Outside World
[10 April 774/Present Day]
"I'M GOING TO KILL BOTH OF YOU!"
Althea screams while bringing her hands facing up towards them.
But before Althea could even strike them with all her strength and mana she poured in, Azrael immediately took advantage of his nails and hands that turned into demon-like.
Both of them use their incredible speed to charge at each other.
(Killing us?)
It was just like when Althea stabbed Dorothy and Azrael mercilessly in the stomach, Azrael was going to do the same thing to Althea with his demon-like hand.
(I'm the one who's going to kill you, Althea!)
Before they could meet at the center of the battlefield, his speed successfully overpowered her as he immediately closed the gap between them.
When the gap was close enough, he immediately struck her in the stomach with his bare hand.
(You were just bluffing, did you?)
The blood that was previously rushing in her vein suddenly went off course as her blood splashed into Azrael's face that mercilessly had the intention of killing her.
Althea, who felt that, felt pain all over the body with her hand slightly move closer to her stomach while feeling the blood rush out from inside.
She could only gaze at the blood splatter on the ground as she coughed up more warm, thick blood from her inside.
Azrael, who only stared at her with an uninteresting gaze, releases his hand from her body as Althea begins losing her balance and falls back to the ground.
Azrael turned back from his demon to his original form, which looked like a normal human.
"Sorry Althea, I think killing you is 'our' salvation."
He harshly exclaimed while also mentioning the word 'our' as it represents himself and Dorothy.
Althea laid down on the ground weakly as she could only look at the ceiling that was slightly cracked because of their short fight.
She stared at it for a while, then slowly formed a small smile with her eyes still opened by the peaceful sight as Azrael slowly left the area and walked back to Dorothy.
-
Azrael began carrying Dorothy with all his might while trying to climb up to the seventh floor.
After many steps of limping because his legs weren't fully healed, he finally reached the seventh floor and found the two underlings standing not far.
Cristo and Selene, who were waiting for their return, immediately widened their eyes when they saw Azrael and Dorothy's sudden appearance on the highest floor.
Cristo was shocked to see Dorothy's condition that was bleeding on her stomach and that the wound was also the same as Azrael's.
Cristo hurriedly runs towards them with a worried expression.
"W-what the hell happened to Master!?"
He asked frantically while looking at Dorothy who didn't budge nor did she open her eyes.
Azrael sighed deeply at the underling's scared and worried expression.
"Don't worry kid. Your Master is fine. At least be more considerate of my condition that is carrying her even though I'm injured."
Azrael jokingly exclaimed.
When hearing his explanation, Cristo only plastered a frown at Azrael's action.
It also has to consider that Cristo already realizes that Azrael and his relationship is not really a friendly one.
Since Azrael's betrayal from earlier.
Azrael's slight smirk expression faded into an exhausting one as he starts to run out of breath and starts to lose the balance of his body.
Before Azrael could collapse to the ground, Cristo and Selene both immediately aid him with Cristo holding Dorothy from falling and Selene holding onto Azrael's hand to keep balance.
"Sir Azrael, are you alright?"
Selene asked with a soft tone while looking at his messed up self.
"... I'm fine. Just let Dorothy hold the necklace so all of us can immediately be transported to the outside world."
Azrael exclaimed while putting Dorothy down on the floor gently as he lay her down in a sleeping position.
(... She loses too much blood. We don't even know if there's someone who can heal her in the outside world.)
Azrael thought while observing Dorothy's condition.
He sighed deeply while appearing in a small smile after remembering Dorothy's ambition to escape from this kingdom.
(Well, I can't cancel everything either)
"Dorothy, Dorothy."
Azrael shakes her gently, intending to wake her up from her slumber.
The shaking slowly works as her eyelids start to open while slightly facing upwards.
She breathed out heavily while gazing at the sky above them.
"... Where am I?"
She asked in a weak tone as she used out more energy to turn her head towards Azrael.
Azrael sheepishly smiles at the sight.
"Heaven."
