I paused and pointed to a hiding spot behind a bookshelf and column. Naturally, Kalia looked distressed by what we were about to do. If we got caught, we would be in deep trouble. We crouched within the space, doing our best not to tip over the buckets and cause a noise.
“That girl. She seems a peculiar child with an insightful mind for her age. Then there’s the color of her eyes and hair. I suspect she has more levels of that magic she has yet to realize.” Master Asuras frowned and stroked his beard.
“According to the henchmen that led her, they did see a strong dark matter magic empower her aura for a short moment. So, maybe she does know how to use it. Either way, you shouldn’t keep her here.” The chief’s eyes narrowed.
“If it was me, I wouldn’t keep her alive. Let me take care of her for you.”
Master Asuras stopped his beard stroking and glared into his eyes.
“You’ll do no such thing. I can’t help but feel this girl is the missing piece we need for that Hana Bridge artifact. According to the Instruments of Demonica Ataria magic pages, I had found in the Imperial Atheneum, dark matter magic is the key to activating that device and the magic stones. We’ll be able to harness our ancestors’ great power for the greater good. Bring a better future for our generations to come.” Master Asuras’s voice held a deep and serious tone that was unexpected.
“I fear it won’t be long before that group makes their move. And we’re all doomed to eternal slavery no matter what our status is.”
“You know that sounds contradicting since we rely on slaves here.” Chief Morrisett yawned.
“And we can still be better than our forebears. Just because they’re slaves, doesn’t mean we have to disregard their humanity.”
His expression changed to one of wonder as he returned the subject to magic innovations from a bygone era.
“Besides, what I’ve read about the Hana Bridge’s history is a marvel.”
My ears perked up when he described his awe for knowing what it would’ve been like living within an era of advanced machines and magic.
“Can you imagine such a wonder in our ancestor’s time? Machines that go faster than the speed of sound! Boats that sail underwater! Those hieroglyphs for the Hana Bridge require such a complex understanding, which no one of our time posses. Sadly, machinations lost to the eons after the glacial age.”
“Hana Bridge.” My heart raced with familiarity of those words, but I had no memory associated with them.
Kalia gasped and knocked her bucket, making a solid thud sound.
The men paused and glanced around the room.
My body tensed and hands trembled; my heart sprinted with beats so heavy it felt like it would break out of my chest.
At that moment a sister entered with books in her hands. She cordially acknowledged the men and disappeared behind a row of shelves.
The men relaxed their guard.
“Right, well, as you wish. I’ll be stationed at the Illuminate Reach within The Office of Lord Exacle’s Terra Laboratory.” Chief Morrisett rose and calmly made his exit.
I sighed with relief and shared a glance with Kalia who stared at me with a scolding brewing.
We waited for a while to make sure the coast was clear, then hurriedly retraced our steps and back to the foyer, where we saw Edde standing in the center with a livid expression.
“Yuh call this clean!” She pointed to the paw prints on the floor.
“S-sorry. It was when we left...”
“Save it!” She bellowed, so her voice rung around the space and made the sisters that passed through pause conversations.
“Is that Edde’s new chargers?” One of the sisters whispered to another.
“Look at the hair on that one. That’s going to be a challenge.” The other gossiped back.
“Nothing but trouble. What was the master thinking? If she ruins Our Lady’s reputation, I’ll make sure she’s executed.”
I gulped and froze at hearing these words.
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Edde stared at the passing sisters, gave them a cordial bow and waited for them to leave before turning her scolding back to us.
“Hurry up and clean it. Then do the servants quarters. Yuh get no food or sleep until I say yuh done.”
Kalia and I groaned, dropped to our knees to redo our handiwork.
We scrubbed the rest of the foyer in silence and were up to the last few squares when the sound of chatter and feet entered the room. I sat up and saw Sister Branwyn and a couple of wasted looking girls walking their muddy sandals over the parts of we had cleaned, and making it dirtier than it was before.
“Unbelievable!” I hissed and glared at them as they paused at the door.
“Oh, slaves, make sure you clean up this area here, or you’ll be scrubbing all night,” Sister Branwyn spitefully said, which had her girls burst with catty giggles.
They left the foyer for the servants quarters.
“We’ve worked doubly hard! She shouldn’t be getting away with this...” Kalia rose to give the sister a piece of her mind. I grabbed her arm to hold her back.
