Everybody in the campsite was sleeping peacefully, snoring like they have paid all their debts in this life.
Alvina was dumbfounded that how could they sleep so peacefully after something big has happened to them. They all were just at the brink of death just a few minutes ago. they could have been killed like that innocent guard just for explaining something or that innocent thin boy is they have come in contact with the aura of the magic.
Guess it is common for the criminals to see someone dying.
Alvina was wide awake among those criminals. It wasn't because she was afraid of them. It was because of that disturbing scenes that she had witnessed earlier. She couldn't even fantom the idea that just because someone carries a sword, then he is allowed to kill anybody without blinking. they didn't even care about the family members that are left behind, of the people they murdered.
'A hand carrying a blade is stronger than the others.'
With this thought in mind, Alvina took out her dragged from her hand-made pouch and started polishing it. The sound of the friction of her blade and stone woke a man who was sleeping near her.
He got up and approached her. Alvina became startled. She pointed her blade towards him and asked threateningly, "What do you want?"
He rose both of his hand in the air in surrender and chuckled. He said, "It is not something a child should play with."
Alvina glared him in response making him chuckle once again.
"Can I sit?" he asked, pointing at the space beside her.
Alvina remained silent and the man took it as a 'yes' and sat beside her. He said, "We have a long day tomorrow. I think you should sleep."
"I can't sleep," Alvina replied after a long pause.
He chuckled once again and started looking at the fire burning in front of them.
"You know it will get easy," he whispered still looking at the burning flames.
"What?" Alvina questioned.
"Your second time," he replied looking at her.
Seeing Alvina's clueless face he explained, "When you will see a person dying in front of you the second time, it won't be this painful. You will able to sleep then."
Alvina closed her eyes in pain and the scene of her village burning and a lady carrying her dead child flashed before her eyes.
She opened her eyes and said with a pain in her voice, "This wasn't the first time."
She thought in her heart, 'this wasn't the first time that people died because of her, nor this would be last.' She knew better than anybody that they will stop with the death of her only.
"Who do you think is responsible for their deaths?" The man beside her asked suddenly after a long pause.
Alvina became shocked. It was as if he had read her mind.
By reflex, Alvina was about to say 'me' but stopped herself in time and shook her head.
"It's them." The man said. "They have killed thousands of children, burnt their houses, killed their families so that they can't produce any offspring that will carry magic."
Alvina was startled to hear this. She thought that they have killed all those people in search of her. But no, they had done worst than this. They have destroyed so many lives.
"Why?" Alvina whispered.
"They fear that one day a child having magic will uproot their dynasty. He will take his throne and will rule this kingdom." He explained. "I think that the child didn't really have to be a wizard to dethrone them. With so much blood in their hands, it is only a matter of time when there will be a revolt. He explained further.
Alvina who was absorbing this information like a sponge sucked a deep breath.
"So there is no wizard alive?" she asked.
"There are few. Some of them are in hiding and some of them are nurtured by the queen to kill any other living wizard, since young. The man who sniffed the air today he was a wizard, working for the queen. It is said that he is the best among the best."
They remained sitting by the fire deep in their own thoughts. After some time the man looked at the sky and said, "It will be morning soon, go to sleep."
Alvina nodded. He got up from the seat and went to his own to sleep.
**********
The next day, they were all once again tied and put in their wagons and they started moving to their destined place.
They walked for the whole day under the sun and reached a place called Elohim.
Alvina was blown away by the scene in front of her. In front of her was a ruin of some palace or something. Looking at the standing pillars and the fortress that was still fighting against time, she could guess that it was a castle.
The area around her was black and the whole ground was covered in soot. It seemed that not long ago this place was burned down.
"Castel Elohim! This is the famous Castel Elohim." She heard someone speak. They were the groups of boys who were also charged as petty criminals and were brought there along with her.
"How do you know about this?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, I live in the near city and the news travels. Some months ago this whole castle was burned down by the Masked Troupes. It was said that they had the genes that carry magic." He said in a hushed voice.
Alvina sucked a long breath and once again looked around her. This place can surely pass out as a haunted place.
"What's the smell?" The same boy asked no one in particular.
"Bodies... dead bodies," Alvina answered pointing at a particular place. They can see lots of bodies sprawled around the area. Some were fully burnt and some were half burnt. Flies and other insects were buzzing around it. Upon closer look, they could see the whole area was covered in dead black, burnt bodies.