I hear the voices before I see the faces.
"Hurry up, let me do her next."
"I haven't even started yet, moron!"
"Can't you horny dogs do that more quietly?" An annoyed man countered from the sidelines. Half of his face was covered by the collar of his dress coat.
"Shut up, Felix. A faggot has no business here." One of the men sends a condescending look over.
This remark ticks the man with the large collared coat. He never spoke another word again as he maintains his distance from the group of rowdy men. By their clothes, I can tell they're from the Sorcerer-kind's race. I don't need to think so deeply to know what they're doing this far from their hometown—Sorcerer's Nation.
Three to five men with the same cloaks are hovering over one struggling lady with pointed ears. To one side, a group of similar looking ladies and androgynous boys with pointed ears huddle over to one side, their ankles chained with a glowing red chain that doesn't have another end, but rather somehow disappears into the earth.
A few other Korrigan-kind with purer blood had transparent dragonfly-like wings, and yet, they were quite too young to fight back. Not to mention, their feet are chained to the ground so they can't fly or glide through the winds.
"D'you think we'll get a high price for these batch of slaves we caught this time?"
Excitedly, two of the five men squat overhead of the Korrigan slave as they converse.
"I don't know, but it would be a waste to not test the product before we sell them, right?" The man replies, casting a chain spell over the slave's wrists.
The man earns a few snickers and approvals from his fellows.
"She's so noisy", the man sitting on top the girl said as he slaps her twice, which earns him a louder whimper for the poor girl. "You want something else in your mouth to shut you up?" The man sinisterly starts to loosen her clothes.
The other Korrigan's had tears in their eyes, trembling all over as they hug each other for comfort.
"Why don't you cast a silencing spell on her if she's so noisy?"
"That's so boring! I wouldn't get hard without hearing her moan."
They snicker and whistle.
"Haha! Now that's a true pervert~"
Uncomfortable with all of it, the man named Felix stands up to pass his time in a different part of the woods, but not without the snide remarks from the other people.
Just when he reaches the back of tall bush, he freezes when he sees me standing in front of him. Our eyes meet, and in that moment, I feel the beating of his startled heart as I tap into his emotions.
I see. So that's how you feel about them.
I take advantage of this moment to wrap half his body in my shadow, his mouth covered. A sense of trepidation resounds in me.
Why is he so scared? I haven't even done anything to him yet.
On a whim, I decide to leave him. Facing him, I reach out to unbutton his coat. His eyes widen and he starts to struggle but it's all in vain. Only his eyes can move. As I pull the collar away from his face, he suddenly stills. A long cut over the sides of his mouth that had terribly scarred. He looks away as if not wanting to see my reaction. I have none though.
I take the coat and wear it. I've gotten used to having my face hidden, but I don't want to wear Father's mask anymore. I want to see the world now that I have control over the reins of my power, more or less.
This coat with the large collar and hood at the back is perfect for me.
As I hum in satisfaction, Felix looks back at him, puzzled.
"In exchange, I'll give you what you want most", I whisper hoarsely as I cut off our senses' connection "I'll make sure to shut them up for you."
Felix' eyes grow big like large saucers.
"What", he begins to say but was interrupted by the sound of more screaming. This time though, it's the male Sorcerer-kinds' voices ringing throughout the eerie forest.
I move past the bush to see the aftermath of my assassination. The five Sorcerer-kind didn't even have the time to retaliate; they were unprepared. With my shadow domain limiting their movements, and a shadow blade slicing their throats, the forest is now back to silence.
I glance to the female Korrigan slave near the bodies, her teeth chomping hard on her lips until it bled; her eyes apprehensive and teary as they observe my every move. Her whole body is covered in spilled blood and ragged, ripped clothes, but she can't move because of the enchanted chains on her wrists and ankles
I glance to the group of slaves on the side. They flinch as I do, but they keep silent, watching what I'll do next too.
Father always thought me to be grateful. Now that I've repaid the man named Felix, I have nothing left to do here. Let's leave. It's not like I can remove those chains anyway.
I take another look at one of the severed heads at my feet, still feeling nothing.
Well, it's not like I hate this kind of peace.
The severed Sorcerer's head had dark locks of hair. I pinch a lock of my white hair.
Wouldn't I grab everybody's attention like this if I had white hair and yellow eyes, and then roamed the other cities? Should I avoid them after all?
Just as I was thinking this, a shadow vine crept from my hand and into my hair. As if it's being absorbed, my waist-length hair had been coated black in an instant along with my irises.
Well, this is convenient.
I pat the head of an emerging shadow vine as if it was a good child. It swayed a bit before it slinked down to the ground and vanished.
Turning around, I continue my random walking in the woods again. I don't stop walking for whatever numbers of days, until slowly, the luscious green trees dwindled. Abruptly, I stare at the sight of a dark foggy forest filled with dead, withered trees and countless thorn bushes.