Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he usually divested his time between multiple groups of women, there were moments when Vahn enjoyed relaxing with just one girl at a time. Thus, while he was performing his usual rounds, he decided to surprise Lakshmibai, interrupting her training to see if she would accompany him. Since it was very rare for the girls to refuse his offer, Vahn soon found himself escorting the loveable olive-skinned beauty through the verdant orchards of Avalon.Vahn was quite fond of his homeland but, when he explored alongside one of his lovers, it always felt even more fantastical than normal. It was such a calm and serene place, especially inside of the Projection, so they could wander unobstructed for hours if they really wanted to.Unfortunately, despite having several times more than others, time was often a rare commodity for Vahn. Thus, rather than wander aimlessly, he brought Lakshmibai to a large clearing, a place used by the Dryads as a site for various rituals. Within the projection, however, it was just a place filled with a mass of comforting energy, filled with warmth and carrying the fragrance of flowers and honey.It wasn't her first time visiting the rather popular location but, feeling the familiar warmth wash over her exposed shoulders, the wind blowing gently through her hair, Lakshmibai hummed contentedly before resting her head against Vahn's shoulder and saying, "Thank you for taking me out today...it made me happy to see you show up unexpectedly..."Hearing Lakshmibai's words, Vahn wanted to comment about how hard she had been working these past few months but, knowing there were better ways to spend their time, he opted to remain silent, resting his cheek against the top of her head. He knew she wasn't really satisfied with her progress but, instead of complaining about it, Lakshmibai continued to push herself even further. There were days where she would be training upwards of 15-16 hours straight, only stopping when others came to check on her. Thus, rather than talk about training, Vahn just relished their time together, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and the scent of lemon that wafted from her hair...Unfortunately, as was too often the case when he was with Lakshmibai, Vahn sensed a spatial ripple in the Transfer Room, followed by the emergence of Sherlock. He had just gone to check on Tiamat so, if Sherlock was looking for him, which was almost always the case, Vahn would have to deal with him using this form. This would undoubtedly make Lakshmibai sad and, while she was always very understanding of such things, Vahn knew it ate away at her more than she would ever admit.Refusing to make Lakshmibai sad, Vahn preempted the Master Detective, telepathically stating, "I am indisposed of at the moment. Please confer with Da Vinci or Merlin unless it is a matter that requires my immediate attention." Then, without waiting for a response, he blocked external communications, telling Alaya to monitor the situation and to inform him if it was something important...Since she was always attentive to Vahn's subtleties, Lakshmibai hadn't missed the mild perturbance in her Master's eyes. She could easily guess something was amiss as, during their last three times alone together, something always came up. His not saying anything showed that he had elected to ignore whatever the trouble was and, while this made her happy, she ultimately nestled against his chest and said, "You are the Emperor...your duties should come before me. Please, don't worry about me, Master..."Opting to ignore Lakshmibai's selfless remark, Vahn wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her close to his body as he stated, "I am a Father, a Master, and a Lover before I am an Emperor. You, of all people, should be aware of this. Don't tell me you've grown bold enough to push me away when I've already made the decision to stay...?"Having already dedicated her everything to Vahn, in more ways that one, Lakshmibai's expression became complicated when she heard his words. Then, compelled by his silence, she turned her pale-pink eyes up at him, a thin layer of moisture present as she replied, "I would never..." in a sheepish and demure tone.Hearing Lakshmibai's response, Vahn allowed a smile to replace his previously solemn expression. It had been a bit lacking in spirit but he could feel the sincerity contained within her words. Thus, in an effort to reward her loyalty, he traced his finger across the choker around her neck before lowering his head to steal her lips. This was generally enough to make her forget about everything else and, while there was a brief moment of palpable trepidation, it didn't take long for Lakshmibai to dutifully reciprocate his affections...