Great Figures (Part 2)

"I have, unfortunately Ruby assured us that we could not put our hands on him," says Barbatos with great regret in his voice.

The two Nahemah unleash a unisom rage snitch when they hear the word 'Ruby'.

"I have a deadly hatred for that damn red-haired vampire," says the blackhaired one.

"Next time I find her I'll be sure to rip her head off" completes the gray-haired one.

Their reactions were synchronized, to be exact the right one was to use the word 'mirrored', because they seemed to be a reflection of each other.

"You will have a chance in the future" speaks Asmodeus. "At the moment we have more important matters to deal with. "Then his gaze turns towards Beelzebub and Artern. "And you two? What was decided? "

"Don't expect collaboration from the rest of my race," says Artern, it seems he's always smiling.

"The same on my side, they will remain neutral, at least for the time being" answers Beelzebub.

Asmodeus, after hearing the answers to his question, walks to the smallest of the duo, then lowers himself face to face.

"I hope you do the right thing this time," he says, his gaze seemed to be fixed in his listener's eyes, but unlike other people he did not seem to be affected.

"And if I were you... "takes one small step, almost touching his face on the helmet of the demon king. "I'd be more careful, last time we know very well what happened. "Beelzebub spoke smiling.

Artern, who was close to both of them, took a few steps back.

"We have more important things, remember Asmodeus? "Blackhaired Nahemah says.

"Put that fight aside, you can settle it later. "The second Nahemah ends.

The two of them get away from each other. The demon king walks towards me, Vlad, who was recovering, seeing this begins to shake again.

In a few moments I was face to face with the most important person in the whole demonic kingdom.

"Tell me your name. "He commands.

Her voice, hearing her more clearly at that moment, sounded somewhat nostalgic, and somehow made me calmer than I can describe properly. When he had entered the room, and he was completely black, his voice sounded like something frightening, he transmitted a sensation similar to Beelzebub's eyes.

"My name is Chloe" I answer with a little difficulty.

"I see. Nice to meet you," says Asmodeus.

He raised his hand towards me, despite the comfort he seemed to bring, I instinctively tried to get away, after all, the one in front of me was the strongest being in the whole continent.

"Relax, I won't hurt you. "Your voice calms me down, I feel more relaxed.

Your hand touches my head. I remember several moments in my life, I can see little flashbacks from when I was a child, then my adventurous ones, my vampire days with Lucio, the days I helped Wallace and Moura and finally Ioan. When Ioan's turn comes it seems that my memories get slower, before they seemed just several images, one after the other, very fast, but now it was slow. From the moment I first saw him in the forest until the day he left at the port.

"I see, his name is Ioan Ilie, apparently he's on his way to tot" says taking his hand off my head.

"Tot? "Artern seems to be the only one in that place who's had a reaction to the city's name.

"Is there anything important in this town? "Asmodeus asks.

"From what I heard, the ruler of this city is a human hero," says the angel.

"Interesting... "The demon king speaks.

He's silent for a while, then he walks up to both Nahemah and says something in his ear in his black hair.

" Copy that. "She speaks and then seems to fall apart in her own shadow, as if she were becoming part of it, then she speaks in the ear of the gray-haired one.

" Right now! "Just as her counterpart the woman merges with her own shadow and disappears.

Finally the devil turns again towards the others.

"It looks like things will get interesting in Tot," he says, a brief laugh can be heard.

After that statement Asmodeus, Barbatos and Beelzebub leave the room together.

"What will happen in Tot? "I ask Vlad.

"I think it will become a battlefield," answers the vampire with a smile on his face.

From how little I know him, I know he's in a good mood. I try to catch some more information from him, but he says he had something to do and withdraws from the salon, leaving just me and Artern in the big hall.

"Do you have any business with Tot? "Artern asks me.

She approaches me. We had talked some times before, but every time she came to me and started the conversation. Sometimes I see her talking to other vampires about some problems, she seemed as good as the stories told by humans.

"I have an old promise with a friend, stopping to think a long time ago, maybe she's not even there anymore" I answer her.

Artern stays quiet for a while.

"I don't think it's a problem," Artern says.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Let us summon the oracle," says the angel.

Before I could say anything Artern carries me to an empty room in the castle. I had seen her enter this room before, with Barbatos and Beelzebub, I thought there was something important, since only her and some other people were allowed to enter here. Even Beelzebub and Barbatos were forbidden to enter the place alone.

"So what is the oracle? "I ask by looking around.

The room seemed empty.

"He is an entity, we angels have been invoking them for thousands of years" explains.

"An entity? To invoke something like this just for me is... "I start talking, but I'm interrupted by it.

"Don't worry."

She takes a knife and makes a small cut in the palm of her hand. His blood drips on the ground, when this happens a golden circle appears on the ground, looking more closely can be noticed symbols, it was a magic circle that begins to shine.

"Look closely, it may be the only time you see a magic circle this powerful," says Artern.

Magic circles are part of ancient magic, used in the past to amplify power, but in time this technique was lost.

"Incredible, angels master ancient magic? "I ask.

"I wouldn't say dominate, but we know a few more things," answers the angel.

From the center of the circle comes a totally black figure, he sometimes has human form, sometimes a tiger, a bird, his form changes a lot, sometimes I see mythological animals, again things that I prefer not to say.

"Manifest yourself," says Artern.

It stops in human form, two circles that shine a white color appear in the places where I should have eyes, that attracts me, it is as if it is calling me.

"Come closer"

His voice was hoarse, he sounded like a very old person talking, I look at Artern.

"Don't worry, just go. "She talks to me.

I get close to the form, when I am at a distance of three meters I get paralyzed, he gets close by staying at my height, his form becomes that of a woman, in fact he assumes my form.

"Your future is very interesting my girl, unfortunately I can't tell you much about it, but I can tell you one thing."

His eyes are directly on mine, I also look directly without being able to divert my sight, it's as if I was looking at the thing I most wanted in the world, he was what I most wanted.

"If you follow the path you wish you will find four companions, all of you will have great importance in events to come."

The oracle begins to distance itself, but I raise my hand towards it, perhaps I can know more if I follow it, when I am close to touching it Artern holds my hand.

"If you touch your existence you will be erased," says Artern.

The circle begins to shine and the oracle begins to disappear, I try to go towards it, but Artern holds me.

When he disappears I fall to the ground, the urge to go after him still affects me, but now I am more aware of myself, he said four companions? I can think of Maria, Ioan and... Joe, but only those three, maybe the fourth was Lucio? Although I never considered him a companion, to me he was something of a keeper.

Several questions come to my mind, but there is something more important, I need to prepare .

"Artern, the angels master the magic of light, right? "I ask Artern

I end up talking a little fast and in a hurry, Artern even gets scared.

"Yes, of course. "She answers.

"Can you teach me light magic? "I ask.

She keeps quiet for a while, maybe it's too weird for a vampire to ask to master the magic of light? Or maybe she doesn't want to teach for fear of what I might do with that power?

"I teach" says Artern.

"Really? "I speak in amazement.

"I will be your teacher.

That will be my first step.

"Apparently watching you will be very interesting fufufu. "