When I next awoke, I felt strange. It took a mont to realize why. Aurora and I were no longer fused. When I fell asleep, we were one. However, now we were two. Aurora was inside my body, sleeping, but we were no longer one being. I sent a query through our bond, stirring her from her sleep. She responded, letting know that she was alright, before falling back asleep.
I sighed with relief. Good. Aurora and I were both new to this whole "becoming one" thing. We still didn't know the rules or the risks involved. What if sothing had happened because we fell asleep while still fused? What if the fusion beca permanent? It hadn't, thank goodness, but it could've.
The two of us needed to be more careful going forward. We were stumbling around in the dark with no idea where to go next. When I had the chance, I intended to find Kiki and ask her for advice. As a spirit herself, one who almost beca a god, perhaps she knew a thing or two.
I felt movent, which pulled out of my thoughts. Without opening my eyes, I took stock of my situation. I was in soone's warm embrace. The scent of vanilla engulfed . On reflex, I let out a satisfied sigh. A mont later, I heard a chuckle.
When I opened my eyes and looked up, I found myself staring into a pair of brilliant blue eyes. Joy filled them, though I noticed a shadow lurking underneath.
"Good morning," Anna said.
I close my eyes again, before burrowing deeper into Anna's embrace. Her very presence eased the ache in my heart.
"Soone's feeling needy," she said, amused.
"I missed you," I said.
"I missed you too, Gabriel."
Anna tightened her embrace and started shaking.
"Never do that to ever again," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I thought I had lost you. If it hadn't been for Aurora, I…"
She choked up, unable to finish.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I never intended to hurt you."
I felt Anna nod.
"I know. Just… hold ."
I wrapped my arms around Anna and embraced her in return. The two of us stayed like that for a while. We stayed in each other's arms while Anna caressed my back. Dozens of questions buzzed in my mind like a hive of bees, but I ignored all of them. Right now, all I cared about was Anna. She was my first and foremost priority. Everything, and everyone, else could wait.
The mont ended when my stomach roared and an intense hunger struck . It felt as if my stomach would cave in on itself and form a black hole.
"Right," I muttered. "I haven't eaten anything in this body for about two months now."
I started to pull away, but Anna held on to and refused to let go.
"No," she said. "I'm afraid that if I let go, you'll disappear on ."
Considering what happened, I didn't bla her. In her shoes, I'd feel the sa way.
"In that case, hold my hand while I dig through my inventory ring," I said. "I think I stored so snacks in there."
"I'd rather feed you myself."
I looked up at Anna, feeling both amused and annoyed. Still, considering what happened, I decided to let this pass.
"I'm not an infant you know," I said in a wry tone. "I can feed myself."
Anna pouted at .
"Please?" she asked in a pleading tone.
Her plea hit right in the heart, dealing critical damage.
Dealing critical damage? I must've spent too much ti on Earth. I was starting to think in video ga terms.
Regardless, Anna's plea softened my heart and I relented.
"Fine," I said. "At least let sit up."
Anna nodded, before loosening her grip and taking my hand. I sat up and looked around. The two of us lay on a comfortable, if plain, bed. In fact, comfortable and plain could describe the room we were in. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all gray stone, with glowstones embedded in the latter.
There was little in the way of decoration. As for furniture, other than the bed there was a wooden nightstand, a wooden wardrobe, and a wooden desk with a wooden chair. In the far corner was a small bathroom, out in the open, complete with a small shower. There were no windows. A single door led in and out of the room.
"Anna," I said, frowning. "Why does this room seem like a prison cell?"
My fiancée grimaced.
"That's because it is," she said. "We're in a holding cell within the Hall of Inquisition."
I sucked in a breath at that. The Church of the Sun was a large organization with many factions. The Followers of Tempest were one. The Inquisition was another.
Like the Followers of Tempest, the Inquisition hunted demons and demon worshipers. However, unlike the Followers of Tempest, they operated in the shadows. Whenever they operated in the open, they wore masks and robes in order to hide their identities.
In short, they were the hidden blade of the Church of the Sun, with a reputation to match. I never considered working with them or asking them for help because they were rumored to be zealous fanatics who were more than willing to sacrifice innocent lives in order to achieve their goals.
There was even a famous story where an inquisitor burned down an entire village just to kill one alleged demon worshiper. I didn't know how true this story was, if at all, but where there was smoke, there was fire.
The Hall of Inquisition was the Inquisition's headquarters, located at the Grand Temple, the seat of the Church of the Sun's power.
"How did we end up here?" I asked. "Just what did I miss while I was on Earth?"
Anna took out a piece of bread and so cheese out of her inventory ring. Well, things couldn't be too bad if the Inquisition left us with our stuff.
"Here," Anna said. "I'll explain while you eat."
I took the food and started eating. While I was tempted to shove it all down my throat, I refrained in order to listen to Anna's story. Instead, I took little bites.
