"Do I not deserve to feel good? To be happy. What is the point of living if you are not content? Why must I suffer while the world goes on to enjoy itself without me?"
"Perhaps," Melas hesitated. What she spoke next was not some sage wisdom. But it was the natural instinct ingrained into every living being in the world. "Living is its own reward. It is not wrong to want more in life— to seek some sort of self-fulfillment. But there’s nothing wrong with simply being alive either."
"Ah, of course. What a beautiful philosophy," Victor remarked. "And you want me to assimilate into your world view."
"No— I just want you to stop doing this. For you to change. I can’t agree with it. There’s nothing more to this than that. And I’m willing to do anything at all for it. Help you get further up in the Infernalis, or just disappear if you don’t want me around. Anything at all— just a compromise so you’ll stop. That’s all."
A burning wooden beam crashed into the ground from above, but neither man nor child reacted. Melas stood her ground, meeting his eyes.
The Dark Acolyte waved his hand in the air. "And I suppose you’re going to try and stop everyone else you disagree with too? By talking to them and making countless compromises."
"Only those I can." Melas took a step forward. "And I’ll... kill if I must. But I believe in you, Victor. You’re not a bad person."
"I am not, indeed," he agreed. "But do you really think you can stop the Holy Xan Empire? The Dark Crusaders? All the powers in the world. If they’re committing what you believe are, ah, wrong? Are you going to fight them all? How are you planning to defeat the world? How are you going to change it all?"
"I’m not saying I’m right. And I’m not going to challenge everyone in the world. I just want to live. I want to live free from suffering and free from a guilty conscience. So if I see anything truly wrong, I’ll try and stop it."
Melas paused for a moment. She considered her next words carefully.
"And there’s this thing, from my— where I come from. They’re called [Witches]. They’re considered evil and ugly, just because they do magic. If someone thinks you’re a [Witch], they’d burn you at the stake. But that’s in the past. Now they aren’t seen that way anymore. They just… do magic. Whether it’s good or evil, depends on who it is. Just like everyone else in the world. So it’s possible for things… to change. But I can’t just let evil happen in front of me."
"How naive," he said. "That’s nothing more than a fantasy."
"But it’s true," Melas said firmly. "Things can change. And they always do. That’s just how life works."
"I’d be inclined to believe you, Melas. If not for your lapse in judgement."
She blinked. "What’s that?"
Victor grinned savagely.
"You can’t stop me."
He lunged forward, as Melas backed up. She sent a dozen flaming arrows flying at him, but they bounced harmlessly off a barrier.
He pointed his staff at her as her eyes widened. A blade of wind shot out at her. It moved fast. Almost impossibly so. The girl barely reacted in time, ducking out of the way.
The Wind Blade briefly cut a path through the fire, before striking the back wall. For a second, the wall stood strong. Then it collapsed entirely.
Parts of the roof rained down around the two of them. But Victor ignored all of it. He sent a gust of air at Melas, sending her back.
She tried stepping to the side, but it still clipped her. She stumbled, caught herself, and was knocked back by Victor’s staff.
Melas fell into the fire. It gave way for her as she found her back against a wall. The Dark Acolyte followed after her. The flames rose, enveloping them as he stopped right in front of her.
The girl tried circling around him. "I don’t want to kill—"
The fire behind Victor stopped rising. And suddenly, it rushed forwards at her. But she was ready for it. She aimed the direction of the magic circle, and it vanished.
The Flame Wall dispersed, and Victor clicked his tongue.
"How troublesome."
He found that annoying— not because she was negating his attacks, but because she should not have been able to do that. He was the superior at spellcaster— her Dispel Magic should have failed against him.
Yet it worked.
So Victor ran forwards, a ball of flames building on the palm of his hand. But Melas pointed yet again, and it, too, dissipated. However, this time, he was expecting that.
He brought his hands down, balling it into a fist, and punched the little girl. She barely saw it coming. She ducked under the fist, trying to pivot around him—
And was kneed in the face.
She flew back, landing prone on the ground, The Dark Acolyte was on her in an instant. She tried getting up, but his staff smashed her across the stomach.
"Take that you, little—"
Victor pulled back for another swing., and saw a flash of light. A snare wrapped around him. His arms stuck to his sides.
"Victor, if you don’t—"
The bindings vanished. Melas blinked. The magic circle glowing on Victor’s hands faded away.
"You’re not the only one who can do that trick," he sneered.
Then he kicked her.
Melas tried to crawl away, but he was all over her. Victor grabbed her arm, stopping her from escaping. She tried raising her other hand. But he was prepared for it this time. He would dodge the snare—
And he did dodge. But
