At the same time, in a clearing near the guest accommodation building.
Lou looked up. The sky was clear and the stars could be clearly seen twinkling on the dark blue velvet of the celestial vault. All was peaceful. Nature was living at its own pace, and all the sounds of the night instantly soothed her. She felt in her element, alone in the midst of this nocturnal world that vibrated to the rhythm of the seasons and the heartbeat of its inhabitants.
The angel would have liked to enjoy it a little longer, but she had to get back to the rendezvous point. She had to be on time. Her interlocutor couldn't stay too long at the risk of being spotted.
She checked the geolocation on her chip, then set off again, blending into the shadows of the sleepy greenery. She walked for a few minutes before reaching a small clearing bathed in moonlight. There was no aura around, so she was the first to arrive. She approached an imposing tree and hid in its shadow to await her appointment.
Her heartbeat slowed and she concealed her aura as much as possible to ensure she was indiscernible. This was a necessary precautionary measure when meeting someone who was likely to be closely watched. If he wasn't the one appearing in the little hole of fresh grass, she could disappear discreetly without being noticed. It was always important to make sure the enemies of one's friends didn't find out about one's secret activities.
And so she waited for some time, when the thicket in front of her began to rustle. A medium-sized man appeared. Hooded, it was difficult to guess who he was, but from the way he anxiously scanned his surroundings, the angel had no doubts about his identity. It was indeed her date who had just burst into the clearing.
As silent as a ghost, she emerged from her hiding place and stepped forward, startling the newcomer.
-It's me, Lou," she reassured him, pulling down her hood.
The man did the same, sighing.
-Good heavens, you've given me quite a fright! he exclaimed.
The angel smiled. In front of her stood an Aesethian man in his thirties. The shaven head, the neck almost invisible beneath all the gold necklaces he wore and the many rings on his fingers told her very clearly.
-You can speak without fear. I've installed a protective barrier that retains sound and alerts us to any malicious intrusion," she explained.
The man immediately relaxed.
-Thank you, Master of Blades.
Lou nodded his thanks.
-Did you get here all right? No one followed you or stopped you from coming? she questioned.
-Malefact no! I took great care not to be followed by anyone, and my cover is infallible. I came with a caravan from Northstream led by a friend. I borrowed a false identity and dressed that way to make sure I wouldn't be recognized.
Lou almost told him that if he wanted to disguise himself, he should go all the way and take off his jewelry. Fortunately, caravanners were known for their taste in luxury and pomp, so it wouldn't shock him to see him dressed like this in a caravan of the famous Northstream.
-Well then, tell me all about it! How's Emperor Mischien?" she asked, on the verge of impatience.
-He's...fine. As well as can be expected," confessed the envoy.
-What's happened to him? What happened during his stay in Ornikarn? She barely gave him time to finish his sentence.
The Aesethian sighed. A crease crossed his forehead.
-Zorkiel attacked him, intent on killing him. Fortunately, His Highness is very considerate and was able to avoid the worst, but he was seriously wounded all the same. He barely escaped with his life," replied the envoy in a deep voice.
-Were you there during the attack? Lou questioned.
-Yes, I intervened just as he was about to deliver the final blow. As I started to call for help, Zorkiel had no choice but to withdraw if he didn't want to cause a state scandal. But if I hadn't intervened, I'm sure His Majesty Mischien would have died.
Lou remained silent. She wasn't surprised that Zorkiel had gone after Mishcien. His business empire was gigantic and he maintained trade relations with the whole intergalaxy. And not only did he maintain a flourishing economy that could support any system and especially any war, he had the added advantage of supplying other planets with the resources they absolutely needed.
-What kind of wound did he suffer?
-A dagger, normally thrust into the heart, but which just missed its target! The problem was that it was poisoned. His Majesty was left in a coma for two months. He came out of it very weakened and is gradually regaining all his mobility.
Lou nodded. It had indeed been a close call. Mischien had narrowly escaped death. The Emperor of Esethea surely owed this to his cautious nature. He'd built his merchant empire with his own hands, he knew what it cost and, unlike his people, never lost sight of the greed it could cause.
-In any case, the doctors are optimistic! continued the Aesthian enthusiastically. He's gradually regaining his strength, and if all goes well, he should be back to his old self in a few months' time.
The angel nodded. Poison was a lethal weapon that caused damage, but the natural resistance of Esethea's inhabitants to all forms of poison made them less vulnerable to such petty baseness.
-Well, I'm glad to hear it," Lou closed the subject. As I understand it, the Emperor is going to join forces with the angels and the organization to fight Zorkiel? I understand he's going to invest a few trillion in military weaponry?
The man nodded.
-That's exactly it, he's determined to lead the fight," he confirmed. He sees Zorkiel as a threat to our intergalactic order and is abandoning his neutrality to call for a boycott of the Ornikarian demons and for all allied forces to rally behind the organization.
