Chereads / Faernes (ENG) / Chapter 4 - The apple of discord

Chapter 4 - The apple of discord

People wanted to flee and many had already done so, leaving the capital and taking the nearest buses so that they could be evacuated to the farthest reaches of the country. Others took refuge in buildings as they watched thousands leave the city. Verum had already predicted that reaction and had no plans to leave everyone out of the show and that was why he whispered the spell he had cast and four thousand flames of fire created a barrier across the country that left caged like house birds all those who filled the city and the country for such a festival. Those who were imprisoned tried to get out, to break that barrier, but it was useless, the magic she had used, although it was useless in attack, as a defense it was perfect.

The soldiers were paralyzed, she watched the captain seriously, but before she could act, one of the crowd, perhaps out of anger and an impulse of brutal stupidity, took a stone and threw it with force, with the desire that the soldiers attacked her with bladed weapons after she was distracted for a few seconds or managed to shoot her down with bullets. The stone deflected and hit one of her wings. Her eyes burned in anger and she fleetingly turned her head, her hair shook sharply and just as quickly she raised her right hand and with one finger charged fire elemental magic and directed a heat ray at him that split his chest, melting his heart and part of his lungs, lifting him up due to the force of the impact. After the ray went through him, it burned him in such a violent way that he screamed in agony until his death in a very gloomy and painful way, the ray created a small hole in a stone wall and then the ashes of that person flew out. The screams that the man produced echoed throughout the city and thousands witnessed it, although that scream was drowned out by the violent flames that burned him to death.

As everyone ran, Calai trembled, unable to move, crying with a look of terror on her face, and her legs slipped to the ground. Her long stockings began to stain with a yellowish liquid that trickled down her crotch and created a small puddle around her. Her eyes were lost and her hands were shaking. One of her companions ran to her and carried her as far away as he could, as Calai was in shock.

She turned to the soldiers and kept walking, she watched as some of them trembled, but they still managed to get their strength back and with courage mixed sickeningly with fear they attacked her, firing again. She flew out and not to waste time drowned them in black flames, launched a flame that spread burning everything in its path, killing all the soldiers and letting the blackened waves of their fire impose their pride that rode murdered and melting everything in its path, not one was left alive on the ground and the fountain went up in flames along with some nearby buildings. One of the soldiers of the buildings launched an electric attack with his cannon, but Verum grabbed the shot with his hands and threw it towards one of the statues, which luckily for the princesses only caused a scratch. With that same beam of fire, it pierced the building and broke it in half along with the man. His organs were burned and his brain was still throbbing.

Debris and wiring fell, glass shattered and killed those on the ground with its splinters like porcupine quills. The concrete of the building crushed with force the people who ran for shelter and those who were in the building fell from the top while others tried and prayed to the goddesses to save them.

Aurora could only observe the scene while her hair swirled in her cloud, which was kept away from the whole disaster, she could perfectly avoid it by disintegrating that building and killing Verum, but her magic did not allow her to put her hand in that matter since she was not the one who took care of the earth, she only protected the heavens and what was related to them. The man ran with Calai in his arms; who was still in shock, so as not to die crushed under that imposing structure. But the building threatened them, even if they ran as fast as they ran, and one of the panes of glass fell and broke his head in two, staining the girl with blood. He fell to the ground and Calai hit his knee and one of the panes of glass cut deep into his cheek. He groaned in pain and his legs trembled with fear. The wires generated shorts and explosions.

-Help, please... someone. Hel...

The emotional shock knocked her unconscious.

One glass was heading towards a peculiar destination, splitting the girl's abdomen in two in a horizontal manner and two thinner glasses already had an appointment with her heart and neck, but, when the glasses were about to achieve their goal, the symbol she was carrying shone with a black glow and enclosed her in a cocoon made of magic, disintegrating every threatening object. Then, it went through the structure that had fallen completely and headed for the barrier's sky and did so at such an indescribable speed, that it cracked it, but before it touched it, the sphere burst into flames and disappeared.

Aurora watched it carefully.

--So... moon attribute... I guess. But will it live after using that tiny fraction of magic? This is getting more and more interesting..." She gave a chuckle to herself as she watched the action.

