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- Adeline POV -

The misty island where I will 'die'.

I am honestly not worried about death and even resigned myself to my end having expected to be a sacrifice to the big monster. Sir Nova prevented all of that and stopped the big monster forever and now my race can live without the burden of sacrifice. I am very grateful and would be willing to really die to pay him back for what he has done.

But instead, he trained me and gave me many different foods and items and books to read to prepare me for this man named 'Lotman'. Lotman will want my body because it is a rare 'item' he will desire because it is a soul body. I have prepared to be a good bait and let the evil man take over my body.

Then with all of my training, Nova is confident I will be able to activate the instant death necklace he gave me. I will then be reborn as a Devil like he is and Lotman will no longer be a problem, or he may be a 'ghost' in my head for a while. Nova has plans to evict him if he somehow clings on, I just have to do my part. This is one small step to paying back Sir Nova and I will not hesitate to play my part.

I have practiced my acting with Alice day and night and have my role down and am filled with confidence. Nova made an item that is currently embedded into my body that both cloaks itself and prevents mind reading which most people at Lotman's level of power can do.

He said something about it being his crown jewel after studying the seven royal artifacts, very hard to make apparently.

"No need to worry Adeline, we will make it to the treasury and secure the freedom of the Naga!" Nova enthusiastically speaks to me while giving a reassuring smile that almost tricks me into his 'act'.

We have been talking and acting as if we are looking for a treasure to free the Nagas from the evil monster who preyed on us. Lotman will buy it because we would not have passed through the first guardian unless we either killed him or he let us pass. Apparently, there is a treasure in the treasury that will free the monster and that is what we are 'fetching'.

In our plan, Lotman will buy into us being 'tricked' by the first guardian to work to free the first guardian. This will make him confident and lower his guard if it is even up and will strike to take over my body by signing a contract with him. I will play along and 'sell' my body so Nova can pass through but that will be when I spring our own trap.

I excitedly nod back at him genuinely, the better we sell our act the quicker Lotman jumps into our trap.

----

My nice dream takes a turn for the worse and I watch as my hero Nova is chained and beaten and a cruel laugh fills the air. I spin around looking for the source and can't find anything but feel coldness seeping into my bones.

"Who are you!?" The laughing fades and a misty body forms Infront of me.

"Who I am matters not, what matters is if you want to ever see your friend alive again you will do something for me." A cruel voice matching the nasty 'smoke' leaving his soul lets me know this is my target.

"Don't hurt him! What do you want?!" Tears prick at my eyes just like Alice taught me and the misty laughs once more before walking closer.

"I want you." I shiver as the misty man whispers into my ear and I grit my teeth.

"You will leave Nova alone?" I look over at Nova who is wounded harshly and looks barely to be holding on.

"I swear on my very soul I will not hurt him if you do as I say." A contract manifests itself in the air before my eyes and I narrow my eyes to read it.

I will be giving my body in return for Nova's freedom, exactly how we thought it would be. My necklace is tied to my soul and can be activated using my soul with ease.

"I agree." Tears spill from my eyes as I take one 'last' look at my dear hero and look away.

"Good." The contract activates and I feel the restraints on my body drop as the mist enters through my skin.

A horrible and vile feeling almost make me vomit before I lose control of my body.

"Good, your blindness is a problem that will have to be fixed but not hard for me. I thank you for giving me my fre-." The world goes black as I activate the necklace and my last thoughts are of how easy this all was.

- Nova POV -

I look over at Adeline's corpse and when I see no mist try to run away I know the plan worked.

I keep the artifacts equipped for an emergency escape but nothing happens and I can detect nothing. I shrug and approach Adeline and pick her head up to set a pillow beneath it as I pull out a bishop piece and place it on her chest.

She really was willing to die for me, just for getting the squid man to screw off until I let him free.

She is helplessly naive but also very intelligent, a weird mix that would have her torn apart in the worst way if left to her own devices. Likely to die trying to help someone who does not even deserve her attention. But I will look out for her from now on, paying debts and all that jazz.

"Nova?" Her first word after being resurrected is my name, I feel like she punched me in the gut.

"Welcome back Adeline, it seems to have worked marvel-." I choke when I detect her demonic energy flaring.

My eyes almost fly out my head when I see how much she has packed away inside of her, almost like it is chained down. The amount easily rivals the squid man in overall 'weight' but Demonic energy compared to spirit energy is a bit tricky. This is the most I have ever seen, it seems Lotman left a gift or the evil piece took it forcibly.

Was it the contract they signed? Is Adeline even still Adeline?

"Are you ok Nova?" Still Adeline.

"I am fine, how do you feel?" Her demonic energy seems to be contained and as I observe it closer I can see it is slowly bleeding from the container.

She will have to keep her physical strength and soul strength rising to match this 'leak' or she will blow up.

"I feel fine, dying is not so bad..." I shake my head and poke her forehead.

"You are not dying again so put that thought out of your mind, from now on you are officially a part of my family and I look after my own." She freezes and her face looks dumbfounded before a bright smile spreads across.

"Ok!" I smile and sit on the sand as I give her some time to recover from her death experience.

Next on the list is the Corpse Necromancer, a fatal weakness will be his undoing along with his arrogance. A common flaw of the strong is their pride to never lose to someone weaker, but I know where this guy's 'Life box' is and can kill him with it.

He is undead so pouring resurrection or life-prolonging potions onto his life box is deadly poison to him. Imagine a phenix tear with some power of Nirvana in it to crank up its power, and if that is not enough I took it a step further.

I summon to my hand a vial with golden liquid inside and shake it.

A tear from Ashely, a Phoenix with the Phenix trait and the power of nirvana in her veins.

His undead life is already claimed and I only need to walk in and pretend to want to play chess with him.