Pov Nix:
During the days that would make the trip to the next city, Layla and I decided to try a different way to collect the black stones that were used in the streets and sewers.
To do this, I went to talk to Leonardo to find out a little more about the construction of the streets in these cities.
After a long conversation, we discovered that under the black stone there is a normal stone ditch that serves as a base for the street, the thickness of the black stone is two palms, this is necessary to resist even the attack of a wave of monsters, a normal Human would not be able to lift one of these stones with his strength.
After talking to Leonardo I started to think about some plans with Layla, that's because in the last city the Fairies and Spirits we led weren't of much help, we both made almost noise and took a long time doing it which made us even attacked in the end by those able to see us.
To avoid a risky situation for both of us, we decided to come up with a plan to do this work more efficiently, with every plan we thought of we would go to Leonardo to see if the plan was viable.
Leonardo discarded most of our plans, but luckily we managed to think of a plan that could be used, this plan would need Layla and me working together, but it would be much easier and faster to collect these black stones.
When we arrived in the city we were ready to put our plans into practice, but we would have to wait.
The master said that we should wait an hour to start our mission so as not to alert the enemies before the others have managed to isolate them with the barriers.
After waiting an hour we started running towards the city, on the way we saw Vanessa, Rakan, and Elsaris coming back as we started our plans.
Our plan was very simple, we asked Anton to create a tool for our plan whose measurements and format we asked for Leonardo's help, as it was a crude tool it didn't need much care with the details, but still, Anton needed two days to create this tool.
What we asked for Anton was a thick, curved metal plate almost the width of a street with a place to hold onto the back.
I with my Dragon strength would push it under the black stones making them lift using this iron plate as a ramp, meanwhile, Layla would be flying above me using ice magic on the iron plate so that the black stones can slip more easily.
Layla would also be responsible for letting her space magic activate on top of the iron plate to keep the black stones from flying backward or sideways, so we could do our task faster.
Leonardo said it could work since the black stones are not attached to the ground by anything but their own weight, but doing that would take a lot of strength, but that wouldn't be a problem for me.
When the hour-long deadline was up, Layla and I went into town and removed some of the black stones from the beginning of a street so I could position myself with the iron plate.
After that Layla used ice magic creating layers of ice on top of the iron plate, I do a partial transformation only on my arms and legs that become a little bigger and covered in black crystal scales with energy glows, then I hold it tightly to the iron plate from behind and start to run using all my strength.
I thought it would be harder but it seems like
It was easier than I expected, I managed to run at a reasonable speed making dozens of black stones fly upwards per second.
With that we managed to clean an entire street in a few minutes, when we finished we looked back with smiles on our faces.
"That was easier than we thought it would be, certainly easier than when we did it in the first city." (I)
"It's easier for you as you only need to use your strength to push this iron plate." (Layla)
"I had to control two spells at the same time, the ice was breaking too fast and I had to put on new layers of ice continuously, besides that I couldn't lose my concentration with the space magic or the stones could fly towards the houses on the sides of the streets." (Layla)
"If you want we can switch places." (I)
"You only say that because you know I don't have your absurd strength." (Layla)
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"Even though our work is faster now, we still need to do this soon before people pile up more." (I)
"Yes, I don't want to be attacked by the people we are saving again like what happened in the other city." (Layla)
"We can't blame them, no one knows the danger they're in living in these cities, they don't even know their rulers are evil Demons." (I)
"Now let's get back to work, at this speed we'll finish much faster." (I)
Layla and I went from street to street, it took a little over thirty minutes on the streets before we went to the sewers where we took an hour because of the water getting in the way.
After we were done we headed back to the meeting point which was near a big tree in the forest outside the city.
As soon as we got there the master threw two potions of liquid soap at us, I really appreciate that as sewer water isn't something you like to think about what else is mixed in it.
After getting clean I felt renewed, we were all here, so we enter the Dungeon and the master goes off in some direction looking for a place where we can rest for a day to decide our next move.
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Pov Zenos:
As soon as we arrived in the second city, I started the plan when the sky turned dark, the place that would attack would be the castle where the Duke of that place lives, from the information we have he shouldn't be here, but from the information, we have everyone in the castle is Devils.
