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He got to the surface and gasped for air. Fortunately, he still swam very well, although he only had one arm left to use. He used the buoyancy to reach the shore. After a while he was able to get out of the water. He was soaked through.
- Why don't you take off your helmet? - he heard a familiar voice from behind him.
- Unfortunately, I have such a mouth that it's better not to show myself to people.
- What are you ashamed of? You're among your own people.
- Everyone has some complexes. I don't want everyone to talk about my ugly face later," he said jokingly.
- Aha," Anastasia muttered with a smile. Her hair was still as green as Crusch's.
Hoshin looked at the crumbling town hall.
- Really a pile of rubble. I'm glad you're okay.
- I feel like I've been crushed to death three times.... - muttered Al, pouring water out of his shoes. - But the important thing is that we are both here, safe and sound. And that kitten? Did he make it?
- Thank you for your concern, it's fine.
- Oooo!" a surprised Al turned around.
Ferris, all slouched, was coming from a neighboring alley.
- You didn't get what you wanted. Are you all right? - Anastasia was interested.
- Ferris said it was all right. And you - he turned to Al - aren't you hurt?
- I wish I could have been treated by a lovely lady like you, but luckily I came out of it unscathed. How about "unfortunately?
- Yeah. Let's cut the jokes. Did the Archbishop die? - Anastasia didn't like that sense of humor.
- There was definitely a pancake left of her," Al muttered, trying to wring out his clothes at least a little. He hadn't seen her die, but a dragon in a cramped room couldn't survive something like that. Even if Capella had turned into something smaller, she wouldn't have had time to escape.
- Can you guess? That's not good enough. After all, she pulled herself together even after Lady Anastasia blew up her face with a spell.
- A spell? - puzzled Al. The word had now caught his attention enough that he was no longer interested in talking about the Archbishop's awesome power.
- But your attack, Ferris, was effective. For after all, it was you who made the withered hand she turned into a flower, wasn't it?
- Why are we talking about me? You're the one who said you couldn't fight! - Ferris muttered, looking away.
Before they devised a plan to trap the Archbishop of Lust, each of them had to describe their skills so that it would be known what they had. Of course, each decided to hide something. Anastasia, for example, announced that she had no powers useful in battle.
Al raised the Blue Dragon Blade at Anastasia.
- What are you going to do about it? - she asked calmly.
- — C... What?! Why?! Why?!
Ferris froze, shocked. He didn't understand what was happening.
- Be quiet, girl. And you better get behind me. As far away from her as possible.
The cat-boy didn't even flinch. Al snorted displeased.
- If it's a joke, it's not particularly funny. What's wrong? - Anastasia asked calmly.
- It was standing still. You were hiding the fact that you could use magic. Very convenient. Although maybe I shouldn't say that, considering what I've done myself... All right, let's skip that accusation.
- Why are you threatening me then?
- Because you did something that Anastasia Hoshin supposedly can't do. What are you up to? - he lowered his voice.
The previously calm Anastasia suddenly became tense. The atmosphere thickened so that violence could erupt at any moment.
- Calm down! What the hell is this?! - Ferris couldn't stand it He had had enough. He jumped between Al and Anastasia to prevent a clash between the allies. The sharp end of the Blue Dragon stabbed him in the chest.
- Hey, what about you? You can see I'm not kidding!
- And you think I'm laughing! This is no time to argue! Don't you understand?! There's a war on! Our friends are fighting right now! Just because Lust was buried in a collapsed building doesn't mean he's dead! We don't have time to argue! - He took a step forward. Al had to draw his sword back so the healer wouldn't impale himself on him.
- To... Okay, okay... Calm down now or you'll hurt yourself... I didn't expect you to take it so seriously.
- Really... Ferris, you were very brave. I was surprised," sighed Anastasia.
- Lady Anastasia, this is your fault too! You could somehow take the matter more seriously,' Ferris protested.
- Whoa! So you're not gonna kill each other after all? - they suddenly heard.
As one, they looked at the street on the other side of the canal from which Al had just emerged. The dark, dirty street was lit up by countless red lights. Only after a moment did they realize that they were the eyes of rats. Hundreds of the small, usually harmless creatures scuttled between the buildings.
Ferris groaned through a compressed throat.
The rats scuttled about, running into each other until they formed something that resembled a human silhouette in outline.
- Uhahaha! Your lovely Capella is back in action!
Suddenly the rats became one lump, the body trembled and transformed into a beautiful blonde with a cruel face.
- Hmm? What kind of reaction is that? Some tears would be nice! Uhahaha!