---Having heard Vahn's words echo in his mind, Sherlock merely issued a thoughtful hum as he pulled out his pipe, this time without lighting it. He knew Vahn wasn't such a thoughtless individual so, after a few seconds of silent rumination, he plainly stated, "Alaya, I know you are listening. If you help me with this task, your Master will be free from interruptions and I will be able to carry out my assigned duty without being forced to dally. In exchange, I will tell you a method to get closer to your Master in the future...what say you?"Though she would normally never appear in front of another person, Vahn's order, combined with Sherlock's offer, compelled Alaya to manifest in her human form. Then, with a cold expression on her face, she stated, "I am unable to forge contracts in my current state. If you want my help, you must provide the information before I offer my assistance. I refuse to trust your words alone..."Sherlock had already anticipated Alaya's response so, without beating around the bush, he gave a small nod before explaining, "It's elementary, really. All you have to do is tell him directly what you would like him to do. Though there are limits to this, he will not refuse if you are sincere. If you do this for a long enough period of time, he will be more susceptible to listening to other requests so it is the fastest way for you to achieve your objectives. I'm certain you can verify this based on the data you have collected over the past three years."Without having to think about the feasibility of Sherlock's words, Alaya immediately shook her head, explaining, "As I am, it is impossible for me to make such direct requests. All past attempts to directly influence Vahn Mason have resulted in failure. Your advice has no merit-"Before Alaya could continue, Sherlock caused blue electricity to dance across her body as he lifted his hand, interrupting her to say, "What you have tried in the past has no relevance to the present. It isn't difficult to reason that your past attempts lacked sincerity. The next time you are alone with him, you need only express your desire to be treated well and, so long as you state this clearly, he will undoubtedly oblige. So long as you do not try and deceive him, Vahn is a rather simple fellow to get along with..."Hearing Sherlock's explanation, Alaya remained silent for several long seconds as lines of runes ran across her irises. When they finally faded away, she gave an approving nod before asking, "What is it you require? Know that I cannot take any action that violates the restrictions placed against me."With Alaya being far more agreeable than before, Sherlock allowed a small yet victorious smile to spread across his lips as he explained, "I am tracking an entity that seemingly does not exist in the physical world. I understand it takes an immense amount of power for you to view all subsequent timelines but, if it is just a singular timeline, I believe you will be able to manage. With that in mind, I would like you to view my future along the current time axis. Tell me, where is the location I am set to investigate in the pursuit of this mysterious entity?"Since Sherlock's request was, in fact, a relatively simple feat, Alaya briefly closed her eyes, her senses briefly focusing on the annoying Detective's future. Though even this wouldn't be truly accurate, as even the act of revealing the future would change it, Alaya didn't particularly care if the end result was different than what he desired. She had already received the information she required so, even if Sherlock ended up walking to his death, it mattered very little to her.After obtaining the requested information, Alaya plainly stated, "You will appear at coordinates: 41.38514° N, 2.17342° E to investigate five victims within an abandoned warehouse at 20:29:21:08, Coordinated Universal Time."Hearing Alaya's response, Sherlock pulled out an ornate pocket watch which, upon being opened, immediately calibrated to UTC+00:00. With this, he calculated he had approximately seventeen minutes to reach his destination so, after snapping the fob of his watch shut, he gave a polite bow to Alaya before immediately teleporting outside of Avalon. There, Lilith was obediently waiting for him, now having returned to her secretarial appearance after calming down. Then, without any hesitation, he repeated the coordinates given by Alaya, intent on pursuing the white-haired girls in the equally white dress...---With Sherlock departing Avalon, Alaya no longer bothered to manifest herself within the Transfer Room. Instead, back within Tiamat's Marble Phantasm, she turned her eyes up at Vahn, grabbing his wrist with her hands and interrupting his petting.As Alaya had never proactively stopped him from petting her, Vahn was slightly surprised by her actions, asking, "Did something happen?" in a concerned tone. At the same time, Tiamat cocked her head adorably to the side, the white crosses in her eyes becoming more prominent as if to say, 'Why are you interrupting?', even if her expression didn't change in the slightest.Though it didn't qualify as being 'alone' with him, Alaya knew this was one of the few chances she would get to actually put Sherlock's advice to the test. Since she had already received permission to move forward, she ignored Vahn's question, moving his hand from her head to her chest. Then, in a serious tone, she plainly stated, "I want you to do more...I don't like only getting my head pat and my cheeks played with. I would like you to do more..."Hearing Alaya's 'confession', Vahn couldn't help but momentarily blank as, from what he could tell, she was actually being sincere. This, however, didn't make a lot of sense to him as he couldn't even begin to fathom what had set her on this course of action. It was obviously related to Sherlock but, given Alaya's usual behavior, he never expected she would directly converse with, much less fall to the Master Detective's