[Revus POV}

A cool autumn breeze blows through the rough woodlands. Golden leaves are carried from trees and land atop the wet, mountainous hills. The sun rests in the full blue sky near its peak and is veiled behind scattered clouds. The land is full of life and soft-sound as many wild animals roam free. The sound of insects and birds reverberate through the almost tranquil region. A lone cabin, isolated and out-of-place within the wild domain, disrupts the natural world. Harsh tones and rude words echo from within as large people begin to argue with one another.

I prop myself up on my right leg and lean against the window. “Tss,” I hiss in pain as I glance down at my missing leg. I was too hesitant… and now I’m going to have to hear Evetta’s complaints for aeth knows how long. I sigh, peer through the window, and watch the sudden shift from the people inside the cabin. These enōōfen are kind of slow to react… but they’re panic seems to have dissipated, so it’s passable I guess…

“Gordan, Petra!” a black haired man with a thick beard shouts in Parazic, “Grab our gear.” Immediately following, two young adults with brown hair rush into a corridor within the building. The bearded man turns around and, as he waves his arm in a commanding fashion, continues, “Damir, deal with the bird.”

“On it,” an elderly man with a slender, gray ponytail replies, and carries the scorched besāād down the same hallway. The bearded one appears to be their leader…

The bearded man turns to the elves and orders, “Rhys, you watch the fairies.” He turns to the other and continues, “Ryul, you’re with me.”

“Alright, let’s catch us another one,” an elven man with long hair joyfully answers before rushing out of the building.

“Ivan-” the second elf, with short brushed back blonde hair, starts to speak toward the bearded man.

“Rhys,” Ivan faces him and glares menacingly, “Don’t even think about letting our money go.” He grins with horrific, yellow teeth, “Otherwise… Well, let’s just say, accidents can happen out here.” His smile shifts back to a glare. “Now make sure nothing happens to them, or…” Ivan smirks at the elf, then turns and walks out the door.

Can these enōōfen be any worse? Not only capturing fairies, but also threatening their own kind… I sigh. I need to make sure they stop chasing us today… I look up at the sky. …Without killing them though… I heave an exaggerated sigh. …Stupid rules. I lower my gaze and focus on Evetta and the jar she is in. Now, before I deal with them, I need to get her out of there. Once she’s safe I’ll have a bit of fun with these enōōfen. “Hmm.” Since my goal is getting Evetta out, then I need to lure the rest of them out first.

The two brown haired humans rush through the building carrying armfuls of gear and tools and head outside.

Well, that leaves two… I could start a fire but… there’s too many variables and that could lead to excess collateral damage. I could just capture them but… they could do something to Evetta while I’m capturing them… No, I need something else… I could capture the elf inside first. From there, I could freeze the front doors, windows, and corridor. While the building is frozen, the enōōfen won’t be able to enter. I can break the jar, make an opening in the wall and we can leave from there… After she’s out, I’ll lead her somewhere safe and seal it. Then I can come back to deal with things here… Yeah. Let’s go with that.

I push away from the window, rise into the air, and stretch my arms. I’m going to be sore tomorrow…

“Check over there,” Ivan’s voice echoes, “Our money could already be here so make sure to search thoroughly.”

“Yes sir,” a woman answers. Looks like it’s time to leave.

I ascend to the top of the building and scan the surroundings. The enōōfen are spread out, searching the skies and inspecting areas around the building. They seem pretty… I furrow my brow. Inexperienced? Well whatever, I’ll use this as my chance to head inside.

I wait until they are all facing away from the building. Now. I quickly fly off the roof, curve down while rotating my body, and enter the building. Once inside, I hover near the ceiling and make certain that the elf did not notice. I hear nothing, so I slowly progress toward Evetta’s transparent prison. Good, the elf didn’t see me… What’s he doing though?

Resting in front of the table that the jar is on is the elf with short blonde hair. His chin is propped on the table as he slouches forward, staring at the jar. “I’m so sorry for this…” the elf apologizes. “My children couldn’t contain their excitement and told my brother about what happened… If only I’d…” The elf places his hands on his head as he goes quiet. “I didn’t want this… I just wanted to help my wife… Heh,” the elf chuckles, “You can’t even understand me, can you?”

As I progress toward the elf I sigh. How bothersome can these enōōfen be? Can’t you just leave us alone? Well, let’s get this over with. I stare down at Evetta and, as I descend toward the back of the elf, I raise my index finger over my mouth. I see Evetta make eye contact, nod, then rush to the undine’s side. Not what I’d call subtle… I arrive behind the elf, hold my arms out in front of me, and conjure metal wires. The cables wrap around the elf and, in an instant, he is bound to the chair he is sitting on.

