Chapter 61 - The Power of Thunder and Wind (Part 1)
Kinue:
"N-Nathan…" I tried to speak, but the sound that came out of my mouth was muffled by the gag.
What now? I… I put us in danger. What's going to happen to us?
I was terrified. Nathan and I had been gagged and blindfolded, and we were thrown into a carriage, being taken somewhere. The carriage was moving very fast, and I could hear them talking.
"If you try to use that strange magic again, we'll hurt you and your friend," a voice warned me.
I nodded in fear.
If I were as strong as the professor, this would never have happened…
A few tears ran down my face as I began to cry.
"Quiet," one of them said, giving me a kick.
"Ah!" I whimpered in pain.
I curled up on the floor, barely able to move because they had tied me up so tightly.
"Don't damage the merchandise, or we'll be in a tough spot," another bandit's voice said.
I felt someone's back against mine, and then Nathan's voice whispered to me.
"It's okay, only you can hear me," he whispered. "I managed to loosen the gag a bit, and I'm using the wind to carry my voice to your ear."
Nathan started to explain his plan to me.
Nathan Evenhart:
"And the others?" one of the bandits asked.
"They should already be here with the other girl. We couldn't wait too long, or it would draw attention," another responded.
We had been carried somewhere and thrown to the ground. I noticed the floor was wooden, and the temperature had gotten a bit warmer, so we were probably inside a house.
They removed the blindfold, and I could finally see where we were. It was a simple wooden house, with a staircase leading down to a basement.
"Get up," one of the men ordered.
I looked at Kinue and saw that even though I had tried to calm her down, the fox girl was still crying.
I'm sorry, but it was the only way...
I pushed those thoughts aside and stood up.
One of the men, who I recognized as the baron's butler, approached us.
"The other girl is missing," he said.
"It's fine. Just having the demi-human will be worth it," the baron replied, stepping closer to me and Kinue.
One of the bandits approached him.
"Sir, one of them is a mage—either the girl or the boy. I'm not sure which one used magic."
The baron's eyes widened as he walked over to us.
"What did you say? This plebeian might be a mage? Are you certain?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. I think I saw her using some strange magic."
The baron moved closer to Kinue and grabbed her by the hair.
"Use it! Use your magic, I want to see it!" he demanded as he removed her gag.
"Bastard," I spat, pushing my gag out of my mouth.
The man glared at me and punched me in the face.
"You're a piece of trash daring to speak to me like that?"
The baron punched me in the stomach, and I collapsed to the ground as he started kicking me.
"Stop! Stop!" Kinue screamed, "I'll use my magic."
He paused and turned to her.
"So, you are a mage?" he asked.
Kinue nodded.
"Untie her. I need her hands free," he ordered.
The soldiers exchanged glances.
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Do it already!" he commanded.
A few soldiers approached Kinue with a knife and cut her ropes.
"Use your magic, or I'll have my men punish your friend," the baron threatened.
Kinue looked at me, trembling as she raised one hand. She tried to concentrate, but the magic wouldn't come.
"Are you messing with me?" he demanded.
"She's scared, you idiot. The magic won't work," I said, earning myself another kick.
Kinue tried again, and a small yellow ball of light appeared in her hand before flickering out.
"My god, a mage! You're worth your weight in gold!" the man exclaimed.
He grabbed her by the hair.
"If I marry a mage, I can rise in the nobility. Even if you're half dog, I can still make money by selling you if things don't work out."
"Please, don't hurt my friend..." she pleaded.
The baron turned to his soldiers.
"We've struck gold. We need to get out of here by first light. Tie them up and throw them in the basement."
The butler grabbed me, and another bandit took Kinue.
We were dragged down to the basement and tossed into a small room.
"If you try anything, I'll beat you to a pulp!" one of them yelled before slamming the door shut.
I sighed, then looked at Kinue, who was trying to sit up.
"Nate... are you okay?" she asked.
I used electricity from my fingers to cut through the ropes.
"I'm fine. What about you?" I asked, generating a small blue light in my hand so I could see her face.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... it's all my fault," she sobbed. "I always bring harm to those around me..."
It seems like you still haven't moved on from your past.
I moved closer and hugged her.
"It's okay, Kinue. Remember what I told you? This was the plan."
"But still... it's because of me. I don't deserve to have friends... I don't deserve anything. Everything precious to me... I end up losing it," she said, her voice breaking with sobs.
I held the hug for a moment longer, then let go.
"I'm going to fix this, Kinue. I was going to let someone else handle things upstairs, but now it's personal. I'll prove to you that you won't lose anything..."
I'm going to show the little Icarus inside you that there's still hope, but to do that, I'll have to channel a bit of General Icarus myself.
I stood up and walked toward the door.
"What are you going to do?"
I placed my finger inside the keyhole and used the wind to jostle the lock, unlocking the door.
"I'm going to take care of things. Stay here. I don't want you to see what's about to happen."