94 Aura

Aura, or the reflection of the soul's will and innermost desires hidden deep in its darkest depths, or as others call it, the manifestation of one's soul in physical form.

A person can deceive himself, he can deceive others, but he can never deceive his own soul. It is in it that the elements that make up the totality called personality are stored. It is in it, that all changes take place and the processes that define a person. It is in it that joyful as well as painful moments are stored. Without the soul, a person would be an empty shell.

If someone is serious about a career as a hunter, he or she must master the aura that is undisputed. Without the aura, it is impossible to achieve anything above mid - intermediate rank.

The advantage that the manifestation of the image of one's soul gives is enormous. Beginning with purely destructive power, destroying everything in its range, and ending with the creation of things from nothing or instantaneous healing.

The range of abilities associated with auras is overwhelming. There are as many of them as there are users. While they may not differ in the initial stages, in their final form, they become each individual's unique asset.

Sometimes there have been bizarre situations when a cold-blooded killer, manifested an aura based on the desire to protect someone. Did he change his fighting style because of this ? The answer is no, he used the force field as a cage in which he locked himself in with his target.

There were many examples, but no one has all eternity to list them endlessly.

Many hunters met an iron wall in their careers, which stunted their further development. Although the aura provided a huge advantage, the process of manifestation itself wasn't one of the simplest.

It required a full understanding of one's inner self, as well as self-acceptance. Without this, a person could only dream about it. Many hunters fell at this stage and stayed in low-level dungeons.

From time to time, one would hit upon a rarity like Ramiel, who could use two different auras at the same time. The reason for this was the rare phenomenon of splitting the soul into two separate personalities, which blended to form a single entity.

Under the influence of experiences that brought a person to the brink of self-collapse, certain protective mechanisms were activated. One of them was to disconnect parts of the soul and bury in its darkest depths the negative factors that were destroying the person from the inside.

To avoid further degradation, the isolated particle rejoins the rest after a certain period of time. However, during its lonely existence, a second personality developed in the small particle, which over time, blends with the current one. Its remnants will forever live inside the person.

As always, when it comes to Ramiel, something has gone wrong. His life can't be easy, otherwise, it would be boring.

Anger, grief, pain, rage, fury, hatred, desire to murder, self-loathing, these and many more factors, along with memories, were buried deeply in Ramiel's original soul.

While resurrecting him, a mythical being separated the tainted soul from his body, replacing it with a clean sheet of paper. Using extinct magic, it transferred personality traits, with some memories.

Unfortunately, the grim figure made a small miscalculation, underestimating the previous Ramiel. His tainted soul proved too strong. Its chaotic nature tore the ties that bound it and mingled with the pure and innocent soul.

Two opposing forces, which never had a connection with each other, clashed with each other, slowly destroying each other.

This was the main reason why Ramiel's condition was beyond recovery.

Caera was turning green with fear. The dark aura emanating from Ramiel's body scared her to the marrow. The ethereal smoke surrounding the figure of the seated man was decaying any life he came into contact with.

Ramiel's aura was aimed purely at destruction. Her goal was one, to destroy her target as quickly as possible. To it, it didn't matter if it was alive or dead. If something could erode or decompose, it was a tasty morsel. Once it entered someone's body, like poison digesting flesh, it slowly devoured them from the inside out.

It was a perfect match for Leach and the Cursed Condemnation. The number of Cursed Seals she applied fluctuated around a trillion.

The grass around Ramiel wilted before the elfess's eyes, and the air became heavy and stale. The woman felt the paralyzing darkness slowly enveloping her. Because of the suffocating pressure exerted on her body, Caera sat as if frozen. Even the cells in her body stood still, afraid of drawing attention to themselves.

Is this my end ? Will I die at the hands of Ramiel ? - In her head, Caera considered the worst-case scenarios. Although she trusted the man completely, her instincts told her otherwise. It wanted to separate her from danger, at all cost

Ramiel realized something was wrong when he felt thin trickles of blood dripping from his nose.

It didn't take him long to realize what had happened. He immediately dispelled the dark smoke that enveloped his body. Within seconds, the suffocating presence was gone, giving way to a calm and quiet atmosphere.

