Stress, anxiety, the sound of the siren that permeates the glacier first, and the tunnels later. The way back is interminable and distressing. Much more tiring than the first leg, all the descents became climbs and the gorges became climbing walls.

Luckily the dungeon rooms are huge. I keep telling myself I have time, whatever the threat, I have time.

Ci-cin.

“Anf, Anf!”

I bend over with my hands on my knees. Exhausted. I'm back in the abyss. The noise of the siren doesn't stop and I shake my head to chase it away. I haven't been able to sleep these days and I still haven't gotten used to it.

“Open.”

WARNING!

Living being other than [Empress] in the [core].

Living being, no information available.

Elapsed time: 5,356.59 hours.

More than five thousand hours! I lost more than five thousand hours just to go back! More than weeks!

The amazement is erased by the rush. There is no more time to waste!

[Dungeon path]

I appear in the [core] room.

The sirens stop.

I don't have to force myself to search. Illuminated by the dark lights of the roots, the white being is standing holding the palm of its clawed hand on the slab. The long blade-wing from the bat's membrane starts halfway up the forearm.

Head and mane of feathers and a white peacock tail. The legs with one silver beak and claws. I do not doubt that it is the dove born of Kirlh'iau.

Along the length of the body, veins, and hair similar to worms and tentacles envelop the being and dilate and contract following its breathing.

I do not doubt that this is the work of the God of Wisdom.

I feel the anger rising but I don't say anything. I limit myself to clutching the hilt of the sword, still sheathed in the umbrella.

I could summon my hounds and attack it.

I could use my flames.

Or a simple lunge. But my role does not allow me to judge in this way. There is a procedure, there are rules.

I raise my arm.

[Judgment]

Nothing happens.

[Judgment: Failed]

“Judgment does not judge living beings. That's why the God of Wisdom reincarnated that Half-demon.”

The creature turns and drops his hand. I noticed that it was just leaning, it wasn't using the plate.

The being has two mouths. A bird's beak instead of a nose and a shark's mouth on the crop. The first opens and closes allowing it to breathe.

Ci-cin.

«Fsss!»

The second, speaks: “Do you speak to the tail, Empress of the Underwasteland? I have little to do, I think I've failed.”

I raise my arm.

[Scan]

It makes a fan-like gesture, moving the air and erasing the screen.

“I would ask you not to start right away. There are a couple of things I'd like to talk about first, just to delay the inevitable.”

I nod and look around. Corals are proliferating here too. I didn't notice them immediately because their blue luminescence is covered by that of the roots.

Is the [Devil] spreading its infection? Or once obtained, is the infection independent of it?

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You've improved your language, I see.” I avoid sharing the information with the [Fiend].

It makes an exaggerated bow. “Oh, thanks. I was raised by a dreaming god, please don't compare me to the previous vile creature.”

“What do you plan to do with the core?” With a grimace, I discover the canines.

It pulls up and swells the varicose chest.

“I? Nothing, nothing. The living, except you, can do nothing. I've been trying for months, by now I wanted to give up.”

“I do not understand”

“Real? Me neither to be honest. After I was born, I received a life task to serve the destruction of the core. It is an indestructible object. The god spoke to me about it at length. To destroy it, we must generate the conditions in which the System breaks down completely.”

It's not difficult to understand where it wants to go, God raised it waiting to bring the [Devil] here.

“Since Kirlh’iau failed, I guess you were downgraded to pure support.”

The [Fiend] moves its head in a way that a humanoid neck cannot, then cracks it. The constant panting of that beak is irritating me.

“Yes, I learned the art of music and many other things from the God of Wisdom. I'm a quick learner by genetics and so I made sure I was in the right place at the right time.”

“But I defeated the Devil.”

It shrugs. “Yeah, I didn't want to believe it. My life mission swept away in an instant.”

“Do you want me to believe that a cryptical deity like yours didn't foresee this eventuality?”

“I do not know. I don't know and that's why I want you to talk. It doesn't speak to me anymore. Since I failed, it no longer speaks to me.”

Ci-cin, Ci-cin.

I wag my ears and tails. I grab the umbrella with my free hand, ready to take it off.

“Do you want me to believe that you came this far without a guide? It takes millions of years to get here.”

