Nia'le and Tassa came to a sudden halt as they encountered a formidable barrier shrouded in thick fog. The obscurity made it difficult to discern the details, but amid the mist, they identified a girl – the one Ayamani had spoken of. Bound by a massive chain, she lay unconscious, ensnared by a potent sealing spell.
Despite her unconscious state, Nia'le persistently called out to her, hoping to rouse her from the enchanted slumber. Tassa, displaying a degree of skepticism, rolled her eyes at Nia'le's attempts and urged him to be more serious.
"I am serious, Tassa," Nia'le retorted.
Tassa, unconvinced, advised her to cease futile attempts. "Then stop calling an unconscious person, will ya!"
Defiantly, Nia'le explained, "I was just trying to let my voice resonate in her subconscious. Perhaps it could break through and awaken her."
Tassa, the pragmatist, dismissed her efforts, pointing out the futility of the attempt. "Your voice won't reach her; that chain is a sealing spell. It seems like this demon anticipated someone coming to rescue the girl. It's quite peculiar. Could this demon be related to time? Are there entities with dominion over time?"
"If he is, then it's useless to help this unfortunate girl. If that demon already knew what's gonna happen in the future, then he already set everything up, so we can't take his food away from him," Nia'le contemplated, a sense of defeat looming over the situation.
"We are already here, Nia'le! You're not planning to chicken out and leave her here, are you?" Tassa challenged, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
"Actually, I am," Nia'le confessed, surprising Tassa.
"Nia'le, shut your big mouth! Stand there and do something!" Tassa snapped angrily.
Rolling his eyes at Tassa's admonishment, Nia'le decided to playfully mimic a drunk person, dismissing the importance of the unconscious girl. "Who cares about her anyway," he nonchalantly remarked before leaning on the mysterious barrier.
Ignoring Tassa's warnings, Nia'le soon discovered the perilous nature of the barrier as it electrocuted him. Despite lacking a physical body, he felt the searing pain. Tassa rushed to his aid, expressing concern and asking if he was alright.
"The barrier can hurt you; I forgot to tell you about it. My demon expert friend, named Suman, warned me about it. He mentioned that it can be lethal to humans and also inflict pain on the soul of anything," Tassa explained, regret evident in his voice.
Feeling the consequences of her actions, while Nia'le was lying on ground, and murmured, "How could you sabotage me?"
"I'm so sorry, Nia'le," Tassa responded, realizing the unintentional harm caused by their lack of knowledge about the barrier's dangers.
"Don't worry; I'm just going to focus on being strong again," Nia'le reassured himself, determination in his eyes.
Tassa, however, cast doubt on the feasibility of Nia'le's plan. "It's not possible; the barrier contains a powerful spell, so I doubt it."
Undeterred, Nia'le attempted to gather his strength, but as predicted by Tassa, the barrier resisted his efforts. Frustrated, Nia'le eventually resigned himself to the situation, sitting behind a rock alongside Tassa, waiting for his strength to naturally return.
In this moment of respite, Nia'le turned the conversation towards demons, seeking insights from Tassa. Curious, he inquired about Tassa's encounters with demons and whether the demon named Ixartxist lived up to its terrifying reputation. Tassa, with a pensive expression, looked down and clasped the flowing fabric of her elegant gown before responding.
"I've met plenty of demons, to be honest. You've been to the Infinite Night, right? Every corner and every step is teeming with demons. Not the fallen ones, but the created ones. There are so many of them; you can't even count."
"The made one?" Nia'le asked.
"Yes, the made ones," Tassa confirmed. "You see, fallen demons can easily create apprentices or, more likely, minions. Sometimes they entice people to trade their lives for their desires, and other times they create them using their own bodies. They employ spells to bring these minions to life and utilize them to carry out their bidding."
Curiosity piqued, Nia'le continued his questioning. "What about the souls of the deceased? Do they reside in the Infinite Night?"
Tassa shook her head. "When you die, the Grim Reaper takes your soul to another dimension known only to them."
Nia'le pressed further, "So, those who are possessed by dead souls?"
"It's a deception," Tassa clarified. "When you die, your spirit departs from your body and this world. Demons may imitate the deceased and seek help, but their power is strongest in certain places and weakest in others."
"In which places are their powers strongest?" Nia'le inquired.
Tassa shrugged. "Why ask me? I'm not a demon. Perhaps you should ask Ayamani?"
Nia'le nodded in agreement. "Yeah, if he would listen. Anyway, Tassa, have you ever encountered Ixartxist?"
"No, I haven't. Xart warned me not to seek too much information about that demon. Otherwise, I might end up in big trouble where he can't save me anymore."
"Well, he's not even here. He actually abandoned you."
"No, he didn't!"
"Who is this Xart anyway? Is he family, a lover, or...?" Tassa's curiosity peaked, and then she suddenly blushed, placing both hands on her cheeks. "A lov... er, no... Well, he could be, but no. If he wanted to, is he going to, but NO! Nia'le, stop it!" Tassa exclaimed, waving her hands like a plastic in the wind. Nia'le rolled his eyes at her, unimpressed.
