Chapter 92 - Chapter 91 - Quest In The Burning Dungeon, Part 9

[I sometimes wonder, Magus,] she said, her gaze fixed on Magus's sealed form. His expression, though locked in stone, felt defiant, unyielding.[Just what is so special about Hellix that you won't bend and serve me already?] Her voice was calm, yet laced with irritation as her fingers lazily toyed with one another.[He's just some random person. Lucky skills, that's all. But when it comes down to it, he's nothing special. Save yourself the trouble—give up and join me.] Her eyes bore into him, expecting a reaction.But Magus's expression remained unchanged. Silent. Still. A memory stirred, unbidden, breaking through the quiet.24 Years AgoSCORE:10 - 399"Come on, dude... It's been three hours. Let's just play something else?" Magus said, chuckling in exasperation as he stared at the screen. Despite his frustration, there was no denying the ego boost from the glaring score difference: 399 rounds, and Van was still losing."Nope," came the flat reply from the other side of the computer. "I can still come back from this.""Pfft... ooookay." Magus snickered, leaning back in his chair. If Van wanted to dig his own grave, so be it.4 Hours LaterSCORE:157 - 998"Bruh," Magus chuckled again, stretching his arms and rubbing his tired eyes. "This is getting sad, man. You've been at this for seven hours.""I can still come back from this," Van said, his tone as deadpan as before, even as his avatar was obliterated in the next two rounds."Come on, weren't you bored yet?" Magus raised an eyebrow as the screen finally displayed the game over screen."Nope," Van replied, his voice calm. "I'm like John Wick. So what if I fall from a roof or two? I'll still get back up and kick your ass one day."Magus snorted, shaking his head. "Right... but not even John Wick fell from a thousand roofs in a row.""..." Van went silent, clearly processing the jab."Because he didn't try falling from a thousand roofs," Van finally shot back, his tone defensive.Magus burst out laughing. "Hahaha, okay... Now you're doing Naruto scaling, huh?""You and your damn anime," Van retorted, narrowing his eyes. "How does that even make sense here?""Fuck you, bitch," Magus fired back, his voice playfully exasperated. "You're the one who stopped making sense when you turned John Wick into a masochist jumping off rooftops just because you suck at this game.""Assfucker bitch," Van muttered under his breath, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward in reluctant amusement.The present returned in a heartbeat, and Magus chuckled softly at the memory.[...Something funny?] she asked, her sharp gaze narrowing at Magus's quiet chuckle, her irritation evident as it echoed through his bindings.[You seem awfully calm,] she continued, stepping closer, her voice laced with both curiosity and contempt. [But you forget who his opponent is.]She straightened, her posture regal, turning from him with a proud tilt of her head. [Although a creature through and through, he was once known as the Flame Revenant—the Undying. A summoned hero on the verge of godhood, just like you. In fact, the only reason he's doing this is to take the spot you so senselessly reject.]Her lips curled into a smirk as she glanced over her shoulder. [He's immortal like Van... but blessed with my passives, which aren't limited to demons. ANY being that crosses him has their strength matched to his own—if they're stronger. A shame he doesn't have any attraction passives to truly break him... But I have a plan for that in mind either way. But I won't need to use it, as it seems, since...]She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near-whisper, as if the words were meant to pierce the silence. [... He will make Van Hellix yield.]Her eyes scanned Magus's face, hoping for even the faintest flicker of doubt or fear. Yet she found nothing. His expression remained frustratingly unchanged, unwavering as ever. Her smirk faltered into a frown.[Hmph. Either way,] she said, her voice hardening, [you have until Van Hellix breathes his last to decide whether you'll serve me.]With that, she turned on her heel, her movements slow and deliberate as she left the throne room; leaving the chained Magus to his lonesome.----------- Back at Marcilla's Guild -----------"Thank you for your hard work, Amoria," Marcilla muttered, her tone soft as she removed the white bandana from her head. The night had fully settled over the guild, casting long shadows across the room."Of course!" Amoria chirped, her voice bright as she gently held Lizzy's hand. The two stood close together, their warmth a quiet contrast to the chill of the evening. Beside them, Michael and Anne emerged from the storage house, their faces dimly lit by the flickering lanterns.'So Michael survived in there with Anne?' Lizzy's brow arched slightly, surprised as her gaze flickered toward Michael. He offered her a small smile, his expression a careful mask. Her eyes then shifted toward Anne, who appeared unbothered, almost casual."Hey, Lizzy," Anne muttered, breaking the quiet. The sudden sound made Michael flinch ever so slightly, his shoulders stiffening."Yeah?" Lizzy replied, turning her attention to her friend."Mind if I sleep at your place today? Please?" Anne asked, her voice carrying a forced nonchalance. Michael's face paled, and he began to sweat bullets."Oh... Of course!" Lizzy said, her eyes widening with joy. "I was wondering if you'd want to hang out!" Her voice brimmed with excitement.'Oh?' Marcilla observed from the side, her hands busy organizing the remnants of the day's work. 