As the girl fell into sleep, Darris gently lowered her to the ground. She now looked peaceful, though he expected that was because the Art he used was meant to put an opponent into a dreamless sleep. That had been Dormon's Art, hadn't it? Though his Talent was far more potent than Darris's. If the girl hadn't already been exhausted, it most likely would not have worked and would only serve to fuel her rage. 

Darris did not remember the last time he had used his Talent, nor did he remember the last time he had chosen to hold back. But this girl had ignited something he had long since thought dead. 

He breathed deeply through his nose, taking in the now delightful smell of the bay. He was in such a good mood! Oh, how he missed Earth! No matter how many books he read about the world, no atlas, no almanac was a substitute for the real place.

He'd found exactly what he wanted without much effort. If Urzuran's champion hadn't shown up, his original plan had been to skulk about for news of Earth's mightiest warrior. Then he would fight them on a public stage to gain recognition for the legend he was and live like a king—a proper king, not the borderline squalor he lived in now. But now, there was no need for the hunt.

Fate was indeed on his side at this moment. However, it had come at the expense of the girl.

No weakness. No hesitation. That was what Darris had learned from his father. Something he had taken to heart. 

A sudden flash of light where the girl lay nearly blinded him. His eyes watered, but he refused to blink or shut his eyes. He let the girl blur out of his sight as he focused on the weave of power that engulfed her. He tried to study the pattern, but the light and the pattern were gone before he could get a proper look. The imprint of the flash lingered only for a moment before completely vanishing. Darris looked down to see the girl still passed out on the concrete. But instead of the flowing dress and the ridiculous golden accessories, she wore very plain clothes by comparison.

She looked so vulnerable, especially now that she was somehow barefoot. That Eziron… Damn him… and damn me. Darris felt intense pressure on his chest. He looked down at it, wondering if the puffball had succeeded in escaping from his stomach, only to see his own hand tightening over his chest. He quickly released his grip and smoothed out the folds of his coat. No weakness. No hesitation. 

Still, it would probably be best to free this girl from the burden of her power. She had more than proven herself to him, and it was now time to let her go. He'd had his fun. That power was all in that staff of hers. So, if he managed to sever the connection between the two, the girl could return to her usual life. Though admittedly, a little wearier of the world. But she would grow. It may take a while for her to move past the events of this night, but she possessed a strong spirit. 

He looked towards the place where the staff had been, only to find it gone. Darris could still sense the power in that spot, so he cast his eyes around until he spotted a small gold pen.

Curious, he bent over and picked it up. On closer examination, it had indeed once been the staff. Yet, somehow, it had compacted, not just physically but also magically. The pen contained the same pattern of power but squashed and folded like an intricate puzzle. 

"Fascinating," Darris said aloud, "most fascinating." He glanced down at the unshod girl and wondered again how on Earth she had obtained such a powerful item. Darris so wanted to see this power rereleased and to interrogate the girl about everything that happened to her, but she needed her rest. Regaining his legendary status had dropped significantly in his priority as his mind began to form new plans. They weren't fully developed, only half-baked ideas that depended on specific conditionals, so he ignored them for the most part. Some of these ideas, however, excited him to no end. Can she really be the one?

Darris pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he pocketed the pen. One thing at a time. He had to learn more about Urzuran's power. And if he wouldn't wake the girl to ask about it, he needed the other one. 

The Eziron was supremely lucky to be affiliated with a girl who had proven herself. It meant that he, too, would live another day. However, retrieval would be a most unpleasant experience for both himself and the bird. 

He walked over to the wharf's edge and leaned forward over the water. Then, after several moments of hacking, coughing, and beating on his chest, Darris could feel the bile containing the bird rise up his throat. It was a good thing Darris hadn't eaten anything for at least a week or a lot more than just the bird would have escaped him. But after some effort, the Eziron entered his mouth, after which Darris promptly spat him out where he fell into the water with a plunk. 

Darris knelt, pulling up a sleeve as he did so, and seized the bird as he struggled to swim. 

