[Salvos] 779. Never Seen (Patreon)

779. Never Seen

***

Haec believed that Salvos was going to return.

So that was why he proceeded onward without faltering. He didn’t believe that there was any reason to sit around and wait for her to return. Because in his mind, it was a guaranteed.

She had always come back for him. So he had utmost faith in her.

…as for Manos, who had apparently left to gather the Deathsquad Hunters?

Haec didn’t have nearly as much faith. So he also believed that it would be best to get moving. Because if Manos had decided to finally betray them, at least he wouldn’t be able to find them so easily.

So they moved. They marched towards the direction of the ritual, following Haec’s lead. But it was clear, even to the former Heir to the Netherworld, that the will of the rebellion had faltered. 

What do I do?

Haec asked himself as he paused for a moment, glancing back at the army that was following him. He knew that if he didn’t raise the morale soon— if he didn’t figure something out— that the rebellion would fall apart.

After all, it seemed that even Haec’s closest allies weren’t too enthused about continuing on with this rebellion. 

“Haec!”

Taburas called out as she walked up to him. He narrowed his eyes at her, but he still continued walking forward.

“What is it, Taburas?”

“What are we doing?”

She asked, echoing the same question in the former Heir of the Netherworld’s mind. 

“What do you mean what are we doing?”

He tried to play dumb, but she caught onto it immediately.

“I mean what are we doing— are we seriously going to just charge head-first into the ritual without a plan? What’s the point? Isn’t it already too late?”

“It’s not yet over.”

Haec spoke emphatically, shaking his head.

“Not until the ritual is complete.”

And that was true, at the very least. Haec saw the dark clouds eddying around the crimson pillar piercing the sky up ahead. It was the essence of Genesis, and it was gathering there, but not just because it was being drawn by the ritual— it was because it was being slowly absorbed by the ritual.

To be used as fuel that would rip open a permanent hole between the Mortal Realm and the Netherworld.

So until the last of the dark clouds were absorbed— until the crimson sky was no longer blotched by the black ink overhead— it was not over yet.

Fortunately, there were still clouds forming in the distance, outside the Demon King’s Domain. But it was clear they were going to be drawn in soon.

That was why Haec needed to act as swiftly as possible.

Unfortunately, Taburas disagreed with his assessment.

“But Salvos and Manos are gone—”

“They’ll return soon.”

“—and if they return, who’s to say it won’t already be too late?” 

Taburas shook her head as she gestured around them.

“Look around you! You see it yourself, don’t you? The rebellion is falling apart. The ritual which we’ve been trying to stop has already begun. I’m not telling you to just run away and go into hiding forever— I’m saying that there has to be a better alternative than just running straight to our deaths right now.”

Haec paused for a moment. He knew Taburas had a point. Perhaps it would be better for morale to retreat and regroup— then wait for the right moment to strike. Maybe when an army of mortals had already whittled down the Demon King’s forces. But at that point, the ritual would already be complete.

“It would be too late.”

Haec said, slowly coming to a halt. Around him, the army continued to move since that had been the last thing they had been commanded to do, although they slowed, wondering whether he was going to change his mind.

Glancing back and meeting Taburas’ gaze, Haec spoke simply.

“The next generation of Demons would be lost. So it would be too late.”

Taburas’s eyes widened when she heard that. Then she lowered her head as a shadow was cast over her face. She remained silent for a moment, and Haec thought that was it— that the matter had been settled.

He turned around and continued walking.

But Taburas spoke up once again.

“Haec.”

“Hm?”

He craned his neck back fractionally, and she resumed speaking.

“I… care about you a lot, Haec. I truly do.”

Her words made the former Heir of the Netherworld come to a halt once again. He blinked at her as she raised her head, her gaze piercing the darkness that had been shadowing her face.

“From the very moment you saved my life, I have always wanted to dedicate myself to you. Because I was grateful to you for what you’d done. Because I love you.”

Taburas abruptly bit her lower lip, cutting herself off. Haec hesitated. He knew that— he had already had a conversation with her about that before. But he didn’t think right now was the appropriate time to discuss this.

“Taburas—”

She then clenched her teeth as she sighed, speaking over him.

“ I always wanted to support you. I never wanted to argue with you. I never wanted to disagree with you. I never even wanted to criticize you.”

“Listen, I don’t know why you’re suddenly bringing this up—”

He tried to cut her off, but she ignored him. 

“I told you this before, but you’re still doing it, so let me tell you it again: do you know what your problem has always been, Haec?”

She pointed at him accusingly, and he almost recoiled.

“You’re so focused on what’s ahead of you, you never pay attention to what’s right next to you.” 

