Badump Badump
Those were the only sounds Dante could hear: the heartbeat of the beauty he held in his arms.
He was calm for the first time after coming back to life; he had succeeded once again. She's mine. It was a different sense of conquest, similar to the feeling he remembered when he kissed Nagasawa years ago.
Despite missing all of them, this feeling was different now. He held the blonde woman in his arms as she peacefully slept. He didn't want to let her go for anything, but unfortunately, his time had come to an end.
Putting her back on the couch, she felt uncomfortable and began to groan as she turned, slowly opening her eyes, and the light hit them, fully awakening her. Dante was reverting to Ziriel; unfortunately, time was up.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Ziriel said as she brushed her hand over the girl's forehead and lightly kissed the spot, causing her to blush softly.
"No... it's okay," she replied, calmly and gently, with a peaceful smile, as she got up and sat on the couch. She still remembered what had just happened a few hours ago. "What happened?" she questioned.
"My body is still unstable. I'm not sure how much I can disclose because of the guy upstairs, but let's just say I need more energy to keep myself in my true form," she said, sitting beside Velryna, who couldn't believe that the wonderful man from a few moments ago was this beautiful woman.
"What are we going to do? You don't seem to want me to give up," she said, feeling Ziriel's hand touch hers.
"How much do you know about Ethan's blessing?" Ziriel questioned. She already had important information, but there was something that didn't match with the current reality; Ethan hadn't been blessed for years.
"I don't know much, but I know the blessing gives him excessive regeneration to the point where he can heal an arm from scratch. He's also much stronger regarding his Lightning magic. Also... his Holy magic is kinda weird," she revealed.
"Weird? What do you mean?"
"It doesn't give me the same feeling as my father's. It's... kinda weird, actually. My father, when he used Holy magic, would leave me at peace. But when I feel my brother's magic... it's like it carries something dark."
"I asked God why he would bless a being like your brother, and he told me that your brother's blessing was removed six years ago, Velryna," Ziriel revealed, and Velryna quickly stood up.
"That's impossible! My brother clearly used Holy magic a few days ago right in front of me!" she said euphorically, looking into Ziriel's eyes. Both understood that neither of them was lying.
"Something's wrong. If that wasn't Holy magic... what is it?" she quickly questioned, but Ziriel had no answers for her. In fact, even Ziriel didn't know what to say.
"I don't know, but something's wrong. Something's very wrong," she said, her thoughts were in turmoil upon learning these facts. There was something very wrong, and her instinct told her it wasn't time to wait.
"Don't worry too much, Vel," Ziriel said, calling her by an affectionate nickname for the first time. She blushed slightly, not knowing what to say, and panicked.
Ziriel observed that scene and couldn't help but laugh softly. "Fufufufu, my Vel is so cute... it makes me want to keep you for myself," she said with a mischievous smile, drawing closer. Velryna closed her eyes, but nothing came except feeling Ziriel's breath close, and then, a... disappointing kiss on her forehead.
"B-but where are you going?" she stammered, seeing Ziriel ready to leave.
"I'm going to kill all the assassins who are watching you outside," Ziriel said, and Velryna's eyes widened.
"S-since when have they been there?" she questioned, and only Ziriel's smile was seen. "All along, but you know, my dear Vel..."
"If someone threatens something that is mine... the Whole World will pay." The words were so heavy that Velryna couldn't decide if that was good or not. The tone, the strength, the aura, the manner... everything made her tremble with fear, but at the same time, that gentle smile... was like a resting point.
Ziriel headed for the entrance of the palace, going straight to the main hall while the head in her hand continued to drip blood, not only hers, but those in the bag also began to drip blood onto the palace floor.
"Wait! What is this!" One of the guards quickly ran towards her, trying to stop her but..
BAK
A blow strong enough to pierce the guard's armor, hurling him away. Ziriel didn't care, she began to ascend the stairs as the blood drops began to stain the way.
"He thinks I'm joking." She said as she approached a room, with two guards protecting.
"Halt! Who are you?!" They shouted.
"Your death, if you don't open that door." She replied but they began to draw their swords.
They didn't even have time to react, they were strong knights... but what Ziriel had done to them, was surreal.
One of her hands was occupied so she delivered a double blow with her feet, using her motrix strength through her hips the kick was devastating.
The blow she delivered, sank their chest armor again at the same time, the blow was so strong that it sent them flying backward, bursting the door they were protecting.
When she saw the scene in full, she saw two people inside the Room.
One obviously, Ethan Smith, the biggest piece of trash of all time and the other... Axilen Yuruzen... Ziriel was lightly hypnotized by the woman but she quickly regained consciousness;
"Who are you!" She shouted, but Ziriel didn't give any credit to answer her, her problem wasn't with Axilen. "Stop immediately!" She said approaching and before she could do anything.
Axilen was thrown to the other side of the room, being thrown onto a couch.
"Stop!" Ethan yelled and the pressure in the room dropped, however Ziriel wasn't intimidated and turned to him with her dead gaze and...
Ethan fell to the floor.
He felt as if his whole body was about to break, to shatter, to destroy, something he felt only once in his entire life, something that... gave him the worst nightmares.
"S-stop!" He shouted and this time, everything stopped.
"Bow to address me, you shithead prince." Ziriel said looking deep into his eyes and seeing how shaken the Emperor was, she tossed the heads onto him, staining his entire figure.
"There, now it matches well," she said with a smile, and then "I am the Emperor! How dare you!" He shouted as he shook off the heads that hit his body.
"Fufufufufu," she began to laugh, "My emperor?" She questioned and turned to Ethan...
"I think you misunderstood, Ethan. You are not the Emperor, you're just the crown prince. Is your greed blinding you? Fufufu, an insolent worm like you who can barely lead your own knights wants to lead an Empire? You are just as I always knew, trash deserving of the most painful death possible." Ziriel's words began to penetrate Ethan's mind and for a second, he didn't see Ziriel anymore... but Dante.
"If any assassin gets near Velryna again, I will come back to you and I will erase your existence from this planet. I haven't done it yet because Velryna needs the Throne. Be wary, Crown Prince... You might stop breathing soon if you don't behave."