บท 5: Elisa Dalma
A dazzling ball of energy swelled in the evening sky above Iskar City, casting a shining glow that painted the clouds. As the luminous orb reached its climax, it exploded, leaving a mesmerizing light lingering over the city like a celestial beacon.
In a chamber within the Dalma Knight's headquarters, a young woman in her early twenties sat amidst paperwork, her beauty accentuated by big black eyes and a round, fair face framed by cascading black hair, She wore a dark knight armour that complemented her stoic demeanour.
Knock! Knock!
A sudden knock echoed through the door, prompting the female knight to grant permission to enter. The door creaked open, revealing a young man clad in black knight armour. Urgently, he addressed her, "Deputy Commander, we have an urgent call for backup."
Surprised, the young woman looked up and inquired " From where ?"
The knight replied, "It's coming from the western side of the city."
Without hesitation, the captain, with a sense of urgency, left her office and headed to the backyard of the Dalma Knight's headquarters. There, a troop of more than ten knights, donned in dark armour, stood beside their pegasuses, awaiting her command.
As the captain arrived, she swiftly mounted a pegasus and ordered the waiting knights to move. The squadron took flight, their dark silhouettes against the night sky, bound for the western side of Iskar City.
Flying over the city wall, the knights directed their pegasuses towards the location of the urgent call. In the distance, they spotted three pegasuses, and as they drew nearer, they discovered the bodies of two knights in dark armour. Standing beside them, Fray observed their approach with a stoic expression.
With a cold expression, the female knight recognized Fray. Landing in front of him, she approached and questioned him, "Fray!"
Fray, seemingly unperturbed, replied with a casual tone, "Hi, Elisa. How have you been?"
Elisa's dark eyes bore into Fray, her expression stern. "Why did you attack the knights? They held the Dalma title even though you can't kill them without reason" she questioned, the icy tone cutting through the night air.
Fray, maintaining his stoic demeanour, met her gaze. "I'll explain, but not here. Can we talk in private?" he asked.
Elisa hesitated, her suspicion evident, but after a moment, she nodded. "Fine, let's return to the city."
....
In Elisa's office, Fray and Elisa faced each other across a coffee table. Elisa, arms crossed, locked eyes with Fray and demanded, "Explain."
Maintaining a calm expression, Fray recounted the events leading up to the encounter with the knights, emphasizing their unusual behaviour.
(So, he did it alone. He took down two elite knights without a scratch?) Elisa, though impressed, remained sceptical. "Why should I trust you?" she asked, suspicion lingering in her tone.
Fray, stoic as ever, responded, "I'm sure you already believe me, you noticed it – most of your knights, despite your authority as the head of the Dalma family knight, are loyal to the sixth and first brother. Is it far-fetched to think they'd want me gone upon learning of my return?"
Elisa, studying Fray's features, hesitated before questioning, "How can I be certain you're telling the truth? You could have spared them for questioning."
"I lacked the strength to incapacitate them without causing harm, and I needed the discretion to talk to you without drawing attention," Fray explained seriously.
"And why do you want to talk to me?" Elisa inquired, her gaze unwavering.
Fray's tone remained straightforward as he revealed his intentions, "I plan to rejoin the succession battle, and I'm seeking your support."
Elisa Dalma, 23 years old and the second child of the Dalma family, stood firm in her decision to step away from the succession competition, despite being one of the strongest members of the family. As the deputy commander of the family knights' troops, her talent, power, and personality made her a prime candidate to lead, but she chose a different path.
"I left the succession competition, and I'm not planning to come back, no matter the reason," Elisa stated with an uninterested expression.
"Yes, I left too, but we have to return. Something big will happen soon, and we need the power of the family," Fray urged with sincerity.
"Sorry, Fray, not interested," Elisa responded firmly.
"You can't stay out of this, even if you wanted to," Fray said with a serious tone.
Silence hung in the air as Elisa contemplated his words.
