Samael barely managed to hide his proud grin as he relished the mix of annoyance and embarrassnt etched across Uriel’s expression.
’Finally!’
"I get it." Uriel slicked his hair back again. "You have information. You’re smart. And you have resources."
"Your information can help ascend the spire, that is true. Your intelligence can help ascend it while minimising injury—that is also true."
"I can get on board with that. I don’t mind working with you—"
Samael’s face lit up.
"—in theory," Uriel continued.
"Now that the foundation is laid, let’s take care of the pillars."
Then, he paused.
Uriel stood up and walked to a small high table near the windows, where drinks were cooled in ice. Taking a simple bottle of sparkling water, he opened it and took a gulp.
He looked out the windows, taking in the view of the sprawling city before taking a couple more gulps.
Refreshed, he exhaled in satisfaction.
His attention returned to Samael. "Why do you need to protect you? I need the what, the who, the why, and the how."
"Everything."
Before Samael could answer, Uriel spoke once more. "And please, do not lie to or omit anything."
"I’ll be able to tell. I also do not like liars." He smiled. "So please—and I’ll only say this once—do not lie to ."
"For my sanity, and for your own good."
Uriel’s words rang deeply across the boy’s mind, and he hurriedly nodded, feeling as if a cold blade had suddenly been pressed against his neck.
’Is that a Magus ability...’ he thought nervously.
"I... need you to protect because I am not from the Wildlands either. And I want to leave. But I am too weak to do so."
Uriel turned away from the windows and faced him, his expression unreadable.
’Does that an he’s from Ithuril as well?’ Uriel frowned just the slightest bit. ’But then why can’t I read him... my pioneer status should make able to tell who’s from Ithuril and who isn’t...’
’The gate and this entire dinsional space—the Wildlands, as they call it—is related to the Spirals. So anyone not native to this place should also have sothing to do with them...’
His gaze sharpened. ’Who says there’s only one gate...’
’The spire is the exit, the gate is the entry, and the Wildlands is the core of it all. Should I even be trying to leave so soon?’
He was unsure.
While he thought, Samael continued.
"I want to ascend the spire with you. I want to leave."
He gulped. "And that directly relates to the services I asked of you in exchange for information."
"If you rember correctly, I specifically said I needed you to help accomplish sothing. But that sothing doesn’t encompass climbing the spire."
He paused, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to utter, but in the end, he forced himself.
"The matter is complex, but I didn’t co to the Wildlands alone. My brother is in the Spire—he’s in the prison beneath it. I need you to help free him... then take us both to the peak."
Uriel eyed him. "You’re asking for a lot."
Samael nodded. "I am."
"But my brother is strong. The only reason he’s still alive is because no Guardian is powerful enough to execute him."
"He’s as strong as—if not stronger than—you, so he won’t be a burden. And I can guarantee your safety through it all, all the way up to the entry of the spire."
"When we enter the spire, I’ll need you two to bear most of the weight and complete the challenges. And..."
He frowned.
"If the sacred beasts refuse to let us ascend... the two of you will have to kill them. Or else, we’re all screwed."
"Hm." Uriel humd. "How strong is your brother?"
He walked back to his seat and got comfortable.
"I don’t know, but he’s strong enough to kill dozens of crimson-robed guardians while crippled. If he wasn’t crippled... we’d have long since ascended."
Uriel nodded. With the bottle still in his hand, he took a gulp as he let his thoughts flow.
He smiled. ’What are the odds that his brother is a Spiral, one that’s part of the Golden Circle... Unless I’m underestimating them, he surely sounds strong enough to be one.’
’That could explain why I can’t read him, and how he sensed .’
’If he can guarantee the path to the prison safely and the path to the spire entry as well, and if his brother is that strong... then why am I needed?’
He caressed his chin and let silence reign.
’He’s evidently hiding sothing. But is that ’sothing’ dangerous to or not... that is the question.’
’I also obviously need his knowledge and his brother’s power, since I doubt Mariah would’ve made such a big deal about it all if the Spire wasn’t deadly... so I can’t push too much.’
’What a tricky, sticky situation I’m in.’ He exhaled.
"Alright, that should be fine. As long as you help through the prison and the spire, I’ll take care of the rest."
"I’ll free your brother and all that," he said with a smile.
Samael weakly exhaled in relief as he collapsed into his seat and closed his eyes.
"I’m hoping his cris weren’t too heinous, though. Even I didn’t annoy them enough to send so many crimson-robed guardians. They didn’t send any for ."
Samael reopened his eyes. "They—... it’s complicated. But he didn’t do anything wrong."
"It’s a big misunderstanding that we can’t explain due to... things."
Uriel nodded, then stood up. "Mysterious, I like it. Well, I’ll cultivate for a couple of hours. After that I have a eting, so I’ll see you later—"
Just as he was about to head into his room, Samael sprang to his feet and rushed to stop him.
"Wait!" he nearly shouted. "You forgot the third part of our deal!"
Uriel’s brow knit. "The crystals? Yeah, sure."
He waved a hand, and a dozen of them landed on the coffee table near them. Seeing them, Samael exhaled.
"What do you need them for anyway? I thought you said they were useless."
Samael turned and walked toward the pile. "I ant that they are useless in the context of common trade."
"To , they aren’t." The boy grinned. "It’s my only chance to awaken."
"It’s my only chance to ascend!"
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