Chapter 25: Resolve
Han’s Obsidian Cauldron was like a kiss of cold that penetrated flesh and bone. It felt like a demon rising from her pelvis and spreading through her, corrupting body and mind. Bellatrix hadn’t yielded, though. Hands clasped in a tight prayer, she endured the cold gnawing at her from within and without, steady on her feet.
She had been chosen by the Sun God, and warm mana flowed in her veins. She bore the Sun Essence that not only made people’s lives brighter but also helped with their crops and daily work.
Simply recalling her God’s warm voice and the faces of those whose days she’d brightened had given Bellatrix the courage to stand against any evil.
To be a Champion means to be the chosen of a god. But for me, to be a Champion is to never waver in the face of evil and to shine a beam of warmth and hope for everyone!
Han’s Obsidian Cauldron would inevitably drain her mana and give him absolute control, but she would never yield of her own will and let him corrupt her. No matter what schemes or spells he deployed, he would never break her.
Then she felt a dragon coil around her and tighten its grip. Steam turned cold on her skin. Her chest lifted, her legs pressed together, and her breath squeezed out of her. It wasn’t her imagination. Han watched her struggle and tightened his mana’s grip, asserting himself.
Or maybe reminding me of him.
Bellatrix’s warmth evaporated. It felt like Han squeezed more than her breath from her; the cold was absolute. She shivered and clutched herself, then fell to her knees, panting. Soft groans escaped her plump lips as her mana rushed to the Obsidian Cauldron, leaving her more vulnerable than ever.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
Han only smiled as he listened to her painful panting. "You’re faring well against the Obsidian Cauldron. The more you fight it, the more it hurts. All you have to do is accept that you are now my cauldron and willingly let it take mana from you. It will hurt less. Believe me."
"It is... but... a... temptation," Bellatrix muttered.
"It’s the truth. Take it as you will," Han replied.
A few minutes later, Bellatrix clutched the ground and stared at the bathroom floor, sweat dripping down her face and curves. Flushed and slick with sweat, someone might have mistaken it for arousal, but she was truly devoid of any warmth, and only pain coursed through her.
In front of him, Han held a strand of her essence. Golden, intricate, and so warm his bathwater boiled, it radiated so much positive energy he wasn’t sure it would be useful to him.
I’d be able to use it if I had the Red Dragon Bloodline, but it’s gone. Still, it’s a powerful essence worth digging into. I can learn more about the Gods those Champions believe in and prepare counters. The more I know about others, the easier it is for my flames to incinerate them.
Having reached this conclusion, Han ordered Hanna to come over. He handed her the Sun Essence. Hanna drew a quick breath and cradled it with a reverent grip, hands steady from long practice. She locked it in a wooden box, clearly an artifact, and left the bathroom to give it to a maid waiting outside. When she returned, Bellatrix was already sprawled on the bathroom floor, screaming.
"Aaahhh! Ahhhhh!"
Han reclined in his bathtub, recalling how he put on rubber gloves for the first time. He had aspired to be a doctor in his past life, so he had heard his share of screams during his apprenticeship. At first, it wasn’t easy to adjust to people’s pain, but he created a mantra: Pain means people are alive. It helped him calm down and accept reality.
Bellatrix’s screams didn’t affect him.
He understood that the Obsidian Cauldron was the best cauldron for his situation. After all, he was a weak warlock at the acolyte level. If Xena or Bellatrix somehow broke through the collars on their necks, it would be too dangerous.
The Obsidian Cauldron ensured he could keep their lives in his palm while using them as his servants. Other types didn’t allow such freedom.
Han eyed Bellatrix on the floor, then looked up at his old maid.
Though she was his maid, she hardly looked like someone who belonged here. Her skin had withered, her hair was bleached, and nothing about her was attractive except her experience and knowledge. Yet Han had ordered her to come to his bathroom.
Why? Hanna was about to find out right now.