"I'll show you. Just be prepared."

"I'm prepared for anything you throw my way," Svi said confidently.

"If you say so."

Svi stared at me with eager eyes, curious for what I was to show her. I released my illusion magic, revealing my corrupt wings and glowing eyes. She didn't look extremely surprised, which weirded me out.

"Aren't you afraid at all?"

"You've always been my demon. Now it's just... physical. You're still Nocri."

"I don't even have a heartbeat. Can I be with you without a working heart?" I frantically reasoned, upset at myself.

"Hearts don't create love between two people. I would've been more concerned if you were an angel. I buried you, so you couldn't be human any longer."

Svi always cheers me up. Nothing really fazes her.

"Nocri, you don't need to worry about me accepting you. I'd never moved on. I've thought of you every day."

My teeth clenched, eyes leaking.

"That makes me feel worse. I haven't thought of you..."

"You've always been self-centered. I chose to accept that. Besides, neither of us are perfect," Svi told, making me feel terrible.

"I can't accept that! I can't accept any of my choices! Even my recent ones are mess-ups!"

Svi walked up to me, slapping my face. She had a pissed look in her eyes. I moved my hand up to the red mark left, staring at Svi with tears flowing down my eyes.

"Don't say that! You made these decisions, so they aren't mess-ups. Even if times get rough, you decided it. Are you saying coming to find me was a mess up?"

"That's the best choice I've made in a while."

"Accept the rest, too. Now, I need to know what's happened. What're you doing?"

Svi forced me to sit on the bed, putting herself on my lap. She was content on finding answers. I looked back at her with saddened eyes.

"I want to fix the kingdom. There's too much misery."

"Do you have the strength?"

"I think so. An army is waiting inside and outside the town. Will you join me?" I asked, looking up at her face. I wanted her to accept so badly, though she'll be in danger.

"Do you need to ask?"

She leaned in, kissing my cheek.

"You know how to cheer me up. I shouldn't have left you behind."

"You're holding onto me now."

I wrapped my wings around her, my arms holding onto her waist. She looked comfortable.

"Your feathers are so silky."

"That's the second time I've been told that. A little girl said the same thing."

"Did you bother to learn her name? You've never cared about the names of many," She remembered, probably thinking of the fact it took me a year of encounters till I told her my name, and she her's.

"You know me well. I was with her for less than a week. She's in the underworld now."

"You can make that sound like a good thing. What's the underworld like?"

"I only know the lower areas and the god's castle. Lower underworld is full of insanity. Most go crazy there. I survived it by killing a group that dwelled there. The screaming killed my judgment, I think. The castle is large and filled with useless chimera servants. The god himself is a black cat."

"You sent a child there?!" Svi shouted, looking questionably at me.

"It should be fine. Lower underworld is skipped when I send them. You only end up there if you're killed."

"How many have you sent?"

"Only two. Three if you want powers," I explained, kissing her neck after.

"I can gain powers? I want you to send me, then. I need to help you."

"I'll send you. I want to hold onto you while you're still human for a while. I want to feel your heartbeat. Can we stay sitting like this?"

"You always do as you please. I don't see why that should change."

I felt Svi's warmth as I held her. She closed her eyes and relaxed. The chains in her hair were cold against my skin.

While I sat, I glanced around the room to try to find Flarem. While I looked, his form came into shape. The rings were in his hand, and he looked annoyed.

"What the hell, Nocri? How long do I need to stay hidden? I'm sick of watching the two of you."

"Who's that?" Svi questioned, looking nervously at him. Flarem was extremely pissed at me.

"His name's Flarem. He's been helping me with taking over the kingdom. He's a summoner. Well, an undead summoner."

"Does he need to eat flesh? Don't undead do that?"

"No, I don't need to eat flesh. That'd be strange," Flarem matter-of-factly remarked, making me feel slight anxiety. I made a gesture in Svi's point of view to stop bringing it up. "Can you guys separate? It's making me uncomfortable."

"I'm staying. You shouldn't move either, Svi. You're warm."

"I'm renting another room. I have enough money now," Flarem mentioned, frowning at me with his teeth clenched.

"Have fun with that. Meet back here tomorrow."

