The Immortal That Wants To Die

The alley was quiet now, the sounds of their fight still lingering in the air as Zehen walked a few steps behind the redhead. The dark streets loomed ahead, and he kept a respectful distance, his mind tangled with the question that had been eating at him since the battle.

She had switched between fire, sound, and lightning attributes eerie ease. Each power came with a new intensity, but she wielded them as if they were part of her, as natural as breathing. How had she done that? He couldn't understand it. What was her true attribute?

No one could master such different types of magic without difficulty.....at least, that was what he had always been told. And yet, the redhead had done it without breaking a sweat. Fire....a blazing eruption of heat. Sound....a sharp, vibrating pulse. Lightning...a burst of raw energy that cracked through the air.

He glanced at her, walking ahead, her figure swallowed by the shadows. She didn't look back, her steps confident and measured, as though nothing had happened.

"You're quiet." Her voice cut through the silence, calm and casual, as if nothing unusual had occurred.

Zehen hesitated for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "Divine Blessing…...where have I heard that before?"

The redhead didn't respond. She kept walking, her posture relaxed, as if his words meant nothing to her.

Zehen sighed. "Figures."

She still didn't reply, the silence stretching between them as they continued out of the alley. The question still lingered in Zehen's mind.....What was her real power? He couldn't shake the curiosity, but for now, he had no choice but to follow her, the answers just out of reach.

Zehen barely had time to process everything before he found himself back at his apartment. The redhead moved with unsettling ease, as if she knew exactly where she was going...no hesitation, no uncertainty.

The moment the door opened, a blur of motion collided with him.

"Zehen!"

Mai threw herself into his arms, her grip frantic, her body trembling with a mix of relief and fear. Her breath hitched as she buried her face into his chest, like she was trying to make sure he was real.

Zehen blinked, still caught off guard. "Mai?"

She pulled back slightly, her face pale and eyes wide. "I.....I thought I lost you…"

Before he could respond, her gaze snapped to the redhead, narrowing with suspicion.

"What do you want from us?" Her voice was laced with tension.

The redhead's lips curled into a slight smirk. Without a word, she stepped forward, grabbing Mai's wrist in a grip that felt like ice. Mai flinched, but the redhead didn't care.....her fingers were cold, and her touch calculated, like she was inspecting some broken toy.

Zehen's muscles tensed, ready to intervene. But then the redhead spoke, her tone slow, almost amused.

"Looks like your core is at the awakened stage. How unfortunate."

Her words rang out with a mocking edge, as if the very idea of an awakened core were something to laugh at. The sarcasm dripped from her voice, and her eyes glinted with amusement, as though she were savoring the moment.

Zehen blinked in disbelief. "Unfortunate?"

The redhead's eyes lingered on Mai, her smirk deepening. After a long moment, she casually released her grip, as if bored.

"You'll understand soon enough." Her voice was flat, dismissive.

She turned away, her back already to them, as if the encounter had lost all meaning. Zehen stood frozen, Mai's shaken form still in his arms. The words echoed in his mind, biting with cruelty....unfortunate.

Mai stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "What does that mean?"

The redhead didn't answer right away. With a flick of her wrist, she released Mai's arm, and in a single motion, sent her hurtling toward Zehen like she weighed nothing at all.

Zehen barely managed to catch her, stumbling back a step. "Hey....!"

Mai's breath hitched as she clung to his jacket, her face pale with shock. Zehen shot the redhead a glare, frustration bubbling under his skin.

She didn't even flinch. Instead, she moved forward with slow, deliberate steps, each one measured, as if her presence alone was enough to command the room. She seized a chair, dragging it with a loud scrape that filled the silence, then lowered herself into it with unnerving ease.

When she spoke, her voice was as cold and direct as a blade.

"Scarlett Roseheart," she said, her words weighted, demanding attention. "Remember it."

Zehen ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Okay, what the fuck?" His eyes narrowed, annoyance seeping into his voice. "You acting like this is your house now?"

Scarlett didn't flinch at the challenge. She simply crossed one leg over the other, her posture relaxed but unyielding, the unspoken authority in the air suffocating. She was untouchable.

Zehen's jaw clenched. He wanted to lash out, to demand answers, but the way she sat there....like she was in control of everything...held him back. A glance at Mai, still shaking in his arms, kept him grounded.

With a frustrated sigh, Zehen forced himself to stay calm. "Fine. Let's hear it. We already made a deal but does she have to come along?"

Scarlett's lips curled into a smile, not warm, not kind....just coldly knowing.

And that, more than anything, made Zehen uneasy. Scarlett, still sitting on the chair, let out a sigh, as if she didn't want to explain further, but she spoke anyway. "The both of you have something called a Divine Blessing, a gift given to us by the Supreme One, or God if you prefer. In this world we live in, we chosen humans, are the only ones who can wield different magic variants because of our Divine Blessings."

Zehen let out a chuckle, standing up and turning away. "I see," he said dryly. "Then Mai couldn't understand." He looked at her, his tone growing more serious. "Mai, we're now pawns in the war between God's and Celestials."

Mai then yelled in shock and anger, "Take me where?!.... you think my father will allow this!" Her voice crackled with both fury and disbelief, her hands clenched into fists.

Zehen spun around, his eyes flashing with intensity as he stepped toward her.

"No!" His voice sliced through the air, sharp and unyielding. "It doesn't matter who he is or what title he holds.....none of that matters! Do you really think the redhead cares who he is?"

He exhaled, frustration simmering beneath his words. "The Celestials don't give a damn if he's a king, a pope, or whatever the hell he is. The moment they notice you, you belong to them….until the day you die."

Scarlett's laughter rang out...cold, unwavering, and laced with amusement at Mai's shock. With effortless grace, she stepped forward, seizing Zehen's chin and tilting his head up. Her gaze bore into him, sharp and absolute, like a ruler addressing a subject.

"Listen well," she said, her voice calm yet laced with quiet authority. Her nails pressed in just enough to demand attention. "My name is Scarlett.....not Redhead." A knowing smirk touched her lips. "Say it again, and you'll find out just how unforgiving I can be."

Zehen stared back, his expression unreadable, utterly unbothered by her threat. No flicker of fear, no trace of irritation.....just a quiet, unshaken calm.

Scarlett studied him for a moment before scoffing, releasing his chin with a flick of her wrist. Turning away, she strode past him, her voice smooth but laced with tension.

"Tell me, child… can you sense them?"

Mai blinked, confusion flickering across her face. "Sense what?"

Zehen exhaled, tilting his head ever so slightly. "The hundred Celestials surrounding us outside." His tone was calm—almost indifferent—yet it carried an undeniable weight, each word sinking like stone into the air. "A bit excessive, don't you think?"

Scarlett stilled. For a fleeting moment, her expression was unreadable, then—slowly—her lips curled into a sharp, knowing smile. Her gaze shifted back to Zehen, eyes gleaming with something rare. Amusement. And perhaps, just a hint of admiration.