"ยภкภ๏ฬภ ร๏ยl. (Unknown soul.)"
"รקєคк t๏ ๓є. (Speak to me.)"
Avy opened her eyes in a very dark place, it was like she was floating inside a room without anything, she couldn't feel her body and the only thing she could do was look around.
"ђคשє א๏ย คฬคкєภ? (Have you awaken?)" she felt a heavy pressure coming from behind as a cold intimidating voice rung inside her head. She turned around to see a pair of glowing red eyes that seems to be that of a big reptile staring back at her.
"Wh-what...? What kind of creature are you?" she asked, she has been living inside a world with so many odd things for no less than a week that she's no longer surprised to see something supernatural. She stared back at the unknown creature in front of her with no signs of fear in her eyes.
"เt เร ค ợยєรtเ๏ภ tђคt เ ђคשє ๒єєภ ครкเภﻮ א๏ย คгє ภ๏t Ŧг๏๓ ђєгє. (It is a question that i have been asking. You are not from here.)" said the voice and it only took no less than a second for Avy to know who that thing was.
"So it's you. The one who keeps speaking to me these past few days." she squinted her eyes at it. Of course, she's not happy, considering the fact that the creature's words bring her so much stress whenever it speaks, not to mention the headache and drowsiness she feels right after it does.
"How did you know I'm not from here?" she asked.
"เ lเשє๔ Ŧ๏г ร๏ l๏ภﻮ, เภ ς๏ยภtlєรร ๒๏๔เєร, เภ ๔เŦŦєгєภt tเ๓єร, คภ๔ เ ђคשє รקєภt ๓๏гє tเ๓є ฬเtђ tђє ђ๏รt tђคภ คภא๒๏๔א єlรє. เ ฬคtςђ tђє๓ คll tђє tเ๓є, ๔๏ א๏ย tђเภк เ ฬ๏ยl๔ ภ๏t кภ๏ฬ เŦ คภ ๏ยtรเ๔єг ς๏๓єร? (I lived for so long, in countless bodies, in different times, and I spent time with the host more than anyone else. I watch them all the time, do you think I wouldn't know if an outsider comes?)" the creature told her which she answered with a grimace.
"You're probably aware that's sketchy, right?"
"๏Ŧ ς๏ยгรє ภ๏t! เ ๏ภlא ςคгє Ŧ๏г ๓א ๏ฬภєг, คภ๔ เt ђคร ๒єєภ l๏ภﻮ รเภςє รђє קครรє๔. ภ๏ฬ เ ค๓ l๏๏кเภﻮ Ŧ๏г ค ๓๏гtคl ฬђ๏ ςคภ ђคภ๔lє ђєг ק๏ฬєг ฬเtђ๏ยt รยςςย๓๒เภﻮ t๏ tђє ๔คгкภєรร. (Of course not! I only care for my owner, and it has been long since she passed. Now I am looking for a mortal who can handle her power without succumbing to the darkness.)"
Avy, was not by any means convinced by the creature's explanation, but nevertheless, asked him another question.
"If I am here, where's the original owner of this body?"
"tђคt ﻮเгl'ร ร๏ยl รtเll гєรเ๔єร เภ א๏ย, ๒ยt รђє ђคร ๒єєภ єคtєภ คlเשє ๒א tђє ๔คгкภєรร รђє ђคร ๒єєภ ђ๏ยรเภﻮ ђєг ฬђ๏lє lเŦє. (That girl's soul still resides in you, but she has been eaten alive by the darkness she has housing her whole life.)" it said having Avy deal with more confusion.
