"After leaving them there burning as they screamed in pain, I flew in the same direction as her and started following her. So after that day, I probably kept bugging her for a while…"
"I see, so you already knew her mother... Well I already know how to solve the problem."
"What do you mean by that?" asked the bird.
Noah looked at the snake and said, "Why don't we both make a deal?"
"...I think I know what you're thinking...but I think you'd better not suggest it." said the phoenix.
"Huh? And why not?"
"I don't know if you paid attention to what she was saying. But if you suggest what I think will… know that the number of people is quite large."
"I was paying a lot of attention, so don't worry. So say, do you accept the agreement or not?"
"Are you sure what you're talking about human?" asked the snake.
"Absolutely! So answer at once."
"…OK! I will accept. But you have to assure me that there won't be anything or anyone left!"
"I sure do. One day I will let her see those who caused her mother's death, as well as her descendants, from the youngest to the oldest, and everything they built, burn in flames."
Happy that she finally accepted, Noah smiled "So, let's get on with it…" but her smile soon faded as he thought for a moment and remembered, "Damn! And how are we going to form a contract when you two are already dead?" He brought his back to the ground, and by stretching his arm and hitting the ground "Shit!"
"Calm down human." said the phoenix "Know that there is still a way."
Upon hearing her, Noah more than quickly got up. And as he was seated again he asked "A form? And what would that be like?"
"It's quite simple actually. Right now, what's in this place is just our souls. So we just have to make a soul contract. Even because what we are seeing right now is also your soul."
"Yes there is, you've said something about it before! …You said we're in my sea of consciousness, a place where I have full control over everything that happens, or doesn't happen… But I don't understand how this contract is going to work yet."
"Don't worry, it's pretty simple. So get up and come closer."
Noah was a little afraid, not knowing what he would have to do. But even so he got up and stood right in front of the two.
The phoenix looked at the snake, and said "Hurry up and do it!"
Noah ended up getting even more confused after she said that 'Do? Do what? he thought.
The serpent was a little afraid, but at the same time the phoenix lowered its head, so did the snake. Noah obviously didn't understand why the two of them were bending over in front of him, but before he could ask anything, the phoenix said, "Come closer and put one of your hands on each of our heads. …Oh, and don't forget to keep what you want to get out of this contract always in your mind as we form it."
After listening to her, he then approached and as she had said before, placed one of his hands on their heads, and concentrated on keeping what he wanted in his thoughts. The snake and the phoenix closed both of their eyes, and a few seconds after they did, a strange white lace-shaped mark appeared in the center of their foreheads, as well as on Noah's chest.
A few more moments passed and the white ribbon disappeared. Then, after that had happened, the serpent and the phoenix opened their eyes and stood up, while the bird said "Ready! Now human, don't forget that you will have to fulfill everything that was promised, if not…"
"If no? If not what? What will happen if I don't comply?"
"Well, that was a contract made from our souls, so in case someone doesn't do their part. Unfortunately that someone will have a sad death when his whole soul is destroyed."
"Oh thank you for letting me know about this." said Noah sarcastically.
"So what now? How do I use your powers?"
"Well, at this point there's not much I can say. Since both she and I were born with them, so using them for us was pretty much the same thing as breathing. But thanks to the contract, you will probably feel the same feeling. Something like a burning flame burning in your chest and begging to be used, and after feeling it it's practically instinct. Just try and it will probably work."
Noah turned around, and as he walked in a straight line he said "Okay! So I'm going now. Until next time… Or rather, I sincerely hope we don't see each other anymore, as that would mean I'd be in bed then…"
"Wait human! Don't forget what you promised me." For a brief moment, the face of that man passed through her mind, the face of the one she hates most. And that single moment was more than enough to make her demonstrate how much she hates it with a simple look "Remember to destroy them! Remember to destroy the Floating City!"
From everything the snake told him, the only thing Noah paid attention to was a name 'Floating City… so this will be my next stop…' and as he kept that in mind, little by little his body disappeared into mid-air.
*********
"But already? I thought you were going to stay there longer." said Fusu smiling as he got up from the stairs and put the swords aside.
Ting replied as she walked out from behind a tree "There's nothing I can do in this forest so…" she looked at the swords on the stairs "What are you doing?"
"I was looking at the weapons they used."
"Huh? And what's the problem?" she asked as she continued to approach.
"The rank of all is above 9 star soul..."
"All?! But these are weapons that normally only the emperor's guards use…" she took the broken sword in her hand. "These swords aren't a little too expensive, for you to keep breaking them like that, are they?"
"…But I didn't break it…"
"It was not you? But if it wasn't you then…"
Suddenly the door to the house opened, and Noah walked past it, thus interrupting what Ting was saying. He walked past both of them and seemed to be heading straight into the forest.
"Hey where are you going?" Fusu asked.
"I'm going to look for..."
Fusu put his hand inside his clothes, and as he took it off he said "Are you going to look for this?"
"Like you…"
"I found this while walking through the forest. So, do you want it back?"
"What do you mean if I want?" Noah went to get the book "But of course I want to."
But when he was about to take it, Fusu took the book out of Noah's hand and moved it to the side.
"What the fuck are you doing?" asked Noah.
"I will return this book to you, but you will have to do something for me."
"What the fuck?! The fucking book is mine!" exclaimed Noah altered.
"No, it's not. It was lost in the middle of the forest and I found it, so it's obviously mine."
"Uncle what are you doing…" Ting muttered.
"You…" Noah sighed heavily to try to calm himself. However, despite his expression being of someone calm, his eyes showed that in reality he was totally annoyed "Okay then, you won. What do you want me to do?"
'Look, he can control himself pretty well… much better than me to tell you the truth… if I just look at his expression, it would really look like he's calm. But those eyes… is it serious that he's like this, just because of a book?…' Fusu lowered his hand "I want you to take care of her for a while."
"What?!" Ting's surprise exclaimed.
"…For how long?"
"It won't be long so don't worry. It will probably only be for a few days."
Noah looked at Ting "Know that if she piss me off, I'll leave her alone."
Fusu lifted the book, and gave it to Noah. But he didn't let go, "You wouldn't do that. Like it or not, she is now your bride."
He smiled "Don't doubt a person you don't even know. And yes I agreed to marry her, but I had never said I would take care of her until her wedding day."
"You know I'll come after you if anything happens to her. Do not know?"
"I imagined."
"Then you will take good care of her, won't you?"
Noah looked at Ting, and as he pulled out the book he said, "Like I said. It's just that she doesn't piss me off. So it's good that she remembers well from that."