The girl flew until she fell into the main river of Helster, Hidekel, appearing thirty seconds after she disappeared. The fairy observed this, but could not make out the fissure she had generated, she did not give it much importance for the moment since what she was thinking more about was Diligitis.

--Very well, now that I have finished with these inept ones, you are going to leave, and at that moment I will have the opportunity to separate the princesses, I need to separate Alma from the rest and make them flee, since I cannot fight them all, they would kill me very quickly, I will use the element of surprise and the impact I have caused," her mind tried to think clearly while she descended softly.

Diligitis was annoyed and excited, he jumped up, fell into the garden and waited for Verum to arrive. Once she had come up they looked at each other; the princesses were ready and although Alma was not the strongest she did have a trick or two that she had learned, but she knew deep down that it could not be as effective, although she had to try.

--Verum, last chance, surrender and don't come back, otherwise I will have to end your life this time.

The soldiers in the castle only watched her.

--Very well, she went down, this is my chance, I have the whole castle free, just... ...keep talking a little more..." She meditated softly.

The city soldiers arrived and closed gate A, but by that point there were none in the citadel, they had all escaped and were merely putting out the fire that was beginning to spread through the buildings. The cloud of debris was still in force and many found it difficult to see where they had to advance.

Blood was coming out of some parts and there were parts of people scattered around since due to the impact they had separated from their bodies.

She began to recite a spell in her mind that would allow her to deliver the coup de grace, as Diligits did not worry her so much. He walked a few steps and held out his hand to her, but she only looked down at the ground and then looked back at him, but... her hair was blocking his view and her lips were serious, without any expression. She took advantage of his carelessness to throw at him a sphere that burned in black fire.

Diligitis jumped back, surprised and a little startled. The flame hit the castle, but only managed to burn the stone. He then used rafti-type black summoning magic and a circle with demonic engravings appeared on the ground, out of which came a bird that was of medium size and burned like the sun. It rushed at Verum and tried to attack her, but she flew off into the skies. She spread her wings and raised her hands, charging energy in them, after that amount was concentrated a little she threw it with force towards Diligitis, who took a defensive position and was ready to fight, but he was not willing to lose so to make sure that they could kill her definitively he signaled the princesses and dukes to come down to fight all against her, but when they were ready to jump, Verum folded her hand and pointed towards the castle.

Diligitis was annoyed and excited, jumped up, fell into the garden and waited for --I got them....

The sphere abruptly changed direction and hit the castle, causing the whole structure to shake like a two-colored slingshot, pink and black. The princesses fell along with the dukes and Diligitis could do nothing, as the sphere gained more speed in the space of two seconds and did not give him enough time to slow it down.

The princesses and the dukes had lost their balance, the wave managed to shake the foundations of the castle and had caused some vases to fall. When they managed to get up they tried to see their surroundings, they thought the castle would be destroyed, but it was quite the opposite, the structure was intact and they were confused, Verum had not been able to spend a spell on anything else, however, something took them out of any existing perspective. From the shadow produced by one of the cushions, emerged what looked like a thin, crooked wraith with a wiry face and long fingers ending in sharp nails, it had two red eyes and it creaked as it moved its head in a rather strange manner. Princess Brillo, seeing this shadow, launched a concentrated wind attack, but it bent in a rather disturbing way, it seemed that it had no spine, although, despite bending, it creaked as if its bones were breaking into a thousand pieces. Fear seized them and mingled lewdly with terror, that being provoked a shriek that cracked all the windows of the palace. While they watched the shadow, they could hear slow footsteps moving behind them and they could hear several creaks that little by little went from only five, to ten and so on until they were practically uncountable. When they turned their faces they noticed a smell of sulfur and could see that there were thousands of shadows-walking specters that were everywhere, even on the walls and ceiling, they had surrounded them.

--Perfect, now is when the five-minute countdown begins. That's not counting that I can extend that time a bit. I only have Diligitis left.

Diligitis saw what was happening in the castle, the fairy descended gently and with it small black flames that danced across the floor until they disappeared. Diligitis looked at the castle again and knew what she had to do, the main thing was Verum and she firmly believed that princesses and dukes could defeat whatever those things were, so she took out of her sleeve a handle of a sword and after pronouncing a few words, the sharp blade came out.

