Sacrifice: Time of Mine

"Enter, Master Avion and deviant guests!" the faceless figure opened the door for them.

Avion's face was red from holding his laughter while the two women behind him just kept their eyes away, less it will burn.

As soon as Avion entered the base, light erased the darkness. They finally saw the insides of the base.

"Behold, Uithuz Aver's home!" the figure pointed with his hand.

The three were speechless as they saw the first room of the Lord Sorcerer's house.

"It's... i-it's..." Alisera stuttered, "I don't know how to describe this."

Arcansas knew the right word.

"It's empty."

"Eh?" the figure looked back and saw the dirty gray walls. There was nothing else, "Oh dear me! I thought I already put them up!"

The figure ran and weirded out the two women again. As he ran, his body was leaned backward, his arm dropped, and his knees would reach high.

It entered another room and brought out a large painting.

Seeing this painting, Avion finally couldn't hold out his laughter.

"BAHAHAHAHA!"

"Thank you for the praise, Master Avion. I painted it myself." the figure then placed the large painting onto one of the walls.

"Is that... the Lord Sorcerer?" Arcansas pointed with a weird face.

"What!? That middle-aged man having a disgusting sexy pose while just wearing a white blanket is the Lord Sorcerer!?" Alisera kept getting confused. She had always envisioned the Lord Sorcerer as someone at the peak of the world. Someone mighty and powerful.

"BAHAHAHA!"

The figure brought out another painting and another one until the dirty walls were filled with these "arts"

Avion rolled onto the ground while laughing hard.

Seeing this, the figure looked proud of itself.

"Thank you for the praise, Master Avion! I painted them out of imagination so I am not quite confident!"

"Is that sarcasm?" Arcansas commented.

"Sarcasm? No! My creator told me once that laughter means that humans are amazed. Master Avion is laughing so hard that I couldn't help but feel proud."

"..."

"BAHAHAHAHA!" Avion heard this and felt like he was going to die laughing.

Ignoring him roll on the ground, Arcansas asked, "But where is the Lord Sorcerer? Is he asleep or out?"

"The Lord Sorcerer? Oh, you mean my creator! No, Uithuz Aver have long left."

"BAHAhaha... haha... what?"

"Wow, that was fast." Alisera was a bit amazed.

"Where did he go? Left where?" Avion stood up and asked. Although he still had the stiff smile, it slowly melted away.

"I'm sorry, Master Avion, but he already left this world." the figure then deeply bowed.

"..." Avion fell silent.

Alisera felt the change in his mood. She didn't know what to do except reach out for his hand.

"You mean... he died?" Arcansas continued the question.

"Huh? Of course not! He just left this world because he's going to another."

"Then why did you apologize, you freak?!" Arcansas wanted to smack this figure in the head.

"I'm apologizing to Master Avion because my creator told me to. My creator also told me that Master Avion would definitely want to talk, however, he had to go."

"When did he leave?" the disappointment was evident on his face.

'He knew that I'm going to meet him but he still went away...'

"About a few months ago, Master Avion."

"A few months ago?" Avion's perception of time is messed up. In his eyes, he had already stayed in this world for years. But, of course, that's not true. He was just always stopping time.

"Four months ago."

"Four months ago? That's the time you appeared in front of us." Alisera mentioned when she noticed the "coincidence"

"Really?" Avion was shocked that he had only stayed so short in this world.

"But before he disappeared, Uithuz Aver took everything in this place with him. However, as a parting gift, a special elesp book for you Master Avion. And along with it is a letter. Please, follow me."

Avion nodded and was wondering what kind of elesp book would work for him.

"My creator created me to accompany him, Master Avion. However, he also said that I will serve anyone with the same ability as he is. My creator's power is too powerful that I thought no one else other than him has this, however, you arrived, Master Avion."

The figure told as they passed through different rooms. However, it was all empty.

"Hey... how did you know that my name's Avion if you just welcomed me because you saw the same power in me? Also, don't you have any name or even just what the Lord Sorcerer calls you?"

"It was my creator who told me your name. He is quite certain that Avion Teller will be your name."

"Will be?" Avion raised an eyebrow but didn't think of it that much.

"Yes, and my creator didn't really call me anything consistent. If it's alright, Master Avion, can I ask for a name? My creator also said that since he will leave me to you, you can name me."

"Leave you to me? Does that mean you will follow me around?"

"Yes! This place has no value since my creator took everything with him. The only thing here is my art."

Arcansas' eyes shone as she tapped on Avion's back.

"Amazing, although that guy is a freak, he's stronger than me, a Rank Eses!" she whispered. But afterward, she also sighed, "I can't believe that right after I ascended, I'm already experiencing the feeling of inferiority."

"Arcansas, you..."

"What?"

"I thought you're scary from the start. Now, you act vastly different."

"Hehe, Avion, are you not aware of personas? If I act like this to inferior people, they won't take my orders. I only act myself towards people on my level or above."

Avion suddenly remembered Darea.

'She acts high and mighty to people weaker than her too. But when she thought I'm stronger than her, she was so respectful.'

"Is this not fitting my status?"

"No, it's cute."

"Oh, hehehe, you called me cute."

"Tsk!" Alisera tightened her grasp on Avion's hand.

"Aw-aw-aw-aw!"

"Are you two a couple?" the figure asked before Arcansas could.

"No, Nequin, we're not." Avion answered.

"I'm his reliable big sister." Alisera said, "Soon-to-be" she added.

"Nequin?" the figure tilted its head and stopped.

"Oh, yeah, it's your name. You just look like a mannequin so I called you Nequin. You don't like it?"

"I... I... I----- LOVE IT!"