machinations.Still, just as Sherlock had stated, Vahn had very little resistance to women being straightforward and honest about their desires. His Divinity was one reason but, after coming to coexist with Alaya, to the point he didn't like being separated from her for long periods of time, it was hard to refuse such an earnest request. The soft feeling against his palm didn't make the decision any easier and, if not for the presence of Tiamat, he might have readily accepted...Just as Vahn was thinking about how to gently refuse Alaya's request, the latter held his wrist a little tighter and, for a brief moment, she had a fretful look in her eyes. This caused his words to get stuck in his throat. Instead, the next sound to come out of his mouth was a sigh of acquiescence since, for a very long time, he always knew things would eventually develop to this point. Alaya had become an ever-present fixture in his life so refusing her earnest appeal would cause him to feel awkward and, more than a little, guilty. Thus, despite knowing it wasn't the best course of action, he put a little bit of force into his right hand, his fingers moving skillfully as warm energy flowed from his palm and into her body...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lakshmibai is a good woman','Elementary, dear Alaya','The world in his left hand, the embodiment of humanity's will to survive in his right...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Ever since the collapse of modern society, the most prosperous groups, outside of those who quickly acquiesced to the Empire, were the various gangs and religious communities. Both typically relied on fearmongering and extreme violence to maintain control over their territories. Thus, if you wanted to avoid becoming a victim, the only viable options were to either flee or become an active member of the local gang. Even this didn't guarantee your safety, however, as many regions had become lawless wastelands where territorial disputes and squabbles over supplies became increasingly common.In the early days of the fall, gun violence had reigned supreme over most regions but, with no way to replenish their stock of ammunition, people defaulted to increasingly visceral and medieval methods of violence. As a result, it wasn't uncommon to see people walking around with tire irons, kitchen knives, baseball bats, golf clubs, and even pieces of driftwood. Most simply hoped to deter attackers but, in an increasing number of cases, these formerly innocuous items became deadly instruments...From atop a relatively colorful building in Barcelona, Spain, a city once reputed for its art and culture, Sherlock silently observed several small groups of people patrolling, many doing their best to avoid each other. He could see that most of them were afraid, fearful of the world and the dark days ahead of them. Their everyday lives were now wrought with uncertainty so, in order to preserve even the most minuscule amount of control over their destiny, they banded together for fear of being alone and isolated in an unforgiving world.After exhaling a thin line of smoke from his slightly parted lips, Sherlock, to no particular listener, muttered, "Tis a shame, really...I had never underestimated humanity as a base and barbaric species but, to see them brought low in such a short period of time...I can't help but mourn being born as a human myself. These people join groups in order to resist violence but, by throwing their lot in with one of the very groups perpetuating said violence, they isolate themselves from everyone else...such foolish creatures..."Though she knew he hadn't been addressing her, Sherlock's remark elicited a sensuous laugh from Lilith, her voice carrying a peculiar echo that stirred the instincts of most men to action. She then wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head against his back as she mused, "Even if they were twice as hopeless, you would still do your best for them, wouldn't you~? That is the charm of humanity, really. They are brought into this world without purpose, their lives holding no meaning beyond what they, themselves, have decided. Though easy to manipulate, there are always outliers who appear in each generation, distinguishing themselves from the norm and elevating their entire species as a result...they are so full of...potential..."Without minding the soft feeling pressing against his back, Sherlock gave a curt nod in response to Lilith's words before placing his pipe into a small container and saying, "Well, shall we get to work, my curious companion? The stage is already set, let's not keep the other actors waiting..."