亚洲综合中美

*Smack, smack,* he kicked, she rocked – the eyelids fell; so she thought moments respace, cold water chilled her to the core. She shot upright, her wounds rejuvenated and attention veered into the distance, ‘-what happened?’ she gulped, twisting her gaze.

“I healed you.”

“Igna?”

“How goes it,” he gave a friendly gesture, “-long time no see.”

“Long time no see?” the confusion ceased, the pain of her memories crashed, her hands trembled, her feet shook, “-monster…” with a inhale as big as one taking a bite, “-Lixbin won’t forgive you, Igna. You harmed a member of the heavenly Council, they will retaliate in kind-”

“Quit the pathetic whining,” he walked past and stood arms akimbo before an army of undead, “-look there,” he proudly smirked, “-the scouts you so effortlessly brought to my doorstep. There are many things left unknown in the world, some can be found through lore, others acquired by knowledge. Alas, what I hold in my hands is one unnamed and unfound,” the closed fist turned and opened, “-for it is nothing.”

An unimpressed expression remained, “-kill me already.”

“Not interested,” he returned, “-you’re more worthy as a prisoner. I’ve wondered this question before, are gods caring or do they shed their skin like snakes?”

.....

“I don’t-” her mouth froze, invisible claps locked her jaw and twisted her throat – the question, basic as it seemed, sore deeply. The wind built, and daybreak was upon the lonesome Ragno. Cleopatra’s scene swapped, a large free forest reduced to a bleak cell where roaches and mice made their feast. Long iron bars, close to no lights, a hard-as-rock rectangular edifice, her bed. The gloomy outlook drowned, like the reflected rays across the distant hall on her face – a slow miserable extinct.

The undead army of five-thousand, lit anew by Igna’s spell – marched double towards the horizon. The death march of sacrificial pawns began – the expected place of battle, at least twenty kilometers to the northeast – near the surrounding edges of the desert.

‘The matter of Sathanas,’ the gates to Oriantia widened, like a wound through reality, a hazy cloud begets the caution of curious bystanders – namely, the students under guard of Elixia. Having called Vengeance to action, the students were asked to remain in the fortress – and here, with each sharing doors with two or more, begin experiencing the thrill of war.

“Yui, dear Yui, you got information for me?” he entered the war chambers. The table radiated a purple shine, a humanoid figure waited patiently in the corner, “-my master,” came a familiar voice, “-it’s my pleasure to make your acquaintance in this form.”

“Yui…” he stopped and stared, short dark-purple hair, a small rounded nose, freckles across her face, a body of which have been the fancy of many, long legs complimenting her thighs and her upper torso, which was wrapped in a red shirt, barely reaching her shoulders and stomach. Every movement pulled the fabric, and looking at the design – a cat of vibrant colors, “-are you wearing children’s cloth?”

“How did you know?” her arms widened, tell-tell signs demanding a warm hug. Igna obliged, “-Origin said it’d look good.”

“Doesn’t look comfortable. More on the fashion dilemma later, how are you in a physical body?”

“The powers of the table,” she beamed, “-the more mana is fed, the greater the power, and with the Shadow Realm’s supply – we overfilled the capacity. Instead of wasting the mana, the table intelligently ordered external storage, and a humanoid vessel was born. It didn’t take much to make it mine. Goes without saying, if mana runs out, the table’s going to pull the body back – not a pleasant thought, but hey, at least I get to experience what life is outside of my core.”

Guilt, or perhaps sympathy, a shallow line of indecision, ‘-the expression Yui gave, it’s neither joy nor is it regret – she’s made peace with the eventual death. She has that expression… what is that expression?’ a flicker, ‘-the mortality of the temporal host, to know one’s limit makes one adjust. She’s taking everything in stride, she’s… she’s-‘

“Master?” her big eyes widened caringly, “-are you okay?”

“-Like a human.”

“I beg your pardon.”

“The expression on your face reminds me of humans who’ve lived fulfilling lives taking their last breaths. It is a pleasant look, I must say.”

She tightened her lips and squinted, ‘-human.’

“I didn’t mean offense,” and so, with a tap on her shoulders, “-enough jest. I need to know what you’ve learned.”

Gears switched, *clap,* the table radiated a holographic display, “-by your order, master, I investigated Satan and Leviathan’s realm. I detected fragments of her mana in Satan’s realm… such is the location I reported before. Leviathan’s realm, well, I traced and found nothing. I dug deep and poured heart and mind into the detection abilities – nothing. Levithan also, I didn’t notice his presence, and weirdly, master, Leviathan’s realm seems empty. I went back to Satan’s and him too, there was nothing.”

“No men in the realm means one thing,” said a figure leaning against the doorway, “-battle.”

“Battle?” Igna looked at Origin.

Origin answered the ponderous gaze, “-it is custom for the Kings’ of Hell to empty their realm before heading to war. It’s part of the edict issued by the Council. To leave one’s people behind is akin to leaving one’s child when going to work. It was issued long ago, at a time when a town was massacred by angels. The council forced the decision, and the kings agreed on one condition,” he walked up to the table and dialed a location, “-that the people’s safeguard will be overseen by the Council,” the new map flashed suddenly with countless red dots, “-see.”

“They’ve gone to war, against who?”

Origin breathed slowly, “-Igna,” he tightened his expression, “-if you don’t know the answer, who else will?”

“Do you?”

