opening in the air.

"!!"

He immediately got on the alert stance but what came next to his shock was something he didn't expect in the wildest of his dreams.

Firstly, Lux & Noir fall from the portal holding their ears, followed by Arthur and Edger.

"Aaahh, My Head....is swinging, what's this noise."

"It's unbearable."

Arthur was unfazed by the noise, he opened his eyes to see everything intact. He hastily touched all his body parts examining his body. His arms and feet were still joint as if never separated. An expression of shock appeared on his face.

"Am...I Alive!?" He murmured in confusion.

Edger asked back in a bewildered expression. "You are?? Or are we all...Dead!?" He was still not able to understand what was happening.

Lux was confused. "Was it a...dream?"

"Wait? Is it Austin?? did he also die?"

Austin waved his hand towards him, saying hi?...

Lux waved back. "Hey, Austin is it hell? I mean we won't go to heaven nonetheles-...Ouch!! that hurts."

Noir slapped him getting back to his senses.

"Why?!" Lux turned around, angered. Noir ignored him.

Instead, he examined the situation, processing everything that happened. "No, ...he is alive, we all are as well." He mumbled unable to believe his eyes.

Lux stopped frowning and looked around. "Was it all dream??" He wrinkled his brows in confusion.

If that was an illusion why did it felt so real?!

Arthur didn't care what is happening or is not, he slumped down on the ground tired and if this was a dream then it is going to be the worst nightmare of his entire life.

All his mental tension was released. He clutched the ground and gasped for air.

"How was it?"

"Terrible, I would rather die than experience it ag-... who is it!?." Lux turned back only to meet me smiling widely. But for someone who has gone through the nightmare earlier, it was the smile of a devil.

"Ahhhh!! stay away... DEVIL." His eyes opened wide, he flinched and crouched on the ground.

I furrowed my brows. Dude that's overacting.

Talking to him will only get the matter worse, it's better to ask Noir. "Hey, how was that?"

Noir answered back with lingering fears. "Do not ask me, I repeat DO NOT."

C'mon, it wasn't that horrible. It took me a lot of time to design the dimension's layout.

I strode In the direction of Arthur, looked down and extended my hand. Let's end this.

"Hey man, get up" Arthur glanced at me with a complicated look. "Sigh, well man, see I am sorry for all that happened, but I did not got a better way to explain myself."

Arthur was silent, I gave him time to think. Ultimately, he nodded in understanding.

He caught my hand and I supported him to get up. It should l take some time for him to get back to normal as his powers get restored.

"Was it an illusion?" Edger asked me with suspicion.

How to reply to him??... Arthur, Noir, Lux including Austin turned towards me for an explanation.

I put on a troubled expression, deciding whether to answer them or not. "...To be frank, it's not an illusion but a separate space, it works on the same principle as Domain but larger scale, think of it as a separate dimension you could control everything inside of it." In the end, I just vaguely told them.

"Mm," Edged nodded.

I don't think he has understood anything, not as it matters to me.

"...Controlling everything," Lux murmured. "It sounds cool, can I learn it."

"Of course, just you have to practice a few hundred years after attaining demigod level."

"Forgot it, I would rather not, it is scary magic regardless.."

"Haha..."

I glimpsed at Austin who was looking towards the scene dumbfounded. Did he have some kind of special skill? How can everyone not notice him?

"Hey come here, Austin." He walked near me. "Don't just watch the show, it all happened because of you."

"Me?" He blinked in confusion.

"Nevermind, so.... do you have a place to go after this?" He shook his head.

I squinted at him. "How about following me?... I will be travelling alone and can train you along the way. You are powerful but you lack control over your powers."

"It may sound harsh, but any demigod can easily crush you right now."

"I don't think anyone else can teach you controlling your demonic powers other than me, at the end of the day it's your choice... But it will come at a pric-"

"I will." He replied immediately.

Hehe, ... This kid sure is hungry for power, will make a good Demon King.

... Kidding, Demon king will be useless for me.

I glimpsed at others. "You heard the boy, No further debate required. He will be going with me."

"Are you still st-"

"Stop it, Edger, sigh, Well I admit defeat you can take him, ... and...I am sorry dude, ...I didn't mean to blame you, it's just...just..."

I interrupted him. "Ah, no problem about that, I understand. There was a lot of tension built inside you, it needed somewhere to be released. I just became the victim, nothing else. "

To be frank his intuition was on the point.

"In a sense, it was better for me to become to become your prey, if it was someone else he would be dead."

"Still, you got injured an-"

"Just stop it, this much injury is nothing for me " I cast [Celestial Rays].

Everyone watched at me in astonishment, as I was surrounded by multiple glowing small stars which healed me in an Instant.

"See all fine."

"Cool...."

Lux asked, gawking at me. "Hey, can you teach me this...forgot it. I never said that."

He was initially excited but later lost his hope.

I raised a brow in surprise it is actually a good idea. Teaching them magic can help me side them towards me.

Why become enemy when we can be friends.

"Well, this one is easy just require you to learn a few ancient runes and celestial body magic."

"Celestial body magic what's that??"

"You don't know...hmm...then pretend I never said that."

This world doesn't have celestial body magic?..strange, Or is it just lost?

There is a lot to explore.

"See completely healed, it's perfect now."

Arthur nodded. "Hmm ...It is healed, but now I envy you, all of your spells are rare which I have never seen or heard about." He said slightly envious.

"How about I will teach you guys Magic if we ever meet again like this? Isn't that a good idea." Just having Yves will not help me. I will need allies among adventurers as well.

"!?"

Everyone stared at me drooling. *Cough* I am not your food.

"I will be first." Lux started jumping on my proposal.

I darted my eyes towards Edger, he was also in agreement with me, Noir doesn't have any comments. Huh, It was easier than I thought.

I took a deep breath and sighed. Is this what humans call friends? Even though I have many partners in my previous life but I don't remember having any friends or...maybe I have forgotten it.

Much of my memories are hazy.

Did I consciously erase them? But why?

Forgot it, if I have done that it must have a purpose.

... Some things are never meant to be opened.

Smiling, I looked towards them. "Okay it's decided then, I will teach you all magic next time we will meet."

""Yeah""

"??" Somebody tucked my shirt. I turned towards its source only to find Natsuki staring straight and not at me.

"Be careful with Celestial Body magic". She whispered in a low voice and disappeared again.

Careful why?? ...this girl is ridiculously weird sometimes. I shook my head tired and sighed.

"Hahaha, what a strange Goddess." I pulled Austin nearby me by his shoulders and laughed.

"... Remove your hands." Austin frowned. Uh, Doesn't seem like he is accustomed to social gatherings.

...Should I throw him in a brothel once? Doesn't seem like a bad idea. ( ^ . ^ )

"Haha... Got it, somebody needs to learn social manners here."

"Well guys, I will be going then, tomorrow has to leave early for Capital to report." Edger informed briefly before going back to his tent.

"Cya, I would be going as well, doesn't know when we will meet like this again..."

Should I go to sleep?

Hehe...nope

I turned towards Ellen's tent with a smirk.

...