Detente

"Let him go!" Zenith shouted, raising his sword.

He didn't have time to wonder about the situation. What Captain Mirage and Victor Hua were doing here, what they wanted with Theo. All he knew was that his wizard was in danger.

"Well, well, imagine that." Mirage sauntered forward, blocking Theo from Zenith's view. "Never thought I'd run into you here, homunculus knight."

Zenith was in no mood to play his games. He lifted the sword until its tip grazed Mirage's throat. The demon scuttled backward, hands raised.

Zenith took another step forward, only for a sudden clank to catch his attention. He blinked when he saw Victor had flipped up the visor of his helmet.

To Zenith's surprise, only one of the wizard's eyes was visible; a black patch covered the other. Well, it didn't matter. He still posed as grave a threat as ever.

"Let go of Theo. This instant."

"Fine." The next thing Zenith knew, Victor slung Theo down from his shoulder and cradled him in his arms. The sight sent alarm spiking through Zenith, and it didn't let up when Victor nodded at Mirage. Sighing dramatically, the demon stepped aside, and Victor approached Zenith with Theo in his arms.

Though he couldn't get very close, since Zenith was still pointing his sword. Victor nodded at it. "Put that down. Unless you want me to carry him."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'll hand him over if you'll let me."

Victor's voice was flat and emotionless as ever. Zenith couldn't read anything in it, whether he was sincere or lying, but it didn't matter. He'd be a fool if he accepted this easily.

"For what reason? The Infernal Legion went out of their way to capture Theo. Why would you give him up now?"

Victor and Mirage exchanged glances. Then Mirage faced Zenith, wearing a familiar insolent smirk. "Well, that's just the thing. The Infernal Legion wanted to capture him, but their goals no longer align with ours."

Zenith tensed. "What do you mean?"

"Rather slow on the uptake, aren't you?" Mirage said with an elaborate shrug. "I'm saying we've decided to cut our losses and get out of the Legion while we can. So you can have your precious little wizard back, free of charge."

A wave of fury rolled through Zenith, making his arm tremble dangerously. "You – as if I can believe that!"

"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not." Victor lifted the unconscious Theo. "Here. Take him."

The sight of Theo dangling limp in Victor's arms, his hair matted with sweat, made something painful wrench in Zenith's chest. Oh, how he wanted nothing more than to grab Theo and make sure he was all right – but he'd only be falling into these villains' trap.

"What's your objective? What kind of trick are you playing?" Despite himself, Zenith couldn't help but raise his voice.

"We aren't tricking you, you big stupid lunk," Mirage snapped, folding his arms. "Now will you hurry? If you're not going to help, get out of our way."

"I don't believe you." Zenith glared down the length of his sword at Victor's stoic face. "You may have fooled me before, but you won't again. Do you think I would forget what happened the last time you pretended to switch sides?"

It was the closest Zenith had ever come to complete failure. They had captured his liege and stolen the Star of Miriel. If it weren't for the final spell Theo had cast, Zenith might not have been able to defeat them.

"Ah...right. That." Another shrug from Mirage, some more furtive exchanging of glances. "Well, we can't change the past. But if you value your wizard at all – "

Trembling all over, Zenith stepped forward. "If you do anything to him, I swear I will – "

He didn't get to finish. Not before a shout rang from the alley entrance. "He's in here!"

Zenith whirled around. A soldier blocked the entrance, aiming a bow with an arrow already nocked.

In this narrow alley, the arrow was guaranteed to hit. Snarling, Zenith lowered his sword and swung his shield in front. Once he blocked the arrow, he'd dive in and cut the soldier down before he could fire another.

Just then, the scent of rose petals bloomed through his Levia. The next thing he knew, a hand grabbed him by the arm and tugged him down the alley.

Confused and furious, Zenith yanked his arm free and whirled upon Mirage. Before he could give the demon what he sorely deserved, another soldier's voice echoed down the alley.

"What are you talking about? Nothing's there."

"What? I could've sworn – "

"Quit messing around. We gotta fight!"

After that came the sound of scampering footsteps, quickly fading in the distance.

Surprise ringing in his head, Zenith turned toward Mirage. The demon smirked back, but there was no mistaking the sweat slicking his skin, nor his slightly ragged breathing. And now that Zenith had a moment to focus on it, he noticed how the rose-scented Levia pressed close to his skin like a subtle veil.

"Surprised? It's my invisbility. It won't last long, so let's get a move on." Mirage gave an airy wave before squeezing past Victor and starting down the alley again.

But Zenith remained frozen in place. A part of him was infuriated at the demon's utter gall, using his insidious powers on Zenith without permission – but he couldn't deny that because of it, he had avoided detection.

Of course, that didn't give Zenith any reason to trust these two. After all, they had genuinely helped him against Greisen too.

He glared at Victor, but the wizard's face remained impassive as ever. So unlike Theo's, revealing everything he felt.

"I understand if you don't trust us." Though quiet as ever, Victor's voice seemed to resound across the alley. "It's the wisest choice. But we're here right now, and we have Theo. So here."

He lifted his arms, once again offering Theo to Zenith. Zenith stared at his unconscious wizard, a cold knot twisting in his chest. Though dark shadows surrounded his eyes, Theo otherwise seemed peacefully asleep. And weak as his Levia might be, it at least felt steady.

"This isn't an alliance," Victor said. "Think of it as...a detente."

No, Zenith still wanted to say. Alliance, detente, whatever they wanted to call it, in the end these two would undoubtedly stab him in the back. Even if he couldn't fathom it, they must have some kind of ulterior motive, one that would only spell trouble for him – and Theo, and ultimately his liege.

But...what other choice did Zenith have? Like it or not, that was Theo in front of him. He'd set off in the first place to find his wizard, and now he had. Never mind that Victor had gotten to Theo first. Right here, right now....

Though a bitter taste flooded his mouth, Zenith sheathed his sword and raised his hands. Victor nodded, then lowered Theo into Zenith's arms.

His wizard's familiar weight, the warmth of his body, sent a curious ache through Zenith's chest. While it had probably been less than half an hour, he felt as though years had passed since he'd last seen Theo.

Wrapping his arms tight around Theo, he pressed the sleeping wizard close his chest. This time, he vowed to himself, he would not let go.

"Hey!" The scent of roses thickened, and Mirage came stomping over. "Are you two stuck in place or what? My powers don't work at long range, especially without the help of an elemental spell. So hurry it up!"

Victor nodded. "Sorry, Mirage." Without a glance back at Zenith, he started after the demon.

Zenith hesitated for only a moment. Shifting Theo in his arms, swallowing the tattered remnants of his pride, he began to follow Victor.