Asura followed behind Mel, keeping a steady pace as he walked down the busy marble halls. He could never get used to the lavish lifestyle and preferred the run-down Cathedral back in the old man's town. Although they both used gold to decorate every inch of their interior, the wood provided a pleasant, comforting feeling as if they were in a log cabin at times.
In this place, everything was marble or stone. The white marble walls, decorated with gold, caused Asura's eyes to hurt if it were prolonged. All the reflected surfaces created a blinding light that sent a sharp pain through his eyes. He never expected the candles mounted with gold candlesticks to be as bright as they were. However, the entire hallway, the training hall, and other expansive rooms were all illuminated by these candles.
"How come you guys use so many candles? Get some lights, ya bums."
Mel rolled her eyes as she replied,
"We can't. The lights stop working whenever monsters interfere. When Jormungandr came, almost all the power was knocked out. We believe the... quotidian mana causes a field that disrupts everything. So we use candles."
"Huh... I thought you guys were just old."
As Asura walked, he studied the walls and floor, finding no sign of dust or dirt that stained the perfect interior. The building seemed to reject the idea of being blemished as if everything deemed unclean were to be eliminated inside.
"Who cleans?"
"What?"
"Who's the sucker who has to clean the entire building?"
"We don't."
"What?"
"It cleans itself."
Asura pondered the idea of everything self-cleaning for a moment. He scrunched his eyebrows together and stared at every nook and cranny he could see.
"What can't your guys' mana do? It cleans, it repairs clothes and buildings, it heals people, it can be made into a weapon and shit. Unfair if you ask me."
"It can't make you shut up."
Asura spat out the mana burning in his mouth and glared at Mel. As the fire spewed onto the ground, many of the visiting priests cast dirty glances at Asura. None ever bothered to hide their disgust toward him. The Temple's disdain and hatred against anything nonhuman was carved into the hearts of all of its members. Their hateful gazes lingered on his back, waiting for the moment to rid the world of his presence.
"I saved all of your asses, and I'm still the biggest villain to all of ya."
The ogre shot glares back at every priest, daring them to do their best to eliminate him. Although he helped the humans and many began to respect him, the ogre wasn't above killing those who would threaten his life. After all, these creatures walking with pride and arrogance were not innocent either. Their belief in their superiority was built on a fragile foundation of a time when the Kings were least ambitious.
"Well, your kind has killed countless people you know. Just because you came, saved a few lives, and established yourself as a 'good' person doesn't mean you will undo thousands of years of pain."
"You keep saying my kind, but you haven't even seen an ogre, orc, or any of my family before you saw me. I ain't the same as a dragon, nor a damn shadow, fallen, whatever... Racist-"
Mel cut him off apologeticly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant the monsters, in general, have caused generations of misery for us. My mother and father worked hard to create self-defense weapons for everyday people because of the amount of deaths over the years."
She tried to overcome her lifelong opinion of monsters, but she sometimes found herself right back at the beginning. Asura was a major reason the city lived and herself. If she continued to hate him, she'd be hating her savior. "He may be annoying, but he helps out a ton." Mel thought as she stared off down the hall.
Mel sighed as she watched more priests walk down the hall, all with hatred and disgust filling their eyes as they stared at the monster behind her. "If they hated him because he's annoying, I'd be fine with it." Mary had everyone believing he was under the control of The Temple, but that never ceased their mistreatment. They spat in his food and threw it on the ground, demanding he eat it off the floor like a dog.
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When it first happened, Mel was left in shock as she stared at the ogre sitting at the table beside her, Lydia, and Wain. A man who looked as if he were in his late twenties with oily, short black hair and uneven brown eyes looked down at the ogre he stood overtop of. His sharp jawline was prominent as he clenched his teeth with anger and disgust. A stench of onions and sweat lingered around the priest as he stood close as if he hadn't showered in a few days.
"Eat it off the ground."
The priest's voice was moderately deep, but every time he spoke, a slight whistle would plague his words from a gap between his front teeth. He was arrogant and bold, making it clear he found Asura to be the lesser being before him. Mel groaned as he spoke, finding his voice grating and an unwelcome nuisance while she ate. He demanded again,
"Go on. Eat it like the dog you are. Stop sitting at the table like you're a human. Get on the floor."
