Calguas closed his eyes, feeling a heavy weight settle upon his chest. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before uttering the words that had been haunting his thoughts. "Let me guess, the guy who used to hang out with Tassa is dead." His voice trembled slightly, betraying the mix of emotions swirling within him.
Ixartxist simply grinned in response. It was a fleeting expression, but it spoke volumes. Calguas couldn't help but look away, his frustration mounting. He despised the way Ixartxist reveled in his knowledge, as if holding all the answers to life's mysteries.
Meanwhile, Suman, always the optimist, stood up and absentmindedly placed his hand on his chin, deep in thought. "So, that's why you're in a good mood," he mused aloud, his voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.
Calguas raised an eyebrow, his arms folding across his chest defensively. "Good mood? Huh?" he retorted, his tone laced with skepticism. He couldn't fathom how anyone could find joy in such a grim revelation.
Suman, undeterred, attempted to clarify his point. "Well, at least we can talk to him now, better than we usually do, don't ya think?" he suggested optimistically.
Calguas couldn't help but roll his eyes at Suman's naivety. "Whatever," he muttered dismissively, his frustration palpable. The idea of communicating with the departed held no appeal for him.
Ixartxist, breaking the tension, stood up and placed both hands firmly on his desk, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He laughed, a sound that echoed through the room, both eerie and infectious. Suman glanced at Calguas, seeking some form of validation, but Calguas averted his gaze, crossing his legs and folding his arms tightly.
"Now he's nuts," Suman remarked, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
"I don't care," Calguas replied curtly, his voice filled with a resolute determination.
Ixartxist replied with a shake of his head, left to right, and uttered, "No, my friend." He then smirked and continued, "But yes, you're right about the information. Nia'le is dead, and now there are no obstacles left. Tassa is all mine, my beloved. Just imagining her beautiful face can change my mood, making me feel enthusiastic. It can even make my blood flow faster."
Suman chimed in, "It's called arousal."
Ixartxist halted, glaring at him. "Excitement! That's what it was. And that's what I feel," he asserted.
Suman rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "Doesn't make any difference, does it, Calguas?" he murmured.
"I don't know," Calguas replied. He then turned to Ixartxist, standing up to face him. "I don't know, Ixartxist. But you do know that falling in love with a human is forbidden. It's the reason why I became a fallen angel and turned into a demon."
In the dimly lit chamber, Ixartxist's frustration manifested in the clenching of his teeth as he retorted, "What are you so afraid to lose, Calguas, when you've already lost everything you once possessed? What can a fallen angel lose when he has been stripped of everything, right from the very beginning? Tell me, Calguas, is there still something that haunts you, something you fear losing? And if there is, what could it possibly be?"
Calguas, visibly conflicted, pressed his lips together and swallowed hard before slowly turning his back on Ixartxist. In a hushed tone, he confessed, "Heaven's trust."
The revelation hung in the air, a heavy and perplexing statement that left Ixartxist and Suman exchanging bewildered glances. "What do you mean by Heaven's trust? You no longer have that trust; that's why you were cast aside," Ixartxist pointed out, seeking clarity in Calguas's cryptic admission.
In a moment of vulnerability, Calguas met Ixartxist's gaze from the corner of his eyes and responded with a cold determination. "I don't blame him for that. It's my fault; I'm the one who fell in love with a human, knowing it's a sin right from the start. So, even though he sent me here and turned me into a demon, I don't mind. Despite losing my wings and my Tenesi, becoming an infamous creature, I still don't care. I was once an angel, and there is only one god for me. I'll never blame him for resenting or neglecting me; I deserve it. I committed a sin, and I'll atone for it until the day he forgives me. Even though what I did may be unforgivable for him, I was once a soldier of Heaven, and I'll still obey him now. I may have lost everything, including Heaven's trust, but at least I won't commit any more sins that could make him lose hope in me." Calguas's words carried a warmth despite the harsh reality he faced.
In an intriguing twist, Ixartxist found himself utterly perplexed by Calguas's sudden transformation – a shift from demon to a semblance of the angelic beings they once were. He couldn't fathom how Calguas seamlessly oscillated between the darkness of their nature and the radiant purity of an angel. A smirk played on Ixartxist's lips, accompanied by a cynical laugh.
"What a psychopath you are, Calguas. One moment, you're like us, reveling in the folly of humans with smiles and laughter, and the next, you're preaching about being a saint and seeking forgiveness," Ixartxist remarked with a mixture of disbelief and mockery.
"Talk about split personality..." Suman couldn't help but murmur, capturing the bewildering essence of the situation.
Calguas, however, responded calmly, refuting the notion. "I don't have split personality, Suman." With those words, he declared his departure, vanishing before their eyes. Suman, still trying to make sense of the situation, commented, "I don't understand Calguas sometimes – is it split personality or something?"
