KUOH – ABANDONED HOUSE
The room was filled with controlled silence, the air heavy enough to make it clear that no one there was relaxed, even without any direct confrontation happening. Magnus remained standing, while the others were spread across the space, each keeping an eye on the others, as if any word could escalate the situation.
"So what did the angels say?" Lucien broke the silence, keeping his gaze fixed on Magnus while crossing his arms.
Magnus didn't respond immediately, letting the weight of the question linger for a second before speaking.
"To wait." He kept his tone low, firm. "Without acting before the right moment."
Selene reacted instantly, the discomfort too direct to be hidden.
"Wait?" She stepped forward, not softening her tone. "The devils aren't here… this is the best time to start the plan."
"Shut up." Darius replied without hesitation, turning his face toward her. "You heard… those are the angels' orders."
Selene didn't back down.
"Don't tell me to shut up." Her gaze hardened, making it clear she wouldn't accept being cut off like that.
"Enough." Magnus's voice came low, but heavy enough to cut both of them at once.
The effect was immediate.
Silence returned.
Magnus didn't raise his tone, but his gaze swept across everyone before continuing, making it clear there would be no more interruptions.
"They said it's essential that the devils are here." He lightly crossed his arms. "They want impact… they want everyone to see."
Lucien narrowed his eyes, his read shifting instantly.
"The devils… are the Maou's sisters." He kept his tone controlled. "And they want to draw their attention here?"
Darius didn't let it pass.
"Are you scared?" He tilted his head slightly, provoking.
Lucien turned toward him without hesitation.
"I'm not scared." The answer came firm. "If they were here right now… I'd kill both of them."
Magnus didn't react to the provocation, but his gaze changed instantly, as if that answer only confirmed what he expected before continuing.
"Your luck." He kept his tone low, firm. "That's exactly the plan."
Selene didn't like it, her body shifting slightly as the tension rose effortlessly.
"I didn't sign up for a suicide plan." She crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Magnus, without backing down.
Darius turned toward her immediately, clearly irritated by the interruption, but Magnus raised his hand before he could speak, cutting off any advance without needing to raise his voice.
Darius stopped at once, accepting the signal without arguing, while silence returned heavy between them.
"The plan involves devils… and fallen angels." Magnus continued, without looking away. "And everything that involves them, for humans like us… always ends in death."
Selene opened her mouth to respond, her body leaning slightly forward, but she couldn't finish.
"So—"
"You already knew that before coming here." Magnus cut in immediately, stepping forward and stopping directly in front of her, leaving no room for continuation.
The impact was immediate.
Selene froze for a second, her gaze becoming more alert as she realized there was no room to argue at that point.
"You know what all of us did to increase our power." Magnus kept his tone low, but heavy enough not to be ignored.
Kael slightly averted his gaze, the reaction silent, but clear in his mind.
'Stupid woman.'
"There's no going back for anyone here." Magnus continued, holding her gaze. "So follow the plan… and do your part."
Selene held his gaze for another second before giving in, her posture relaxing slightly without completely losing tension.
"I understand." She finally answered, more controlled. "It was just a thought."
Lucien didn't miss the chance to refocus, crossing his arms while looking at Magnus.
"I hope the holy swords give us some advantage."
Magnus turned to him and smiled, something rare enough to immediately change the atmosphere of the room, and Darius reacted instantly, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the expression.
He had known Magnus for years and had never seen that before, making it clear there was more confidence in the plan than they had shown so far.
"Excalibur will be the certainty of victory." Magnus kept his tone low, but firm, holding everyone's gaze at once. "Much more than any magic that altered our bodies."
The silence that followed wasn't of doubt, but of recognition, because everyone there knew exactly what they had accepted to reach that point, and the weight of that choice no longer needed to be discussed. The exchange of looks was brief, but enough to make it clear no one there could back out.
Selene slightly averted her gaze, the tension returning in a different way, more internal than before, as her own thoughts organized without control.
'What was I thinking when I accepted… damn it… now all that's left is to hope someone kills that damn fallen angel.'
Magnus didn't allow that silence to grow, and his gaze shifted toward Selene and Kael, cutting off any trace of hesitation before speaking.
"You two." He kept his tone low, but direct. "Leave now and capture some humans."
The reaction was immediate.
Selene looked up instantly, the discomfort clear even before she spoke.
"Humans?" She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Hostages?"
"Yes." Magnus didn't change his tone. "We'll need pressure… something that forces a reaction when the devils arrive."
Kael didn't question.
He just nodded.
Selene didn't react the same way, her gaze growing heavier as her read adjusted too quickly inside her mind.
'Even the devils… don't do this to ordinary humans…'
She didn't say it out loud.
But the discomfort remained.
"This is part of the plan." Magnus held her gaze. "Or are you going to start choosing what you accept now?"
The provocation was enough.
Selene shut her expression, cutting off any response before it came out.
"I understand." She answered in the same tone. "We'll do it."
Kael turned toward the exit without waiting, and Selene followed at the same pace, without looking back, but her steps no longer carried the same lightness as before. The door opened and closed right after, letting silence return to the room.
Darius watched the two leave without saying anything, but his gaze didn't shift.
Magnus noticed.
"Darius." He called in the same controlled tone.
Darius turned instantly.
"Keep an eye on them." Magnus lightly crossed his arms. "Especially her."
Darius didn't question.
"Understood." He answered immediately, his gaze returning to the door for a second before settling again.
"You can't trust someone who's already made a pact with devils." Lucien kept his tone firm, crossing his arms while looking toward the door they had exited through, making it clear he didn't consider Selene trustworthy.
Darius didn't look away, but answered in the same rhythm, without softening.
"As far as I know… Selene was born with magic." He kept his gaze forward. "Unlike Kael."
Lucien reacted immediately, interest showing even without changing posture.
"That's rare among humans." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "And even so… she's here."
Magnus didn't let the line go further, and his gaze swept across both of them before cutting the discussion without raising his tone.
"That doesn't matter." He kept his voice low, but firm enough to stop any continuation. "Born with magic or not… it changes nothing."
Silence returned for a moment, but this time more controlled.
"What matters is one thing." Magnus lightly crossed his arms, holding their gaze. "The will of God."
"And our role is to fulfill that will." He continued without changing his tone. "To kill the devils… regardless of what we have to sacrifice."
Darius didn't respond.
But he nodded.
Lucien kept his gaze steady, accepting it without questioning this time, because at that point there was no more room for doubt or choice, and the conversation stopped being about trust.
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