"Does that mean she's dead? She will never be able to come back?" she said
"เŦ א๏ย ฬєгє ภ๏t เภ tђคt ๒๏๔א, รђє ς๏ยl๔ ђคשє гเรєภ ๏ภςє คﻮคเภ คร เŦ ภ๏tђเภﻮ ђคקקєภє๔. ๒ยt รђє ฬเll Ŧ๏гєשєг ๒є ς๏๓קlєtєlא ς๏ภtг๏llє๔ ๒א ђєг ﻮгєє๔ คภ๔ ๔เє คŦtєг ค Ŧєฬ ๓๏гє אєคгร, tђคt เร ฬђคt ђคקקєภє๔ t๏ єשєгא ђ๏รt เ ђคשє єภς๏ยภtєгє๔. ๓א ๏ฬภєг'ร ק๏ฬєг ภєє๔ร ค שєรรєl tђคtשย ๒รtг๏ภﻮєг tђคภ tђє ค๒אรร เ ค๓ ђ๏l๔เภﻮ, tђєא รђ๏ยl๔ ๒є ค๒lє t๏ ๔єשคยг tђє ๔คгкภєรร คภ๔ ภ๏t tђє ๏tђєг ฬคא คг๏ยภ๔. (If you were not in that body, she could've risen once again as if nothing happened. But she will forever be completely controlled by her greed and die after a few more years, that is what happened to every host I have encountered. My owner's power needs a vessel that is stronger than the abyss I am holding, they should be able to eat the darkness whole and not the other way around.)"
Avy was lost in thought after hearing the explanation from the creature itself.
'That explains why she became such a bitch.' she thought.
"One more thing." she looked at the creature "Before I passed out earlier. I used this some kind of sorcery or magic or whatever that is, I thought this girl doesn't know how to do that?" she added.
"ฬг๏ภﻮ. เt เร ภ๏t ๒єςคยรє รђє ๔๏єร ภ๏t кภ๏ฬ ђ๏ฬ. tђคt ﻮเгl ฬคร гєŦยรเภﻮ ђєг ๏ฬภ ค๒เlเtא, เt รєє๓ร lเкє รђє ๔єรקเรєร ๒єเภﻮ ค ๓є๓๒єг ๏Ŧ ђєг Ŧค๓เlא tђยร๒รђє รtг๏ภﻮlא ๏קק๏รє๔ ภคtยгє, קгєשєภtเภﻮשђєг ๓คﻮเς Ŧг๏๓ ๓คภเŦєรtเภﻮ. (Wrong. It is not because she doesn't know how. That girl was refusing her own ability, it seems like she despises being a member of her family thus she strongly opposed nature, preventing her magic from manifesting.)" the creature started to clarify things once again.
"tђє ร๏ยl เร tђє ๒гเ๔ﻮє tђคt ς๏ภภєςtร tђє ๓คﻮยςคl ק๏ฬєгร ๏Ŧ tђє ฬ๏гl๔ คภ๔ tђє lเשเ๒ﻮ. ฬђєภ ค lเשเภﻮ tђเภﻮ เร ๒๏гภ, tђєเг ร๏ยlร ยภς๏ภรςเ๏ยรlא ค๔ค๏tร t๏ tђє єภשเг๏ภ๓єภt, tђєเг ร๏ยl Ŧєє๔ร ๏ภ ๓คﻮเς lเttlє ๒א lเttlє คร เtร Ŧยภ๔ค๓єภtคl ร๏ยгςє ๏Ŧ lเŦє, tђคt๒lคtєг tยгภร เ๒t๏ ๓คภค, tђєא ﻮคtђєг ๓คﻮเς ยภtเl tђєא คгє ๏l๔ єภ๏ยﻮђ t๏ שє ค๒lє t๏ ยภlєครђ เt. ๒ยt เภ tђเร ﻮเгl'ร ςครє, รђє гєŦยรє๔ ђєг ๓คﻮยς ๒єŦ๏гє เt ς๏ยl๔ єשєภ Ŧ๏г๓ ς๏๓קlєtєlא. (The soul is the bridge that connects the magical powers of the world and the living. When a living thing is born, its soul unconsciously adapts to the environment, their soul feeds on magic little by little as their fundamental source of life, that later turns into mana, they gather magic until they turn old enough to be able to unleash it, but in this girl's case, she refused her magic before it could even form completely.)"
