บท 25: Beyond first impressions
"Get up."
With a shaky breath, Aethelstan let go of the focus, his magic wasn't even a quarter of what it was before.
That barrier needlessly protected him yet at the same kept seeping little parts to the bond.
It was the third time his magic had been left straining, one thing or another happenig that left him suffer. He could only hope that whatever it is, that was happening, helped Adrian in the end.
But he hadn't found anything worthwhile about the bond.
It was a problem that had left him annoyed and frustrated
Yet made he had found a ticket to more information
Considering humans had a far lower age in general, once they got to that age they die, no matter how immortal they thought they were
Those life restrictions made it so they formed bonds way easier then with truly immortals like vampires or elf's.
It was already difficult to form a bond between elves or vampires yet with one of the two was thought to be impossible.
So if it happenend with humans much more then there must be records.
Avery ,a human, was send to fetch the only born vampire in a thousand years and had close contacts with the royalties must have some way too get access to them.
Aethelstan needed a way too get his hands on the much needed records, saving those five hundreds lives might not have been so bad after all.
It had taken a while before they found their way out of the labyrinth, there where some traps but nothing worth mentioning and not like Aethelstan had to deal with them.
Now they had became the two statues they saw rising and appearing out of nowhere, a wall divided them as they both made for quite a sight.
Lower body was that of a human and for a certain point they turned into vultures. It wasn't unnateral, the change seemed to happen smoothly.
They looked like ants in front of them, as they rose high and far above them.
"How..tall are they?"
"You haven't seen them before?"
A shake of his head was all Aethelstan needed to know.
Just like they where watching, the statues where watching them with wide open eyes. A golden glimmer behind them as they stared, seemingly seeking statues.
White marble was etched with silver lining, that entertwined with gold. Colours that seemed to appear over and over again since the existence of Adrian.
It was disturbing yet it suited the statues in a weird way.
"Clearly whoever made this had no ideas how humans and vultures look lik.
A person having never lived."
He makes assumpations a lot, who knows where this came from.
Another world, just like he had came from or any other race besides humans?
"One of us lies, the other speaks the truth. Find out who is who and you can continue."
"That's it?
How boring, with the whole show of moving walls and magic I thought there would be something exciting. Whatever did I expect from this village."
"Master bodyquard that's a little...."
Before Avery could once more speak, the right vultan spoke.
"Find out wich is wich or fall into the abyss."
"Who of you is lying?"
Simultaneously they answered I am not.
The frustrated that left Avery made both spectators stiffle a laugh.
That was however, before ,as if in slow motion, a marble and heavy leg lifted and hovered right above Avery's head before pummeling down.
Both Aethelstan and the chief had been lucky they didn't move forward with him, Avery's wide eyes and shocked stature was the last thing they saw before dust rose up.
Keeping himself footed with magic, he watched Kwana falter before curling up as stones fell down around them.
Erecting a shield, his magic searched for Avery, fog obstructing his view.
A fog that only settled once the statue settled back into place. Everything settled so he immediately retracted his magic.
Breaths and huff where hearable at the oppesite wall of the room, where Avery was standing. Strands of hair had gotten loose and light hazel eyes ,when had he even noticed that, where riddled with hate and anger.
"Exciting enough for you?"
"Shut! it!"
It was unimpressive, the way Avery handled the riddle. The way the statue moved, while morbid, was equally impressive as a hole stretched farther down then he could see, without using magic.
"So that's what they meant with abyss."
"Don't sound so fucking impressed. I could have died!" He's fast, noting how he appeared next to him in seconds.
"Yeah, what a shame that would be."
It had left his mouth on reflex, a side effect from spending quite a lot of time with a snarky child.
It wasn't unexpected when Avery's fist charged at him before hitting air.
With gritted teeth Avery moved his arm sideways, watching how Aethelstan just backed away.
Not even taking this seriously left Avery reeling before ,with a push of magic and a created gust of wind he practically flew towards the elf.
He was even faster now and before Aethelstan knew it his back had hit the leg of a vultan, with some apprehension he looked up and was quickly relieved that there didn't seem to be any movement.
That was the only thing he really had worried for as the fist thudded heavily marble.
On the last second he had changed direction, calming just a little.
"Why don't you take this seriously?''
"Why would I?" He was taunting him, it was never a good idea but Avery made it to easy. His lack of patience and stupidness made it easy to see what riles him up and what better way then knowing someone then knowing what riles them up and what doesn't?
It was all for the notes.
"You make it so easy, millions of years in evolution for what?
I don't even have to take this serieus.''
The venomous words where whispered yet it was obvious Kwana heard.
As he squirmed loudly and uncomfortable, with a taunting smile Aethelstan added.
''Like I said, humans."
Was it minutes before the stalemate broke? It sure felt like it before Avery hissed up an answer.