“Yeah, I have an idea. I promised I wouldn’t get involved. Victory or defeat, I vowed to accept the outcome,” he tipped his head, “-Adjudicator, thee must think. What is the purpose of today’s battle.”

Igna sat facing the various maps – a live feed of Ragno was shown as well, ‘-what am I overlooking? Did my vision stay? Have I lost sight of the plot? Think, Igna, think…’

“Master, you got a message.”

“Pass it.” The interface glowed, “-lady Lilith and Teresa demand an audience.” He rose, “-duty calls. Leave our channel open, Yui. Keep the updates regular. Alert me once the undead army meets with the main force.”

Another slit, another dimension, ‘-the throne room?’ he walked out to Lilith standing beside Teresa, ‘-put together, they look like mother and daughter,’ he sat upon the throne after a few steps, “-Lilith, Teresa.”

“Igna,” Lilith spoke first, “-I have a request.”

“Lilith,” he narrowed, “-I asked you to knock out her soul, and I remember you reporting the success. What happened?”

“You see,” her memories rushed, “-after I stabbed and knocked out her soul, a part of me suddenly grieved. The pain was unmistakable… the feeling of abandonment, the feeling of loss. I couldn’t bear the sign of my daughter turning pale and having her life turned to shreds. I want you to reconsider… don’t make her- if she takes on the burden of Lucifer, I doubt she’ll be of any use.”

“…”

“Master,” Teresa knelt, her clothes yet stained by her blood, “-mother revived me shortly after. I didn’t know what to think or say… she apologized and asked me what I wanted. I said I’d reveal my will before my master…” she glanced upward, “-since day one, my priority has been power and influence,” a damned expression of lust and pleasure grabbed and pulled her cheek, a demented smile surfaced, a shade of filth and muck, her true self, “-didn’t care if I had to sleep with my father or my own brothers. I didn’t mind sharing my blanket with generals, I pulled every string I could to get sent here. I knew you’d find the truth, I was reliant on that,” she tilted her head, “-and would you know, you broke the shackles binding me to my father. Releasing my true emotions – for that, I am most grateful,” she snapped, and a translucent contract appeared, “-are you shocked?” she chuckled, “-this is the contract we signed when I offered my body and soul. Guess what,” *snap,* “-these things do not take effect-”

“-lest the Oath is recognized,” he finished her sentence, the contract burnt and crumbled into ash, “-you really think I didn’t know?”

Her jaws dropped, ‘-the contract is void, why is he acting so confident?’

“You used the sigil of Moon, the only entity able to void contracts as they come, the Daeirq Empress of Luna.”

“Contracts are forged to never be destroyed. For love, the Goddess of Stars, Syhton, betrayed her promise to Death and begot the title of Daeirq Empress of Luna, forever binding her to the moon and quelling her shine. Since then, her powers are associated with erasure, the voiding of agreements. Do you know how much I had to pull before getting my hand on that fucking sigil?” she gasped, “-oh brother, so much entertainment,” giggles pulsed at short bursts, “-I got one over the devil,” a mangled stare rose at Igna, “-TIS NO SIN FOOLING THE DEVIL!”

*STAB,* Lilith fell on one knee, blood dripped, “-how could you?”

“It’s because of you,” Teresa released the dagger, of which the red pommel glowed the faint symbol of death, “-god slayer,” she turned to Igna, “-the enchanted dagger given to me by Death himself. It’s strange, never expected death to look so, how do I put it, nerdy?” she strode with grandeur, ‘-I did it, I killed Lilith and put one over on Igna. Father will be pleased. If only I could take the head of Sathanas, it would make this revenge so much sweeter,’ Igna showed no expression, he remained calm on the throne, the presence bigger than before, “-DIRECTOR!”

“Teresa, you poor child,” he lit a cigarette and snapped, the throne hall dimmed, darkness swallowed the edges and greatly reduced the apparent size of the area. The white fire sparked, the ambers of the void flame swayed, “-foolish child. I can respect the brazen attitude. You did good, using the Sigil of Luna, forging a contract, and answering the enemy with compassion and empathy. You had us fooled, that much I can say for sure,” he puffed, “-especially Lilith. She was fooled the moment I said you were her daughter. Well, you are her daughter, can’t beat maternal instinct,” he stared Lilith’s lowered gaze, “-raise your head, Lilith. See, what did I tell you.”

“Suppose you were right,” she casually removed the dagger and flicked it at Teresa’s feet. The Death curse vanished, leaving the lass’s heart beating out her chest, “-you have questions, let me set you straight,” the tone lowered, “-by order of our contract, prostrate thineself.”

“-HA-HA, the contract’s void, you dum-” a powerful energy pulled and forced her head into the ground, the pressure and sheer magnitude had her bones shacking, “-h-h-how.”

“You’re a million years too small to scheme. You can’t compare to the ploys I’ve faced during my life. Teresa, let me set you straight. The dagger, tis nothing more than a weapon I used back in the day. It was lost, and honestly, even if the weapon had been better, Lilith wouldn’t have felt a thing.”

“She fell-”

“She fell with shock. I won our bet – she’s angrier about money than you, girly,” a sick to her pride, “-as for the contract, tis even simpler. Daeirq Empress of Luna, Syhton, is, my wife. As such, I have authority over her power as she does on part of mine. I also forgot to mention, my real title, if to be used properly is, Heir to Death, Inheritor of Time and Origin, Watcher of the Shadow Realm, Igna Haggard, else simply known as the Devil or Adjudicator in recent times.”