---Hugo had never been fond of violence. Though he was much larger than other boys his age, more than a head taller than most, he had always been what many refer to as a 'gentle giant'. Before the fall it had been his dream to become a Veterinarian but, now that the world had gone to hell, he had been forced by his cousin, Carlos, to join the local gang in order to protect his family. His only other option had been to flee but, with a sick mother and a younger sister, this had been unthinkable.From the moment he first laid eyes upon his little sister, Hugo felt as if she had been an angel who had blessed their lives with her presence. Though she had lost a bit of this charm as she grew older, he would still do everything in his power to keep her safe. She, nor any child, deserved to suffer in this cold and dark world, a place where former neighbors, people you had been friendly with for years, turned into people that would readily stab you in the back for a couple of canned goods.Were it up to him, Hugo would have used 'God's Light' to take all of the children away from this hellish world. Though their families would have been devastated, it was better than forcing them to live in a world and society that had seemingly abandoned them. There was no hope of pursuing a peaceful life any longer as, rather than get better with time, things had only become more chaotic as people became increasingly more familiar with witchcraft and magic.Hugo had been raised as a fervent Catholic thus, while others learned how to start fires with their hands or shoot balls of darkness from their fingertips, he relied on his brute strength and his belief in God to keep him safe. He, like many others, believed this was the onset of the End of Days, the precursor to the War between Heaven and Hell. They had already seen the advent of the Devil so, in anticipation of Christ's return, he hardened his heart with each passing day, dreaming of one day seeing the Kingdom of God after the end of these seven years of torment...It was a combination of his beliefs, his family, and his nature, that propelled Hugo, upon seeing a little white girl in a strange white dress, to flusteredly whisper, "Hoi! Chica, get out of here! It's not safe to be out on your own like this!"Rather than obey the man nearly twice her size and several times her weight, the little girl cocked her head to the side, a complex expression on her face as she stated, "You should leave this place. If you are here when the others arrive, something terrible will happen..."Hearing the little girl's remark, Hugo looked over his shoulder, his face colored with anxiety and doubt as his cadre's voices revealed just how close they were to his position. He had originally left the group to relieve himself so it wouldn't even take them a few seconds to reach the alleyway he was located. When that happened, something terrible might happen to the little girl before him so, fearing for her safety, he made a shooing gesture, hushedly exclaiming, "Get out of here! Go home, get! Vete! Vete!"With an expression growing increasingly more frustrated with each passing moment, the little girl eventually stamped her feet in response to Hugo's insistence, shouting, "You should be the one leaving, you, you dumb idiot! Do you really think its normal to encounter someone like me in the middle of an alleyway like this...!?"Though he somewhat expected the little girl to scream and run away, Hugo never expected her to suddenly shout directly at him. She showed absolutely no fear and, processing her words, he quickly understood she wasn't a normal girl. Despite this, he couldn't just ignore his brotherly instincts so, even as his survival instincts screamed at him to run away, he ultimately snatched up the shouting girl and took off running. One of his fellow gang members had called out when he heard the girl's shout so, without thinking, Hugo just ran as fast as his trunk-like legs could take him.Contrary to expectations, the little girl didn't outright resist being carried. Rather, she became almost unnaturally docile, her body turning limp as a chill passed from her body and into his arms. If not for the fact she was glaring at him, Hugo would have believed he was holding a corpse, something he had the misfortune of experiencing several times in the last few weeks. This made the little girl seem even more dangerous and, before he knew it, Hugo could feel tears pouring from his eyes as, even if he managed to run away, he didn't really know what to do after this.Seeing the giant-like man suddenly break into tears, the white-haired girl released a frustrated groan before rolling her eyes and commenting, "You really are an idiot..." in a dull tone. Then, before Hugo could respond, a wiry-looking man with a lanky frame, deeply set eyes, and a large nose cut off his path. From behind, his other three companions quickly caught up as, while strong, Hugo had never been fleet of foot.With a malicious grin on his mouse-like face, the lanky man in front began to tap a rusted machete against his leg as he coldly stated, "Where you going, cabrón? Why you tryna run away and keep the good stuff to yourself? C'mon, tú, hand over the girl and we won't have to tell the boss you tried to run away..."Following the wiry man's words, one of the men behind Hugo was the next to speak up, saying in a cautious tone, "Hoi, Hugo, don't do anything stupid. Come on, man, give up the girl. Think of Carlos and Nina..."Though he was surrounded on all sides, Hugo would never forgive himself if he just abandoned someone he had tried to save. His instincts told him the girl didn't actually need his help but, with her appearance, his nature overwhelmed the voices in his head that told him to run away. Besides, it was already too late to back down now as, even if he gave up the girl, the wiry man, Alonzo, would never let him go. Even if he wasn't the one to do the deed, he would undoubtedly tell their boss what he had done, sealing his fate.Knowing there were no paths forward, Hugo clenched his teeth and resolved to make one. He held the girl