Shocked wasn't enough to explain Mane's current train of emotions. Surprised, scared and terrified were certainly better descriptions. But they still didn't cover the full brunt of emotions that swarmed Mane when Ashera's voice reached him. He blanked out, his mind nothing but a simmering black hole. His lips shook and twitched like one suffering from involuntary, uncontrolled spasms, and his body shook like a leaf struggling against a furious storm.
His aura involuntary forced its way out of his body, as torrents of fire and lightning squirmed round him like snakes and bound themselves to him. Violent winds whipped the area around Mane, tossing the coffee table before him to one of the ends of the room. As Mane clenched his fists a black aura clothed him fully, accepting him in its embrace. His golden locks grew into red knots that hissed angrily at the current circumstances. He was still seated, with his arms placed on his laps like a calm gentleman. But his reaction suggested that he was anything but calm. His greatest secret was known to one whom Mane knew nothing about.
Mane's strange actions didn't go unnoticed by Rose and Sunflower. When Mane asked his question, they had seen their Mistress smile and then go quiet. Only for Mane to suddenly have such a violent reaction a couple of seconds later. They didn't need to be told that their Mistress had given a reply telepathically. And whatever it was, it shook the young boy to his very core.
Rose only furrowed her brows slightly at the amount of power that was being displayed by someone who was merely at the 1st Stage of the Earth Realm. Although she felt no threat to herself, she could confirm that this kind of strength and power was enough to handle anyone below the Nobility Realm. Even those with a foot in the Nobility Realm would fall when faced with the full brunt of this power. This kid was indeed as extraordinary as their Mistress said.
Ashera only smiled upon witnessing Mane's reaction. There was a slightly mischievous and satisfied expression in her eyes. Both twinkled with a bit of delight, seemingly taking pleasure in another's misfortune. She was quite pleased with Mane's reaction to her revelation. Feeling her Scholar Level rising rapidly and stopping at the peak of the Scholar Queen, she was elated. She had been stuck at the Middle stage of the Scholar Queen level for centuries. However, just a simple statement had caused her to break through two small levels, allowing her to skip past the High Stage to the Peak of a Scholar Queen immediately.
As for Sunflower, she was the most ill-informed amongst the three, and was quite wary of what she was seeing. And this wasn't because she was weak. She and Rose shared a similar wielding level as she was also a Noble. Mane's aura didn't deter her in any way. And though she was surprised by the power contained within Mane's aura, making her understand that the boy was not a mere Earth Realmer, it was something else that intrigued her. She had been with Mane for the past hour, trying to glean sensitive information from the boy. And though she learned much about him, as he did from her as well, both didn't give away anything of significance, no matter how strongly the other probed. She had tried everything to get him to speak. Even occasionally taking off his blindfold so that he would have no choice but to stare unblinkingly at her seductively wet figure was not enough. For he had remained unbroken. He was very uncomfortable, but never had he shown any reaction even close to anger. She was curious, eager to know what exactly her Mistress said that had Mane so ballistic. However she couldn't have him raging for long.
"Calm down," Sunflower was still next to Mane. Even though the table and every other thing within range had been sent flying by Mane's aura, she stood firmly next to him. It was going to take more than some feeble wind to push her even an inch from her position. Her soft hand gently landed on Mane's shoulder when she spoke. She easily passed through the scorching barrier of fire and lightning and allowed her hand to rest on his shoulder. She squeezed slightly with as little Edict as she could muster, and Mane's aura was diffused like a deflated balloon.
"My apologies," Mane took several deep breaths to calm himself. He unclenched his fists and teeth. Ashera knowing about him being a Supreme was unexpected. And he certainly didn't want that. But what could he do? He was still injured, and even if he wasn't, there was no way he could handle any of the three sisters, much less Ashera. He was totally helpless. And that feeling of helplessness infuriated him more than anything else.
"Pardon me. I need to clear my head." Mane announced before getting up and leaving. Although it was very rude to do so and in the manner he had done it, Mane was too muddled to consider any of that now.
"You!" Rose's eyes burned with anger seeing how arrogantly Mane was behaving. How could one dismiss himself before her Mistress as though he owned the place!
"Stay still," Ashera lifted her hand and stopped Rose from making any movements. The Edict that was coagulating around Rose disperse, and the cold woman refrained from doing anything rash. Yet her eyes which followed Mane were full of hostility.
