Chapter 50 Love and Death.

I’m life, lively and cheery.

The essence of youth, a rush of actions.

Full of passion! Desire! Happy or sad.

Yet, filled with yucky fluids, gore, and flesh.

Mayan, the Ocean Fairy.

Silence falls on the tavern. Sorer’s headless body twitches on the ground. The vines grow out of it, covering the floors. Some people run outside or hide behind a piece of furniture. The Golden Thrill members gulp and tense up, they draw out their weapons, steeling themselves for what’s coming next.

The woman points her thin black sword toward me, her whole body trembling with anger. My heart misses a beat and the world slows down, I notice how delicate the sword is, I even note the small carving of roots and flowers on the shimmering black blade.

The iron dagger with the pixie tied to it, falls down to the floor. I spot every spin of the dagger, I see the candles across the room reflecting on the clean blade. I can hear my own breaths, my beating heart. I try catching it with a silent ‘Minor Telekinesis’ but it’s futile. Magic won’t form on a piece of iron.

“Anyone else has something to say? Which of you ugly men think he has any right to talk?” The woman turns around, pointing her blade at random mercenaries. The glimpse I get under her hood tells me that her face is covered by a cloth mask. It doesn’t sound like that, her voice isn’t muffled, but that’s what I see.

“And you… you’re not ugly. Average looking but it doesn’t explain what you’re doing in the company of so many ugly men!” She focuses on me.

Average looking?! You bitch! Who do you think you are you venomous jar! Some beauty queen? Why are you hiding your face then? “What do looks have to do with any of that?”

The woman let out a sigh or a whistle, it’s hard to tell. “I’ll be taking that pixie now.” She sheaths her sword and picks up the iron dagger, unbinding the rope slowly.

She’s touching the iron, her guard is down if I want to act now’s the time… It’s crazy… her speed… I bet she can draw her sword faster than I could blink! I don’t want to lose my head… who says she won’t kill us afterward anyway! It’s now or never!

The hesitation costs me precious time. By the time I make up my mind, the tall woman throws away the iron dagger, letting the pixie free.

“Why~ thank you for releasing me! You’re such a nice lady! Unlike these human baboons… I am Milasulalariata! Please state your wish!” The pixie flutters her butterfly wings, speaking in a cute voice. She transforms back into the beautiful fairy form in an instant.

“This is my request o’ graceful one: Tell me the truth and only the truth. Did you attempt to rob these people of their possessions?” The hooded woman holds her hands together with her fingers intertwined in a weird gesture.

“As per your request, I shall answer… no I did not! I only attempted to take the possessions of that baby girl over there! She also wanted to kill you for releasing me you know? She thought it was a great opportunity when you were holding the iron on your skin! She has much to learn doesn’t…”

The mysterious woman attempts to catch the pixie, but the little fairy flies around in weird patterns, avoiding the woman’s grasp. “Oops! Why are you so upset? I didn’t do anything wrong!!! I…” seeing that the cloaked woman keeps coming at her, the pixie disappears in a small cloud of green dust.

There goes my pixie… some ideological pea headed woman… The second cloaked figure behind her murmurs something in a language I don’t recognize and receives a very snappy comment from the woman in return.

She walks toward us slowly, reluctantly. Then lowers her head before me, her body almost bending to a full ninety degree bow. “I am very sorry. Please forgive me.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it.” Salik’s grim voice echoes throughout the silent tavern.

“I apologize.” The woman repeats loudly. Now she addresses him instead, giving him the same deep bow.

“Can you take off your mask and hood please?” I ask. She saw our faces. I doubt she’d plot anything now that she can tell we weren’t in the wrong, she’s too idealistic for that. But I want to see hers, if only to avoid this person in the future… or to use her guilt to my advantage… Besides… average looking? I want to see what the woman who claims such a thing looks like!

“I shan't. I am very sorry!”

“That man you just killed has a wife! He has a little girl, a newborn babe back at home! They’re going to starve without his pay! If you want to apologize to someone, apologize to his wife first!” Salik guilt trips her without mercy.

“Very well. Lead me to the man's family, and I shall make amends. I shall make up for my misconducts!” The tall woman exclaims.

Is this lady for real?! “You’ll apologize with that face cover?” I ask raising my eyebrows.

“Yes! I shall apologize with my identity hidden.”

“Huh huh… if you are trying to hide the fact that you aren’t human, you don’t have to. You gave it away a few minutes ago, your disguise is worthless.” I attack the heart of the matter. “So why won’t you show us your face?”

She freezes in place, looking at me. I catch the glimpse of glowing green eyes before the other figure reacts. He puts his hand on her shoulder and they both disappear, leaving glittering golden dust behind them.

I heave a heavy sigh. I guess I’m happy this pixie got free… even if it means that she might come to exact her revenge on me one day…

Is this some innate magic pixies have? Constant endless sympathy for them? Like that weird Atkol rabbit?

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

No! I am not happy she’s free, that bitch! And if I ever catch her again I am going to kill her and eat her damn soul!

That sympathy magic… had just cost Sorer his life! And it could’ve been me instead! I hope that bitch burns to death! What was her name? Milasulalariata?! Yes… Milasulalariata Milasulalariata What a stupid long name! I’m glad my memory is good… I’m going to remember it… and when I catch that Milasulalariata… she’s dead!

