Those heterochromatic eyes were endearing. Mine traced Addai’s face, just how he had done in his home months ago after the instability zone incident. There were some bruises now, but they’d soon recover for sure due to Addai’s body composition. Mine was happy to see his friend in front of him despite the odd situation they were in.
Addai reached for Mine’s cheeks as well, and he grinned widely, letting the faint dimples show on his smiling face. When his eyes surveyed Mine’s conditions, Addai found something odd on Mine’s arm.
"What's this?" Addai asked, touching Mine's arm.
"This what?" Mine looked at his arm, confused.
A nondescript mark appeared under the previously smooth and clean skin. The drawing had rough and refined lines at the same time, as if someone took a thick-tipped brush, dipped it in ink, and made the first euphoric strokes on the paper. At some points, it was as if the painter had taken a brush with a finer and more precise tip, giving details in reddish colors between the ink lines.
The mark was none other than the same thing Mephistopheles had left on Mine's arm! It didn't appear before, perhaps because Mine was still in successive unfortunate events, but now it was there. This meant that at least they were at some point of safety.
Despite the good news – which only Mine knew – Addai didn't seem very happy when she saw the symbol on his friend's arm and, without much ceremony, he took Mine's arm to examine it. When his fingers touched the design, a similar mark appeared on Addai's neck and seemed to go down to his chest, but it was a little more refined.
Mine's eyes went over that mark and didn't seem to let go, wanting to know what the drawing would be like and how different it was. Then, Mine brought the free hand to the collar of Addai's blouse – still splattered with something that looked like blood – and moved the fabric away from the drawing's path.
His mark was, certainly, bigger, so much so that the design on his neck was just the tip of the composition. The moles that once decorated the warm skin had disappeared amidst the patterns of the same color as them and the irregularity of the fine lines of the drawing.
"Don't stare at it too much," Addai grumbled, ignoring how blushed his cheeks were.
"The same goes for you," Mine teased and received an annoyed grunt.
Addai's eyes flickered red as he slid his finger on the drawing. "Why is Mephistopheles's summoning pattern doing here?" he scowled.
"I felt you'd know him somehow," Mine chuckled. "He's helping Younri, who is helping me," he replied with a carefree grin.
Addai's expression darkened as he released Mine's arm and fixated his gaze on his friend. "Mephistopheles isn't reliable."
Mine's grin faded, and he scratched his head. "I thought about that too, but… I'm out of options because he's the only one who knows Younri's location."
Addai seemed pensive, and Mine saw how his jaw tensed. "I don't trust him."
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course!"
"Then," Mine took Addai's hands, "you don't need to trust him but trust me instead and my judgments, okay?"
Addai chewed on his words and bitterly nodded. Mine, on the other hand, grinned and playfully pinched his friend's cheeks, forcing a "smile" onto Addai's face.
But they didn't have time to idle! They needed to act!!
The invocation pattern would not be activated on its own. Collecting the knowledge he taught in his exorcism classes, Mine soon took a random tacky lipstick he found in the drawers and drew the activation symbol on his own arm. Meanwhile, Addai guarded the door's sigil and condensed a palm-sized bubble of miasma, ready to be used once the entire pattern glowed.
But it was still missing a vital ingredient: blood, to link the pattern with the person who activated it. This way, the demon could precisely locate him - especially in the "mutant labyrinth" they were in, where they couldn't even trust the walls and doors.
"Give me something sharp," Mine surveyed the drawers, but nothing sharp enough was found.
"…" Addai was silent.
"Hey, I told you to give me something-"
"Here," Addai brushed his own blood on the drawing. "What?" he looked at the frowning Mine.
"… >;( "
Mine rubbed his thumb over Addai's lips, which were bruised and still had some blood coming out. He cleaned the remaining crimson liquid away and noticed that Addai's canines were more visible than the rest of his teeth and were more pointed than average – so much so that Mine ran his tongue over his own teeth, to make sure there was a difference in their shape.
The canines were slightly stained with the same liquid as Addai's lips, which still oozed blood from two small holes – probably made by those same sharp teeth. Mine's thumb slid right over those little holes and closed them with a basic healing spell before they could swell.
"Wow... You have sexy fangs..." Mine voiced loud. His mind forgot to lock that thought and spilled the tea. "NO! I MEAN- AHEM," he coughed, immediately turning red.
"…" Addai also turned red and slowly took Mine's fingers from his mouth.
Before they could dive into the waves of embarrassment – and feel the "funny mirror effect" again – the drawing glowed in a red glow, and Mine startled at that. Addai placed the condensed miasma ball on the drawing, and its glowing intensified. Well, a mark on somebody's arm was very unusual. Summoning patterns were commonly written on the wall or even surfaces, but desperate times demand desperate measures! Also, the kind of pattern on Mine's arm was a very specific one, so even if you drew it on the flooring or wall, it wouldn't activate properly.
