"I will protect you."
Blue-marked sigils floated up towards the sky and suddenly burst. It was like a grandiose firework show. All the flames in the city were extinguished and everything went silent.
There were no more screams, no more suffering. Marlowlia was going to conserve what she had left.
"Marlowlia, you are also an Aeon..."
A deep sadness filled my soul for a reason. That I was oblivious to. It was as if I hoped she wasn't an Aeon. An instinct that told me that something bad was going to happen.
But what would the Flower of Conservation have for abilities?
I heard clapping rapidly approaching. Aylin and I turn our heads towards another Aeon. The Aeon of Joy, Allegrano.
He looked around for a bit but then looked at us dissatisfied.
"Where is the Aeon of Dexterity?"
As per the contract, she did what she was supposed to but where is she?
There was only one person here that knew the answer to that question.
"She is gone."
Joy shifted his head towards Aylin.
"Gone? As in dead?"
A grievance filled his eyes as he heard that one of the primordial Aeons had perished.
"You have my grievances, but still I won't have you interrupt my preservation of this city."
Devina was dead? I shook Aylin's shoulders to confirm those words that had just left her mouth.
"She is gone."
"But that doesn't mean she is dead right? You know how Devina can vanish whenever?"
With an unsure look, she adverted her eyes not knowing how to word her next sentence.
I shook her one more time.
"At least tell me what happened to her."
Aylin started to look even more unsure as if she was hesitating to tell me the info I needed to hear.
A loud bang was heard as Allegrano clapped his hands together to interrupt us.
Marlowlia turned hastily and glared at him with stone-cold eyes.
The usual quiet and collected Marlowlia marched forward. With heavy steps and curled-up fists, she accused him of destroying the city.
Instead of trying to save it, he was actively trying to cause its ruination.
"I owe you an explanation for Dexterity."
The moment Allegrano started to explain. Viego leapt from the rubble he was buried under. Trying to slash Allegrano.
"Settle down, second rate."
The mark of Joy grew out of his cheek. A dark green flower that emanated a sense of surprise.
Viego's trajectory got redirected and he rammed into multiple walls.
"As I was saying."
Allegrano explained that he wasn't trying to hurt the citizens of Nautilus. Instead, he was preparing them for a war.
The democratic government that governed was too anti-war. Therefore the national security was weak. He then requested something Dexterity could provide.
The coup de grace of a government. It was almost impossible for him or anyone else that could pull such a stunt effortlessly.
"But what could possibly make you want to prepare Nautilus for war?" I asked.
Allegrano went quiet.
He looked up into the sky before pointing in the direction of the sea.
"The dragon of Guilt, a man who had fallen to the end of the earth and absorbed its hatred. Surely you have seen them with your own eyes."
Thinking about it I remembered that day I was in Dragonspine. In that dungeon. Isadora and Wolte.
"You have experienced their powers first-hand."
The memories flowed back like water. The time-stopping dragon and the electro dragon. I felt a shiver down my spine just thinking about them. Had it not been for the Silver Saint, I would have been dead.
"They are mobilizing, the hordes of Guilt. Once they reach mainland, a genocide will follow."
"How do you know that is going to happen?"
Allegrano told me that he witnessed it himself. The dragons destroyed everything he loved. Killed everyone he cared for. He had a deep hatred for them. He didn't say much more than that but finally revealed that he had a premonition about the dragons mutilating the bodies of Nautilus.
"That is what you are doing right now!"
Marlowlia held out a sigil in between her fingers towards Allegrano.
Calling deep within me something continued bug until it finally connected with my consciousness. A spark of yellow flew across my cheek as a few words spoke to me.
"Stop Marlowlia at every cost."
The glistening gold left as fast as it came. Stop Marlowlia? Shouldn't I stop Allegrano?
I shook my head in frustration. Can someone please just tell me what was going on? What should I do? Who should I help? What are you planning Devina?
Seeing me all flustered, Oslovi jumped onto me and started to nuzzle itself against my neck. Even with its warm coat against my skin, my thoughts felt cold.
Is this really the life I wanna live? A life constantly dependent on what people have planned? A life where I have no say in this?
But yet deep down, I knew that Devina was right. I couldn't handle things on my own. I always relied on other people to achieve my goals. Even now I want Devina to come here and tell me what to do so I don't mess up.
Do I really want to be told what I need to do?
The mark of liberation once again grew out of my cheek. I felt how it burned and swelled on my face as it took root. But as the flower bloomed it opened up to glistening white snow-white petals. The mark of Freedom had been cleansed of doubt.
With knowledge, doubt fades and with time insecurities shatter.
The darkness existed deep down me still but. I could still feel my heart strengthening from an unknown source.
Devina whatever you may have planned to do Nautilus I will take care of it now. For you and Nautilus.
Standing side by side with Marlowlia, I stared down Allegrano who clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Allegrano's usually calm demeanor instantly switched up as the green on his flower lightened up.
Suddenly Allegrano couldn't hold in his laughter and started to bawl out laughing.
"You guys are so funny! PFFF."
He slicked back his hair and ruffed it up a little bit and then unbuttoned the buttons on his suit.
"How can he wear something this tight?"
Allegrano took a deep breath before looking sceptically at me and Marlowlia who was equally confused.
He waved his hand in embarrassment as we stared at him. Telling us not to stare that hard.
My eyebrows furrowed as I wanted to look away from what I was witnessing.
Even Marlowlia who was all serious earlier lowered the talisman from her hand and just gawked at Allegrano.
"Ok ok.. so guys what the other Allegrano was trying to say, he is just trying to help y'all out, capiche? Wait… was that too unclear? WAIT scrap that. Ah yes, he wanted to say that if he didn't do this all of you and the people of Nautilus would die. And… uh.. if you don't let this happen the people would suffer."
Allegrano gave a satisfied nod before heading off.
Marlowlia and I glanced at each other to really confirm what had just happened before running after Allegrano.
"HEY DON'T WANDER OFF LIKE THAT!"