"I have to be stronger"

Sweat covered Alice’s face as she continued to make swings and stabs with the Rosary. The spear was constantly sending out waves of red energy, which vanished shortly after they ventured out of the weapon. She tried not to use her left arm too much, but wielding the Rosary with just one hand was a harder task than she would have preferred. After the tenth red wave, the green-eyed half-angel decided that it was enough for a warm-up. Now she could do what she came here for. She held the spear close to her and closed her eyes. She had to focus. The Rosary was slowly coating itself in an ethereal, yellowish light. The yellow coating broke away before it could fully cover the weapon. She had to try again. This time, the coating didn’t even reach the blossoming rose. The third time, it nearly covered the blade, but the fourth time, it broke right after. Casting the spell a fifth time, the ethereal coating stayed. Rosary glowed,while a good five meters away from the ginger-haired girl a small glowing spot appeared on the ground. From it arose a shining, yellow, ghostly copy of the Rosary, almost twice in length. It vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Exhausted, Alice fell to her knees, dropping her smoking spear, which hit the ground with a loud thud. Not good. If that was all she could muster, then there was no way she could ever use the Land of Golden Spears to its full potential. Elemental Arrows, the Holy Blade, and the Wrathful Strike were nothing compared to this. If she were even a proper half-angel, maybe she could muster enough strength to handle it. As it was, it would take a long time for her body to get used to the stress it had given her. Oh, how much she would give to be like real angels and demons, capable of using powerful spells as they wish. It would make her task of protecting Znena much easier. Her wishful thinking about spells was broken when she felt someone put a towel on her head.

"So here is our little runaway angel." Lilim couldn’t help but smile as the pretty little emeralds looked at her. To think that Alice would sneak away at the break of dawn to do a training session, Succubus couldn’t say that she expected that from her. "Shouldn’t you be resting?"

"There’s only so long I can rest. I can’t neglect my duties forever, can I? I have to spring back into action ASAP." Neglect? That’s what she thought of it? Sometimes the words that came from ginger’s mouth baffled her. No one at the force thought that she was neglecting her duties.

"And you thought that casting spells left and right with a barely healed-up shoulder would let you do that? Al, sometimes I don’t understand you."

"You know that I won’t do anything reckless. See? I’ve practiced with the Rosary in just one hand!" Alice picked up the spear to show Lilim her stance. Succubus took a deep sigh.

"Yet you tried to cast a spell that’s clearly not for your aura to handle."

"How did you know that? For how long have you been here?" The half-angel asked with a blush on her face. Has the demon seen all of her failed attempts?

"Since someone stumbled her foot on a table because she didn’t want to wake anyone up by turning the lights on." Lilim replied with a smirk. Alice said nothing. "Mind telling me what’s all about?"

"It’s just that I don’t want to be a burden.” That left the blue-eyed demon even more confused. Once again, no one has ever thought of her as such. Just what was going on with her today?

"Al, I think I’m lost... Neglect? Burden? What are you talking about?"

"Lilim, you don’t have to pretend. During our fight against Adramelech, I couldn’t do anything. Hell, I don't think I could handle that minotaur myself. To be honest, I don’t know how I even got this far without yours or Beatrice’s help.”

"Hey, you know that’s not true. You are more than capable of handling demons; that’s why you are here now.”

"And yet, that’s not enough to protect Znena by myself. What if Adramelech wasn’t alone? What if he decided to wreak havoc? How many people would have di-" Alice couldn’t finish her sentence as Lilim took her into an embrace. Succubus gently stroked her hair, letting the green-eyed girl calm down.

"And who told you that you have to do this all by yourself? No one expects that from you, and there is a reason as to why Force exists in the first place.”

"I know, sorry. It’s just that... I don’t know what got into me today. I guess I was still mad that I couldn’t pull off that spell. "Alice broke away from the embrace and gave Lilim a reassuring smile. Though succubus could tell that it wasn’t all that genuine,

"Is that all?" She might come out as inquisitive, but if she wanted to know what was bothering the half-angel, there was no better occasion.

"Honestly, no. But you don’t have to worry about me. Like I said, I was just exhausted and frustrated. Say, did Beatrice tell you anything last night?" So it had to do with the blonde angel. A mother-daughter spat perhaps?

"No. What, did she tell you that you are too young to bring a girlfriend home?" Lilim winked and grew at ease, hearing Alice chuckle slightly. It meant that the situation wasn’t that bad.

‘’Nothing of the sort... You see, during our fight against Adramelech, he seemed to mistake me for my mother. It might have been a mere taunt, but what if Tetra knows something? What if they know where my mom is? I have to get my answers from them. But as I am now, I won’t be able to do so. That’s why I have to be stronger."

"You know, I get your reasoning. But working your ass till exhaustion is no way to do so. I learned that the hard way."

"Then how do you want me to become better?" How? Did Alice really not know any better ways to sharpen her skills? Succubus was worried that working until exhaustion was how she did everything. If that were true, it was a miracle that Beatrice didn’t go gray.