“Ah! Hey, what’s going on?” the elf cries out.

Good. Now before the others arrive… I turn toward the corner of the room with a cage resting nearby. I point my right arm at the front door and the other at the hallway leading further into the building. I close my eyes for a moment. Careful. Don’t overdo it and freeze everything. Just the entrances. I open my eyes and ice begins to form in the doorways of both locations.

“Hey, what’s going on?” a rough voice from outside shouts. Need to hurry.

“Hello?” the elf man behind me calls, “Is anyone there?” Shut up, would you.

Quickly, a thick wall of ice manifests in both doorways. Good, that should keep them busy for a bit. Now. I turn to the windows.

Shatter.

The window on the wall adjacent to the front door breaks as a man with black hair and a thick beard peers through it. Damn. Can’t you just quietly stay outside?

Ivan grins at me from the window with his ugly, yellowed teeth, then bellows, “Looks like our money really is here.” I don’t think so! As the bearded enōōfen tries to climb through it I turn, pointing one arm at each window respectively, and begin to fill the windows with ice.

“Arh” Ivan hollers, his hand frozen within the wall of ice. “Cold. Cold!” his voice trembles from outside. Just stay there for a bit.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Pounding begins to sound from both doorways filled with ice, and then from Ivan’s icy prison. Now then…

I flutter down toward the jar and, using my wings to balance on my remaining leg, land on the table.

“So it is you,” the elf mutters, “I’m so s-”

“Be quiet!” I roar as I glance sideways at the elf. He flinches, gulps, nods, and goes silent. Such a nuisance. I return my focus to Evetta and the glass enclosing her. Evetta mutters something from beyond the glass. I tilt my head. Is she… happy? She pouts, furrows her brows, and points at my missing leg. Ah… Nope, not happy. “I’m fine,” I reply with a smile as I approach the glass, hovering just above the table. I put my hand against the glass and suddenly feel my spyr drain from my body.

“Gah,” I shout as I immediately pull my hand away from the jar. The enōōfen… I turn toward the elf and ask, “What is this?”

“A… jar.”

I hear frantic, muffled shouting from the other sides of the icy walls.

“Not the jar,” I bellow, “What material is the jar made from?”

“I don’t know,” the elf replies worriedly, “Ivan brought it with him. He’s the one who’s most likely to know.” Useless… I glance at the jar, then to Evetta, with the undine standing behind her, and return my attention to the elf. I fly toward him and stop in front of his face, his eyes narrow as he focuses on me. “You’re sorry?” I ask.

“Y-yes, I am-”

“Then open the jar,” I state, dismissing the wires that bind him.

“I can’t though,” he answers as he lowers his head, “My family… they’ll…”

I place my hand over my face, pressing my fingers into my skull. For aeth’s sake… This useless… “Open it or I’ll make sure you never see your family,” I bark. “Now. Open. The. Jar.”

“I understand,” he concedes as he stands up and places his hands on the jar. He twists the lid, removes it, and places the lid and jar back on the table. “There,” he dismally states as he sits back down and places his head in his hands, muttering under his breath.

I conjure wires and bind the elf to the chair once more. “Ack,” he cries out, then exhales sharply. Then, I turn my attention to the open jar and see both Evetta and the undine still standing inside. Why aren’t they flying out? I hover over to the opening and ask, “What’re you waiting for? It’s time to leave.”

“I can’t,” Evetta states.

I furrow my brows and bounce my attention from Evetta to the undine and back, before sternly inquiring, “Why?”

Evetta opens her mouth, but closes it, grips her dress with her hands, and looks down at the ground. “I… don’t have wings.” she mutters disheartedly.

I close my eyes, take a breath, and tilt my head. “You don’t… have wings?” I ask. I open my eyes and look down at her, “Did I hear that right?” She nods. I stare at her briefly, take a deep breath, and nod. Okay… No more rules… No more being nice… Today, someone’s going to die. I adjust the bags, exhale, and fly down to pick Evetta up. As I lift her up, I ask, “Which one was it?”

“T-the man… w-with black hair…” she murmurs.

“Beard? Really loud?”

“Yeah.”