a little tighter and, without bothering to respond to the men's words, charged forward with the momentum of a mountain. This caused Alonzo to startle like a cockroach when the lights were turned on but, due to his violent nature, he still managed to swing the machete in his hand. As a result, Hugo got a shallow cut along his left shoulder but, in turn, he barreled through Alonzo like a car crashing through a fruit stall.Unfortunately, though the blade of the machete had become dull over the past few weeks, the encrusted blood and other feces it had accumulated made even small nicks turn into nightmarish wounds when they got infected. Hugo had seen many of Alonzo's victims beg for death due to the intense fevers and other detrimental effects so, if he didn't clean his wound soon, he was all but guaranteed to suffer the same fate. Before that, however, he would take his mother and sister to the nearest food distribution center as, even if it was operated by the Devil, they could find shelter there for a short while...Just as Hugo was about to turn the corner and disappear into another alleyway, a thunderous crack range out, followed by an impact, intense pain, and a searing sensation...Hugo knew he had been shot but even this wasn't enough to immediately stop him. Though his knees began to feel weak, his head murky, and his feet like lead, he continued forward; His will to protect his family giving him the strength to continue...As Hugo continued to force himself to take one step after the other, the girl in his arms suddenly released a frustrated sigh. In the very next moment, another thunderous crack echoed through the alleyway they had just departed, this time knocking Hugo off his unsteady feet. At the same time, the girl in his arms broke free, seemingly without any difficulty, avoiding the fate of being crushed under his weight. Then, with a pouting expression on her face, she looked down at him and complained, "I might have told you to run away but I never said to take me with you! Really, you are such a stupid fool...!"Hearing the little girl's complaints, Hugo attempted to laugh but, after being shot in the lung, the best he could do was issue a pained cough before saying, "Run away...I don't know what you want to do but don't do it...just...run away...please..."Instead of obeying Hugo's wishes, the little girl huffed in response to his words before unhesitantly walking toward the group of three men barreling down the alleyway. This caused alarm bells to ring in the men's minds but, before they were able to regret their course of action, the girl extended her hand. With this simple action, the darkness in the alleyway became absolute, all light fading away in an instant as inky shadows enveloped the men.For a brief moment, the only thing that could be seen was the icy blue eyes of the girl, blazing like ghostly flames within the abyssal black void that had enveloped the alleyway. Following this, against all common sense, a toothy grin appeared within the darkness, expanding far beyond the bounds of a person's face. It continued to grow, forming a maw of shark-like teeth that, upon reaching several meters across, opened to reveal a swirly abyss. At the very center of this vortex, a singular eye could be seen staring out, it's iris blazing with a malicious purple light that far exceeded the illumination of the two ghostly blue eyes floating in the void...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Purpose is something to you give yourself...','A gentle giant','If you gaze into the abyss long enough, you will find yourself, not the observer, but the one being observed~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After failing to complete Scáthach's challenge, even after nine hours had passed, Vahn, covered from head to toe in scarlet needles, released a tired sigh. After his training in the Well of Destruction, even direct damage to his Spiritual Body did little to phase him so, while it felt like he was being scorched from head to toe, he didn't so much as flinch while looking up at his Shishou. She was standing just above his head so he was able to see a rather tantalizing sight, made all the more enticing by how much effort he had put into trying to claim it...With the exception of girls like Fenrir, Scáthach could always tell what Vahn was thinking so, knowing he was having idle thoughts immediately after his training, she released a rare sigh before squatting down, her finger tracing a line across his cheek as she muttered, "At this rate, you'll complete all of my challenges well before ten years pass. How is it you're able to constantly surprise me yet, at times like this, I can't help but feel frustrated with your progress...?"Though Scáthach knew the answer to her own question, she was curious about Vahn's response. He had a penchant for saying different variations of the same words over and over again but, despite it annoying her quite a bit, she never truly got tired of hearing them.Vahn couldn't claim to truly understand his Shishou but, after more than three years, he chose to believe he had a decent understanding of her character. Thus, in response to her question, he gave a confident smile, grabbing her wrist with his hand as he answered, "I told you before, many times, in fact...no matter how impossible it might seem, I would make you fall in love with me~."Hearing