色戒无删除版

He was afraid. He was not confident. At first, he was determined to get stronger in order for him to meet his master again but when they met again, that desire disappeared. He would practice his magic once in a while but he couldn't improve which only added to his frustrations.

"Why are you being so reluctant? You've been using your magic well and when I asked you to do such a simple thing you said that you can't do it?" Cygnus was getting disappointed as the seconds passed by.

He didn't like this version of Ezio at all. He preferred the Ezio he first met and the Ezio who was cold, but this cowardice was something he couldn't tolerate. The people who stood beside him were not this meek and weak.

"Master, I just, just can't do it. I tried but I couldn't improve. I couldn't make a breakthrough!" He was ashamed. He wanted the ground to swallow him at that moment.

The room fell silent at that statement and at the pitiful state of the young man. This was the first time that Cygnus felt helpless and speechless at the same time. Ezio was strictly not his disciple or anything, he was just a kid he randomly picked just because he got his attention.

It was easy for him to kick out this person and leave him on the side of the road but for some reason he couldn't do it. This must be because of his mother, Elehiya. If not for that woman, he would have abandoned this worthless pup from the beginning.

"You know that I don't like weak people and I give you consideration because you could do something that others can't. Don't disappoint me right now Ezio, because I can throw you away anytime." Cygnus stood up from his seat and walked up to the young man who had his head bowed. He was slightly shaking which made Cygnus glare.

"I-I apologize master. I-I'll do it. I'll try." He mumbled which was heard by the dragon and the duke.

"Then what are you bowing for? How can you do it when you have your eyes looking down on the ground?" Cygnus snapped and it made Ezio stand in attention.

The master narrowed his eyes at the young man and the longer he looked at him the more he became displeased. He turned around and returned back to his seat. Cygnus then snapped his fingers and a gate appeared beside him.

"This is a gate that leads to the mausoleum. Will you be going right now?" He shifted his attention to the duke who had been silent ever since Ezio came.

"Yes, since I am already here and there's a gate already. Might as well do this now." He stood and walked up to the gate.

"Take Ezio with you. He can create a gate that the both of you can use to get back." Cygnus looked at Ezio and gestured for him to follow. "If he can't create a gate, I'll send someone to pick you up," he added.

"I understand." The duke looked behind him and saw that Ezio diligently followed behind. "We'll be back."

The duke took a deep breath before he stepped into the dark gate. He was not even sure if it would really lead him to the mausoleum but because the young man was in a bad mood because of Ezio, he was a little bit assured that he wouldn't be appearing in a different dimension. When he opened his eyes, he was already at the entrance of the mausoleum where the guardian deity was resting.

"Do not disappoint me Ezio," were the words of Cygnus before Ezio stepped inside the gate.

The moment he exited at the mausoleum, the gate disappeared behind him. Galahad looked back and saw that Ezio was still standing there without moving. He felt pity for the young man so he walked back and stood beside him.

"Why don't you try?" Galahad spoke. "He is a little bit harsh, isn't he?"

"I'll do my best." Ezio nodded his head. Since the master has expressed his will, he needs to fulfill it or else the master might get angry.

"Come with me first, let's think about what we will do after I meet the deity." Galahad patted his shoulder and with no other things to do, the young man followed.

They entered the shrine and entered the main building where the painting of the black serpent was placed. Once they stepped in, the lamps on the wall lit up. They both walked towards the painting and stood there for a moment.

Suddenly a voice echoed in the room. It was the same as what they had heard from the serpent. It was deep and a tinge of coolness laced within it.

"You are here," the voice said. "What made you come here?" It asked.

"I am just here to confirm some things," Galahad politely answered.

"What is it?" The serpent asked and this time his voice was nearer and that it was not all over the place.

"Why did you suddenly appear when all this time we thought that you had been sleeping?" He asked. He was only genuinely curious because for so many years the deity hasn't shown himself and now he could even talk with him.

There was a brief moment of silence before the serpent answered. "That's because you were put in danger and also because my power has weakened through the years. Hibernation was my way of recovering my powers but because that man appeared, I had no other choice but to come out."

He felt it that one time they entered the shrine. The serpent wasn't bothered so he let them be but when he felt that power and that blood lust yesterday, he couldn't let it be. That man was serious the moment he let those sharp tentacles attack Galahad.

"That man was going to kill you," the serpent's voice was heavy. "He was not merely threatening you."

Galahad sighed, "Yes, I know. It was something that took me by surprise." He shook his head after the memories came back. "Your power? What do you mean by that?"

"My power has been sustaining the barrier that keeps the evil spirits in check and throughout the years, it has weakened especially now that malevolent spirits are appearing. I'm having a difficult time maintaining it and now it has substantially weakened because I used some of it to save you." The lamps started to flicker as a shadow passed around the room. "I couldn't even take my human form because I do not have enough strength to do so."

Galahad had nothing to say about what he did. It was true that in the past, evil spirits would appear here and there but the number of these pesky little things continued to increase every year and now these things were wandering around the whole of Blackwell. This was also the reason why Sigma had stayed in his territory for an extended period of time.

"Then why did you agree to that contract?" Galahad finally asked. It was the thing he was most curious about. "Why would a guardian deity like you accept such a contract?"

The duke suddenly felt anger rising from the pits of his stomach at the memory of that. He had no interactions with the guardian deity or whatsoever but he had been visiting the shrine since he was a child so there was still a sense of familiarity between him and the serpent. Galahad took several deep breaths to calm himself while they were on the topic.

"Because he had the power to destroy whatever evil that is behind your council members. It is certain that you cannot give him your whole trust because he is eviler than what lurks behind those people," the guardian answered. "I had no other choice because right now, I don't have the power to protect you nor this place from the catastrophe that is about to come."

"What are you talking about?" Galahad asked in surprise. He did not expect that a prophecy like words would come out from the serpent's mouth.