Eternal Vow

Let's go back some hours, while Arthur was still marching towards Thanatica. The soldiers were marching in order, showing their coordination while singing hymns in order to raise their spirits. These hymns were praises about the glorious history of their kingdom. During this time no one expected that a pretty girl galloping on a black horse would be coming straight at them. The soldiers that took notice of her got vigilant but Arthur raised his hand and stopped them.

''Good to see you, Athena, I hope you didn't come here in order to tell me to stop this war. If you came for this then I suggest you live right away and nobody will harm you.'' Arthur said, his respect for his peers evident, he knew after all her capabilities, which were second only to his thanks to the nature of his magic and intuitive ideas. That and the fact that he was quite attracted to her, though he never really acted on it since he was not someone that thought with his lower head, made him unable to directly order his soldiers to kill her were she an enemy.

''No, I am not here for that since I know you are going to win, what I want from you is something else'' Athena said. She was quite sure that Arthur would win and quite easily at that, that was the reason she left after all. She also knew that based on Arthur's personality everyone living in the capital would probably die in the war or as a slave. She just hoped he would let her join him, it was her last chance in prolonging her life. If she did not join and left for any other kingdom they would probably kill her, nobody liked devils because of their past atrocities, and well she knew that their new atrocities as a kingdom would be made known after Arthur kills her father.

''Then what do you want?'' Arthur was skeptical at first but now he was quite sure she wanted to join him and was thinking about his next move.

''Actually, I would like to join your kingdom, since you know if I go to the other two kingdoms I will probably die,'' Athena said sounding quite anxious.

''Yeah, I know and I wish I could help you but I want to know your resolve. Are you willing to do anything in order to be by my side?''Arthur said having thought of an idea.

''Yes, I am ready to do anything for you,'' Athena said, quite puzzled. She never thought that Arthur would accept her so easily.

''Well, then will you perform the Eternal Vow with me?'' Arthur said, expectation arising in him since he would get a powerful mage to join him.

''Uhm...Yes, I will do it.'' Athena said, she never thought about that until now. The Eternal Vow was quite a taboo in the magus society, since if someone did not abide by his vow his soul would be shattered and if he has any descendants they would be cursed to live a life worse than hell until the whole bloodline of the mage is forgotten in the passage of time.

Arthur was glad to hear it and connected his hands with Athena's hand while muttering a spell. When he finished chains wrapped around both of them and made them bound to their vows. From now on Athena cannot betray Arthur and Arthur must not let anyone harm Athena.

''Good, now that we finished the ritual I would like for you to go to the capital of my kingdom through the gate I will create right now and wait in the palace for my return,'' Arthur said and created a gate for Athena to go to his palace immediately.

''Yes, my king,'' Athena said and bowed before she made to leave but Arthur held her by the hand and told her that she does not need to call him her king.

That was before the destruction of the devils happened. Right now Athena is the last known living Devil in existence, making her quite valuable, so Arthur was quite intent to keep her existence a secret afraid of attracting right now since he just used his new spell and he needed to recover.