Dizziness struck Ramiel, like a deer speeding up to two hundred kilometers per hour. Out of the blue, the dizziness attacked him. The world before his eyes whirled, and the thirst, which had been driving him crazy, returned with redoubled force.

Ramiel didn't even try to get up. It was pointless. Before he knew it, he was lying on the dry grass panting heavily. A throbbing pain blasted his head from the inside out. Another moment and he would explode destroying everything around him.

Caera reacted faster than Ramiel expected. At the speed of light, she jumped to him, surveying his condition.

" Ramiel, everything - everything is fine ? Should I call Felix ? Wait - Wait here, I'll be right there. "

" Stay with me... it's nothing, I need to rest for a while. " Ramiel lied as if he was lying. If Caera raises the alarm, things will only get worse. The last thing he needed was a taboo of people making a fuss around him.

Inside him, whirlpools of mana were moving like crazy, destroying the meticulous balance. He had to quickly calm the woman down and deal with the internal mess.

Fortunately, the Goddess of Fortune fell in love with Ramiel. Like a fanatical follower, Caera blindly believed his words.

With the situation under control, the man closed his eyes, focusing on the current problem. Not even a second passed, and he felt his head collapse into something soft and springy.

Ramiel was one hundred percent sure that he was now lying on Caera's thighs. For nothing in the world would he mistake this blissful feeling for anything else?

Caery's delicate hand tenderly stroked her lover's permed hair. From time to time, her slender fingers dived into the lush hair, twisting curls in the process.

Ramiel had to admit it. It was relaxing in its own way. The woman's tender caresses proved to be a considerable help. They had a soothing effect on Ramiel's mana, which was raging like a storm in the middle of the sea.

After an hour that lasted for ages, the man managed to avert the specter of death hanging over the mines.

Not this time rag" - the man thought.

At the start, he was greeted by the pleasant sight of a charmingly smiling elfess. The corners of her mouth lifted and her ears fluttered merrily. There was no trace of the depressed attitude of a few hours ago. It had become a distant past.

" Are you feeling better now ? " The sweet voice of the shy elfess acted like music to Ramiel's ears.

" Mhmmm " A drawn-out purr left Ramiel's lips. He could have spent a lifetime in his current position. The knee pillow is the best medicine in the world. If it doesn't cure a disease, nothing in the world will.

" Will you tell me what happened ? " Caera's hands stopped on Ramiel's cold ears, warming them. The elfess got to know Ramiel well. She knew that he didn't react like this without a reason. Although she had spent only half a year with him, he had taken a special place in her heart. He had his faults, just like everyone else. Turning a blind eye to his arrogant attitude, the rest was bearable.

She liked the way he smiled, liked the way he looked at her when they were alone. She loved their moments together when they joked around in hopeless situations. She loved how he showed her affection through small gestures. She loved the way he took care of her while pretending it was nothing, and most of all, she loved the warmth of home and the sense of security that Ramiel provided. It was something she had always wanted and never gotten.

" I remembered something I wanted to erase from my memory. '' For a brief moment, Ramiel's eyes darkened. The raging blizzard of snow in the amethyst abyss dissipated, revealing a calm sea of purple flowers. His heart, shrouded in thorns, bled.

" Painful past ? " Caera brushed away a few strands of hair obscuring the man's face. Her fingertips stroked his red-hot cheek.

Ramiel took a brief pause, gathering his chaotically running thoughts together.

" I wouldn't call it a painful past, I was rather happy... but that makes me hate these memories even more. They remind me of a time that will never return... "

Caera leaned over the depressed Ramiel. Strands of her sky-blue hair fell down in waves, isolating the man's face from the rest of the world. Her lips approached Ramiel's lips uncertainly, dramatically closing the distance separating them.

The man gave himself over to the fleeting moment. He savored it for as long as he could. It was rare for the shy Caera to take the initiative.

The taste of wild rose, combined with a gentle trembling, provided an endearing and very intimate sensation.