"Well, we should wait until your shoulder is healed up properly, but I guess we can do some light work after we give you a break."

"I don’t need a break, see?" A little flame danced on the rosary’s tip, nearly creating an arrow head, but it vanished instantly after forming the shape. "Alright, maybe a short break won’t hurt." Hearing that Lilim brightened up. At least the half-angel wasn’t a stubborn one. The blue-eyed demon grabbed her hand, and both girls made their way out of the training hall.

Passing by the cafeteria, they exited through the back doors, which led to a quite sizable, open-air break ‘room’. It was the only place in the entire force where one could go for a smoke, as it was strictly prohibited inside. It had a bunch of wooden and metal benches and two picnic tables with blue umbrellas that were always left open. Since it was still an early hour and the night shift was just exchanging with the morning one, there was no living soul outside, which allowed both girls to enjoy their company in peace.

Alice’s head rested on Lilim’s shoulder as they sat under one of the umbrellas. Succubus was gently caressing her fluffy, curly orange hair. At this point, she was doing it automatically. But for her own defense, half-angel’s hair was just too pleasant to touch to not caress it.

"My mom used to do that. Honestly, I’ve forgotten how nice it feels."Alice mumbled out, nearly dozing off on succubus’s shoulder. Normally, she would have responded with one of her many remarks. But times like this weren’t for them. The blue-eyed demon knew that, no matter how much the half-angel tried to deny it, the matter of her mom was eating her up from the inside. And the potential clue from Adramelech probably made it worse.

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"You know I can do that anytime? Just ask."

"I’ll keep that in mind... You think once this is all over, we will be able to stay like this?"

"Of course, why do you even ask?"

"Nothing in particular; I just wanted to make sure."

"And you call Beatrice a worrywart."

"But she does worry a lot."

"Yeah, she does."

"The same goes for you."

"Well, if you had such a pretty angel constantly getting herself into dangerous situations and worrying everybody, you would also become like that."

"Is it really that bad?" Was Alice really asking her that? She seriously seemed to not notice how worried everyone was about her. Either that or she was good at pretending that she didn’t see that. Perhaps avoiding a problem was a better solution for the ginger. Still, addressing it and overcoming it would be a much healthier solution. As if she were the one to talk...

"It is a mystery how no one here got bald or gray due to all the stress."

"Sorry… I try my best not to worry anyone, but protecting Znena does come with its own risks, and I think everyone knows that. They don’t have to keep treating me like a child. I know that when something is bad for me, I will get hurt. I’m fine with that. Keeping the town safe is what matters the most.'' The half-angel mumbled out. Great, that was one way to bring the mood down. Succubus cursed her big mouth. There was no reason to go on with the matter she brought herself. She knew that ginger was fixated on making sure that everyone around her didn’t have to worry about her, even if all the signs pointed otherwise. She probably didn’t bring up the matter of her mom, simply not to bother Beatrice. Lilim wished that Alice would sometimes just spill out what bothers her.

"Come on, don’t apologize now. We know your well-being is at the bottom of your list."

"Now you make me sound like someone who doesn’t take care of herself."

"And who sneaked out early in the morning to continue her training with a punctured shoulder instead of staying in a comfy and warm bed?"

"Alright, you got me here. How did it go from a break to scolding?"

"Blame your fluffy hair. If not for them, I wouldn’t caress them, and it wouldn’t spiral from there."

"So maybe I should cut them." Alice stated it with a small smile on her face. It vanished when she noticed the primal fear in Lilim’s eyes. They were absent; her pupils dilated, and all colors drained from her face. Succubus froze in place, not even budging an inch. If the half-angel didn’t know better, she would have thought that some sort of powerful demon beyond their capabilities had appeared just now. The black-haired demon looked as if she was about to set herself aflame, like all of the dead demons do. "I was joking, ‘kay?! You can return to the living now!"

"Al, never cut your hair short; I don’t know how I would survive that."

"Don’t worry, I didn’t grow them out for five years to cut them down like that."

"Wait, you used to have short hair?"

"Shoulder length, yes. But I wanted to see how I would look in long ones, and I stuck with them."

"That was a good decision. Still, I have a hard time imagining you with short hair. It would take some time for me to get used to them."

"Funny enough, I think short hair would suit you better than me."

"As if, I don’t see myself rocking them."

"I think you would look cute with them."

"C-cute?!" Seeing Lilim flustered was a rare sight and one that one could never forget. Her pale skin made her pinkish cheeks stand out even more. Of course, she would rather be dead than show that side to anyone. Alice, of course, was an exception. Maybe, just maybe, she could try to cut them short? If the ginger said that she would look cute, then maybe... no, no way in hell. Not even if Alice begged her.

"Like I said, you would look good in everything. It also counts for any hairstyle."

"Yeah, what next? Are you asking me to grow out my fringe and cover half of my face with it?"

