On the second floor of what appeared to be a huge mansion, a woman sat under a pavilion bordering a blue stream. Her clothes were white and looked as soft as feathers, and her gaze was just as tranquil. She picked up a cup from the tea set on the table in front of her, settling more comfortably into her chair as the wind softly toyed with her long silvery hair. Her lashes were long, and her limbs just as slender as she crossed one leg over the other, her expression somewhat bored. She raised her gaze toward the three people sitting in front of her.
Huma and Rumena were her closest advisors, while Flixa was one of the family heads of the top three families in her clan. Even together, they would have had no consequence for turning them away, if she hadn't been curious to know why they felt the need to show up.
"You're here for a reason!" she stated after taking a sip from her cup, enjoying the spicy aroma as much as the sharp tang it left on her tongue.
She was glad to see one of them instantly begin to speak, especially since her impatience was well-known.
"Clan Lord! We are worried about Voldrak, the boy! We fear he might cause a disturbance with such strength left unchecked," Flixa spoke with a serious expression and a low bow, showing she hadn't forgotten her place despite the power she held.
"No slave has ever been freed in decades, and there's a reason for it! Now, our own slaves will think they can start rebelling!" she continued in a soft tone, knowing better than to raise her voice in a way that would annoy Adrani, as it would instantly lead to her death.
Adrani nodded slightly, turning her head to look at Rumena and Huma, gesturing for them to speak.
"We also think it sets a bad precedent. But most importantly, the power he wields is unknown. Its source is unclear. Instead of killing him, it would be better to capture him and extract it from his body," Huma spoke before Rumena took over, his face as old as Huma's, if not older, judging by the way he leaned on his staff.
"Clan master! With your control over his slave, it would be effortless to make her put something in his drink that would render him unconscious long enough for us to capture him," Rumena said, his voice trembling slightly, his age evident.
But even after they had all spoken, Adrani wasn't in a hurry to reply. She picked up her cup, which she had previously discarded, raised it to her lips, and took a longer sip, fully aware that they were waiting for her response. After a few more sips, she placed the cup back on the table, looking at each of them before finally speaking.
"I, more than any of you, am well aware of what a strange existence of power could do to my clan," she began with a faint smile on her lips, a look bordering on pride. "That's why I sent Ophari, my strongest disciple." Adrani's boast satisfied her, especially when she saw the surprise on their faces, even Flixa, who had been the most worried, visibly relaxed.
"She's to bring me his head. If she can harness his power first, then so be it, but I have no expectations!" she continued confidently. Based on the energy it took Voldrak to kill the beast, she was certain Ophari's strength would be more than enough.
A long beat of silence followed before Rumena gathered the courage to speak, despite Huma shooting him a surprised look, a silent expression of respect for Rumena's courage.
"Clan leader Adrani... I say this with the utmost respect!" he began, fully aware of Adrani's temper, which he knew firsthand, as evidenced by the missing fingers on his left hand. He'd be a fool not to avoid it if possible, but he couldn't stay silent, not with his duty.
"What if... just if Ophari is not enough?" His head bent as the air around them grew warm, sweat slowly pooling on his forehead. He couldn't say more and simply lowered his head, having said all he could. The others held their breaths, expecting their leader to lash out in anger. But instead, they heard her chuckle, an amused look in her eyes when they dared glance back at her.
"I also sent Murra! Are you satisfied?" she informed them with a smug expression and a sharp tone that made it clear that any further doubt would result in their heads rolling into the river.
Adrani lightly shook her head and picked up her cup again, only to realize it was empty, as was the pot. She had emptied it herself. 'I suppose it's time for bed,' she thought, preparing to dismiss them all when she felt it.
In the blink of an eye, a dark aura shot through the air, freezing her and everyone else in place, only to vanish a second later. The others gasped in shock, falling to their knees. Adrani, though, managed to remain seated, though it took everything she had. She wiped the look of shock from her face before anyone could see it, feeling sweat trickle down her back.
'Wha... what was that? What in the Lord's name was that?' she cursed internally, fixing a calm expression on the people around her as they scrambled to their feet, a look that suggested she was in control and fully aware of what was happening, even though she had no clue.
"You are dismissed!" she ordered. She knew that if any of them hesitated, she would bathe the ground in their blood. They bowed in unison, scrambling toward the entrance in a frantic bid to be the first to leave.
Adrani sat back, lost in her thoughts. 'That aura is stronger than anything I can conjure!' she swore under her breath, momentarily considering that it might be one of the other clan masters before discarding the idea.
'If he's not one of us... then I'll make him mine,' she realized with a wicked glint in her eye. 'Either that, or I'll have to kill him. I'll use the artifact if I have to.'