Suddenly, the nagging feeling of melancholy was lost in the void, taking several friends with it. It seemed as if the universe itself had its fingers in it.

" You are the best. " Ramiel's quiet whisper, entangled in Caera's mind.

A pink blush flooded the elfess' face, reaching up to her pointed ears. Ramiel's words embarrassed her. She wasn't prepared for the devil's snares, set by a man.

Ho - How can he be so shameless !!! - she thought.

Lucifer took pity on the tormented Caera's plight. Using his connections, he whispered a few words directly into the elfess's mind.

The woman's ears suddenly fluttered and a cruel plan was born in her mind. 

Feeling the scent of victory filling her lungs, she smiled fiercely. Flames of determination ignited in her golden eyes.

Ramiel had a bad feeling.

" Better than Asme ? " Caera's voice echoed in the empty space of the third floor of the dungeon.

In the atmosphere, one could sense the tension building.

" How did it fly ? Not this time rag ? " The grim reaper laughed hysterically at the sight of Ramiel.

" Revenge tastes best cold KeKekekek ".

The situation in which the man found himself was hopeless. There was no right answer to Caera's question. If he says yes, Asme will surely find out and it will be bad. If he says no, Caera will give him hell. One way or another, he was screwed.

A bad woman is the worst woman. There was a reason why he always tried to make his mother happy.

" So ? " An inquisitive look pierced the figure of the reclining man. He felt a cold sweat pour over him.

" This ... "

" Hahaha ~ " A melodious laugh interrupted Ramiel before he could make a jester of himself.

" It was to see your face ~ " Caera had too delicate a heart to tease her lover any longer. She was already burning with shame. Who knows how she would have ended up if she had dragged it out longer.

Ramiel thanked all the gods he knew for their mercy. Once again they saved him from a no-win situation.

" Lady Ramiel, for the favor you have been shown, you must answer a question from this knight. You must know that he craves the curiosity that eats him up inside. "

The man laughed softly under his breath. He enjoyed their petty games. Thanks to them, he could slow down the frantic pace at which his life was running.

" Sir Caera, it will be an honor for me to be able to fulfill your request. "

" In that case... " Caera's hands, delicate and frail as the branches of a young birch tree, traversed Ramiel's body, pointing toward his sleeping soldier. The guard wasn't happy with his interrupted sleep session. He was exhausted after a night watch.

" Maybe - maybe you - you let the knight, taste - taste the fruit - fruit of ple - pleasure? "

Ramiel clapped his tongue. The vision of spending a wild night on the shores of the lake seemed tempting, but the sleeping dragon, neither thought of leaving the hot cave. He was still afraid of women after his encounter with Asme.

Ramiel stopped the wrist of the horny elfess just before the forbidden zone.

" Caera ... I feel silly to admit it, but can we postpone it for another time ?

" Hm? " The elfess kept darting her eyes back and forth between her wrist and the man. Only after a while did Ramiel's words reach her.

Caera jumped back as if scalded.

Do - do I no longer please him ? He - he doesn't want me anymore....

Caera misunderstood the situation. Her damaged psyche imagined a non-existent problem to downright colossal proportions. Low self-esteem, once again, reared its ugly head at the most inopportune moment.

" I understand ... " The woman's trembling voice drew the man's attention.

What had I done wrong this time ?

Ramiel didn't know, couldn't know.

Dipping into the shadows, he immediately appeared behind Caera and embraced her from behind.

The woman's petite body trembled in Ramiel's arms. Despite the grief she felt, she didn't spurn him, it was quite the opposite, her petite body clinging to him like Velcro.

Ramiel wanted to say something like, " Hey... what happened ? ", but Caera preceded him by bursting out in grief.

" Why - Why are you doing this ? "

Ramiel's mind was cloudy. His mind did a flip-flop, wondering what this time was all about.

Unsure, he asked himself. " Why am I doing what ? "

" Why don't you want me any - anymore... ".

Ramiel felt like shooting himself in the head. He already understood where the whole misunderstanding came from. On a side note, he sensed an impending lynching, related to the creation of problems.

(A/N The Condemned Sloth in comments.)