Nathaire prided herself in her patience.
She sighed, expelling any irritation from her heart. All she had to do was think about the Eternal Divine Light, and she was quelled with peaceful understanding that her soul was saved.
She dusted herself up. The area in the forest around her was left with destruction, trees toppled and grass scorched to a crisp. Her clothes were worse for wear as well, with scratches and cuts. It was hardly anything severe, but she did feel a little disgraceful in appearance.
But it only proved that she was righteous in her cause.
That innate mage was dangerous. And it pained Nathaire dearly that the mage's witchery might sway a man with a heart as sound as Leonel's. But Nathaired believed that he could be saved, so long as she killed that little whore.
An irritating flashback unraveled in her mind as she closed her eyes.
When Leonel shouted for the girl to cast a spell, a bright light engulfed them all. A strange heat swelled up between the two Inquisitors, and for some reason, Nathaire's anti-mana struggled to neutralize it.
She was so confused over how the mana flared against her. She hadn't taken any precautions when the spell evolved into a thunderous explosion that knocked her back. Her orientation was stolen in a moment. Her eyes were blinded and a ringing in her ear.
By the time she came to, her query had left her.
The sound of barking dogs was closing in. Nathaire opened her eyes. Hunting dogs emerged from behind the trees, their tails wagging as they joined their master.
She hummed, holding out a hand to let the beasts lick her hand in greeting. "We will flush them out." The words were uttered in her lyrical voice, soft but eerily determined.
…
Mother and daughter have retreated into one room, leaving the other one for the two men. But Leonel was growing sick of all the circumstances he was stuck in that ended up with him rooming with that insane Doctor. He decided that it was better not to sleep at all.
But Julian hadn't gone into their room first. He went to join both Illysa and Anderina to treat some of her wounds. It didn't really matter to Leonel. He made his way down the stairs, holding his breath to wade off the putrid wafts coming off rotting flesh.
There was only a matter of time until Nathaire's hounds came barraging through the door, but Leonel was going delay that for as long as possible.
They were trained to track down the trail of magic. Luckily, Leonel was an Inquisitor and had anti-mana. He slipped through the door, creeping through the yard to the little alley where they came down from.
Twilight was upon the sky, hearkening dawn's soon arrival. There was still commotion about the city. He could hear guards shouting and deliberating from streets not too far. Fortunately, none were near.
He took in a breath and unleashed a blast of anti-mana. Dust stirred. Nothing visibly changed about his surroundings, but any lingering strings of mana left by his two mage companions had now successfully been dispersed. He retraced his steps back into the house and repeated the action every few feet.
Eventually, he was back in the house and unleashed his anti-mana in there as well—the less trace of mana, the better.
There was a tiny little excuse of a living room near the door and a couch that had too many questionable stains on it. Leonel grimaced at it and decided just to pull up a dusty chair and sit there instead.
Leonel crossed his arms, readying himself for some rest, but footsteps that slowly creaked down the stairs summoned his attention. Julian grinned when he reached the bottom. Twilight grew brighter by the second and his fatigued features were caressed by the first streams of sunlight breaking night.
"If you keep staring at me like that, I fear that I might misinterpret your actions." He joined Leonel in the living room and pulled up a chair before awkwardly plopping down into it.
"Go to sleep," Leonel said tersely.
"I'm an adult, and you can't tell me what to do," Julian snickered childishly. "I see that you've taken care of mana traces, but you do realize that our little innate mage will just keep expelling more and more mana into the air? She's practically a thick cloud of untapped power."
Leonel made a face, "Then I'll keep dispersing her mana."
"You'll tire yourself out," Julian pointed out. "And you're the only person that we can rely on. How do you reckon we get out of this situation now?"
"I'll be fine. But you should rest," Leonel squinted at him, "You should regain your strengths, you look like a newborn deer about to collapse."
The Doctor snickered in response, sitting back in his chair, "Let's not pretend that I'm of any use, with strength or not. Honestly, if I were you, I'd find some sort of way to get rid of me."
Leonel narrowed his eyes, unable to explain the itching gnaw of displeasure that he felt at Julian's words. "You have magic. I saw you kill two men with a single spell. I wouldn't call that useless."
"Well yes, I did kill two men, but I almost killed myself in the process," Julian chuckled as he crossed his arms and slumped in his chair. "I'm not what I used to be." He lamented with a nostalgic smile on his face. Julian's eyes slowly closed from fatigue, his glasses slid down the bridge of his nose.
"...Do you have a death wish?" Leonel asked. Julian's eyes snapped open, a brow lazily raised in question. "I'm asking seriously."
"Oh? Then I will answer your very serious question with a very serious response." Julian grinned through a yawn. Leonel scowled and held back the weird desire to scoop the Doctor back into his arms and toss him into bed. Maybe tie him up in the process and force him to sleep. Maybe take a nap next to him while Leonel was at it. Leonel blinked, forcing himself out of his weird thoughts.
Julian hummed, "I do not have a death wise. But I do not fear death." Leonel had heard similar men and women utter the very same words. Often it had been a show of false bravery, an underestimation of what death truly was. Yet he could hear no hesitation beyond Julian's words, no weakness he was trying to hide with such a bold declaration.
Leonel felt uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat. "Could have fooled me. You keep chasing death like some sort of maniac."
"Not death," Julian corrected, "Only excitement. Life exists at the brink of death, have you ever heard that saying before?
Leonel's expression pulled into one of visceral disapproval. His voice came out like a growl, "That bastard Amari said those words."
"Yes," Julian chuckled, "he wrote it in his philosophy book. I'm surprised you know it! Seeing as I'm assuming that you hate him more than anything else."
"I do," Leonel snarled, "That monster deserves a fate worst than death."
Julian laughed and shook his head, "There is no one in this world that deserves anything. But enough about the Blueiron Mage King. It's my turn now."
"What?" Leonel blinked. He couldn't fathom what Julian might have meant by 'turn'.
"Since you asked me a question, then it's my turn! I want to know about how you became the Ferryman."
Leonel narrowed his eyes, "Who said I'll tell you that?"
"Hey! You're the one that agreed to our little agreement!"
"That agreement--"
"So you want to call it off? Well, that's a little disappointing but alas, if that is Inquisitor Leonel's wish I suppose I have no choice…"
Leonel threw his arms up, "Fine! I'll tell you! Just shut up already!"
The Doctor snickered, knowing well that he had come out victorious. This youth sure was fun to tease!