After Orion's second tussle with his giant of a brother, silence settled thick in the cell. The sound of heavy breathing, scuffed boots, and Bastion's amused huff were all that filled the air.
Then came the question everyone was avoiding.
"What happens now?" Orion asked at last.
He glanced between the trio - Bastion, the silver-haired swordsman, and the short, fiery woman whose gaze alone felt like it could burn a hole through him. They clearly didn't get along perfectly, but there was a level of familiarity between them, a comfort that only came with shared battlefields and bickering.
And for Bastion - who respected almost no one - to fall quiet around her, she had to be someone important.
Orion's eyes swept across them all again. Kalen, the "Silver Blade," still had soot on his sleeves. Bastion's vest was scorched too, he was practically shirtless. The cause wasn't hard to guess. It had to be the short woman. She dressed in a similar uniform to theirs, but hers had a sleeker, fire-resistant sheen. Her rank emblem gleamed - a giant star stitched in gold.
'So, she's the boss,' Orion thought, straightening himself and brushing dust from his clothes. His eyes lit up with curiosity as he collected himself.
"I'm guessing you're in charge," he said to her directly. "And you're here to get some answers about what happened, right? I get that it looks bad - me, surrounded by demons, standing next to that guy he called the Warlock. But I swear I've got no clue who he is. I was just-"
He never got to finish.
"The Warlock?!" Bastion thundered, eyes wide. Even the fiery woman, whose composure never seemed to waver, looked taken aback.
They both turned to Kalen. The swordsman sighed. "Neither of you asked for my full report," he said calmly. "But yes. The boy was seen with the Warlock. That's why I brought him in."
"Did he hurt you?" Bastion snapped, fury flashing in his eyes. "Tell me, Orion, did he do anything to you? If that traitor laid a hand on you, I'll-"
"Stop." The short woman's voice cut through the air like a whip.
She turned those molten orange eyes on Orion. "Are you willing to vow to answer with only the truth?"
It sounded like a polite question until a wave of pressure rolled through the air. Orion felt it instantly, a tangible weight that pressed down on his chest.
"What's this about?" he muttered.
"You don't have to accept," Bastion explained quietly. "But if you do, lying will hurt - literally. It's called a Binding Vow. It's how exorcists guarantee truth or agreements between one another."
"But I'm not an exorcist," Orion pointed out.
"It doesn't matter," she replied. "I can complete the vow on your behalf. It will bind your words to truth. If you refuse, standard protocol is to have a Mentalist dig through your memories forcibly. That can leave you permanently… damaged." Her tone was almost casual, as if she were discussing the weather. "I'm offering you courtesy."
'Courtesy, my arse,' Orion thought bitterly. Out loud, he said, "Fine. I accept. I'll vow to tell only the truth."
She nodded and whispered something under her breath. The pressure doubled, and his chest constricted, his heartbeat thundering as an invisible grip tightened around his heart.
"You may begin."
He gave her an exaggerated nod. "Like I was saying, the Warlock saved me," he began. "I know you guys think he's evil, but honestly, I don't have a problem with him."
All three of them froze. Even Bastion, who could probably crush a car with one hand, blinked in disbelief.
"He what?" Bastion's voice was low and confused.
"Yeah," Orion continued casually. "This pretty boy here-" he jerked his chin toward Kalen "-showed up too late. I was surrounded by little green bastards about to eat me, and then boom, some freaky birds grabbed me and dropped me next to the Warlock."
Bastion's glare swung toward Kalen. Elena's brows furrowed.
"I assumed any other human in the Veil would be able to handle a few Lesser Demons," Kalen said defensively. "I was also preoccupied with a big demon."
"That's your excuse?" Orion blurted out. "You're an exorcist, right? Shouldn't saving people come first?"
"No, my duty is to exterminate demons and to uphold the laws of the order," the swordsman stated bluntly.
"What an uptight loser," Bastion murmured under his breath, as the tension between the golden and silver counterparts began to rise again.
"Well, it's got me far enough to be your superior." Kalen's hand moved to the hilt of his blade.
A golden aura began to emanate from Bastion. "Always bringing up rank, do you need me to kick your ass again? You're lucky she showed up when she did, otherwise..."
"Enough!" Elena's voice echoed in the small cell, and immediately they both settled down - neither felt like being burnt by her flames again.
She shook her head like a tired mother before turning to Orion, who appeared disappointed that he didn't get to see his brother in action against the swordsman.
"Start from the beginning," she ordered. "Everything."
Orion sighed. "Fine. But you might want to sit down."
Then, he told his story - his entire cursed birthday - from school to the fateful pizza delivery to the giant demon hand ripping through his ceiling.
He was impressively descriptive and left nothing out… except the floating eyeball and the System. Those, he decided, would stay buried, at least for now...