Salvos

We were going to talk. Helena Warshade and Belzu both— begrudgingly— agreed to speak this matter through, rather than killing each other over it. If they tried to fight, I would make sure nobody won by killing them both!

Well… they were both stronger than me as I was right now, so I probably couldn’t even kill either of them. Even if I had my Divine Essence, I probably wouldn’t be able to take either of them out on my own. I saw their battle. The magic they’d hurled at each other. Without their Grand Skills, they could still individually kill the me who was flying alongside them away from the destroyed landscape.

Still, I wasn’t completely helpless. I had three Mythical Grade artifacts on me, and both of them looked tired after their scuffle with one another. They’d most definitely exhausted some of their best Skills in their previous fight. While I, myself, was still relatively fresh for battle. Maybe I couldn’t take them down on my own, but I could turn the tides if necessary if they started fighting again.

So they acquiesced and flew along. We only stopped when we were far enough away from the previous ravaged battlefield and landed at the foot of the Motharis Mountain Range. I snapped my finger as the space around us rippled. Fractal panels formed around us, creating a box that not only obfuscated our persons but disconnected us from the Mortal Realm entirely.

[Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. This was the full power of that Skill. From the outside, you would see nothing where we stood. It looked as it was before we arrived here. And from the inside, when we looked out, the world was a spinning blur. It was as if we were on a raft in the ocean, lost in the waves.

I clapped my hands together, and a golden figure appeared next to me. One of my clones teleported over with [Greater Teleportation] before nodding at me.I grinned and faced both Belzu and Helena Warshade.

“Alright, let’s talk.”

Neither the Archmage nor the Primeval Demon looked at each other. They clearly were uncomfortable with this, refusing to acknowledge each other's existence. While Helena Warshade was more apprehensive, Belzu was the first to speak. He clicked his mandibles together and narrowed his bulbous eyes at me.

“What game are you playing, Salvos?”

“Nothing. I’m not playing a game.”

I replied simply. He stepped forward, looming over me dangerously. I just crossed my arms at him as he spoke in a low voice.

“Then explain why you stopped me from killing this damned Human.”

He pointed at Helena Warshade. The Archmage did not stand there quietly and let his threats go unanswered. She raised her staff as her eyes glinted, pointing at the Primeval Demon.

“You were lucky this time around, Demon. This was your only chance of defeating me. I will not fall for your tricks and illusions the next time around.”

“There will not be a next time.”

Belzu turned to her as he grew in size. I clicked my tongue and stomped my left foot on the ground. The metallic clang from Boots of Alexander against the rocky ground drew both of their attentions.

“That’s enough! We’ve had enough fighting for one day!”

I pointed at them. The Primeval Demon’s form shrank back— quite literally. His illusion vanished as he returned back to his normal size and he harrumphed. Helena Warshade turned to me with a scowl on her face.

“And what do you have to gain from this? Just whose side are you on? You’re not Human. Is that why you’re working with this Demon? To undermine Humankind?”

“Wait—”

I blinked as she made the accusation. I looked at Helena Warshade with wide eyes.

“How do you know that?”

Next to her, Belzu slowly leaned forward. His annoyance had shifted to genuine interested. His mouth curled upwards as he listened in, peering at me.

The Archmage answered simply.

“Did you think I didn’t notice your slip-up, Salvos? I have known you weren’t a Human since a month ago— when you spoke to us of the corruption and the apocalypse. I didn’t act on it because you appeared to have Humankind’s best interest in mind. Now… now I know otherwise.”

She looked ready to battle once again, even after we’d agreed we wouldn’t fight. I really shouldn’t have given her that healing potion, huh? Although, if I didn’t, it was entirely possible she would’ve succumbed to her wounds. Now, she was somewhat healed— still wounded and hurt, especially from the Primeval Demon’s curses which didn’t fade quickly.

I backed up as Helena Warshade narrowed her eyes.

“Wait, I… slipped up? What? That’s—”

I caught myself. This was bad. If Helena Warshade knew the truth… but the thing was she didn’t accuse me of being a Demon. No— she said I wasn’t a Human.

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“If you know I’m not Human, Helena, do you actually know what I am?”

I asked thoughtfully. The Archmage frowned.

“I do not, no. But does that even matter?”

“It does! Because I’m not your enemy. I am only working with Belzu to help you Humans. Isn’t that right, Belzu?”

I turned the Primeval Demon to back me up. He cocked his head at me, looking like he was enjoying my attempts at wriggling out of this situation.

“Am I?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Come on, we made a deal, remember? I spared your life if you helped me kill Levithus! How is that not helping the Humans?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.”

Belzu replied in a coy voice. I groaned. Helena Warshade raised a brow at me.

“And how does that prove anything, Salvos?”

The Archmage glared at me, and my clone positioned herself so she’d be between us in case anything happened.

“All you have done is admit that you are working with the Demon responsible for killing millions of innocent people and burning Nixa to the ground.”

“That is true.”

I nodded in agreement. I raised a hand as she opened her mouth, cutting her off.

“But that doesn’t mean we cannot work together, right? I mean— what’s the best way to defeat a Primeval Demon than to use another Primeval Demon?”

“And why would this Belzu agree to work with you?”

“Because he isn’t friends with the Demon King. He hates Regnorex, doesn’t he? He does, right?”

I looked over at Belzu, but before the Primeval Demon could answer, I waved a hand off and spoke over him.

“He definitely does.”

I wasn’t going to let him sabotage me for his own entertainment again. I faced Helena Warshade and smiled.

“In any case, I am doing this to help put a stop to the Demon King’s ritual. You can cast whatever truth spells you want and test me. I am not lying about that.”

I stepped forward, placing a hand on my chest. I snapped my own finger, whispering under my breath. The air grew still, and Belzu raised his head suspiciously. Helena Warshade noticed too and asked.

“What was that?”

“[Truth Divination]. One of my Skills. It lets you feel what I feel. You’d know if I was lying if I said anything that was untrue. Just feel it in your heart.”

I placed a hand on my chest, and she looked down at herself. The Archmage didn’t say a word as I repeated myself to her.

“I am not your enemy. Not right now. And I hope I never will be.”

That seemed to annoy Belzu somewhat, but I didn’t care. Helena Warshade stared down at the palm of her hand for a moment, in thoughtful consideration. Then she raised her head.

“Perhaps you aren’t. Perhaps you really believe that working with this Primeval Demon— that sparing its life— will be beneficial to Humankind. But why should we work with a Demon? Why shouldn’t we exterminate it right here?”

Belzu’s eyes flickered to the Archmage. He didn’t visibly react, however I could tell he was already planning a way to either fight or escape with his life.

Helena Warshade continued.

“If you really want to prove yourself innocent, Salvos, help me bring this Demon to justice. For all the lives it had taken and unfairly stole.”

She held my gaze. The Archmage didn’t look away. She didn’t even face Belzu who could’ve unleashed his curses at her during any moment. Instead, she waited for my response.

I knew she was feeling what I felt, and inside of me, there was a bubbling of emotions simmering and ready to erupt. I took a deep breath, steeling myself— considering what to say. Every second that passed, I knew she was doubting me even more. I knew that if I didn’t say something soon, she might just decide to try her hand at fighting both Belzu and I again, right now. And this time, she was very much prepared to lose her life.

I didn’t want that to happen. This presented a chance. An opportunity. Perhaps no matter what I said, Helena Warshade would attack us both anyway. Still, I responded truthfully. I gave the honest answer that popped into my mind. It was risky.

But I took the chance, anyway.

“The reason is simple: it’s because I am a Demon too.”

I said, and the Archmage’s eyes grew wide.