I look at the hand sticking through the wall of ice, then question, “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” she stutters as tears begin to fill her eyes. I look down at her. “It hurt…” she mutters as a smile spreads across her face, “B-but I’m okay.” The tears are now rolling down her cheeks, and an angry chill runs through me. She buries her face into my chest and grabs my shirt, “I’m sorry but I-”

“It’s okay,” I interject, pulling her closer to me, “I’m here now.” I look from Evetta to the undine. Red eyes… So domination huh… Might be a good idea to have some extra offensive power, but… “If you’re staying, then stay, but if you’re coming… then I expect you to repay the favor.”

“Don’t be rude,” Evetta whines, “She helped me when I was in pain.”

“Did she now?” I inquire as I scan the quiet undine. Her slender body and light skin are riddled with minor cuts on her arms and legs. Her round face houses red eyes, which have bags beneath them. Disheveled hair extends down past her shoulders while her bangs partially hide her face.

Well, if she was going to do anything to Evetta, she would’ve already done so… And if she did help her, then depending on her skill, I could use her. “If you did help, then you have my thanks,” I remark, “and I would appreciate your continued assistance.” I pause and, as I look around at the jar I continue, “For now, we should leave before the enōōfen break in.” The undine nods and manifests her wings.

Her wings are identical in shape to Evetta’s, having two large, upper wings with rounded tips, and two small, lower wings with similarly rounded tips. She’s not an undine yet… Still a sprite like Evetta. She must be pretty young then. Black envelopes a small portion of her wings, while the rest is a combination of blue and red. So she uses water and fire. Not the greatest for defense, but it’ll have to do.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Let’s go,” I say as I rise out of the jar. I glance back and see the blue-haired sprite still following. Need to watch her just in case. As I reach the ceiling, I turn and ask, “Can you make a hole for us to get through?”

The sprite nods, points her hands at the ceiling and, a moment later, a large torrent of water blasts from her hands. BOOSH! The force causes her to drift backwards slightly. Almost as quickly as it appeared, it vanishes. I frown in approval and nod. Not bad. I look at the cloudy sky through the hole, smile, and fly through it. We race away from the cabin as loud shouting echoes from beneath us. I peer back at the enōōfen. I’ll be back to deal with you shortly.

“Revus,” Evetta murmurs, “Thank y-”

“Evetta,” I interrupt, “I understand what you want to say, but I don’t want to hear it.”

“Uh…” Evetta hesitates, “A-are you mad at me?”

“Mad? Yes,” I reply, glancing down at her inflamed eyes, “At you, no.”

“Then… the enōōfen?”

“No.” Mad doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about them.

“Then who?”

“I’m mad at myself,” I state bluntly, “My job isn’t to rescue you. It’s to protect you, and yet-”

“But that wasn’t your fault!” Evetta bellows from my arms.

“Regardless of whether it was my fault or not, you got hurt,” I answer dejectedly, “And that means that I failed.”

“But…”

“That’s enough,” I mutter looking down at her as we fly through the mountainous woodlands. “You paid a heavy price because I wasn’t there. I’m sorry.”

“But…” Evetta whines, then she puffs her cheeks and complains, “You’re being unfair.”

I smile. “That’s fine. I’m just glad you’re safe.” I glance behind me and see that the sprite is still following us. Well, this should be far enough away from the enōōfen. I begin to descend. I head into the foliage of a large tree and land on a thick branch near its trunk. I lean forward to let Evetta down and, as she reaches the ground, the sprite lands next to me. I straighten my stance, turn to her, and inquire, “You have a name?”

“You don’t have to be rude,” Evetta urges, “I already told you-”

“Yeah,” I cut in, looking at her, “that was then, this is now.” I refocus on the blue-haired sprite, “Are you going to answer, or just stay silent?”

“It’s Fa-Faraine,” she quietly murmurs. A raine huh?

“Well Faraine,” I curtly retort, “Is there anything that I should know about you?”

“Revus!” Evetta roars.

I glare at Faraine as she shakes her head. I don’t like it. She’s hiding something and until I know, I can’t leave her here with Evetta. “Alright,” I sigh, turning away from the hesitant fairy. Using a combination of my right foot and my wings, I skip toward the trunk of the tree and place my hands against the coarse bark. A moment later, the wood shifts, opening into a hollow room. I head inside, hold out my hand, and release a light toward the ceiling. “Evetta,” I say, motioning her to come to me with my head. I place both of our bags down against the wall.

Evetta walks inside and asks, “What’s this for?”

I kneel down in front of her, placing my arms on her shoulders, and stare into her eyes. “I need you to stay in here for a bit.”