She was a little afraid, afraid that past events would repeat themselves and the whole stratagem she had planned for years would come crashing down like ice in the summer. He was sweating just like Diligitis, but he couldn't turn back. He raised his hand and bit one of his fingers hard enough to make it bleed, used magic and increased the pulsations of it, further dilating the aura points.

She took her cream-colored handkerchief and placed it over her eyes again.

-I can't let my eyesight kill me.

Diligitis rushed to meet her, deployed her weapon against her, but Veurm's dodge saved her from harm. Without wasting time she created two pink spheres and with an impulse she threw one of them at him. Diligitis simply dodged it, but Verum took advantage of his jump to attack him. The sphere hit the blade of the sword and sparks danced around both of them, sweat ran down their foreheads and the strength of both caused slight movements in the grass. Diligitis tried to retreat, but that weapon of magic cut him deeply, he felt the pain and saw that the sphere was on the ground.

Verum created two more spheres and Diligitis ran again to meet him, the sword was imposed from above and tried to cut it vertically, but it slipped like water in his hands and tried to hit his side at a fleeting speed. The sphere caused another deep cut but did not seriously injure him. He rested his hand on the grass and with a twist gave him a kick that Verum covered with his arm, the pain was very sharp and tears flowed from his eyes, the magic had sensitized her too much and her whole body resented the blow. Diligitis took advantage and gave her in the stomach an accurate blow, Verum gave a sharp cry of pain and ducked, he took advantage of his situation.

--This is my chance.

He switched the sword to his left hand and propitiated another kick on her cheek that made her spit some blood. The inertia moved her a little to the right and he thought to take advantage of that movement provoked by himself to cut her neck. The sword danced happily but she was not willing to die and managed to pull out her strength and used the other sphere to cut the blow. The force of the impact made her roll until she hit a wall, the pain was preventing her from thinking well, but what she had to do was to wait for the spheres to do their job. Diligitis extended her hand, a demonic seal appeared and from it emerged a bird that burned like the sun, Verum was surprised.

--Black rafti type summoning magic, I didn't think I used that mag...--His thoughts were interrupted by pain.

Diligitis pointed her finger at it and with a snap the bird hurtled into a pyrotechnic ball. She flew to dodge the lance and had no choice, she would have to drink water later, but the main thing was not to die in that place. His body began to steam and he carried a flame in his hand, the bird flew out to meet him. The flight was turbulent, Verum threw a sphere of fire at it, the animal dodged it clumsily and in doing so realized something, that creature could not avoid such blows. Diligitis with a great leap reached where she was and from behind tried to attack her with a thrust, taking advantage of the fact that she was distracted, but Verum was very sensitive, she had heard it jump and flew higher to avoid the blow that cut the wind. He took advantage and used the momentum in his favor, flew with more force in a dive and tried to deliver a blow that Diligtis came to cover, the pain was not so much, but it sent him to the ground without much force.

--I understand, she's not strong in close combat, that's why she uses long distance attacks and magic that she can turn into a shield.

Diligitis took advantage of being on the ground to use that blow and propel herself back towards the heavens, the effort wore her down more, but Verum wouldn't be able to dodge an attack because she had gained too much speed. She came to curse him inwardly, but then she pointed her hands towards the floors and used the fire magic as a brake in the face of the impending fall and the impossibility of slowing down. The flames leveled her and Diligitis could not hit her, so before falling to the ground, she mobilized her finger and the bird attacked her by surprise. Verum was not willing to let her escape and grabbed her by the tail, the flames of that animal hurt her, but she changed her magic and killed her with black naer magic.

She created a sphere and again dropped as if she were an eagle, she was in a dive and her destiny was to hit Diligitis in the chest. He waited for her and with his sword he held back the blow. The wind shook the hair of both of them violently and the force generated a wave that shook the grasses with force. He took advantage and gave her another kick in the abdomen that she was not able to dodge, her scream was cut short as the force sent her again against the wall, this time, breaking it slightly. Her scarf fell away from her face, exposing her eyes....