A frown crept on Dorothy's face the moment Azrael answered her question jokingly.
"Never thought you'd be here."
She harshly exclaimed with the small frown still plastered in her expression.
Azrael can only hold his laughter with his hand covering his mouth from listening to her blunt outburst.
The conversation between them has to abruptly stop when they are reminded of the goal and situation they are in.
"Master, please hurry and say your prayers."
Selene said while putting the necklace on Dorothy's bloody palm as Dorothy weakly grasped it in her hold.
Dorothy nodded at Selene's exclamation as she agrees that they need to hurry, especially when more trouble awaits them later.
"Yes, we have to hurry. Althea is on the fifth floor and she's on her way to the seventh floor. I'm sure she ignore the injuries I created on her."
Azrael exclaimed as Cristo's eyes went wide.
"I thought she went somewhere with the other special knights!"
Azrael furrowed his eyebrows with the sudden exclamation from Cristo.
"I thought Dorothy already told you the circumstances!"
"Everyone, please calm down. Master can't focus on if both of you keep bickering nonsense."
Selene warned and hushed them with her usual smile that is plastered on her face.
They both immediately went silent when she mentioned that Dorothy wouldn't be able to focus on her prayer.
After the sudden silence, Dorothy grips the necklace in her hand and starts her prayer just like what the letter said.
Azrael, Cristo, and Selene smiled at their finally accomplished plan for more than one month.
Azrael holds Dorothy's other arm, Selene holds to Azrael's other arm, and Cristo holds on to Selene's other arm.
Linking to one another.
It was like there was a strong connection between all of them that can't be easily break down.
"Finally..."
Azrael exclaimed in a fulfilling tone as they waited for Dorothy's prayer and for them to be transported to the outside world.
They also hope that their hard work will finally pay off and would not cease to anything but a failure.
(... Mother, Lucretia, O'bell. Lay Your hands of fire upon Me and change my Destiny of this World)
When Dorothy finished her short prayer, a bright brilliant light that was connected to the sky turned everything white around them leaving no physical sight of them.
They soon began to fade among the air that the light surrounds them together.
After the short disappeared, Althea finally arrived on the seventh floor.
But it was a little too late as she could not hear anything and only feel the appearance of calm air inside the floor.
It wasn't long enough for her to notice that the sinners she aims to execute are no longer in Lucretia.
She was stunned as she realizes that she couldn't do anything to prevent them when she remembers that someone who dares to go outside will be considered sinners and getting another sin to their wrist.
The act itself was also a violation of the law of the Directive Order that could destroy the balance.
She only raises her hand while releasing the rabbit mask off her face.
"I guess... I was too late."
She could hear the peaceful atmosphere and calm air that touch her skin.
She can't see anything but she can hear and felt everything around her.
Althea forms a defeated smile.
"... I lost, Your Highness."
She admitted her loss and being slightly proud of Dorothy's brave actions and intelligence.
The moment when Dorothy teleport herself and the others to the outside world, a rainstorm heavily came down watering Lucretia.
-
Azrael slightly grunts while slowly opens his eyes to be greeted by a bright blue sky.
He looked at the sky with widened eyes and a confused expression.
"... Where..?"
Azrael immediately looked around his area and realizes that he is currently alone.
"Dorothy? Selene? Cristo?"
He looked around him to find no one as he can only saw himself in the middle of a deserted place with the ruins of a building.
"Is this... the outside world!?"
He later realized that each of them is separated from each other in which the thought stressed him out badly as he scratches the back of his head furiously.
"... How!?"
-
-- Meanwhile,
Dorothy was laying on the ground hopelessly while pressing her hand to her stomach since the stab wound on her stomach was still visible and worsen.
Despite the pain she felt, she still grips the necklace tightly in her other hand.
All of her energy has left her body in which it was to the point that she couldn't even lift a finger.
A young man that looks around her age discovered her dying body.
His eyes immediately went wide after seeing her wounded self and were even more stunned when he realizes something bizarre about her.
"... Is this girl a human?"
.
.
.