Pick The Second Male Lead

08.2 - Nox Maxwell

"What are you doing?"

In the magic dome barrier, a group of young children huddled together in fear. Only a ten-year old girl stood at the surface of the barrier while looking out at the chaos. No one could see the concern on her expression-less face. Just as she placed a hand on the barrier, two children immediately grabbed her arm. The two children were none other than the story's female lead Freda Lilyn and the young prince of the Nubes tribe, Hodei Solo.

"It's dangerous." Freda Lilyn said with fretfulness.

"There's nothing you can do." Hodei Solo scowled to hide his own fear. "Don't cause unnecessary trouble for the warriors."

Mavi Gutia's sharp, clear eyes looked at Freda Lilyn before they turned to look at the young prince her age. And because there was no emotion or expression on her face, both Freda Lilyn and Hodei Solo were startled. Hodei Solo felt especially nervous by the girl's blank expression. For the soul inside Mavi, she could only smirk inside. In the original story, it was this very prince that pushed her when one of the Belua managed to get into the magic dome after killing off two of the women. It was this very prince that caused the original Mavi Gutia's death and eventually set off the tragic event afterward. But the current Hodei Solo was not aware of what was to happen. He could only sense Mavi Gutia's sneer regardless of her unreadable expression.

Reflexively, as if he sense her scorn, the young prince let go of her arm. Mavi did not care to acknowledge the prince or the female lead of the story. Instead, she turned her attention back to the battle field before she looked down at her wrists. Each tiny wrist held three slim white jade-like bracelets. Only Zeki Gutia and Mavi Gutia knew the secrets behind the six bracelets. In the Mystic Orbis, children were precious and treasured. For many parents, their children were worth more than their own lives. For Mavi Gutia, her parent was exactly the sort who would sacrifice their entire lives for their children.

Mavi Gutia's parents were well known warriors in the Nubes tribe. Thus when the couple suddenly disappeared, everyone had thought the couple was killed by the Belua. No one but Zeki Gutia knew that his parents used their lives to save his dying baby sister. Mavi Gutia was born weak and fragile. By the time she was four-year old, she was doom to die due to her weak life force. But before the baby took her last breath, her parents used their own life to create the bracelets. Before the couple disappeared into dust, they made the young Zeki Gutia promised to protect his baby sister well. It was that very promise that Zeki Gutia dedicated his entire life to Mavi.

The bracelets' secret, however, was not that it contains two powerful warriors life force or that they could give the bearer vast power and magic. The truth to the bracelets was that they're deeply tied to Mavi's life. Each bracelet could bring forward an enormous burst of power that could either destroy anything or heal anyone at the brink of death. But every great power comes with great cost. Each time the bracelet is used, it will break and disappear. And with the lost of each bracelet, Mavi's lifespan will shorten. If the last bracelet breaks, she will disappear with it.

Regrettably, the previous Mavi Gutia never had the chance to use the bracelet before she was killed. It was Zeki Gutia who became the new bearer of the bracelet. The bracelets became meaningless to him since they were supposed to give his sister life. After Mavi's death, needless-to-say, the vengeful young man used the bracelets to his full advantage toward his path of destruction.

Fortunately, the situation have changed. The current Mavi was no longer the innocent and meek little girl who was unaware of the full potential of the bracelets she wore. Inside the little girl was a fearless soul who scoffed at death.

"Don't_"

Before anyone could stop her, Mavi already left the protective barrier as she rushed toward Zeki Gutia. Before the Belua could bite off the young man's arm, Mavi toss one of the white bracelet toward the creature ten-times her size.

"Bind!" Mavi clear, steady voice echoed throughout the chaotic battlefield between the Beluas and the Nubes warriors. "Destroy!"

Shock filled everyone's face as a sudden flash of white light burst, killing all Beluas within a hundred feet of Zeki Gutia.

"Mavi!" Zeki panicked seeing what his sister had done. "Don't!"

But Mavi continued impassively by taking another bracelet from her wrist. Holding her hands out to create a triangular shape, the round jade bracelet spin in the center of her small hands.

"Mavi!"

Mavi closed her eyes to concentrate even while the Beluas were rushing to the main source of magic that suddenly gathered around the little girl. Before the creature touched her, the bracelet spinning within Mavi's hands glowed like the sun, burning Beluas around her. And the glow did not stop until it extended the 1000 feet limit - killing every dark creature inside while scaring the rest away from the mountain peak. Only peace and silence spread did Mavi opened her eyes. The astonished looks on everyone's face did not surprised her.

"Are you okay Mavi?"

The stunned silence was broken when Zeki Gutia grabbed and hugged Mavi. The young man proceed to check the little girl for any injury. On the other hand, Mavi felt relief that she was able to save her brother before his arm was lost. The soul inside the little girl could not bear to see a beautiful man be disfigured. It was simply a waste.

"Mavi?" Zeki was not aware of what his little sister was truly thinking and thought her silence was just her being anxious.

"Zeki, what just happened?" The leader of the Nubes, like many other warriors, had seen the power Mavi had displayed. "Your little sister_"

"Leader." Zeki quickly shield Mavi behind him as he cupped his fist in salute to the leader. "If we can speak in private..."

The Nubes' leader was surprised with Zeki obvious attempt to block further attention on the little girl. After the great power she showed, it was impossible to hide her but the young man still did his best to do so.

"Very well..." The Nubes' leader sighed softly and waved slightly at the warriors, letting them know without words to handle the cleanup. "Come with me."

Zeki bowed respectfully before turning to his little sister to see her usual expressionless face. While others find her lack of expression strange, Zeki had grown up with the little girl and was used to her unchanging look. Mavi Gutia was, after all, born that way.

"Do not be afraid..." Zeki smiled softly as he took hold of the little girl's hand.

Little did Zeki knew, his poker-faced little sister did not know the meaning of fear.