Meimei’s fist caught the side of the stone hallway sending bright sparks flying as it slammed into the space that Rel had occupied. Rel had managed to backflip out of the way of the incoming attack. Meimei’s punch created a shockwave which blew Rel’s hair back and created a loud explosion which echoed down the hallway. Rel held out her hands, making a cross out of her palms.

  “As the holder of Origin, I command the magic around me to cleanse the impure being before me [DIVINE RAY]!”

  A yellow glowing spear of light blasted forth towards Meimei’s position. She slipped away from the ray, jumping to the side of the hallway in a blur. She looked towards Rel before jumping at her. Her speed was magnitudes faster than any human could follow, and in less than a moment she connected a punch into Rel’s stomach. Rel flew into the wall, slamming into it with bone shattering force.

  “Even if you have been granted divine power by a god, your body will not be able to adapt to it in such a short timeframe. Challenging me in your current condition is pointless.” Meimei’s voice echoed throughout the hall with the sound of multiple people.

  Rel had fallen into a slump but stood herself up. She was bleeding out of her mouth. Meimei looked at her before taking a deep breath.

  “I have no interest in harming you, so let’s stop this, Rel,” Meimei pleaded.

  Rel began to mutter under her breath. Meimei looked at her with a questioning face.

  “wha-?” Meimei wasn’t able to finish her sentence.

  “[DIVINE HENDERANCE]!”

  Golden chains shot out from all around Meimei, wrapping around her and squeezing tight. Meimei let out a yelp as the chains began burning into her skin.

  “As the holder of Origin, I command the magic around me to destroy the evil that stands before me [DIVINE PURIFICATION]!”

  Rel held out her hand and a concentrated ball of golden magic appeared to grow inside of it.

  “[E???V???I???L??? ???G???O???D???'???S??? ???B???L???E???S???S???I???N???G???]”

  Meimei spoke a powerful magic using Hybrid Casting, a technique only available to demons. For a moment her eyes began to glow. She ripped at the divine chains which were holding her, and as the divine magic that Rel had cast reached her, she grabbed it with her hand and crushed it. Her hands had grown black claws and glowed for a moment under the light of the divine attack which she had just intercepted. She dashed towards Rel and moved her right hand backwards, readying herself to pierce through Rel’s heart with her demonic hand. Rel looked at Meimei with frenzied eyes before clenching her right fist. A sword of divine light erupted from it and Rel moved to pierce Meimei through her heart.

  Meimei’s vertical pupils stared into Rel’s glowing round eyes as the two locked into a death match, preparing to strike a lethal blow at each other. Suddenly a red-orange glow erupted from down the hallway and a searing heat impacted into both Rel and Meimei. Grabbing hold of both of their hands and appearing between them was Lily. Meimei was stunned for a moment as she looked at Lily. Lily looked at Meimei with a pained expression.

  Meimei felt a sudden surge of divine power and looked towards Rel who had fully charged a ball of divine magic in her other hand and looked fully ready to detonate it. Meimei spun around, revealing a spined tail which she used to slash deep into Rel, pushing her backwards. The divine orb collapsed back into magic fragments and Meimei took the moment to attempt an escape. With Lily still holding onto her hand she began a Hybrid Cast.

  “[T???E???L???E???P???O???R???T???A???T???I???O???N???]”

  Both Meimei and Lily flashed away from Rel and appeared outside. Rain began to pour down on the both of them. The rumbling of distant explosions and war cries could be heard echoing throughout the environment. Meimei and Lily looked at each other in silence for a moment before Lily released her hold on Meimei’s hand and backed up a few steps.

  “Meimei?” Lily’s voice nearly cracked.

  “I-u-Lil-… “

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Meimei couldn’t properly string a sentence together as she began to sob uncontrollably. She moved her clawed hands to her head and began trying to fix her disheveled hair. She felt around for a moment on the right side of her bangs before bursting out crying again.

  “Did you lose your hairclip?” Lily asked, her voice shaking.

  Meimei nodded her head. Lily took a step towards Meimei and cautiously moved her arm out towards her. She paused for a moment before closing the final distance, touching Meimei’s hair.

  “It’s okay, your hair isn’t too messed up,” Lily tried to use a reassuring voice, but her nerves seemed to break through into her tone.

  Meimei wiped away the tears from her eyes before looking back at Lily, who stood in front of her.

  “I wasn’t lying to you,” Meimei said.

  She was just barely able to get the words out of her mouth before her tears once again joined the rain, splashing onto the ground.