"I mean…if you could…" This time, Alice was the one whose face gained a reddish blush. Half-angel’s gaze avoided Lilim as she kept fidgeting her fingers, awaiting an answer. Lilim, on the other hand, couldn’t believe what her ears heard. Al really had rather interesting ideas regarding her image. But that would be another no from the succubus. Sometimes she wondered what thought process went through her head.

The morning breeze was gently caressing their skin as both girls continued to enjoy each other’s company and the silence that had just appeared. It wasn’t the kind that was unwelcome, but rather the type where no words were needed to convey the feelings. Although Alice still wasn’t sure what exactly she felt for the demon. It was a crush. That much was clear. But she couldn’t tell if it was anything more or if it would ever turn into anything more. She hoped for it, but there was an ounce of uncertainty about it. And even then, she wasn’t sure if Lilim was serious about their relationship—if it could be called one. Succubus seemed rather laid-back about all of it. Perhaps it was for the better. The blue-eyed demon, at the very least, didn’t put much pressure on her and had high expectations for her.

"We should get going soon, shouldn’t we? I’d like to warm up some more."

"If you plan on that, then I’ll have to supervise you. Hell, why won’t you ask me for aid? I might help you learn a bunch of new tricks."

"I wouldn’t want to mess up your schedule, so..."

"Al, as your self-proclaimed prince, it is my task to be by your side, being your sword and shield. Besides, we are part of one squad, so it’s fine to train together. And it’s not like I have mountains of paperwork to do, unlike a certain other angel." Alice seemed to focus purely on the prince part, letting the jab at Beatrice go over her head. It looked like Lilim took a liking to being her very own prince. Being honest, she probably enjoyed it more than the succubus herself. It might have been selfish, but it made her feel warm when the demon declared that she was hers prince. No one else, just her. It was fine to be a little selfish, right?

"Well, prince charming, will you help me become stronger and protect Znena?" In response to that, Lilim stood up and got on her knees. The blue-eyed demon summoned Prince and struck it into the ground while looking Alice in the eyes.

"I swear on my life, my honor, and my love that I’ll aid you in every choice you make and keep forever by your side." The seriousness in Lilim’s voice made Alice giggle before she burst out laughing, shortly followed by a chuckling succubus.

"What was that supposed to be?" The green-eyed girl said, in between laughing. "A practice for a proposal?"

"Even if it was, I didn’t hear a no."

"You will have to get Beatrice’s approval anyway, and good luck with that." Lilim didn’t answer but instead clasped the angel’s hand.

"If worse comes to be, we will run away on my mighty steed, far away from anyone where we will be allowed to be together." The gallant tone of succubus’s voice made Alice let out a barely muffled squeal as she imagined Lilim, all in proper white armor minus the helmet, letting her long black hair be swayed by the wind, riding up to her on a beautiful white horse, holding her hand for her to grab, as she throws herself into the demon’s embrace, and together they run off into the setting sun with Lilim speaking softly to her.

"Hey, earth to Al." The black-haired demon waved her hand in front of the angel’s face as the latter was still lost in her fantasies. Finally returning to her senses, she muttered a quick sorry and allowed her to take her back to the training hall. Lilim kept to her word and kept an eye on Alice. As a warm-up, she continued to make light slashes and stabs with Rosary, the demon from time to time correcting her posture and giving a helpful tip or two. She also made sure that the green-eyed girl wouldn’t overexert her left arm. Alice was lucky that her dominant hand was right, as otherwise wielding Rosary would be entirely out of the question. Still, the half-angel was better at wielding the spear with one hand than succubus would have given her credit for.

"Lilim, can you help with one spell? Just make sure that I won’t fall." This already lit the red light in the demon's head, but she got close to her and gave her a strong embrace so she wouldn’t hit the ground. Though she really didn’t like the idea of using a spell that would exhaust her this much.

Alice extended the arm that held the Rosary. Spear slowly started to emit smoke. The white as snow smoke whirled around the weapon for a while, slowly breaking into four smoke snakes. The half-angel already felt lightheaded, but it was only the beginning of the spell. She was glad that Lilim was next to her, as she hadn't thought that it would be so taxing on her body. Two of them aligned themselves above the spear, the remaining two below. One of them morphed into a ghostly copy of the Rosary. The other three vanished instantly, yet the one on the upper left side acted like an arrow shot out from the bow, stopping only at the wall.

"Look, look! I got nearly right on the first proper cast!" Personally, Lilim wouldn’t have called it ‘nearly right’, as only a quarter of it managed to form properly. A quarter of a spell for a quarter of an angel, it would seem. Still, seeing how Alice beamed with pride, she said nothing. Of course, she knocked the idea of casting it again off Alice’s mind. Her aura could barely support the spell, and casting it one after another without giving one’s aura time to reform properly wasn’t something she would stand for. Of course, the next question was if the demon would help her increase her aura. And who was she to say no to that?