Ixartxist, now seated, placed his hand in front of his nose, contemplating the profound changes unfolding. "We are changing bit by bit," he reflected, acknowledging the subtle shifts in their essence. "And I also know that I changed, too." Suman's gaze lingered on Ixartxist, filled with a deep sense of pity that had been building up over time. Sensing this, Ixartxist averted his eyes, unable to meet Suman's gaze. He asked if Suman intended to stay there indefinitely or if he had plans to leave him alone.
Rising from his seat, Suman stood tall, looking down at Ixartxist, who still avoided eye contact. A smirk played on Suman's lips as he gently touched his velvet coat, preparing to respond. "Well, I'm supposed to go to my private room," he replied, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Ixartxist, frustrated, snapped back, "Then leave!" His words were laced with a mix of irritation and longing, a reflection of the inner turmoil he grappled with.
Suman, undeterred by Ixartxist's outburst, turned his back on him, ready to depart. However, just a few steps away from Ixartxist's desk, he abruptly halted. A moment of silence hung in the air.
"Okay, I'm going to go, but Ixartxist," Suman's voice carried a warmth that belied his departure. He looked back at Ixartxist, his eyes filled with genuine concern, and a gentle smile graced his lips. "Please, don't change too much. If you can fight it, then fight it. Don't let it consume you. Remember your Tassa. Quart wouldn't like to see you succumb to darkness, and neither would I."
With those heartfelt words, Suman vanished into the ground, leaving Ixartxist alone with his thoughts. "What a nuisance demon guy, they all turn out to be." He swiveled his chair around, closing his eyes in a display of weariness towards the ongoing conversation and the predicament he found himself in. "Suman," he uttered, opening his eyes to gaze up at the blurry ceiling of his office, a stark contrast to the clarity he once possessed. A sigh escaped him as he softly whispered, "I would if I could," a poignant acknowledgment of the limitations he faced.
Unbeknownst to Ixartxist, Nia'le had not met his demise. Instead, he had sought solace in the "infinite night," spending time with Tassa to alleviate her pain and loneliness. The clandestine nature of their rendezvous in the Infinite Night remained concealed from Ixartxist's knowledge. Consequently, he believed that everything had returned to normal, blissfully unaware of the truth.
Ixartxist's worries about Tassa had dissipated, as he trusted Ayamani to protect her in his absence. This assurance allowed him to focus more on his company, dedicating his time and energy to its affairs. Occasionally, he would visit the deathbed of someone dear to him, paying his respects and cherishing the memories they shared.
In addition to his business endeavors and personal visits, Ixartxist would also check on the orphanage he had established. His intention was to ensure the well-being of the underprivileged children residing there. However, there was a darker side to his actions. Sometimes, when he interacted with these innocent souls, he couldn't resist the allure of their purity. In these moments, he would take their souls, leaving them lifeless in his wake. The true motives behind Ixartxist's fascination with these innocent souls remained shrouded in mystery.
Calguas remained unconvinced by Suman's cryptic statement that mortals could be saved while immortals could not. Despite witnessing Ixartxist's transformation into a real demon, Calguas grappled with doubt. He recognized the evident changes in his friend but remained skeptical of Suman, for he's not changing not bit, despite doing all the demonic stuff.
Meanwhile, Tassa found herself holding a small piece of Nia'le's clothing, stopping in her tracks, she turned to Nia'le with a deep concern reflected in her eyes. Questioning his prolonged stay in the otherworldly realm, she emphasized the limitations of a human body, warning him that decay would set in after 2 to 3 days. To counter this inevitability, she had enlisted Ayamani's aid to preserve his body, ensuring it remained lively.
Nia'le, however, remained unmoved by the pragmatic concerns of the mortal world. The assurance of Ayamani acting as a "chaperon" seemed to alleviate his worries about bodily decay. Tassa, visibly frustrated, placed her hand on her waist and vehemently denied Ayamani being referred to as a mere "chaperon." She emphasized that the issue extended beyond Nia'le's physical body, pointing out the temporal challenge they faced. Having experienced a cycle of death and rebirth over three months, she sought to impress the urgency upon Nia'le.
"So?" Asked Nia'le.
Tassa's concerns only fueled her frustration. She watched as he walked away, his gaze fixed on the red eyes of the Grim Reapers that surrounded them. With a hint of mischief in his voice, he suggested they should simply enjoy their time in this strange realm and put an end to their quarrel.
Tassa couldn't help but smirk at Nia'le's carefree attitude. She decided to reveal a crucial piece of information he had overlooked. "I also forgot to tell you," she said, her voice tinged with amusement, "that Ayamani can hear what you said about him. So, he's probably going to abandon your body and let it rot. He despises you quite a bit."
Nia'le's expression shifted from annoyance to realization. He finally grasped the gravity of the situation and conceded that it was indeed time to return. The thought of a long bath after being separated from his body for three months seemed appealing to him.
Tassa couldn't contain her laughter at Nia'le's expense. She playfully responded, "Well, I must admit, I never thought spirits could have such an awful smell. But you, my friend, are truly unique."
Nia'le's annoyance grew as he glared at Tassa, which only made her laughter intensify.