'It's been a while since Anne's asked that... I guess putting that leech there reminded her of who she should really keep close.' She smirked faintly to herself, though her gaze flickered briefly to Michael.'But... I guess he pulled his weight today. Anne didn't shoo him out of there, after all. Not bad...' She lightly pursed her lips, a silent nod of acknowledgment.Michael noticed her glance and felt a pang deep in his chest. 'Aunt's... looking at me like that... Like I did good... When... When was the last time she looked at me like that?' His eyes lowered, and he swallowed hard, fighting back the sting of tears.'It...' His hand instinctively brushed against the seal in his pocket. 'It was for the best... This... This is... I hate it... but it had to be done.' He clenched his jaw, his mind racing to justify the ache that churned in his chest.'Keep quiet... Keep quiet...!!' His thoughts roared. 'This is better than letting some scumbag take them away!'Marcilla's voice broke through his spiraling thoughts. "Alright, you're all dismissed. See you tomorrow. Day after that, take a day off, since today the Guild was open instead of closed."The three left the guild, their footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestones. Marcilla lingered behind, preparing to deal with the demonic guests still housed within."T-then..." Michael stammered, turning toward Anne. "See you tomorrow, Anne!" His voice was overly enthusiastic, almost desperate as he looked up at her."Y-yeah. Good job today," she nodded, scratching her head awkwardly.'Anne even told him he did a good job...?' Lizzy thought, her head tilting in confusion as she watched the exchange. 'Woah... He must've really pushed himself today. And he even seems less tired than Anne... Was he training without telling me?' Her gaze flickered between them, puzzled.Anne, meanwhile, concealed a bitter smirk behind a forced yawn. 'Finally...' she thought, the edges of her vision blurring from exhaustion. 'I'm about to fall over any minute now... That fucker... He did all the work wrong, and I had to fix every one of his mistakes.' Her muscles burned as she shifted her weight. 'And I had to make up for everything he couldn't do since he was useless after the third hour...'Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms as she thought of the mark glowing faintly against her skin.'And I couldn't even stop... because he commanded that earlier...' The memory of his earlier words made her stomach churn. She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to stay upright.-------- EARLIER --------"N-no... You can't fall over! If you fall over, then..." Michael stammered, his gaze darting nervously toward the door as Anne wobbled, her legs trembling under the strain of carrying yet another heavy load."D-..." He paused, swallowing hard before clearing his throat."Don't fall over. This... This is a command!" His voice broke slightly as the words escaped him.Anne's body betrayed her. Despite her muscles screaming in agony, despite her entire being yearning for rest, she moved. The mark burned faintly against her skin, compelling her forward. She had no choice but to obey.And so she worked, relentlessly, until the sun dipped below the horizon and nightfall embraced the guild. Michael had made her work even harder than usual, knowing Marcy would grow suspicious if their yield was lower than when Anne worked alone. She was forced to push herself to match the output of two people, her body straining under the impossible demand.-------- PRESENT --------'I'll... Yeah... I'll tell Lizzy tomorrow I feel too tired and can't go to work... I need to sleep... I need to rest.' Anne's thoughts raced as her exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. 'I might not be able to tell them about the mark... but... I'll at least get to sleep and think about—'"Haha," Michael's awkward laughter broke her train of thought like a cold wind. "D-don't be late to work tomorrow, Anne!" His voice rang out, forced and uneven, as he began walking off hurriedly."That is an order, haha!"He called out again in mock jest, his voice light but his words heavy with a darker meaning. The slave mark seared briefly against her skin, the burn a silent affirmation that the command had been issued and received.Anne froze. Her breath hitched, her chest tightening as realization dawned. Sleep—her only reprieve—had been stripped from her.Her face paled, and the strength in her legs threatened to give way."Sheesh, since when did that guy get so bold?" Lizzy sighed, shaking her head as she watched Michael disappear into the distance. "I've never seen him so eager to work... Right, Anne?" she asked, turning to her friend with a casual grin."Hah, he can have his moments, I guess," Anne chuckled weakly, her voice betraying none of the torment that churned inside her. The mark, as always since this morning, dictated her actions.'Lizzy's right... Quite the transformation this kid had.' Amoria stood nearby, her sharp eyes flickering with subtle surprise. Even she seemed fooled."All right, you girls, let's go!" Amoria called warmly, gesturing for them to follow her. She turned with an easy smile, her warmth a stark contrast to Anne's silent agony.Anne forced herself to move, her steps mechanical as her thoughts spiraled. '...Even Aunt Amoria can't sense a thing...''If even someone as amazing as she and my mom can't sense anything... then... even if Van saw me... he'd think I'd really hate him and would stay away from me...'Her chest ached, but no one noticed. Her lips curled into a faint, automatic smile as Lizzy chatted beside her.'