"I'll give you two a...surprise...when you two leave. I have something interesting in mind..."

"Bring it on. I don't care who or what you are, but Ace and I are going to get out of here no matter what," I said through gritted teeth.

I was faking half of my confidence though.

There's no way that this mysterious man is weak...he is strong enough to stop time.

If he wanted me and Ace dead, he could've ended us easily.

Luckily, I figured out that he couldn't kill us, which is good...I guess.

"I think you're misunderstanding something...I won't try to fight you myself..."

"Are you scared or something?" I asked.

"I admire your bravery...but...no. There's no way I would be afraid of you two killing me. Even if the gods tried attacking me all at once...they wouldn't be able to kill me..."

"That's a lie. Even though all the gods are immature brats...they're stronger than you think," I said while trying to be careful to not reveal that I knew two gods personally.

"Believe what you want. The gods can't kill me...But I can't kill them either..."

"Well...no duh. You can't kill a god. They're immortal."

"You're wrong, stupid girl. Just because they are immortal doesn't mean they're impossible to kill."

"...But-"

"They can't die of old age...And they're beings with unimaginable amounts of magic in comparison to you puny humans...But who said you couldn't kill one...?"

"I don't understand."

"Gods can die...It's just that humans are so weak, that to them, killing a god is impossible..."

...It had never crossed my mind that the two gods that stuck around in my head could die.

Shai and Gadia were certainly very annoying and childish...but I knew they were gods with the ability to manipulate the fate of a human and to reincarnate a dead girl into a new world, like me.

The gods did everything they wanted because they had the ability to.

But they could die...?

"Was it that shocking to learn? I guess it's something not a lot of people think about these days..."

"...That's not the point right now. Tell us how we can get out of here," I said after a slight pause.

I turned to Ace and nodded.

This guy was bad news.

We need to get out of here.

"Let's talk about you two leaving a little later. For now, I want to catch up on a few things..."

"Like what!?"

"You've made a very interesting group of friends..."

"Huh? That was random."

"I don't know...I just wanted to talk about those four boys you're always around..."

"That's suspicious."

"Maybe...Who knows?"

"Heh. I bet you have no friends. That's why you're asking."

"...No...I don't have friends anymore...but...I have many who aim for my friendship..."

"As if. Your personality sucks."

"You might be right...but there are far more detestable beings out there than me...who disguise themselves as justice..."

"Like who? As far as I can tell, you're one of the worst people I ever met..."

"Hmm...I see. Should I give you some advice?"

"Huh?"

"Be wary of all nobility. After all, a few of them suck up to me."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Perhaps I really am pretty bad...Everyone corrupted in this world is my lapdog."

"Excuse me?"

"It's nothing..."

"Well, if you aren't going to tell me, just let us out of here!"

"I'll let you two go eventually...But for now...I want to see something from you two..."

"What do you want...?" I asked with confusion.

"Show me your ankle..."

"What...? Are you a pervert? Why should I?"

"Just show me..."

This was sketchy.

Almost too sketchy.

But I wanted to get out of here...

...And the only way to do that was to do as he asked.

I was about to lift up the rim of my long dress before Ace suddenly whacked my hand away.

"Cordelia. Don't," Ace said with wide eyes.

"Oh? Are you scared I'm going to do something?"

"...Of course," Ace replied coldly.

"I will compliment you on your wariness..."

"What are you planning..." Ace growled.

"Nothing...I just merely want to confirm something..."

"Cordelia...I don't trust him...Don't show him..." Ace said slowly as he turned to me.

"The sooner you show me...the sooner you can leave..."

I looked over to Ace, who was shaking his head.

"No...I can't. I trust Ace's words much more than yours. What are you planning?" I asked to the mysterious voice speaking.

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to force you...Cordelia..."

The moment the mysterious voice said my name...something strange happened to me.

I lost all control in my body.

"Cordelia...show me your ankle..."

His voice was so alluring and impossible to ignore that I couldn't stop myself.

My hand started moving to the rim of my dress.

Everything was muddled and foggy in my head.

It was a comfortable feeling...My mind was dull and I wasn't thinking about anything...

...But my body was just doing its own thing even though I wasn't doing anything myself.

"Cordelia...? Cordelia, is something wrong?" Ace asked slowly.

He tried to gently stop me...

But...

Almost immediately, I activated my ice magic and attempted to slice Ace's throat with a lethal knife made of ice.

...Huh...?

What was...I...doing...?!

No...this isn't right.

Why did I try to hurt Ace...?!

Ace jumped back five feet or so, creating a gust of wind with his movements, to dodge my slash.

"Cordelia...?!" he murmured in shock.

At this point, my dress was already lifted from the ground and I revealed my left ankle.

"No...show me your right ankle..."

"Cordelia...!" Ace yelled with wide eyes.

Ace tried to approach me slowly and figure out how to knock me back into my senses.

No...No...No...

...Don't come towards me...!

I couldn't control my body anymore.

It was like strings were attached to my limbs and moved me against my will.

I felt like a puppet.

Magic leaked uncontrollably out of my body.

My hand slowly moved to the air and I activated my destruction magic.

Ace...Please...Get out of the way...

But the words I wanted to say were unable to leave my clenched jaw.

A pitch-black ball similar to a black hole appeared in front of me as I increased my magic output.

No...

