The Conquerors Path

"I somehow understand your pain...."

Catherine said with a bitter smile as she leaned onto Austin's shoulder,

'What do you understand?'

Austin wanted to know but he kept his silence, he had portrayed the figure of a lonely guy losing his father, living in a clouded dark house, only to burst forth on a journey to see the world but to be faced with a dark world that was destroying him, only to finally fight through the darkness in the world to find true friends to be with,

'The cliche stories are really useful'

"It was hard but I came to be, the experiences had taught me to see more about the people I spend time with"

Austin saying so leaned better to the wall, his face turning 45 degrees as a melancholy yet happy look took his face, 

"Thus, I promised myself that I would make true friends, one that will stay with me through thick and thin"

"Didn't you accomplish it?"

Catherine asked, her words pointing towards the current allies that surrounds Austin, 

"Yes I did but I still want more and when I looked at the two of you I instantly knew that the two of you are similar to me, that's the reason I help, I just want your true friendship"

At the last Austin's words were slow and placid, seeing so Catherine's face turned guilty as she spoke,

"I'm sorry I just wanted to be sure, I never thought you had it so hard"

"It's okay, I would be more suspicious if you didn't question me"

His light acceptance only made Catherine feel even more guilty,

'Good, good feel more guilty, from now on only keep me in your mind'

While having questioning thoughts Austin turned towards Marlene, she had long stopped crying yet she hadn't raised her head, Austin knowing the exact reason looked towards Catherine with a smile as his eyes alternated between her and Marlene, Catherine was confused but it all cleared up when Austin spoke,

"Why is it taking time for Marlene to wake up from her sleep?"

His words only made Catherine confused for a bit before she replied with a smile, 

"Indeed, she shouldn't actually take this much time, she's a light sleeper"

"Maybe she's too tired"

Austin supported with a nod, the two masterful acting of the two, making Marlene flinch as she slowly started to raise her head, seeing so Austin looked at her as he spoke,

"How was your sleep?"

His words made Marlene look at him, her eyes a bit red but it didn't do much to hide her beauty, in fact, such a vulnerable look from Marlene was only stroking Austin's ego more,

"The sleep wasn't bad, I actually feel refreshed"

+100 affection!

Marlene replied with a smile, somehow right now she looked far more energetic, her shoulder seemed to open up, while her eyes that were clouding over were now bright and shinning, seeing this Austin and Catherine made a discreet eye meet,

'Thank you'

+100 affection!

'You're welcome'

Just their eyes were able to tell each other what they wanted to do,

"So since the two of you are better now, shall we finally talk about the problem at hand?"

Austin spoke, making the two girls serious, 

"Before we move to the issue of where we are, I would like to first have a better idea about the two of yours current situation"

Austin's voice was serious as he said this, looking at the two of them, seeing this the two turned serious, first Marlene spoke,

"This seal was more dangerous than I thought, now at least 70% of my power is sealed and I feel myself becoming weaker and weaker"

Then it was Catherine's turn to speak, she seemed hesitant at first but in the end, knowing that lying here will endanger all their life she spoke,

"Right now I can't feel any of my power, my body is numb and I have a feeling that I am becoming weaker"

"How is that possible? did Nick do something to you?"

Marlene asked, clenching her teeth, her killing intent leaving her body, to thus Catherine shook her head, 

"I don't know"

'She's lying....huh'

Austin expected it, Catherine being her, should have definitely felt the effects of the poison and she must know that her time is ticking, yet she was hiding it not to burden Marlene more, thankfully that was what Austin was aiming more, it had just made his job a lot easier,

"Um.....this isn't good, looks like I will need to keep more focus"

Austin replied, his eyes furrowing, 

"Sorry, looks like we are you in your hands now"

Catherine said while Marlene didn't look one bit happy with the current situation, seeing so Austin suddenly smiles in an evil manner as he opened his hands like claws and spoke with an extremely overacting voice, 

"Oh, will you look at this, two sea princesses alone and in my control, now what shall I do?~"

The two of them definitely felt that Austin was acting and Catherine being her responded with a fearful look as she covered her chest,

"Ho no! Am I going to lose my innocence here?"

"Hehehe...little mermaid you are done"

Austin replied as he inched forward,

"Somebody save me!"

Catherine screamed in a panicked voice but suddenly a chuckle was heard, 

"Hehe"

Hearing so the two of them turned towards Marlene who was now having a smile on her face, seeing so Catherine's eyes and Austin's eyes met as they nodded their head,

'Mission accomplished'

+100 affection!

"So where are we?"

Austin spoke out loud as he started to look around, right now they were laying against a wall, and right across them stood a similar wall, both of them were huge, reaching far up into the sky,

"Let me take a look"

Austin spoke as he cast a flight spell on himself and the girls yet seconds later neither of them felt any change,

"My spell.....this place is restricting any flight spells"

Austin spoke with furrowed brows, making the girls brood, 

"It would seem that this place requires us to walk"

Catherine said with a heavy sigh, with their current situation, walking was the worst thing for both Marlene and Catherine,

"This place seems like a maze"

Austin said as he extended his senses forward, till now they were still on the ground with both the girls leaning onto Austin, they themselves not realizing how open and free they are now behaving with him,

"Are you two in any situation to move?"

He asked to which the two of them shook their head, seeing so Austin replied,

"Then take rest, something tells me that once we begin this journey it won't give us any rest, the two of you need it"

His words were realistic as the two nodded their head, taking it as natural both Marlene and Catherine placed their head on his two shoulders,

"Isn't it dangerous to sleep like this?"

Catherine asked to which Austin replied with a comforting voice,

"Don't worry, I am not that tired, with me here, nothing will happen"

Hearing so the two of them relaxed, sure that he wouldn't do anything to them, if he wanted so he could do something now and the two of them wouldn't be able to react, plus this being such a location no one would know about it. Both eyes of Marlene and Catherine met as they nodded at each other,

'Part one, trust, success!'

While Austin thought so the two girls quickly directed to dreamland, well only one did while the other one pretended to sleep, half an hour later Austin spoke,

"Marlene is asleep"

Hearing so Catherine raised her head from his shoulder as she looked at him.