The castle wasn't as big as I expected, it was the size of a mansion, it looked more like a fortress than a castle.
As soon as I got there I position myself in the center of the terrain to activate the barrier, then I start killing the soldiers outside, just by the scent of the monsters I smell from them I can guess that they are the Kimera Soldiers that Rakan told me about.
In order not to take unnecessary risks I used my sword to decapitate everyone, I did it using wind elemental magic and abilities to increase my speed, I also kept hiding in the shadows, I killed and threw the bodies inside the shadows or kept inside an item of storage.
It only took me a little over ten minutes to get rid of the twenty soldiers outside, after that, I entered the castle, first I killed those walking in the corridors which were some soldiers patrolling inside the castle or maids.
I killed everyone in the first hit using only my sword and dagger, I was taking the opportunity to get used to it since I've only practiced without killing anyone inside the Dungeon.
It didn't take me long to clean the corridors and start attacking the soldiers and maids' rooms, as they were sleeping it was easier and I took the opportunity to train my poisons in them.
After I finished everything I was heading towards the upstairs rooms where the most important servants usually stay, I decided to leave the room with the biggest door for last knowing it would be the Duke's room.
With my detection skills, I knew that there was someone inside the room, I thought it might be the Duke, and just as I thought it might have already returned from the Makari Kingdom's capital.
With that in mind, I eliminate everyone else in the castle before heading toward that room, but before I enter the room the door opens and a woman steps out.
She was a very beautiful woman with blonde hair and white skin, she wore a strange white nightgown full of red spots, she looked to be in her 20s, but her green eyes were what caught my attention right away.
Her eyes reminded me of someone dead for a second, but then I noticed a pressure and intensity inside those eyes that were dead at first sight, this woman didn't look strong but felt like she wasn't what she seemed.
I hid inside the shadows and followed her, it didn't take long to realize that the red stains on her nightgown were blood, in addition, I felt that the smell of blood on the nightgown was the same smell I felt coming from her body, I also realized that that blood was already dry, it wasn't something new and he didn't understand why she wore something like that.
As I continued to follow her I noticed that she was hiding at first, but soon realized that there was no one in the hallways and started to smile, it was the first time I could see a glint of madness and cruelty in her eyes along with a strange smile before she continued. walking into a room with big windows where she starts looking out.
After she looked outside she started talking apparently to herself as if she was happy to realize that someone must be attacking this castle, but then she speaks as if she has noticed my presence directing her words to me.
I step out of the shadows and talk briefly with her, I discover that she is the Duke's wife and that she is Human, as she introduces herself with a disturbing smile and eyes full of insanity, she also lifts her nightgown showing her lower body where I see a bondage mark just like I saw on Rakan and Leonardo, but I also saw burns, bruises, cuts, and various other scars that I couldn't identify.
It was at that moment that I started to put the puzzle together, I don't know exactly what this woman went through, but whatever it was she is broken beyond all return, her gaze can't even be considered that of a Human anymore.
I tried to take a test to find out what else she was hiding so I asked some questions, in the first question she released such a bloodlust it felt like I was in front of an insane monster, her eyes were full of the will to kill but in the next second it was back to normal as if nothing had happened, it seems that she is more broken than I initially thought, I could feel the great darkness that she suppresses inside her.
I only have one way to break the mark of slavery made with a curse and that is to make her my servant just like I did with Rakan and Leonardo, but even if there was another way I couldn't release someone like her in the midst of people, she never will being able to live among normal people, besides said depending on the environment she lives in, she can become a real killer monster.
With that kind of thinking I decided that I would take her with me, my abilities can deal with her darkness just like Érica did, but even then her mind is too broken so I don't know if I'll be able to get her back to normal, maybe she is beyond what I can help, but those around me are far from normal, so she won't be that out of place.
When I reach out to her, I take off my mask to show that I'm a Vampire, the decision must be hers, in my view the best way to deal with her strong intention to kill is to direct it to the person who made her suffer, I think it's very fair that she has the opportunity to seek justice for herself, so I will give her that opportunity if she wants to.