A Story of Evil

As soon as Damian was finished with the humans, he went back to see the girl he punched. She was still on the ground and, have yet to wake up which he found to be a relief. He stood near her unconscious body and, began chanting [Lull].

This is a spell connected to his [Cold Blooded]. One which forces a person to be on a calmer disposition. A spell he needed to use because, he knew that the girl would run wild as soon as she woke up if he didn't make use of it.

That is why, although the girl had a look of anger written all over her face when she woke up a minute later, she was nevertheless on a conversing mood.

"You're finally awake. That's good." Damian began, sitting just beside the girl.

Meanwhile, the girl was looking all around her. On all the destruction caused by the humans and, her anger quickly shifted to a look of deep sadness. But the emperor wasn't going to wait for her to change moods again. He wanted to talk to her, and that he did.

"Let me introduce myself first. I am Damian." He said, bowing his head down.

"Why did you interrupt in that fight? You're definitely the same as me so why are you siding with those humans?" Was the girl's response. Brushing aside the formalities offered.

"Siding with them? No you've got everything mistaken. If I sided with them, then you'd already be dead."

"You just got lucky." The girl said, not accepting her loss.

"Why don't we test that out then? Turn into a dragon again." Damian taunted.

The girl was suddenly not that confident. She looked around, as if there was an invisible object she could use to explain why she couldn't. But there was none and Damian knew why. In fact, he already has all the information he needs about the girl as he used [Analysis] on her.

"What's the matter? Come on then turn into a dragon." Damian repeated.

"Just wait, you see..."

"You can't."

"What did you say?"

"You can't transform anymore, Elise." The mention of her name surprised the girl even more. She never mentioned it, not even in the fight. So there was no way for the man in front of her to know it. Yet he did, and he also claimed the fact that she couldn't turn into a dragon anymore.

"You seem to be a bit lost kid so let me explain things for you. That first polymorph of yours already exhausted a large reserve of mana which you have. That's why you can't transform anymore."

"How do you even know that?" Elise asked.

"Tell you what, I'll answer your questions if you answer mine. How's that sound for you?"

"Wait what about the humans? I still need to make them pay for what they did!"

"There's no benefit in doing that. And if you insist on chasing them, you don't even have enough power to fight them anymore. Most of your mana is gone, so don't go acting tough."

Damian's words were both reasonable and easy to understand. That's why Elise heeded his advice. Although it's also true that she was knocked out by the same person, she had no way to fight out of the situation if it came to it. Not with the man in front of her exuding authority and power.

"Let's start with the most basic stuff. How many wings do you have?"

"Wait a minute."

"What is it?"

"If you can see the information on my polymorph, then why can't you see the details on basic information such as that?"

The girl was right, Damian could've easily used his [Analysis] on her. Unfortunately even he was running low on mana. Then there was the fact that, the stronger a creature is, the more mana is required in order to browse through their information.

Damian already poured out a large amount when he protected the humans. That's why there was not much left at that point. And that is also why he needed to take the initiative on the conversation; surprising Elise just enough for her to not take note of this very same possibility of her enemy having little mana.

"I don't want to waste my powers on trivial matters such as that." Damian said. With [Cold Blooded] running, his tone was believable enough for Elise to take it. But this didn't mean she didn't have other questions, because she did.

"Then how will you know if I'm lying?" Was the first concern she had.

"Do you want to test that out little girl?" Damian's tone was challenging, to the point that Elise began asking if it was sensible for her to lie against him.

"Six. I have six wings." As she said this, she spread out her deep green wings which placed a smile on Damian's face.

"I figured as much. Even without using my powers, it's easy to guess your wing count." Damian's words made Elise thankful that she didn't attempt a lie against him.

"It's my turn now. How do you know so much about me?"

"Demanding I see."

"It's part of the agreement right?" Elise said, clearly remembering what Damian said earlier. With this same emperor chuckling as he gave what the girl asked.

"My powers allow me to see through all your basic information. But I can also filter what I want to see. That's why I skipped through the part about your wings, your health, your mana, what you ate, and other irrelevant information."

"Isn't that kinda like cheating mister?"

"It is, but that's part of the powers I have."

"Wait. You mean that's not something you got from a Seraphim?" This surprised the girl even more.

Although she was just the same age as Sol and Alice, the girl was part of the higher society during the days before the first generation's ruination. Thus she was well educated in terms of the powers obtained by the humans. And after the first few humans killed some Seraphims, she was also educated on how the powers of these same creatures could be transferred to them.

"It's my turn to ask though, so why don't you leave that question for later?" Damian was willing to answer but, they had rules set. And he wasn't letting the girl get one question ahead of him.

"Fine. But you need to tell me all the details about that after you finish." Damian simply nodded to this as he continued with his own question.

"Since you already mentioned about powers gained from the Seraphims, care to enlighten me what you got from yours?"

"I got the [Conqueror]. It allows me to expand my control on monsters as long as I've defeated the chief of the nest. Although it does require a lot of mana, maintaining control doesn't cost anything."

"Is that how you got your hands on so many crystals?"

"It's my turn mister."

Damian proceeded to saying how he himself doesn't know how he got his powers. He explained that his memory hasn't returned yet despite already turning back to half human for a year already. He also explained that the powers he got were connected to two Seraphims instead of just one. That is, the Shadow Weaver and the Judicator.

"TWO!?! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?"

"Beats me. Like I said, I don't have my memories intact. Plus..."

"Plus what?"

"I answered another question of yours didn't I?"

The girl's eyes widened in realization at what happened. She was tricked, falling into the trap of Damian who had a wide grin drawn on his face.

"Hey that's not fair! I was just shocked!"

"That's not a valid excuse little girl. You were even the one who reminded me of the agreement before we started this conversation. Are you gonna back out from your own words?" It was the perfect bait and, Elise had too much pride to allow herself to lose twice.

"Fine! Let me hear it then." She said.

Damian proceeded to asking about the crystals around Elise's body when she transformed. The girl told him about the reserves she has and, how she defeated crystallized monsters not long ago. She then used her [Conqueror] on them, breeding the said monsters and multiplying them.

"I figured that if the Seraphims returned, I needed some sort of power that I can use to fight them."

"That's why you had a dragon polymorph ready?"

"Yeah. But like you said, transforming in itself already takes up a lot of mana and, maintaining such a powerful form consumes just as much. I'll need a long time to get that many crystals again and, with the monsters in the forest wiped out, it's not gonna be possible anytime soon."

Elise then looked around her once again. How there was no cover of the forest anymore and, how the same location which would've been hidden was finally exposed.

"My crystals aren't safe in this place anymore. And I'll need a location where I can gain more monsters to crystallize."

"Why don't you just come with me then?" Damian suggested.

"Come with you?"

"Yeah. There are more like us. People who have gotten out of monsterification, people from the first civilization ruled by the Seraphims. You'll be safe with us."

"You're really saying the word safe although you punched me in the gut and knocked me out conscious a while ago?"

"I only did that because you were going berserk. I can't talk to you otherwise."

"Right." Elise replied, skeptical about Damian's explanation.

"So what's it gonna be?"

"Do I have a choice on this?"

"You do but, I doubt there's anything left for you in such a place as this."

"You say that as if you can give me a new purpose in life."

"I can't. But, I can give you something to live for." Damian said, extending his hand to the girl.

"You really have a way with your words mister."

"Do I? I haven't noticed." Was Damian's reply as he finally left. Bringing a new empress along with him and, the crystals required by Vex.