Capítulo 30: Zyila Ilva Lovisa

Deafening silence enveloped the battlefield, leaving Zariel smiling mirthlessly. He could see the fear in his ally's and enemies' eyes but felt nothing of it.

"We can continue, and you can all die here, or we can make a deal. Which will it be?" He asked, enforcing his voice with Arcana so that it echoed far and wide for all to hear.

"Malos! Are you bloody mad!" Selene shouted, rushing towards him. "They tried to kill us."

"As I said, that happens a lot," Zariel responded. He ignored Selene's appalled expression, turning towards the seven or so Drow within the barrier Selene created. Outside the barrier, several more Drow stood banging against a barrier created by a Sixth Star Arcanist.

"Wake up your leader and ask him. You've ten seconds." he relayed, seamlessly sliding his sword back into his cage.

Selene was more than astounded. By herself, it would be no issue to have slaughtered the Drow if she so chose. They were weaklings who lacked the fundamentals of the seven branches of magic and martial arts. They were all outcasts. Vagabonds that their clan disowned. Selene could tell that much. However, she never expected someone like Zariel to wipe them out the way he did.

'And the way he caught the Firebolt,' She thought, shaken to her core. 'But what is he trying to do? What deal could he make with bandits?'

Zariel quickly waited for some of the more experienced Drow who knew [Restoration] to come forward to aid their leader. They managed to stop the bleeding, mending one of his eyes that was heavily scorched by the flames of Firebolt when he was stirred awake.

The battle in him was all but dead.

"W…what…do… you want?" Tovekien said weakly, his lungs scorched by the flames, leaving a numbing creeping up his skin.

"There is no saving you," Zariel said with a calm grin. He approached him, alerting the Drow, but no one attacked. And with a snap, the winds began to generate a sort of noise, its density somehow not allowing noise to enter or exit.

"Fascinating," said the Countess. 'How is he doing that? Is it wind magic?"

"Dumb-Dumb can't use elemental magic.' Aurelia said, studying her new sword. "He's vibrating the sound waves to generate a field. I think it's called Silence… or it's similar to that spell."

"My Lady!" Jessica said. "We've one injured. A flesh wound. However, nothing of concern. But…" She glanced at Tommen cowering behind his carriage. "All his men died. What are we to do—"

"Kill him," Selene voiced. "He was probably in on it."

"And the slaves?"

"Free them. I don't care so long as they're not in our way," she continued.

Jessica nodded, advancing on Tommon when he squealed. " Wait Wait! Wait! I—"

"Ah, not yet," Zariel called as the wall of silence fell. "I've got a question for that one." he glanced back at the sullen eyes of the Drow and said, "And don't forget to spread the word to those you rob. Whatever you want, whether it's money, power, increased lifespan, or knowledge, come find me. I'll be in Salem. Anyway, thanks for the business, gentlemen."

He hurried on over to Tomman. "Now, who hired you to move these slaves? You're the broker, right?"

Tommen nodded, tears burning his eyes. "Y-Y-Yes," he said in a squeaky voice.

"Who?"

"A dwarf by the name of Thran," he said hurriedly. "M'lord, why not spare me? I'll sell you all my slaves."

Zariel raised an amused brow. "Sell me? Come now. You can do better than that."

Tommen quickly caught on. "Forgive m'lord. I might have mispoken. Allow me to gift you these slaves."

"That's a little better. But I'm more interested in this Thran. Can you draw?"

"No, m'lord, the gods have not gifted me with such a talent."

The boy scrunched a brow. "You're getting to be useless. Any descriptive features aside from being short?"

Perspiration seeped from out of Tommen, trailing down the folds of fat. "He wields a hammer, one of pure gold on his back."

With a composed look, Zariel gave a nod. "Alright, you can kill him now," he said, turning towards a small girl smeared in all kinds of filth. She looked as if she'd been smeared in dung.

"No, No, No NOO!" Screamed Tommen for one last time as Jessica's sword became smeared.