"After we gave up on the competition, they became very strong. They can even control your men, and they see us as a threat. Sooner or later, they will come for both of us. I'm not asking you to become my follower, just an ally," Fray explained earnestly. Rising from his seat, he continued, "You don't have to decide now. I will return to the Dalma. Visit me there after three days, exactly at 22:00 if you're interested."
Elisa, deep in thought, watched Fray as he got up. "You mentioned something big is coming up. What is it?" she asked.
"If you come, I will explain everything," Fray replied, turning to leave. Just as he opened the door, he added, "Even if you don't worry about yourself, don't forget that your mother is in danger as well." The door closed behind him, leaving Elisa alone with the weight of his words.
As soon as Fray left, a knock echoed through the door. Elisa, granting permission, saw the knight who brought the news enter. With a swift nod from Elisa, the knight awaited her command.
"Investigate what happened between Fray and the two knights. I want details," Elisa ordered, her tone decisive.
The knight acknowledged the command and left to carry out the investigation. Once alone, Elisa seated herself at her desk, arms crossed in front of her face, deep in thought.
(I can't dispute what he said. Despite my efforts to distance myself from the competition, they've relentlessly pursued me. They're biding their time, waiting for the right moment to eliminate me, I can't ignore the looming threat to my mother anymore. But, even so, Fray is the most dangerous among all of my siblings. But Over all these years, he never sought support from anyone. There must be a profound reason behind his unexpected return; he's undoubtedly preparing for something.) Her mind churned with contemplation as the weight of the impending decisions pressed on her shoulders.
....
As Fray stepped out from the knights' headquarters, he found himself in the streets of Iskar City, a place built by the Dalma family when they first settled down.
Despite the city's majestic appearance from a distance, its streets told a different story—signs of poverty and misery were prevalent. People begged for sustenance, buildings stood in disrepair, and the eyes of the citizens reflected hunger and sadness.
The Dalma family, known as the most ruthless in the continent, earned that reputation through cruel practices, brutal competition for the throne that claimed the lives of many family members, and violent responses to anyone daring to disrespect them.
With such a callous lineage, the family had never shown concern for the people under their responsibility. Iskar City, once proud, had weakened through the years due to neglect and the misuse of its resources. Fray, recalling details from the novel, knew that Iskar City would be one of the first to fall in the upcoming continental war.
Despite his disdain for the city, Fray's thoughts were consumed by a different matter as he walked its streets. (In the novel, Elisa hadn't played a significant role, merely mentioned in passing as having died in the succession battle. Yet, I've known her since I was born. She's one of the most talented individuals on the continent, and she might become my most powerful ally. Unfortunately convincing her won't be easy; all the other siblings have tried and failed. Still, I'm certain she's interested in what I have to say. Now it's time to address the second member)
Lost in contemplation about his upcoming moves, Fray arrived at the imposing Dalma family mansion. The mansion, a grand structure befitting the Dalma family's power, stood as a testament to their influence in the region.
As Fray announced his identity to the guards, he entered and headed directly toward the north side of the mansion, where his room awaited.
As Fray entered the mansion he remembered his past as he was the fifth child of the Dalma family—one of the six ancient families on the continent—who endured a harsh upbringing during the tumultuous succession battle. From his earliest memories, he faced constant threats, manipulation, and the need to defend himself within his own family. Despite lacking the support like the rest of his siblings, Fray, through his own strength, emerged as a formidable force in the succession struggle, but this come with the cost of losing his mother, sister, and even his freedom.
Amidst the chaos, a girl entered Fray's life, offering a new dream that led him to abandon the succession battle and distance himself from the Dalma family. However, this newfound purpose is shattered by the protagonist of the world, prompting Fray to seclude himself in a castle, yearning for a demise at the hands of monsters.
But in a surprising turn, last night brought Fray the one thing he lacked: a fresh goal for his life.
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