"After you… fell unconscious," Anna began. "We worked with House Sandstrike to clean up the city and repair the damage from the battle." She paused. "Well, everyone else did. I stayed by your side the entire ti, so I wouldn't miss it when you woke up. I'll admit, I went a little… crazy."
I stopped eating for a mont. If Anna admitted to going a "little crazy", then things must've been serious.
"I'm sorry," I said.
Anna shook her head.
"Don't apologize," she said. "It's not your fault. It's that damned succubus'. May they rot in hell." She narrowed her eyes at . "However, fighting Lady Isabel head on is a different story. That is your fault. There will be a reckoning for that, mark my words."
I gave Anna a sheepish smile, before gesturing for her to continue.
"A few weeks later," she said. "Grand Priest Darius arrived with a contingent of paladins. They worked with us and House Sandstrike to eliminate any remnants of the succubi, as well as free Lady Isabel's thralls." Her expression darkened. "Unfortunately, a group of inquisitors accompanied Grand Priest Darius, led by the Grand Inquisitor himself."
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My food got stuck in my throat and I started choking. I thumped my chest, which didn't help. Anna pulled a jug of water out of her storage ring and gave it to . I poured water down my throat, getting so of it on in the process. After I cleared the blockage, I took a deep breath before I stared at Anna in disbelief.
"The Grand Inquisitor?" I asked. "Why?"
Just as Grand Priest Darius led the Followers of Tempest, the Grand Inquisitor led the Inquisition. He wielded a significant amount of influence within the Church of the Sun. Part of this was because of the authority he wielded, which was on par with Grand Priest Darius'. Part of it was because of the Inquisition's reputation. People feared the Inquisition, and for good reason. They feared the Grand Inquisitor even more so.
"Lady Isabel," Anna answered.
Ah, I see. That made sense. The forr head of a House becoming a demon worshiper, an infernophage no less, was a serious enough situation to warrant the Grand Inquisitor's attention.
Damn it! I should've seen this coming. The problem was, I almost never thought about the Inquisition, so I never considered the possibility that they might show up.
"So why did they take us into custody?" I asked.
"To summarize," Anna said. "The Inquisition feared that a demonic spirit might possess your body and pretend to be you. So they wanted to take you into custody, just in case. Grand Priest Darius argued against this, saying that he was more than capable of looking after your body. The Grand Inquisitor accused him of being blinded by emotion, and-" She paused. "I'll just say that they had a very long, very loud argunt."
I imagined Grand Priest Darius arguing with the Grand Inquisitor. I found the resulting image both amusing and terrifying.
"Grand Priest Darius lost, I take it?" I asked.
Anna made a so-so gesture.
"The two ca to a compromise," she said. "The Inquisition would take you into custody on two conditions. The first was that Grand Priest Darius would be there when they interrogated you after you woke up." Her expression turned harsh. "So fools said that you wouldn't wake up, that you were nothing more than a soulless husk. I made them pay for saying such nonsense."
I grimaced. Under normal circumstances, those so-called fools would've been right. When soone's soul is ripped out of their body, they die. Even if their body lived, their soul would still be gone. The only reason I survived was because of my unique circumstances; circumstances which I still didn't fully understand.
"And the second condition?" I asked.
"That I be allowed to accompany you," Anna said.
Her words touched my heart.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" I asked.
Anna's expression softened.
"By being the light of my life," she said. "You bring out the best in . Without you, I might've beco a monster again."
I looked away, my cheeks heating up. Anna gave far too much credit. I wasn't that great. I was simply .
"So, what happened next?" I asked after clearing my throat.
Anna let out an amused chuckle.
"The Inquisition took us into custody and brought you here," she said. "Grand Priest Darius accompanied us and spent a long ti searching for any traces of your soul. That's when he discovered the silver thread. After so discussion, Aurora decided to follow it in hopes of finding you." Her expression beca strained. "I'll admit, things were difficult. We didn't know what had happened to you, and we feared the worst." Her expression lightened up. "Thankfully, Aurora returned with good news."
I nodded. That sounded about right.
"After that, we arrived at the Hall of Inquisition and we've been here ever since," Anna said, finishing her story.
"What about the others?" I asked. "Leroy, Cally, and the rest?"
"They're fine," Anna said. "Our companions, including Lord Dominic and Kiki, are with Grand Priest Darius. As for House Sandstrike, Lord César took over and is working to strengthen Eastwatch as a whole."
I let out a relieved sigh. Good. That was our goal from the very beginning. This way, even if a demonic incursion attacked Eastwatch, it stood a better chance at surviving. It wouldn't rot from the inside, like it had during the First Tiline.
"Now it's your turn," Anna said, giving a serious look. "What happened?"
I opened my mouth to tell her my side of the story, before I paused. Teacher's words echoed in my mind, accusing of omitting details that I deed unnecessary or didn't want to share. Alright then. I decided to be more forthright than usual, at least with Anna.