The princesses and dukes, for their part, ran down the corridor of the second floor while being chased by the shadows. The guards in that area were mercilessly annihilated. The hearts of all of them beat with speed and fear mingled sickeningly with adrenaline. The shadows were running like complete animals and it was akin to a herd of elk running away in terror. Crystal tried to throw something to stall them and with creation magic she manipulated the molecules and with the use of her talisman created a wall that should prevent the shadows from passing, but, they broke the crystals, some passed through a tiny crack and... continued their attack. Princess Alma tried to do something, but... it was useless. The shadows split into two groups and appeared closer, they turned to the right to go down the stairs, princess Alma was about to do it, but one of the shadows touched her stairs and they broke into thousands of pieces, leaving everyone distanced. She was scared and when she saw that being she escaped towards the dome, one half went against her, the other continued with their hunt and although they wanted to help Alma, they could not, so they kept running. They tried to leave through the main door, but shadows blocked their way, so they had to run to the right corridor. More of the castle soldiers appeared to fight them to no avail. The sound of bullets rang out loudly along with the captain's shouts.

--Fight to the death, protect this place and the princesses!

--Damn it, they're going to die!

--Well, I'm listening to suggestions!

--It seems those things won't stop!

--I have an idea!

Sara turned around and with the power of her talisman, she created a seal from which a sphere came out and exploded when it came in contact with those shadows, the explosion broke one of the walls they were in and part of the shadows that were in that place vanished, but behind those shadows appeared more and more.

--That will give us a little time! I think

--We can't help Diligitis like this, we have to go to the carriages!

--But what shall we do with the fairy?

--We'll deal with her later!

--But Alma's in the dome!

--She's already dead, we can't save her, and if we want to survive to defeat her, our duty is to escape!

They all exchanged glances, but there was nothing they could do.

--Damn it, what is this I feel? My... my energy, is it fading? --Diligitis thought as he approached her.

Verum watched him seriously, it was useless to want to keep fighting melee as it would kill him.

--I'm tired of playing, now I'm going to get serious.

--What are you talking about?

--I guess you were a waste of time, if it wasn't for all the magic I've spent in the castle, I would have killed you quickly. But to put it in context for you... I haven't even used half my full energy, let's assume that in this pathetic fight I've used twenty percent of my full capacity.

Diligitis began to sweat and Verum was clearly lying to her, but she believed that it would help her, even if it was only a slight chance.

--You've used too much magic, enough to think you're almost at your limit, just look at the insane amount of steam your body is expelling and we can tell that you haven't done much damage to me. You won't be able to escape, you're too weak.

He extended his two hands making a triangle with them, two seals appeared, one in front of the other and the one at the bottom began to rotate.

--This will be the final blow.

Verum was smiling and to demonstrate his ability he used his "secret" against Diligitis. He began to laugh in a way that was out of place because he knew he had something he lacked, every second he was gaining a little magic.

He clasped his hands together and began to speak in a dead language.

--Lanhitsur aeres ed no indormils---he whispered.

Aurora was impressed.

--The language of the gods? Like her? I can't believe she dares to use such magic.

Verum was overcome with ego and her old memories awakened something in her that all fairies had. Her sanity began to drift away and her feelings began to be the source that overpowered her and she didn't care about the consequences as she would pay for them later without fear of the extra interest she would have to give away.

--Verum, don't do it, you can win without white magic," she told herself. Don't be immature, don't take risks, you will regret it.

Diligitis began to hear whispers coming from nowhere and to feel presences that she could not observe, but her spirit sensed them.

--Girl, what the hell did you do in the spirit world?

Aurora gave a yawn and began to think about what was happening as she excitedly watched the scene unfold before her eyes. It had been years since anything interesting had happened, though she, wanted to help. She knew that many children had died, as well as women and men alike.

Verum's hair shook gently on her shoulders and a seal with a tree and a quarter moon appeared, around it had the celestial engravings of that magic, on her chest, on the left side appeared drawings that went up her face and when she opened her eyes they had another color and in one of them was that same tree, on the right to be exact. From his back emerged another seal projecting four rays, giving him the appearance of a divinity. It pointed towards him and from the seal a blue ray with green came out. Concentrated black magic was expelled from Diligitis' seal, but when it came in contact with the lightning it vanished and split brutally along with the wind. Diligitis' heart pounded and sweat ran down his forehead and back, his body trembled. His breathing was altered...

--It can't be... my magic was... drained... how?