“What? No!” Evetta argues, “You can’t be-”

“Evetta,” I calmly interject, “I need to go back and deal with the enōōfen.”

“No! You cant,” She shouts, “You’ve already lost a leg, and look at your wing. Plus your ear still hasn’t finished healing yet.” Evetta pauses and breathes after her sudden protest. Silly girl.

“I’m going to make sure the enōōfen stop chasing us once and for all.”

“You’re going to… kill them?” she questions, her voice filled with worry.

“No, I won’t kill them.”

Evetta quickly crosses her arms. “I’m pretty sure you said something similar about the besāād. So… how do I know you aren’t lying about this?” Is she mad that I lied before?

“I… wasn’t fighting them-”

Evetta spins around, faces me, points at my missing leg, and screams, “Then what is that? What, you went out there and just let them attack you?”

“No, I-”

“Please…” Evetta cries, her voice trembling. “I don’t want you to get hurt…” She begins to sob as she turns away, her arms wrapped around herself. . “I… I don’t want to be alone…”

I see. I hop over to Evetta and wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. “I’m sorry…” For lying to you and… “...for not understanding. As long as I’m alive, I will always be here for you. I promise.”

“You will?”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

Evetta looks at be dumbfoundedly. “You just did though…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I smile and stare at her, “Regardless of how far away or how long it takes. As long as I’m alive, you’ll never be alone. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, I need you to stay here,” I state, standing back up and turning toward the entrance, “I’m going to go deal with our giant friends and make sure they stop chasing us.”

“Please be safe.”

“I’ll be safe.”

Evetta scowls at me, “Then be safer.”

“Ha.” Cheeky brat. “Also, I’m bringing Faraine with me.”

“Why?”

“I want to test her skills,” I reply. And talk with her for a bit. I exit through the opening, turn around, and hold my arm out. “One final thing. I’m going to put up a barrier to prevent anything from getting in here. You’ll be safe until we come back.”

“Wait!” Evetta barks, looking up at me. Before she can react, thick crystal spires spread from the edges of the opening and merge together at the center. Evetta runs over to the crystal wall and starts banging on it. She lets out a muffled, “Revus!”

Please understand. I can’t risk you getting hurt again. I turn to Faraine, frowning slightly, and say, “Follow me.” She timidly nods and we both rise into the air.

As we fly away from the tree, I hear Evetta scream from behind her clear enclosure, “Revus!” I’m sorry, but I also can’t have you going out on your own. Not while you’re wingless.

Once we are far enough away to no longer hear Evetta’s cries, I look at Faraine and say, “You know who we are, right?”

She quietly flies alongside me, not even turning to face me. Doesn’t want to talk huh?

I sigh, then bluntly state, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but the least you can do is answer my questions in return for rescuing you.

Faraine glances at me. When our eyes meet, she immediately turns away, and stutters, “O-okay.”

“Before that, let me make something clear,” I declare, “I haven’t fully explained to Evetta who her parents are, who she is, who I am, or what happened back at Kāālith.”

“Y-you h-haven’t?” Faraine questions with a distraught voice, “Why?”

“Emotions aren’t simple things.”

Faraine, with her puffy eyes, turns toward me, “Won’t she find out eventually?”

“She will,” I sullenly answer.

Faraine lowers her gaze, “T-then… Do you want me to keep,” she pauses for a moment, “m-my mouth shut?”

“Ideally.”

“I understand,” she mumbles.

“Thank you,” I breathe out, feeling some anxiety leave my body. “Are they still looking for us?”

“Y-yes. Most p-people assume you’re… dead,” Faraine stammers, “Some believe you’ve been… captured.” Captured? By the enōōfen? She fearfully continues, “B-but… but there are a few that are still searching… for you.” Likely her siblings and Novaraine.

“And the status of Kāālith?”

Faraine gulps and turns away.

I furrow my brows and inquire, “Did something happen?”

She nods, and while looking away, mutters, “It was destroyed.”

“What?” I bark in disbelief, “How?”

Faraine flinches, drifting away from me.

“Sorry,” I remark softly, “What happened?”

“A-about th-th-three years after you left,” Faraine trembles, “it was… raided by enōōfen. M-many were captured… the r-r-rest of us escaped and set up a new sanctuary.”

“Damned enōōfen,” I growl, “So they weren’t just chasing us?” Damn. I sigh, “Where’s the new sanctuary?”

