TALK

If Sage was being honest, she could have prevented Isaac from ever taking a step in the castle courtyard; very easily in fact. As he was her undead, all she needed to do was recall him via [Contract Summon]. It had been her initial intention upon discovering him veering off course. However, a bit of ruminating and she decided to let him have his way. The reason? So she could take the opportunity to get into the baron's library. 

Also, she decided to teach Isaac a lesson. If he was going to seek loopholes in their contract to cause trouble, she would make him personally mop up his mess, even if it meant killing dozens of civilians. However, to say she was satisfied with how the situation had unfolded would be an outright lie.

Ordering the massacre of civilians was not something she had ever imagined herself doing. Sure, she gave few fucks about the common man, but she would not go out of her way to harm them. At least that was what she had thought. Now, after she had ordered the pale knight get rid of all witnesses, she realised she did not feel an inkling of guilt. Instead, what she harboured was anger and annoyance that Isaac had disobeyed and inconvenienced her.

I am a really messed up person. It was not the first time she had come to the conclusion, but saying it to herself in that moment made it sink in just how true the statement was.

"What do you want to talk about?" the knight asked after removing the helm. His words were trailed by a huff, which- similar his horse's- sent a misty breath outward.

In response to his act, she took off her mask, inhaled deeply, exhaled and looked at his unfriendly mug. 

This was going to be long and unpleasant.

"We need to talk about how we will act towards each other going forward," she began. "What happened at the castle was an unpleasant tragedy that could have been avoided."

 "Unpleasant tragedy?" Isaac asked with a hint of a scoff. "You forced me to kill innocents!"

His tone caused her hand to fly to her temple, rubbing it softly. This was already off to a bad start.

"If you had just gotten the helm and returned, none of that would have happened," she responded; as calmly as she could manage.

"And leave the people at the mercy of a bloodsucking predator?" he asked amidst frosty puffs.

She toiled to keep her ticking features in check before responding. "As I stated earlier. What was happening in Tima was not unique. This kind of thing happens across all across Rekke. You eliminating a single vampire is not going to solve the problem."

"But it would have protected the townsfolk from this particular vampire," he snarled back. "And there would have only been one casualty if not for your involvement!"

"There would have been none if not for your involvement," she countered.

"I will never let evil slide when it is in front of me!" Isaac roared with simmering eyes. He jumped to his feet and point a finger at her. "And your restrictions are the only thing keeping me from attacking a evil monster like you!"

"Oh really?" Sage could not help but chuckle as she too got up to face him. "Ha! That's a first. I've been called many things before; from monster, hellspawn, to deviant and even malicious. But this is the first time someone has actually come out and called me evil. That's hilarious!" She offered a dry laugh to go with her statement.

If ever the was a more accepted idea than the juvenile notion of good and evil, she was unaware of it. It was baffling how the masses ate up shit concepts like this, considering the ever-changing landscape of morality and the justifications used by the "good" people to commit atrocities. They are evil, has been the type excuse used by powerful nations like the Shean Holy Imperium to wipe out other nation for over a millennium. They legalised necromancy, the Goddess deemed them heretics and had to be dealt accordingly. They sacrificed children to evil gods and therefore are evil themselves, they deserve to be eliminated. These justifications did not need to be true, or even believe for that matter; after all, who would dare question those at the apex? Sometimes, all it took to designate some as evil was for them to worship a different god, one who opposed your own. For example, the followers of Vestrava and Atasha did not need much reason to slaughter each other.

"If I am evil, does that make you the good guy?" she asked, feeling the makings of a smirk on her face. "Is that so… Isaac the undead knight?"

His clenched fists and deepening frown indicated that her words had gotten under his skin. "If not for you, this would have never happened to me."

"If you'd let me go back then, I would still be in the geezer's tower learning magic," she fired back. "I would have never sought you out to get even."

"It's because I let you go then that all this happened!" he retorted. "Your killing of a duke's son, your murder of Saana, turning me into a vile abomination and forcing me to massacre innocents; NONE OF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I'D DEALT WITH YOU DURING OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER!"

In response to his exclamations, Sage closed her eyes, took another deep breath, released it and opened her eyes to stare at him. 

Well… she had tried, but it seemed having a cordial discussion with the bastard was wishful thinking.

"Fuck you Isaac," she said. "I'm sick and tired of your self-righteous bullshit. What did Bori do that justified you trying to kill him?"

"Bori… the necromancer?" he asked, posture turning defensive. "When I confronted him at the black market, he resisted arrest and used his disgusting art on the dead to help him escape."

"Dead people he killed, or those killed by you and your cronies upon storming the black market?" Isaac opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "You are a moronic fanatic who lacks the capacity to think of the bigger picture, so obsessed with enforcing your brand of justice that you fail to consider the consequences of your actions. That's why the Paladins kicked you out, because you're such a fucking burden to lug around!"

"How dare-" 

"And what were you going to do after slaying the vampire?" she interrupted him. "What were you going to say to the mob waiting outside after you had stormed the castle, knocked out the majority of the guards and beat up the baron? What were you going to say? I killed the vampire hiding in the castle because I am a worshiper of Shea? To followers of Vestrava? Would you have shown them your face as well, SO THEY CAN SEE THEIR SAVIOUR IN ALL HIS GLORY?"

