Why was it this candle never stayed lit? To find out, the placed curse was a little different than the times before. The vanishing flame alerted him with a prick beneath his ribs. Whirling on his heel, he ran back down the corridors all the way to where his master rested, metallic clanks announcing his return long before he arrived. It took him some minutes, among Lancers he was not the fastest.
Fast enough however to find the reason when he rammed the door wide open. The surprise stole his breath and malicious red cast itself on the frail child-like figure. Memories assaulted him.Â
It was that monster which donning the appearance of a girl had lured his master into a death trap. Remembering it, his mouth pressed bitterly into a line. His master really wasnât a smart man but lamenting that was moot. The brutalized traces of where his last incarnation slashed her looked as if it only happened yesterday. And threatening the same fate, the blade of his spear pointed at her again.Â
     âWhat is it you want? Your master is gone, this life suspended. You have nothing to gain here beast, endanger him and you shall know the taste of hexed steel once more.â
Wasnât he a comedian! It seemed like the shadowâs cackles would come back as certainly as the moonâs rise with this fool at his side, âYour gun? So you shoot me again? That is grand. No, absolutely not. You donât need it. You can fight with only what is given to you. You can rely on me, like before. Like⊠ah, see that hellspawn over there?â
Grotesque creatures with mouths on the sides of their faces and humanoid features mashed in where logic dedicated they didnât belong nor served a biological purpose appeared from behind the columns of rock in their way. The shadowâs grimace oozed sadism. He vanished like sand carried away by wind and reappeared on a platform jutting over their current location, leaving the necromancer completely exposed to the beasts that appeared as if they only existed to look wrong and horrifying.Â
With a flick of his wrist the shadow had some of them combust into flames, his laughter carrying down to where Shishigou was. Some of them. On purpose he had left some alive for Kairi to fend off himself.
A spirit to feast on the emotions of others, the animosity was sour and sickening. Pointedly, the girl felt the glare in the truest meaning. Her wounds ached as if the Servantâs blade delivered fresh blows. Even as she turned to look at him, she did not cower. The monster was no match for him in a fight but his words... his words had no effect.
Its face struggled with expressions he would understand. A displaced mouth that ran across the girlâs visage would not be able to convey speech, nor would there be any soul or childlike innocence in the doe eyes that stared back at him.  Still, those torn lips mimicked Vlad cruelly. Y our Ma  ster.  Her hand of tendrils remained in the lifeless one of the necromancer. A tug to indicate him said it all.  Your master is also gone. He did not move.
 Finally, she let go. What remained of the beastâs body slunk over its clothed possession.  Hesitancy.  Between servitude and self preservation.. She eyed that weapon pointed at her. Curses. Curses. So long as they remained, she would never Improve. Reluctantly, she raised herself to place the bundle next to the magus. She tugged at the fabric and there revealed an enlarged, disgusting, blackened heart. Fine bight lines of curses traced arteries, growths of magic  festered around jagged ends and injuries, even looking it over invoked a sense of nausea and tightening of the chest. . Was that the lord of the castle  was after? Revolting.
The spirit pointed  at the Servantâs spearhead, then traced its way to the heart. She shook her head. He needed something different.  Didnât Kairiâs bag have spoilers? Where were they now?
 Shishigou grunted in disapproval at the shadowâs game, curing his hands into fists as the flames ousted several of the foes. They treated this more like a playground. Whatever. Â
 He pushed up his sleeves,giving his wrist a quick roll. Chaldea life made him gone soft!  4 left. Not bad.  The creatures  were momentarily stunned. Shishigou went to quick work. He fired multiple gandrs at the one nearest him as it lunged, but true to its motions, nearly feel on him anyway. Not disadvantageous, he  grabbed at its ruined features and one of its limbs. Using his weight to help him swing, the mercenary  threw  the gangling thing at two farther away He fired more curses at their limbs.  Beyond him, he heard pace and rather than use any magecraft, turned to  throw a punch.  It fell to ground dazed but not defeated. Kairi however, sensed more dread.
While  his companion laughed, a giant silent creature loomed with the jaws and teeth of an angler fish hung wide.  from a crown of horns. Thousands of eyes of all shapes opened across its dark skin and focused on the being with the highest energy. a shame they were so tiny. What a mere snack.
Shishigou , however, found a moment to snort as a giant glob of drool fell over the shadowâs head.