Her wheezing, loud laughter echoed off the walls of the houses in the moonlight-drenched Water Gate City.
- Eh... - sighed Al. - I didn't delude myself into thinking she was dead, but I hoped I had at least nudged her a little.
- Oh, my! You guys really did it! I almost thought I was going to die myself... But I survived! Why, were you waiting for me with a beating heart? - She put her hand on my chest. - Of course I was! After all, you're thinking about me so hotly, so intensely! - she exclaimed excitedly, as if she really was madly in love.
- Shucks, the reasoning of the psycho girl however is beyond comprehension.... - Al raised the Blue Dragon Blade again. He prepared himself for the upcoming duel. - Geeeez, I've already opened my Domain.... My powers are completely unsuitable to fight this girl. But there's no other way, I have to... Hey! This time, please don't hide any powers for later! Otherwise, all three of us will die or become big flies! - he muttered to Ferris and Anastasia.
Capella stuck out her tongue and raised her hands in the air.
- Hey, hey, wait a minute! It's not like that. You're drawing the wrong conclusion. I didn't come here to fight. You're cute with your little brains, but that's enough for today. It's time for me to go," she said.
- Huh? - choked out a surprised Al.
- You can't beat me anymore. And I got what I wanted. And I've got you all memorized, you beautiful, beautiful people! And most of all...
- Is that what the Gospel told you to do? - Anastasia said.
- It did not "order" - growled a displeased Capella, throwing the candidate for the throne of Lugnica a hateful look. - Don't say that, or it would come out that I'm doing what some book tells me to do!
The Archbishop raised her left hand, and then her arm above the elbow swelled, followed by a black-bound volume bubbling to the surface from within.
- A practical place to keep your reading material...
- Well? Our baby could have something like that! After all, it would share our genes. I'm sure it would be beautiful! Ah, your love is mine. You'd better be careful not to pussyfoot around with some ladies or I'll burn them. I'll kill them! - She hugged the black cover to her cheek. - It tells me what I can do, but the decision is mine, so my feeling for you is real! Don't think to yourself! It's an honest, pure feeling...
- What?! What nonsense... - Ferris gritted his teeth. He probably would have jumped to the other side of the canal if Anastasia hadn't stopped him.
- I understand how you feel, but calm down. We don't want to provoke her.
- Maybe if... Maybe if we... if we killed her here... Lady Crusch...
- Sheer stupidity! To feed on hopes and fantasies, knowing what the truth is. The Dragon blood is a separate entity. Even if I die, it remains! But if you want to fight after all...
Smiling, Capella clapped her hands. The sound echoed again. After a moment, they realized what she had done.
- Oh shit... - choked out Al, shaking his head in disbelief.
It also occurred to Ferris and Anastasia what was going on.
The ominous aura was getting closer. In the distance, the bubbling of water and the clatter of metal rubbing against house walls could be heard.
- Chimeras...
- Hmmm? How? "Chimeras"? Quite a name! A quirk that, on my whim, lives and dies at the same time! Unfinished, ugly. The very name suggests it was created by someone cruel!
They were getting closer, Finally they leapt out of the dark alleys to shield Capella. Some with blades instead of heads, some with axes instead of forelegs, some with shields. Each had unnaturally innate pieces of weaponry.
- How could you do that? - choked Ferris in an icy voice. He stared at the creatures with wide eyes, shaken by violent emotions: compassion, pity and sadness. - This is so cruel!
- Why? Hmmm... - Capella put a tiny finger to her lips in contemplation. After a moment, she slowly nodded her head. - Maybe because no one told me it was forbidden to play with corpses? - she answered smiling widely.
Ferris would have thrown himself at her if Al hadn't stopped him.
Stupid! Don't let him provoke you! - he hissed, grabbing him around the waist. - Let's run away! - he shouted to Anastasia. - Take him and run!
I got it! Come on, Ferris! - Hoshin pulled him by the hand. The blue knight clenched his teeth in displeasure, but did not resist.
Al cut the chimeras that tried to run after them.
Shit!
- All right, all right, let's play chase! There'll never be a shortage of dead bodies, because there'll only be more and more! Dead everywhere! Uhahaha! - Capella laughed and disappeared into the darkness of the alley.
Al saw her leave, but preoccupied with chimeras, he couldn't pursue her. All that remained was the bitterness of defeat. Gritting his teeth. he took off running after Anastasia and Ferris. He had to focus on surviving.
- Uhahaha! - he could hear her laughing in the distance.
They ran with all their might.
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