Chapter 3: Chapter 2: DEATH
It had been eight years since the day poor Gil lost his parents. For eight years, he had been living in Tenebris - the demon realm - with Tempestas. For eight years, the boy and Maria had trained under him. The training was brutal and harsh, but the two did not mind, especially Gil. The boy craved more power, wishing to become strong enough to protect the people closest to him from all threats. Maria's desire was almost identical, except there was only one person she wanted to protect above all else: Gil. Thanks to the training, Gil had evolved into a pulsar and Maria a count.
Gil and Maria were both fourteen years old now. Their appearances had changed drastically. Gil's body was a lot more muscular than before, although he was still lean. His hair was longer and lighter in color. Maria's hair now reached her collarbone, and her fangs were a bit longer, as well as her nails. Her baby face hadn't changed, and Gil thought she was five times prettier now. The two of them gained several inches in height, but neither was taller than the other.
Gil and Maria loomed over Tempestas, who lay in bed coughing. For the past week, he'd been plagued with fits, fainting at times. The two grabbed Tempestas's hand as he began talking.
"Gil... Maria... you two have grown spectacularly."
"All because of you," Gil croaked. "Are you sure there's really nothing we can do?"
"No. I've been poisoned for quite some time now. It has taken its toll on me. Now it will take my soul from me."
Maria put her hand on Gil's shoulder. "I'm sure master would have done something already if he could have gotten rid of the poison."
"I told you to stop calling me master," Tempestas groaned. "I'm only a mere servant who carried out his master's wishes."
Gil recalled the first time he met Tempestas. "Is there any way for us to meet your master?" Tempestas nodded. "Once you two are strong enough, I am sure she will come to meet you. She's been waiting for over a thousand years to see you, Gil."
"How on Yggdrasil did she even know about me before I was even born? I'm just a normal sentinel kid with normal parents. Who is your master?"
"You'll meet her soon enough. She'll tell you about your past, your destiny, and about your parents - your real parents." Gil could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Wait, are you saying I was adopted this whole time? Mom and dad weren't even my real parents?"
"Yes."
"Then do you know something?"
"I do not, Gil. I am only a servant. You must ask my master for the truth if you wish to know." This was a lie, as Tempestas knew the whole story about Gil. However, he also knew that Gil was unprepared to handle the truth. It would be better for the boy to mature more before he is informed of his destiny.
Tempestas caressed Gil's cheek. "Your journey has only begun, boy. You will lose much in the face of adversity. I can only hope now that you will still retain your desire to end the war." Gil nodded, grabbing Tempestas's hand. "I swear I'll make it happen. For all of us."
"Then can I tell you one more thing? Come closer, boy." Tempestas whispered something in Gil's ear. Then Tempestas's hand went slack, and he closed his eyes, never to open them again.
Gil stood, tears dripping from his eyes. Maria hugged him from behind. "Let's go, Gil. We have to make master's wish come true." Gil nodded. "We have to end this ridiculous war." Gil glanced at the man who had raised him the past eight years, silently thanking him before leaving the room.
When Gil got to the porch, he blushed. Maria was wearing a red wool coat coupled with tight red leggings and sneakers. Her white hair was braided with a purple ribbon. As usual, she was absolutely stunning.
"Gil, is something the matter?" Maria moved closer to him. "You're looking at me weirdly." Gil looked away. "N-no, it's nothing," he stammered.
"Your cheeks are red. Are you sick?"
"No. I just thought... that coat looks really good on you."
"Thank you," Maria smiled coyly. "I'm having trouble zipping it up. Could you do it for me?" Maria looked at Gil with big, pleading eyes. "Please?" Gil blushed even more. "Sure. Guess I can't say no."
Score! That was what Maria wanted to hear. She wanted a romantic moment, and she got one. Well, that's what she wanted, until Gil began to zip her coat. He brought his face a little too close, and Maria had thoughts of kissing him. She abruptly turned away from him. "Nevermind! I think I can do it now! Thanks anyway!"
"Um, sure." Gil was confused, but he didn't care. His head was becoming a bright red tomato, and he was relieved Maria turned away at the last moment. It would have been embarrassing if Maria caught him staring at her legs or her behind. "Thank God," he whispered. Unbeknownst to him, Maria had also been checking his body out and blushed when she realized it, which is another reason she turned away so suddenly.
Gil took a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. Maria looked over his shoulder. "Where'd you get a map from?"
"From Tempestas's drawer. The guy had a lot of them, along with some rather disturbing things." Gil knew he would never be the same again after seeing all those photos of naked women. He was a tad disappointed to learn the person that he admired was a pervert. But that was minor compared to the other things he saw. Gil saw images depicting a horrible black creature whose body appeared to be similar to a ghost's, yet scaly like a snake's. The horns on its head looked like tree branches and what resembled a crown sat on top. The creature had no facial features on its head save a mouth with knives for teeth. There was a multitude of eyes on its chest and its horns. On its back was what appeared to be a cape made of black flames.
