"The problem, you see," Saphyra explained. "Is that I'm not gentle enough."
"Yeah," Asmodeus coughed and looked away. "You got that right."
"Like I was saying," She continued, hands squeezing Jack's head.
"Come on, take it easy." Asmodeus sighed. "You're going to crush his head."
Lucien was lying unconscious a couple of steps away. The seizing had stopped, but there was no way to know for now how successful Saphyra's clean-up job had been on him.
Jack was trickier. He had been knocked out and was currently resting with the back of his head on Saphyra's thighs.
"You're not jealous, are you?"
"Like you were saying?"
"Like I was saying," Saphyra repeated with a chuckle. "I'm not gentle enough with the weaklings. Those on equal footing can handle me being rough with them."
"Is that how you talked with the Professor? Innuendos and all?"
"Will you stop interrupting?" Saphyra sighed while Asmodeus nodded apologetically. "Mind control is a delicate matter that requires precise control as well as knowledge about oneself and the target. Usually, I would just unleash my Ether into them without much thought put into how much of it I am unleashing or where I am directing it." She explained while holding Jack's head. "Stronger beings can handle that, but for the weaker ones, it's the same as waves crashing into their brains and minds. That's why so many of those Demons broke."
"Didn't I tell you to go easy on them at the time?"
"You did not!"
"Pretty sure I did. So basically, you need to slowly release your Ether to penetrate their brains and minds, only increasing the output when there's a block."
"You could say that."
"I'm pretty sure I've told you this before-"
"You didn't explain it the way he did!"
"Fine, fine." Asmodeus sighed. "Let's see your dear Professor's work in action."
Saphyra nodded and took a deep breath.
'Alright.' Her hands, previously coated in a great amount of golden purplish Ether, were now mostly visible. 'Even… Less than that…' She thought while furrowing her brows and bringing all of her focus to her hands and Ether.
Even Asmodeus was impressed by her focus, which led to her Ether taking the form of tiny drops flowing up her hands and fingers.
'Picture the Ether slowly going in…' Saphyra told herself as the drops gently flowed from her hands and fingers to Jack's head. 'Through the ears, nose, mouth… Pores and eyes.'
Jack's right index finger and left eyelids twitched twice.
'She's making appropriate paths for the Ether to flow in.' Asmodeus thought to himself, watching with great interest. 'Once the paths to the brain are created and stabilized, the input can be increased… To a certain point, of course-'
Asmodeus' thought was interrupted as his phone rang.
"Mommy dearest?" Saphyra asked with a chuckle, eyes still shut.
"I guess we are a bit late." Asmodeus shrugged and put his phone back into his pocket. 'I'll need to grab a shirt or something before going home…'
***
"Couldn't you have chosen something cheaper?" Saphyra sighed.
"Why should I have?" Asmodeus scratched his cheek, quite happy with the shirt he was wearing. "Especially when Lucien was offering."
After walking through the city and stealthily bypassing the veil protecting and surveilling their temporary home,
"Ha!" The door was suddenly flung open in front of the two. "I knew it! Could smell ya coming!" Zarath shouted as she leapt forward to wrap her arms around Asmodeus.
"Acting like an abandoned dog," Saphyra sighed. "Like always."
With her chin resting on Asmodeus' shoulder, Zarath could perfectly see behind him.
"Oh," She smiled maliciously. "Didn't see you there, short stuff."
"You bitch…!"
"Is everyone here?" Asmodeus asked, hand on Zarath's waist as he stepped in.
"Yep." She nodded, walking by his side. "Did you check out that uh… What was it? The girl, you know? O…"
"Olivia Del Rey." Tariana said as she walked down the staircase. "The only person in the vicinity that is related to one of the Archmage's party members."
"Auntie." Asmodeus said with a nod.
"Asmodeus," Tariana kissed him on the cheek. "Did you find her?"
"I did."
"Good." His aunt nodded. "Now, go see Nyl. She's been worried sick."
"Right."
Asmodeus walked to the staircase and started going up the stairs.
"Hiya." Syndra said without much emotion as he joined her side at the top of the staircase.
She was standing with her arms crossed, back resting against the wall.
Asmodeus was always fond of the pink, almost neon, strands of hair that stuck out in the otherwise dark forest.
Without saying a word, Asmodeus leaned in and kissed her.
"W…!" It took a moment for Syndra to gather the will to push him away. "Are you insane?!" Her voice was half whisper half shout. "With everyone here?!"
"So?" He smiled. "We're not real cousins anyway."
"Don't play with fire when my life is on the line," Syndra massaged her forehead to hide her blushing face. "Pleaaase?"
"Alright, alright."
Asmodeus walked past Syndra, leaving her flustered and slightly annoyed, and arrived at the door at the end of the corridor.
He considered knocking before deciding to open the door and let himself in.
'...'
The room was dim, lit only by the pale glow of moonlight pouring through a large window. The curtains were drawn halfway, allowing silver threads of light to stretch across the floor.
She was seated on a chair right in front of the window, with perfect posture. Her eyes were closed, expression calm, and the aura around her was focused, watchful.
Asmodeus loved seeing her like this.
It was her job to keep an eye on the Human Realm, on their house here, to make sure no one was coming for them.
Asmodeus remained just beyond the door for a moment, admiring how her long black hair fell messily down her back, tangled in waves.
Her ears were sharp, pointed, and thin, unlike other parts of her.
Seeing how her dress cuddled her hips, wide even while sitting, the curve of them visible through the fabric of her clothes, how her thighs pressed against the seat, how…
She opened her eyes and stood up at once.
***
Meanwhile, downstairs,
"You didn't do anything…" Tariana whispered after pulling Saphyra aside. "Weird with your brother, did you?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because that would get you in trouble." The auntie crossed her arms. "You know how she gets."
"Right…" The corner of Saphyra's lips rose. "Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?"
"Hm?"
"I know what the two of you have been up to." Saphyra whispered in Tariana's ear. "Three days ago, below that bridge."
"...!" Tariana did her best not to react to the 'Slander', but Saphyra noticed right away.
"I'd say you're the one who should be careful, Auntie~"
Saphyra started walking away, but Tariana took hold of her wrist before she could.
"Don't…" She gulped. "Don't tell-"
"I won't, I won't." Saphyra sighed while shaking her head.
"Phew… I really-"
"You owe me, right?"
"Huh?"
"I said, you owe me, right? For not telling."
Tariana looked away, gulped, and nodded slowly.
"Yey." Saphyra raised her arms triumphantly before plunging onto the sofa at the center of the living room. "Zarath, wanna get your ass beat?" She proposed, taking hold of the controller.
"Nope." Zarath shook her head and took hold of the book she had been reading before their arrival.
"What about you, Syndra?"
"S-Sure." She quickly ran down the steps and joined Saphyra's side. 'I need to get my mind off of… Gulp… Anyway…'
***
She opened her eyes and stood up at once. There was only so long that a peeping tom could remain unnoticed.
Still, it was too late. Asmodeus had already closed the distance.
The moment she rose to her feet and turned around,
"Hello…"
A Kiss was deposited on her cheek.
"Nyl."
She stared at him in pure stupefaction for a moment before looking away, cheeks blazing.
"I already told you…" Nyl muttered while placing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I already told you not to call me that."
"Right," He nodded with an amused smile. "Hello, Mom."