Asura stared at his plate, which was scattered on the stone floor in the dining hall. His eyes rested on a cooked salmon seasoned to perfection, tainted and ruined as the priest trampled over it with his shoe. He watched as the man squished his grilled vegetables under his foot, laughing and mocking the ogre.
"What are you doing, beast? I told you. Get on your hands and knees and lick it off the floor. Can't you hear me? I-"
Asura's rage boiled within, and his vision turned red as he clenched his fists. The man tried to push Asura, but the ogre sat like a pillar, causing the man's wrists to sprain.
"Agh. Get on the floor!"
The priest became frustrated and raised his fist. Asura's patience was running thin. He tolerated the racism to stay with Lydia and the others, but that was coming to an end. Asura spoke. His deep voice trembled with anger as he growled out quietly,
"I'm going to hurt you so badly that holy mana can't fix your twig ass when I'm done with you. Ever been folded into a pretzel?"
Wain tried intervening and calming Asura down as the wild beast prepared to devour its prey.
"Calm down, Asura. Here you can have my food. We can't start-"
The priest's eyes widened at the threat, but he couldn't hide his fear. He looked down at the white eyes staring at him with murderous intent, and his voice quivered as he spoke.
"Y-you can't hurt me. I am a priest of The Temple, and you are a rat under our control. You live cause we say you can. Now-"
Before the man could finish, Lydia struck the priest in the face with her fist, sending him sprawling on the floor as he fell back. The thud of her fist smacking against his flesh left the room in shock. It was evident the Paladin didn't hold back as she struck her junior in rank. Lydia pointed down at the man, her fiery blue eyes staring with disgust,
"To think the priests have become so confident to talk to a Paladin's monster like that. Did you think the owner would sit around while you mistreated their property? Does anyone else wish to state their opinion and push around my ogre?"
The room averted their eyes, tucking their heads down as they ate their food silently. Those watching with smiles on their faces and excited anticipation quickly turned to flushed, scared expressions.
Lydia spun like a gladiator in a colosseum, declaring their dominance and awaiting a challenger.
"Anyone else? No?"
Lydia turned to a nearby table and locked eyes with a chubbier, short man with brown hair and green eyes. He looked down and away, trying to hide himself, but Lydia had noted his smug expression as he watched the encounter earlier. The two wore the same black priest robes with golden patterns embroidered on the cloth, creating an elegant design that neither deserved.
"You must be his friend. Take him to the infirmary before my temper gets the best of me."
Her demanding aura and mana caused him to stand immediately. Without a word, he complied, grabbing hold of the motionless priest on the floor. He slowly dragged the man out, overtop of the ruined food, causing it to smear on the ground underneath his body.
Lydia sat down, groaning as she slid her food to Asura with an exhausted smile.
"I'm sorry for saying that, Asura. I know you don't like it, but Mary is on my butt about this whole situation. We can't let people know otherwise. The Temple will force our hand and-"
Lydia stopped as Asura smiled with satisfaction, exposing a wide, sharp, toothy grin. The ogre responded playfully as if enjoying speaking the words out loud,
"I'm okay with being owned by you. Miss owner. My liege. Master?"
Lydia snorted as she laughed,
"Be serious about this."
Wain was baffled by his reaction. After spending months with the ogre, he knew Asura would never accept such a light punishment. "He's going to hunt that man to his grave..." Wain groaned internally as he thought about another storm of mischief approaching.
"Please, Asura, just let it go this time."
Asura turned to Wain as he pulled a salmon piece off Lydia's plate and plopped it into his mouth.
"Alright, alright. Don't get your tidy-whities in a bunch. I'll leave it be."
"Really?"
Wain stared at the ogre, studying every inch of his face for a sign of a lie. "There is no way he'd let it go that easily." The priest thought, knowing his friend was one for vengeance.
"Yeah, I'll let it be."
"Seriously, dude."
Asura rolled his eyes and took another bite of the food, savoring the flavor of the salmon and grilled vegetables.
"I'm being serious. I won't hunt the guy down. Hang him from his feet while I punch him like a punching bag. Strip him and throw him out into the street, forcing him to run around for a while and streak through the city. When he finally returns to the cathedral, I won't grab him and hang his ankle from the chandelier to display him in the main entrance like a pinata."
Asura flashed a smile as he reached over to the plate once again. However, Lydia grabbed hold of the plate, sliding it out of his reach. The puzzled ogre looked up at her as he held his hand like a kid. He studied her face, finding creases on her forehead and furrowed brows displaying her concern over the topic. Her blue eyes stared intently into his.
