The dimly lit room echoed with the faint sound of laboured breaths, punctuated by the occasional flutter of wings from the caged bird in the corner. Shadows danced across blood-splattered walls, casting eerie shapes in the dim light.
"Shh, why are you so frightened? I didn't even touch you," his voice, dripping with disdain, cut through the tense silence like a knife. His eyes, cold and calculating, scanned the scene before him with a sense of detached curiosity. These people, cowering before him, were weak. Were they truly the servants of the Duke's Castle?
"Look, I am merciful," he continued, his tone dripping with mock benevolence. "I'll at least leave you alive if you could just answer a few questions of mine."
Ignoring the crimson stains that adorned the floor and the lifeless bodies strewn across it, he pressed on with a desperate urgency. "It's been insanely difficult," he confessed, a hint of frustration seeping into his voice.
"How am I supposed to kill the Duke of Carostria when I don't even know what he looks like? I have no idea of his actions or his whereabouts."
As he knelt before the trembling woman, her two daughters huddled close, his presence loomed over them like a dark shadow. The air crackled with tension as he leaned in, his eyes narrowing with predatory focus.
"You don't seem willing to answer my questions," he observed, his voice laced with menace. "Are you perhaps under the mistaken impression that I will simply leave if you refuse to cooperate? Unaware of the horrors I am capable of inflicting upon those little angels behind you?"
The woman's eyes widened with fear, her pupils dilating in the dim light of the chamber. Her resolve faltered as his chilling threat hung in the air like a heavy fog. As the tip of the sword pierced her flesh, a sharp cry of pain escaped her lips, echoing off the stone walls.
"No… please, no," she pleaded, her voice trembling with terror.
"Okay, okay, let's make this easy for you," he said, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. Leaning in closer, his presence loomed over her like a shadow. "The color of his hair?"
"Black," she stammered, her breaths coming in shallow gasps.
"Pupil?" he pressed, his tone ice-cold.
"Golden," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Skin color?"
"Fair," she managed to choke out.
"How fair?" he demanded, his patience wearing thin.
"Re-really fair," she stammered, her words barely coherent under the weight of fear.
"Height?" he continued, his gaze piercing.
"A-around 7 or …or below it," she stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Perfect," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice as a cruel grin twisted his lips. Satisfaction simmered in his tone like a slow-burning ember. Rising to his full height, he turned on his heel with the predatory grace of a hunting cat, leaving her trembling in his wake.
Approaching the cage with deliberate steps, he extended his hand towards the frightened flutter of the bird within. The metallic creak of the cage door echoed in the tense silence as he freed the trembling creature from its confines. With a firm grasp, he lifted the bird, its frantic beating wings a desperate attempt at freedom.
As he turned to face the woman, two ominous shadows loomed behind him like specters of doom. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows across the chamber, intensifying the atmosphere of dread.
"Leave the woman alive," he commanded, his voice carrying the weight of impending darkness.
A flicker of relief washed over her, a glimmer of hope in the darkness. But her reprieve was short-lived as his next words hung in the air like a death knell.
"But... only the woman," he intoned, his eyes gleaming with sinister intent as he fixed his gaze upon her. The colour drained from her face, her breath catching in her throat as the realization of her fate settled like a heavy shroud.
"No... no, no, not the children, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation and fear.
----
[River Town, Lysandor]
The same bird perched on the tree branch outside my room, its gaze piercing and unwavering. It wasn't merely a bird; it felt like a wise being, observing my every move with an intensity that laid bare the depths of my soul.
A week had passed since I took on the role of Serene's teacher. Days slipped away in a blur of meditation, while my nights were spent in restless contemplation, the unyielding gaze of the bird outside my window a constant companion. In its stare, I couldn't help but sense a judgment, as though it saw through the facade I presented to the world, straight to the doubts and uncertainties that gnawed at my soul.
I had become a fugitive from myself, fleeing from the weight of responsibilities that now likely burdened others with despair. Forgotten was the essence of who I once was, reduced to a hollow vessel filled only with fragmented memories and knowledge.
My body showed no signs of improvement; the dark aura within me remained relentless, consuming me from the inside out. Despite my efforts in meditation, it persisted, stubborn and ferocious. At this rate, it would take years to cleanse myself, and time was a luxury I couldn't afford.
I needed a solution, a medium to devour this darkness festering within me. Only the artefacts of devils possessed the ability to consume such darkness, unleashing their latent powers in the process.
Closing the door behind me, I took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky. The stars still twinkled, untouched by the rising sun. This pre-dawn hour held a serenity unlike any other.
What I was teaching Serene wasn't ordinary by any means. Perhaps it was the looming threat of the darkness within me that drove me to impart her with knowledge most coveted by others.
Or was it the genuine desire to share without expectation of reciprocity? It was a spontaneous decision, one I made without hesitation, yet I couldn't recall ever feeling that way for anyone before.
As always, she awaited me in the heart of the forest, our designated training spot for the past week.
"Good morning," her greeting carried a newfound familiarity, though her aura remained elegantly poised.
"Morning," I returned, noting her observation about my choice of words.
"You never mention 'good'," she remarked.
"I will, when the morning truly merits it," I replied. "Shall we begin with today's lesson? You've made progress with the energy flow."
"Got it," she replied, enthusiasm evident in her tone.
"Up until now, you've been circulating energy in a loop, without materializing it at any point," I explained, adjusting my stance.
"Now, you'll learn to extract a portion of your flow to conjure spells, tailored to your affinity," I continued.
"How do I determine my affinity?" she inquired.
"Yours lies with thunder and fire," I stated.
"Thunder and fire?" Her voice echoed with surprise. "How can you be sure?"
"I sensed it firsthand the moment we connected. But understanding magic isn't just about casting spells; it's about realizing the potential within an empty vessel," I explained, setting the stage for the lesson ahead.
"Even the priest is unable to determine affinity. Forget affinity, he cannot even discern one's potential for magic," she muttered, casting me a questioning glance.
"Perhaps he wasn't inclined to disclose it," I speculated. The priest, skilled as he was in magic, bordered on mastery. It's conceivable that he could discern potential given enough time and concentration but determining affinity was a different subject.
"I am definitely different from them. Why are you trying to ponder on such things? Just focus on what I'm teaching you," I said firmly.
"Understood."
"Now, I will show you a spell of thunder. Try to focus on the flow of my energy. My spell will not have any words of arcane, any symbols, or any pattern. It will be just a simple flow of energy," I explained as she nodded, her gaze fixed on the flow of my energy with intent.
As I endeavored to simplify the flow, sparks began to dance around me, casting an ethereal glow in the moonlit forest. The clouds gathered ominously, obscuring the serene light of the moon. Serene, taken aback by the unfolding spectacle, instinctively stepped backward, her eyes wide with wonder.
Suddenly, a resounding judgment of thunder echoed in the distance, shaking the very ground beneath us. The earth trembled, responding to the primal force unleashed by the spell. As the thunderous roar reverberated through the forest, the air crackled with energy, and the ground quaked in response.
Amidst the tumult, Serene stood transfixed, her finger trembling as she pointed to the rumbling ground.
"That... is basic?" Serene exclaimed, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of nature's fury.
'It's good that I already isolated this space,' I thought to myself, grateful for the seclusion of our training grounds amidst the chaos of the magical storm.
"Unfortunately, the most basic," I replied, a wry smile playing at the corner of my lips.