The powerful lightning struck him, and lifted him to the ground. The fairy moved, smiling at him with a proud and challenging look, and moved at full speed, she placed herself in front of Diligitis and before he fell, she hit him in the back and sent him a little higher. Diligitis collapsed and could no longer do anything: Verum had beaten her and she, quickly stopped using magic and saved it for what she had to do next, she had not even used the full potential of white magic, but she tried to keep her pulses for the princesses. He walked slowly to where Diligitis was, who, had already accepted her fate. Verum had returned to normal and her eyes were back to the same color as before, plus all that halo of divinity was gone like flowers in winter.

--What the hell are you going to do to me now?

She bent down and looked at him with serene eyes.

--You would never have beaten me.

--You played dirty, you stole my magic.

--If you had realized what those spheres really did.

He remembered what she had done before she created them, she had bitten herself and her blood had soaked into them.

--That means...

--Yes, the blood that bathes those spheres for the first time will be the blood that the magic will go to and the blood that is not of that user will be the catalyst for the magic of this one. Simply put, all your magic was draining to me. I just had to hold on long enough, besides you also spent too much in this battle, I was just trying to distract you, despite everything, I took a good beating from you, I also needed my blood to run through your veins.

--That's playing dirty.

--In a battle there are no rules of any kind, the only ones there are are those of magic and they don't apply to rules of combat.

--I will never serve you.

--That... I know that, but... I have my methods to correct that bad behavior.

-Why did you need your blood running through my veins?

Verum clasped his hands together and began to speak:

"IdreiKtshir irulsi elioma ed indominis ed divinerus nostriktus coesaris."

Shadows appeared and a seal was placed under Diligitis, making it impossible for him to move freely, his whole body was surrendered to that seal while the shadows approached him like hunting dogs and wrapped around him as snakes do to kill.

--Forget it, once you wake up... you will be my personal toy.

The shadows, after enveloping him disappeared and to Verum's luck, the spell "Thyrter" had worked perfectly.

-It was not easy to make my blood run through your veins, but... it was successful.

After the shadows left him, Diligitis stood up with some effort, watched the fairy and then prostrated himself before her.

Now you are watching Diligitis prostrate and your whole body relaxes and a smile comes over you, confident, at what you have accomplished. You concentrate on slowing down the magic and emotional pulses in your body a bit as the shadow spell still stands and you must succeed in distancing the princesses, if possible, from the entire region of Eden. You turn towards the castle and observe the dome on top... the final phase of your plan, you know more than anyone that the moment for which you had prepared yourself has arrived. You stand up straight and thrust out your breasts slightly, lift your wings to the heavens and look sideways at Diligitis. You know that, deep down, even though you don't want to accept it, revenge is sickly mixed in your actions, remorse takes you like a lover and similar to when you used to sleep with men, it caresses you softly and dominates you. Do you want to leave those emotions behind? you had forgiven... Do you know how to forgive? You trust that it is yes, but that word is more complex than you thought, saying it is one thing, but birds that carrying it out is a harder task than steel.

--Help me, I'm going to need your help.

--Yes, my lady." Dilgitis felt resentment and his head was spinning, it was the beginning of the price to pay for using black summoning magic.

--Fortunately I didn't harm you in a dangerous way, that wound will heal in a matter of two months and I don't think the summoning magic will have great consequences.

The princesses managed to reach the garden through which they had entered for the first time; sweat and fatigue were raging and their breath was burning, the shadows ended up cornering them, the carriages were waiting, but they were afraid of being captured.

--What do we do now?

--We can't face them all, the magic would run out and by the time that happens... we'll be doomed.

A duke, surnamed Jen, thought about the situation. He had no family and his mother was long dead. He was clearly afraid of death, who wasn't...it was unknown to everyone and he, despite his belief, didn't know exactly what was on the other side. But... he wanted to give the lands of Faernes a chance to get rid of this new shadow that could burden them in the future, so, despite his fear, he took courage and turned to his comrades.

--You go to the carriages and escape.

--You are mad, there is a dome of magic all over the country!

--The magic is not eternal and you can take refuge long enough to escape, the fairy has spent too much magic and I don't think this will hold for long.

--Don't tell me that...

--I'll help you Jen.

--No, I can handle them and besides, you must help the princesses, I'm not very strong and you know I don't fight the best, you are more capable---her voice trembled and cracked.