"Please don't do that."
The ogre groaned and threw himself back in the chair.
"I WON'T! OKAY? You have my word. I will not retaliate over this situation, but if he does this shit again, I will end his life."
He tossed a stare at Lydia and Wain, looking back and forth as if this reassured them. Wain sighed as he put his face in his hands, slightly rubbing his temples.
"Can I have the food back?"
Mel spoke, startling Wain and Lydia, who had forgotten she had sat across the table from them.
"My sister will lecture you for days if you do anything moron. If you don't want to deal with the nagging, I suggest you let it go."
Asura stared at Mel, who locked eyes with him. Although Mel and Asura bickered and fought, they had one common enemy here at this cathedral: her sister. The two of them hated her nagging and lectures about how true Paladins should behave. Her code of honor infuriated the two, and she persisted that they act like saints.
Ever since Asura arrived, he had been lectured almost every day about how he shouldn't use mana unless training or under supervision to ensure he was never caught. When that lecture was over, another began on his foul language hurting the image of The Temple and how he should behave like a proper priest. After that lecture, she continued with more, a never-ending cycle of endless madness that drove him insane. He thought the old man was bad, but Mary was far worse than he could ever imagine.
The ogre nodded, understanding the gravity of her statement,
"Yeah, okay, that'll do it for me. I won't hurt him."
Mel nodded in return as if she understood the pain he would endure if this continued. She never wished to help the ogre, but her sister's lectures were painful, and she wouldn't wish on her worst foe.
Lydia slid the plate back in front of the ogre with a smile on her face,
"I'm glad it's all sorted out then."
"Yeah, whatever."
Asura took another bite while Wain hung his head,
"Man, dealing with you is exhausting."
"What can I say? I'm high maintenance."
Wain cast an annoyed side-eye towards Asura, causing him to laugh as he finished devouring the fish before him.
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Asura startled Mel as she spoke, awaking her from her memory as he asked,
"So your parents made weapons to fight monsters?"
Mel froze in place after her parents had been brought up. Her blood started to boil, and her heart raced as she prepared to yell defensively at the ogre, but she quickly quelled the anger inside her heart. She was the first to bring them up earlier.
As Mel stopped, Asura came to an abrupt halt, trying his best to maintain his balance and not slam into Mel.
"Why'd you stop like that?"
"Sorry. You startled me, bringing up my parents."
"You brought them up first."
"I know. It still caught me off guard."
The memory of her parents was painful to relive. Their vivid screams echoed in her ears. The smell of blood was still as fresh in her nostrils as the day their blood covered her eleven-year-old body. Her mother was the first to die, eaten alive as she screamed in agony as her body was torn apart. She watched her brother be ripped apart before her, unable to look away or blink as the scene before her unfolded. Her memory of the demon's appearance was hazy, but his laugh echoed clearly in her mind.
Its vile laugh was unforgettable, like a nightmarish jester's laugh with an agonizing piercing pitch that made her eardrums scream. For some reason, she remember static in his voice, as if it were played through an old television or radio with a poor connection.
Lastly, it turned her father against her. Using his body like a puppet master using a corpse to do its bidding. It wanted to strangle her with his body, knowing the agony it would cause to die at the one she relied on the most for protection and love. She remembered whispering, "Daddy." as he approached.
If it weren't for Mary, she would be dead, but she couldn't imagine the amount of pain Mary endured to kill their father. She never blamed her sister, but the sight still haunted her as his body exploded from Mary's blessing. Mel tried to speak but found herself choked up as tears slightly swelled in the corner of her eyes.
"If it's that bad, sorry for asking. Didn't want a sob show starting cause I asked."
"My parents were the first to create mundane weapons infused with mana. Starting a revolution of ideas that started an era of innovation. They made guns, blades, maces, cannons, and so much more."
"That's sick! Why don't people use them then?"
"The problem with their creations was the weapons that required melee combat. Blades, maces, flails, polearms, all of them broke before the monsters were killed. The material we used couldn't compete with holy weapons created by Hephestine.
"What about the guns then?"
"The guns work perfectly, to The Temple's surprise. It's the bullets that caused issues. The lengthy process took months to produce even one artillery shell, and bullets are even worse due to their small size."
"First, you carve enchantments onto the metal casing, which takes forever, and then you start the infusing process, pumping mana into the grains of gunpowder inside. Everything has to be perfect. Otherwise, it doesn't work. Fail somewhere in the assembly line, the metal or gunpowder is garbage."
