Death's impatience gradually rose as he watched the two work in tandem. His name made it clear that he wasn't much use in saving a life, but being forced to sit and watch was decidedly dull nonetheless.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Death,</span>spoke a high, raspy voice.<br/><br/>Death's eyes immediately shot up into the trees, locking gaze with two small, piercing yellow ones that belonged to the same individual that had spoken to his mind.<span style="font-style: italic">"Coronis. What a pleasure,"</span>he responded after a moment of pause, a wry smirk forming on his face.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">And yet pleasure is hardly why you're here, is it? I assume you have more important business to deal with than helping your enemies. What is your goal?</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I think a more interesting question would be why the Record Keeper is placing his stakes in this war. You're not a fighter, Coronis; why do you choose to abandon your post now?"</span>The link between the two fell silent for several seconds, though neither broke eye contact. When it finally resumed, Death's expression had turned serious once again.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">..Being the Record Keeper, I'm sure you are aware that I am entitled to certain knowledge that none in Heaven or Hell know of, correct?</span><br/>Death simply nodded slowly in response.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">Then riddle me this.. Why do you think these </span>humans,<span style="font-style: italic"> mere ants in the stream of time compared to the lives you and I have lived, have managed to successfully merge with us? We are eons old, Death. How can such a civilization bare the strength that we have given them? Is it not a curious thing?</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Not all can, Coronis. Many have died in an attempt to bond with a demon-"</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">To no fault of their own!</span>Coronis interrupted, causing Death's brow to furrow.<span style="font-style: italic">The humans did not die because they were weak, but because they were not linked!</span>screeched the bird, its feathers ruffling in frustration.<span style="font-style: italic">No human can simply bond with any demon they wish, Death. The penalties for that often lead to finding themselves in </span>your<span style="font-style: italic"> realm. The lucky ones are just stripped of everything that once made them human.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"What do you mean, 'linked?' Start making sense, old man."</span><br/><br/>Coronis glared at him for a few moments before speaking once again.<span style="font-style: italic">When any being is born, their essence is split into three. The first two are an angel and a demon, both timeless beings..the rest wanders between the planes of existence, lost and directionless but without a consciousness of its own. It is when these manifest in the human world that a human is born. These three beings are linked, eternally, and should they ever unite.. well, look at what's left of this city. That was the power of only two. The one thing I don't understand, that none of the records will tell me, is why so many of them are showing up now.. Is it out of necessity, or is there something more to this?</span><br/><br/>Silence again took hold of the conversation as Coronis concluded. Death's eyes were wider, if only slightly, but neither spoke a word, instead turning to their own thoughts.<br/><br/>---------------------------------------<br/><br/>"Nngh.."<br/><br/>A small, almost inaudible noise of pain left Merle's lips as Vaan and Adeline worked on healing her wounds. With their powers combined, the deep cuts in Merle's cheek ceased their growth before long. Severing the link to Lucifer took a while yet, though, and the amount of blood staining the ground was certainly disheartening. It was a solid half an hour of work before a certain Lord of Hell finally felt the bond snap. The immediate reaction was an unexpected one; Merle herself barely reacted at all, though the wound ceased flowing blood almost instantly and her body went completely limp as the slight amount of consciousness the pain gave her slipped away. The more surprising thing was the residual blood that had pooled around the girl, which began to gradually evaporate into that same red smoke that had almost been the herald of her demise. All eyes turned to her as this happened, and once it dissipated fully, there was a slight rise and fall in her chest akin to breathing.<br/><br/>"The link has been severed," Death spoke, finally broken from his own thoughts. "She will live."