Jen stepped forward and took the lead, as the shadows watched and advanced. He, drew his weapon, his hand trembling, but, he was ready for the first time in his life to do something heroic.

--You escape! To the carriages!

--You heard him, let's go!

They all headed for the carriages. Jen attacked the shadows, trying to hurt them, but it seemed an impossible task, for when she tried, the sword went through them without harming them. Those who drove the carriages had escaped, but the dukes took command and to make it faster, they mounted the princesses in the same carriage, with them as pilots, to drive the pegasus.

They flew quickly into the skies, even with the horses nervous and frightened. Unfortunately the carriages had little capacity and three dukes did not make their escape.

One of the shadows touched Jen's sword, who was already surrounded by three of them and others on top. They slowly disintegrated him and reduced him to dust. His screams reached the ears of the princesses who watched the scene helplessly.

--And now where are we going?

Sara stuck her head out and looked carefully at the cracked dome that had been damaged with something unknown to her. As she got a better look at the cracks, she had an idea that might give them the ticket out of that bird cage the fairy had created.

--Vanitas!

--What's the matter?

--Look up the dome!

--You mean that crack! Don't you?!

--I need you to get me closer to it!

--I understand!

Vanitas directed the chariot towards the heavens and Sara, taking out her arms and torso, pointed her hands to the crack, concentrated the energy and from the talisman she carried, the force was transferred to her hands, appearing a seal of pink creation and after she recited her most powerful spell, a sphere emerged and flew quickly towards the dome and upon impacting the crack, the energy collapsed, along with a powerful explosion caused by the attack. Verum, before entering the castle observed what had happened and how the magic faded before his eyes, so he disintegrated the spell and the shadows vanished.

He smiled slightly and continued on his way to the dome of the castle.

On the other side, the princesses and dukes came out of the bird cage that the fairy had created and along with them the thousands of people who remained locked up.

--We cannot go back, she will wait with those shadows.

--If we go back, Jen's sacrifice will have been in vain.

--I think the wisest thing to do is to go to Havila. In my castle, we can think of new strategies and we will be safer.

--I agree, we can't attack irrationally, we must plan something clever to surprise her and have a profitable advantage. Until then, we will escape.

Princess Alma had hidden herself in a secret room behind one of the walls of the dome, accessing it by means of a lever that was a rather small book that was camouflaged inside the library that was on the second floor of that structure. His heart was pounding and sweat was running profusely down his back. His hands were shaking and his mind was blank. She didn't know what to do, she wasn't nearly as powerful as Brillo was, magic-wise.

--She's probably already in the castle, and besides, those shadows are chasing me. I can't believe this is all my ancestors' fault.

Verum entered the main floor, watched out of the corner of her eye the dolls walking up and down the castle, her footsteps echoing through the hall and felt the presence of the maidservants. The bitter memories of her past came back to her.

--This place. Saeria...

Her face was red and her crotch was extremely sensitive, even the sounds of her own footsteps were annoying as she heard them magnified twenty times and the light hurt her eyes a little, she observed more light than usually observed and could feel the heat of the lamps scorched with their fire. The energy and flow of the aura passed through her body and she could see the magic flowing in every corner, something that only she could see and feel to that extreme. She didn't know how to explain what she had always seen and experienced, but she knew since she learned to use magic that she was the only one capable.

She entered the throne room and looked at the staircase that was destroyed; she walked slowly and sat on it, she had to rest a little as she was demanding quite a bit and in the end no matter what it was, magic always takes its toll and almost always did so with interest. Diligitis followed her panting a little.

--I need you to look for Princess Alma, she's probably on the third floor, but for safety's sake look on the second floor as well, though I suppose she thinks the shadows are still looking for her.

The castle soldiers arrived in the main hall.

--Good job, I hope their performance was convincing, since, simple copies of those shadow-spectres couldn't kill them, even touch them. I need you to check this floor, look for anyone.

