The dragon's harem

Chapter 345 Don’t Deal With The Devil

Nina walked out of the forest with Sara and Abel, seeing Aella standing in front of Aradʼs house with Roberta by her side. ”You already found her?”

”She was in the market, easy to catch.” Aella approached Nina with a smile. Puff! Zephyr appeared above her head, ”I sniffed her out from memories. Impressive, right?”

Nina tilted her head, staring at the strange creatures with an observing gaze, ”A spirit of the wilds, a pixie?” She knew them. Some of the forest barbarians worshipped them, but not her.

”Iʼm more than that!” Zephyr puffed her chest.

Nina approached, glaring at her, ”There is something strange about you. Youʼre strong.”

Zephyr started to sweat as Nina glared at her. Sheʼs dangerous at this close range. ”Forget about me! Arad needs help. That one better has found what we need.” She changed the subject, staring at Sara in the back.

”I did find the cursed metal, but there are some complications,” Sara replied with a worried face, looking around in search of Arad.

”Complication?” Zephyr stared at her, ”You fiendish devil, I bet you want a sweat contract.” Zephyr floated toward Saraʼs face, ”Speak! You want to control Arad. Make him your pet. Srenʼt you?”

Abel glared at the little thing, ”Nothing of the like. Move away from her, or I will pluck your wins like a chicken.” He growled.

Zephyr wiggled, ”Oh My, how could it be.” She flew around Abel and Sara, ”Two devils came to make contracts with Arad. Just how desperate are you? Let it be known. You wonʼt sneak anything behind my eyes!”

CRACK! Aella grabbed Zephyr in her fist, ”Get back here. Youʼre trouble on your own.” She stared at Sara and Abel, ”Sorry for her baseless accusations. Did you find the metal Arad was looking for? What are those complications?”

Sara sighed, ”Donʼt worry, sheʼs right after all.” She smiled, ”Most devils like us walk by contracts. Itʼs natural to assume we came for one since she doesnʼt know us.”

Aella stared at Zephyr, squeezing harder, ”This little girl knew about you. She shares some of my memories now. But forget her for now, the metal. What happened?”

”Short story,” Sara approached Aella, ”We knew the location. But have no way to mine it, let alone transport it.”

Roberta approached Aella, ”I was trying to find some artificers to make a golem to move it. But got nothing so far,”

”Magic doesnʼt work that well around it, so we had to improvise.” Sara looked at Aella, ”I have a plan, but a risky one.”

Abel stared at her, ”Sister, told thatʼs an insane plan. We would only die.”

Sara glared back at him, ”If we donʼt trust her. Then how are we, devils? I got the word of the mistress, and by her grace, we shall prevail.”

”NO!” Abel shouted, ”She isnʼt known for mercy. Trusting her would at worst kill us all, and at best kill everyone beside us. And binds us to the hells!”

”Abel, I know what am Iʼm doing.” She glared at him, ”It all depends on Aradʼs situation,” She pulled a tainted holy symbol from her pocket. It didnʼt take Aella a second to recognize it.

”The mistress of the nine hells, the devil lady Alice Asmodeus Furberg.” She stared at Sara, ”Donʼt tell me.”

Sara looked away, ”You might not like hearing it, but Iʼm a cleric to the mistress of the hells.”

Nina stared at Sara, ”I knew you had some holy magic about you, but why Asmodeus?” She stared at her, confused.

Asmodeus wasnʼt known for mercy, for not answering prayers. People knew she had both holy and curse powers, but not that she could grant them to people.

”The mistress of the hells isnʼt fond of getting prayed to,” Sara stared at Nina, ”Praying to her is an insult, and most get burned on the spot.” She stared at Aella, ”But, when I ran out of options, I tried my luck, asking her for a solution, but not help.”

Sara smiled, ”Guess what? I got a reply. Even cult leaders sacrificing thousands of people never got to hear her lordshipʼs voice, but I did.”

”Iʼm with Abelʼs mind. We shouldnʼt trust Asmodeus. Zephyrʼs words would come true,” Aella glared at her.

Lydia approached from the back, her arms crossed, ”I might not agree with the hells. But Iʼm in no spot to belittle another personʼs beliefs. As the will of the sun, mother earth, and the new birth, as is the will of the hells.”

Jack stared at Lydia, ”What nonsense is that?”

Lydia stared back at him, ”Albeit being a devil, Asmodeus is a deity. Sheʼs the jailer of the sinners in the hell. Thatʼs a job that must be taken.”

Sara nodded, ”She says that even gods are considered evil. Are there still gods that are necessary for the stability of the world? Lady Alice might be evil, but she would answer to hold the pride of the gods.”

