บท 8: Priorities
[Music Recommendation: Achilles Come Down ~ Gang of Youths]
Kael's sun-gold eyes lazily gazed through the path that the young, foolish human had taken. In all his life as a supreme being, not once had anyone interrupted him while talking, and despite having his hood on, he was sure his eyes were visible. Why wasn't the girl scared of him?
The shuffling movement of the old man caught Kael's attention. He now turned his gaze, settling on the man's struggle to lift the heavy bag.
"How... amusing. You think you can fool me with this charade," Kael drawled, pushing Ballister, who was still deep in sleep, to the other side of his hand. "You can put the act away now... I see through your little disguise."
The old man raised his face, the wrinkles that made his face sag covering his eyes. The color of his skin looked like clay mixed with dirt. "I do not know what you mean, good sir."
Kael raised his hand, mirth dancing in his eyes as he gave the man a patronizing smile. "I see," he hummed thoughtfully, as if thinking about the man's words. He continued, saying, "I should help you then, shouldn't I?" As he said this, tiny balls of fire formed on his fingertips before they grew bigger. The old man raised his hand in surrender.
"Stop!" This time, his voice was contorted, forming both a male and female voice. Slowly, the hunched back straightened, with the cracks of bones being heard like the snapping of twigs as the witch tried to straighten its body.
Kael's face scrunched up in disgust. "How tedious. Everything about witches is so painfully predictable, aye?" His voice dripped with disdain.
The witch continued to transform, its neck moving to the side as the dirty, sagging flesh smoothed out, revealing fair and unblemished skin. The hunched old man now morphed into a beautiful young lady dressed in an elegant brown gown.
"Mhm," she murmured, moving her neck to the side to crack the last stubborn bone that caused her stiffness.
Kael's face remained impassive, unmoved by the transformation. "I'm glad you changed," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "It would have been distasteful to end your life in that form."
"I knew I recognized you from afar... that great power," the witch grinned, revealing her black teeth that looked like she had chewed coal. "You are the great Night Ruler Kael Valois. You're as legendary as you are ruthless."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You know all that, and yet your transformation seems to have overlooked your teeth. Do you not know that I hate tardiness? Correct that, if you please. I have time to spare before I end your meaningless life."
"I am Lilith, Great Kael. Someone you will find very useful... not just for the spells I will make to aid you, but my beauty and the arts I have mastered will prove most pleasing to a man of your refined taste." The young woman swayed her waist to the side as she tried to make seductive strides closer to Kael.
Kael nodded, his eyes roving over the witch's hips before slowly rising to meet her gaze. His expression remained calm, giving nothing away. Just as Lilith drew closer, Kael raised his hand, and a dark, shadowy energy erupted from his palm. Without touching her, the energy wrapped around her neck like a noose.
"Ah!" Lilith gasped, struggling to breathe as her legs lifted off the ground.
Kael's hand constricted, his grip tightening around the force that was choking the witch. "Pity, you said 'man'. I am beyond that." Lilith's legs flailed wildly as she struggled to breathe, her face purpling.
"Aha!" Kael exclaimed as if he was not ending a life. "The Wanderers, have you been weaving spells for them too? While I was sleeping..."
The black witch's hands grasped at her neck, desperation etched on her face. "I didn't... I promise... I'm just a crone; people seek my counsel and that's all... but I heard..." She gasped, fighting for air. "I heard it's the Bane; they're the ones casting spells for the Wanderers."
Letting out a low hum, Kael smirked. "Bane and Wanderers. The useless always flock together." His palm relaxed, granting Lilith a fleeting moment of relief before he snapped his fingers, cracking the bone in the witch's neck. With lifeless eyes wide open with shock, the witch slowly vanished into thin air as black smoke.
The bustling market crowd remained oblivious to what had just transpired as they continued with their night activities.
"Time to go, drowsy darling," Kael whispered, gently pushing Ballister away from him. But the boy didn't fall to the ground; his eyes slowly fluttered open as he rubbed the sleep from them.
Ballister looked around, disoriented, before his memories came flooding back. His eyes widened in alarm as he recalled the events leading up to his blackout. "T-the body! Where is it? We need to bury it now!" he exclaimed, looking around for the human girl's body.
Kael frowned, feigning confusion. "What body? The witch vanished, Balli. No need for burial."
Ballister's gaze narrowed, his mind racing. "No, I mean the human girl... Did you turn her into an animal or something? Poor thing," his voice tinged with concern.
Kael clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock innocence. "Balli, my fragile soul is hurt by your words. How could I? I would never harm a person..."
Ballister's eyes scanned the area, his gaze settling on the old man's bag. "And what about the witch? You killed her, didn't you?"
Kael's expression turned disapproving, his voice dripping with sincerity. "Mmm, the witch vanished, Balli. Killing is like stabbing with a knife. I didn't do that. Trust me, I've changed. My short slumber... it altered something within me. You might not believe me, but I assure you, I am now a changed person."
Ballister inwardly rolled his eyes, familiar with this routine. Every time his master woke, he proclaimed a newfound change, only to be followed by chaos.
"Let's go home, Balli," Kael sighed, adjusting his hood.
Ballister pointed toward the Wanderer, now sitting beside the young man she had been observing. "And the Wanderer?"
Kael paused. "We have something to do first before we greet the Wanderers properly," his gaze drifting to the side, where two men were engaged in a heated brawl. He hummed.
"Shopping isn't complete without food, Balli. Let's acquire those two men."
Ballister's brows shot up in surprise. "But you claimed to be a changed person..."
Kael chuckled, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "I didn't say I'd die of hunger, Balli. Priorities, my boy! Bring food home, quickly!"
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