Imagination was a curious thing.
Far from being boundless, humanity's ability to imagine only extended as far as the depth of their individual experiences and memories.
None of them actually ever imagined anything that was completely disconnected from nature.
In that regard—the supernatural was no different.
It was impossible for us to imagine new colours—and we would never be able to conceive of new sounds separate from those that already existed.
A low hum rumbled in my throat as I took a measured sip from the hot cup I held in my hand.
My brows drew together as I swallowed the dark liquid.
In order to finally get an answer to the question that had plagued me for a while, I had utilized my demonic energy to transmute the water that previously filled it into coffee.
The image I projected onto my magic while doing so was clear—I desired for the water to turn into the most delicious cup of coffee ever brewed.
The result of the experiment was as expected as it was disappointing.
The coffee tasted the same as every other cup I had tasted since I moved into this apartment and first sampled from its coffee machine.
In the end, I was unable to imagine anything that tasted better than the best I could remember tasting—and whatever I could not imagine, my magic could not bring into reality.
The ceramic cup clinked against hard wood as I placed it back on the table, my gaze drifting to the empty spot beside it.
It had only been a few hours since the Moirai's last message appeared there.
A message very unlike the previous one.
'We will allow it.'
Those four words were all that they had deemed fit to mark the otherwise blank paper with.
Emerald hair swayed as I shook my head, disregarding the Fates' antics.
The meaning of their message would either become clear with time—
or it would not.
Either way, my plots would proceed as planned.
The scalding heat of the second, untouched cup of coffee failed to elicit so much as a twitch from me as I took a hold of it.
My magic surged as I teleported in a flash of jade light.
Sally Jackson flinched backward, a sharp yelp escaping her as I materialized before her.
"Pardon me," I said it, cooling the coffee with a quick ice spell. "I did not mean to scare you."
I offered her a small smile and planted the cup on the table between us.
As was to be expected from a library, a small mountain of books was stacked high on it.
One of them lay open before my startled guest.
A moment of quiet passed, neither of us making a move.
"It is alright. You don't need to apologize," Sally said, exhaling softly as her shoulders loosened. "I'm just not quite used to… magic yet."
"That's to be expected," I replied, moving the books out of the way and seating myself on the chair opposite her.
"I came to tell you that I've fulfilled your request. Arrangements have been made to ensure I will stay close to your son and serve as his protection until the prophecy has run its course."
The relief radiating from her slender figure was almost palpable.
My lips curved, my gaze tracing the stress lines that had accumulated on her face after a decade of constant anxiety.
They did not detract from her youthful appearance.
She could not have been older than twenty when Poseidon put a demigod in her—
and then abandoned both of them.
My mood soured.
While parts of their hedonistic lifestyle held some appeal to me, the way the Olympians treated their own flesh and blood was deplorable.
"I cannot thank you enough," Sally said. "Are… are you sure this is okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"While I've only spoke with a few of them, I have met a number of gods in my life. Some of them appeared as children—like you do—some as elderly, and some in their prime."
Her gaze sharpened as she leaned forward.
"But none of them ever granted favors to a human without expecting something in return."
"I told you—I'm not a god. Nor did I offer my aid freely."
Not the second time.
"You have paid for my service in full—never doubt that."
A faint crease formed between her brows
"I've never met a dragon before—nor do I understand the significance of bearing your mark. But..."
She tilted her head, studying me closely.
"Surely there is something more you want. This doesn't seem like a fair trade."
She was right.
It wasn't fair.
"I agree. It is stacked entirely too much in my favor," I said, shaking my head, "and I have no intentions of taking advantage of you… You're a good person, Sally."
The meticulous control I maintained over my dragon aura loosened as I peered into her blue eyes.
"So I will ask you this one more time."
My voice lowered.
"What do you desire? Your most ardent wish—share it with me."
Her fingers stilled against the cup.
"Not only are you clear-sighted—but you also birthed and raised a demigod," I added. "It is impossible for a woman like you not to possess any ambitions of her own."
I hid the slit my pupils had shifted into with a quick application of illusion magic.
"Ambitions?" Sally repeated, her gaze growing distant. "I don't have any of those anymore—all I want now is for my son to be safe and…"
Her voice trailed off.
The distance between us shortened as I leaned forward.
"And?" I echoed.
"I want to be free."
I blinked, drawing back.
"Do you feel confined here?" I asked. "Have I not been treating you well?"
"That's not it," she said quickly, shaking her head. "You have been a very gracious host—much more so than I could have expected from someone of your status."
She hesitated, looking away.
"it's something else."
My voice lowered into a whisper.
"Whatever it is, you can tell me. Freedom is the right of all living beings. If something is keeping you from having it—I will get rid of it for you. All you have to do is ask."
Sally's gaze snapped toward mine.
Her hands clenched into fists as steel entered her eyes.
"That something… is a man. There is nothing I want more than for him to be gone."
The corner of my mouth twitched as I mentally adjusted my plans for the day.
What were the words again?
'We will allow it'
Those three hags sure love to play games with me.
—————
A smirk tugged on my lips as I pushed my palm against the keyhole of the address Sally had give me.
The expression she wore when I confirmed that her wish would be fulfilled right away had been a sight to see.
My magic eagerly moved in accordance with my will.
The door opened without making a sound.
As soon as I took my first step inside the small apartment, I was hit with the single most revolting smell I have ever encountered in either of my lives.
The repulsive scent suffused the air, overpowering everything around it.
The smile vanished from my lips as I called on my magic again.
This time, my intent could not have been any clearer—make the smell go away.
"Who the fuck is there?" a male voice called from the bordering room.
Once I passed the hallway and arrived at the living room entrance, I was struck silent for a quiet moment.