"คŦtєг ђєг ร๏ยl ฬคร Ŧгєє๔, א๏ยг ร๏ยl гєקlคςє๔שђєгร, א๏ย ๔เ๔ ภ๏t ๒l๏ςк ђєг ๓คﻮยς ภเг ๔เ๔ א๏ย ๔๏ ร๏ภєtђเภﻮ t๏ ๓คкє เt ς๏ภє ๏ยt. ђ๏ฬєשєг, א๏ยг є๓๏tเ๏ภร ﻮ๏t ๒єttєг ๏Ŧ א๏ย คŦtєг ๒єเภﻮ ςl๏รє๔ เภ ค รเtยคtเ๏ภ ฬђєгг א๏ย คгє คt ค ๔เรค๔שคภtคﻮє คภ๔ א๏ย ยภς๏ภรςเ๏ยlא гєlєครє๔ tђє ๓คﻮเς tђคt tђเร ๒๏๔א ђคร ๒єєภ кєєקเภﻮ Ŧเг אєคгร. (After her soul was freed, your soul replaced hers, you did not block the magic nor did you do something to make it come out. However, your emotions got better of you after being closed in a situation where you are at a disadvantage and unconsciously released the magic that this body has been keeping for years.)"
"So, is it useful somehow?" Avy asked, she was certain that she saw fire igniting before she closed her eyes, and having magic related to fire that she can't control would pose a great threat whenever she's working on things. It would be very risky to even hold anything fragile, hence she wouldn't like the newfound ability if it is not beneficial in any way.
"เt รєє๓ร lเкє א๏ย ђคשє ๓เรtคкєภ, ยภкภ๏ฬภ ร๏ยl. א๏ย คгє ภ๏t ﻮเשєภ ค ςђ๏เςє ๒ยt t๏ คςςєקt tђเร ๒๏๔א'ร ค๒เlเtא. (It seems like you have mistaken, unknown soul. You are not given a choice but to accept this body's ability.)"
"Hahh??? What do you mean I can't? Didn't you just say the soul was the bridge between the magical things and the humans, my soul didn't come from this world, I might die. You're putting hot water on a cup that isn't supposed to hold hot water." she reasoned but the creature only laughed at her face, adding fuel to her annoyance.
"Shut the fuck up." she retorted, not amused.
"คร א๏ย ςคภ รєє, เ lเשє ๒א ς๏ภย๓เภﻮ tђє ๓คﻮเς ๏Ŧ ๓א ђ๏รt, ๒ยt tђє ๓๏๓єภt tђєא гยภ ๏ยt, เ ๔๏ tђє รค๓є t๏ tђєเг ร๏ยl ๒єŦ๏гє Ŧเภ๔เภﻮ คภ๏tђєг. ค ร๏ยl tђคt ฬคร єภﻮยlŦє๔ ๒א ๔คгкภєรร ฬเll รl๏ฬlא ฬเtﻮєг คฬคא. ค ๓ﻮเς ฬยtﻮ๏ยt ค ร๏ยl t๏ ๒є เภ ฬเll ร๏๏ภ ๒є єгครє๔, คภ๔ tђє ภєץt t๏ ๔เรคקקєคг ฬเll ๒є א๏ย. (As you can see, I live because I eat the magic of my host, but the moment they run out, I do the same to their soul before finding another. A soul that was engulfed by darkness will slowly wither away. Magic without a soul will soon be erased, and the next to disappear will be you.)"
"Get to the point. I don't like wasting my time."
"เt เร єเtђєг เ ๒єς๏๓є א๏ยг รlคשє, ๏г א๏ย ๒єς๏๓є ๓א Ŧ๏๏๔. (It is either I become your slave, or you become my food.)" Avy started slowly feeling her body come back to her, along with an unpleasant miasma that made her unable to breathe well.