She stares at me momentarily as if contemplating something. “A f-few weeks south-west of Kāālith.” Damn. So our travel time just increased even further… and with Evetta’s wings gone… I sigh once again, closing my eyes.

“Alright, that’s enough about the others,” I say, opening my eyes and focusing on the young sprite, “What’re you hiding?”

“W-what?” Faraine asks, turning to look at me, her face masked by her bangs.

“Don’t act so surprised,” I declare, “It’s obvious from how you’ve been acting.”

“N-no I-I-”

“Spit it out,” I urge, “Is it me? Is it Evetta?”

“I-I…” Faraine lowers her head and slows down, stopping in place and hovering in the air. I stop, turn to face Faraine, and fly closer to her.

“Well?”

Faraine mumbles something too quiet for me to hear.

I lean forward and remark, “Louder.”

“I’m a… f-failed page candidate… s-so…”

I lean back, cross my arms, and ask, “Her siblings?” Faraine shakes her head in denial. “One of her cousins then?” Faraine nods. I see… but she wasn’t chosen? I look her up and down. The frail looking woman trembles as she looks down. Well, not much I can do about that but… At least I’ve gotten something out of her. “Do you resent their decision?”

“M-maybe?”

“Do you plan on taking out your frustrations on Evetta?”

“No!” Faraine bellows, raising her head, “I would never.”

I widen my eyes at her sudden outburst. Well… “If you say so.” She doesn’t seem like she’ll cause any issues other than possibly trying to get close to Evetta. “Can you head back and watch over her until I return?”

Faraine nods, turns around, and flies away. I turn around and continue flying back toward the enōōfen’s cabin.

Good to know she’s not a threat. Just skittish… and a little awkward… I sigh. A failed candidate though. I’d prefer Evetta meeting people in better conditions but it might be better to explain things from the beginning so she knows to be careful around others.

After a brief excursion through the rough, sloped forest, I return to the breach in the natural landscape. Damn enōōfen. How dare you remove Evetta’s wings. You will pay for your actions.

Outside the building are three men, one with short brown hair, another with long blonde hair, and a third with black hair. The brown haired enōōfen is standing near the front door. The black haired enōōfen’s arm remains frozen within the ice at the window. The enōōfen with long blonde hair is next to him trying to remove the ice.

So, you got rid of the ice at the front door? Then the other three should be inside. I guess I should just capture them all, intimidate them a bit, and deliver a moderate punishment. Something that will leave a reminder, but doesn’t inhibit them from making their journey home… otherwise it could be argued that I indirectly killed them… I sigh aloud. What ridiculous rules… On the other hand, since I’m not trying to stay hidden anymore, I can go a bit wild as long as I don’t kill them…

I lean forward and dash down, stopping just behind both the blonde and black haired enōōfen.

“C-c-can’t you break this any f-f-faster Ryul,” the black haired man stutters.

“Shut up,” Ryul barks, “Would you rather I break your arm in the process?”

“F-fine, j-just hurry up.”

Listening to them is going to give me a headache. I hold out my hands, pointing one at each man, and manifest wires that immediately coil around them both. Ryul falls to the ground while the black haired man remains upright, his arm still imprisoned in ice.

“Hey, what’s happening?”

“The fairy!” the black haired man bellows, “It’s back.”

As I rush around the corner of the building, I almost crash into the enōōfen with short, brown hair.

“What’s all the- ah!” he shouts as I fly around him while binding him in wires. Good, that should be four. Two left.

I speed into the building and see the female enōōfen with the brown ponytail trying to pry the wires off the elf who I bound to the chair earlier. The girl spins around and stumbles onto the ground. She crawls backward briefly, holds her hands in front of herself, and begs, “Wait. Don’t. I’m begging you.” It’s too late for that. If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for deciding to join this absurd hunt. I hold out my hands and bind the girl with the thin metal cord.

“Ah!” she cries as she falls on her side. “What’re you going to do to us?” Nothing yet.

I fly into the only hallway in the building and there I see three doors, all of which are closed. Two on my left and one on my right. I fly close to the first door on my left, listening for any noise within. Aek. “Shut up you damned bird.” A man whispers angrily. So you’re in here. Well, let's try and surprise him a bit. I close my eyes. Focus. I take a deep breath. Focus. I exhale. Focus. I open my eyes and begin to manipulate the light surrounding me. Good. I hold my breath. Now I just need to maintain it.

I touch the door handle and, using the metal axiom, I turn it, forcing the door open just enough for me to fly through. Just a little more.