"Now, now. Hold still whilst I scrub that filth off you." 

He ran his fingers through the bird's thick fur. Darris was gentle with his scrubbing, but only because he feared crushing him beneath his fingers. Other than that, Darris made sure to give him as unpleasant a bath as possible. He had some compassion for the girl who had blindly followed fate, but not so for the gormless bird brain who had thrust it upon her. If he didn't need him right now, the things he would do to this bird…

The Eziron spluttered and gasped as Darris pulled him out of the water. His hair was matted and looked half the size he had been, but he was alive and now, relatively clean.

"N-Noel? Noel? Where are you? I'm sorry. So sorry…"

Her name was Noel, was it? The bird had called her that before Darris had swallowed him. What a pretty name. He could feel the ache in his chest intensify.

"Enough," said Darris, "You'll wake her with your whining. Just let her sleep."

That wasn't entirely true. The girl would not wake for at least an hour or so. But the bird didn't need to know that. 

"What did you do to her, you oaf? NOEL?! Are you hurt?"

"I said be quiet!" Darris used his low voice to silence him, emphasizing his threat with a squeeze on his delicate body. "She is perfectly fine. She's just exhausted. Look." Darris pointed the bird's face at the sleeping girl. "Now, please, calm down. There's something I wish to discuss with you."

"I have nothing to say to you!"

Darris pointed the bird at his face so that they stared at each other. "Not even to save the girl?"

The Eziron's eyes narrowed as Darris's words sank in. "You want to save her? What do you take me for?"

"A fool. A dispensable piece of meat, the equivalent of a light snack. Need I go on?"

There was silence. The bird had no response. So Darris continued. "If you don't tell me what I want to know, I will indeed eat you. It's been a while since I've had a proper meal, so something's better than nothing."

"Then eat me. I won't do anything more to make her suffer."

Darris sighed. He had to give the Eziron this; the fool was loyal. But loyalty can only take you so far and is an attribute easily exploited. 

"I told you, I want to free her from the fate she is set upon. The one you encouraged."

The bird shot him a look of disgust. "Her fate can't be changed, and neither can mine. If I'm to die, so be it."

Now Darris was sneering, "Oh? And just what is her fate as judged by you?"

"It's not my judgment that matters. Urzuran chose her to fulfill His purpose."

"And that is?"

"IT'S NOT MY ROLE TO KNOW!" said the Eziron, his tinny voice growing even higher. 

Diving excuse maker! He was starting to get on Darris's nerves again. Maybe it would be better to kill him now. "Then how can you say whether it is fate or not?" 

"The same goes for you."

Darris thought over the Eziron's words. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

"Like I have a choice."

A smile passed Darris's lips. "Oh, you do indeed have a choice, bird. And that is the exact point I'm about to make."

With that, Darris raised his free hand, remembering the instructions on summoning the portal Grimlow had told him before he left. He closed his eyes and let the blood in his veins take over. If what Grimlow said was true, the blood he left behind in Sohaud longed to return to its master. That connection would bridge worlds together. Or so Grimlow said. This could all have been an elaborate scheme to get revenge for his imprisonment. But Darris had chosen to trust him after the portal was corrupted. 

Now, the moment of truth. Darris's blood flowed faster as it sensed its missing self, worlds away. It even felt like it was dancing in his body, causing his skin to tremble. 

Behind his eyelids, Darris saw a green light appear in front of him. He opened them to find the familiar portal shimmering in the air. 

"Ha! Now, what do you think of that?" It was a rhetorical question, but the bird answered anyway. 

"Horrible!"

Darris grinned, "I know~ It must sicken you to know that filthy Ahngreel tainted your beloved master's portal. It just shows you how weak your so-called god truly is."

And with that, he walked through the portal. He extended his arm so the bird could experience the desecration first. It would break his little heart. Poor thing, he thought with a sarcastic delight. For now, he had chosen not to kill the Eziron, but that didn't mean Darris couldn't take pleasure in the small moments of his suffering. He deserved every one of them. It was the least he could do to pay back the pain Noel had and will suffer because of him.