Diligitis walked to where the broken stairs were and took a leap, he leaned on a piece of rubble that was still standing and then jumped up to the second floor, Verum was watching him with blurred vision. Diligitis continued through the second floor, the maids were hiding in one of the rooms and did not dare to come out. He looked down the hallway and beheld the maid who had died, she had a crystal embedded in her exploded left eye socket. She was lying on the floor, over a pool of blood and there was also blood on the wall, scattered as if spray paint had been used to paint it. He checked her and saw that her neck was broken in half, she had bled out as she also had very large glass on her body and her right breast was split in two as the glass had diagonally split her torso. He searched each of the rooms and even reached the one where the maids were hiding (they froze when they saw that someone was about to enter, but then calmed down when they saw Diligitis, but still did not dare to come out). They were not the target so after thoroughly searching every room he headed for the third floor. Before climbing the stairs he noticed Verum lying on the wall, still emanating a little steam, but, it wasn't as much as when they fought.

--So... was she on the second floor?

--No, only the maids, they hide in the last room.

-- Which means that the sweet girl is in the dome.

The two of them spiraled up the steps to the dome. Verum felt excitement mixed with pleasure, the pleasure of being only one step away from achieving one of her goals. As they climbed the steps, she became more and more convinced that what she was about to do would succeed. They arrived and she was surprised to find a library on the second floor, as well as discovering essentially that very thing, the dome, to her surprise, had two floors. Princess Alma, heard their footsteps and her heart did a complete flip, she began to breathe faster and fear even more for her life. Verum, who was extremely sensitive, could clearly hear Alma's breathing, but to torture her more psychologically, he sent Diligitis to watch the stairs of the second floor, he ordered her to open the skies of the dome since there was something he wanted to show to all the upper lands.

--Diligitis, can you tell me what happens to your body when you use magic?

--It becomes more sensitive, more perceptible to light, the hearing becomes more acute and depending on the type of physical contact and the area where it is touched it can become more painful or pleasurable.

--You know," he walked slowly toward the wall behind which was the secret room in which Alma was hiding. --Since I entered this place, there is something wrong, for some reason I hear a rat breathing inside the wall, I didn't know that this castle had rats of large size.

Alma, who was in a terrible state of stress, lost the color of her skin.

--But, above all, there's something about this wall that doesn't fit, it's...-- With her knuckles she began to knock on the wall---it's... ...hollow.

Verum concentrated black magic and created a sphere, he walked until he was a few meters away from the wall and pointed the sphere towards the room where the princess was and without waiting a second more, he shot it and destroyed the false wall that hid her.

--Well, little one, what a pity, but my ears found you. Although I must give you credit, someone with less emotional stamina would have gone into shock and I think that would have saved you for a few minutes too long, as I'm sure Diligitis knew the location of that little room perfectly.

She was shaking with panic, she concentrated everything she had in an attack that the fairy easily dodged, but it generated a cut on her left cheek and shattered a bookshelf, reducing several books to dust.

--A... get away from me!

--Interesting, looks like you had some energy stored in that talisman, though I see you were never taught how to use magic properly. I guess that's the one good thing fairies have now, being able to use magic right. Or so I want to believe, I've been more than eight centuries away from what used to be my kingdom.

--Wh... what are you going to do to me!

The fairy, looked bigger and farther away, sweat ran down her face and in a drop, Verum's face was reflected a little deformed, and then stamped on the ground. Her heart was beating cholericly and Verum saw her smaller, she was almost on her knees, in a state that prevented her from moving freely.

--What... what do you pretend, that you will gain by hurting me?! I... I... I didn't do anything to you!

Verum contemplated seriously and little by little he approached her.

--N... ... ... you're not going to achieve anything! What do you intend to do?!

She squatted down and stroked his chin with a smile painted on her lips, gently caressed the trembling face of the princess who was pale.

--New world order.

--W... what are you talking about?

--This world is approaching a very destructive and horrible end, there is a cataclysm coming. For that I must become a deity. I will be a divine being. I will prevent this world from being destroyed and... for that I must make a new world, destroying this one in the process.

--E... it... is... you... are... crazy.

Soldiers entered the dome.

--My lady, the entire main floor has been inspected, there is no one there.

--What did you do to my soldiers?

--I never thought that being a prostitute would pay off, but many of your soldiers fell under my control with those encounters, I know them very well and they saw my naked body, although I must say that most of them also fell into my arms between the festivals they held. Since those festivals lasted several days, at night I would devote myself to hunting men, all for this moment.

--Diligitis!

--He will not help you, he is now my puppet, just like your men. Now I control his strings and pull everything at my convenience.