  “Have you always been a demon?” Lily asked.

  Meimei let out a pained giggle between her tears.

  “You can’t turn into a demon you know…”

  Miemei had a painful expression as she answered Lily’s question.

  “Then this whole time?” Lily responded.

  Meimei nodded. Lily moved her hand away from Meimei and looked at her with a serious expression.

  “Were you trying to trick me?”

  “No, never.”

  Meimei sniffed a few times before wiping her eyes again.

  “Then why?” Lily asked.

  “Because I love you,” Meimei responded, looking into Lily’s eyes with extreme pain on her face.

  Lily took a deep breath and exhaled.

  “Why are you at this academy? A demon wouldn’t be here unless they had a purpose.”

  “Do you know what the Engram of Elisha is?” Meimei asked.

  “It is an artifact that grants wishes, right?” Lily replied.

  “Right. It’s in the Labyrinth at this academy, I had planned to try to retrieve it.”

  “What is your wish?” Lily asked.

  “I… want to die.”

  Miemei’s shoulders slumped as she pulled herself back from leaning towards Lily.

  “Die? Why would you want to die?” Lily’s voice was still quiet, but her surprise modified its inflection.

  “I hate being this way.” Meimei responded. “I don’t want to do this anymore; I don’t want to hurt people. I just want it to be over.”

  Lily moved forwards towards Meimei and grabbed her, pulling her into an embrace.

  “You don’t have to pretend. I know you hate who I am.” Meimei meekly said.

  A new wave of violent tears overtook Meimei. She meekly tried to push away from Lily, but Lily held a tight grip around her.

  “Why would I hate you?” Lily asked. Her voice began to quiver as she fought back her own tears.

  “I am the thing you hate most in this world.”

  Meimei’s strength faded from her, and her legs gave out. Lily held her up before slowly crouching to the ground with her. The two of them sat in an embrace with one another.

  “Meimei, I don’t care what you are, I love you.”

  Lily placed her forehead against Meimei’s.

  “Why?” Meimei asked. She sniffled a few times and looked towards the ground, avoiding Lily’s intimate gaze.

  “Because you are you. What kind of demon would start crying because they lost their hairclip?”

  “Your reasoning makes no sense.” Meimei responded ruefully.

  “Love doesn’t make sense, does it?” Lily returned. “We have a lot to talk about, don’t we Meimei.”

  “Yes. I will answer all of your questions, I promise.”

  The two sat in the rain in their embrace. The academy shook in the background, as the violence of the Labyrinth break became too much for the school to contain. After a moment of time – without exchanging words – the two mutually decided to move to an old school building that was nearby.

  “Should we be helping with the Labyrinth Break?” Meimei asked as she slid down the wall and sat on the old wood floor.

  Lily slid down a different wall, finding her way to the floor as well. Between them, a new distance formed.

  “I’m sure you can sense it too, the platinum magicians have started fighting, they will be able to clear things up.” Lily responded.

  “What now?” Meimei asked. She looked towards Lily with a sad expression.

  “Now that Rel knows your true identity – in her current state – she will likely inform others.” Lily paused for a moment before continuing, “We won’t be able to stay here, we should run for now.” Lily looked towards Meimei.

  “You shouldn’t give up the life you want to live in order go with me. Didn’t your parents teach you not to let demons lead you astray with their temptations?” Meimei pained out a laugh.

  “It’s too late for that.” Lily gave Meimei a slight smile.

  “I really wasn’t trying to hide it from you, I just… I mean with your past and convictions, I could never find a time that seemed right.”

  “And were you going to die without telling me too?” Lily asked bluntly.

  “I…I don’t know. I never have enjoyed the task that the devils gave to me.”

  “What task is that?” Lily asked.

  “I collect on debts owed to demons and devils. If someone makes a wager or contract, I enforce it.” Meimei sighed, “I have … taken so much happiness from people.”

  Meimei sat in silence for a moment, thinking back on the many deeds she had done, the many human lives she had extinguished. She stood abruptly.

  “Humans have such limited life spans. It was wrong of me to fall in love with you. It’s not fair to you.”

  “What do you mean?” Lily asked as she also stood.

  “I love you, Lily. From the bottom of my heart. More than anything in the many thousands of years that I have lived, you have warmed my heart.”

  “You sound like you are planning to leave. Don’t leave.” Lily pleaded.

  Meimei moved her mouth, chanting something that Lily couldn’t understand. Lily sprinted forward to grab Meimei, but before she could Meimei vanished into the air. Lily stood, alone and in despair.

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