The room was now clean. The only thing left behind was the smell of blood, which in any case, wasn't super unusual for the prison anyway.
Seir watched as the bed floated back into place, bewilderment and caution flashing on her face before she fell into contemplation. Tear streaks still stained her face, but her vision was no longer blurred.
Even the panic that had settled in before seemed to fade as she watched various objects move around her.
Her dim thoughts were interrupted by a sensation of weightlessness as her body was lifted into the air, and Ephanuel's voice rang out among the light clattering and rustling noises around her, "Excuse me."
She soon realized that the burning paper had reached her position and looked on as it disappeared beneath her. She soon lost focus.
Seir's body was suspended in mid air as if her limbs were connected to strings like a puppet. Her legs slowly folded into a pretzel before her body was gently sat down on the floor. Sweat rolled down her temple as she was reminded of the type of being she had in front of her.
He then walked over and sat in front of her, looking around the now neatly arranged room before nodding in satisfaction.
Ephanuel didn't continue the theatrics, but watched her attentively, waiting patiently for an answer.
Seir didn't question his identity further either, but minded his time and went straight to her own request.
"I want to leave this place, and I want revenge." A somewhat twisted and desperate expression appeared on her face, which was unlike her previous self, "I can pay whatever price you give me, I just want this."
A burden lifted from her chest at that moment. Ephanuel was silent again, not lost in thought, but just watching her face.
He seemed to be looking at something interesting. As he watched her, thinking of an answer, she observed him as well.
Ephanuel was taller than most, and he seemed surrounded by a warm, somewhat frivolous air. He was a little too large for her small cell, which was perfect for one person, but not good enough for two. He somewhat shrank down in his position to meet her gaze.
"And then?" His voice was somewhat of a slithering one, but it had a nice timbre.
"And then nothing." She whispered back.
They were crouched together like two elementary school kids sharing snacks. In any other situation, she might laugh at their position even. But the man in front of her was, in fact, a demon.
"Let me clarify for you. I can bring down kingdoms, and I can make you the richest woman on the planet, and you want to leave this place only for a petty revenge plot?"
"That's exactly what I need."
Seir felt the soul she had been unknowingly been wrestling with settle inside of her body.
"I want to storm the Imperial Palace's Judicial Branch. And then I'd like to leave for another safe zone."
The memories seemed to completely fuse. Seir's clan was gone.
She was the last seer of the Chepard.
Ephanuel's eyes changed as if seeing something transforming in front of him, like a chick breaking out of an egg, before her placed his hands on the sides of her face the tips of his fingers against her ears.
She flinched at the sudden contact.
"Then I will see what you mean."
Ephanuel closed his eyes, his hands still in the same position.
Familiar static noises of information transfers sounded in Seir's ears.
His brows furrowed in confusion. The room behind him, Seir saw, contorted into strange shapes and writhed. Her eyes then averted towards the floor.
Ephanuel, after a few minutes, sat back at an appropriate position. After a moment of contemplation, he licked his lips and scratched the side of his mouth.
"I'm a bit thirsty."
Seir's instinctive response was to stand and grab a cup of water for him, letting him think a bit more.
The faucet ran, and he watched her back, eyes narrowing in satisfaction, like a cat with a fish in it's mouth.
She came back and sat down in front of him, handing him the cup.
Ephanuel took a sip, savoring the non-existent flavor for a moment, "How could I possibly charge you for such a small favor?"
Seir blurted out, "I'll give you this life, just help me get what I need."
His dark curved upwards as a smile graced his lips, "No, I mean, that I must do this small thing for free."
"You can take a finger or an eye, Ephauel—"
"Please, call me Ephan. You and I will be seeing each other for a while now, at least until you pass on, so to speak, then I will be released back into the abyss, never to be seen again. No need to bee too formal."
"Then... Ephan. Thank you very much." In any case, why argue with a demon who's doing you a favor?
Ephan then straightened his posture, "Before we go, I need a day to recuperate and process the information you gave me. We can immediately go and storm the branch tomorrow night. How does that sound?"
Seir was taken aback. Weren't demons supposed to be stronger than this? Couldn't they just leave tonight?
"I also need to investigate the inner parts of the palace. I'll be sending a scout out."
A small mouse appeared in the palm of his right hand. He covered it with his left, and it disappeared like a card trick.
Seir nodded her head, "It's fine." In any case, she had no choice but to agree.
He then stood up and lay on the bed as if he owned it.
Hahh. Hahh.
A sigh escaped from Ephanuel and Seir's lips at the same time. One in comfort, and one thinking of the loss of her bed tonight.
Seir moved to the cupboard and grabbed an extra pillow. She didn't bother to clean herself before laying on the floor and curling up. She was completely exhausted, and didn't have the courage to ask the demon for her bed back.
In any case, at least her floor was covered in carpet. The only thing she told Ephan to do was stay hidden if people came.
Then, she slept.