"A threat, Huh? Go die." she glared at it with loathing and even without anything except a pair of eyes, she could feel it smiling.
"เ ђคשє ๒єєภ קг๏tєςtเภﻮ tђเร ςђเl๔, ђ๏קเภﻮ ๔ђє ς๏ยl๔ ร๏๓є๔คא ๒є ค שєรรєl. ๒ยt ภ๏ฬ tђคt ђєг ร๏ยl ђคร ๒єєภ ๔єש๏ยгє๔, tђє ק๏เร๏ภ tђคt єภtєгє๔ ђєг ๒๏๔א ฬเll ๔๏ เtร ן๏๒ คภ๔ א๏ย ฬเll ๔เє คl๏ภﻮรเ๔є เt. ๒ยt คร เ ฬคร รคאเภﻮ, א๏ย คгє ๔เŦŦєгєภt. เ ςคภŦєєl tђє ร๓є ๏๓เภ๏ยร คยгค tђคt ๓א Ŧ๏г๓єг ђค๔ เภ א๏ย. ๏ภ tђє ๏tђєг ђคภ๔, א๏ย ๔๏ ภ๏t ђคשє รเภﻮlє ๒เt ๏Ŧ ๓คภค, คภ๔ א๏ย คгє ๒ยt ค ฬคггเ๏г ฬเtђ๏ยt ฬєคק๏ภร. lєt tђє ๓คﻮเς lเשє เภ א๏ย คภ๔ คll๏ฬ ๓є t๏ ๓кє א๏ย ๓א שєรรє, เภ єץςђคภﻮє, เ ฬเll คเ๔ א๏ย. (I have been protecting this child, hoping she could someday be a vessel. But now that her soul has been devoured, the poison that entered her body will do its job and you will die alongside it. But as I was saying, you are different. I can feel the same ominous aura that my owner has in you. On the other hand, you do not have a single bit of mana or magic, and you are but a warrior without weapons. Let the magic live in you and allow me to make you my vessel, in exchange, I will aid you.)"
Avy clicked her tongue and closed her eyes to think for a few seconds before answering.
"Will I gain more of this?" she asked.
"เ ฬเll ﻮเשє א๏ย tђเร ﻮเгl'ร ๓є๓๏гเєร. เt รยгє เ ђคг๔ t๏ קгєtєภ๔ ๏ภlא кภ๏ฬเภﻮ ค lเttlє ค๓ เ гเﻮђt? (I will give you this girl's memories. It sure is hard to pretend only knowing a little, am I right?)" a red smoke emerged out of thin air and slowly took the form of a big black serpent that stood in front of Avy.
Avy didn't have any second thought and poke right away.
"Deal." she said, she is no other choice but to accept anyways, besides, it is not that bad to have someone to guard her even in her sleep. After experiencing being almost killed on her bed, she will feel less nervous that she would never be able to wake up again after closing her eyes.
"ค ﻮ๏๏๔ ๔єςเรเ๏ภ. ๓א ภค๓є เร คгєร, гє๓є๓๒єг ๓א lค๔א, เ ค๓ คlฬคאร ฬคtςђเภﻮ. (A good decision. My name is Ares, remember My Lady, I am always watching.)"
At that moment, the creature that identified himself as Ares disappeared. and at the same time, Avy fell unconscious once again.
~~~
"Did you contact Father?" Ciel asked Raux is he sat on a chair next to his bed where Avy was lying. He was holding her hand, keeping his mana in stable flow and sustaining his sister's life like a living machine.
"The Duke is currently in the Kingdom of Bergunn and will not arrive after five days." Raux answered. It has been half a day since the attack happened and none of them slept a wink the whole time. The servants cleaned up after the mess and disposed of the bodies belonging to the assassins who killed themselves after causing a ruckus in the middle of the night.
