In the large damp room a lone girl was sitting cross-legged on the cold, dark stone floor, her complexion pale and white hair matted to her forehead. Her once clean and pretty dress now was filled with holes and tattered by the years of neglect and treatment. Her usual clear grey eyes now a distant memory, for instead a look of utter despair and apathy for life is shown in her gaze. Surrounding her malnourished and mistreated body is a sea of books, scrolls and parchments of paper, old and new. As her captor said when she first arrived in her personal hell.

"This is you new home Athelia, you will be reading and memorizing everything we give you, and there is a punishment for laziness or any mistakes." One of the acolytes informed her while a low chuckle echoed through her mind.

At first she had hope, being only five she thought she could be treated better if she worked hard and pleased her captors. But as weeks turned to months and years she had given up on that thought, she knew her life was in their hands, and she had neither the strength, power of influence to have any impact. She had always wondered during her three years being imprisoned by the master of this hideout, a high warlock only known as the master by the acolytes why she had been enslaved whilst her entire village had been massacred.

She thought back to a better life, where her parents were still alive and well in their small home at the outer part of their village. Their gazes filled with love for each other and their two children, Athelia and her older brother running around in the yard and exploring the nearby forest to forage for wild vegetables and mushrooms. But a few days after her fifth birthday, where she unlocked her skills and her family celebrated with a meaty soup a large band of bandits and skeletal warriors attacked the village and began massacring everyone. Her dad sensed the immediate danger and called for his children to hide in the cellar whilst he and his wife would help the village guard in the defense.

But minutes turned to hours as they never returned, feeling anxious her brother whispered to Athelia to stay quiet and hid behind one of the wooden crates whilst he confirms if the bandits have left. Crying she begged him not to leave her but he only bit his lower lip and headed up the stairs. A few hours passed and nothing could be heard or seen from her family, but as she began plotting to follow her brother outside the wooden latch connecting their floor to the cellar burst open and three hooded men in their thirties appeared and began looking all over the cellar. Athelia held her breath in fear but suddenly one of the men descended and slowly walked over towards her hiding spot. Appearing right in front of her Athelia met his vicious gaze as he smirked with a sly grin and looked back towards his allies.

"It seems the rumor were true after all, a child of Jinni has appeared here, the master will be pleased!" He spoke with a look of contempt and boundless greed, silent tears fell down her cheeks as she was bound with iron shackles and dragged away, whilst moving out from her home a blazing inferno filled her world as her former home and solace of the peaceful village was cindered asunder by the flames of warlocks. Walking through the ashen roads she recognized several familiar faces, the baker on the corner who had always given her an extra loaf of bread, the butcher near the river and the seamstress' twin sons laid dead on the cold, barren road.

A glimmer of hope entered her confused mind for she couldn't see any of her family's corpses, not daring to think of the worst case scenario, just hoping for their safety and escape. She noticed that confused looks were placed on her from the bandits but most of the hooded men had a knowing but curious gaze on her. Dragged forward they finally arrived at the village center where the ruin was at its height, A tall man was standing in solace, overlooking the carnage. His robe a dazzling purple with silver embroidery and a majestic white beard covered his chin, reaching down to his clavicle.

"Reporting to the master, we have found the child of Jinni, she was hiding in a cellar." One of the acolytes that had found her informed the bearded man.

"It seems she doesn't know how special her existence is, prepare to move out, we are heading back!" The older man said, noticing the confused look from Athelia when she heard the term Child of Jinni.

Before Athelia could scream out for help her mouth was gagged and a leather pouch was placed over her head, wholly shielding her sight. Several days passed as their journey passed the distance Athelia had ever travelled before, curiosity and fear filled her mind with the unknown group surrounding her. Whilst thinking about ways to escape a sudden voice from her right caught her attention.

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"It seems the bandits we hired are not content with the money we previously offered, they demand more since they assume the child is beneficial to our cause." a young sounding male spoke to someone.

"I think master has it covered, since we found the child he probably doesn't want any unnecessary hinders to our base, just keep quiet and keep an eye on her." Another voice answered.

Thus Athelia had been imprisoned in their base, as she came to know after a few months, their base was located inside a run down mine located a week from her former home, near the trading city of Alma. She had tried to escape several times but it seemed some sort of magic had placed on her, letting some of the guards and the old man know here whereabouts at all times. Thus she resigned to her fate, she kept reading the books she was ordered not knowing the purpose and keeping falling into a deep sense of despair. But a slimmer of hope was always there, that here family was safe and they had escaped the battle and were looking for her. But years passed and soon here eight birthday passed quietly, with only scolding and beatings as her birthday gift.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Suddenly one of the acolytes screamed from the nearby room, alerting Athelia she dropped the book in her hands and crawled towards the door and peered outside, noticing the tense air and nervous gazes from her captors she sensed that something was not right.