"Are you okay?" Ashera spoke to Sunflower the moment Mane disappeared behind the door. Rose frowned slightly and then examined Sunflower more thoroughly, her eyes roaming past her sister's figure and rested on her hand. Rose squinted slightly when she saw the state of Sunflower's hand. And she understood why Ashera was asking of her sister's wellbeing.
"It will heal in a few minutes," Sunflower waved her slightly blackened hand and said. The hand that she had used to stop Mane was not much different from before. However, that was only upon a shallow examination. A more thorough look would reveal a few red spots in her palm and a slightly blackened backhand. It seemed that moving past Mane's elemental barrier was much harder than it looked.
"How?" Ashera asked. Although fire and lightning were especially powerful aggressors, lightning especially, they should have posed no harm to Sunflower.
"That dark aura," Sunflower spoke slowly as she gently massaged her hand. The reddened spots were slowly being restored and her backhand was quickly returning to its original color.
"The fire and lightning were easy to get past," Sunflower explained. "But that dark aura was menacing. There was a violent energy in there that I have never felt before. It actually tried to invade my body." Sunflower added.
"It tried to invade your body?" Rose was so stunned that she spoke out of line. She had forgotten that her Mistress was doing the questioning. It wasn't like Ashera minded though. She furrowed her brows in thought when she heard Sunflower's words, seemingly contemplating something.
Heaven Realmers had energy coats that protected them from injury. Nobles had similar coats. But their coats were called Law Coats and they were much more powerful that a Heaven Realmer's energy coat. For something to try to invade a Noble, it must first breach the Law Coat. What Sunflower was essentially saying was that Mane's dark aura was able to breach Law Coats!
"Did you learn anything useful from him?" Ashera asked whilst stroking her chin.
"No. He was quite skillful. He dodged every sensitive question." Sunflower shrugged helplessly. Her hand was fully restored now. One couldn't even tell that it was burned only a few moments earlier.
"Hmm," Ashera frowned.
"Why don't you just search his mind for what you want Mistress," Rose asked. She didn't really like the boy. So her suggestion was naturally one that had some risks.
"No," Ashera shook her head immediately without stopping to even consider that option. "Even trying to read his mind is taxing. The boy has a strong will. Unless he allows me, I could damage his mind by forcefully trying to read it. Even then, it is unlikely that I would find the information I seek."
Sunflower secretly breathed a sigh of relief when Ashera rejected Rose's suggestion. She felt it would be a shame to harm someone with such talent. Luckily her Mistress shared her sentiments. And though it was a bit surprising that Mane had the power to resist Ashera's mind reading to a certain degree, it was acceptable.
"Besides, I need his strength more than I need his brain," Ashera added. Rose nodded her head in response to her Mistress's words. After all, she knew why her Mistress had brought the boy here.
"What are you not telling me?" Sunflower frowned and asked. Mane was too weak to do anything now. For Ashera to say that they needed his strength meant that there was something else that they weren't telling her. And with how her Mistress and Rose loved to keep secrets between just themselves, she wouldn't be surprised if they had left Daisy and herself out again.
"I will tell you later Sun," Ashera smiled comfortingly and said. "For now I need you to return to the boy. You will be the one in charge of his needs during his stay. And he would be staying for a long time." Ashera looked more like she was pleading with Sunflower than commanding her.
"Fine," Sunflower trudged out of the room begrudgingly having been refused her request. She didn't forget to bang the large door on her way out.
*Bang*
"You seem to detest the boy," Ashera smiled and said to Rose. Naturally she could sense Rose's dislike for the boy. And Rose's earlier suggestion, even after she knew of the boy's importance, suggested this.
"He treated you harshly Mistress," Rose coldly stated. Ashera smiled hearing her words. Of the three sisters, Rose was the most calculating. But she was also the harshest. She loved strongly and hated harshly.
"While I am pleased that you lost your bearings for my sake, don't forget his identity. He is a Supreme. Gods and Ascenders will fall at his feet when he comes into himself. His status is naturally much higher than mine." Ashera reminded Rose.
"I will keep that in mind Mistress," Rose replied, although it didn't look like she was going to do anything of the sort.
"Sunflower certainly seems to have a favorable impression of him. And that means that he is a good child." Ashera stated and Rose nodded her head. Her sister had never served anyone before. But now she was being asked to do it for the long term. Yet she didn't complain or grumble. This showed that she didn't dislike the boy.
"Her eye for character has always been good. Give the boy some leeway would you?" Ashera smirked.
"As you wish Mistress," Rose bowed slightly and said.
"Besides, he needs to get stronger quickly, which means you sisters have to start training him. So you must learn to bear with him."