Do Your Thing

It was quiet in the carriage. Hyun-Ki was focused on his sword, turning it this way and that, inspecting its sharpness. Lilith, however, was noticeably tense, unlike Soul who seemed more at ease. Ayame's eyes were fixed on Lilith, studying every single feature with unwavering focus. Nia sat next to Soul near the small window. With every bump in the road, the carriage shook, causing Nia and Soul's shoulders to brush against each other.

Lilith coughed, turning her attention to Ayame, hoping she would look away. Instead, Ayame moved closer, her face curious and pleased.

"I can't believe I get to meet a blood mage and 'the' Demon Queen. I'm honored, ma'am," she said, taking Lilith's hand and shaking it.

"Y-yeah," Lilith replied. "Good for you, I guess."

"How old are you, if I may ask? You look the same age as us."

"You… aren't afraid of me? Of all this?" Lilith asked, ignoring the question. "Me being a demon and wanting to kill all the gods?"

"Why, of course not! After what Nia told me, how could I act like nothing happened?" Ayame said. "They let Take do what he wanted with you. They tortured you… these 'gods' are the real monsters."

"You are Ur-blessed, though," Hyun-Ki chimed in. "And… you're planning to kill him."

"Yep. That's the weirdness of life. One day, you're searching for the killer of some idiot students. The next, you're in the same carriage with a blood mage and the Demon Queen, marching to kill a god."

"Was she always like this?" Hyun-Ki whispered to Nia, glancing sideways.

"Yeah, she was," Nia answered, shrugging. "She's… a weirdo."

"Hey, I heard you." Ayame's head snapped toward them.

"Truth hurts, my friend." Nia smirked, leaning back against the carriage wall.

"We're close," Ji-Hye announced, joining the conversation. "Are we ready?"

"Yes, sister," Hyun-Ki nodded. "But we aren't going to attack the temple right away, right? First, we'll scout out the place, note every weakness. Then, we will plan and act accordingly."

"What about the egg?" Lilith asked, concern in her voice. "We still need to find it or the city is doomed."

"Esvor is handling that," Soul interjected. "He has a good team. I'm sure they can find and return the egg in time."

"What if he can't? We're putting a lot of faith in the Rebel-King." Hyun-Ki looked skeptical.

"Then I'll kill the dragon. Simple."

"Soul I knew would've killed the beast there." Ji-Hye tilted her head. "But you actually let her go. Why? Why let the dragon go?"

"Because Ulgath'khal is part dragon, part amphiptere, part octopus." Soul's tone was dull. "That's why I couldn't bring myself to kill him. It'd be a shame."

"Ul… Kal? Ulgatkal? Who is that?" Hyun-Ki was clearly confused.

"The beast you saw? The one with the eyes and tentacles. Her name is Ulgath'khal." Soul clarified.

"Her? Man… The Void is weird. So is she – like, a good guy?" Nia leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "Or… the opposite?"

"Good guy. When she's in the mood."

They all exited the carriage one by one, greeted by the delightful aroma of pies, perfumes, and other pleasant scents. The Crystal District was where the wealthy residents lived, noticeable by the absence of homeless individuals and street animals. Instead, it was bustling with affluent people going about their business.

Soul scanned the surroundings, observing the people around him. It was his first time in the Crystal District, and it seemed to be the same for the rest of the group, judging by their expressions of awe.

Lilith quickly distanced herself from Ayame's side and joined Soul, relieved to evade her peculiar questions and constant glances.

"Man, oh, man," Hyun-Ki remarked, eyeing a woman in a short skirt. "I love this district."

"Where's the temple?" Lilith asked, ignoring Hyun-Ki.

"There," Ji-Hye pointed to a towering building in the market area. "That's Ur's temple."

"Lilith and I will check it out first," Soul said. "You guys hang back and stay close. We'll meet here in ten minutes. Got it?"

"We should stick together," Ji-Hye objected. "We are all coming."

"People would get suspicious if we all go," Soul countered. "Trust me, Lilith and I can scout out the temple."

"Okay…" Ji-Hye reluctantly agreed. "Ten minutes."

"Come on, Demon Queen," Soul said.

"Taking the lead, huh?" Lilith chuckled, linking arms with Soul. "It suits you."

"Hmm..." Soul grunted as they headed toward the temple.

"I… I'll come too. I'll watch your six." Nia couldn't avert her eyes from their linked arms. "That would be… uh, smart. Yeah."

"Okay…" Lilith furrowed her brows. "Anyway, come on. Let's head to the market, blend in. We can check how many guards are at the temple and all the entrance points."

"Just in case… everyone, come closer." Soul said.

He pricked his finger with a dagger and smeared his blood onto everyone's faces in the group. If threatened, the blood would activate and form a mask, concealing their identities.

"Is this the – weird mask thingy?" Hyun-Ki asked.

"Hmm, it is." He confirmed. "See you in ten minutes."

Lilith pretended to examine some jewelry at a market stall, glancing occasionally at Ur's temple just twenty or thirty steps away. The market area buzzed with activity, with vendors calling out their wares and people moving from stall to stall. The weather was windy but hot, making the flags and awnings flap energetically.

Two guards stood at either side of the fenced temple entrance, each armed with sharp spears and large, square shields. People were entering and exiting the temple, carrying offerings for their deceased loved ones, as was the custom.

Nia, having finished checking the perimeter, joined the two and pretended to examine the jewelry alongside Lilith.

"Two guards. What about the side entrances?" Lilith asked, her eyes still on the jewelry.

"There are no side entrances," Nia replied, glancing at the temple. "Only the front. But I saw a gap in the left side of the wall. Maybe we can squeeze through it?"

"The people in the market would see us. There's no cover," Soul countered. "We need to find another entrance."

"Or… I can charm someone," Nia offered. "Make them cause a scene. People's attention shifts to them, and we slip right past."

"Can you do that?" Lilith dropped the jewelry she was examining. "Using a charm spell isn't easy."

"I'm Nierman-blessed," Nia said confidently. "I can do it."

"Can you charm the guards?" Soul suggested.

"I can't… charming two at the same time is beyond me."

"Okay." Lilith patted her shoulder. "We're trusting you."

"Hmm." Soul murmured. "Do your thing."