Abel sighed in the back, ”I hate to admit it, but sheʼs right. Asmodeus will hold her part of the bargain, that is for certain. What I fear is the price. What will she take in return.”

Sara looked down, ”Lady Alice didnʼt state a price for her plan, only stated what should I do.” She looked at her holy symbol.

”What was the plan?” Nina stared at her.

”Me and brother are to open two portals to the first layer of hell. One here and one at the metalʼs location.” Sara stared at Lydia, ”Devils, by the ladyʼs orders, would lead a group of sinners to carry the metal through hell.”

Lydia nodded, ”Thatʼs too much,” She started approaching Sara, ”You do realize how dangerous opening a gate to hell is? And two on top of that?” She shook her head, ”A devilʼs trickery, your brother is right. Your hell lady would stab us in the back the moment the gates open.”

Eris approached them, ”Dancing with the devils, arenʼt we?” She smiled, walking in between them, covered in her black cloak. ”Asmodeus is merciless, unlike the red-eyed lady of death. She merely watches in silence,”

Lydia and Sara stared at her, ”What need we have with a god that doesnʼt answer prayers?”

Eris glared back at them, ”What Iʼm trying to say is that as real as miracles are, we shouldnʼt rely on them. Nothing is free, especially convenience.”

”Canʼt Merlin teleport it here? Sheʼs skilled,” Nina stared at them, ”Or she combines her magic with Ginger. Those two can create wonders.”

Thud! Thud! Footsteps approached from the forest, a woman pushing a man in a wheelchair, ”Magic isnʼt that simple. We canʼt mix it, not move that metal.”

Aella looked at them, ”Ginger, Alcott!” she rushed, ”I didnʼt have a chance to visit yet, but is Alcottʼs condition still bad?”

Ginger stared at Alcott with an angry smile, ”Let him suffer. The idiot thought it was a good idea to go out and fight a horde of ogres while recovering.” She grabbed Alcott by the head, squizzing him as he laughed.

”Sorry, I couldnʼt let the young adventuers die.” Alcott laughed.

Nina sighed, ”A group of ogres attacked. Alcott fought them while still recovering and got his condition worse. Weʼre still investigating it,”

”Is that so?” Aella stared at Alcott.

”Donʼt worry about me. I might look like this, but Iʼm well capable of beheading a dragon or two before kicking the bucket.” He smiled, ”And speaking of that, why donʼt we ask the man himself in question? Where is Arad?”

Aella nodded, ”Youʼre right, let me take you to him,”

Aella walked toward the house, and everyone followed her, ”Is he inside?” Sara asked with a puzzled face.

”Of course,” Aella stared back at her, ”What do you think?”

Jack shook his head, ”Aella, she canʼt sense him. His aura and magic have faded so much. Isnʼt that right?” He stared at Lydia.

”Speaking my words as if they were your own,” Lydia sighed, ”But thatʼs true, what you think is Aradʼs residual magic is his current aura.”

Abelʼs face paled, ”By the hell if that is true. He is either a corpse or close to it.”

”He shouldnʼt die,” Ginger growled, ”Not like this, not with his blood.”

Aella looked back at them, ”Letʼs say, heʼs about to grow,” She reached the basement door and turned toward everyone.

”Donʼt attack anything. Unless you want to get killed.” Aella knocked on the door, ”Open the door!”

”GOAGOBA!” A growl came from behind the door as it opened. A small goblin started at her, wiggling in place as he waved his hand, signaling them to enter.”

First was the goblin layer, then the Axols, and finally the ants where they were greeted by hundreds of A-rank giant ants, clicking the mandibles at the strange guests.

As Sara looked around, she noticed something. The ants didnʼt look at Jack or Alcott. They merely glared at the women with disgust. ”Those ants arenʼt welcoming,” She whispered to Aella.

Aella looked back with a smile, ”Itʼs their queen, sheʼs with Arad, and I bet you she wants no other woman around him.”

As they entered, they froze. Sleeping on a pile of glittering gold and countless gems, surrounded by a platoon of armed Kobolds and Royal guard giant ants. A withered, jet-black dragon slept with a massive ant probing on his side.

The dragon barely lifted his head, revealing a woman who sat between his arms. She was none other than Mira. The dragon glared at everyone. A fading flame flickered in his purple eyes.

”You have come,” The dragon said.

Sara froze in place. This dragon was Arad. She could see it, feel it, sense it. But, something was even more strange. He looked weak, felt weak, with no power, magic, or aura, but something kept screaming in her mind. Thatʼs a sleeping bear, one wrong move, and he would wake up enraged.