Scarlet's Awakening

Ignoring her remarks, Eigeel sighed, "How did you went past the guards?"

"Oh, it was no challenge, really."

"...and the barriers?"

"Seems I'm just so great with magic..." she said with a smug grin on her face.

Eigeel raised an eyebrow at her words. "I see..."

"Oh c'mon. People wouldn't call me the notorious white witch for nothing." She confidently said; "Also..." she leaned away from the pillar and approached him. "I wonder why you called me here for..."

Eigeel nodded. Now, they're going down to business. "I need you to do something for me."

"Nothing new about that…" she grinned and started walking around him in circles. "Is it an errand?" she asked, a bit of interest in the tone of her voice.

"Yes..."

"Hoho… I think I know where this is going." She said, taking a step closer towards Eigeel that their noses almost touched. "You want me to read your queen's soul, isn't it? See if she's an imposter or not?"

Eigeel unconsciously stepped back, gaining some distance between them, "… Yes, you're correct..."

"Hmm…" Cariyah gave him a once over look from head to toe, searching for something; "...Why are you doubting her now? I know you've been serving Scarlet Rose for a very long time, Golden Sky Dragon, Eigeel..."

He didn't answer her probing question, "...My answer doesn't concern the job you'll do for me. And I'm sure you're not that interested to know my reasons anyway..."

A little impressed, Cariyah stepped back; "Well, being curious is not a bad thing…" she said with a shrug.

"I'll give you a fragment of my soul if you agree to do what I ask." Eigeel directly offered, making her neck snap towards his direction to look at him in surprise.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes..."

I grin instantly spread across her face; "Now, I think we're going somewhere..." she said, rubbing her chin with a interested smirk.

"I'll give you a quarter of my soul." Eigeel added, making her to frown suddenly.

"Why so little?" she asked.

"A quarter of my soul is already a huge price to pay for such a menial task I'm going to ask you to do for me..." He said seriously; "I just want you to find the truth. That's all..." .

The white witch smiled, "Even if it'll cost you your precious soul?"

"Yes."

"...You know a dragon's soul is more important than their heart..." she added.

Eigeel sighed, "I know that..."

"But you still want to go through with it..." she said.

"Yes…" he nodded. The resolution in his eyes was unyielding until the end.

Cariyah grinned, like she just found a toy worth playing for some time to relieve her boredom.

"Interesting..."

"Should I ȧssume that you accept my request then?" Eigeel asked.

"I must say, this is a bold move... Even for you, who takes pride in your superior knowledge as part of the dragon race…"

"I just want my questions answered."

Cariyah looked at him, the smiled gone from her face entirely. "And what if your queen is indeed an imposter?" she paused, watching him react to her words. "What are you going to do?"

Silence...

"Are you going to lock her up?"

Eigeel shook his head. "No. When I discover the truth, I will take everything of it as my burden to bear alone..."

"Such a valiant act..." the witch commented, staring at Eigeel under her cloak. "You're not going to tell your sister, aren't you?"

"No. She adores her too much. If the queen is indeed an imposter, it'll devastate her."

"Hm. Very well," the white witch removed her cloak, revealing her long raven black hair and intense yellow eyes.

Eigeel blinked, not expecting her to look so young and beautiful.

"Since all I have to do is find answers for you then, I think it's not my place to ask about your matters anymore." Cariyah said, raising her eyes to meet sky blue ones.

Eigeel cleared his throat. "Thank you..."

She nodded, "Thank me later when the job is done." she nonchalantly said.

Eigeel apologized "Okay. I'm sorry..."

The corner of her lips rose up in amusement, "I'll contact you if I found something."

"I'll wait for it then."

She grinned and said; "We'll be in touch…"

Eigeel gave her a weird look. "Okay..."

And then she disappeared, like she was not standing in front of him in the first place.

In just a single second, The witch's presence had completely vanished...

Back in the present, Eigeel is now facing the witch that he hired last night inside his office. And since she's already here, she must have the answers he seeks.

Eigeel cleared his throat and waited for the witch to start talking. But the witch just ignored him and started whistling like she has no care of the world even if it gets burned into flames while cleaning her nails.

"So, do you have it?" he had no choice but to start asking.

Cariyah turned towards him in shock like she just realized that he was actually there with her.

"Oh!" she exaggeratedly cupped her cheeks in surprise; "Pardon me... it seems like I didn't hear what you just said." she said, provoking him with a huge annoying grin on her face.

Eigeel sighed. "Stop playing games with me, Cariyah."

"I do?"

"Yes. Now start telling me what you've found or else I won't do my end of the deal."

The smile gradually vanished from her face as she clicked her tongue at him in annoyance. "You're now fun."

"I've been called worse..."

"What? That you're a prude?"

"Cariyah...?" Now, Eigeel was really at the limit of his patience.

And Cariyah knows it as well so she'll stop pressing his buŧŧons, for now...

She sighed, "Fine. I did found something."

"What is it?"

"Her soul is divided..."

Eigeel frowned. He already knows that... "Is this the only thing you've found?"

"Well, there is more..."

He sighed in relief, "Tell me."

"Her souls haven't merged yet..."

That brought a frown on Eigeel's face. "What do you mean?"