"This isn't over."
It almost never is in those cases.
"Besides if you do better, show it.''
Without saying a word he slipped past Avery's hold and turned.
"I will ask both of you a question. If you would please answer both, one after another I would be very grateful."
"Go on and ask, then we shall answer."
"Alright, so what's two plus two?'
''Four"
"Twenty-two''
With a pointed gaze towards Avery, he voiced his findings. ''The left is lying.''
As soon as the words fell, the walls and statues shimmered before dissapearing. A small tch was ingnored as the scenery was processed.
A scenery consisting of rows and rows of children, dressed in rags, sweaty and thinner then they should be.
''How many?
''Uhh.."
"It will do you good to answer, village chief.''
Whatever pleasure Aethelstan had found in taunting Avery long since vanished, as sweat covered Kwana's brow.
"178 children...in total. Right now only fifty!"
Fifty working children, that never glanced up when they had appeared.
Hands worked tiredlessly, blisters kept growing with each tug as they dissected the plans. Not one set of eyes looking anything but blank.''
''They work in pairs, they rest and eat whenever they could but they all understand that the plant gives the village what they need."
Maybe it was the quilt ,that was clearly eating away, in the chief's eyes that made him think rationaly. The empty words still hearable, words that even the chief was trying to concieve himself with.
"Anything on paper?"
"Ah yes, it is over there by the supervising adults. I shall fetch it immediate.''
With that he scurried away to the bunch of covered adults, careful to stay out of distance of the working children. Obviously not daring to go close out of fear off also falling into the dream like reality.
"Where you going to get mad or are you not capable of that?"
"Are you?"
"Only when it matters."
They just watched the countless movements of the children until a twinge of curiousty made it's why on Avery's face
"Why do you even want to protect them?
Are you proud that your morals will keep them in this nightmare."
"You can't take them, you already agreed. They already have nothing.''
''What about you?
You had freedom yet you gave it to me so easily.
Do they even deserve, aren't they after all only human?"
"They are children.''
''So you offer your freedom and bow down like a dog?"
"Somethings are worth sacrificings for, you wouldn't understand."
''I quess I wouldn't, you think your so intelligent yet it is I that holds those lives over your head.
I could make you do everything I want.
You have bowed down and kneeled before me because I said so, what wouldn't you do?
I didn't forget what happened back there and I won't.
What do you think will happen when i'm in a vengeful mood.
Will I make you cry,beat you or just straight up take you all for myself. In ways ,that you an elf, aren't even aware of?"
With a hand fisted in the other's robes Avery closed the distance, grinning at the other slight tense.
"I quess that's the way it would be then." With an uncomfortable gulp Aethelstan added.
''I trust you would go easy on an old elf. One who has had experienced your life a multiple times over."
"I wouldn't!" Expression turning sour, Aethelstan scraped away some observations on his list and added a few others.
"Why would I, your body is still in a pristine condition.''
Hazel eyes grazed over his body, a dark cloud in them as the fist thightened and pulled him closer. Breath now lingered on his ear as with gritted teeth Aethelstan listened to the words.
"Infact it's in a far better condition then most, especially at your old age." To make it just all the more entertaining, Avery's hand gripped the elf's hip thightly and quite literally slammed them even closer.
This time Avery got the reaction he wanted as Aethelstan breathed in deeply through his nose and with a glance he noticed how unsure he looked, eyes still wide.
Was it the words or the hand on his waist?
"I wonder how many faces you can make, that impassive face just makes me so curious."
Deciding to give him space, he backed off after a whisper that they would play their game of cat and mouse later.
It didn't take long before the void face was back yet the only thing Avery thought about was that if he where to do something like this again and again in the future, would the face come back so fast every time?
He really found something interesting, his tonque flicked over his lower lip. The elf's silver orb following the actions, both observing each other with cat like eyes.
''Cough..Uh..I have the..papers?"
Scoffing Aethelstan turned away ''That's for you, master bodyquard." ,before briskly walking past the two henchmen, who were caring loads of papers.
''Have fun~"
Avery could only glare as the elf vanished within the rows of children.
A golden shield from before shimmering back into existence as he walked further.
Avery was more than aware that the elf was unsettled by his vigor, how could it be anything else? He didn't even need to use his ability for that.
Pointing at the desk, the two henchmen carefully paced their bundles before with a bow, leaving.
Clearing his troath he pulled the attention of the useless chief.
"S-something wrong?''
''That golden shield that comes rising around the elf, has that happenend before.
With something or someone?''
''No..it hasn't."
It seems the chief felt bad for revealing that, quilt overtook him as the elf was the reason they still breathed.
"Run along now." With a distracting wave, he dismissed. Staring in the direction of the elf while his hands grabbed the firts folder of the pile.
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