The source of the horrid scent somehow managed to look even worse than he smelled.
If there ever was a mortal who truly managed to encapsulate the concept of decay and gluttony—it was this one.
My jaw tightened, body heating up as I glared at the gawking mortal with the dragon's eyes.
The local Mist was swiftly overwhelmed, failing to conceal the truth of my being any longer.
"What… what the hell?" The disgusting man's eyes bulged as they snapped from my curved horns to my draconic eye—and then finally to my scaled wings.
"What are you?"
I did not respond.
Instead, I stalked forward, advancing toward the trembling man standing in the middle of the room.
"Stop!" he shouted. "Don't come any closer. Monster!"
The ugly mortal raised his fists in a laughable attempt at defending himself from me.
My steps did not falter.
"Gabe Ugliano," I said, my voice low. "Until now, fate has allowed you to live a fortunate life—one you did not deserve."
The heat rose steadily as heavy perspiration drenched him to the bones.
He wheezed a shaky breath, collapsing to his knees.
My voice deepened and reverberated through the room.
"That fortune has passed."
A clawed hand snapped forward and grabbed him by his flabby throat.
Blood squirted out from where sharp claws pierced soft flesh.
"Spare me!" Gabe cried. "I… have a wife… a son!"
My ears were deaf to his pleas.
I ripped off the stained white shirt and threw the filthy fabric to the side.
A slow smile pulled on my lips as the Eyes of the Dragon confirmed that this unfortunate mortal was very much unlike the Minotaur.
He did not have an owner yet.
The pained sounds emitted by my prey faded into the background as I pushed my palm flat against his chest, burning my Mark into his skin.
Whimpers devolved into screams as I decided on a whim that making him suffer during the process would be more appropriate.
When I was finished, my hoard had gained its most recent addition.
Unlike the one before, this one was not meant to last.
The man dropped to the floor in a graceless heap the moment my hold on his throat loosened.
Tears made thick lines on his face.
"Wha—what did you… do to me?" he stuttered.
I titled my head, peering down at him.
"I want to thank you, Gabe Ugliano," I said. "While they let me get away with much, I doubt they would have permitted what I'm about to do to you if you were anyone else."
The mortal raised himself up on all fours and frantically crawled away from me.
"Luckily for me," I continued, quite amusement seeping into my voice as I watched him go.
"Not only did you put your filthy hands on their kin, but I was even asked to do this by another human—your very own wife. Can you believe it?"
My laugh cut off abruptly as my newest possession reached the living room exit.
"Stop."
He froze.
"Turn around. Get up."
The man rose to his feet and spun to face me on trembling legs.
"Come to me."
Feet clattered against the floor as he advanced toward me with a jerky gait.
His movements halted once an arm's length separated us.
"I offer you a Deal," I said softly. "You will give me your soul. In return, I will release you from my service."
The corners of my mouth lifted as I studied his expression.
"Do you agree?"
The man bit down on his lower lip—hard enough to draw blood—his eyes wide and desperate.
"Say yes."
Fat tears rolled down his cheek as he nodded.
"Yes."
The Deal was finalized, and the light left his eyes.
With a heavy thud, a lifeless corpse collapsed onto the living room floor.
My magic roared to life—
and any evidence of my actions burned away in orange flames, combusting so cleanly not even ash remained.
—————-
Jade light illuminated my lightless bedroom as I flashed back home.
Thinking fast, I erected a sound suppression barrier along the walls.
While it was unlikely that she would hear, any chance of Sally walking in on me during the next part had to be avoided.
My thoughts raced.
What are the Moirai really after?
Why did they allow this?
Power rushed through me as I consumed—and metabolized—the hapless mortal's soul into demonic energy.
I summoned the Boosted Gear for the first time in days, my reserve growing without pause.
"Hello, Ddraig," I said, stepping toward the bed. "You've been quiet."
The jewel on the back of the crimson gauntlet glinted.
"I have been observing you," he said. "You've been busy."
A smile formed my face as I took a seat.
"Do you disapprove?"
A rumbling hum echoed through the room.
"You're half devil. I know your kind well enough to have expected something like this ever since we left Japan."
"But?"
"There is no but."
My demonic energy levels stabilized as the mortal's soul was fully absorbed into my being.
"You don't think I have been…" I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. "Reckless? Marking the gods' worshippers as my own. Playing with their children. Growing my influence."
Ddrag snorted.
"You underestimate the complexity of your Bloodline Magic."
I leaned back against the bed, my brows drawing together.
"What do you mean?"
"That Mark of the Dragon spell of yours is nonsensical," he huffed. "The only reason I understand its effects is because you told me… The chances the gods perceive your mark as any genuine proof of ownership are minimal."
The green light emitted by the jewel flickered as I raised the gauntlet up to my face.
"Are you serious?" I asked. "Then what the hell do they think I'm going through all this trouble for?"
What other reason could I possibly have to spread my Mark.
"Who can say?" he answered. "Maybe they assume this is your only form of teleportation. Maybe they think you do it for vanity—you devils have a very particular reputation."
I blinked, sinking into the sheets.
"That… is ridiculous."
I shook my head.
"In any case… I was surprised to see you not take the opportunity to converse with Audrey while she was here."
"There was no reason to," he said calmly. "You already rescued the little warrior from her plight—as you said you would. Now that she's no longer on her own, whether she manages to live up to her potential or not is entirely up to her."
My legs crossed as I rested the crimson gauntlet in my lap.
"Is that so?"
"It is."
Silence spread between us.
"Is that truly all you summoned me for, Partner?"
Heat surged from my core, engulfing my heart as I called on my magic.
"It is not," I said. "There is this new spell I want to try. I would very much appreciate your assistance."
The Heavenly Dragon did not hesitate.
"What do you need?"