What could be considered corruption? Why did the paragon react to it and how was a curse type skill considered as corruption by the Paragon?
I had thought long about this issue before but reached no real answer. However, this was not the time to think about it.
The little girl started sobbing so loudly I was forced to blink us away and hide to not gain attention. But the damage was already done.
The rich fat bastard was restlessly calling for his slave, a slave he had no longer.
"Let's go, we need to hide you."
The little girl just nodded and hugged me tightly while I moved us back to the ship. There was no way in hell I was staying at the palace and the port was near enough for me to keep tabs on the butterflies around Daphne.
Upon reaching the ship, I wasted no time and brought the little girl to the greenhouse where Merlin was already waiting for me.
"I knew you'd fuck shit up."
"Language, she's just a baby!"
"Yeah sure."
The little girl didn't seem to want to free me and I happily allowed it while Merlin brew some tea for us.
"Hey girlie, drink this, it will help you a lot!"
Instead of heeding his orders she waited for me to answer her unspoken questions.
"This young man is my master, truthfully a master of magic and although he seems lazy, he really is a good person."
"Oh? Such high respects from my rude disciple?"
No more entertaining was given and the girl drank the tea before completely falling asleep on the spot.
"Valerian?"
"Something similar, she'll have a peaceful sleepless night. Now; Dimitris you don't usually act rashly… what happened?"
"I don't know Merlin, all this talk about slaves, then Odysseus confirmed there are slaves even in Itaca… Do you know how I found this little princess? She was being beaten half to death by a bastard for a slip up!"
"Dimitris…"
"No Merlin. Dimitris my ass. I know this is the norm, I know it very well. But I can't accept it. How do they consider themselves better than elves and demons? Have you ever seen an elf enslave their own kin? What about a demon?"
"No. That has never happened."
"Then you fucking know Merlin. This shit is disgusting."
"Dimitris, you are right, you know it. But what can you do? You're just a man."
Those words hit me harder than I had anticipated. They were true and there was nothing I could say to that. I was just a man.
What could a single man do? Should I have started a revolution? But then again, I was a shrimp in the middle of the ocean.
Sure I was strong, but even Daphne could dispose of me with a snap of her fingers if she wanted.
I was just a man, a man too weak to stand for his ideals.
"Dimitris, you need to realise that there are shades of gray in the world. Of course you know it, but you need to accept it."
"Merlin, is it normal for slavery here to be made with a curse type skill?"
He looked at me dumbfounded. His eyes scanning the little girl peacefully sleeping against my chest.
"What are you talking about? There's no cursed energy on the little girl."
"The Paragon ate it."
"Didn't they feel on corruption?"
"I know, I've been thinking about it. They should feed on the corruption of a deceased soul, but things have been weird since the very beginning. Even in the time-space fissure they acted strangely: against the thunderbird, when they freed him from the Raijin's control, then against Sarah while she was alive. And now this."
Merlin asked me to summon a single butterfly and I complied, only for him to create a dozen of circles before it, leaven me confused and the butterfly hungry.
It was flying back and forth from the black, purple and grey circle. Whatever they were.
"Did you say you familiar was approved only from angels?"
"Yes, the four archangels."
"Gotcha. Then everything is clear. The Paragon must have received a decree from the heavens. Corruption, for the heavens is not only the corruption of the soul, but also black magic: mainly necromancy and curses."
"Then what is that grey circle? I assume purple is for curse since her mark was the same color and black for necromancy, no?"
"Grey is for mind magic and as you can see, the paragon shows interest, but not hunger. Maybe, under the correct circumstances, they can feed on mind magic as well. This is actually interesting, we should find a mind mage sometimes in the future."
"Sure, but can you answer my question now? Is it normal for slavery to work with curses?"
"No."
My blood started to boil again. There was something I could do then. Not a solution to slavery as a whole, but I could work with this.
"Let's go together this time, I actually want to see who has the galls to use curses to make slaves, and why the queen isn't doing anything about it."
"You don't think she's… working with them?"
"Of course she is, she knows everything happening here, doesn't she?"
"What is my mother doing? And why ar è you hugging a little girl?"
Hali and Odysseus entered the greenhouse, but all I could see was the mental image of Odysseus holding chains to the necks of innocent people and my rage flared.
It was clear. The air around me was heavy and for once I was thankful to Merlin for the tea that knocked out the little princess in my arms.
"Your mother, is doing nothing wrong. At least to both of your standards. And this little princess, is the consequence of such actions."
"Dimitris, could you please tell me what have I done wrong? Why are you so cold?"
I was done. I didn't have it me to stay and explain what was wrong. That what they all were doing was basically stripping people of their humanity, so I just turned towards Merlin.
