"I don't want to." Naughty declines her request. "If I go back, he might kill me."
And telling such a creature to come to her? The bride of the Dark God? If anything happens to her… He doesn't even want to imagine what would happen to him.
"He's a kid, isn't he?" Ari crosses her arms and tilts her head. "Tell him that I owe him. It's not a lie."
"Don't put yourself on the risk, Ari." Aren frowns at her. "We don't know why he's acting like that. He might hurt you. It's better if he tells him that I am waiting for him here. I am his half-brother."
A brother is also a good bait. Ari approves of Aren's idea. "Fair enough. We will tell him that his half-brother is waiting for him here. If he doesn't like it, tell him that I am also here."
"Both of you just want to send me back to get my head blasted open again." Naughty looks at them with narrowed eyes. "Does my head has no value?"
"You are a god." Ari gives him a charming smile. Even Naughty is affected by the charm that he gave to her. "Naughty, you won't die if you get your skull broken again."
"I would have gone if I could." Aren steps closer to Ari, indicating that he's on her side. "But I am a mortal. If I get my head broken by my brother, I will die for sure. That's not good for my brother."
Not good for his brother? It's his skull that would be broken here. Naughty gives in the end. In fact, it's a way to clear his debt to Ari. He and his friend had helped her soul for a price. When she was in their world, they were supposed to give her a good life. Though her initial years were good, they turned her life into hell due to their selfish desires. They couldn't control the Dark God. Ari also lost her family. She married Tristan and saw him being killed in front of her. Because of them, she had to go through something that she didn't deserve. His friend is also paying for his sins. Though he was also punished by the Dark God, he has a chance to clear the remnants of his sins.
He will explain everything once this thing is over. He also needs that rope. Hopefully, she will help him.
"Alright." Naughty walks to Aren and presses the wound on Aren's hand. Blood spout out of the cut and smears on Naughty's palm. He takes a step back and clenches his fist, letting his mind reenter the psychic plane. It should be easier to find Ai again. He rushes through the minds, looking and looking… until he feels the same energy. Before he could turn around, he is grabbed by a force.
"I didn't expect you to come back." Ai's nails dig into Naughty's flesh. "Should I kill you?"
"Wait!" Naughty yells, "I have something to tell you."
"What might that be?" Ai tightens his hold on Naughty's head.
"Your half-brother is looking for you." Naughty shouts, "Please come to the kingdom of three moons. We are waiting for you."
The force lightens a bit. "I have a brother?"
"Yes, a brother." Naughty feels his heart beating fast. He could feel that there's something wrong with this kid. A nameless creature is already dangerous. But it shouldn't be this bad. "He will give you a name."
"Only the Renasir or the gods of this world can give me a name." Ai snarls at the god. "You are trying to trick me."
"I didn't mean it like that." Naughty yells, "The renasir is also there."
Instead of calming down, it makes Ai furious. He grabs Naughty's arms and tears it away from his body. Naughty screams fill his ears. Ai smiles at him. His flaming red eyes gleam in delight. "She died."
This creature should be killed as soon as possible. It's dangerous for everyone in this world. Naughty closes his eyes and tries to leave. When he reopens his eyes, he finds himself in the psychic plane. "Why…"
"Because I am the ruler of this world." A small child appears in front of him. The boy has curly green hair and a round pale face. His eyes are vivid green, filled with mischievousness. He lets out a low laugh. "I don't like liars. What should I do with you? I can't kill you for sure. But I can hurt you a lot."
Naughty tries to leave again. Something keeps blocking him from leaving. He sees a wall forming around him. "Ai, your father and brother are alive. They are looking for you."
"Without a name, I don't belong to anyone." The child smiles at him sadly. "I don't have a brother or a father. I am not Ai anymore."
"Ai, you can be saved. Go back to the real world." Naughty hollers at him as the red wall closes down around him. The rest of his words are muffled out.
Ai looks at the grave of the god. He can't kill gods, but he can force them to stay inside the graves that he created for them. "Who should I bring next?"
Wondering that, he walks alone in the darkness. His brother and father are alive. Should he bring them and put them in the graves here? Ai chortles. He should do that. What did that god say?
He must go to the kingdom of three moons.
***
In the room, Naughty's body disappears out of their sight. Ari and Aren are surprised. They look around for Naughty. There's no trace of him.
"Did he leave?" Ari looks at Aren, puzzled by the disappearance of the god.
Aren has a bad feeling. Is the disappearance related to his brother? He grabs his bag. "We should leave this place."
"What, why?" Ari asks him, confused. "He might come back."
"I think that something happened." Aren grasps her hand and takes her along with him. "Naughty didn't seem like someone who would disappear like that. I think that my brother did something. We don't know what kind of creature he is. I have to find out something first."
She understands what he's trying to say. If the disappearance is related to Ai, then Ai can even hurt the gods. That's a fearsome strength. "Can you hurt the gods?"
"With the holy fire, I could do it." He slams the money on the table in front of the innkeeper and takes long strides of the inn. "I can't hurt the gods anymore. I wouldn't dream of it anyway. Our world is governed by the gods."
It would be best if he sends her back to the castle of the Dark God. If his brother, who is not a human anymore, finds out about her, he might do something to her. No, his brother could do something bad to anyone. The Dark God can protect her. He stops walking when he sees a man standing in front of the carriage. The man is watching them solemnly.
Why is God Cina here?
Ari follows his gaze and looks at Cina. Who is this punk? She has never seen him before. Something about him is just… different. Not mortal. His green hair stands out a lot. Definitely, not mortal. A god or someone like Andareanesi?
When Aren gives a deep respectful bow to the man, she does the same. The sound of his light footsteps is getting closer. Fear crawls in her skin. She raises her head a little and sees blood dripping from the carriage. Who did he hurt?
This man is dangerous.
Aren could feel the same. But the opponent is a god. For the first time, he regrets giving up the holy fire. Who is this God after? He's been in this world for a long time. Cina had never come to look for him before. Then, is he here for Ari?
Belan was Cina's daughter.
"Run, Ari." Aren summons the Ehr. "Get away from here."
Fire emerges from the centre of his palm, aiming at the god in front of him. Ari is astonished by the sudden turn of events. But she can't leave Aren here to die. She squeezes her eyes shut and tries to feel the magic in her veins. The faint heat runs through her veins, but it's barely anything to create. Only a breeze passes by. Ari curses out loudly, "Crap!"
Cina doesn't even bat his eyes when the fire hits him. He waves his hand dismissively and the flames are gone. He glances at Aren. "Mortal, I have nothing against you. Step away from her. She owes me."
"She doesn't owe anyone." Aren stands in front of her, shielding her from Cina's eyes. "Belan was in the wrong. She killed all those children. My mother was also in the wrong. Don't hurt an innocent one. Your daughter committed the crimes, not Ari. She has nothing to do with what happened back then."