Their hands were tied, and the glowing was fierce!
The same pattern formed where Addai aimed the miasma condensed sphere: on the ceiling.
Addai took Mine far from the pattern and placed his hand on his back, securing his integrity once Mine wasn't miasma-proof despite being a Chronos. Also, the miasma Addai condensed was his own, which Mine hadn't had contact with before. So, the chances of Mine being infected, like the day he was at the mortuary incident, was very high… and they couldn't afford it.
"Cover your mouth and nose," Addai said, his hand still on Mine's back while the other held Mine's arm to the new pattern's direction.
Mine nodded and did what he was told.
The pattern on the ceiling spat someone, who crashed on the floor. The person, rather a demon, groaned as he slowly stood up. His face was contorted in visible confusion, and he massaged his forehead, which hit the floor in that unbelievable spit.
Addai laughed softly and removed his hand from Mine's back, who was watching the demon with confused expressions. He had never seen a portal spit out an entity like that!! Not even Tieran broke his mold like that, and he was a baby!
"M-Mr. Mephistopheles!" Mine called, and the demon looked at him, still massaging his red forehead.
"Kiddo! You're safe!" Mephistopheles widened his eyes, but he frowned. "Wait. How did you-"
"Hi, Mephistopheles," Addai crossed his arms, glaring at the demon.
Mephistopheles gasped and fixed his posture, immediately bowing at Addai. The earrings made tinkling noises as he bowed with a hand on his chest. When Mine blinked, there was a pair of long and sturdy horns on his head as well as a long, scaled tail behind him.
Mephistopheles slowly raised his eyes, looking at Addai. "It's been a while, Your Grace."
Mine couldn't help but feel in a dramatic scene, straight from a movie!!! He even clutched his pearls and pursed his lips, discreetly looking at Addai, whose eyes were stern. If he had a fan like Younri, he'd be hiding behind it or fanned it slowly while his eyes were peeking at the juicy chapter in front of him happening live!
But Mine needed to act normally! So, he quickly fixed his posture.
"Hmpf," Addai grunted.
Mine looked at Addai, picturing how good he'd fit in a "Cold-Hearted Duke from North" role.
"This humble servant is aiding Mine to find Younri, his friend and boss. Don't worry about his integrity," Mephistopheles informed.
Mine looked at Mephistopheles, picturing how well he'd fit in a "Morally Gray Butler Character" role.
"I trust him, not you," Addai growled.
"Then, you made the right choice. I also trust him," Mephistopheles's gaze laid on Addai, "and I don't trust you."
Where's my popcorn? Mine couldn't help but think foolishness as he secretly clutched his pearls at that new info!
At that point, he remembered they still had things to do!
Mine, once again, fixed his posture and coughed.
"Thank you for trusting me, Mr. Mephistopheles," Mine grinned and pinched Addai's hand when he saw his friend trying to extend the passive-aggressive argument. "Now, how do we find Younri?"
Mephistopheles fixed his pose as well and touched the wall. "I scanned this infamous maze while we were apart, and I think I found a pattern," he explained as the wall turned into a color that finally matched the room, "this way, I can find the real way for us, but I'll need backup."
"Ah, C'mon-"
"We'll help you," Mine pinched Addai's lips, shutting him.
"Then, I'll start with this corridor," Mephistopheles touched the door that, like the wall, now matched the room. "Lemme just adjust our next stop," he crouched, touching the floor.
"It's an interesting spell," Mine looked at the demon in awe.
"And very slow-" Mine pinched Addai's lips again.
"Your Grace is impatient, I see…" Mephistopheles nodded calmly. "I'm afraid Your Grace is wrong. Soon, the door will lead us to our next safe stop."
Addai was about to say gibberish, and Mine grabbed his lips.
"I'll just talk a little to my friend, Mr. Mephistopheles. But don't worry, we're securing you!" Mine smiled.
Mine dragged a grumbling Addai to the closet while Mephistopheles managed to get to the next safe point. Addai avoided looking into his eyes and, as always, was frowning and pouting. He was in that same classic, somewhat childish posture of showing without saying that he wasn't happy with something.
He didn't even look like the same "Duke of the Northern Lands" as before, or rather, he was a very childish Duke. However, Mine was already more than used to that usual sullen manner and just squeezed his cheeks.
"Don't frown this way, or you'll be old earlier than expected," Mine teased.
"… >:(" Addai frowned and pinched Mine's cheeks in return.
"Hehe~" Mine grinned.
"…" Addai's frown softened, and his once-thin pupils turned as round as marbles again.
Mephistopheles, at some distance, looked at the duo. His nose frowned, and he scowled, not knowing how to frown his nose further. He made a disgusted face as he side-eyed the duo in the background.
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