"What an insignificant answer of yours!" Tassa got angry, pointing her finger at him. "Let me get straight to you, Nia'le. You are the one who asked me about who my Xart is! Not me!" She angrily retorted.
"Yeah, but you don't need to act like a total moron or something."
"Moron?"
"Yeah, it means a dumb person," Nia'le explained.
Tassa folded her arms and snorted, "Who asked you anyway?"
As Nia'le tried to stand up, he grasped onto a rock, slowly regaining his strength. Casting a determined glance at Tassa, he declared that it was time to save the girl. However, Tassa attempted to halt his efforts, insisting that the massive barrier surrounding the girl was insurmountable. Unperturbed, Nia'le dismissed her concerns and confidently strode toward the barrier.
"Tassa, watch me," he said, a smug smile playing on his face. Retrieving something from his pocket, Nia'le prepared to place it on the barrier. Yet, Tassa intervened, questioning where he acquired such an item. Brushing off her inquiry, Nia'le shrugged off her hand and revealed that Ayamani had given it to him. "He entrusted this beautiful thing to me, and only to me. He told me to use it if there's a barrier because the demon who trapped the girl is very cunning. Plus, he also said it could work on any sealing spell and praised me by calling me a strong, cool guy."
Rolling her eyes, Tassa grabbed Nia'le's arm and guided him to the right spot to place the stone on the barrier. Confused, Nia'le asked where they were going, but Tassa remained silent until they reached their destination. Suddenly stopping, she pointed at a small hole that seemed like a keyhole, where the gem from Ayamani could be inserted to deactivate the barrier. Tassa instructed Nia'le to place the stone in it, ensuring that it would automatically deactivate the magical obstruction. Nia'le followed Tassa's instructions and placed the stone inside the hole, whispering the word Ayamani had told him to say. As he finished chanting, the stone began to absorb the barrier, sucking away its magical energy. However, the sudden release of the barrier's power caused Nia'le to be forcefully flung 20 meters away from his original position. The immense pressure overwhelmed him, and he couldn't withstand its force. "Woosh, so much for being cool and strong, I see." Tassa remarked, before immediately rushing to Nia'le's side.
Nia'le's vision became blurry, and he felt more pain than he had when he accidentally touched the electrified barrier. Despite the intense agony, he mustered the strength to sit up, even though his body ached too much. He looked at Tassa as she ran towards him, her hair waving in the air and the blue flower on her head falling to the ground. Tassa approached Nia'le with grace, her heels in one hand and her dress lifted in the other to prevent it from touching the ground. Concern evident in her eyes, she inquired, "Are you alright, strong cool guy?"
With a grimace, Nia'le rested his injured, bruised arm on his knee, maintaining a facade of stoicism. He retorted sharply, "Would you like me to hurl you 20 meters away and then inquire about your well-being, Tassa?"
Though Tassa extended her hand to assist him, Nia'le refrained from accepting it due to the excruciating pain coursing through his hand. Misinterpreting his reluctance, Tassa assumed he was resentful that Ayamani had shielded her by bestowing the stone upon Nia'le, causing him to bear the brunt of the barrier's force. Sensing the tension, she chose to remain silent, offering her quiet support.
Amidst the palpable silence, Nia'le found himself entranced by the stone Ayamani had entrusted him with. He held it in his palm, his gaze fixated, realizing the profound reasoning behind Ayamani's decision. It dawned on him that the immense power encapsulated within the stone would have been overwhelmingly detrimental to Tassa.
Nia'le, his body wracked with pain, half of it seemingly destroyed by the immense energy, remained stoic in the face of Tassa's concern. As she inquired about his recovery, he responded with an ominous silence, contemplating the gravity of the situation.
Tassa, attempting to alleviate the tension, offered apologies for the unintended consequences and urgently stressed the need to rescue someone and escape the time-distorted reality. However, Nia'le's response cut through the air like an icy gust. "I don't want to do it," he declared, the words landing with a weight that echoed through the tense atmosphere.
The room fell silent as Nia'le gulped, steeling himself for what lay ahead. Tassa, unable to comprehend his refusal, stood up to confront him. "What do you mean you don't want to do it?" she demanded, but Nia'le, avoiding eye contact, seemed resolute in his decision.
Tassa, resolute in her determination, confronted Nia'le, standing tall before him as he deliberately avoided meeting her gaze. With urgency in her voice, she pleaded, "Nia'le, we can't stay here. If we linger, Ixartxist will claim your soul, and who knows what he'll do to you!"
A single droplet fell, catching Nia'le's attention. Believing it to be the onset of rain, he looked up, only to find Tassa shedding tears in front of him.
