As Deedee went to fight the Demon Lord Aberis, I went to Lydia’s side. The battle had already fallen far outside my expectations. All of our careful planning had been cut through by him one after another. Now, there was only one more option we had. I kneeled next to Lydia, healing before I even got there. I feared the worst, that she was already dead, but to my surprise, her condition was okay.
Even more surprising, as I healed her, the dark attribute quickly dissipated. From what I had heard, Deedee had been lightly scrapped by the dagger and had nearly died. Lydia had no strong affinities against miasma, and her wound was many times worse, but I had a feeling like she’d pull through. It made no sense.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, a dagger fell next to my side. I looked over to it, only to see the malacrum dagger. My eyes slowly rose to see Calypso standing there.
“She’ll be fine. I only imbued that dagger with a little bit of my miasmic attribute. It makes a good copy, but it ultimately lacks the punch of a malacrum dagger. Don’t get me wrong, it is a soul-reaving dagger. A fatal strike would kill someone’s soul permanently. Your girl here probably has some soul damage, but a wound like that, and a White Mage like you, she’ll be fine.”
“You… tricked the Demon Lord Aberis?”
“Hmph… I’m very good. Even he can’t see through my tricks.”
“Is that why you got captured?”
“Well, it’s not like I was planning to get captured.” She snorted. “I had thought if I could stab him with the malacrum knife, he’d die. I succeeded, by the way. The assassination worked perfectly. I was going to replace him, and his armies would have become my own. It didn’t work. He’s resistant to it. It hurt him a little, but he didn’t get sick like you. I think it’s because his soul is only half mana.”
“Mmm… he’s managed to somehow keep his soul in a state half mana, half miasma. It makes him resistant to both weapons, but perhaps if you strike simultaneously.”
I nodded slowly, and then I looked up at her. “Join us.”
“Me?” She asked in an amused voice. “Why? So, I can become one of your slaves? Do you want me in your harem, Deek?”
“No, it’s just… to defeat him…” I blushed.
She laughed softly. “It took me enough effort to destroy one Slave bond. I don’t plan to jump into another. If you weren’t distracting him so well, I never would have managed. Don’t make a mistake though, I’m just repaying the favor and helping you accomplish what I want. We aren’t allies. I’m also not convinced you can win. If you all fail, then I still have a chance to eventually get my revenge.”
“So, you’re leaving like that?”
“Don’t say you’re growing attached to me.” She smirked. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll leave her behind.”
She gestured to a woman who was lying unconscious on the floor.
“Siti? Why?” I asked suspiciously.
“Don’t worry, she has been freed from her restraints. I don’t have any desire to spy on you.” Calypso chuckled. “My reasoning for giving her up is rather simple. She’s not gay.”
Calypso gave an innocent shrug. “She doesn’t like women. Believe me or not, but I don’t like forcing women against their will. I prefer to taste a confused woman and unlock their true hidden desires. Deedee… for example, would have been a fun girl to taste. She really likes women.”
Her eyes fell on my other half, who was currently preparing for a final attack while the remaining party desperately held the Demon Lord Aberis down.
“It’s too bad I’ll never get to taste her. Perhaps, I’ll just have to eat you instead.” Her last words sounded right next to my ear.
I spun back to look at her, but she had somehow disappeared. Calypso had left the battlefield, but she had given me a key to victory. I had Aberis’s knife!