Victory

- Why are you here, you idiot? Asked the big bird.

Ariadne shook her head, vague.

- My choice led me to it, as did yours. But for the fault you have talked about tirelessly, Mertillo is right. You're not the right judge to convict others.

- Didn't I warn you to be careful of Vénézie and all its abyssal darkness? But you still decided to ignore my warning.

- And how did you warn me? By disguising yourself as this desiccated and treacherous woman? Maybe you've gone too far yourself. If you wanted to say something, you should at least have had the decency to show yourself as you are and give me what I want. And only then will I have listened to your words, which had nothing to do with my passion.

The stranger made an annoying gesture.

- You're wrong to think like that, Ariadne.

- How many times do I have to tell you that of all of us, you seem to be the worst? From the beginning, you've done nothing but underestimate my feelings. I'm sorry, stranger, but you have no choice but to face it.

- I should have killed you last night. He whispered as he draped a murderous look at her.

- But you didn't do it. You were too weak to even consider it.

He sighed for a long time and took her up on her majestic wings, bringing her back close to her authentic body.

- I'll tell you one last time. He commanded, turning to the titans. You Titans of the oceans, go down where you come from, and never do what you just did again, otherwise, well, as your master and my mistress here present so well pointed out, I forgive only once.

- WELL, YOUR MAJESTY. IF YOU'LL EXCUSE US.

- FORGIVE US, YOUR IMPERIAL HIGHNESS.

They bowed before him in an act full of resigned fury and respect before slowly but surely sinking into their world of water, their bottomless kingdom that no one could really imagine. So cold and yet beautiful, the being they called "Your Majesty" replied with a slight, almost invisible nod.

- Master.

He called someone, probably the person who had accompanied him and who was immersed somewhere in the aquatic empire. But no one answered.

- Master! He called louder, and finally a voice was heard.

- I apologize, Your Majesty. I was a little busy avoiding the bodies of these monsters.

- If you say so.

- What can I do for you, Your Majesty?

- Take these people back to Venezia.

- Majesty, and should I erase their memory?

- Oh! That's an interesting question. Why didn't I take account instead?

- I ask you?

The warrior looked up, annoyed.

- If you say so. Then about the memory, give them a choice. We cannot do it for them.

- If I were in their shoes, I would obviously like to forget everything except the part where you are present. The companion jokingly suggested.

- That would be too good. Replied his sovereign, dismissive, amused by the compliment.

- Excuse me!

Ariadne interrupted them in order to get their attention, which is what she needed most right now. And of course, she was surprised herself for her audacity and the intensity of her voice, because just a few minutes ago, she was immersed in a kind of irreversible detachment. Instead of the strength of her lover, seeing clearly what was happening had led her to a kind of second state, and self-pity, which almost forced her to hate herself.

- What's going on? He asked looking at her, insolently irritated.

- Well, then! Now that I've started, I don't have much more to say.

- Allow me to doubt that.

Pitted in the sharp, Ariadne bit her lips off and declared.

- The rescued hostages are all unconscious.

Knowing that she was still confused, the young warrior helped her to react, without her noticing. So he laughed at her indecision, and at that very moment, Ariadne felt an unconditional hatred for him and at the same time an exhilarating desire that she had never imagined she would know until now. She sighed and smiled, accepting the fact that with him and him alone, she would always be out of control.

- You don't have to worry about the hostages, princess, they're just asleep. They will wake up in Venezia.

- And where are we now?

- This place? He shrugged his shoulder. It doesn't matter.

- I beg your pardon?

But he no longer paid attention to her.

- Hey, listen to me!

- Come on, princess! The young warrior's master intervened to ease the tensions.

- Do you know me too?

- Of course, everyone knows you, members of the royal family of Adegeor.

- What about you?!? May I ask who you are at the end?

- Oh us!?? We are only mortals, Your Highness. Simple commoners lost in this dark world totally helpless.

- Are you also the official image of your sovereign?

- Why do you ask that question?

- Because you both have a bad habit of laughing at people for countless reasons. Even at times like this, you make fun of others and despise them.

- But it is only the greatness of the truth, Your Highness. But in terms of contempt, he beats me in every way, pointing his sovereign. However, if we look clearly at our situation, what can we do better for others? We are a people of Venezia, an empire where paradoxically, there is neither law nor sovereignty.

- Oh, is that true? Then it is normal that all these reckless beings worship him as they do - Ariadne continued, pointing at her beautiful lover angrily.

- You have understood everything.

- And all called him majesty, for no reason or anything!

- Of course there is, your greatness. It's a game that everyone is obliged to participate in, and the best is obviously my sovereign.....

- So I'll tell you what I think of your imaginary game, I think you.....

But Ariadne stopped sharply as she looked up at the warrior of the night.

Mertillo also stared at the majestic prince, mocking his feelings.

- Majesty, you are more ruthless today than usual, is it because of a particular circumstance or more precisely, because of a particular person?

Without even responding to the cynical words of his enemy, the sovereign said things that he seemed to be used to saying to people.

- Mertillo, in view of your repugnant crimes and your attempted premeditated murder, I sentence you to rest in the dark prison of Euho for a century.

- Wait, Your Majesty. Refuted the latter. You certainly don't want our memorable meeting to end so quickly.

One of the lackeys panicked.

- Master Mertillo..... our opponent…!

- I know who he is, I know that more than any of you. But by looking at the situation in a different way, I have an even greater advantage here. The sun is on my side, probably despite my magic, but this deal turned out to be a good one. And besides, let's not underestimate the terrible curse of our opponent.

- You took the right words out of my mouth. And since the truth was revealed, this daylight that hates me so much has once again enlightened me with its invigorating rays on what should be the truth, despite the will of some people. So you might as well thank it by offering you for once an unforgettable ShowTime.

- Your Majesty, you have not been the focus of attention for a long time.

- You're wrong, Mertillo. I still am, and sometimes even against my will.

Mertillo positioned himself and, as when he had done so in the great tent when he invoked Emyr's deceitful fire, he recited a formula in a magical and gloomy voice, and soon came out of nowhere a dozen gigantic uninformed beings dressed in dripping black cloaks, appeared.

Their coats, formed by the blackish liquid, constantly poured their viscous substances into the ocean, which had become a blackish and shifting land. They stepped on it, laughing like hysterical witches. Ariadne was so disgusted that fear spread throughout her being. And in the face of such a curse, she could not stop herself from vomiting.

- Majesty! Ariadne called passionately despite the situation, and who was standing right in front of his enemy, without fear or surprise.

Do you see Your Majesty? Says Mertillo, sketching a handy gesture towards his black creations. They are my work, which I have specially designed with all my patience and talent simply to have the chance to destroy people like you.

- At least on this fact, I barely grant you your perseverance, and your knowledge of darkness. But above all your confidence and audacity that led you to think that your disgusting things would be powerful enough to make me fall.

- Well, there's only one way to find out. See and experience with your own body my magic that you doubt so much, your greatness!

The amorphous dark beings approached the fallen ruler and encircled him before throwing their soft, blackish and repulsive bodies at him, and swallowed him up in their huge viscous and yet very resistant veils, which extended to the horizons.