“Calm down, calm down. I know the way. I know the dungeon and the organs like my skin. God taught them to me at birth, or in a previous life, I don't remember and it doesn't matter.”

“But you can't do anything with the core. Why are you here?”

“Because I was hoping that by solving it on my own, maybe it would talk to me. But it didn't. Can you relate to the fact that it is a sleeper?”

“I don't know what you're saying, nor do I care.”

The [Fiend] looks around. It doesn't seem to bother me at all about my hatred and this makes me even angrier. Is this a tactic?

Calm down N, calm down.

“I've thought about it, you know. To all this, to my life in this world of darkness… reborn in the kingdom of the dead. You must feel very alone, right? Since it no longer talks to me, I feel very alone.”

Huh?

What is it telling me!? Does it wants to make me pity?

Ci-cin.

“This is my home and how I feel is none of your business.”

“I see, that's a legitimate response.”

“So may I know what your intentions are?”

The [Fiend] puts its hand to the throat and scratches its crop under the jaws.

“I'll kill you, of course. At that point, my beloved God will have to thank me. It will have to reevaluate its silence.”

“And why on earth?”

“Because you are an obstacle and you should already be dead. I know, I know even if it didn't tell me.”

The more it talks, the more its beak struggles to breathe and the more it annoys and pities me.

It's a disgusting monstrosity.

Not for the appearance, nor the wickedness. But for its twisted devotion. Going so far as to deny the state of things to cling to the faint hope that its beloved God will return.

“You are deluded. It has other plans and you are no longer needed.”

“Shut up.”

“You're alive, I'm sure that with your power you can use the tree to leave. You are a Fiend, surely you can conquer kingdoms or planets.”

I don't know how right it is to be diplomatic with a creature like that—judging it or fighting it would be inappropriate.

I judge the dead.

Only and only the dead can be judged from my point of view. Now I understand why [Judgment] doesn't depend on my will.

I would tear it to pieces.

Immediately.

I would feed it to my tail and only then forgive it. I may be silly and childish, but it and its god—I think back to the sadness of Ilnerio, to the progeny of the [Leviathan].

It's not right.

It's not fair that lives are so fragile.

Not…

♦

[Premonition] and I parry the first wing slash, drawing my sword.

I try to deflect its wing out of my guard to attempt a lunge. It is faster and cuts with the other wing.

[Shadow wall]

I dive at its feet and dive out to spear it from below. It dodges and bends down to bite me with its jaws.

It's inside my guard and [Dungeon path] makes me appear behind its wing.

Lunge.

Its peacock tail gets in the way and snaps it shut to disarm me. Meanwhile, it tries a blind strike with the wing and I easily dodge it.

I raise my arm.

[Blue jet]

[Blue jet]

“GREEE!” The electrical explosions hit it directly and it is thrown into the darkness.

[Dungeon path]

I reach the sword which I bend down to pick up. I stand up and look into the darkness. Its white silhouette reflects the purple lights, tinged with the same color.

“I don't know, you seem weaker to me.” I pretend to open my guard by closing my eyes. But no attack comes.

When I reopen them it's not there.

I look around the bridge and can't find the [Fiend]. There are roots, corals, and other structures. The plate…

…

“Ouch!” Something burning landed on my shoulder. I turn around and see a huge meat hole smoking. The wound heals slowly.

Too slowly!

I look up.

I roll my eyes. Perched on a branch, with a swollen crop, the being vomits a stream of acid.

[Dungeon path]

I see the entire section of the bridge melt. It will take some time to regenerate, it is no longer on, so…

…AH!

I turn around in time but my arm and my spiked tail are severed by a wing blow.

It secretes a yellowish substance and my limbs struggle to regenerate.

“You have a new skill, ngh!?”

It does not respond and launches a blow with the other wing. I dodge it and then it vomits more acid from its mouth.

[Dungeon path] saves me but I lost some fingers on my remaining hand. The blade falls to the ground and I see another part of the bridge melt into a smelly slime.

It hurts so much and I need to find a solution quickly. The [Fiend] doesn't know that I'm immortal, and if it knows it's a damn sadist.

I won't let myself melt!

[Necromancy]

[Necromancy]

[Necromancy]

[Necromancy]!

And now, let me see [Fiend].