True Magician (FatexDxD)

Rondel.

I sat on the chair I had created and crossed my arms over my chest, looking at my surroundings. Five of the monsters were dead, and their pierced bodies were slowly bleeding black as pitch, further beautifying my surroundings.

Still the same hall, still the same torchlight, still the same stone walls. And still the same shackled Anma that still hung on the wall. He looked better now than he had when I arrived here.

A little magic and Anma would be healthy as an ox, but I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. Why? The symbols on the walls around here were similar to what I'd seen in the village, and most importantly, this silhouette in a cloak called Anma 'brother'. In addition, I was unable to find him even by using 3rd magic to its fullest.

Interestingly enough, when that cloak spoke, but it didn't lie. I just didn't detect a single bit of lying. Interesting since his aura was definitely embittered, which basically fit with his actions. He only sicced his subordinates on me when he saw my attempt to shackle him. And I didn't feel any hostility myself.

This raises not just questions, but "questions." And so of course I want to figure out what this is all about, and why I feel like I'm dancing to someone else's tune.

The hovering Anma also looked forward, making our gazes meet and uninterrupted. I'm not going to do anything until I get answers, and he'll hang here for the rest of eternity because he can't do anything. I guess.

- So," I began, tapping my finger on my hand, "Is there anything you want to tell me?

Anma was silent, thinking about something. For a long time. I estimated it was about five minutes before he sighed and lowered his head.

- I...I apologize...god...wo-.

- You can stop with the 'god,'" I interrupted and clucked my tongue, "You're not an ordinary man. But a human, which is interesting. My chains are very strong, and they should have held that black cloak back until I let go of it myself. They should have, at least. He's not a god, because if he were three times stronger than me, he wouldn't be able to do it. And he's not human, because he can't do that. I could think of several other possibilities, but let's stick with one particular one... Spirit.

At that word, Anma froze in time for a moment, then took on a defeated look and gave me an apologetic look.

- Spirit. As you told me yourself, they could affect the landscape at will: moving mountains, boiling seas, and things like that. That means they are an extension of nature itself, for it listens to them. Why did I decide that this cloak was a spirit? Because the chains I used are based on the concept of earth and life. And who can be an extension of earth and carry life? - I waved it away, intensifying my gaze.

- Spirits.

- That's right! A prize for this extraordinary man! - I clapped my hands together, feigning joy, and then pulled a stoic expression back on my face - But you go on, I'm listening attentively.

Then the silence resumed, but I didn't rush it. I needed to make it clear that I wasn't leaving here until I got answers. There went five minutes, ten, thirty. But nothing was happening. The smell of blood and rot no longer bothered me as much as the atmosphere of the place. Hanging corpses and blood? A scenery for a scare room, nothing more.

- Do you remember the legend I told you? - He finally began, to which I nodded briefly - It had details I'd hidden.

- Details.

- The spirit that gave life wasn't lost - it was sealed away. The gods that existed before those that exist now made this decision because they feared the power of this spirit. Empty unknown space, where there is no light of the sun, murmuring of water, blowing of the wind, singing of birds or voices of animals. Absolute emptiness.

He paused with a tired face.

- At first the spirit tried to humble itself and forgive the gods. He tried, but in time, that desire dissolved into the nothingness of the place where he was. The time there flowed imperceptibly, and the spirit itself did not know how long it had been in that place. Anger and despair drop by drop, grain by grain of sand, formed a whole ocean that drowned the spirit in itself and screamed for revenge. But the spirit did not give up, keeping the hope of its release. But one day, when the spirit's last light of hope was almost extinguished, in the midst of that void appeared... a man. He was not human, though he looked like one. Short gray hair, eyes the color of blood, and fangs that showed every time he smiled.

Huh? Reminded me of someone. Definitely.

- The hope within the spirit ignited and shone brighter than the sun itself on the clearest day, for after an eternity he saw someone. A living being whose true nature did not bother the spirit. The man politely said hello to the spirit and began talking to it on a variety of topics. The spirit was genuinely happy with the interaction, slightly but still draining the ocean of despair within him. The spirit didn't want this time to end, and so he continued the conversation as best he could.