"Tass—"
"Nia'le, we can't stay here any longer! I don't care if Ixartxist catches me or does anything to me. But I won't let anyone else die because of me. I won't allow it, not anymore." Tassa's grip on her dress tightened, her hands clasping and crumpling the fabric. "Nia'le!" she exclaimed, desperation lacing her voice. "I'll lose anyone, but not you. Please, I don't want to lose you."
In a moment of firm resolve, Nia'le proposed, "Then let's escape together."
Tassa, looking down at him, left her heel by his side as she took the stone. Turning away, she cast a glance at him from the corner of her eyes. "I thought I could count on you," Tassa's voice trembled with disappointment and hurt. "My first impression of you was right, but now my second impression disgusts me. Forget it, Nia'le. I don't care if Ixartxist captures you. You're not worthy at all." Her words cut through the air like a sharp blade. "Ayamani was right about you. You're nothing but a coward."
Nia'le, sitting on the ground, watched as Tassa walked away towards the girl they needed to save. The weight of her words bore down on him, and he felt a surge of frustration and self-loathing. Unable to bear the numbness that consumed him, he clenched his fist and struck the ground, hoping to feel something, anything. But the sensation eluded him, and his hand began to bleed.
Tears streamed down Nia'le's face as he cried out in anguish, his teeth gritted in pain and frustration. In the midst of his torment, he whispered apologies into the wind, seeking solace in the emptiness around him.
Meanwhile, Tassa stood before the hole, her hand clenched tightly. She couldn't help but question Nia'le's lack of honesty. "Why can't you be honest with me, Nia'le?" she murmured, her voice filled with a mix of sadness and frustration. "Why didn't you just tell me what's wrong?"
Tassa, determined to take action, chanted a spell and carefully placed the stone on the large chain, replicating Nia'le's earlier feat. The potent energy of the heavy chain was absorbed into the stone, causing Tassa to be lifted off the ground. However, just before she could descend, Nia'le, despite his own physical struggles, miraculously caught her from a distance and gently landed them both on the ground.
Rather than being surprised by the impressive distance Nia'le covered to catch her, Tassa's shock was directed at the state of his tuxedo, nearly torn apart. Nia'le, attempting to hide his injured hands, hastily wrapped them with a piece of cloth. Despite his efforts, Tassa keenly observed the burn marks on his hands, prompting her to take the makeshift bandage and inspect it closely. Nia'le's attempt to conceal something beneath the cloth became apparent.
To her astonishment, Tassa discovered that Nia'le's hands and arms were completely burned. The severity of the injuries made it seemingly impossible for him to move them, yet he had defied the odds to catch her. Tassa's heart was heavy with guilt and confusion as she witnessed the decaying state of Nia'le's hand, a direct result of the intense burn inflicted by the sealing spell. Overwhelmed by the realization that her actions had inadvertently caused his suffering, she struggled to comprehend why he had endured so much pain. It was she who had unlocked the powerful protective spell that had been guarding the unconscious girl, and now she was faced with the devastating consequences.
Tassa's gaze lingered on Nia'le's decaying hand, the sight of it piercing her soul. The weight of her guilt bore down on her, and she found herself unable to hold back the flood of emotions. With tears streaming down her face, she embraced Nia'le tightly, seeking solace in their shared pain. Her tears were a mixture of remorse, empathy, and gratitude for his selfless act of saving her despite his own suffering.
In the midst of their embrace, Nia'le's weakened voice trembled as he explained the reason behind his immense pain. He revealed that before Tassa took the stone from him, he had managed to extract a small gem that was nestled in the center of it. It was this gem that absorbed and controlled the energy, while the stone served as a vessel. Nia'le had come to realize that the gem had the ability to absorb vast amounts of energy, but it required a strong and resilient holder. Without such a holder, the energy would consume and destroy them, as it had begun to do to his hand.
Nia'le's revelation shed light on the true nature of their mission and the sacrifices that were required.
Unbeknownst to Nia'le and Tassa, Ayamani had been harboring ulterior motives all along. While he entrusted Nia'le with the gem, it was not solely because Tassa was incapable of handling it. Ayamani had cunningly devised a plan to eliminate Nia'le in the treacherous realm of the Wring Righ, ensuring the safety of Tassa and the unconscious girl. Ayamani's unwavering dedication to Quart's well-being led him to make difficult decisions, regardless of the consequences.
As Nia'le's body began to decay, Ayamani observed with a mixture of surprise and amusement that he was still breathing, referring to him as a resilient "cockroach." Despite the near-destruction of half his body, Nia'le clung to life tenaciously. This unexpected turn of events forced Ayamani to reassess his plans and consider an alternative course of action.
Recognizing Nia'le's remarkable survival against all odds, Ayamani made a calculated decision. He chose to heal Nia'le's decaying body, using his formidable powers to reverse the damage inflicted by the sealing spell. With a wave of his hand, Ayamani restored Nia'le's physical form, ensuring that he would live to see another day.
In a surprising twist, Ayamani decided to bring all three of them back to the real world. His motivations remained shrouded in mystery, as he skillfully navigated the intricate web of his own agenda.