Lou was astonished by the declaration. He couldn't imagine Mischien abandoning his hard-won and imposed neutrality so easily. When you're in business, you don't take sides. That's his motorcycle. His near-death experience had certainly given him pause for thought. All the more so as Zorkiel was an unknown threat and therefore difficult to apprehend...
Lou was about to resume the conversation when she sensed an extremely strong concentration of natural energy in the direction of the palace. Not only was it very dense, it was also very aggressive. Someone was fighting. And in the midst of this heap of energy, she recognized one very clearly.
"Niris!" she thought inwardly, alarmed.
She was about to cut the conversation short and leave to find her pupil when the Aesethian cut her off to say something that intrigued her greatly.
-Emperor Aroslan is aware of our emperor's intentions, and they've already started working together to find the best solution to deal with this monster. The fact that you know him will help us a lot! It's a real opportunity!
Lou cocked her head to one side, not quite sure she understood.
-That I know him? Who are you talking about, Aroslan? Mischien?
-No, Zorkiel!" retorted the Aesethian, surprised by her remark. You were close to Zorkiel when you were alive, weren't you?
The angel turned white. She felt dizzy. Instantly, she put aside the fight Niris had engaged in to consider the strange words the man in front of him was saying.
-I'm not sure I understand," Lou continued. Do I know Zorkiel?
The Aesethian hesitated a moment before answering.
-Well, yes? he seems well? In any case, he knows you.
This time, the angel didn't hide her surprise.
-What do you mean, he knows me?
-When he attacked His Majesty, he had a little chat with her," explained the envoy. The emperor asked him why he was attacking him, and Zorkiel said he couldn't understand, that he was doing it for you, to free you...
-To free me?" cut in the angel.
Intimidated by the serious tone taken by the master of blades, whose eyes pierced him from side to side, he paused for a moment, nodded and swallowed before replying.
-Yes...at least that's what he said. That he'd do anything to change this world and free you from your chains. That he would kill and destroy anything that got in his way and that his only goal was you, your liberation.
"My Liberation?" the angel repeated inwardly. She suddenly felt dizzy. As she repeated the Aesethian's words over and over in her mind, she began to get a headache. She suddenly had the sensation that she couldn't remember things that were inaccessible to her mind, but which were coming back to her violently. She frowned.
-Are you sure he said that? In those words? she questioned him again.
-Yes, that's what he said," confirmed the Aesethian. He said his aim was to save you, and when Mischien asked him why, he replied that it was because you were a dear friend.
The more the envoy spoke, the less Lou understood. None of it made sense. And yet, she could feel that he wasn't lying. But if Zorkiel was doing all this for her, why didn't she remember him at all? She'd never met him, but she understood from Niris that he was difficult to define and determine. The prince had even confided in her that he doubted he was a complete, living being.
A clearing of the throat drew her out of her reflection.
-I shouldn't linger here too long," said the Aesthian. It's time I went home before I arouse suspicion.
The angel nodded. He was right. They had gone on longer than they should have.
-Thank you for all this information," she thanked him. Tell Mischien that he has my full support in his endeavors, and that I'll keep him informed of any developments on my end.
-All right, I'll pass it on.
The Aesthian greeted her and took his leave. Lou watched him walk away and waited a few moments. This time, she was focused on the man who was gradually disappearing into the cover of the black trees. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but he seemed a little too confident for a man who'd never learned how to outrun a pursuer. Either he really had managed to slip under the radar, which surprised her greatly given Zorkiel's determination to appropriate Mischien's power, or the tailing was extremely discreet. And she was leaning towards the latter.
She began to follow him to ensure his safety, as far as the exit of the protection zone she had set up. Then, seeing that nothing was happening, she turned around and was about to return to the dormitory when she heard a very distinctive noise. It was the sound of a throat being slit.
The angel turned immediately, but too late. In front of her, a black demoness released the inert body of the Aesethian, who fell to the ground with a thud. Lou gritted her teeth. She'd made a mistake. She was well aware, however, that excellent spinners wait for the moment of inattention to act. And yet, she had underestimated the danger.
Without waiting, she took up a fighting stance. She summoned her sword and planted herself in front of the demoness who was watching her, sword in hand. She was powerful and not at all intimidated. This was going to be a tough fight. But the master of blades had no choice. She had to kill her now that she'd seen who the envoy had been talking to and most certainly heard their entire conversation. The last thing she wanted was for Zorkiel to know that she knew about Mischien, especially if the Aesethian had started secretly arming himself to attack her.
Without a word, the two women watched each other in silence, sizing each other up with their eyes. Then they pounced on each other. It was a fight to the death. They knew that one of them would have to die.
Lou's heart was beating a mile a minute. It had been so long since she'd felt that adrenalin burning through her body! Maybe being "back to life" wasn't such a bad thing after all. All those sensations she'd forgotten suddenly intoxicated her. She was going to enjoy this fight like her first strawberry in spring.