Song of Death (6)

Scarlet tried to get up and grab Des from the air. Unfortunately, she still felt weak and couldn't even manage to sit up properly. She sighed and said, "Shortened how much?"

Des smiled, "You have three years left to live. Plenty of time to push back Zoria and what-not."

Scarlet felt hatred and anger surge within her, "What? THREE YEARS? What happened to you serving me for a decade? Doing no harm to me?"

Des replied, "Well... I mean technically I gave you power that many in Trumoris would gladly sacrifice kingdoms for."

Scarlet laughed bitterly, "Is there no way to restore my lifespan?"

Des transformed back into a cat and lazily replied, "There is a medicine for everything in this world you know."

Scarlet quickly asked, "What is it? How do I get it?"

Des meowed, "Not telling you."

Scarlet felt resigned, "Why not?"

Des pointed at the cell cage with his paw, "You still haven't freed me yet."

Scarlet raised her bloody right palm up and asked, "That's because you always cause the conversation to go off topic! What am I even supposed to do now?"

Des licked his paws and glanced at Scarlet remarking, "Clean your hand."

Scarlet wiped her right hand on her pants leaving a red streak on it while she winced every time her right palm touched something. After most of the blood was gone, Scarlet's magic from her earring helped her wound heal at a speed visible to the eye.

All that was left were black scars with purple mana flowing through them that formed a detailed image, like a cruel painting. It was a withering black rose with purple mana circulating from its leaves to its roots that seemed to eventually fade under her skin.

Scarlet was at a loss for words, "What... is this?"

Des pointed at the cell walls of bone. "Place your palm on it."

Scarlet warily did what he asked and after she touched the wall, she felt the magic in the bones. It felt like putting your hands onto a rushing river where she felt the mana coursing through the dragon bones.

Des continued, "Do you feel it?"

Scarlet muttered under her breath, "Magic."

Des yawned, "Yup, what's left of Binglong's magic. Now then, try holding your earring."

Scarlet clutched at her dragon earring and she felt the magic inside the earring become much more condensed. Des noticed Scarlet's face filled with shock and said, "Feels like an ocean huh? The earring you are holding is basically representing everything in this prison and all the digested magic of the dead creatures in the other cells. Now then, can you feel what part of the earring the magic is leaking out from?"

Scarlet closed her eyes and felt a sort of map of the prison that she could visualize. She followed the flow of magic throughout the earring towards the dragon's mouth. "The mana is flowing out of the dragon's mouth."

Scarlet opened her eyes and saw that Des seemed shocked but he quickly recovered his neutral expression. He continued, "Well, time for me to teach you a fun trick. Think of the mark I made on your palm as a sort of prism of light. Instead of light, however, it can convert raw mana within you into death magic. So, on that note, draw some mana from the earring towards your palm and hold it towards my cell."