In the end, I couldn't find any residency today but I got some spare change. 'Yeah, more money is always good but there is no way I am taking those with me.' I gently push the heavy stack of books back. "Hey, can you just put these in my residence when you manage get one tomorrow?"
Without thinking much, Stella agrees.
"Also, is it lunch time yet?" I ask while glancing at the full restaurant above.
"Yes! Lunch hour started an hour ago! Do you want me to reserve a table for you? We also offer 10% percent discount for new member-"
'Shit.'
I race off to the main door. "Sorry Stella! Next time lunch is on me!"
"Oh." Flabbergasted, Stella stares at my back in the distance.
The guild was slowly filling up, every counter had it's own receptionists but not one of them was wearing fake elf ears. I loudly open the door and go down through the underground passage. 'Shit. Shit. I am late. Please be at home. Don't go to that Father in the church.'
The park was bustling with people, few wearing long coats, few walking with heavy armours and few walking around with their familiars. But one thing was common that everyone of them was an adventurer. Struggling to maintain her balance, Dora whispers into my mind. 'A-Altaris. Can't you slow down?'
'No. Here, snoop in my coat and hold tight.' The small mouse who was the evil witch few hours ago, quietly did as told.
I glance in everywhere and spread my mana field. 'This… is going to be tough.'
With a burst of wind, I breeze through the park. My stunt definitely caused trouble, I blew few coats and skirts along the way but that wasn't the problem. I sensed it the moment I exited the guild, few curious gazes were observing my stunt with great interest. Most of them were small fries though, but two caught my attention. 'It's been many years since someone plotted a tracking device on me. Two at that. Sadly, I have greater matter at hands…. Please be safe.'
I brush the suspicious mana scents off me and run towards the forest, towards home.
The sun had long disappeared into the horizon yet I was still in the forest. My mana pool completely exhausted, I have been moving on my gut feeling and memory. Obviously, I spread my mana field from time to time to actually see my location. "Hah. Hah. Just a bit more." This what I have been telling myself for past hour or so.
Dora peeked through my coat and decides to whisper in my mind. 'What is it that drives you so much? If you require additional mana I know few unorthodox ways.'
'Shut up.' I reply once and kept my silence the entire remaining journey.
After few more hours, I finally reached the village and saw the crooked house. I smash open the already broken door only to find it empty. I glance up at the stars. "They already went to dinner!"
THUD! Again, I smash down the church doors to find it empty. I dig through my own finger nails and race my mind for answers. 'Where are they? Did I arrive too late? I swear to god, if that bastard touched my kids-'
'What are you doing?' Dora infiltrates in my mind. 'I have been observing you but I don't get it. You ran for an entire day, exhausted all your mana and took all that effort for what? To break in random empty places? What are you even thinking?'
With all my options closed, I decide to take the gamble with Dora. 'I-I am looking for someone.'
'I can guess that much by your actions. But I am not a god. Unlike you. I cannot read mind or see future. Therefore, reveal your intentions, tell me. You already have my soul, without that I am nothing.'
With a deep breath, I began explaining Dora all the necessary things. 'So, you are looking for a bunch of orphans.'
'Yeah.'
'Then why are you not searching with your mana field? Analyse the manaflow of the surroundings, no?' Dora speaks as if she stating the most basic things of searching, I do not take offense as she is actually right but there is a problem.
'I have no mana.'
'Yes. You emptied your mana pool hours ago. Surely, it must be full now or close to it.'
I remain silent at her words.
'Impossible!' Dora jumps off my coat and lands on the stone slab. 'You claim to be the legendary Royal mage Altaris. The Legion commander himself. Yet you cannot regain your mana in few hours?'
I stare at now laughing mouse. 'Hahaha. Which impersonator got my soul. In the dungeon, I was so convinced that you were the real deal. But now? Hahaha!'
Frustrated, I try to inhale some mana only to experience severe cramps in chest. 'I am the Altaris. I am him.'