"High Elf… You'll be coming with me," Zariel said. "I'm in need of your pure blood. Be good. And I'll allow you your freedom.'

The little girl's gaze turned to meet the lifeless eyes of her new capture. "My blood," she said, her tone like sweet honey. She tilted her head, studied by the boy who looked to be her age. "Why?"

"Your blood is closest to the Source than just about anyone I've met so far." he said and thought, 'All but Aurelia, whose blood seems purer than the Source itself.'

"And if I refuse?"

Zariel tilted his head," Can you refuse?"

The little girl bit her lip. Her eyes began to burn, the hope she had falling through her fingers. "Is that all you want? My blood?"

Selene approached with a heavy heart. The thought of a high elf being caged did not sit well with her. Nor would it be with the elvish High Council.

Elves, especially High Elves, were known for their community towards each other. With enough training, they were all guaranteed to reach the sixth Star of cultivation. It is so rare that it's said that a High Elf comes around at most every thousand Years. And sometimes not even then.

"Malos, I don't think it's wise for you to bring her to Trinity. Especially as a slave. That could get complicated."

"I want merely her blood. I don't really care what happens to her. Take her in as a student if that makes you feel better." Zariel pointed towards the girl, casting a cleansing spell to wipe the muck off her.

Twinkling starlight danced along the high elf-like rain, revealing her pale white skin and hair so blonde it appeared white. Her eyes were almond-shaped, beady with an innocent countenance that came from her young age.

"She's pretty," Aurelia exclaimed.

"Is she?" Zariel mused, not seeing it. Then again, he didn't know what pretty was. The word itself meant little before the perfection of the Weave. The boy touched the cage, turning it into dust, and shrugged in an unconcern manner. "Well, whatever, what say you, girl?"

The High Elf bit her lips and bowed, submitting herself to her fate.

Paying the girl no more attention, Zariel gently tapped his scorched carriage, transfiguring it anew, and stepped in to rest.

"How things are going to get all the more complex." Selene mewled. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a messenger orb, and stepped into the forest to make a call to the Headmaster to inform him of all that had transpired.

Jessica dealt with the other slaves, allowing them to run free while her men began moving the dead horses from their carriage, exchanging them out with Tommens.

In about ten minutes, Selene returned just in time to see Aurelia helping the young elf into the carriage.

She entered the carriage and sat beside the Elf while Aurelia and Zariel sat together. And with a jerk of the carriage, they were off once more. She had noticed blood and dirt that had mattered their clothing from battle gone, cleansed away by the same magic that had been used to clean the High Elf.

"Hi! I'm Aurelia Morningstar! What is your name?"

"Zyila Ilva Lovisa," The High Elf said, the name a little unfamiliar on her tongue. 'When was the last time I used that name?' She wondered. She liked the feeling.

"Ahhh! What a pretty name!" Aurelia said, a little too excited. She leaned in her glistering golden eyes, swirling with wonder. "Well, Zyila, do you want to be Aurelia's friend?"

The young High elf tilted her head. "Friend? You want to be friends with a slave?"

Aurelia giggled. "But you're not a slave. Right Dumb-Dumb?"

"I just want her blood. She's free to do whatever she wants." The boy repeated, sensing the several souls within his core transferring essence into his Dantain. Catching and redirecting that Firebolt had stolen nearly half his of Astral Qi. A harsh smile lifted to his lips. He could sense it now. The power that he sought.

Imagery of motions filled his mind, recounting the battle in a frame that measured every possible action and gesture down to the expression of fear and reluctance through his mind's eye. He was fighting there, his sword dancing quite differently from what he showed to the world. And in new ways, he began experimenting with his Astral force, seeking to understand the power whirling through him.

Selene watched, measuring the motionless rhythm the boy held as the carriage rumbled over the stones. He alone was still as if the world was moving around him.

'One with the world,' she thought, slowly realizing how little she knew of the boy. 'Just who is this monster?'

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