Asura's face lit up with excitement. The ogre kingdom adored crafting and creating new ways to use objects or mana. Although Asura had none, Brontes was full of quotidian mana, which allowed him to create amazing weaponry.
"And your mom and father invented this? That's wicked!"
"My mom was fanatical with making new weird tools. My father just directed her craziness. My older brother was her assistant who helped her with the Frankenstein contraptions. Mary and I had no interest in the trade."
"Why not?"
"We both wanted a normal life. Before the incident, neither of us were interested in The Temple's affairs. I wanted to bake. Mary wanted to do fitness-related work."
"Oh. Sounds like a boring life."
"Not everyone enjoys the thrill of almost dying every day. Or the fact you could lose a loved one at any moment."
"Hm. Guess that's why I enjoy it so much. No one left to mourn for."
Mel furrowed her brows and looked back at the relaxed ogre. His joyful, mischievous smile is present as always. "To say something so depressing nonchalantly."
"There's really not a single ogre left?"
"Not that I know of. Other than the king, but I'm not on good terms with that asshole."
"What happened?"
Asura looked at Mel. His eyes shifted from the playful, bright white suns to a dark, resentful gaze. As he spoke, his words hissed with hatred as if speaking about an old friend turned enemy,
"I don't remember much of the past, but... he killed them all. I'm the only one left..."
"You don't remember?"
"Stuff gets hazy when I try to think about certain details. Gives me a shitty headache."
"Why did he leave you alive?"
"Probably cause I'd kick his ass."
"Really?"
"Nah, he'd probably kill me. The Kings aren't beings you can play around with."
Mel studied the ogre for a moment. His tone was serious, without the slightest sign of it being a joke. Asura was confident and willing to put his life on the line for a good fight at any moment, but when it came to the Kings, he talked as if they were absolutes in the world.
"Is there a reason he killed everyone?"
"I'm done talking about it."
Asura's voice shifted to a low growl, warning her not to prod any further. Asura's past was a mystery, and he wanted to keep it that way. She found all the information about the monster was unusual. He was allowed in the cathedral, which should've killed him when he stepped foot in the front door. He was given holy mana by an Archangel, an act of blasphemy. "How was he even summoned in the first place?" Mel thought as she contemplated forcing the conversation to continue.
However, the doors to the library came into view as they walked down the hallway. Two rich, dark mahogany doors stood before the two. Their golden frames and hinges gleamed from the candlelight reflecting off their polished surfaces. Within the frame, engravings of runes were set in patterns, wrapping from one side to the other. In the center of the door, nobs were engraved crowns with vines twisting throughout its shape.
Asura whistled, admiring the craftsmanship and effort put into the door's creation. "The humans love their grand displays, huh?" There was nothing to critique within the masterpiece. It was centered to perfection and cut perfectly without blemishes or unevenness. "If the doors to the library were this grand, the knowledge inside must be priceless," he thought as he studied the work.
"Who makes these?"
"Makes what?"
"The doors, the statues, the carvings, the everything?"
"Oh. If you're talking about the sculptor and, I guess, carpenter we use, then it would be Hephestine's daughter."
Asura's eyes widened at the statement. His jaw dropped as his mind began to race. If what she said were true, then a Nephilim still lived among humans. Hepestine, the Archangel, would also be labeled a traitor to the heavens.
"I, uh. That has to be wrong."
Mel raised a brow at Asura's questioning expression. She raised an open hand, palm up to the sky, and propped her other hand on a hip.
"What would be the reason I lied about something like this?"
"Then you are serious? Hephestine committed one of the worst acts an Angel has done. Betrayed Judex and fell from their grace to earth. She had a daughter?"
Mel furrowed her brows and tilted her head briefly before releasing them as she realized the misunderstanding.
"Ah. I see what you're saying. She isn't really her daughter. We just call her Hephestine's daughter because she's the most gifted craftsman in the world. Like remarkably good that it makes you sit there and stare at how she does it."
"Oh. Okay, I was gonna say that's crazy since I saw her in a garden."
"I still can't believe she let you live after you invaded Judex Divinum's garden."
"Are you saying you wish she killed me?"
"A little."
Mel smiled playfully at Asura and pressed her hands against the grand doors to the library.
"Let's see if she'll give you a weapon after that."