11. 102 answers

The Devil coughed to get her attention and to clear his throat and theatrically started telling a story.

-Long time ago, we did not get along with humans well. But one demon, had made a deal with woman, they created pocket dimension, magic was liberated from human tyranny, and humans were gifted with last gifts, some had ability to lock our kind to contracts, some offered their bodies, like Luke did, and only rarest of all had what you have. A censer,- he gestured and one cat summoned a mirror. In it Karis looked normal, but her chest was glowing and there was a metal censer inside of her radiating bright glow. It reminded her of those incense boxes from ASMR videos she enjoyed. -This little thing can cure or destroy anything, and my mother wants it,- Azeroth looked at his brother.

-Why mother wants it?

-Why you care? She needs its power to get stronger. Isn't that's what all gods want? Now my dear human, you got into a pickle, because everyone will want a bit of your good magic, but you have to give it away willingly, happily my mother made a spell on me, and everything this box can do, will not work on me,- he laughed. -Now, if i extract it, its going to be painful, but you can save it and give it willingly.

-What if i want to give it to Azeroth? -Karis said after a minute of thinking. She didn't trust either of them, but Azeroth seemed like a bit better option than this scum.

-So you will trust my brother who is hiding truth from you, but will not trust me when i gave you all information?

-You are a dickhead and you kidnaped me,- Luke's face distorted, he snapped his fingers and energy constricted her body. She couldn't control her any limb anymore and it floated straight towards Luke who grabbed her by throat.

-Do not disrespect me like this Human, i was nice to you, gave you choices, smiled and entertained you,- he started strangling her and chains emerged from his chest trying to get inside of devil, they looked like snakes or spears trying hard to protect the woman, but something prevented that from happening. Azeroth put his hand on brothers and causing him to loosen the grip. His blind eyes got a blue glow, that looked dangerous, and Devil seemed not to want to mess with that.

-Ghost, bring me my host. I want to see her,- White rabbit called Ghost turned into aerial mist and disappeared, few seconds later he reappeared with Vincent's limp body floating by his side. Karis saw only with side eye limp body of a man that she felt such warm feelings.

Azeroth turned into mist and went inside his host awaking, with such guilt on his face. Karis felt tears running down her face, she couldn't believe what she saw, but then again, the view was rather familiar.

-Vincent....What have you done to him,- Azeroth looked down with guilt in his face.

-I was Vincent all this time. He became my host once bad people burned his own home together with family. It was his dying wish to revenge, which i did, and his empty husk now became a perfect host so i could see you Karis,- woman sniffed in trying to calm herself down. She needed to be strong, she must not let her emotions to be in charge now, but still her body was trembling.

Luke let go of her, but she still remained floating my his side.

-Wonderful brother, now tell her more truth,- she was still crying feeling the weight of betray on her heart.

-I...I knew you had censer, i got close to you, with hopes you will cure my vision,- he knelt in front of her in defeat wishing for her to say that she forgives him, that she still trusts him. He put all the trust in her right now.

-And?

-And what? That was my motive,- Azeroth looked at his brother and Luke smacked him in the face.

-Don't lie, you need her for your cock sucking buzzy bee deity, so you can chicken off back where you came from. You don't get betrayer marks out of no where! You broke her command once, you didn't listen, now no one prevents you from doing it again and again, and who knows what you might do in future.

-THAT IS NOT THE CASE!- roared Azeroth and looked at Karis.- I would never betray you!

-Then why hide about Austeja?

-Because i have no feelings for her anymore.

-Bullshit! Demons can only love once! You nearly turned into our 4th brother after she crystalized, now tell me it wasnt love,-Azeroth always knew how jealous Devil was of his relationship, since he was never able to feel love.

-And i did not love her enough,- Karis looked at them screaming at each other. She could pick up, that Azeroth wasnt lying, well not entirety. Austeja was real and was deity, but crystalized, what ever that meant, and Vincent's whole family has died. It made so much sense for her right now how elusive he was with his backstory, but it still made her angry about the whole situation.

Her trust was gone, even if her feelings were there, she still couldn't trust Azeroth after everything.

-Karis, i do have feelings for you, i will do everything, if you don't trust me, i will build it back for you. Don't cure my eyes, keep yourself safe, but please let me protect you, i have a pact with your grandmother and a promise for you, i will never abandon you,- the devil laughed.

-Too late brother, she wont be able to do it either way,- he shoved his hand in her chest causing her incredible amount of pain. She let out blood curling scream as demon was trying to rip out censer. Little metal box became visible as his hand tried to squeeze. It felt like someone is ripping her heart out but it was slow and incredibly painful. Azeroth tried to stop him, but force formed around preventing from getting close. He screamed and begged them to stop, but Devil only laughed at his brothers vain attempts. it wasnt him who was preventing him form saving woman, it was censers own distrust that didn't let anyone else close. Karis lost her conscience, and suddenly chains darted our of her chest, and shot in Devils chest repeatedly, they both heard shattering as protection that their mother had created broken down, and chains locked Devils heart. His smile dropped.

-No,- he whispered as he dropped Karis on the ground. Azeroth caught her disappearing together with Ghost to not give Devil any more chances to harm her. As they returned home, put still unconscious woman in bed while rabbit started creating protection spell from being detected or seen. Her guardian guinea pigs has joined him strengthening the spell, since devil did not know about them, them it would be impossible to trace it with mixed energies.