“Ehh?! I thought I could redeem your soul but you’re such a baby!!!” The pixie exclaims, showing up in front of me. When I attempt to swat her down like the fly she is, I only hit the greenish dust she leaves behind. A ringing laughter rolls around the inn. That stupid idealistic woman! Ugh!

Things calm down around the tavern. Except for Salik’s band, they surround Sorer’s body, speaking to each other in low voices. The atmosphere is heavy. They each donate a small part of their earnings for his family.

That stupid righteous woman… killing a random person just for disagreeing with your ideals?! Ruining a family for that?! And what does it say about me? Killing a random guard just to threaten his mistress… who am I to judge her? At least she has some ideals to follow… me? I only have my goals of going home and my ambition to get stronger… and I am willing to kill anyone who stands in my way…

At least I won’t eat them too… I am not going to change over it. And judging others won’t get me anywhere… morals change from person to person… So who am I to judge… Does it mean I shouldn’t judge the cannibalistic hag either?

Oh no… that woman definitely deserves to die! I am not letting her get away with everything she does! But she truly cares about me… Or does she? Why else would she teach me if she didn’t care? Or any other of her apprentices? She did say we’re like children to her…

I wish I could meet them someday… Really? Meet a bunch of cannibals?! Ugh fine! At least meet the one who wouldn’t eat human meat like the rest of them. I could use some senior's advice right now…

I look at Sorer. He’s only a corpse covered in vines instead of a headless body. The vines squirm on the ground as if something is still alive in there, but I know he isn’t.

My thoughts wander to the guard I killed a few hours ago. The horror in his blue eyes a moment before my spike pierced them. His short gray beard and mustache, and the slight wrinkles on his forehead.

I shake my head as if to shake the memory away and I see Master Rushmia. The shock in her red eyes. Her black hair reflecting the afternoon sunlight with an unknown hair product. The beads of sweat on her forehead. And the large hole in her chest that I blew up.

Then it’s Medina. Begging me to help her escape out of the hag’s shed. The feeling of that sickle in my hand as I sliced her throat.

Adir missing half of his neck and jaw. George begging for his life, only to get a blasted hole in his chest. The orc who tried to kill me in the death-room. Sina telling me she’ll prove herself to the rest of us. I’ve caused so many deaths! That’s enough!!! It’s not like I never killed people! And most of them deserved it and more! Why does it bother me now?! Ugh!!!

“Here’s your sweet grape juice ma’am.” The barmaid puts a small wooden cup on the table, like there isn't a corpse covered in vines on the ground, like nothing happened just a few minutes ago.

“You can give all of my shares to Sorer’s family, I am going to bed…” I leave the fat gold purse on the table and get up. I ignore my drink and the commotion as I head toward my room. There is nothing here anymore. Sorer is dead, my pixie is gone, and acid burns my throat. My head is pounding in pain, I just want to be left alone.

I stumble up the stairs. A hand grabs my arm and I press my hand against the face of a terrified barmaid. I look into her brown horrified eyes, knowing how easy it is to turn this head into gore. Just two words and four patterns of mana, that's all it takes. Two words and four patterns of mana. This is how fragile we are.

I let the girl go and find my way to the toilet. I vomit into the chamber pot. I can’t do that near the others, but now when I am alone, I can let go. When will someone blow my head up? When will someone knock an arrow in my back? Will I ever make it home?

I wash my mouth and hair with magic, letting the water of my spell flood the tiny washbasin. I can't let that happen! I can't die! Not without going home! I'll do everything I can to get stronger, to defend myself. I seriously need some more defensive magic...

Exhausted I head back to my room and suddenly I am tiny, so tiny that the furniture seem like tall buildings. A gigantic pixie walks above me, her legs stomps toward me slowly.

With a surge of adrenaline, I bolt forward, avoiding the gigantic leg. The leg trample into the ground behind me, cracking the wooden floor. The pixie flies and the leg dives toward me again. I run toward the far door, but a giant leg blocks my path, it sweeps and everything goes white.

*~*~*

Power level: 2nd stage apprentice.

Mana pools status:

Crown-knot: Affinity 10: formed: 1 gem replenished per five minutes.

Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 66

Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 6 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1

Air: Affinity 4: formed: 18 gems

Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems

Light: Affinity 3: formed: 14 gems

Water: Affinity 6: formed: 27 gems

Earth: Affinity 1: opened: 3 gems

Wood: Affinity 2:

Gravity: Affinity 9: formed: 40/41 gems

Cantrip known:

Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing.

Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating.

Light: Noxi’s Light, Lako’s Blinding Light.

Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet.

Earth:

Wood:

Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body.

Spells known:

Gravity: Alino’s weightless bodyb.

Focus capability: 10 patterns

Social status: apprentice to the maven of mysteries.

Wealth: 900 gems. 1967 gold coins, 13 silvers, 47 coppers.

Items:

1 simple healing potions.

2 potions with unknown effects.

An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh.

Fresh rose petals, 8g

3 soul containers size 1. (Borrowed item. Ownership: Maven of Mysteries.)

Roll of magical cloth, any carcass wrapped fully in the cloth will not rot. (Borrowed item. Ownership: Maven of Mysteries.)

A magical pouch, any carcass attached to the pouch will shrink in size. (Borrowed item. Ownership: Maven of Mysteries.)

Companions:

Languages:

Toml’a Fluent

Sinteo 9/10

Myrsha 5/10

Felul 1/10

Injuries and scars: Back, lightning scar.