Chapter 195: Stepping Out
Solomon travelled with the group without saying a single word. A feat that wasn’t exactly easy when Kinslayer was such an avid talker.
For a four-armed, sword-wielding warrior, the lad was remarkably carefree and chatted about anything that seemed to come to his mind.
He was quite interested in the individuals Solomon was traveling with before they arrived and stopped time. But Solomon wasn’t exactly capable of answering any of his queries, even if he had wanted to.
Solomon barely recalled much of anything that was said to him as they travelled. His mouth answered in grunts and half snorts while his mind wracked itself for any possible explanation for where they could be going.
He was surprised when they ended up back at the castle. He was even more surprised when they headed straight for the source of Jiaoying’s recent misery.
"Good day. I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted yet." May’Afar spoke cloyingly.
In bed with her face wrapped in bandages, Saarfi sat up with a start. Solomon could only recoil at the smell of her. Whatever had happened to her face was completely vile. A dark yellow pus had nearly soaked through the bandages that were supposed to be healing her.
"Y-You... You’re real..!" Her voice was scratchy and diseased. No doubt her throat was raw from whatever poison had already eaten her face.
"The genuine article." May’afar seemed to be smiling underneath his fiery visage. "I’m sorry, this is all terribly rude of me, but would you please tell me where he is? We’re running a bit behind today."
The queen began stumbling on her words. "I-I don’t..."
*Sigh* "They are always so terribly uncooperative at first. "Griever, if you wouldn’t mind...?"
Solomon barely saw what happened before smoke started filling the room. He finally spoke for the first time since arriving. "What the fuck is this...!?"
"Ah, pardon me, Solomon." The sun-man apologized. "I’m aware that you’ve been out of the loop with the family business for quite some time now. But you should know that these are very simple, normal proceedings. Our brother’s power won’t harm you. He’s-"
"He is not my brother. None of you are my family. I will not tell you that again."
"You ignorant little beast!" Alchemist pointed her finger at Solomon’s face. "You think you can just talk to your betters however you-"
Solomon couldn’t explain what happened, only that he snapped.
Using his arm like a club, he bashed it into Alchemist’s side and sent her flying.
As she smashed into the queen’s wall, Kinslayer began a series of loud whoops. "That’s the stuff, shut her up for once, I’m sick of her condescension too!"
Alchemist was too stunned to comment. She looked down at her side.
Pain.
It had been so long since she had last felt the sensation. So long that she had watched more than three entire civilizations come and go before that day.
Something changed within her in the aftermath. Her demeanor became something meek and easily frightened. She became unable to even look at Solomon without trembling.
"Children, children, please!" Redeemer held up his hands. "Let’s not stoop to this level of barbarity. Family is designed to love each other and be kind."
Solomon felt like his blood was boiling with every mention of their nonsensical familial terms. "You ... are not... my-"
A faint tapping came from far down the hall. It was so soft and subtle that Solomon was surprised that he could actually hear it.
The room fell into a silence as the tapping drew ever closer. The Deathless stopped in their tracks and turned their gazes toward the door.
It took a while for the taps to draw closer. And yet, the anticipation of the group never waned.
Solomon stepped into the shadows of the room, remaining just out of sight.
As May’Afar’s head finally illuminated the weary figure arriving out of the dark, Solomon was at a loss.
It looked like a cross between a man and a lizard. It was hunched over, walking with an old, tired gait and supporting its body weight with a cane.
The creature was a sad, weary thing to behold. Its once bright, emerald scales had been rendered a darker, faded color. The scales along its body were beginning to peel away in certain places, revealing worn, leathery skin beneath.
He stopped just in front of the doorway, clearly out of breath and weary from having walked so far.
"Leave the girl alone... Pawns are usually inconsequential at this late stage of the game."
Solomon stiffened upon hearing the voice reach his ears. He wanted so badly to believe he was mistaken, and yet, the truth was so apparent that he couldn’t even lie to himself.
"...I thought...I had more time." The lizard said breathily.
Kinslayer cackled as if he had never heard anything funnier. "Now, what would possibly give you the impression that you could continue to evade us?"
"Well, the past 40 thousand years are certainly a..."
Kinslayer’s permanently cheerful demeanor instantly faded. He struck the old lizard in the neck with more power than was needed, causing blood to rush from his nose and esophagus.
"You incorrigible little disease... Are you mocking me in front of my family? I have half a mind to turn you into a stain on the wall... And then have my sister rewind time so that I can do it all over again until my arms tire."
"That’s not how my device works..." Alchemist murmured.
"Bitch, then what good are you!?"
On the floor, the lizard-man held up his hand. A glimmer of power started to form, but inevitably never took shape.
His hand dropped to the ground, but so did his vision. And out of the corner of his weary eyes, he finally saw the large figure lurking in the corner.
With Kinslayer’s heel still pressed into his throat, speaking was out of the question for old Raidis.
But a single look was all that was required for Redeemer.
"What is this now...? I wasn’t aware that you knew our youngest."