Chapter 35

Heart and Soul, Gold and Silver

The ninja and the knight could see the smirk that graced the fallen gladiator's face as he motioned for Glacia to follow him.

"Wait!" Glacia chased after Sasori, the scorpions closing off her chance to go back with each step she made towards the exit.

"What is she doing?" Millianna cried as she watched Glacia chase after the Scorpion King. "Glacia, stop!"

"Glacia!" Vóreia spread her wings and flew towards the spectators' entrance to the stands, her twin tails waving wildly in her flight.

"Vóreia, wait!" Lector cried as he flew after her.

Not wanting to be left behind, Frosch followed them. "Wait for Fro!"

A new wave of scorpions blocked the exit right after Glacia disappeared into the dark corridor, as well as every other exit in Domus Flau. Right when the twin-tailed Exceed reached the exit, she ran into an invisible barrier. "W-what is this?" Vóreia exclaimed. "Why can't I get through?"

It just so happened that down below, Niebel had attempted to do the same thing. The second Ice Dragon Slayer bounced off the barrier, spreading pain to his broken ankle.

"Mein little dummkopf!" Trying his best to ignore the pain in his ankle, Niebel looked up as Platina approached the exit slowly. "Have you really forgotten Sasori's army of barrier scorpions?"

"Barrier scorpions?" Niebel's head bowed down to look at the scorpions, noting their crimson color in contrast to the other black scorpions.

Platina snorted at the boy. "Yes, mein little idiot, the barrier scorpions. Serket's own children." Part of Niebel was hurt that half of Glacia—or half of his older sister's soul—would openly mock him. Platina tapped the barrier with a finger, watching the surface of it ripple where she touched it. "Normally, they vould protect their mother. Apparently, their loyalty extends to Sasori as vell."

"But—but you're wearing Maginium," Niebel pointed out. "Can't you get past this barrier, Miss Platina?"

"Have you forgotten, mein idiot?" The silver witch glanced at her feet, where the crimson scorpions formed a line in front of the exit. Raising her foot, Platina brought it down on a scorpion. A heeled boot prepared to crush the arachnid when it stopped abruptly, as if some invisible force kept the threat at bay. Platina withdrew her foot. "Maginium repels magic...vat it cannot do is dispel magic."

"But like this...then who knows what Sasori's doing to Sissy." Niebel shook his head furiously. "What was Sissy thinking?"

Platina stared beyond the barrier, blue eyes narrowed at the darkness. "Yes...Even I cannot understand my other half...mein herz."

Understanding the language that she spoke, Niebel's eyes widened as he translated Platina's last words to herself. "Your heart?"

"Sasori! Sasori!" Glacia called through the hallways.

At first, if she fell behind, Sasori would stop so she could catch up. Once she was ten steps away, the fallen gladiator would continue ahead. Now the Scorpion King was nowhere in sight.

Strange clicking sounds sounded behind her, making the former dragon slayer look back. Much to her alarm, there was the Scorpion King. Glacia jolted on the spot; clearly, she didn't expect Sasori from behind.

Author's note:

To those of you who were expecting a longer chapter to make up for my long absence, I'm sorry. Lately, I felt like I've been losing my inspiration...and now that I re-read my stories, I feel that I've been lacking as a writer.

I'm sorry: it seems like I was just wasting your time. I'm not saying that I'm going to give up writing...I just want time off. I won't give up...When I regain the passion to write again...I'll return as a better writer.

So, until then,

Divine Valor