Azeroth kissed her forehead and then pressed his own against hers.

-I am so sorry you learned things this way,- he whispered with guild painting his face.

-Vincent? I am home? What happened, my head hurts whole body is so painful,- she said weakly touching his hand with cold fingers.- I had this crazy dream, i was drowning...

-I am afraid it was not a dream,- he looked down.

-Oh no,- she said weakly.- what do i do now? I don't want to get involved in supernatural mess.

-I will try to sort it out, i will do everything to get you out of this,- he hugged her tightly.

-Why you hid things? Why you didn't resolve them earlier? You knew it long time ago,- he dropped his head in defeat. She definitely went through enough traumatic experiences to keep her head clear. Her questions were valid and she deserved all answers in world now. Vincent promised to build her trust back.

- I got caught in a moment. I enjoyed your company too much, Karis, i never lied to you, remember the dream? It did happen, i killed those thugs for you, the window was shattered, you begged me to make you forget, and i had no other option,- he presses his head to her chest to listen to her arrhythmic heart beat,- then everything went out of control, not gonna lie i have hoped to tell you and show everything romantically in firefly light, but i guess my brother did it first,- Karis sighed, her head was still in pain.

-Why did Luke said you once broke the command?-she hated to even remember this mans face.

-I did, it was excruciating. I didn't even knew i had the mark, or it will lead to this. No demon has ever done it to lock. I had to lock myself to wall so i wouldn't run back to you. I wish to never do it again.

-Which time it was?-Azeroth smiled remembering her drunk cuteness.

-When you were drunk and asked me to do things to you.

-Oh... that is not bad then. Thank you for breaking it,- she wrapped her hands around him. His body felt so comfortable against her, she needed his warmth to keep her sanity at least for a bit.

-You are so calm, are you ok?- he looked up at her.

-I am definitely not ok. I am traumatized from all of this, but at least i have you. It will catch up with me,- Azeroth sighed and pushed away from her so he would be leaning over her.

-Tell me anything that would make you feel better, i will do it,- she smiled shaking her head. As Ghost and her guardians entered room she forgot that demon was there too.

-My guinea pigs!!-she got so surprised seeing all 5 of them, now being a meter tall, standing on their back legs walking in.

Pichu, the oldest ran to her into her embrace, she pushed Azeroth a bit away so she could fit in all 5 in bed. The oldest one was Pichu, her first and favourite one, she also had Clefa, the one with mohawk, she had extremely feisty personality, Togepi the sweetest one, Doughnut the only boy who seemed to be in love with Pichu, and Paprika his mother were adopted ones, there fore did not followed same naming rules, they all appeared in her life when she needed them the most, and she never knew they were her guardians.

-What are you? -she snuggled and kissed top of each piggy heads.

-We are your guardians. We kept your censer protected,- said Pichu after getting chin rubs.- We also did our best to keep all the pests away that could have potentially corrupted you. Sadly when this demon showed up we had to be more tense than always, he even got us to use our powers, this is unacceptable,- woman chuckled hugging them closer.

-Thank you, i appreciate you so much,- Azeroth looked at his guardian nodding to him.

-My lord, house is now protected, Devil cant enter even if called in. What are our next steps?- Azeroth glanced at woman, even if she was snuggling with her guardians she got tensed as she listened.

-I will visit primary goddess of destiny. She will tell me,- now that censer have been exposed, she will not be able to hide things.

-What will i have to do?- said Karis silently, Vincent softly stroke her cheek.

-Continue your life, go to work, enjoy yourself, i will keep you protected. It is what you wanted. I will respect that.

Several hours later Karis went through whole roller-coaster of emotions, from being calm, to panicking, to laughing and crying about the situation. Azeroth never seen her this bad she had at least 4 panic attacks where she nearly screamed hysterically from all the terror that accumulated in her brain, but he couldn't blame her, as the whole life and reality shifted, and fable human mind needed time to adjust.

After he made sure she is all right Azeroth was about to leave, but before he left Karis grabbed his shirt.

-Is Austeja, the wife you talked about,- he turned to her and she was looking down. He wrapped his hands around her to comfort.

-Yes, she was,- he didn't not want to hide things from her anymore.

-Do you still love her? Who was she?-he rocked her slowly.

-No, i don't, it was long time ago, yes, we had history together, and it hurt me a lot when she was gone. But it would be the same as me asking of you would go back to Jack if you see him. Yes, i would love to tell her i found you, but nothing else. She used to be primary deity of bees and women, is now in crystal, deities do not die, but they crystalize. She crystalized as bees started to decrease in numbers. Minor deities are taking care of them now, but its not enough to bring her back,-she nodded and he kissed top of her head.

-Karis, let me put Vincent body to heal up, and then i will come back to you if you don't feel safe.

-Can I? Can I spend tonight alone? I need to overthink this. Don't worry I know the rules, i will not tell anyone, i don't want anyone else to be involved. Its just that i had enough supernatural presence for today,-Azeroth smiled and kissed her softly. Yet her kiss was not as affectionate as it used to be.

-I trust you. Good night, i will see you tomorrow, he disappeared into night after she locked her door.