Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 463: Lior

”Last question, what is your name?” Finch asked calmly.

The Emovira fell silent for a moment, its expression unreadable, before it finally spoke. ”You may call me Lior,” it said, its voice flat and calm, carrying neither pride nor hesitation. ”We Emovira pick and choose our own names when we reach Rank Five, though some of us do not bother naming themselves at all,” it explained evenly, as though the matter were of little importance.

”I’m Finch. Whale Finch,” Finch stated, partly because the Emovira had been calling him Human the entire time, and partly because he felt it was only proper to return the courtesy of a name. Up until now, he had also simply been calling the being Emovira, and the exchange felt oddly formal despite the simplicity of it.

With the exchange of names complete, Finch turned on his heel and began heading toward the door that led back to this chamber, the same passage through which he had entered the cavern in the first place. After walking for a while, he finally emerged from the cavern. By then, darkness had begun to creep across the land, the sun dipping low beyond the horizon as though it were retiring for the day.

Finch paused and lifted his gaze to the sky, watching the gradual shift of colors as daylight faded. His eyes caught sight of a bird soaring freely above, its silhouette briefly framed against the dying light. Without much thought, instinct guiding him more than reason, Finch simply shapeshifted into it. His form shrank rapidly, bones lightening, flesh reforming, until he became a small black bird no bigger than a dove.

Excitement surged through him as he instinctively leapt upward, flapping his newly formed black wings. The thought of flying sent a thrill coursing through his entire being. However, the moment he left the ground, reality struck harshly.

Gravity plummeted him downward mercilessly.

Finch, still in his bird form, crashed into the earth below with an undignified thud. ”Urgh, what happened?” he groaned, his voice emerging in a strange, high-pitched chirp as he shook his body in discomfort.

”What do you think?” Lior’s voice came from the side. He, too, had shapeshifted into a bird, yet unlike Finch, he was hovering effortlessly in the air, wings moving with perfect precision and ease. ”You are a human, not a bird. You don’t seriously think you can simply transform into one and suddenly start flying, do you?” His tone was faintly playful, almost mocking, as though Finch had overlooked something painfully obvious.

”So I have to learn how to fly?” Finch asked rhetorically, frustration clear in his voice. To him, this realization felt like a significant disadvantage. By that logic, he would have to learn the mechanics of every single creature he transformed into.

”Even birds have to learn how to fly,” Lior replied calmly as he descended and landed beside Finch. ”Let alone you, who is merely imitating them.” He tilted his head slightly before adding, ”Don’t overthink it. You’ll get the hang of it in a few minutes.”

After giving Finch a few basic instructions, how to balance his wings, how to feel the air currents, how to trust instinct over logic, Finch tried again. Slowly, awkwardly, he began flapping his small black wings. This time, instead of crashing immediately, he managed to lift himself into the air.

His flight was unsteady at first, clumsy and uneven, but just as Lior had said, Finch adapted quickly. Within minutes, his movements became smoother, more natural, and the sky no longer felt like an enemy trying to cast him down.

Finch circled through the air for a few minutes, exhilaration flooding his senses, before suddenly shooting forward toward the Whale Barony. He flew high above the city’s towering walls, the wind rushing past him as Lior followed closely behind.

Upon entering the Whale Estate, Finch landed lightly on a particular tree before shifting back into his human form. Although he could have flown directly into his room while remaining in bird form, he did not dare to. He knew full well that the moment he approached the estate windows as an unidentified creature, an arrow would likely impale him, fired without hesitation by a guard or Knight on duty.

Returning to his human form, Finch stepped out into the open and leapt effortlessly through his window, this time without fear of being shot. Lior, who had remained invisible throughout the entire process, appeared shortly afterward. He immediately took on a human form, not daring to reveal his true Emovira appearance.

With his shapeshifting ability, Lior could transform into nearly anyone, and as a Rank Five Emovira, he could also suppress the Serenity his kind naturally emitted. This allowed him to blend seamlessly among humans whenever he wished.

Finch’s eyes shifted toward Lior as he spoke. ”I hope whoever you’re impersonating isn’t well known,” he said calmly. ”Otherwise, this will turn into a headache.”

”Don’t worry,” Lior replied without a change in expression. ”It was an adventurer, a human I killed when I was still Rank Four.”

Finch did not respond, nor did he question him further. Humans killed humans. Humans killed Emovira. Humans killed beast. Humans killed monsters. He was not naive enough to suddenly question Lior about why he had killed someone. He could already guess that the owner of the current form had likely attempted to tame him and failed due to his own weakness.

Just because positive Emovirae were calm and peaceful did not mean all of them desired subjugation. Some simply wished to exist alone, undisturbed, doing absolutely nothing.

”You seem like a rich boy,” Lior commented as he walked around the room, examining Finch’s belongings with curiosity.

”I’m the son of a Baron, the Lord of this territory,” Finch explained as he climbed onto his bed and lay back, exhaustion finally catching up to him. Today had been a hectic day, and besides, he would be returning to Star Academy tomorrow.

”I see...” Lior said quietly. He already knew of the Whale human settlement, having observed it from afar several times. As a positive Emovira, he had no interest in causing chaos or attacking. He simply observed whenever he passed through the area during his walks.

”Since this is my first time inside a human settlement,” Lior continued, ”why don’t you at least show me around your house?”

Finch sighed softly. He knew he could not refuse. And so, for over an hour, Finch introduced Lior to human customs, terms, and everyday objects. Lior absorbed everything effortlessly, his mind sharp and inquisitive.

Eventually, darkness fully descended upon the world of Crymora. Finch finally returned to his room, preparing to sleep early. Tomorrow, he would once again be saying goodbye to his family.