“Stay back,” an elderly voice croaks as the door opens. I fly inside and work my way toward the enōōfen’s face. Looks like he truly can’t see me. Good, once I have better control of this, it’ll be helpful in many ways. I exhale, releasing my control of the light surrounding me. “Ah!” the man screams as he stumbles backward. “Why? I- I couldn’t see… but you…” I smile, hold out my hands and bind the man in the metal threads. I look at the besāād, but it recoils at the sight of me, its scorched body trembling in terror. Good. That makes six. Now…

I turn back toward the elderly man, hold my hands out, and begin creating water. Instantly, large amounts of liquid begin to flood the room, slowly filling it.

“W-what are you-” The elderly enōōfen says, eyes wide with fear. “Wait, stop!” he yells as the water begins to rise. You’ll be fine. I smile. I’m just moving you.

Nearly a minute later, I have enough water to fill the room. I guide it, use it to force the door open, and carry the man out into the hallway with it. As the water flows from the room and into the hallway, I direct it into the main room. Along the way, I use the water to grab the elf and the girl, forcing them all outside. I use the water to grab the remaining enōōfen and, when I get to the black haired man, release the ice that traps him and carry him toward the others. The enōōfen whimper and scream, clearly confused and scared about what is going to happen next. Now that I have them all.

I line them up, each one sitting next to another, with the elf Rhys on one end, and the black haired human, Ivan, on the other. The brown haired man and woman follow Rhys, then the elderly man. Finally, next to Ivan is the other elf with long, blonde hair.

“Please, spare us,” the elderly man cries.

“I’m sorry,” the woman sobs, “Please let me go.”

The other enōōfen are in a similar state. All of which beg for mercy or cry. All except Rhys, the elf I had open the jar earlier. Well, let’s see how they like this…

I place my hands around my mouth and, by manipulating the air, magnify my voice, “SILENCE!” I boom as I lower my hands and discharge lighting from them to land behind me. The resulting thunder rumbles through the land and, instantaneously, the enōōfen go quiet. I grin. Good.

I return my hands to my mouth and continue, “YOU PEOPLE HAVE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE BY INJURING A FAIRY AND THUS…” I raise my arms over my hands and manifest six metal swords that I cover with brilliant light, “YOU WILL RECEIVE PUNISHMENT.” Hold them there… I lower my hands back to my mouth, “THE MORE SEVERE ONES’ CRIMES, THE MORE INTENSE THE PUNISHMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT REMOVED THE FAIRY’S WINGS WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA SENTENCE.”

“But that’s-” Ivan begins to speak.

“SILENCE!” I roar, immediately forcing the six blades to dive toward Ivan, each one piercing the ground around him. I remove the swords from the ground and raise them back into the air, each one hovering above a different enōōfen.

“NOW, LET US BEGIN.” Slowly, but don’t lose control. Keep everything up. I begin to manipulate the wires around each enōōfen. The thin strings coil around their bodies and extend to their limbs. I use the wires to force them to their knees, then use their bindings to make each enōōfen place one of their hands on the ground in front of them.

“RETRIBUTION COMMENCE!” I drive the six, glowing blades down at the enōōfen.

I have the swords cut the tips of Rhys and the two brown haired humans' right index finger off. For the elderly man and the other elf, I have the swords impale the center of their hands. As for Ivan, the man who removed Evetta’s wings, I drive the sword down onto his wrist, severing his right hand from his arm. There. Now he won’t be able to use that vile hand ever again. “Aaaaargh!” The enōōfen scream in varying degrees of pain.

I dismiss the swords and they all disappear into golden dust. Now for the last bit. I release the coils holding the enōōfen in place. They immediately reach for their injured limbs. “LET THESE INJURIES BE A REMINDER TO YOU GOING FORWARD, AND AS A FINAL WARNING. IF ANY OF YOU HARM ANOTHER FAIRY IN THE FUTURE…” I hold my hands in front of me and conjure a pool of darkness on the ground. Slowly, I manipulate the dark-violet abyss to begin to consume the enōōfen. I return my hands to my mouth and boom, “...NEXT TIME IT’LL BE YOUR LIVES!”

With the conclusion of my speech, I dismiss the darkness while simultaneously bending the light around me to appear invisible. The enōōfen all look around in awe, shock, and fear. While maintaining my invisibility, I fly as quickly as I can away from the cabin. Once I am far enough away I dismiss my illusion and look back at the enōōfen. Good, that should solve that problem… and no one died. I smile. Time to go back.