"How are the others?" the young master said, referring to the servants who were injured.
"The assassins used a kind of poison different from that used on the Lady. They were healed by the healing mages after the restriction stones were sealed away." said the older man.
"A poison that can only be nullified by priests with divine power and is only found in the southern islands that beast people use on deceased beast-men to quicken the process of mana elimination. I've read a book about it some time ago and it states that it maintains the warm temperature of the body and keeps it from rotting away until the core disappears." Light commented on the other side of the bed, he was doing the same thing that Ciel was doing, transferring his mana to the bedridden girl in order to keep her alive.
"But if it's used on a person that is still alive, it will make their mana leave their body. And without mana, that person's life force will fade and will slowly die. On the other hand, the body will stay warm and feel as if it's still alive for a few hours. It seems like that assassin was planning on violating sister while she is conscious but unable to fight back as she dies slowly because of the poison." he added.
A vein throbbed on Ciel's temple as he listened to every word that the young Prince said. His red eyes glowed dangerously imagining how he would've killed that assassin with his own hands and made a bloodbath out of all the invaders. He would never be able to face his whole family if ever he arrived at the scene with only Avy's dead body, even after seeing his sister with blood-covered clothes, he already wanted to slaughter the ones who were responsible for it, what more if he saw a lifeless body lying on bed instead?
"Welcome back, My Lord." Ciel snapped out of his thought when he heard Raux's greetings. He lifted his head and looked in the direction of the door where he saw his grandfather entering with the Highest Priest with him.
"G-grandfather–"
"Save the explanations for later, Aven Ciel. Avana's well-being comes first." the old man told his grandson and looked at the Priest signaling him to start on his job and heal Avy. The two youngsters who were sitting on both sides of the sleeping girl stepped back and allowed the priest to do the honor of helping the lady.
The whole room was filled with silence as the Priest tried his utmost best to concentrate and save the only flower of the most powerful noble family in the Empire. But he stood there for a minute or two but he seemed to not make any progress. He tried so many times but his attempts did not show improvement to Avy's complexion.
"I assume there is nothing wrong High Priest." the former Duke Alcasser stated making the airway more colder and serious than before.
"I-It cannot be." the Priest breathed out in disbelief as the others just looked at him with confused expressions.
"The Lady's body is refusing the Divine Healing. I cannot oppose her." he looked at the two pairs of bloody red eyes, cowering in fear.
"I am afraid I need to ask why, Priest." the old Arkwright was not happy with what he heard, the atmosphere became heavier as his mood started to worsen.
"L-lady Avana is not letting my mana enter–"
"You've misunderstood. I am asking why you can't do anything to make her accept your healing. You're the person with the most divine blessing, are you not?" Lord Alcasser flashed a glint of mischief in his eyes, causing the priest to tremble more.
"I-I will perform the healing once more." the poor priest was too scared for his life to say even a single word bout not being able to heal the lady. He did everything he could under the pressure of four pairs of eyes behind his back.
Not only twice or thrice that he tried to heal Avy, he did it more than a dozen times but to no avail, the Arkwright's only girl didn't show any signs of waking up.
"F-forgive me, My Lord, it is all because of my incompetence." after more than two hours of trying his best, the old Priest was already on the verge of kneeling and putting his forehead on the marble floor just for his life to be spared.
"How disappointing." Lord Alcasser stared down at him coldly while the two young lads on the side frowned as they watch the still not moving body of Avy.
"Should I dispose of this man, My Lord?" Raux also felt the same, he was the least to be on edge but his emotions slipped through his tough and calm facade.
"Refrain from speaking such words in front of the Prince, my boy. The priest is not someone we should touch–"
"What are you guys doing here?" the former Duke's words were cut off when someone suddenly spoke.
They looked at the supposed to be unconscious girl and saw her already sitting, confusedly staring at them, looking completely fine.
The lady has awakened.
~~~