Then Anma smiled a nostalgic smile.

- At one point the man made the spirit an offer, "I can get you out of this place, my friend, but the evil within you will destroy the world you return to." After those words, the spirit was torn from within, mulling over the offer. One part screamed for acceptance, the very part that wanted revenge. The other, the one that represented hope, begged for rejection.

He words paused to wet his throat with saliva.

- And seeing the state of the spirit, the man smiled and added something, "You can have your freedom, and the world will be saved if you do as I ask you." The spirit did not hesitate, for he had before him perhaps his only and last chance, and asked what he should do.

- And what did the bastard say to you?

- "Elevate to god the man I will meet on the day of the great tragedy. That's all you have to do."

My palm slapped my face very loudly.

What, why would Zelretch do something like that? What is his purpose? And why me? The questions became even more numerous than they had been before.

- The spirit immediately agreed. Whereupon he was blinded by the light that flashed from the man. And when the spirit opened his eyes, before him was a large woman who smiled at him with the warmest smile he had ever seen. And the spirit cried. He cried because he had finally escaped from his prison, because he could see the sunlight again, feel the breeze and smell life. Five years later, the spirit noticed something that horrified him. The ocean of hatred within him was gone. It could not disappear, for it was too vast and too deep. And...

- So it was him, huh? - I rubbed my temples, closing my eyes.

- Yes, you're right. He's something that's been building up inside me for an unknown amount of time. All my hatred and anger and despair. And he wishes death not only for the gods, but for those who believe in them. He wants this world to be pure and innocent and newborn again. After all, what marks the beginning of life if not death?

Aha. So much for my reason for coming here. Fucking local Gaia, but with her hands free. I'll have to deal with it, there's nothing I can do about it. There is one thing, however.

- But what does he want from you?

- It's..." Anma grimaced, "He's incomplete. The current gods are much weaker than those of my time, but still stronger than his current one. Only when the spirit of life is united will it regain its full power. And then no one will be able to resist it.

- Hmm... Then why not absorb you by force?

- Will. If my will is strong, I'll be able to weaken it greatly since it's my power too. And in that case, the current gods may well win. He wants to avoid risks, so he needs torture. To break me and then absorb me.

I clucked my tongue.

In the end gets, we have a life/death spirit that I can't find, but he can me. Or anyone, for that matter. Yeah... I'll have to think a bit about how to solve this one.

I snapped my fingers, causing the shackles to crumble to dust and Anma to be healthy and whole again, and threw the ring with the carved symbol of Solomon at him.

- I got what I wanted. Bye," I said, "When he reappears, the ring will let me know. For now, I'll send you to the others. I expect we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other.

- Good. Thank you. - He bowed, and then with a wave of his hand he disappeared, leaving only me in the torture chamber. Alive, I mean.

About Zelretch. I'll have to have a 'polite' chat with him about his actions. Making me a god? That sounds crazy to me.

Just as I was about to get up from my chair and leave, I heard footsteps behind me. A few seconds later, a magic circle lit up behind me, blocking the blow. And turning around, I saw a familiar gothic lolita trying to break through my circle, holding a huge black halberd in her hand.

- Gotcha! - She exclaimed, pressing down on her axe.

The next moment, a Japanese man in military uniform ran into the hall, followed by two elven women, a petite girl dressed in mage clothes, and some old woman. All in full battle readiness, besides.

- Rory! What's de- - wanted to say something Japanese, as looked around, then grinned in disgust and directed his gaze at the lolita - Why are you beating the air?

I clucked my tongue and dispelled the effects of magic on their minds for the god only knows how many times, and then they all looked straight at me. The shock that the Japanese, and not only them, felt when they saw my figure could rival the brightness of a star in its intensity.

- What are you doing here?! Is it you, King Solomon?! Or is it you, Goetia?!

A nagging headache pierced my head from the realization of what was about to happen.

I should have left right away, huh?

-0-

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