When I found out that you helped Juro and his mother out, I thought maybe you weren't so bad. But now...I'm not even sure I can call you a person.
Your amoral behavior, lack of remorse, and violent actions all revealed to me your true nature.
Now you threaten my loved ones, all that I have in this world?
Merlow, if we ever cross paths again and you get any ideas...I'm not sure what I'll do.
First thing's first, I need to take everyone to Victoria's.
No, on second thought, I'll drop them off at Vanessa's. I'm sure she'll understand, and the capital's not all that safe.
Once that's said and done, I'll have to gather the belongings of the fallen and explain what happened to Victoria.
I rushed over to Juro who was being embraced by Lyra and Emilia. I brought them all in a envoked my spatial magic, teleporting us inside of Victoria's home.
It goes without saying that everyone was distraught to saw the least. But, I didn't really have to time explain, or to think for that matter.
I then teleported back to our now compromised hideout and began gathering the lost belongings of the people Merlow had...defeated.
I was felt with dread as some experience was still lingering around, trying to bond to me.
"Incoming Call: Vanessa"
"Forcibly Answered"
"What the hell?! Explain yourself Milo!" Vanessa screamed through our telepathic connection.
Her voice rattled my head for a moment. I took a seat at a nearby bench in order to focus my thoughts.
"Sorry Vanessa. Something seriously bad came up, and they weren't safe where they were."
"Even so, you've gotta give a heads-up before dropping off a whole family!"
"Will do next time, I'll make it up to you someday when all of this blows over."
"Whatever, get to explaining."
I took a moment to sum up the sequence of events leading up to this. "There's this shady figure named Merlow who recently came out of the works. He's got a problem with the capital, and has rather violent means of displaying his viewpoints. Long story short, I got in his way, now he's got a personal gripe with me and probably anyone I'm affiliated with."
"Geez, you've really got yourself into some deep shit. While I still have many questions, I'll hold back for now."
"Quick question."
"Sure, what's up?"
"You ever hear of the name, Drelmoth?"
"Hmm...why do you ask?"
"Merlow's somewhat like me, this was the name of the entity inside of him."
"How peculiar...Drelmoth was the name of a fallen demon general. A few millennium ago, it is said that Drelmoth betrayed the demon overlord, Asmodeus. As punishment for his treason, he was sealed away for an untold amount of time, forced to reflect upon his actions."
"Do you think this is the same Drelmoth we're dealing with?"
"Depends, what abilities did Merlow demonstrate?"
"He had this weird martial arts...think it was called Fist of the Gentle Demon. He managed to disable me with it, even surpassing my regeneration. Coupled with that, Merlow could control this weird sort of darkness that could change shape and move like it had a mind of it's own. It had the strangest properties. Thinking back on it, the darkness absorbed my mana when I came into contact with it."
"Well, I'm not sure about the martial arts, but the fact that it surpassed your regeneration is impressive so I'll look into it. The rest sounds like really advanced umbra magic. Drelmoth was a master of Umbra Magic among other dark arts. For that reason, he was the strongest of Asmodeus' ranks."
I scratched my head in confusion. "It sounds like the same Asmodeus, but why is he inside of Merlow?"
"Who knows, but he is an ex-demon general, so it can't be anything good."
"Thanks Vanessa, I have to go now, you really are a huge help."
"I know, so you better not forget it."
I laughed in response. How could she still be so humerous with such a tense situation. "I definitely won't, that's a promise."
"Yeah, yeah, go handle your business," Vanessa said as she 'hung' up.
I sat up and levitated all of the lost items beside me. I teleported inside Victoria's manor with the belongings. I aimed for the room I had recovered in.
Looking around, Victoria was nowhere in sight, but Eva was. She laying asleep in the bed I had been previously laying in.
I set all of the items on the desk where my clothes had been. I guess the muffled noise that a few items made managed to wake Eva up.
She shot straight up in the bed and turned her head in my direction so fast that I (again) couldn't detect any movement.
Her monotone voice broke the silence of the room. "You're back."
"Yeah, have you see Victoria by any chance?"
"Lady Moon is attending the trial."
"Trial?"
"Yes, the city council has gathered all of the escapees and is now deciding what to do with them with most of the capital as the jury."
"..."
"Most likely, they will all be executed, but lady Moon hopes to prevent that."
Execution? But that's so many people to be killed.
"Where is the trial being held?"
"In the center of the capital."
"Thanks Eva, by the way, could you watch these and make sure they get back to Victoria."
"Very well."
"I appreciate it."
Before teleporting to the capital, I looked over the items that Merlow's victims had dropped. One caught my eye, more so than the others.
It was a small, golden, heart-shaped locket with tiny blotches of blood on it. I picked the locket up and flipped the lid open.
There was a picture of a man holding a little girl over his shoulders. Next to them was a woman, and all of them were wearing the brightest smiles. A family...
I closed the locket and placed it down gently. Maybe I shouldn't have looked at that, because I think... I might actually hate Merlow now.
I teleported to the center of the capital and perched myself atop a nearby building.
Looking down below, I could see hundreds of slaves being detained inside of a large metal cage. There's so many people I could have saved.
Surrounding the cage was a rotunda filled with nobles, all yelling and screaming in a fit of rage and despair.
"You bastards! My daughter was killed by you worthless swines!"
"We feed and house you, and this is how you repay us!?"
"Kill them all!"
In front of the cage was Victoria at a podium...and Roland standing at a podium of his own.
However, they were both facing 180° away from it, and looking at what I assumed to be a council. There were 7 members total. To say the least, they all visibly displayed different personalities.
One of them actually looked like a jester, and, most notably, was the strongest one. He sat in the middle of the other council members, so he must be the president or something.
The member in the middle waved his hand and silenced everyone immediately.
"I'm sure you know the process by now, state your case reasonably and respectfully, and the jury will take their vote. Then...we'll make the definitive decision. Ms. Moon, you may go first."
I could tell that Victoria was trying her best to keep her composure, but she was obviously feeling anxious. Her movements were ridgid, eyes darting, red in complexion.
"Your honor, what happened today was a terrible tragedy, but it doesn't need to become even more of one."