"What are you daydreaming about!? Get to work!"
I was abruptly jolted back to the harsh reality of the mine. Clanking noise echoed throughout the tunnel. The miners, caked in dirt, relentlessly drove a cart laden with Magicore toward the surface. The feeble glow of torches illuminated only a small portion of the ore, leaving the rest engulfed in suffocating darkness—much like the eyes of the prisoners turned slaves, trapped in this infernal pit until their last breath.
"Listen up! You despicable cultists owe your miserable existence to the mercy of Our Lady's Heart. Therefore, you will repay Her Majesty with relentless toil!" the guard bellowed.
As sweat poured down my brow, I paused for a brief moment, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand. Suddenly, The guard's voice cut through the air like a whip. "Move that damned hand, you ungrateful cultist!" he barked, his anger seething.
In that split second, I witnessed a scene that filled me with righteous anger—a young boy, defenseless and vulnerable, about to become the target of the guard's wrath.
Instinct kicked in, and without hesitation, I interposed myself between the boy and the descending whip. "Ouch! That hurts!" I exclaimed, wincing from the sting of the lash.
"B-Big Sis, why did you...?" the boy stammered, his voice laced with confusion and gratitude.
"It's okay," I whispered, my voice filled with determination. "Go back to work. I'll find a way to save all of you."
The guard, taken aback by my defiance, clenched his fist and yanked my hair forcefully. "What's this? You dare to stand against me?" he sneered. "That's it! Confinement room for you!"
My heart raced as the guard forcefully dragged me through the cold, dimly lit corridors. Desperate to break free, I winced and tugged against his unyielding grip, but my efforts were in vain. The other miners averted their gazes.
Their silence was a testament to the all-encompassing fear that had taken hold of them. In this place of suffering, they had learned to turn a blind eye to the blatant tyranny that surrounded them. Yet death was still looming in the air, waiting for the next one to seek her embrace.
We arrived at a small, foreboding room, illuminated only by the feeble flicker of a single torch. The heavy iron door loomed before me, its rusted bars serving as a cruel reminder of the confinement room's purpose. With a forceful shove, the guard thrust me inside, and I stumbled, struggling to maintain my balance.
"You better behave yourself this time, Cultist!" He locked the door behind me with a loud clank, leaving me alone in the suffocating darkness.
Alone in the suffocating darkness, I let out a weary sigh. How many times had I been confined in this desolate room? It had become a twisted routine, a cycle of punishment and despair that seemed to stretch on endlessly.
"A month... Probably?" I muttered.
Leaning against the cold, unforgiving stone wall, I sought solace in the familiar ache that had settled in my bones. Ayunda's words echoed in my mind, recounting the tales of those imprisoned within Hexagon's walls. These prisoners, stripped of their freedom, endured life of unimaginable hardship and suffering. Their spirits were crushed, their hopes extinguished, leaving them trapped in an unending cycle of torment.
... And because of me, many innocent children were sent here. If only I wasn't so naive, leaving the fate of the children to The Black Company...
The weight of my actions pressed heavily on my shoulders, the image of innocent children suffering in this hellish place because of me haunted my every thought.
"No, I can't give up now," I said. Amidst the despair, a flicker of determination ignited within me. I couldn't undo the past, but I could still fight for redemption. I have to find a way to get the children out of here.
The seal on my Divinity had left me powerless, unable to wield the blood control that had once been my strength. How did Kiara seal me? I don't know, there wasn't any Snake Marrow attached to me! But amidst the confusion, I couldn't shake off what Kiara said.
"In this body, lay dormant many Animata, waiting to be awakened," I whispered.
Based on the research I saw in The Order Laboratory, Animata granted Malice power on par with a god. If only I could tap into their potential, I could save the children from this forsaken prison. But how? Dammit, this is so frustrating!
"Psst, can you hear me? Oiii."
A voice pierced through the suffocating silence, echoing in my ears. Was it a figment of my imagination? Or was the darkness finally playing tricks on my sanity?
"Hey, you musclehead Princess. Over here!"
Startled, I turned my head toward the direction of the voice, straining my eyes to see through the darkness. "Who's there?" I whispered cautiously, unsure if I could trust this unexpected presence.
Crackles of lightning filled the air as a small portal materialized before me. Emerging from its depths was a red-haired fairy, waving at me with a smug expression plastered across her tiny face.
"Huh, finally. Quina's barrier was really complex. It took me a while to breach it," she chimed, her voice carrying a familiar annoyance.
I... I was baffled and jumped back from the shock."T-That proudful tone... It's that you, Bianca? I-Is that really you?"
"The one and only," Bianca confirmed, flitting over to my shoulder and perching there. "Ah, yes. this is the first time you've seen my fairy form. Hmph, it's not your fault to fall in my cuteness," she boasted, her voice dripping with narcissistic pride.
The flood of emotions overwhelmed me. "I can't believe it. Y-You're still alive?" I exclaimed, my voice filled with equal parts joy and disbelief. "But how? I-I thought The Mahamagi executed you just like Ayunda."
Bianca chuckled, "Is that what surprises you? What about my form?" She twirled in the air, her wings fluttering with grace. "I'm a fairy now. Could you at least say I'm cute or something?" she pouted, pinching my cheek playfully.
"You're more than cute, Bianca. You're extraordinary, exquisite, marvelous! I would like to turn you into my personal figurine!"
Her mischievous grin widened. "That's more like it!... Wait, what?"
Bianca shook her head and started explaining, "I don't know exactly. When I woke up, finding the orphanage in ruin, suddenly something awakened inside me. Perhaps this power awakened because I consumed your blood," Bianca demonstrated, manipulating a tiny thread of blood in front of me.
"This weird power is similar to you, right? It allows me to manipulate my body freely. Even though The Black Company did hang me, one little cell in my body survived. It quickly proliferates and constructs my body completely. Well, it's kind of practical, but I lost half of my own power in the process."
"W-Wow, so that's how my power works!" I marveled at the revelation.
"You... seriously? Hmph, always with the surprise," Bianca flitted in front of me, her eyes shining with determination, "Alright. Now it's my turn to help you, Blood Witch. The others are waiting for you!"