An Old Acquaintance

It had been more than a week since Diane had lost consciousness and no one had been permitted to gain entrance into Dante's castle since then.

"Couldn't you show me a flashback or something?", her head tilted towards the surrounding whiteness which seemed to go on forever. "I can't suddenly remember", she slapped her forehead head in frustration.

Azarelle didn't reply.

"It should have already been hours since I've been here! I beg of you!".

"Hmmph", Azarelle's voice echoed in disdain. "It's been over a week... You might die of malnutrition soon",

"What?".

"Then I'll know you're not meant to sign my contract...". Were her last words before silence fell upon the air once more.

Diane realized that if she sat at the same spot any longer, she might actually die!

'I have to find a way out', she thought to herself before slowly getting up. Her legs were wobbly from sitting down for so long...

Gradually, slow steps turned to quick strides and she was running through what seemed like an endless illusion.

"Finally, you move?", Azarelle's voice sounded pleased.

In the distance, there was some sort of black hole..... her pace increased till she jumped into it.

"Momma, daddy...!", a little dark-haired girl ran up to her parents who seemed to be leaving for somewhere. "Don't go... please". She hugged both their legs with her small arms.

Both parents turned to face her before the man patted her head in comfort. "We'll be back, Azarelle". They both smiled genuinely so the little girl nodded with teary eyes.

'Were these Azarelle's memories?'

That was all Diane thought to herself as she watched like a ghost in the background. Everything seemed to happen just as maids - one and two had told her.

But who had spread the story in the first place?

She finally got to the part where Azarelle created the Lich and divided the kingdom.

But the story didn't stop there...

Something important seemed to be happening on a certain day.

"Goddess", a skeleton dressed in a scarlet robe opened her door. "You have a visitor".

"Ohh?", Azarelle's lips parted in excitement. "Who dares visit me?".

"It is I...", first came the face of an enchanting woman, then frightening hair which consisted of snakes.

Medusa stepped through the metal doors. "I have come to see the goddess of this land". She bowed mockingly.

"Medusa? I presume?"

"Ahh, I see my reputation precedes me?". The snake woman arched a brow.

The goddess gestured for the woman to take a seat. Medusa on the other hand didn't oblige.

"I'll make it short", her eyes narrowed at Azarelle as she stepped forward. "Where is the labradorite stone?"

"Ohh? What exactly is that?", Azarelle played dumb.

Medusa broke a wooden table beside her with her foot. "The stone of knowledge, I know you have it!". She screamed.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but even if I did.... Would you expect I just give you something because you demand it?".

"Don't make me laugh!", Azarelle's voice echoed through her throne room.

There was silence for a bit before Medusa took up a bottle of wine from another table, gulping half of it down. "How about....", she took another sip. "The head of the person who sent your parents out to war?"

Azarelle's eyes narrowed. "How do you intend to get it? You don't have such power...".

Medusa laughed a bit. "I escaped from my prison in the underworld, all I'd have to do is make him fall for me".

"Tricks won't work on Hades...".

Medusa laughed under her breath. "Who said anything about tricks? We'll get married and have children. By that time, he would surely trust me".

"You'd have the offspring of the devil?"

"I'd even wait a few millennia for the stone, little girl".

At the time, Azarelle looked like a sixteen-year-old. Medusa who was a fallen goddess was among the seven beasts sealed in the underworld.

No one would believe she could kill Hades regardless of how dangerous she was! He was that powerful!

He could even smell poison in his food or drink, and his neck was said to be so thick - even a katana would have a problem slicing through.

To cap it all up! He was also a god! And immortal. Even if he was to be killed, there was a big possibility that he'd end up being reborn.

She had a 95% failure rate since she couldn't poison nor kill him with brute force or magic!

"You'll have to show me the stone first....", a smirk formed on her lips as her index finger pointed at Azarelle.

Before her eyes, Azarelle dug her hand into her chest. "Here", she brought out her heart and compressed it into a stone form. "Is this what you seek? Why not fight me for it?".

The snake woman's smile dropped. "I'm well aware that even if I take it using brute force, we'd still become one. I don't want any one-sided feelings".

Azarelle's lips curved. "How would you answer after killing a god?"

"Pardon?"

"You will be summoned for questioning after killing a god. Didn't you know?". She rested her chin on her palm. "I'm not even sure where to, but you will be summoned somewhere".

"Ohh? No wonder people rarely attempted to kill gods".

"Tchh... I don't believe you can pull it off".

"Here...", Medusa snapped a finger at the mirror on the wall beside Azarelle. "I'm well aware of your inability to leave this place. When it is done, I'll sing your song through the mirror".

Were her last words before turning to leave.

"One last question". Azarelle finally got up to her feet. "What exactly do you intend to do with my power?".

There was some silence before Medusa spoke again. "To reign supreme".

The room gradually turned white once more.

Diane had half expected to see her personal memories, but it was Azarelle's she saw. "Are these..."

"Yes child", Azarelle's voice echoed. "Hmmph". She scoffed.

Diane's eyes roamed about. "What's wrong?"

"It seems someone else is trying to share this body.".

"Va...", there was the low voice of a man from the distance.

"Va..", it came again and she found herself walking towards where the sound emanated from.

"What's Va?", she pulled confused fingers through her face. "Could that be my name?". She shook her head. Master Ro had named her Diane and she was proud of it.

Although waking up won't be so bad.

"Where are you?!", she called out hoping the voice would get louder.

"Va..."

"Valerie? Valentina?", she pulled at her hair. "What's my name?!", before falling to her knees.

Azarelle finally materialized for the first time in a while. "Why do you give up human?", her narrowed eyes lowered. "Follow the sound".

She wasn't sure who was calling, or what was waiting for her outside. But it was so empty and lonely staying here!

With suppressed determination, she got to her feet and began to run towards the sound of the voice.

"Va...", the voice had gotten somewhat louder.

"My name...",

"My name is...", With teary eyes, her right arm reached for the light...