'Then why can't you regain mana? Not to mention, your mana pool is so pathetic too.'
That was the last straw, I grab the mouse in front of me. 'Wait! Wait! What are you doing?'
'Refueling mana.'
'No!!!'
Like a sponge I absorbed every bit of mana from Dora's body. As a mouse, she could barely squeak. Her mana pool obviously decreased exponentially after transferring to a mouse but it was better than nothing. Mages could easily suck raw mana out of artifacts and other mana rich elements. Only black mages could steal mana out of a living being.
Unfortunately, I was too harsh and stole too much which made Dora unconscious, her last thought before lying down was 'He is not Altaris! Atlaris was a believer of church and close companinon of the emperor, he could never be a black mage.'
I smirked at her thought. 'Looks like the Keepers were bit too fond of me.'
With mana overflowing in my every vessel, I spread my mana field which is larger than before. It didn't take me even a second to locate them. I glanced underneath the stone slabs and sensing several weak pulses and a rather unstable one.
I tossed Dora back into my pocket as future mana battery and began pumping large amount of mana into my arms. This forced my arm to become grotesque as it kept enlarging unrealistically, it turned purple soon. After putting a fair amount in my both arms, rammed them into the ground which the entire church.
"GIVE!" The floor crack from the impact.
"THEM!" Few pillars of the church's interior collapsed.
"BACK!" With a strong enough force, I broke the floor itself.
Beneath, the church there was a huge basement with candles and demonic markings everywhere. All children were on their knees bleeding from their noses, they all were drugged and naked. I spotted Rushian among the kids, he was chanting some verse. "Rushian! Hey! Wake up!"
No matter how hard I yelled, the boy never answered. Then my mana field sensed movement behind me. Father Patrick stood with an unconscious Alexia. He had his hands all over her. "Ahh! Another child. Join my cult! Worship the real god!"
I spotted a statue of a prominent Demon Prince Baal besides Patrick. He also reeked of black mana. There were strange black marking on Alexia's bodies. I grit my teeth in anger as I read them. 'Bridal sacrifice?'
"I was sad when you didn't come to eat my sweets the next day. But here you are, take the vows and you get sweets for life!"
Mana was visibly raising from my body. Small bubbles mixed with my own blood were leaking from my body. I grit my teeth so tight to calm myself on last time. "Which god you serve?" I whisper in the darkness.
The demonic priest chuckles. "I don't serve no god child. I serve only those who grant me power."
My hand hover's over Melsier's sword as it unsheathes itself. "Good. I don't want to kill another one."
I sweep my hand so fast that Father couldn't even see it. For him, my hand just…. Moved.
"Haha. Kill? The god has been death in this kingdom for a long time, the church of valour and salvation left so that we could strive! We! The ones who bring age on this kingdom! The age so-" The priest falls to the ground and coughs blood. "W-What?"
He looks at me and realizes that my sword is missing. "When d-did you?"
"You talk all of shit for someone without a heart." I slowly walk and grab the Father's head. "It's not like a monster like you actually need it."
I turn his head to the demon statue which was pierced by his own beating heart.
Still, the priest had a smile on his face. "You can kill me if you want, I already sold my soul to Baal! I will just become a demon!"
I look at him with my angelic golden pupils. "You see, I know a thing or two about black magic and bit about soul magic. I know the contract becomes complete the moment you die. Then you be reborn as a demon. But…. But what if you don't?"
Father Pattrick who lost his smile noticed a surge of black mana and colour change of one of my pupils to slightly darker shade.
"You somehow don't die and never get to become demon. What if I devour your soul right here and preserve your filthy consciousness as mine? You would become a part of me for all eternity where I make you live through all my subject's memories on repeat, forever. I think it's a good offer, your thoughts?"
"W-What are y-you babbling about?"
I stare silently in the Patrick's eyes and summon the black magic circle. "I take your silence as a yes."