When Gil first saw pictures of the creature, he was terrified. He was a fan of horror movies, but they did not instill nearly the same fear as seeing it. Even though it was just a picture, Gil could feel the creature's aura, which gave him chills. Seeing pictures of other similar beings only worsened his mood. It was the reason why he initially thought it would be best to leave them. But, Gil deduced that these photos were valuable and took them in the end. What other reason would compel Tempestas to keep them? Certainly not to hang them on his walls. That would scare the hell out of any visitor. If Tempestas wanted to get rid of them, he could have done so without any trouble. It was also what Tempestas warned him about before he died. The beings he saw in those photos would someday be his greatest enemies. He made a mental note to tell Maria about it later when his mood was better. He didn't want to see those grotesque entities at the moment.
"Well, anyway, it looks like we're in Silverlake Forest, Maria. What should we do?"
"I'm not sure." She snatched the map from Gil's hands. "There are elf and ogre villages located throughout the forest. It would take days for us to walk out of here. The nearest kingdom seems to be Dirram."
"Dirram? Is it safe?"
Maria regarded Gil, feeling like an idiot for forgetting that he was a sentinel. Demons would be gunning for him, and this forest was filled with them. The last thing Maria wanted was to invoke hostilities. She and Gil might be powerful, but ogres were some of the more powerful monsters, and she certainly did not want to test whether the two of them could defeat every ogre in the forest. Maria felt guilty for failing to protect Gil's parents and wanted to protect Gil. It was the least she could do to atone. That meant that she had to get Gil out of the forest as quickly as she could.
"Dirram is a dwarven kingdom. It's the only place I know of in the demon realm where sentinels are welcome and protected. That's because it's a neutral state."
"Really?" Gil was shocked. Considering how brutal the war had been, he was amazed that there was a neutral state. It lifted his spirits a bit. "So our goal should be to get there, right?"
"Yeah. Gil, could I request something?"
"Sure. What is it?"
Maria twirled her hair. She had wanted to ask for a long time but was afraid of getting turned down completely. "Would... you like to... make a... bond with me?"
"Sure - wait, hell no!"
"Why not?"
"I don't want to be your slave!"
"There's more to it than that. I promise I won't make you my subordinate." Maria felt hopeful. If that was his main concern, it was an easy fix. "Gil, are you aware of how bonds are made?"
"Not really. Tempestas just said demons offered them to their servants. If they accepted, the demon would name them, which would increase their strength."
"Yep. The souls of the servants merge with that of the demon, increasing their collective strength. Depending on how much quanta the said demon had, the servants could even evolve. However, if the bond requires more quanta than what the demon possesses, they will die as a result. But I don't think that's a problem here."
"How so?" Gil cocked his head. "You do realize I'm a lot stronger than you right now." Maria clenched her jaw but tried to keep her smile. She didn't want to admit it, but it was true. Gil was at least twice as strong as her, and if he kept growing at his current rate, he was sure to become a beast. It didn't sit well with Maria that someone who was once a weak boy surpassed her so easily. It hurt her pride a tiny bit, even if it was Gil. His rapid growth also worried her. She feared that she might fall too behind him, and he might desert her. Making a bond with him wouldn't slow him down, but it would fuse his soul with hers, speeding up her own growth instead.
"Yes. You are stronger than me, so I can't make you my subordinate even if I wanted to. But I can make you a partner on equal footing with me. I just have to give you my last name. I promise I won't ask you to do anything weird. Will you still reject my request?"
Gil thought about it. He wondered why Maria wanted to make a bond in the first place. "Are there any benefits to making a bond? Can a demon even make one with a sentinel?"
"Yes, Gil, demons can make bonds with sentinels. If we do make a bond, besides getting stronger, I can telepathically communicate with you and know your location. You'll know my whereabouts as well. It will be a big help when we're in trouble."
Gil concurred with that. Maria wouldn't say it, but he knew she was worried about his safety. Being a sentinel was enough reason for monsters to hunt him down. He felt like a burden and wanted to lift some of the load off her shoulders. If she really thought making a bond was a good idea, then he'll gladly accept.
"Alright," Gil said at last. "I accept your request." Maria's face brightened. "Really? You will?" Gil nodded. "So how exactly do we make a bond?"
"It's easy. Kiss my hand and make an oath of fealty to me."
"Hold on a minute! You said you wouldn't make me your servant!"
"I'm still committing to that. Like I said, I'll give you my last name. That will make you my partner, not my servant. That will make you my equal." Gil reluctantly bent down and took Maria's hand in his, kissing it. Maria then lifted his chin. "Do you swear total loyalty to me as my partner?"
"Yes. I swear to always stay at your side, even if it costs me my life."
"Then I'll give you a new name. From this point forward, you will be known as Gil Asphodel, partner of Maria Asphodel. Now rise." Gil's body began radiating red light. He felt Maria's power seep into him as he stood up.
Maria clutched his hands. "How do you feel, Gil?"
"I feel lighter. Since our souls are fused, does that mean I can use your abilities?" Maria nodded. "That's right. We can use each other's powers." Maria clutched onto Gil's arm. "We should get going. We need to find a place to sleep for the night before it gets dark."
"Right." As the two walked, Maria could not stop thinking about what just happened. Gil accepted a bond with her and even became her partner! Now he shared her last name like he was her husband. The thought made her gush. She believed she took a big step towards that future when Gil would put a ring on her finger. She dreamt for that day and hoped that making a bond with him would lead her closer to it.
Weekly Power Status
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