Diligitis remembered that some years ago, many soldiers kept talking about a young woman with beautiful looks who worked in a brothel, the soldiers kept praising her body and her sexual experience, but Verum had wings so it was difficult for him to believe that it was her.

--You're crazy!

--No, I assure you I have a lot of sanity, but... magic, believe it or not, is not what you were taught when you were taught to use it on such a poor level. It is a double-edged sword, capable of giving and taking away in equal parts. Although, I prefer to say it's the angel of death.

He stood up while staring into her trembling and tearful eyes, silence fell and only Verum's footsteps broke slightly into his sepulchral song.

--Because of magic the first world war happened, because of magic the celestial spirit in charge of guarding the lands died, because of trying to learn magic thousands of humans died, magic was the main cause of death among the mermaids, the legend of the first human witch and because of magic... I almost fell into madness. I know very well that fairies don't have a good reputation, we can't control our emotions very well and since they are linked to magic, it has always been attributed to us as a harbinger of disaster. I know I will die for the magic, but...

--And what do you need me for in your whole plan?

Verum approached her slightly.

--I need the power contained in your talisman and all your life energy. Don't worry, it won't hurt... ... much.

Verum raised his hands and began to recite in demonic tongue that magic which would allow him to absorb the source of life and magic from the talisman and its wearer.

"Althe hurtems hurtems barviritis et daenitivus embirotris nostras, ed alum no gaevirtelsh ingarims ternaks..."

As she recited those words, bloody tears began to flow from her eyes, running down her chin and crashing to the ground, shattering like crystal flakes in the snowfall. Her hair shook and Princess Alma's body was paralyzed, little by little, she rose as she was enveloped by a black energy. She screamed, but it seemed that each scream ignited Verum more and more, who was not going to let this opportunity escape him and that was why he did not finish reciting the spell, he had to do it in a place where all the upper lands could see this event.

She climbed one by one the stairs to where Diligitis was and ordered her to open the skies of the dome and they were opened, letting the sunlight in and this bothered Verum quite a lot, but that did not stop her from moving forward. She was tired, thirsty and her eyes and chest ached, the air burned her nose. Blood ran down her chin and down her neck to her breasts and then mingled with her clothes.

--I never thought of using so much magic, I must end this before it kills me. --He thought, as he lifted Princess Alma so that all the cameras would focus on her.

The cameras focused on her and all the television networks reported the event. The cries of the princess echoed throughout the central square and watched as the fairy spun her around with magic.

--Look at your nation for the last time, when I finish that sentence it will be the end of you.

Verum finished the sentence...

"Idominarius."

The blood from her eyes gushed out in greater quantity and the energy enveloped her completely and little by little that magic was slowly transmitted to Verum's soul, the cries of pain of the princess were heard all over the place. All that aura was transferred to Verum and after five minutes of pain, the princess died and her body was left in a vegetable state. All the cameras broadcast that scene and thousands began to fear for her very life.

Verum prostrated on the ground and stopped using magic, vomited some blood and kept crying those red drops. She kept her wings, they shrunk little by little until they completely entered her back, that particularity had allowed her to pass herself off as a prostitute.

--Damn, I used too much magic, more than I thought I should use, I overdid it.

He couldn't even get up.

She began to see blurry and Diligitis got worried, he took her in his arms after closing the dome and took her to Princess Alma's room, she was very weak and that was why he had to separate the other princesses. The maids were watching her in that state. He laid her carefully on the bed and dried her face with a cloth, then he prepared to let her rest.

--You must rest, my lady.

--Don't worry, I'll be all right, I just have to sleep.

--I will take care of everything, this wound will not prevent me from doing my work.

He left the room as he walked to the main floor.

Verum, on his side had to recover, but the advantage was that the princesses were already far away and he hoped that the shadows had made the desired psychological impact.

--Now I just have to kill the other three, and with the power stolen from Alma... I can have more advantage.

Someone approached the room and burst into the room, Verum was pleased.

--How did your performance go?

--They believed everything I said, they escaped.

Verum let out a smile.

--You did... u... a good job... ...Jen

Diligitis took the handkerchief and put it back on her face, covering it again.

Author's note: I apologize in advance, I know that the translation is not the best, but, I will do my best to improve it, since you, my readers are the most important thing for me.