"Can we go? I want to take care of this matter as soon as possible and leave."
He looked at me and then pointed at the girl I was carrying.
"Is she coming?"
I glared at him, where should I have left the girl? What if she woke up and didn't find me? I didn't want anymore trouble for her.
"Do you suggest I leave her with those slave traders?"
"Point taken, she won't wake up either way for at least 8 hours."
I then grabbed Merlin hand and waited for him to bring us out, which he did only after taking a jab at Odysseus and Hali.
"It seems I'm the favourite now! Hahahahaha!"
Our figures dirappeared on a wake of petals only to appear far from the ship.
"I thought this spell can only move based on your field of vision."
"Dimitris, have you forgotten my authority?"
Present.
"Of course, now let's move to that village."
We made our way, this time running, or flying in Merlin's case, leaving behind a confused Hali and a terrified Odysseus, questioning their entire life choices and what they could have possibly done to warrant my wrath.
_____________________
After only 5 minutes of running we were near the village and things were not only weird, but weirdly well organised.
The place was extremely clean for a slave trade and possible black market, but what was giving me shivers was the sheer amount of curse energy I could feel all around.
"It seems there's plenty of slaves and they really are under a cursed skill."
"Were you doubting me?"
"Not really, I'm doubting the Queen. Where is she by the way?"
He remembered I had left a part of the paragon with her, but believing we were to far for contact with my familiar I didn't check until now.
"Oh."
"She's here right?"
"She is."
______________________
-Odysseus' POV-
A consequence of doing nothing wrong?
I was at a loss. Nothing made sense, I more or less understood there was something related to slavery since that was the moment he started to get cold and quite literally disappeared.
"Hali, let's go to your mother, maybe she has some insight on what's wrong with Dimitris…"
"I hate to say it, but sure let's go talk to my mother."
We didn't waste anymore time. Dimitris was clearly a ticking bomb ready to explode at any given moment, and with Merlin by his side, enabling any kind of destructive behaviour just for fun, there was a real risk of war on the horizon.
The walk was short, but filled with anxiety on both of us part, especially when the moment our destination was in sight, 9 maids were waiting in front of the palace for us.
"Princess, you should not be seen with a man at this hour, it will reflect badly on your image."
"Don't give me that shit and bring us to my mother, we need to urgently talk with her."
The maids didn't flinch at her order, they clearly had taken a side. And that side was not Hali's.
"Tonight, her majesty, is out for important duties related to the wellbeing of the kingdom. We shall not interfere."
"How dare you refuse my order! Tell us where the Queen is, this instant."
The maids shook their heads and started to giggle. Clearly unimpressed with Hali, so I decided to step in.
"Am I to assume you refuse a king's order?"
"We only serve her majesty, king Odysseus."
At that point Hali couldn't bear it anymore and just rushed inside the palace, or at least she tried.
"We are afraid that these men have had bad influence on you, your highness. Allow us to cleanse those bad behaviour."
That sounded amusing imeven for me.
"A maid dares disrespect a king with such ease? That really tells the tales of the kingdom."
Those nine bitches frowned at me words, but put up a smile nonetheless.
"Absolutely not, your majesty. We merely have different traditions."
"That we do."
I turned and made my move to leave but then I remembered Hali was still in one of the maid's clutches.
I flicked my fingers and a wind blade cut straight through her arms. Cleanly removing them and Hali rushed to my side.
"HOW DARE YOU ATTACK HER MAJESTY'S ATTENDATS!?"
I chuckled a little, this bitches had way too much leeway.
"Attack? I was merely responding to your kindness with the ways of my kingdom."
Their faces paled and two of the rude bastards rushed to stop the blood from the injured maid. I didn't give a fuck and continued my walk away.
That was until the sky grew extremely clouded. A tempest seemed to be on its way, a terrible tempest.
But how was it possible?
Sure we were still in winter, but we never had such weather this time of the year.
A moment later, thunder started to rumble violently, like drums in the sky trying to wake up even the earth itself.
This was not a natural occurrence. This was a reaction.
A reaction I had already seen.
"FUCK. FUCK, WE'RE LATE."
And Hali was familiar with this reaction as well.
Nature was howling in pain and anger. And it was ready to eat this island entirely.
"Hali we need to stop him. Whatever happens, if he hurts civilians there's a risk of war."
"You are afraid of that? Odysseus, look carefully."
I focused my Archana in my eyes fo better see what was going on.
And I was barely able to make up the image. But I could hear loud and clear what was going on.
The Paragon was feasting, but the sound that echoed in my mind was one and one only.
Deep, desperate crying.
Children were crying and they were all focused on a single place surrounded by the Paragon.
And after some time, the world seemed to come at a standstill.
A deafening silence was dominating the area, until the moon appeared.