"Throw it at him...I want to see what will happen..."

My hand moved on their own accord.

I took the giant ball of destruction in front of me and hurled it at Ace.

The ball exploded and released something...sinister...into the surrounding area.

The black mush...or whatever it was...covered every inch of everything...and everything it touched corroded away into nothing...

There was now a gaping hole of nothing in front of me.

I couldn't see Ace anymore.

I wanted to scream or cry or curse or something or anything.

But I didn't even have control over my own tears.

I mean...I knew Ace was still alive...of course...because I was still alive.

If Ace had died...I would have died along with him.

But...I'm alive.

So Ace must be alive.

I knew that...and yet...I still felt like crying.

I can't believe I just did that...I can't believe I threw my destruction magic at him...

And...where was Ace?

Where did he go?

Even though my mind was a mess, my body had already moved on to carry out this man's task of showing him my right ankle.

Once my right ankle was completely exposed, the man started laughing.

"I see...So it really is true...! Is this good...or is this bad...? Hahaha..."

What...was he talking about...?

There was nothing on my right ankle...except...

...except...

...Ace's dragon familiar mark and my proof of contract with him...

No...

What is he planning...?!

"Everything that has happened so far is so remarkable...! I'm so excited...Perhaps I should reward you, Cordelia...?"

I wanted to kill this guy.

I wanted to rip him to shreds.

Scream and curse at him.

Throw my destruction magic at him.

But I couldn't do any of that.

I couldn't command my body to do what I wanted.

"...I thought you would be screaming at me by now, Cordelia...Oh. Wait. My bad. I forgot that I took over your body...Here, I'll let you go..."

My knees suddenly buckled and I landed on the ground.

I looked at my hands and moved them.

I could move them myself...!

"...You...What are you doing?! Who are you?! Are you going to tell me or not!? Tell me or just let me leave. You don't even have a good reason for being here," I said through gritted teeth as I stood up again.

Anger.

I felt so angry that if I could see this unknown man in person, I would immediately lunge in for the kill.

I muttered a thousand curses under my breath.

The fact that I could do nothing to this guy made me seethe in rage.

"Hmm...I don't want to tell you who I am yet...That would ruin the surprise...right?"

"...Let me out," I muttered.

"Hmm...?"

"...Get me out of this stupid time-stopped bubble of yours."

"I was going to give you a gift though..."

"I don't want it."

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes."

"But...what if I were to say that...my reward is to give Ace back to you...?"

"...Huh...?"

"When you threw your destruction magic at him earlier...I put him away before he could do anything to protect himself..."

"What do you mean by 'putting him away'...?!"

"I'll leave that up to your imagination. But...either way...Ace wouldn't have died from that weak magic of yours. I just wanted to take him away and make you scared..."

"...Give him back."

"Oh? I thought you were mad at me though...Why should I do anything for you...?"

I hated this.

I absolutely hated this situation.

I wanted to kill this guy...but I was too weak to.

I wanted to get Ace back...but this guy was in full control.

"But I'll be nice. I'll give him back...but you'll owe me a favor...okay...?"

"Never...I would never do anything for you. Just give Ace back," I said sharply.

"How rude...Oh well...Just remember, I have a surprise for you two when I let you go...Goodbye...And good luck..."

When he finished speaking, I could feel the breeze blow gently again. The birds were chirping and leaves were falling.

Time was moving normally again.

Out of nowhere, though...Ace popped out high in the sky and began to free-fall straight to the ground.

I didn't have time to react before Ace slammed straight into the ground.

His body laid limply on the ground with short breaths.

But...the strangest thing was...

Ace wasn't in his dragon form.

He was in his human form.

What happened?!

"Ace...? Ace...?! Ace?!" I yelled as my voice slowly increased in volume involuntarily.

I ran over to where he was and positioned him in a way where I could examine his condition.

"Ace?! Are you okay?! What's wrong?! What did that guy do to you?!" I yelled as Ace slowly opened his eyes.

He turned his face to look at me and blinked once.

"Ace?! Are you okay?! Please say something!" I yelled as I shook him a little.

"I'm fine...Thank you for asking..." Ace murmured as he looked at me.

"Thank the gods...I thought you were hurt...but I mean...you fell out of the sky so I assume you're a little hurt either way...I'll go get some help. Stay here and I'll be right back soon. That bad guy is gone now...so we're safe for now," I said as I rushed through my words.

I stood up and I was about to run back into the house before Ace grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Wait...Don't leave..." he said quietly.

"This isn't the time for this, Ace! You need help! I'll be back in a minute!" I said I tried to break free from him.

"No...I need to ask you something..." Ace said as he pulled my hand close to him.

He wrapped me in his arms gently to keep me from leaving.

"What is it that's so important right now?" I asked as I suddenly grew slightly embarrassed by the situation and pushed him away.

"Well...it's..."

"Hmm?"

"Who am I...?"

————————————————————————— A/N: Ah...the drama continues...

Today's chapter is slightly shorter than normal, but I didn't have anything else I could include in this chapter...so that's why it's a little short.

Anyway, in the next chapter, you can expect Cordelia to be in Greenwood Academy...which means...

*Gasp*

More drama!

Thanks again to all my readers/voters/commenters!

Everything you guys all do makes me feel warm inside~

Okie byeee!

Word Count: 2056