"AND YOU FORCING ME TO KILL INNOCENTS WAS SUCH AN INSPIRED IDEA?" He shouted back. "WHY NOT JUST TELEPORT US AWAY. WHAT DID YOU ACCOMPLISH APART FROM MAKING ME A KILLER OF INNOCENTS!"

"OH PLEASE!" she touted. "FROM YOUR RECKLESS ACTIONS, I HAVE SERIOUS DOUBTS THOSE WERE THE FIRST INNOCENTS YOU'VE KILLED! ALSO, DO I HAVE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE BEHOLDEN TO ME AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND? I AM NOT HERE TO WIPE YOUR ARSE FOR YOU. IF YOU DO STUPID SHIT, YOU WILL MOP UP YOUR OWN FUCKING MESS!"

"IF I'M SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE, WHY DON'T YOU LET ME GO?" Isaac shouted. "WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO FORCE THIS EXISTENCE UPON ME?"

"BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT!" she yelled. "I'm sure you're aware that life as an undead is not the easiest; after all, I GET FUCKERS LIKE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME FOR NO REASON THAN THE FACT THAT I EXIST!"

Her response sent the undead knight's eyebrows flying before they drooped in incredulity. "UNBELIEVABLE! ARE YOU ACTUALLY SUGGESTING YOU ARE A GOOD UNDEAD WHO'S NEVER HURT ANYONE AND ARE SIMPLY MISUNDERSTOOD?"

"LIKE I'D GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THAT!" she shouted back. Taking another deep breath, she calmed herself before continuing. "What I'm saying is I have enemies, and I have goals. You, my dear knight, are going to help me fend off the former and achieve the latter."

"You clearly don't like me," Isaac grunted. "I absolutely loath you. Why do you have to keep forcing me to serve you when we cannot stand each other? Why not just you let me go and find someone more agreeable with your methods? If they turn out to be as devoid of morals as you, they might even thank you for turning them into a monster."

There was no need to consider such a stupid suggestion. 

"I bled a lot to turn you into what you are," she scoffed. "I've conducted a carefully prepared ritual to mould you into your current form. The type of undead you are, that was all my effort. You don't seem to be aware of it. You have figured out some of your abilities, but haven't a clue of their extent. Do you have any idea what happened during your fight with the vampire? Have you any grasp how rare- how valuable- you are? So no! If I am ever going to dismiss you, it will not be by dissolving our contract. The day I find I can no longer tolerate your shit; I will sell you to necromancer. At least that way, I could make a fortune while ridding myself of you!"

"YOU FU-"

"This discussion has gone on long enough," she shut him down. "And it's not going anywhere. But the way things are going, sooner or later I'll get the urge to worm my hands around your throat in a futile attempt to strangle you, right before I pawn your arse to a necromancer who, more than likely, surrounds himself with hundreds of corpses gained through the occasional pillaging of a remote village. Clearly, that is not the type of predicament you wish to find yourself and I have no desire to let go of a useful tool. So, how about we compromise?"

Isaac opened his mouth to say something, but then seemed to think better of it and closed it. Then, he placed his hand on his chin and rubbed it in a thoughtful manner. Sage waited for him to finish, allowing his pale gaunt face to turn to her, his abyssal windows scrutinising her deeply.

"Tell me of this compromise and I'll see if I agree with it," he said.

His words brought about the urge to rebuke him. As if he truly had a choice; she was just being polite because she was tired of his crap! 

Of course she was not going to say that to him. Besides, the bastard was not so stupid that he had not figured it out himself.

"First off, no more acting out on your own when my head is turned," she began. "Second, your handle on your abilities suck; practice and improve them, you never know when they might come in handy. If you can do this, I won't force you kill innocents."

"And the Church hunters that are definitely on your trail?' he asked. "Will I be exempt from fighting them?"

"Of course not," she replied, stifling a scoff. "But you're welcome to try and talk them out of picking a fight."

"We both know that will never work!" he sneered. "Your deal has no benefits for me; like, what do I need to do to finally get my freedom from you?"

She thought of her for a while- about what she wanted most in the world- before answering. "If you desire oblivion that much, all you have to do is bring me an Elixir of Rejuvenation and I will gladly send you to the Abyss."

"An Elixir?" his voice carried a trace of incredulity and ridicule. "Your proposal looks nothing like a compromise, considering the fact that you're shoving impossible tasks at me."

"You know what? Let's just act more cordially towards each other. Try to tolerate each other as we are going to spend a lot of time together."

Him fighting her enemies, that will still happen no matter what; it was not a matter he had a choice in. However, she could not influence his attitude or change his personality; not without some very advanced illusionist/psychic magic.

Isaac appeared to ponder the suggestion for a moment before he replied. 

"Fine… for now."

"Great," she touted back.

Not a satisfying conclusion, but it was what it was. 

With that, she sat down, recast [Mystic Eyes] and went back to observing the squirrel.