My Servant System



"Anput..? Love, are you there? Are you alright?"

I continued to hesitantly approach the stationary Jackalkin, her gaze locked onto the silvery chain that dangled from her tanned palm, those obsidian orbs unmoving as she focused intently on whatever it was that seemed to enrapture her in those links.

My daggers felt heavy in my hands as I wondered if I had to try and hurt my mate, the sheer thought of such an idea sending shivers down my spine and dousing my heart in cold water.

"Anput... please don't be... please..."

My mate stood a few feet away from me, still as blank as ever, and I couldn't help but grit my teeth as I continued to shuffle forwards, knowing that I needed to grab that chain from her but feeling far too worried about this abnormal display that she was showing currently.

The sharp peal of laughter that Tza'Delira let out was like nails on a chalkboard, sending more shivers down my spine as I tried to tune out the horrendous noise, only to widen my eyes as the Fiend triumphantly growled "A new hand touches the necklace! A hand more worthy of such power! Oh, so much more worthy than that Foxkin brat! Hahaha~! Oh this is just excellent..!"

I took another step forwards, staring into Anput's obsidian eyes and finding little there that reminded me of my mate, cracking my heart some more as I hoarsely whispered "Anput please... c'mon, stop messing around... Snap out of it, please..!"

Not getting a reaction, I grit my teeth before taking yet another step forwards, my ears hurting slightly from the Fiend's continued laughter.

"Such a worthy subject! Such a worthy carrier of superior power! Oh my luck! My luck must have been waiting for such a powerful user of such potent mana! HAHAHA~!"

Reaching out my hand, I grabbed Anput's own hand and spoke quietly to her, hoping to shake her out of whatever stupor she had found herself in.

"My love... come on, Anput... come back to us... please come back..."

Clenching my jaw, I stared at her before my eyes widened as she looked towards me, her eyes moving swiftly to lock onto mine even as the rest of her body remained motionless.

For a moment we were locked there, staring into one another's eyes silently as the others all fought against the Phantasms and Fiend, trying to bring everything under control.

"Kat..?"

"Anput!"

Clasping my hand around hers, I watched as the Jackalkin exhaled a shaky breath before glaring down at the chain in her hand, which she clenched in her fist as she hissed "Stupid fucking Fiends..."

I could hear some of the links snapping beneath her strength, and after staring at her for another moment or two and confirming that she seemed to be herself, I sheathed my daggers and clasped both my hands over hers, saying "Anput, don't destroy it... everything's alright! We still need it for now..."

Frowning, Anput looked at me before sighing, relinquishing her grasp on the necklace and saying "Do you want to hold onto it then? I think I'll break it if I keep it..."

I nodded, and the second the pale silver chain was in my hands, Anput let out a sigh of relief before she glared back at the lumbering blue skinned Fiend, shouting "You're mind games are pathetic! Geared towards overtaking those with weak wills and even weaker spirits!"

Tza'Delira growled in response, and I finally got to see the thin Fiend battling against the Marquess and Budan, the two Knights of Cinder wearing somber expressions as they swung their weapons towards the hulking Fiend, all while Cali aided them with her pink mana, empowering their strikes and attacking Tza'Delira as well.

"Hrgh... Don't mess with me..! There's no way a mortal could withstand the lure of fulfilling their ambitions..! Least of all their true, locked away ambitions!"

That made Anput chuckle as she squeezed my hand, glaring at the Fiend as she replied "I can achieve my ambitions on my own. I have no need for outside help. The things I want shall be mine because I earned them... and only because I earned them. Besides, I can understand reality perfectly enough. Some ambitions are best left unfounded."

My lips were pulled into a frown as I grew curious at what the Jackalkin was talking about, wondering what ambitions she had that were 'best left unfounded'.

What was it that she wanted that she believed she couldn't have?

It was a curious thing to puzzle over, as well as the slight nagging feeling that I would hate not knowing what it was, but hate knowing what it was even more...

"Impossible! Ambition is in every person..! How could you-?!"

Sadly for Tza'Delira, the Marquess didn't let the Fiend finish speaking as she slashed her claymore across the Fiend's lithe torso, cutting a deep gash into it's blue flesh and allowing the Fiend's dark blue blood to pour from the wound.

Hissing in pain, the Fiend tried to counterattack the Demoness, only to let out a groan as Budan's staff slammed into its arm, cracking the bone and allowing the pink mana swirling around his staff to shatter the onyx gemstones littering the Fiend's arm.

"Damnit..! This wasn't supposed to happen..! Why are YOU here?! ARGH!"

Letting out a loud roar, the Fiend allowed the Phantasms to dissipate before jumping away from the Knights, snarling "Everything was falling into place! My plan was coming to fruition! Damnit! You ruined everything..."

Those silver eyes flashed with malice as the Fiend turned around, its sharp claws slashing through the air and allowing the black mana to pour from its palm as it formed a portal, it's last words being "I WILL free our glorious Sedis from their unwanted, unwarranted imprisonment!"

With that, Tza'Delira stepped into the portal and left the Vulpine Manor behind, silence descending over the area as we all felt the domineering presence of the Fiend disappear, making all of us let out a sigh as we looked around at one another, the Fiend's last words ringing in our mind.