Thalia observed the pondering look on James's face and wondered what was going through his head.
She still had no idea who James was yet she was drawn to him to such an extent, and she had to let him know that.
"Erm… James?"
"Hm?"
Turning to look at her, he inquired.
"Is there something else I should know?"
Her heart increased its pace a bit as she held both hands to her chest with her head slightly lowered.
"What I mentioned earlier about the suffocating aura you gave off? I was being serious. There's something about you that drew me close to you. I don't know what it is, but it brought out emotions and desires I've never had before."
James narrowed his eyes hearing what she said,
'Wait, she was being serious?'
Then his mind drifted back to that moment when he held Thalia in his vice grip. At the time, his body reacted more than he decided to act.
Of course, he knew his raging emotions were getting to him but he couldn't help it. Experiencing what he did would have left anyone eternally hurt, in pain and filled with rage.
But the more he thought about the incident, the face of the one called Zarek appeared in his mind as well.
That man was about to attack him but froze then and there when he turned his eyes on him.
'A raging bull wouldn't have backed down just like that.'
Then he recalled the weird actions of his betrayers when he was about to make his vow for vengeance.
'They wouldn't have let me off that easily. It was clear something they felt or saw scared them.'
He clenched his left fist and teeth strongly, yet hid his actions away from Thalia.
"Can you describe exactly how you felt in that moment?"
Without a bit more information, he couldn't make any inferences. Of course, he believed it was attributed to the anger he felt. Maybe it manifested in the aura Thalia was talking about.
"Well… while the aura was suffocating and had a dangerous feel to it, it made me feel excited. J-just like…"
"Just like how you felt a few minutes ago. Is that why you were horny?"
His blunt question brought a rad shade to her face as she nodded in response, not daring to look him in the eye.
"Also, there was your eyes. They changed into a deep menacing red."
Thalia lifted her gaze to James, directly staring into his golden eyes.
"It was what drew me in the most. What's more, looking into them felt like staring into an abyss filled with so much pain, misery and a burning desire for something dark?"
She wasn't sure how to explain the last part as it was just a feeling of hers.
His words made no sense to him.
'Red eyes? Since when did a person's eyes change without using something like a spell? But she wouldn't say something like that if she didn't see it. There is no reason to lie to me.'
Thalia continued to wait for James to process her words. She swallowed a forming lump in her throat despite the atmosphere they were in.
Even as she stood in her spot looking into his eyes, the fire that lit up in her began to burn anew. It was a new sensation, yet she enjoyed the feeling more and more as time went on.
'I can't help it.'
She swallowed again.
Of course, James was lost in thought at the moment and wasn't paying attention to her expression. Even if he did, there were things on his mind at the moment.
'An abyss, huh? That part I understand. Those bastards are going to pay dearly.'
Eventually, his gaze focused on Thalia and noticed the burning desire in her eyes. But he ignored it for the moment.
"What else can you tell me?"
"O-oh.."
She came out of her trance-like state when James spoke. She shook her head to clear her dirty thoughts before adopting a pondering look.
As she recalled the events of that day, another thing she noticed that she wasn't quite certain about was…
"I'm not really sure if it can be said as such, but in those abyss-like eyes, there was a feeling of it staring back at me. And I'm not referring to you yourself, more like another gaze within your gaze."
"Another gaze within my gaze…"
Thalia nodded as James echoed her words. She could see the confusion in his eyes and it was expected. Even she wasn't sure of what she was saying.
'I was burning within so that could be a figment of my imagination?'
The bewildered look in her eyes told James she was indeed unsure.
James continued to stare deeply at the woman who began to fidget nervously, her eyes shifting everywhere else besides looking at him.
She was confident just a moment ago looking into his eyes, now she was feeling shy? James didn't know what to make of her nature.
He grabbed her chin with his right hand and made her focus on him. A teasing smile appeared on his face, but before he could get a word out.
"Thalia?"
Both heard someone call out as they heard footsteps approaching from the woods.
"Must be Zarek."
She muttered and stepped back a bit and a moment later, the figure of her guard Zarek appeared before them.
Looking at the two people who stood too close to each other more than necessary, Zarek narrowed his eyes, suspicion in them.
'Why are they awfully close to each other?'
His expression mirrored his question, then he glanced at James who looked at him as if he was shit.
It nerved him to no end.
'I don't like that guy. He's dangerous. We don't even know anything about him.'
"Zarek, what is it?"
Thali's question brought him out of his thoughts as his gaze moved to her.
"Ah, sorry about that. The sanctuary master wants to have a discussion with us. The others will be joining in as well."
"Oh okay… I'll be there in a minute. Let me conclude what I was saying."
"Now Thalia. It is important."
He remained in his place having no intention of leaving without her. His instincts told him there was something going on between the two and he didn't like it one bit.
He subtly gritted in teeth in bitterness just looking at the two.
"Of course."
Thalia could only give in. She then looked up to James who nodded for her to go. He was not interested in getting in bed with the Order of the Sunbound. He had his own plans after all.
The subtle permission Thalia asked from James was not missed by Zarek.
'Something is definitely going on.'
James watched as the two disappeared into the woods and headed for the sanctuary. Now left alone, his mind wandered to what Thalia spoke about.
"Regardless, my plans do not change."
He clenched his fists with narrowed eyes, "What I need right now is strength. As I am now, my current power level is too low. But the appearance of the inheritance ground will help me change that."
The inheritance ground could house spells and artefacts that might be useful for his goal. And while he wasn't conceited enough to think he could have it all, he would fight for the ones he believed could help him, whatever it took.
James also knew his Stellar Attunement level strength wasn't going to be enough to fight the bastards. He wasn't naïve to not know the royals had a hand in it as well. They were all going to suffer.
That he vowed to the heavens.
"First things first."
He looked at his attire that gave away his identity as a noble. Even the very air around him felt as such.
'There is nothing I can do about that.'
His clothes, however, he could change. He also considered getting some items and miscellaneous things he might need for the journey ahead.
"The village should have the things I want."
With that, he left the riverside and headed for the village down the hill where the sanctuary stood. Since he hadn't left the sanctuary since he arrived there, he didn't have any place in mind.
But that shouldn't be much of an issue. He could always ask around.