“Don’t. It’s only dirty. We can do it again. And, anyway, yah really wanna go up against a sister?” I couldn’t help but feel impressed by the thought of Kalia wanting to berate the woman who was way above our ranks.
“I have a strong feeling she hates us.” She knelt with a weary sigh.
“Think it’s more me than yah. Or more like my black hair and eyes.” I raised my eyebrows with my following question on the matter.
“Why’s that a bad thing, anyway? It’s not like I purposely chose this color, and I don’t see myself as ugly.”
Kalia stared at me for sometime before she said, “You don’t know the fable of the Black Guard?”
“The, um, what guard?” I scratched my head, looking confused.
“Oh, right, you have no memories.” She nodded and began to tell the tale of a powerful magis.
At the age of twenty, this magis became the first loyal aide to the realm’s first High Emperor.
Her version of the fable was as follows…
A young man from a common village, received a vision from Lord Dan that one day he would be a crucial magis to the first High Emperor, and help unite the lands under one banner. During this man’s time, the world was nothing by civil wars and divided nations.
There were some tests and trials he had to overcome to prove his valor. But, by the time he had turned 25 years old, he had achieved the reputation of an exalted magis, and had united some minor kingdoms to the High Emperor’s banner under one common cause of equality.
He accumulated great wealth. And had the freedom to explore all kinds of magic that benefited the newly formed empire.
During his magic developments, he harnessed the power to see through auras and distinguish chi patterns. With this power, he was able to shape and create devices that aided healing. Even some that could cure previously incurable diseases. The people praised and respected his magic innovations that were aimed at bettering humanity.
The High Emperor had ended the civil wars by having all of the former kingdoms sign treaties to his rule. They became the realm’s provinces.
The exalted magis was granted the highest rank of Imperial Guard within the military advancement unit. He devoted his days to a research facility that became the Imperial Magic Academy. His military unit expanded into a faction he renamed as the Illuminate Group. They would be the seekers for a prosperous future.
One day, he made a breakthrough with his abilities and stumbled upon dark matter magic. During his tests, the magic turned his blue eyes and blond hair black. It gave him the power to reshape matter into anything he so desired. After some tests, he realized the power had great benefits to be a weapon.
A new war was established, where the Temprean Regional Emperor had gathered an army to attack the High Emperor over exorbitant taxes and restrictions on slavery. It was known during those days that Tempra had a thriving slave trade. The High Emperor had been keen to abolish it. Especially, when he had already outlawed the practice everywhere else.
The war became prolonged and was soon used as a proxy for underhanded dealings. It slowly drained the imperial palace’s finances. This was crippling the empire’s economic structure with its smaller nations. The Temprean Regional Emperor had gathered all the outlawed islands to his cause on the promise of sanctioned piracy.
The war had to end swiftly.
The exalted magis had devised a weapon using Dark Matter Magic. It would be unleashed upon the enemies strong military compounds to cripple their ability to strike attacks. During one battle, it was unleashed to wipe out an entire enemy stronghold. However, it had also destroyed half of Tempra’s capital and most of the main trading ports.
The weapon had stopped the war, but left such devastation in its wake that many questions, concerns and civilian unrest followed. Especially, when some of desert plains became wastelands that nothing could survive. Every day people were dead. Whole family units had been wiped out in an instant. It was the innocent and common folk who had suffered the most.
So, rather than be exalted as a hero, the exalted magis was placed on trial for war crimes. But convictions were overturned due to his research and innovations, which were still benefiting the empire. This didn’t stop people from spitting on his name and cursing the path he walked. He was soon referred to as the Black Guard. Anything dark and mysterious was associated to his coined name…
“My father would tell me this story as a cautionary tale aimed at the values of upholding traditions. And the dangers of developing magic and ideals too fast and radically. You have black eyes and hair. So, people will unfortunately associate you with this story.”
“Oh.” I gulped, not liking the sound of that fable, which was more like a piece of history.
Calling it a fable was likely easier for people to process and accept. Having something like that cut too close to home would probably send some minds going bonkers.
She added with lofty airs. “Personally, I think it’s stupid to be bias to a person you don’t know just because of their features. And, yeah, I don’t think you’re ugly either. In fact, I think Troy liked the look of you.”
“Really?” I screwed up my face with distaste by the thought.
She stifled her laugh.
“I get it now. Thanks Kalia.” I smiled and rose to appreciate our spotless cleaning.
We hurried to our next cleaning duty.