...I'm really all alone, aren't I...? Just... What's the point of living like this...?' The thought echoed, hollow and cutting.'What's the point of living...?'A single tear rolled down her cheek, disappearing unnoticed in the dim light of the street. Not even Amoria or Lizzy caught the glint of its trail.Mom... Mommy... Mommy... save me... please... Anne's silent plea echoed endlessly in her mind, but the only response was the fading sound of footsteps against the quiet night.As if on cue, Marcy burst out of the guild, her hurried steps startling the group."Marcy...?" Amoria called out, turning with a curious gaze. Her eyebrows lifted as she watched the woman run directly toward Anne.Without hesitation, Marcy gripped Anne tightly, pulling her into a fierce embrace."M-mom...?" Anne stammered, her voice wavering in confusion."Sorry," Marcy murmured, pressing her daughter's face into her chest, holding her as if she would never let go. "Just got a sudden feeling that I needed to hug you."Amoria smiled warmly at the scene, her expression softening. Lizzy, standing beside her, mirrored the sentiment with a gentle grin.'Mom... Mommy... Mommy... save me... Please, save me... Please, save... save me...' Anne cried internally, her pleas growing quieter, drowned out by the relentless grip of the mark. Outwardly, however, she let out an awkward laugh, her actions dictated by the invisible chains."Haha, what's gotten into you, Mom? I'm all good..." Anne said, her voice light and cheerful, betraying none of the storm within."You know," Marcy began, her tone steady but firm as she held Anne close, "if anything's wrong, you can tell me. Right?"Anne hesitated for a fraction of a second, her mind screaming, 'No... That's not me! Don't let me go! Please...'"I know, I know!" she replied instead, chuckling softly, "Haha, what is with you this evening, Mom?" She stood near Amoria and Lizzy, trying to gently push her mother away with an embarrassed laugh."Haha, fine, fine." Marcy chuckled back, finally releasing her hold, though her warm gaze lingered on Anne for a moment longer."Take care of her, alright? I need her strong," Marcy said, turning to Amoria."Of course," Amoria replied with a nod, her expression unwavering.Marcy sighed, her eyes softening as she looked back at Anne, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "Though, she's already stronger than anyone. She's my kid, after all," she said, her voice brimming with pride and confidence.Anne gasped internally, her heart swelling with a sudden rush of resolve. 'Mom...!'"Alright, see you tomorrow, kiddo," Marcy said, turning and walking back toward the guild. Anne's eyes remained fixed on her mother's broad back, the weight of her words pressing into her chest like a steady, reassuring hand."Let's go, Anne!" Lizzy called, stretching her hand out toward her sister."Sure. Sorry about that," Anne said, taking her hand gently."Sorry about what? You're so silly..." Lizzy murmured with a soft laugh as the half-sisters walked hand in hand, Amoria leading the way ahead.'...I... I won't give up...' Anne thought, her mind slowly quieting. 'Mom... I'm... I'm strong. I'm strong like you! I'm strong!'Her resolve burned brighter with every step, even as her actions remained a puppet to the mark.Meanwhile, Michael walked by his lonesome, the quiet night enveloping him.'I know it's wrong. But tomorrow... with Anne's help... I'll brand Lizzy. And since the mark might not work on aunties... I'll use Anne and Lizzy to—'He froze mid-thought, his eyes widening slightly. Then, as if physically recoiling from his own mind, he violently shook his head.'...Use their help, to convince Aunt Amoria and Aunt Marcy to stay away from that bastard... that manipulative bastard!!' His thoughts burned with frustration as his palm clutched the seal tightly.'And... everything... will go back to normal again!' he thought, lifting his gaze to the group walking ahead of him. He saw them laughing together, their joy filling the air. For a fleeting moment, it felt warm, almost comforting, as if he were part of it; his mind filled the gaps, imprinting Anne, Lizzy, and even Melanie's faces onto the group. In his vision, he stood in the middle, surrounded by their smiles.But then, a flicker—an image that clawed at his mind.The laughter turned hollow, a mocking echo. Their faces shifted, twisting grotesquely into cold, unmoving stone masks. The hollow eyes of the masks stared into him, their laughter venomous, ripping through his resolve.Michael's breath hitched, and he stumbled, shaking his head violently as if to expel the vision from his mind.'...It will go back to the way it used to,' he thought, his chest tightening as he forced himself to look forward. 'I... I know it will.'He clenched his jaw, gripping the seal as though it were his lifeline, and pushed the haunting image into the recesses of his mind.