Demion was silent. He had been like this for the past 6 days. Aracius was at his limit, breathless. They had been walking like this, non-stop. No sleep, no food, only walking, walking, walking...
Aracius mentally calculated the distance traversed was around 1200 miles. They had crossed vast wastelands, entire forests, jumping from tree to tree, branch to branch. And now, walking the ocean.
Walking on water surface took a considerable amount of mana when done over great distances, consuming the user's stamina rather quickly. Even thought he was a S-rank mage, he was already at his limit, about to pass out.
"Wait!", He muttered somehow.
"I know today counts the 7th day. We haven't eaten or drunk anything for 6 days and have been walking non-stop. But mages can survive without food for six month and without water for about a week. Today isn't over yet..."
Aracius had already expected as much, Demion wasn't concerned about him at all. The only thing that mattered to him was reaching the island.
Aracius scratched his neck on the thought of water. His mouth felt drier than ice. He could've used a mixture of earth and water magic to extract salt out of sea water, making it drinkable. But it would risk that even before they reached the island he might run out of mana and drown. And he was sure Demion wouldn't help. He won't bother to look back. For now, all Aracius could do was try to keep up with Demion, deal with his ever-lasting silence, hear to the fast winds and the slow claps from Demion's bare foot walking on water.
"Hey, if you've noticed. These seagulls are following us for quite sometime."
Aracius looked up at the sky, finding a colony of seagulls circling. "It's the alchemist. He sees everything.", He muttered, assuring Demion they were close to the island.
Demion looked a bit more desperate or at least he looked like that, from the back. His feet were moving a bit faster.
As they were nearing the island, the weather changed. Winds began to blow harder, the calm breeze blowing a moment ago was now raging and screaming. Colossal black clouds hovering the sky, thundering in rage. The sea also joined in, the water started to swell up.
"We sure have bad weather luck.", Demion remarked looking up.
"Impetus Dolores", Aracius sighed, breathless. "A storm spell that keeps wandering ships away from the island."
"I see. So, it's not for us. We'll continue through."
It had started to rain pretty hard, purple lightning covered the whole sky. Aracius thought he was listening to noises, from weakness. Probably hallucinating. Was Demion really thinking about crossing the storm?? Was he really thinking about crossing waves 50 ft high? Waves that can snap ships like twigs? Winds that can blow away entire ships?
"Don't tell me you're going to cross the Impetus Dolores?!", Aracius almost shouted making Demion turn.
"I am. Sounds like you can't teleport us directly to the island right now and I'm not waiting for you."
"You don't understand! We are still a few miles away from the island. That's why you think so. This storm is unlike anything you've ever seen!", Aracius argued.
"Well, I'm seeing a storm after 6 years so, I can't compare it with anything else...", Demion finished or maybe he didn't. Either way, a man dressed in white robes and baggy pants jumped out of the water cutting him off.
"Ianuae Magicae!", The man spelled, teleporting all of them on a rocky shoreline.
The man had a deep tan and was of large muscular build. His long white hair was kept in a ponytail. Aracius recognized him at first sight, it was the alchemist, but Demion did not.
His fight response kicked in, he went in for an uppercut aiming the chin. But the alchemist caught his fist. Demion didn't gave in and aimed a knee right into the stomach. The alchemist pulled him by the arm and tossed him on the ground with force that would easily kill any normal person. Demion's eyes whited out, he had fainted.
.
.
.
"You awake?"
Waking up, the first thing Demion noticed was the damp rocky ceiling. His first thought, a cave? Damp rocky walls surrounded him in every direction. Definitely a cave. The cave was dimly lit from a campfire. Opposite to the fire, the alchemist was propped on a stone.
"Remember me kid?"
"Yes and you don’t seem to have changed at all. Though I can’t say for sure, I don’t remember much.", Demion sighed.
"Can't blame you for not recognizing, you lost your head.", The alchemist sighed back.
"Not only head. My left arm's missing too. Anyway, why free me now?"
The alchemist kept looking at Demion for sometime, then said, "Your existence is revolting. Even more revolting than the greatest of dragons and demons, vampires and werewolves."
Demion clenched his teeth. He had lost count of how many times he felt this feeling. The feeling of being rejected by all, by the entire world. He knew it, but still, someone saying it on your face felt like being hit by a cannon ball.
"Then why let me free?!", Demion asked through gritted teeth.
"I've my reasons.", The alchemist said, throwing a block of wood in the fire.
"Your reasons. Not mine."
"Don't act like rotting headless, pinned on a cross, without food or water was luxury to you."
All this time Demion's face was clenched with anger but thinking about the prison, he was thankful to be freed. The feeling that your joints aren't being pinned down with iron rods was quiet good.
"Why let me free?", Demion asked again, this time in a lower voice.
"Nigrum's seal is weakening.", The alchemist said with a heavy sigh.
A dark pallor spread over Demion's face, "It was unavoidable. The seal was never complete to begin with. So how much time before Nigrum kills us all?"
"No. The seal will still take sometime to break. But this has caused another problem, Felix."
"Felix?", Demion frowned.
"Guess you don't remember him."
"Not like I don't remember, the name sounds quite familiar. If I'm correct, he uses transmutation magic. What about him?"
"Yes, he uses transmutation magic. One of my greatest apprentices, like you. After Nigrum was sealed away, he changed, started seeing things differently. Don't know why but he's constantly creating stress between the great four nations. Turning them against the kingdom of Adelham."
"Adelham!", Demion repeated. The name made his blood boil with rage. It brought back unpleasant memories, memories of her.
"I know. You hate Adelham but the whole continent's power would be required to fight Nigrum back.", The alchemist said in a matter of fact voice.
"You know what that bitch did to me.", Demion cursed while running his hand around his neck and the scar on his left shoulder where his other hand used to be while the mouths on his hand uttered a thousand different curses in unison.
"Everyone on the continent knows the legend-" A chuckle escaped the alchemist. "- of the 11 year old Adelhamian princess who defeated the demon of sorrows, cutting off its head and arm with the fairy sword Zafkiel."
"Why are you laughing?! I was also 11 at that time, only a child burdened with fate. But nobody had any mercy for me.", Demion grumbled in shaky voice. Everytime he thought about it, an intense feeling of sadness overcame him.
"Fate has been merciful on you. You're still alive, so you must return the favour. Everyone has too."
"Even the nicest person have their limits and I'm not even a nice person. I'll take my chances with the odds. When the time comes, I'll defeat Nigrum alone."
The alchemist cracked up, "Know your limits. Even with that body of yours. You'll never be enough."
"You gave this body to me. It's your fault that I'm not enough."
The alchemist cracked up again, "Hmm, so now it's my fault that you're not enough. Quit it! I wanted you to be perfect, I failed. But you aren't a tool, so there's no need to be perfect. Nothing good will come from blaming me for your short comings."
"Whatever." Demion paused for a moment, then again spoke, "Tell me where's my left arm?"
"With Esker."