It had been two days since the beating...
Or rather.
Acheron's "gentle lesson."
Samael slowly opened his eyes inside the decrepit house.
He had spent the last few days practically motionless, trying to recover his mind after looking at something he should never have seen.
"I'm never looking at a Cursed Rank creature again."
He thought.
As if creatures of that level appeared around every corner every morning.
He slowly stood up.
His body still ached.
During his recovery, the natives — more specifically Cyrene and Enkidu — had begun teaching Liu and Bel about essence control in exchange for the information they had received about the outside world.
— You're back? — Acheron asked when she noticed that his gaze was finally focused again.
— Yes.
The answer came automatically.
Part of his mind was still trying to process everything he had seen.
— Why didn't you teach the others alongside Cyrene and Enkidu?
Acheron shrugged.
— It's a custom of our colony.
She began walking as she spoke.
— Our community was formed by several legacy clans that didn't get along very well. So a tradition emerged.
— One person teaches only one disciple.
— Essence control, experiences, techniques... everything.
She pointed at the others.
— Now Cyrene can only teach Liu.
— And Enkidu can only teach Bel.
— It's a pretty annoying system, but we keep following it out of respect for the dead.
Then a mischievous smile appeared on her face.
— Speaking of which...
— You took quite a while, my adorable disciple.
— Why me? — Samael asked.
Acheron pretended to think.
— I was torn between you and the boy with empty eyes.
— But he looked too serious.
— So you were what remained.
She turned around.
— Come on.
— You're already behind the others.
Samael followed her.
"She chose me."
For some reason, that made him happy.
As they left the house, he saw Liu sitting in meditation while Cyrene patiently explained several exercises.
The atmosphere seemed strangely peaceful.
— We'll stay here for a while longer — Acheron commented.
— Taking advantage of the absence of Nightmare Creatures.
The city was empty.
The mere presence of a Cursed Rank creature had scared almost everything away.
Even though the creature itself had never personally come here.
Samael became thoughtful.
— How long?
— Two weeks, maybe.
She answered casually.
Samael looked around.
Safe.
Calm.
Protected.
Perhaps...
— I'm leaving for a few days.
Acheron stopped.
She slowly turned around.
Her violet eyes fixed on him.
— I'm not going to hide from the others that you left.
— If that was your intention.
The answer was so unexpected that Samael took several seconds to react.
— No need to hide it.
— It'll be quick.
— I can feel one of my companions nearby.
— I'm worried about her.
Acheron raised an eyebrow.
— And why are you explaining that to me?
— I'm not your mother.
— You don't need to report where you're going or not going.
Samael had no response.
Then Acheron sighed.
— Need help?
— I don't want to have a disciple for a single day and then lose him.
She crossed her arms.
— How am I supposed to look at the others teaching their disciples if mine is already dead?
Samael laughed.
— I won't die.
— It'll be quick.
For some reason...
That awkward concern made him feel welcomed.
— I'll be back soon.
He walked away without calling Liu.
After hearing her whole story, he felt that taking her away from people would be selfish.
Finally.
After so long.
She had company.
Samael didn't want to take that away from her.
The city consumed by nature was silent.
For the first time in a long while, Samael walked alone.
Without Liu.
Without Bel.
Without anyone.
As he advanced through the ruined streets, he remembered his last encounter with Tenebrae.
The crow had simply observed him.
Analyzed his mental state.
And then kicked him out.
Telling him to come back only after he stopped being an idiot.
"Damned crow."
Samael walked in the direction where he could feel Elizabeth.
"What am I going to do about that crow when I get there?"
He had no intention of letting it stay close to her.
From what he had observed in the Rime Realm, Great Rank creatures would weaken and fall to Awakened Rank after spending twelve hours there.
"That bastard must be Cursed Rank in his original form."
Samael thought, since his weakened version had been Fallen Rank.
Samael made a simple comparison and added one rank to the original forms of Great creatures, reaching the conclusion that Tenebrae was either Cursed or Sacred Rank.
After all, he didn't even know whether the bird was Corrupted or not.
There was no other explanation.
And the worst part...
Tenebrae seemed sane.
Which was even more suspicious.
After all...
He had spent thousands of years in the Realm of Rime.
No being remained completely sane after thousands of years in the Realm of Rime.
No one.
Two hours later.
Samael finally reached the road leading out of the city.
Then...
His attribute exploded.
Animalistic Reflexes.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
Danger.
His entire body became rigid.
There were countless presences.
Some dangerous.
Others lethal.
And some...
Some were so far above him that facing them meant absolute death.
Without any chance of survival.
Samael immediately retreated.
He climbed a nearby building that looked ready to collapse.
Upon reaching the top, he observed the surroundings through broken windows.
Without looking directly.
Using only his peripheral vision.
Any unwanted attention could kill him.
And what he saw...
Was terrifying.
Creatures.
Many.
An absurd amount of them.
"How am I supposed to get through that?"
For the first time since leaving, he felt regret.
"I should've accepted Acheron's help."
What Samael didn't know...
Was that a pair of lavender eyes was watching him.
Even separated by kilometers.
Elizabeth stood at the entrance of the cave.
Through the bond, she could feel his approach.
And thanks to one of her attributes...
She could see him from afar.
Far beyond the normal limits of human sight.
— What's wrong?
Vanitas appeared beside her.
Over the last few days, Elizabeth would often stare at the horizon when she was bored.
But now...
She was looking at a specific point.
Without looking away.
— Nothing.
— Need more blood?
Vanitas opened his mouth.
— N...
He stopped.
Thought better of it.
— Yes.
Elizabeth slowly turned her head.
Her lavender eyes fixed on him.
— You're lying.
Vanitas froze.
She had noticed.
As always.
Thanks to the impeccable education he had received since childhood,
Vanitas was terrible at lying.
He always avoided eye contact.
Always looked to the side.
Always did exactly the same thing.
— I...
— The next time you lie...
Elizabeth interrupted him calmly.
— I'll never give you blood again.
Vanitas instantly turned pale.
The threat was so devastating that he'd rather face another Nightmare Creature.