Of course, I didn't tell Anna everything. Himiko's feelings, for example. I kept that to myself. The last thing I needed was for Anna to beco jealous of soone in another realm. What if she did sothing drastic? I'll admit, I didn't know much about Anna's limits or what her bottom line was.
When I finished speaking, Anna didn't respond right away.
"Do you regret it?" she asked. "Choosing Lumina, that is. If you had stayed on Earth, you wouldn't have to deal with all…" She gestured to everything in general. "…this. You could've stayed safe and sound. No threats. No dangers. No demons."
I snorted, before I gripped Anna's chin.
"Never," I said. "I love Earth, but Lumina is my ho. Most of my friends and family are here." I gave Anna a quick kiss on the lips. "More importantly, you're here." I grinned at her. "I can now boast that I would literally travel across entire realms for you."
Anna's eyes sparkled, before she pushed onto my back and pinned my hands above my head. The remaining bread and cheese fell to the floor, forgotten.
"You know what to say to get going," Anna said, her eyes filled with lust. "I've been celibate for the better part of two months, and I am about to burst. Now that you've eaten, we're going to fuck until I've had my fill. By the ti I'm done with you, you won't even be able to walk."
I pretended to resist, struggling just enough to make Anna put in so actual effort into restraining .
"Don't I get a choice in this matter?" I asked, giving her a faux glare.
Anna smirked.
"No," she said. "And I know you like it that way." She leaned down to whisper into my ear. "You're mine, and I'm going to engrave that onto your very soul. That way, no one will ever think of taking you away from . Not anyone from Earth, not the demons, not even the gods themselves. You are mine, now and forever."
I snorted.
"Big words," I said. "I'd like to see you prove it."
Anna cackled, before she devoured whole.
The next several hours were among the most intense of my life. Anna brought to heights that I didn't even know existed, but she made pay for it. Pleasure and pain blurred together, until it beca difficult to distinguish between the two. I put up a good fight, but Anna overwheld in every way possible. It didn't help that this body had been in a coma for the better part of two months.
By the ti we finished, I couldn't even get out of bed, let alone walk. It turned out that Anna's boast earlier hadn't been a boast after all. It had been a statent of fact. Afterwards, we fell asleep in each other's arms.
When we next woke up, after an unknown amount of ti, we showered. Separately, of course. The shower in this holding cell was too small for the both of us to use it at the sa ti. Still, it was better than nothing.
I was pretty sure I only had a cell like this because of my status. If I were a commoner, or even a scion from a less prestigious House, I imagine my accommodations would be far worse.
Once we finished cleaning ourselves off, we changed into simple brown robes and had a quick bite to eat. Afterwards, Anna left the cell. Unlike , she wasn't a prisoner. While she volunteered to stay with , she didn't have to. She could leave whenever she wanted. Now that I was awake, it was ti for to face the Inquisition. Thankfully, I had Anna and Grand Priest Darius on my side.
Anna returned so ti later.
"We're in luck," she said. "The Grand Inquisitor is able to see you today. That ans you should be released by either tonight or tomorrow morning."
I raised an eyebrow at that.
"Truly?" I asked. "I don't think I'm important enough to warrant the Grand Inquisitor's personal attention."
Anna snorted.
"Of course you are," she said. "You're a scion from one of the Solarian Empire's founding Houses. Not only that, but you're a transmigrator."
I blinked at Anna in surprise.
"Wait a minute," I said. "You told the Grand Inquisitor that I'm a transmigrator?"
Anna made a so-so gesture.
"He figured it out after examining your body."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
"You didn't think to ntion this earlier?"
"I didn't think it was relevant at the ti."
I closed my eyes. Now I knew how Teacher felt whenever I left things out, intentionally or otherwise. This was my karma.
"Is there anything else that you withheld from ?" I asked, opening my eyes. "If so, now's the ti to tell ."
Anna looked thoughtful for a mont.
"Your parents are pressuring the Inquisition to release you," she said. "Does that count?"
"You told my parents that the Inquisition took ? Why?!"
Anna gave a strange look.
"Why wouldn't we? If it weren't for them, things would've been a lot more difficult."
I paused and thought it over, before conceding. Anna made a fair point. Informing my parents about what happened was the right choice.
"What about Kaylee?" I asked.
Anna shook her head.
"No," she said. "By the ti we thought to tell her, she had already returned to the Solarian Imperial Academy with Harvey."
Damn. I had hoped to see my sister and Harvey at least once before the start of the autumn sester. Now I would have to wait until it ended.
I opened my mouth to say sothing, but then the door to my cell opened, interrupting . A figure covered from head to toe in mostly black entered. They wore hooded black robes that concealed most of their body, making it difficult to figure out their build. In addition to the robes, they wore a pair of black gloves and a pair of black boots. However, in contrast to all the black, the figure wore a featureless white mask that covered their entire face.
An inquisitor.
A pair of heavily armored paladins entered the cell and stood behind the inquisitor. The two of them carried a pair of manacles in their hands.
It was ti to et the Grand Inquisitor.
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