Vahn's words, Scáthach made a show of rolling her eyes and, after pulling her hand free, she retorted by remarking, "Yet, here I stay, one of the few women who have yet to fall to your insatiable appetite...I wonder...just how long will you keep me waiting...?"Since this wasn't the first time they had a conversation like this, Vahn wasn't too taken aback by his Shishou's words. Instead, he forced the needles out of his body, moving to a seated position so that it was easier to talk before saying, "Even if I could claim you now, your heart would never be mine if I reneged on my vows. I'd rather have a lifetime at your side than squander everything for a few hours of passion."Find Vahn's words to her liking, Scáthach nodded her head in approval before adopting her usual cold and distant tone as she warned, "I'll force you to summon me as a Berserker or Avenger Class if you break your promise...keep that in mind, Master..."With seven Shishou's already pushing him far beyond his limits, Vahn paled slightly when he heard Scáthach's words. He could only hope she wasn't being serious but, knowing her as long as he had, Vahn knew better than to doubt her words. He could imagine her forcibly summoning a version of herself using the Greater Grail so, with a defeated look on his face, Vahn fell backward against the hard white stone and just stared at the endless abyss above for a few minutes...---Around the same time that Vahn was lamenting his Shishou's ever-increasing expectations for his growth, a little girl with ashen-white hair, expressionless blue eyes, and a perpetual smile on her doll-like leisurely strolled through the streets of what many would describe as a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With her frilly white dress and pure white stockings, she was like a singular ray of light in an otherwise dreary world.Unfortunately, with the collapse of 'polite' society, the world wasn't a safe place for a young girl to wander on her own. Though the majority of people gave the unnaturally pristine girl a wide berth, her delicate and frail appearance still caught the interest of various dark-hearted individuals. Some harbored licentious and deviant thoughts while others, having lost themselves to the darkness of the current world, merely wanted to capture her, locking the girl away like a dove in a cage.After Vahn's wish, crimes against children had become all but impossible and, with most 'innocents' being whisked away by 'God's Light', there were very few people that still attempted to target young children. This didn't mean there were none, however, as the distinct lack of a police force resulted in the vast majority of people giving in to their instincts and desires. Thus, despite knowing there was little hope in success, two brutish-looking men with haggard appearances followed closely behind the fair-skinned girl as she turned into an alleyway.What surprised the men was the fact that, rather than continue on her way or try to run, the girl had turned to wait for them, the smile on her face growing to almost unnatural proportions. This caused one of the men to place his hand on the shoulder of the other, muttering, "This doesn't feel right at all..."Though he had been about to suggest they retreat, both men couldn't help but gawk as the young girl they had intended to victimize lifted up the hem of her skirt. This caused the more deviant of the duo to adopt a vile grin as he shrugged off his friend's hand and said, "It's no wonder there is still a brat like this running around. The little bitch probably gets off on this type of shit...!"In response to the man's words, the little girl began to giggle playfully, inciting both men to throw what little inhibitions they had away. There was a 'loophole' to the strange phenomenon that had plagued their kind over the last few months as, if the other party was 'willing', they were able to do whatever they wanted, so long as it didn't turn to violence. Unfortunately for the duo, the moment the girl revealed the contents of her skirt, their fates had been sealed.Rather than childish or delicate undergarments, what came into view was an endless black abyss as, faster than either man could scream, black tendrils erupted from beneath the girl's skirt, enveloping their bodies and covering their mouths. Then, to their horror, the flesh touched by the tendrils began to slough away, turning to a fleshy liquid goop. To make matters even worse, the only thing either of them felt was a seeping chill pass through their bodies. There was no pain, no anguish, just a 'finite' chill that terrified them beyond madness.By the time a minute had passed, all that remained of the men were blackened bones and rotten flesh. Despite this, both men were still alive, their skeletal visages fixed in horror as their eyes, left untouched by the corruption, stared at the little girl with an imploring gaze. Instead of offering them a reprieve, however, she merely giggled, her lifeless blue eyes momentarily showing a sadistic glee as she explained, "You enjoy making others feel helpless to sate your own desires. This is because you are unable to empathize with their suffering. Now, I have given you the opportunity to reflect upon your past decisions. Enjoy an eternity feeling the helplessness you forced onto others~."Seemingly satisfied with her own words, the little girl gave an approving nod before turning away from the duo. Then, as if remembering something she had forgotten, the girl showed a surprised expression before remarking, "Ah! I forgot to ask what your names were! Don't worry, I promise to never forget you. You'll just have to be Mr. 43 and Mr. 44 from now on, ehehehe~."Hearing the girl's words, the two skeletal men fell into even greater despair, their bodies shivering due to their mental anguish and the perpetual cold that had gripped them...