Devourers

But I didn't hear the question right away, because the kiss we exchanged was so hot that I didn't notice right away that I could breathe normally again.

- Yes... yes... thank you...

- Don't be afraid. I have joined your breath to mine, it is through my body that you now find your breath. But it is also a dangerous weapon, if you hurt yourself, it is my body that will suffer, but you will not feel anything. In conclusion, make sure that you don't get hurt, just as I spend a lot of energy just to support your breath, because of the monstrous effects of the curse.

He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.

- You really have a very weak constitution.

I didn't know what to say in the face of such... thoughtfulness towards me... It wasn't this other guy who was going to behave like that for me. This kindness and impartiality at all times upset me deeply. I had already seen this part of him from our first meeting, but each time I felt as if I were discovering him for the first time. The same enchantment also remained.

- Thank you very much. I... I will do my best, if I can.

He smiled at me. And I felt my heart literally burst in my chest.

We started our search. People had no intention of looking for us, not like when I first entered the flying empire. Here, the curse had unfortunately reached an irreversible stage. The people no longer cared about anyone, not even themselves. They lost in an unfinished battle, their values and thoughts, only knowing how to wander endlessly in the streets of their city, deserted by magic, eaten away by slowly fading memories, and an existence long extinguished by this incurable disease. I could see that their skin was decaying, crumbling inexorably into dust. But that was not yet what touched me the most. It was the feeling that something was cruelly missing from these people, but what else could it be?

- Don't you notice anything, Dania? The emperor asked as if he too had the ability to read my mind, just like that person.

- No... not really... that's what I'm trying to find out. I just have the feeling that there is something missing... something essential to these people... something that is their own.

- Look closely at Dania. What is it that makes them different from the people we met on the other side?

Dania wrinkled her forehead, thinking about the answer. And then she found out.

- But their shadow, of course. They don't have them anymore. Why, where have they gone.

- That's what we'll have to find out for ourselves. Look, we'll start there.

Since no one was obviously able to speak, let alone think, we had to make do with what little we knew. We searched every nook and cranny of the macabre place, but alas, we couldn't find any clues that would have helped us. Time passed. Fortunately, I didn't have the need to eat or drink, Seiran compensated me for all these necessities. And then suddenly, without warning, he stopped me and placed me behind a house. He put me against the wall, while he seemed to observe, with excessive caution, something or rather someone.

- What's going on, Your Majesty?

- Wait a minute. I'll explain later.

- All right.

Then finally he turned, his eyes raised, lost in thought.

- Over there, the people I was spying on, they do horrible things. When we were next to the brick building, I noticed something strange.

A shadow passing by, although it should be impossible because the people were all already affected by this disease.

But they did have a shadow.

Dania nodded, acknowledging his theory.

So as if nothing had happened we decided to follow them as discreetly as possible. And what Seiran feared most turned out to be real...

- What? What did you fear so much? What are these abominable beings?

- Shadow devourers. But I think that they have mostly become them, just taking advantage of the unhoped-for opportunity that this repulsive evil has provided to finally satisfy their limitless greed. We are already far enough from the border. And the city of Dirius was supposed to be totally engulfed by this curse

- So what exactly are you trying to say?

- I think the curse is not the real reason for the collapse of this place. Many people are still healthy and in full possession of their shadow and their spirit. But they are all kidnapped by these monsters.

- Which proves what you just said.

- Yes, now they gather the people who still have their magic, and take them somewhere, I don't know where, and bring them back to their home, soulless carcasses, and burn them there.

- But then why don't the people here fight back? Why don't they try to warn your godfather?

- Because they simply can't. This whole place is saturated to the extreme with black magic. If we can handle it, it's because of my strong power.

- So what do we do now?

- Follow them of course.