As Nora kissed Siderius, they both fainted and fell on the ground.
Pink symbols appeared on Siderius’ forehead and it pulsed with the same rhythm as the tattoo on Nora’s face.
The witch lost her consciousness, releasing her control toward the ghouls. They regained their minds and immediately, most of it ran away within a heart beat.
A few that stayed behind were quickly killed by Bas.
Ghouls were creatures at the end of the day. If they felt their lives were threatened, they would rather flee instead of fighting to the death.
Their behavior was forced by Nora, making them do as she wanted. But as soon as her grasp was released, their instinct came back.
Bas wiped the sweat off his face. He and Quinlan quickly came over to Siderius.
Quinlan removed the scarf of Siderius’ face. Read full story at Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
"Damn! This son of a bitch has a nice face!" Bas exclaimed. "I thought he would be as ugly as you since you both covered your faces."
Quinlan glanced at Bas. He checked Siderius’ pulse.
"His vitals are okay. But his mind may not. The witch probably tries to do to him what she did to you."
"Well then. There is just one thing we need to do."
Bas raised the short sword and aimed it at Nora’s neck. Quinlan grabbed his hand immediately.
"No! We don’t know what it will do."
"Huh? She casted the spell. Wouldn’t it just be the same as the magic circle? Killing the witch also deactivating the spell?"
"You don’t know that. The only one who knows such a thing is Siderius. And he is under her spell.
What if we kill the witch and he dies with her?"
"Argh!" Bas grabbed his head full of hair. "Then what do you suggest we do now?"
Quinlan rolled his eyes around, trying to come up with something. His gaze landed on the head of the statue in the hall. There was still black liquid sticking on it that had leaked from Nora.
Siderius had told Bas to pray to the Outsider. Then an old wound of the witch suddenly acted out, granting an escape to Bas. This couldn’t be a coincidence. He must have done it for a reason.
"Pray to the Outsider."
"I SAID pray to the Outsider! He helped you once, right? He can help your friend too!"
Bas turned his head toward the Outsider. His gaze was focused.
The bodyguard approached the statue and kneeled before it.
"The old lord heeds me. The Outsider heeds me. I, as your loyal servant, pray for your help."
As Bas finished his sentence, Siderius’ eyes shot open. The writings on his forehead shattered away completely.
His body was covered in strands of white Light Aether. Then they converged into a ball in Siderius’ hand.
The hunter sat up slowly, looking at the ball of Light Aether.
"You wake up!" Quinlan gleefully said. He couldn’t see the Aethers, only saw Siderius looking at his empty palm.
"So this is your reward for me." Siderius thought silently.
Light Aether could only be given. And it had acknowledged him doing something good to maintain the rules of this world. But perhaps, it had rewarded him because it answered to an even higher being than the rules of this world. The god that had could influence these rules.
Siderius closed his palm, sending the Light Aether into his dark mind space.
At the same time, Nora sat up.
She scared the hell out of Quinlan and made him jump behind Siderius.
"Bas!" Quinlan shouted.
The bodyguard snapped his head toward them. He got on his feet and ran at the pair, only to stop in place when he saw what Nora was doing.
She kneeled in front of Siderius and cried.
That was not an act. It was her sincere tears, leaking out of the corners of her eyes and running down on her cheeks.
She cried painfully. A gut-wrenching scream echoed as she bent over and slammed her head on the floor.
Siderius stood in front of her. His gaze was cold and indifferent.
"I have failed you, teacher. I have failed myself." Nora said.
The tattoos on her body detached from her skin and turned into floating symbols dancing to the air.
Siderius dropped the knife next to Nora. She picked it up with trembling hands.
"What is even going on right now?" Quinlan blinked his eyes rapidly. As if he tried to wake up from a dream. But still, the reality was there.
Bas walked over to the group and stood beside Quinlan. His eyes were filled with puzzles.
"What do you think of that life?" Siderius said.
"It was beautiful, teacher. It was...perfect." Nora said.
"But perfect isn’t real." Siderius said.
"Yes. Perfection lies within one’s heart. It is unknownable but still, very achievable. If only I had known it sooner. If only I was content with what I had and not gave in to my desire."
Nora kept her head low. She didn’t even dare to look Siderius’ in the eyes.
But he lifted her chin up.
"There is no do-over, my apprentice. No amount of good deeds can make up for your sins."
Nora’s eyes were clear and pure. It was different. Even Bas and Quinlan could see it. The craziness inside her eyes was no longer there.
It was as if, she had a change of heart.
Nora let out a long tired breath.
"I understand, teacher. Sooner or later, this hunger of mine will take over. Please, as the last act of me, let me atone for my sins. Let me end it now. Before anything bad might happen."
Siderius nodded. He patted her head gently as the last act of kindness for this wicked witch.
Nora raised the knife high. Bas thought she was going to attack Siderius and wanted to intervene.
But the next thing was even more bizarre than this entire conversation.
Nora stabbed herself in the belly and cut out a large wound across her stomach. Blood poured like a water fountain, flooding the cold stone floor.
"Thank you, teacher. For letting me die as a human."
Nora laid her head in the puddle of blood and took her last breath.
Bas scratched his head in a daze. Quinlan’s eyebrows furrowed so deep they could build a canal in between.
The two looked at each other and could see the same sentence written on their forehead. What the...
Siderius laid his hand on the back of Nora’s corpse.