Around them, the demon harvesting continued without fail. Jax’s team, alongside Gates’s subordinates, were killing all the demons that approached from the rift.
The way they coordinated and attacked maintained an efficient operation with asurable results.
Maria watched the process with growing amazent.
"How are you doing this? How are you making it look so... easy?"
Arthur gestured toward Gates’s subordinates with a casual air of pride. "Those are my team mbers."
No need to ntion Power Guild. Not with Jax’s military presence here.
While he could eliminate the soldiers if necessary, it wouldn’t benefit his larger objectives. Keeping certain details under wraps remained the better option for now.
It was a strategic way of controlling information whilst getting the desired effect he wanted.
Maria’s eyes tracked the coordinated movents, cataloguing the powerful weapons and tactical precision that spoke of serious investnt in that team.
She could tell that the team mbers were heavily invested in. The armour, the weapons, everything about them spoke of the investnt, and most importantly, she could see that they were genuinely enjoying themselves.
"I see." Her voice carried growing nervousness as the magnitude of the operation sank in.
"So... uhm, you know. I would like to join you guys if you don’t mind."
Her confidence seed to deflate as she waited for his response. The lightning crackling around her fingers dimd with uncertainty.
"I an, I know I’m not as strong as them yet, but I can learn. I’m good at following orders, and my lightning talent is useful for—"
"You’re accepted."
It was a simple answer, yet the impact was massive.
Arthur’s interruption cut through her nervous rambling like a blade through silk.
Maria’s face transford imdiately.
The look of shock on her face gave way to pure joy as the words finally hit her.
"Really? You an it? I can actually join?"
Her excitent exploded like bottled lightning. She literally jumped up and down like a little girl who’d just been told Christmas ca early.
Her energy was infectious, making so Sarah chuckle from the side before continuing her demon hunt.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Maria pumped her fists in the air, electricity dancing around her body in celebration.
"Thank you so much! I won’t let you down, I promise!"
Arthur watched her celebration with amusent hidden behind his neutral face. Her genuine joy was refreshing compared to the responses he usually encountered.
Sotis simplicity beats complexity.
That’s when Maria’s celebration stopped abruptly. Her eyes had finally noticed the small dragon perched on Arthur’s shoulder.
"Oh my God. Is that... is that a dragon?" Her voice dropped to an awed whisper.
Due to the nervousness she was feeling about everything happening, she had completely missed the small black dragon that perched on Arthur’s shoulder. Aetherion’s void-black scales also didn’t help, blending in with Arthur’s robe.
His intelligent eyes regarded Maria with curious interest.
"He’s so small! And cute! I’ve never seen anything like him!" Maria’s voice pitched higher with excitent.
She took a tentative step closer, her lightning aura unconsciously dimming in respect for the primordial creature.
"What’s his na?" She asked, a huge smile on her face.
"Aetherion," Arthur replied. "But I call him Aether."
Maria clasped her hands together, her expression carrying the kind of wonder usually reserved for childhood Christmas mornings.
"He’s absolutely beautiful. Could I... would it be okay if I petted him?"
Maria knew the bounds; she couldn’t simply pet a dragon without permission from the owner and the dragon himself.
Arthur turned toward his shoulder companion. "Aether, Maria wants to pet you, do you allow her to?"
Arthur respected the preferences of his summons. He knew that if he told Aether to let Maria pet him, the small dragon would obey without hesitation. Even so, he believed it was important to honour their autonomy.
Delegating consent was a matter of principle and respect.
The void dragon studied Maria’s hopeful expression with consideration. His mind evaluated her electrical energy signature, her emotional sincerity, and her respectful approach.
Several seconds of silence stretched as Aetherion made his decision.
Maria stood there awkwardly, worried that she had offended the small dragon.
Hopefully, he doesn’t turn to ashes. I’m sorry, little one, forgive .
"Once," he finally declared, his childlike voice carrying surprising gravity.
Arthur raised his eyebrow in interest. He hadn’t expected the primordial dragon to allow the woman in front of him her request.
Aether was a primordial dragon. Whilst he appeared childish and all cute, that was only to his master and those that Arthur viewed as close allies, and Aether knew those people.
But the woman in front of him wasn’t close to Arthur, nor was she a trusted ally, at least not yet. But Aether had allowed her.
It was a significant honour that Arthur was sure only Maria would get apart from Gates in the whole of Detroit.
"He talks! Of course, he talks! You’re amazing, Aether! Thank you for letting !" Maria’s eyes widened further. Her excitent was so genuine that even Arthur’s deanour softened slightly.
"You may pet ...but gently. I am a primordial being, not a common lizard," the dragon announced with regal dignity.
His dragon pride was wrapped in adorable packaging, making the petting motion even more valuable than before.
Maria approached with reverent care, her hand extended slowly toward Aetherion’s scaled head. When her fingers made contact, electricity sparked harmlessly.
"Oh wow, you’re so warm! And your scales are like smooth obsidian," she breathed.
Aetherion tolerated the attention with surprising grace, his usual playfulness replaced by dignified acceptance.
"That is sufficient," he declared after exactly three seconds of contact.
Maria withdrew her hand imdiately, but Arthur could tell it was with obvious reluctance.
Still, Maria showed clear respect for his wishes.
"Thank you, Aether. That was incredible." She smiled.
"You show proper respect," Aetherion observed. "This is acceptable behaviour for soone joining Master’s forces."
Arthur watched the interaction with satisfaction. Maria’s natural deference to supernatural beings suggested she’d integrate well with his expanding organisation.
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