"I'm going to the tavern without you."

"Control yourself. You're just as bad as Meralf," I warned, Flarem giving a face that showed he'd be blowing me off.

"Yeah, yeah."

Flarem left, leaving Svi and me alone. I tipped on the bed, Svi falling onto my chest. I lay on the mattress, holding her in my arms. We stared at the wood planked ceiling.

"You're the same person I loved and lived with. You're a good guy, Nocri."

"If killing is good," I murmured, thinking about my life decisions.

"It's good if you're doing it to fix everything. I wish my occupation didn't exist. It's all I know, though."

"If you didn't pursue your father's job, we wouldn't have met."

"I wouldn't want to live in that world."

She moved over to my side, taking the chains from her hair and waist. She threw them on the ground and held onto my side. I folded my wings back into their original place.

"You're more muscular."

"Do you like it?" I questioned in a semi-proud way.

"Yes, but you were fine before."

Svi was feeling my upper body, rubbing her palms against me. I stayed still, feeling serene.

"Why did you gesture me to stop talking with Flarem?"

"It wasn't supposed to be in general. It was about the flesh topic. He does need to eat it."

"Why isn't he aware?"

"He has split personalities. One is Flarem, the cool minded and innocent of the two. Well, he's at least more innocent. I've badly influenced him. The other is Meralf, the mature and bloodthirsty one. He's a better fighter. He acts on impulse, so he does and says whatever is on his mind," I detailed, revealing so she wouldn't be confused later.

"Isn't Meralf just Flarem backward?"

"Yeah. They both went by Flarem, so I made the other go by that name."

"You chose the name? That's not like you," She said, truly knowing me.

"I was confused at the time. It made the two of them make more sense."

"If it works, why not?"

I pulled her closer, feeling her breath on my skin. Her hands were on my chest.

"I have flesh underneath my fingernails. Can we shower?" I asked, smiling. I kissed her, the iron taste still remaining.

"I'd love to. Blood is streaking my hair."

I withdrew my grasp, letting her get off the bed. She stood up, adjusting her clothes. I soon followed, standing beside her.

"What happened to that floral dress you wore yesterday?"

"I threw it out. It was to blend into the crowd. You know I don't like those types of outfits. How do you know I wore that?"

"I accidentally pick pocketed you... I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice you. Your hair used to be right below your shoulders," I described, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

"Did you take the payment for killing that target?"

"Yeah. That's how I knew you'd be there."

"I was panicking that day. At least I know you have it."

"Let's go take that shower."

Svi held onto my arm, walking with me into the bathroom.

"Can you help with my shirt, Nocri?"

"Can you help with my pants?"

Svi gave me a smile, so I flashed one back. She bent down, unzipping my jeans. I moved her shirt up from her body, gliding past her arms and onto the floor. We took the rest off ourselves.

I turned the water on, keeping it at a cold temperature. I walked into the shower, shivering. Svi followed in, calmed by the water. Blood washed away down the drain, removing itself from my fingernails. Some chunks of flesh were caught in the drain, but I ignored it.

"The water feels nice," Svi mentioned, smiling with the water running down her face.

"I'm frigid, but I know you like it this way."

"It's refreshing."

I combed the gore from her hair with my fingers, the watery blood running down my arm as I did so.

"Do you like my hair? I wanted to try it long."

"It suits you. You've always looked cute, though," I complimented, causing her to blush.

"You changed your style, too. It's longer in the front. It looks good."

"Thanks."

Soon after we finished talking, we left the shower one after the other. I threw her a towel, grabbing one for myself. I scrubbed the towel against my hair, causing parts of it stuck out. Water dropped from my wings, so I held them over the shower and shook them off. Svi walked up to me with a comb, gliding it through my hair. She straightened up the mess I created with the towel.

"You're too aggressive when drying."

"What can I say? I never learn."

"Am I going to put my clothes back on?" Svi asked, looking me over. I gave a visible grin. Her cheeks were slightly flushed.

"You know the answer. Why ask?"

"Good point."

Svi set the comb down on the sink's rim. I folded up our clothes and wrapped my arm around her. We strolled to the bed, going under the covers.