"Power?"

Ellenia's voice is filled with confusion. She had been offered riches, glory, and comfort by the various representatives beforehand.

Academies, Houses, and Organisations all crawled before her in an attempt to get her family name into their system. They valued her blood and name, not herself.

"Power. Great, pure power. It is the only thing I can offer you." I answer her.

Yes, it was power that Ellenia wanted.

I know this from the way her eyes glow when I say its name and the way her Anima Force swells uncontrollably from the thought.

Her desire for power was almost fanatic. She knew of her potential - of the burbling, immense power locked away inside her.

No orphan wishes to become a simple doll to be paraded around. Least of all someone with such great Anima Force like Ellenia.

Ellenia's eyes snap to attention, but she does not speak. It seems like she has not prepared for someone to offer such a strange thing to her.

"It is what you truly desire, is it not?" I question her, attempting to wrestle out an answer.

"And why would you think that to be my desire?" She questions me.

"Because," I step forward, my figure towering over her. "Why else would your Anima Spirit tremble in excitement?"

Surprise flashes across her face, and I can feel her examine herself internally. It appears that her excitement was involuntary, and she hadn't realized how she was reacting.

Ellenia sighs as she accepts reality.

"So how would you give power to me?"

I grin at her, although it must appear to be the smile of a devil to her.

"Training. Bone-breaking, soul-shattering training. I will make you run and tumble and struggle until you drop dead every day. It is the only way in the natural order for someone to get stronger.

Forget the life of a noble or orphan, you will live life like a rat in a warzone. You will be lower than the insects of the forest, and you must fight every day like it was your last."

My words are harsh and uncompromising. The Crusader trainees I used to train flinched at my introduction. Sometimes even old Crusader Knights would be startled at how brutish I was.

They were all used to the soft, easy life where they would never fight a single Demon in their whole careers. Something like this would be unacceptable to their ears.

They all knew that they would be unlikely to ever even be in real danger after their training, so they had all adjusted to an expectation of luxury.

Technology has replaced them, they think. They thought they would never do anything Demon-related ever again. Bullets and cannons now do their job for them.

This is why they are so averse to what I say.

Yet, Ellenia does not break against my words where the others have.

Instead, a wild grin slowly appears on her face.

Good. Good. This is exactly it.

Everything is aligned.

She will be the Hero. Her talent, personality, and situation are all perfect.

Her talent is immense, Anima Force almost overflowing out of that tiny body of hers.

Her personality is irrational, delighting in things that would break other people.

Her situation is obscure, no one will truly miss her if she's gone. An orphan is inherently alone in this world, after all.

"So," I ask her. "Do you accept my offer?"

It was a question that really did not need to be asked at this point. I am the only one who offers her a route out of a fake life of a figurehead.

"Yes."

Of course, she accepted.

"So when do we leave?"

"Now. We have no time to waste. Pack your immediate amenities."

I wait as Ellenia rushes around the roof, picking up items and clothing and stuffing them into a blue duffel bag. After a few minutes, the room is clear of most things and she zips her duffel bag shut.

"I'm done."

As she was preparing herself, a question burned in my mind. Although it was meaningless to my goals, I still ask it anyways.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Why?"

Ellenia gives me a blank stare.

"Why would you trust someone like me? I don't think I've done anything so far that would make you put your hope with me."

My entire plan had hinged on the fact she could be willing to leave and train with me. I am unsure of how exactly it succeeded.

Ellenia now has a smug look on her face.

"You're the only one who's come so far that told me you were going to put me through hell."

As she walks out of the room, Ellenia stops and adds:

"And..."

She turned around and scanned me, her eyes laughing at my tattered robes and mattered hair.

"At least you didn't wear a suit."

-

"I.D. and time stayed, please."

The office worker at the gates of Bardor city asks me and Ellenia as we stand in the exit line. The line is completely empty save for the two of us.

I hand over a card, and so tried Ellenia.

"1 day," I say.

"9 years." Says Ellenia, her arm unable to reach onto the high counter where I placed my card. As she struggles even on her toes to place her card, I laugh as I snatch it from her and place it down on the counter.

She did not look very happy with my help.

The worker examines the two cards. He looks and compares the records as he scans both of them onto the computer.

"So," The worker asks. "Why is this Miss coming with you?"

"She is my apprentice."

"Apprentice?"

He glares at me, his eyes full of distrust.

"Yes, anything wrong with that?"

"Well, it is quite unusual for a girl so young to be in an apprenticeship..."

"She has talent." I snap back at him.

"With an older man, it seems rather suspicious, doesn't it?"

He does not seem to buy my explanation, although he moves on.

"And there is the problem of your I.D. card..."

"My I.D. card?"

I am genuinely confused. I was let in yesterday with this card, so what could be wrong with that?"

"Well, it just expired today, a few hours actually."

Oh. I think the person at the gates when I entered did say something about the expiry date, but I didn't pay any attention.

"So what does that mean?"

"You can't exit with this card anymore, Mister. You'll have to register with the Administrative Council back at the Market District.."

"And how long will that take?"

"Depending on the time and availability, it may take up to 7 working days for a new one to be made."

Frustration builds in me. Once the first hurdle is done, another one pops up to stop me. With time so short, I can't afford to be bogged down by petty bureaucratic affairs.

I subtlely unleash my Anima Force, it's invisible energy slithering out of my body and silently approaching the worker.

Ellenia notices, giving me a knowing stare. It seems that, even with the tiniest of fluctuations, she was able to tell the presence of Anima Force.

Suddenly, the worker seizes. His eyes become unfocused as he loses control of himself.

He types robotically into the computer for a minute. Then, there is a beep as he hands the cards back to me

"You are free to leave now." His voice comes out forced and uneven.

"Thank you," I reply.

The electronic gates in front of us part, the path opening towards the outside.

"Have a good day." Then, the worker becomes conscious again, blinking away what felt like a dream. He is so confused he does not bother to stop us.

We left the gates of Bardor City, and as we walk on the asphalt path, Ellenia asks:

"So what did you do there?" Her eyes glimmer with curiosity. I can already see the devious ways she wants to use it for.

"It was just a fun little trick I picked up from an old book back when I was in the Order," I answered. "It's useful against incompetent Crusaders."

I looked back towards the distant city on the horizon.

"Or annoying bureaucrats."