Ismael woke up with all of the Cardinals around him. He took a long sigh, breathed deeply and smiled, rising up.
"Sorry, fellas. I think I fell asleep. I see Garden White opened. I was thinking of keeping you guys in for a longer time. So why am I still alive?"
"Loovis might be dead. If he's dead we're free, we'll lose our essence of Cardinals with time", Amphelise replied with hope.
"He ordered you to kill me. Kill me."
"Again. Maybe we don't have to do this."
"Ashnael, go on. I've fed you hatred for a long time."
"And I'm not hungry anymore."
"So we just wait?"
"Your sister, Ismael. She's fighting him at the castle. If she dies we slaughter you right here right now. If she wins, God bless, you'll live too."
"What a weird situation", Ismael noted, looking at the forest behind him.
"What are you staring at, Ismael?" Cassius asked, curious.
"Nothing, I...I thought there was something."
"Anyway you can sit down if you want. We sought freedom, but after that..."
"Amphelise. It's fine. You have every reason to kill me. Even I want to kill myself. Maybe later. Loovis! Right now!"
"He's dying! That can't happen!"
"How do you know that, Ashnael?"
"He's nigh-immortal, a powerful mage of some sort. He meddled in dark magic and other punitive arts. I don't really see him losing. Besides, who's that girl, really?"
"Yael. I don't know much about her. I don't even know my family name, nor what our parents looked like. All I know is she has crazy powers."
"He's bleeding out...I can't believe it..."
"Believe it, Nerida", Amphelise said proudly. "It's happening!"
The Cardinals joined their hands in circle and fell to their knees. Amphelise screamed out on top of the hill: "THE KING IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE KING!" And they all repeated at unisson.
"Really? Just like that? I don't really believe that shit. It's too easy. Just what is Yael?"
"Ismael, you're free. We all are. Just leave."
He took his time to apologize and walk away without causing any more troubles.
"I'm not sure I'm free. The Dragon God will probably not punish me or anything since he said himself he can't interact with this world. Me killing the Cardinals was the counterpart for the chance to have a new life in a new place. I guess I can just live on my own now. My friends are not the Suffered anymore and the Cardinals are not the Cardinals no longer. Does that mean the mission is done? That's quite the relief. I shouldn't sacrifice anything ever again."
In front of him was a long steep cliff, Ismael smiled and jumped, sliding all the way down.
"Whatever's out there for me, if I have to kill, I'll kill. I've seen everythi-"
At his arrival was a woman with long hair, half white, half black. She was just walking slowly then stopped to turn around.
"You. You probably have questions about this world. About Perseus. About yourself."
Ismael didn't hesitate a second and pulled his gun as the sun was rapidly setting. The trees here cover the surface as they usually do in this region.
"Who the hell are you? Do you know me? How much?"
"Follow me, Ismael."
She left but Ismael was following from a distance, checking around for any traps. She was not turning around to check on him, which Ismael felt unexplicably creepy. A large house of wood and different metals locked his vision for a slight moment.
"Come."
Ismael entered after she held the door open, showing him a seat. She closes the door and sits in front of him.
"Would you care for some tea?"
"I would care for some answers, woman."
She sighed, profoundly.
"Of course. Then allow me to go straight to the point. My name is Emova. I live here."
"You seemed to have been waiting for me."
"I have. The connection you have with Yael is a problem. And Yael, I'm afraid, is not your sister."
"Say that again?"
"She killed Loovis, fine. He was a demented wizard obssessed with death. Now he got what he wanted. I'm a witch of some sort. I herald of the end of Yael."
"What is she?"
"A long lost relic or historical, no, almost mythological figure. Yael Dels. A deity, one could argue. You've had a contact with her, didn't you?"
"Yes. I was able to kill or push away enemies with this brand on my hands."
"You've been branded too...luckily for I have these gloves. The brand of Yael may be an asset for now, but it will drain your lifeforce after a while."
"Why would she try to kill me?"
"That's what she does. She was all alone in her own dimension, but now that you've brought your own party in here, you've freed her."
"How evil are we talking?"
"If you know about Nara..."
"I do."
"Then forget about it. She's ten times worse. You thought you were her brother, and that you had to fight for her to defend a family that never existed. Because it never did. You've lived a semi-fictional life with a family that she controlled. Your life at Cressenie was a horrifying lie."
"Well...I was asking myself that but...why? Just why? Why would anyone do that?"
"It's funny to her. Bur she's smart about it. Details, logic, reason. She leaves nothing behind."
"You said something about Perseus."
"Yes, this world here is a compromise. Per. Se. Us. It is a rough translation of the old language, "If You Could Help Us." Yael was almost killed off a few centuries ago by the Cardinals, but by a spell that included memory erasure, she momentarily granted herself the ability to flee to Cressenie where she saw potential in you. Part of the compromise was to make the Dragon God a guardian of the Lifeline."
"What the hell are you spewing right now? So...all this pain goes back to her?"
"She's basically the worst thing there is. And now you're going to have to kill her. And I'll help you with that. This will be your last hunt. The hunt for paradise."