Charine’s smile lasted on her face. The two of them had moved into a more closed-off area where others couldn’t gaze much at it, as she turned to look at him, her expression going back to looking more lost as she spoke.
"It’s ti."
Azrail, taking in the words, received a notification that was a link that directly took him to the location. Thus, looking at Charine, Azrail gave a nod after which the two of them disappeared from the place, just so shining particles left over.
...
’Hot.’
That was the first word that ca to mind of Azrail as he arrived in the place. All around him was a mix of tal and heat—a mixture that was making it hot all around: powerful runes running around in structure everywhere. Right now, Azrail was in an open area, maybe a vast hallway that scread power and prestige.
The hotness here was a spread that kept elevating the situation, and in his notification of the place, Azrail read sothing more unique.
Status: Protected.
’It seems I am given a protective barrier to let survive.’
"The normal heat here will be enough to burn you away at your current level."
Charine added, making Azrail nod his head at it. This place is more of a central location where Hephaestus might spend his ti crafting or whatever the hell he really likes doing—the still atmosphere is more desolate in a sense. Thus, Azrail looked around; he was just simply in the place. He couldn’t see anyone else present, and just then a voice sounded out.
"What is it?"
The voice deeply resonating within Azrail’s mind, to which he cupped his hand, gave a light bow as he spoke.
"My na is Azrail, and I was sent here by the supre Goddess Hera in need to give you this."
As Azrail spoke, he took out the scroll that Hera gave him—which instantly vanished from his hands.
’This is a lot of stupid stuff to be done with.’
Azrail felt his lips twitch at the whole situation. It wasn’t like this was the real world; it was just the virtual, and simply sending a ssage would have been more than enough for things to be done with—yet such extravagant actions are still being taken: showing off power and control these Gods have over everyone lower than them.
[Very stupid indeed.]
[[I agree too!]]
Taking in the voices, after which the voice sounded out again.
"Give a minute."
’This doesn’t look good; it seems Hephaestus doesn’t even want to talk to face-to-face. He is just waving off.’
Azrail expected sothing like that—knowing the fact that he is still a junior to them, and perhaps to them he won’t be of any use at all—which would an all of this might end with a simple transaction where he won’t even get to talk to Hephaestus.
"I have sothing else from Goddess Hera, too."
Azrail suddenly spoke up, after which he took out another scroll—one not given to him by Hera at all—and Hephaestus would have easily detected that in an instant, but the gift of curiosity is sothing every crafter is blessed with: it’s what drives them to their greatness. So he took it to read it out of curiosity, and if Azrail was wasting his ti, then death would just be the lightest punishnt for him.
This ti Charine looked at Azrail with a certain light in her gaze—’cause she understood and even better felt that the scroll had nothing to do with Hera at all—but she didn’t say or speak anything, just watching for now.
’Either Hera said so not to interfere, or it’s the traitor in her bubbling forth. Anyway, it’s bad for .’
Musing on that thought a mont later, Azrail disappeared from where he stood—his body being pulled around like a toy string as he felt himself disappear. The next mont, he knew he was floating in an all black expanse.
’Urgh....hot.’
’Maybe I should have also added the more fire immunity I got from Yurour to this creation also.’
As Azrail fumbled at that thought, a deep and vast eye made of fire itself opened up above Azrail—its eyes looking deeply down at him as if trying to strip him down and gaze at all of his own secrets. The fire fell over Azrail, seemingly trying to rip away every outer protection, trying to mask what he looked like, but it wasn’t possible.
"Hum?"
This earned a surprise from the eyes themselves as he spoke.
"A full privacy setting? Just what are you trying to hide?"
Feeling the pain of the fire burning through him deep, Azrail held himself back from screaming or crying—he smiled with a wide, hidden smile, and replied.
"Just what I want to be hidden."
"Does Hera know?"
The voice asked.
"If she did, do you think you would still be alive?"
My reply back, earning a whisper—which, a mont later, the fire withdrew away from Azrail’s body: the pressure and the heat lessened as the voice asked.
"Who are you? You are not part of the resistance."
The question resounded in depth as the eyes that held vast ages looked deep at Azrail.
"Just soone lucky enough for the limbo to talk to him."
The words resounding out and the truth of it lay bare to Hephaestus himself.
"Oh ?.....no wonder Hera took you in. So what’s the ga? What is it do you want playing both sides?"
Azrail flinched a little at the question, but he still kept his calm as he replied.
"Just soone that walks through death, teetering on its limits. I move to the side that serves the best purpose. Hera thinks she can still win, but it’s already too late—everything is set. She is a million years too late..."
The whispers of Azrail’s words only proved just how much he knew, and Azrail is sure that Hephaestus is just waiting and watching for the mont. He definitely just wants to keep Azrail here and torture him while keeping him in a chamber of ti dilation, where he can keep torturing Azrail till he breaks, and Hephaestus gets what he wants.
But he can’t do that. The light attack itself was a risk—because in the end, Azrail had arrived here as in a sense, as an envoy of Hera. Doing anything worse down the line here will be declaring open war on Hera, and it’s not sothing that can be done on a whim. So Azrail is safe.....for now.
"But, even though it’s all set, with what I know, I still can cause harm. Sure, she can’t beat it, but if I openly talk more about what she wants, then the resources and the ti needed for everything to be done will rise infinitely more. I can be quite the pain in the ass."
Azrail’s words, if taken openly, will be a great sin in themselves, but Hephaestus didn’t attack back—the words held truth, and the fact that nothing bad has happened yet ans that there is room for negotiation.
"How are you circumventing the contract enforced? Hera isn’t a fool.....what are you?"
The sound ringing out, making Azrail smile deep within the confines of himself. Hephaestus knew; he should understand that for Azrail to gain such attention from Hera ant that perhaps he had gotten close using the information of her hidden downfall. It won’t be that hard to find if Azrail could fall into the right place in Limbo.
And he might have used it to get the attachnt Azrail needs, but that still won’t answer the question of how Azrail can openly co like this and sche against Hera when he must have definitely signed a contract of the soul itself to help Hera and not betray her.
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