Haec stared at Taburas as she placed a hand on her chest. 

“Look at me… look at us! We aren’t against stopping the ritual, but we are scared— scared of dying in a battle that’s already been lost. And you’re concerned about the lives of Demons who haven’t been born yet?”

She paused as she swallowed heavily, before closing her eyes.

“You’ve always been like this… you only had Salvos in your mind back when you were still the Heir of the Netherworld, even when I was right there with you…”

Taburas turned around as she started away from Haec.

“But right now, if this suicidal mission to charge straight to our deaths is what you intend to do, I won’t be there with you.”

And with that, she walked off.

Haec stared at her for a long moment as the nearby Demons all finally slowed to a halt as well. They had heard the entire conversation, and now they were uncertain about what to do.

Haec himself was uncertain as well.

But it was clear that if something wasn’t done right now, the rebellion was going to completely fall apart.

However, before he could come up with anything to say, a glowing figure floated down next to him. Hartia, the former Ruler of the Border, floated next to him as he chuckled.

“Ah, a lover’s quarrel.”

“W-what…?”

Haec stuttered as he stared at the Fairy.

“That’s impossible— we’re Demons. Being lovers is a mortal thing. We can feel love, but we do not act as mortals do.”

And in the first place, Haec wasn’t sure if he loved Taburas back. Even if he tried his best to reciprocate the care she had for him.

Hartia just waved his tiny hands.

“Just because you’re a Demon, doesn’t mean you can’t have a lover. Take it from Regnorex himself. He has a lover, after all.”

“I—”

Haec shook his head.

“That doesn’t matter right now.”

“Of course not, what matters right now is that we keep this rebellion together.”

“I’m surprised you even care about that.”

Haec raised a brow at Hartia.

“I thought you were a loyal follower of Regnorex.”

“I was, until I realized that his ritual was going to kill us all.”

Hartia snorted as he raised his head to the sky. He stared at a few rifts that were hovering in the distance. Haec hadn’t even noticed they were there.

Looking at them, it was almost like they were distorted— which just made the former Heir of the Netherworld want to instinctively avert his gaze from them.

“Look, because of the ritual, the corruption is starting to spread even up here. And that’s…”

Hartia just shuddered, while Haec pursed his lips.

“That’s why we need to stop the ritual…”

“But we also have to stop our rebellion from falling apart, that’s why we’re going to work towards doing both of those things.”

“What do you mean by that? Do you have some kind of a plan?”

Haec squinted at Hartia, who just laughed.

“Of course I do— we’re going to attack the Esplanade.”

“...the Esplanade? You can’t be serious, right?”

Haec’s eyes grew wide at that. 

***

Taburas ignored the babbling voices of all the Demons in the rebellion as she stormed away from Haec. She didn’t care what any of them were saying. If they saw the scene that  had unfurled and decided to desert the rebellion… it didn’t matter.

At that moment, Taburas had been conveying her feelings, nothing more. She didn’t want to conceal her feelings any longer. So she spoke what was on her mind— what she felt deep within her essence.

Even if a part of her felt bad if… if she had ruined Haec’s rebellion with her speech.

Taburas slowed to a halt as she realized the potential consequences of what she had done. If the rebellion fell apart because of her, she was sure Haec would feel terrible. And it might even make it so that he would never reciprocate her feelings.

But I was just… tired of being ignored…

Taburas stood there, alone and surrounded only by a few rocks as her thoughts trailed off. Raising her head to the crimson sky overhead, she watched as a few scattered dark clouds slowly floated in the direction of the distant ritual. 

Perhaps she should apologize. Go back and talk it out with the man she loved. But Taburas felt opposed to the idea.

If anything, Haec was the one who needed to talk to her.

So why wasn’t he chasing after her?

Taburas gritted her teeth as she looked back down at herself.

And then she heard a voice speak up from behind her. Glancing back, Taburas watched as two familiar figures walked up to her. The two Primeval Demons who had once been a part of the Deathsquad Hunters who were sent to hunt her and Haec down, and the only other Primeval Demons now a part of the rebellion.

Aliq and Ultis.

“Hey, we overheard your argument earlier.”

Aliq said as approached her, sneering. Ultis just slowly followed behind him, glancing around like she was making sure nobody would overhear the conversation.

“We have a proposition for you.”

“...a proposition?”

Taburas just stared at them quizzically as Aliq smiled and proffered a hand.

“How about you help us put a stop to this madness— to this rebellion— and we’ll ensure that you and Haec get to spend the rest of your lives together.

Hearing that, Taburas just blinked.

Author's Notes:

I lowkey almost forgot to post this chapter today because it's been so long since I've posted chapters...

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