---Less than three minutes after the white-haired girl had disappeared, a gentlemanly man with ink-black hair and a mature beauty with long, raven-black hair, appeared in the alleyway. When they saw the now-familiar sight, the man issued a light hum as he walked from one end of the alleyway to the other, his cane making a rhythmic tapping sound the entire way. The two men on the ground didn't know what to make of the strange man who had appeared but, seeing the emblem of the Empire embroidered into his suit, they screamed within their minds, begging for death.Understanding the men's intentions, the ink-haired man, Sherlock, gave an apologetic smile before explaining, "My apologies, gentlemen, but I cannot offer you that which you seek. You needn't worry, however, as my companion here will ease your suffering."Hearing Sherlock's remark, the beautiful woman issued a sensual laugh that caused even the skeletal figures on the ground to feel a heat rising in their bodies. This was similar to stepping inside a warm building during a snowstorm so, for a brief moment, hope was ignited in the duo.Unfortunately, what the woman offered was not absolution or release. Instead, like a glutton who had found a delicious meal, she seductively licked her lips before making a biting motion. In the next moment, the light faded from both men's eyes as every memory from the moment of their birth had been devoured in an instant. This did nothing to liberate them from the chill piercing through their bodies but, without knowledge of anything else, they became empty husks without a single thought astray from the cold permeating their entire being.Seeing the increasingly-common sight, Sherlock took a longer than average drag of his ornate pipe before breathing out a pale mist and asking, "You ate everything, correct?"In response to Sherlock's question, the raven-haired woman answered with a seductive smile as she closed the distance between them, her waist swaying like a snake as she mused, "How could I ever defy my beloved Master~?"Without minding the woman pressing herself against his body, Sherlock continued to stare off into the distance with a ruminating gaze. At the same time, however, his right hand, now bereft of his usual cane, snaked around her thin waist. Even when she licked the nape of his neck and bared her teeth, he acted as if it was perfectly natural as, for the past month, this had become his norm.Following a mild prick, Sherlock was able to witness the final moments of the two men, finding the same white-haired girl that had been present during the previous incidents. This mildly frustrated him as, even with his brilliance, CHALDEAS, and several pseudo-omniscient beings, they had been unable to trace this peculiar white-haired girl. She didn't leave behind a single trace at all, almost as if she didn't exist outside the minds of her victims...Understanding this was a very real possibility, Sherlock absentmindedly smoked his pipe, wondering how he would catch a culprit that didn't actually exist. At the same time, his companion, Lilith, kept herself busy by lapping up his blood, her tongue dutifully cleaning even the smallest droplets of blood. If she got his collard dirty, Sherlock would 'punish' her by closing off his mind, a delicacy she had become particularly fond of ever since contracting with him.By the time Sherlock's neck had been cleaned, his would nowhere to be seen, two small horns had started to protrude from Lilith's scalp. She had trouble maintaining her disguise while excited so, at times like this, her Daemonic nature revealed itself. Fortunately, Sherlock had an aura that naturally deterred anyone from interfering with his investigations so, even if they would normally pass by the alleyway on their way to whatever it was they were doing, pedestrians would give the location a very wide berth.With Lilith finished with her meal, Sherlock released another cloud of smoke before saying, "We will return. At this point, I fear the best course of action is to request the assistance of the Emperor. Take these two and store them away with the rest. Once we discover a way to destroy their bodies, we will give them the death they sought in life."Hearing Sherlock's orders, Lilith waved her hand, lifting both men's bodies using her own form of Telekinesis. Then, like she had the previous victims, Lilith threw their bodies into Imaginary Number Space. There, they could be safely stored for thousands of years without a single second passing so, once a countermeasure against the 'immortal curse' had been found, they could either return to the alley, freeing the men trapped inside, or just leave them there for all eternity.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Vahn','(O_____O)...','Lilith has been tamed!? What an elementary question (o 3 o)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1384: Timing