I heard Lualia close the door behind me, I looked at the elders with interest, I did not feel magic from them, which meant that they were mortals.
They looked from me to the girl, Lualia came forward bowing to them, resting her spear on the floor.
- Elders, my name is Lualia the huntress and I brought to you a wanderer named Rikua. - The girl addressed them. From her voice, I felt that she respected the elders sitting in front of her.
Those sitting nodded to her and began to examine me with even greater interest. After introducing us, Lualia walked away and stood next to me.
I couldn't see her face, but I could see how many elders grimaced after they found out that I was a wanderer.
- Wanderer Rikua, why did you come to our city? We do not obey the ruler of these lands, and as you should know, you violated the ancient ban on entering the forest. - A calm voice, an old man's voice, was heard from one of the places.
Turning my gaze towards the voice, I saw an elderly man, he had a long gray beard tied in a ponytail.
Judging by the sounds from behind me, the girl wanted to come forward again and answer, but the elder raised his hand and Lualia froze.
- It is commendable that you want to speak for the half-elf you brought, but I want to hear from him the reason for coming to our city. - He addressed the girl in a calm voice.
It was noticeable how the other elders nodded their heads in agreement with the statement of this elder.
Walking forward, I heard the sounds of my steps spreading throughout the room where we were.
- As the hunter Lualia said, my name is Rikua and I am a wanderer who came to your city to find the sanctuary of the gods. - I said in a loud voice, looking into the elder's eyes.
The voices of other elders were heard; surprise was felt in their faces and voices; the same elder who asked why I had arrived raised his aging hand and the voices of others stopped.
- Have you come here to find the sanctuary of the gods? Young half-elf, what can you offer us so that we don't lock you in a cage and rob you? - Another elder's voice was heard in an arrogant voice.
Shaking my head, I turned my gaze to the new participant in the conversation; he was sitting behind the elder who spoke first.
He was younger than the others, greed was visible in his gray gaze when he examined me; for him, I was an easy prey that came to them.
- I can offer your lives and the lives of those who live in this city, I think that this will be a good offer for you. - I answered them with a smile on my face.
It was clear how the elders tensed up after my words; they were not magicians and perhaps hoped that I would be an easy prey or would be ready to pay off these threats.
The elder who asked about what I could offer them rose from his seat, it was clear from his face and eyes that he was angry, the other elders tried to keep their faces calm, but in their eyes I saw how they ran their eyes over my clothes.
- You are a half-elf and also young, even if you are a magician or from an influential family, while they are looking for you, you will run out of strength. Therefore, don't be stupid, I'll repeat my question, what can you offer us to avoid imprisonment? - The elder said in a loud voice, rising above his table and resting his hands on it.
Glancing at the girl who stood behind me, it was clear that she was scared, Lualia saw my small part of the strength, but I warned her what would happen if I was attacked.
- Your life and the lives of the residents of this city. - I answered in an authoritative and cold voice and snapped my finger and released my vibrations of magic as taught by Professor Ni'Lim.
It was clear from the faces of the elders that they did not take my words seriously until they saw black figures next to them and felt burdened and unable to move.
I saw how their faces and gaze began to change, filled with shock and fear, as their lips began to tremble. With slow steps, I began to approach the tables where the elders were sitting.
Having ordered the tormentor with chains to lift the elder who was threatening me into the air, I saw how he froze without trying to resist the chains of the tormentor.
- I don't want to start a massacre here, according to Lualia, everyone who escaped from the power of the baron of these lands lives here. But if you raise a sword against me, I will not hold back. I repeat that I will save your lives and the lives of the residents of this city. Do you agree with this good proposal? - I asked in a cold voice to the elders who already looked like dead people.
I started to smell bad from a few elders, I didn't blame them or expose it as their weakness. Looking from one of the elders to the other, they nodded in agreement with my proposal.
- Okay, but so that you don't have a desire to take revenge on me or your huntress, I will show you that my magic is not harmless. - I said in a quiet voice, looking at the elder suspended in the air.
Listening to my words, many elders' eyes were filled with fear, but my last words changed their faces and looks of horror.
Having ordered the tormentor to take the elder to the center of the room and ordered to let darkness through the chains, one could see how the darkness began to move to the hands of the one hanging in the air and gradually began to darken until they became completely black.
The face of the hanging elder changed from fear to horror, he couldn't feel his arms and legs, trying to turn his head but he couldn't.
Having ordered to throw the body on the ground, I called off the tormentors and returned to the girl, I saw how she pressed herself against the door and was trembling all over with fear and her face was whiter than many elders.
Her behavior was clear to me; she didn't expect me to do something with the elder. Sometimes it's better to show my strength than to give them hope that I was in their power.
Turning to the elders and the one who was lying on the floor, I saw how they were trembling more and more.
- I hope we managed to avoid misunderstandings. Now I would like to know where I can stay until I leave your city of elders. - I turned to them in a calm voice, waiting for their reaction.
The elders shuddered at my voice and slowly looked at each other; in their looks, they did not know what to do with me after the demonstration of my power.
The elder who spoke spoke to me first looked behind me at the girl and, not understanding his behavior, I turned to Lualia.
She had a raised hand that was trembling like herself, I didn't want to scare her when she was convinced that she had attracted attention and lowering her hand the girl tried not to look at the lying elder.
- We returned earlier than necessary and my neighbor was still hunting, let him stay with me. - The girl said stammeringly addressing the elders.
There was silence in the room, the elders looked at each other, afraid to speak, it was clear from their looks that they wanted me to leave the city as soon as possible.
The girl, having spoken her proposal to the elders, lowered her hand and looked at the floor, whether she thought that she had brought me to the city in vain, I did not know.
Coughing was heard, attracting my attention and the girls, coughing was made by the elder with whom I spoke first.
- We allow the wanderer Rikua to stay with you, the huntress Luala, but if your neighbor returns, we will figure out where to move her for a while. - The elder said in a quiet voice, trembling, making sure that I was looking at him.
Turning my gaze to the girl, I wanted to tell her that she didn't have to do this, but from my gaze Luala began to tremble even more, mentally deciding to talk to her when we were left alone in silence, we left the house where the elders were sitting, along the way we came across petitioners trying to find out from Lualia can they now go to the elders.
The girl was lost in her thoughts and walked past them without answering, leaving the petitioners in the dark about her behavior.