*Continent of Tenebris, encampnt of the Dawn faction.*
The gray sky of Tenebris let through a pale light that highlighted the desolation of the cracked terrain.
In this air saturated with the sll of burned dust and putrid flesh, Kaiser advanced with his usual nonchalance.
Without uttering any superfluous word, the elf signaled them to follow him through the rows of reinforced canvas tents where students were nervously bustling about.
They finally arrived in front of a structure more imposing than the others, its fabric panels embroidered with golden threads. The ssenger stopped at the entrance, straightened his shoulders and announced in a voice that betrayed his anxiety that he had returned with the requested persons.
A silence of a few seconds settled, broken only by the whistle of the wind, before a feminine voice, authoritative and tinged with fatigue, ordered them to enter.
" You may enter..."
Kaiser parted the flap of the tent and stepped inside, closely followed by Diavolo who seed to savor every mont of this eting. Despite the precariousness of the Tenebris continent, the interior of the tent was vast and furnished with surprising luxury.
The floor was covered with thick carpets with complex geotric patterns, and purifying mana crystals were placed on finely sculpted campaign furniture. Lady Jezabel of the Sun was seated behind a desk cluttered with scrolls and tactical maps. Upon seeing her visitors, she rose with grace, revealing a silhouette that could destabilize any man.
She wore an extrely tight black leather corset that compressed her firm and generous breasts, emphasizing the roundness of her breasts that seed on the verge of overflowing from the neckline.
Her waist was so slim that it provocatively accentuated the width of her hips and the curve of her bouncy ass. Her thighs, plump and appetizingly round, were partially visible under her combat attire, revealing smooth and silky peach skin.
Her short blond hair, cut at cheek level, frad a face of haughty beauty where a red sun tattoo shone discreetly in the center of her forehead. Her blue eyes, underlined with intense black makeup, first fixed on Kaiser before sliding toward his companion.
When she realized that the man beside Kaiser was a dark elf, Jezabel froze. Her hand, which she was about to extend to greet Kaiser, remained suspended in the air.
She hesitated for several seconds, her gaze oscillating between the instinctive contempt her race held for the inhabitants of Babylon and the necessity of the situation. This reaction did not escape Diavolo who widened his smile, showing his golden teeth with biting irony.
" It looks like the idea of seeing a dark elf does not please you... Nyo-hoo ! " said Diavolo in an amused tone.
Jezabel quickly regained her composure, her cheeks taking on a slight rosy tint as she finally extended her hand.
" It is not that... Please excuse , fatigue is playing tricks on , " she denied in a dry voice before quickly withdrawing her hand. Kaiser intervened while his hand was buried in his pocket.
" Why did you want to et us in such a charming place as Tenebris, Lady Jezabel ? " he asked in a calm voice but devoid of any warmth.
The expression of the princess of the Sol clan darkened instantly. Then she explained:
" For so ti now, students from my faction keep dying. According to the investigations my n have conducted, many of them perished during surprise attacks triggered by their own comrades, long-ti friends who suddenly turned against them for no apparent reason. "
" These incidents lead to conclude that there are traitors under the influence of demons infiltrated within my own faction, " she continued, her fingers clenching on the edge of her desk.
Diavolo, who had started to caress one of his many rings, simply replied: " I see. " while his gaze beca more serious.
Jezabel looked at them before speaking once more, her voice becoming more urgent.
" My request consists of having these demonic parasites identified and exorcised before the camp completely sinks into paranoia. "
The sorcerer remained thoughtful for a few monts, his heterochromatic eyes seeming to probe invisible energies in the dark corners of the tent. He then turned toward his disciple with a mischievous look.
" What do you think, baby boy ? " he asked while tilting his head.
Kaiser shrugged, displaying his eternal mocking smile. " I see no inconvenience in accepting, since she is ready to pay a high price to save her precious students. "
Diavolo stretched at length, his joints cracking loudly.
" And if we get to work ? Nyo-hoo ! " decreed the sorcerer while abruptly turning around and exiting the tent.
Kaiser imdiately followed him, his coat floating behind him as he left the tent with assurance. Jezabel, montarily destabilized by their casualness, quickly regained her composure and followed them outside. She caught up with them as they walked toward the center of the camp.
" How do you plan to detect the demons among hundreds of people without alerting everyone ? " she asked with a hint of incredulity.
Diavolo scratched the back of his head while chuckling. " It would be faster if you saw for yourself, Princess. "
He walked with assured steps toward a group of students who, a few ters away, were storing their equipnt after a patrol. They seed calm, discussing in low voices about their next guard shifts. Stopping at a respectful distance, Diavolo began to perform complex hand signs, his fingers moving with precision.
" Mystic Art : Mudra of Perception, " he murmured in a low, almost imperceptible voice.
He then joined his hands in the shape of a triangle, directing the opening toward the group of mages from the Sol clan. Almost instantly, under the effect of his mystic aura, a demonic energy, black and viscous, suddenly escaped from a student in the middle of the group.
Taken by surprise by this sudden manifestation, the possessed one panicked, his face twisting into an inhuman grimace while his comrades moved away from him in a collective recoil, terror visible on their features.
Seeing that he was now exposed to everyone’s eyes, the possessed student made a brusque movent, his hand searching for a hidden dagger to attempt one last desperate attack.
However, Kaiser gave him absolutely no ti to react. He moved with impressive speed. In the blink of an eye, he found himself facing the student, his body motionless while the dust barely settled behind him. Kaiser simply raised his arm and touched the individual’s forehead with the tip of his index finger.
At that precise mont, the demonic energy escaped from the body in a shrill hiss, in the form of black smoke dissipated by the wind, leaving the student to fall limply onto the sand.
Seeing this, Jezabel as well as all the other witnesses widened their eyes, struck by the speed and precision of Kaiser’s intervention. But Diavolo did not dwell on their surprise and was already walking away, his silhouette standing out against the desolate background of Tenebris.
" Let us go, " he called over his shoulder as he officially began the exorcism of the camp.
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