Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1662: Where Is Safa? (Part 2)

Raze noticed how the others were staring at B, and only then did he truly see it. She carried herself differently than Beatrix had. The calm on her face felt harder, more distant, and the elegance he remembered looked like something being worn.

"The woman in front of you, Raze... it’s not Beatrix anymore," Liam said. "Do you remember the Bloody Woman? She took over Beatrix’s body. I think we can ask her some questions."

The Bloody Woman. A Divine warrior forced into another body, surviving because the host survived. Raze remembered her sharp tone, never warm, always calculating.

"You took over her body," Raze said, staring at B. "Where is Beatrix?"

Even if the Bloody Woman had helped him, it never felt willing. It had always felt like she was waiting for a better chance, a better deal. Beatrix had helped because she chose to, even giving him the Golden Globe.

"I know what you’re thinking, but I did no such thing," B replied. "That woman was struggling with her fight, so she suppressed her own consciousness so mine could come to the forefront. It seems she might have taken it a step too far, and is unable to come back."

Raze’s jaw tightened. "So Beatrix is... trapped?"

"I said unable to come back," B answered, not blinking. "Not dead."

"Then the answer is simple," Raze said. "We make you unconscious so we can bring her back. I can come up with spells that will do it."

"B" stepped back. "If you want to try, then you can. Even though you have grown stronger and can probably best me, it won’t be easy. Besides, didn’t you want to know about your dear sister and what’s going on with her right now?"

Raze paused. Liam’s eyes were on him, urging him to stop. Dame didn’t speak, but his posture said the same thing: answers first. They could fight later. Right now, the name Safa was too heavy to ignore.

"If you help us, I will find you a body that is suitable for you to be in," Raze said. "We learned Divine warriors are more compatible with mage-like bodies. I extracted you from my own body before, so I can do the same and place you in another. Beatrix continues on, and you do as well. No more sharing. No more hiding behind her face. You get what you want; we get our answers."

His voice sharpened. "That means you need to be completely honest about what happened to Safa. No half-truths. No games."

"Oh, that is quite a good offer. I accept," B said. "And since you are being generous, I will help you get rid of the Grand Magus you desire. Who knows, maybe I can use their bodies as well."

Raze ignored the greed in her words, but he didn’t forget it. "What has happened to Safa?" he asked. "Where is she right now, and is there a way for her to descend to Pagna so we can see her?"

"When someone reaches the Divine stage, they are placed in the Divine realm instantly," B said. "This happens regardless of where one is. Even in Alterian, it still happens. The connection isn’t a door you open. It’s a pull you can’t refuse."

The truth landed heavily. Raze had feared it, and Liam looked like he had been punched in the chest just from hearing it.

"The issue is where she appears," B continued. "That is random. She could end up anywhere, but most of the time one ends up in unclaimed territories."

"Unclaimed territories?" Liam asked, voice tight. "So she might not even be near anyone we know?"

"Wild lands," B replied. "Dangerous lands. And in those places there are scouts that look for the person who has risen into the Divine stage."

"Scouts?" Dame repeated.

"Right," B said. "The Divine realm is much like Pagna. There are groups, powerful groups, fighting constantly for control. When someone rises, those groups send scouts. A new Divine-stage warrior is valuable, and they will either recruit, bargain, or force. Some will promise safety. Some will demand loyalty. Some will try to break the new arrival before they can grow into a threat."

Raze’s hands tightened. Safa was strong, and she had God Eyes, but strength didn’t mean she couldn’t be surrounded, pressured, or tricked. Not in a realm built on power and politics.

"In terms of your second question," B said, "there are gates in the Divine realm that allow one to descend, or go to other portals. These gates are protected by several different groups."

"So she can come back," Liam said, clinging to the idea like it was a rope.

"She can," B answered. "The best way is to join a group, earn their trust, and eventually use a gate to descend. Or she can fight her way to a gate and force herself down. But if she does that, she will make enemies, and if she rises again, those enemies will remember. The Divine realm keeps score."

Dame’s jaw tightened. "So even returning has a price."

"In the end," B added, looking at them, "if you want to help her, there is only one thing you can do: reach the Divine stage yourselves. Only then can you search for her, protect her, or bring her back. Until then, you are guessing from below."

It was something that Raze certianly wanted to help and resolve, and as Safa said, it gave him something to deal with, something to live on for after he finished dealing with the Grand Magus. Safa was a smart woman, so he was sure she owudl be able to survive in the Divine realm.

*****

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