Supreme Magus

Chapter 1664 - Soul Feather (Part 2)

ʼIf I leave even a crumb behind, the Kingdom will appropriate it and I can kiss my loot goodbye.ʼ Lith thought.

ʼThatʼs not very patriotic of you, young man.ʼ Locrias scolded him. ʼIf not for everything that the Kingdom has done for you, you would still live in your backwater village.ʼ

ʼLocrias?ʼ Lith was flabbergasted.

While the rest of the Demons had disappeared after venting their anger and vanquishing the enemy at hand, Locrias had remained. His body was reduced to flickering shadow, but his will was as strong as ever.

ʼNice to meet you again, too.ʼ The Captain replied with a sneer. ʼI always knew you were a jackass, but this is too much. How can you worry about your loot instead of about your country and even forget about your partner?ʼ

ʼSolus!ʼ Lith suddenly remembered that she was still on the battlefield, pretending to be him.

ʼYeah, her.ʼ Locrias said. ʼThat poor girl risked her life for you and-ʼ

ʼShut up! I need to think.ʼ Lith sighed in relief when Syrookʼs corpse disappeared inside the pocket dimension and immediately opened a Warp Steps back to Solus.

ʼIʼm not done with you, young man, but I agree that this conversation can wait.ʼ Locriasʼ defiance reminded Lith of the reason why he had given up on the idea of creating higher undead.

There was no such a convenient thing as a being with free will who was also blindly loyal for no good reason.

ʼIʼm sorry for taking so long. How do you feel?ʼ Lith said via the mind link.

ʼLike crap. Thank you for asking.ʼ Her legs had already started to disappear, making it impossible for Solus to stand up. ʼThe pain is unbearable. Please, get your ass back inside this armor as soon as possible and me inside my ring.ʼ

ʼOn it.ʼ Lith took her on his hand.

”Stop right there!” Lith recognized Captain Emanʼs voice and admired him for his bravery. ”Where are you taking Major Verhen?”

Eman and the other soldiers had come to help as soon as they had stabilized the condition of the wounded. They had barely any strength left, their equipment was almost depowered, and their spells would amount to a mosquito bite and they knew it.

Yet they stood against the Tiamat as if he needed more than lifting his foot to squash them like bugs.

”Verhen needs urgent treatment. After that, we must discuss how to share the Dragonʼs corpse.” In that form, Lithʼs voice sounded like a howl coming from an abyss that somehow had learned how to form words.

”Thereʼs nothing to discuss.” Eman didnʼt budge. ”Youʼll take half of it and the Kingdom will take the other half.”

”Half?” The Tiamat laughed, sending a shiver down the spine of those who heard it, no matter the distance. ”Then I demand also half of the items that the human and the undead wore.”

”Quaron is Major Verhenʼs kill, not yours.”

”I can say the same about the Dragon.” Lith snarled.

”As for the undeadʼs equipment, we are grateful for your assistance, but it didnʼt belong to the Dragon. It was stolen from the Kingdom and if you take even a single piece, youʼd become a criminal as well.” Eman said.

Lith admired his guts and loyalty, wishing that his Demons were all like him.

ʼYou wish.ʼ Locrias scoffed. ʼPeople like me and that lad took an oath because we believe in a cause, not to become puppets.ʼ

The Tiamatʼs seven eyes brimmed with fury and greed at the thought of losing even a single scale of the Dragon.

ʼPlease, I need help.ʼ Solus said, making his anger fade.

Lith Blinked high in the sky and then he flew away. Solus promptly returned inside her ring and her pain stopped.

ʼI need time to recover, maybe even a mana geyser.ʼ She said.

ʼWhatʼs that?ʼ Locrias asked.

ʼSeriously, why are you still here?ʼ Lith checked War and noticed how desperately the Captain clung to the strands of mana he had left.

ʼIʼm not ready to move on.ʼ The Captain sighed. ʼI canʼt just die while the Kingdom is sieged by people like Thrud or the undead. On top of that, I canʼt forgive the Balkor copycat.

ʼThat bastard took everything from me, killed a lot of good people, and yet they are still somewhere, enjoying life. Before I go, I want to see them dead.ʼ

ʼThat makes the two of us.ʼ Lith replied. ʼYet I still donʼt understand what you want from me. Iʼm not going to keep a Demon always active just for you. It takes too much energy and it would drive you insane.ʼ

ʼIʼm not asking anything from you, Iʼm offering you my help.ʼ Locrias replied.

His body was made of Lithʼs mana and because of that forming a proper mind link came to him as natural as breathing.

Locrias showed Lith how the Demons rarely worked together, each one only focused on venting the anger or resentment that still bound them to the world of the living. He also revealed to Lith that Demons inherited his knowledge, making them able to use most of his spells.

Yet the majority of them hadnʼt been mages in life so they stuck to what they knew or used their powers clumsily. On top of that, the fact that they shared the same energy signature made them immune to each otherʼs spells and created countless tactical advantages.

ʼI see what you mean.ʼ Lith nodded. ʼIʼm already working on giving my Demons some leaders but I could use more than two. I donʼt care how you do it. You can stick around me as long as you promise to keep my secrets.ʼ

ʼDonʼt worry, kid.ʼ Locrias replied. ʼI wonʼt share your secrets with anyone just like I wonʼt share the secrets of the Kingdom with you. Itʼs a fair deal.ʼ

ʼWait, what secrets is the Kingdom keeping from me?ʼ

Locrias ignored Lithʼs words and let go of the energy that comprised the last spark of his Demon form. The shadow disappeared, leaving behind a small sphere of light the size of an apple.

Lith expected it to dart toward the sky, like it always happened when a soul moved on, yet Locriasʼ sphere of light charged at the Tiamat instead. Or better, at his only feathered wing.

The red veins on one of them turned from a random pattern to a rune that closely reminded Lith that of Locriasʼ communication amulet. Lith and Solus could sense the presence of the Captain within the feather and tried to talk to him, yet instead of words came visions.

Locrias was at peace, in a state similar to a deep slumber where he re-experienced the happiest and the saddest moments of his life. The former dreams reminded him of what he was fighting for and kept him from becoming insane.

The latter nightmares reminded him of what he was fighting against and rekindled the flames of hate that kept him bound to Lith.

ʼI guess this explains what my feathers are for. Each one of them can store one soul.ʼ Lith pondered.

ʼIʼm sad for Locrias.ʼ Solus said. ʼThe dreams give him the illusion of being still alive and of going back to his family.. Once he wakes up, the pain will blind him.ʼ