But before his ally could answer one of the nearby walls exploded into smithereens as several armor-cladded knights rushed into the room and several military clothed men following shortly behind.

"In the name of the king, we are here to exterminate the cult of Malith!" One of the knights called out as he slew one of the acolytes trying to flee from the ensuing carnage. Sensing danger Athelia shut the door close and crawled back to her usual spot, quivering in fear and hope.

"I hope they are here to rescue me, maybe brother called them?" She thought as she heard the shrieks of men being cut down all across the mine, the sound echoing all across the mine system. Minutes passed as the voice began quieting down. Thinking about possible conclusions the door suddenly slammed open as one of the knights entered the room with vigilance, but as fast dropped it when he saw the Athelia was the only one in the room. His gaze turned from vigilant to angry as he saw the chains clamoring my hands and feet to the wall, not allowing her to venture outside the room. Athelia looked at his enormous frame, his large body wholly covered in armor and a beautiful red cape held tightly in place across his back , his chin covered by a light brown beard, the same color as his short brown hair. His blue eyes drew Athelia's gaze towards them, for her it felt like those eyes could protect her from everything.

"Dear gods, they have prisoners here. Child are you alright?!" The deep voice of the knight entered her mind as Athelia looked at the man in front of her. Her voice hoarse from torture and screaming she nodded weakly as she could feel her entire body become light. She could see an urgent look on the knights face as she gently walked towards her as he said, "you are safe now child, the cult has been eradicated but the high warlock has escaped. Let's get you out here." Whilst he began breaking her chains he called out for a healer to help Athelia. After a few minutes Athelia was freed from her cuffs and was gently held in the knights arms, he asked gently,

"My name is William Aldas, knight of the Selletine Order, can you tell me your name?"

Athelia was quiet for a moment, her entire body still, for she was still unsure of who this knight really was and had no idea who the Selletine Order was, she had briefly heard the name Selletine from one of the books she had been forced to memorize by the warlock. However, in her current situation she felt that she had no other choice but to trust this knight, at least until her condition is treated and she is fed some proper food. Athelia tried to answer but her voice didn't come out, her vocal cords damaged over the years from the constant abuse, instead she slowly took the knights hand and spelled out her name with her finger on his large palm.

"Athelia huh, it seems we have to get you out of here fast, just need to heal you first to get your body stabilized. Speaking of healing..." He answered as he turned around to welcome a lady clad in a white robe with yellow decal on her arms and chest. Her gaze was tired but a gentle aura emanated from her being, for Athelia she first thought an angel had arrived to get her away.

Before Athelia could react she suddenly was held by the unknown lady in her arms, one of her hands gently caressing her back.

"By the goddess, Will, you have to be gentler when handling children, are you alright?" The women asked, her voice had hints of concern and affection in it, confusing Athelia even more why a stranger would show that kind of reaction to a stranger.

"Elaine, relax. The girl was chained to the wall and I rescued her. Im not the villain here." William explained as he sighed at his allies reaction.

"Sorry dear, you don't have to listen to this mongrel. What's's you name sweetie?" The kind looking woman asked, Athelia picked up her name from listening to their conversation.

"She won't speak Elaine, it's possible due to trauma, give her a quick heal so we can leave this vile place with Athelia." William explained to Elaine.

"Fine" Elaine muttered as she gently placed her left hand on Athelia's forehead as she began chanting in some archaic language she didn't recognize. But after a few moments her entire body began tingling and her old wounds on her legs and began slowly soothing as the mana entered her body and began acceleterating her natural healing process.

Feeling a bit drained from the spell Elaine told William that she will hand Athelia back to him but if a single hair on her body was destroyed she would hunt him. Simply laughing in response William stretched out his arms to carry Athelia, But a few moments after Elaine had left the room he suddenly felt a slight tug on his arm from the girl in his arms.

"Do you need anything?" William asked with the usual gentle voice, completely different from the tone he had with the female healer thought Athelia.

Swallowing her saliva Athelia her first words in years, feeling her consciousness fading she gently shook her head in confusion as her consciousness faded into oblivion.