I curl up into a ball on my bed in the clan dorms, very glad that I was given a private room.
The small stone room is far from comforting and the quality of the bed is rather lacking compared to the one Lucadon had made for me. I feel a boiling sensation inside of me, I just want to scream. I am about to slam my fist into the bed when I feel a small hand touch my head.
I relax a bit when I feel Alice’s hand gently stroke through my hair. She is trying to comfort me, stop me from losing it. I managed to keep my cool throughout the entire fight. The dwarf ended up getting his head chopped off by a wind blade, red hot blood pouring on to the stage. I keep seeing it every time I close my eyes. Every time I do my anger flares.
Those people were cheering and laughing at the two slaves fighting it out, jeering as the dwarf died. I have never been good with my emotions. They have always seemed so dull compared to the people I see around me. Everyone around was so free with their feelings, like a single sentence was enough to carry them along to heights I had never reached, or never could reach. However there is one emotion I can feel perfectly fine. Hate. Rage. Anger.
[ Do you want to talk about it? ]
Alice is keeping the conversation to our silent messaging spell in case someone hears me speak out against the human supremacy that is so common. I doubt I could keep my voice down in the state I am in.
[ I am disgusted, disgusted at them and myself… Them for acting like those people were nothing but animals, and myself for trying to forget how awful humanity can be. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. ]
I can feel myself spiraling when Alice pulls me back.
[ It is not entirely their fault. The System’s push towards violence likely has some part in their actions. ]
I don’t know whether to feel better or worse because of her words. If it is true that The System is responsible then I really want to break the damn thing. But I know better, half of my mind came from earth after all. The people there didn’t need a system to push them into genocide. People are awful regardless.
My fists have turned white from the pressure of my tightly clenched hands, an impressive feat considering my lack of blood after my Class 2 ascension…
Ascension.
That is what I need to focus on. Not some romantic idea of a vacation. Nor some dumb idea about making more friends. I need power to fix the things I don’t like about this damned world. And there is only one path forward.
[ Alice, we are heading out for a bit. ]
Flitting up to face me, the cute wood fairy crosses her arms.
[ Well that was a short vacation. ]
I feel myself calming down at her usual snarky response. I sit up from my bed and begin packing my things away. Alice helps me as we chat, trying to distract my mind enough to be able to face everyone else without giving anything away.
I reassure her that we will come back after reaching Class 3, but for now I just can’t stay in this city any longer.
We decide we should drop by the clan leader's office and inform him that we will be heading out to train in the forest for a bit. If I disappear without warning then that could make people suspicious.
“Damn, you are already heading out? You just got out of that gods forsaken forest! Well I suppose now that I think about it, those three kind of dragged you out without taking no for an answer.”
The gruff clan leader guffaws in his large chair nodding his head in understanding.
“That Jen did take you to that underground arena didn’t she? I can guess you saw them fights and want to get stronger eh? No need to rush things when you are so young though. You will end up looking like a shrimp for the rest of yer life.”
He had been so good at reading me before, but I suppose the human supremacy is so ingrained into society that he can’t consider the reason I want to get stronger is not because I felt inadequate after seeing the strength of the other fighters. The idea that I want to put a stop to such horrific displays of discrimination likely never crossed his mind.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“I just don’t want to sit around doing nothing. I will be back as soon as I can but don’t wait up for me.”
Taking my leave I step out through the clan hall and head for the main gate.
----------------------------------------
“Well, this is troublesome.”
A tall blue haired man in shining armor stands in a secret chamber below the cathedral. Walls lined with runic markings to prevent eavesdropping surrounding a long wooden table with only a single other person filling the seats.
“You said that you killed your daughter after discovering her light magic, and yet the guild has sent investigators who claim she is alive and pointing fingers.”
A stern look covers the man's face as he bears the angered glare of the fiery haired woman in front of him.
“I am certain she was dead before I dumped her body. Perhaps this is one of my enemies making a-”
“It is not. I have sent a message to my own people in The Dragon Empire and they confirmed that the guild has taken protective custody of a blue haired girl who appears to be 15 years old. Your daughter survived. She even managed to survive in the second ring for nearly a year. Your training must have been very effective.”
The man pales at his leader's implication.
“I swear I have not betrayed The Order! I truly thought she was dead!”
The woman lifts her black and burning nail to silence him.
“And all of this just before the announcement that our lord has returned to us. I find it hard to trust in your loyalty. The order will not provide assistance in your issues with the murder investigation. You will have to find your own way out.”
Before he can shout out at her the woman vanishes in a smoldering haze.
“Damn it!”
Slamming his fist into the table causing a crack to run along its whole length the baron thinks over all the hard work he put into raising his daughter.
“That worthless child just had to go and ruin my life after all I did for her. I will make sure she dies this time.”
Storming out of the chamber the man begins to put into plans to track down his wayward daughter and finish the job he started.
…
..
.
“Why did you not mention that the girl was confirmed to have golemancy and not light magic?”
A voice speaks out from beside the seat that the woman had been sitting in just moments ago.
The haze of fire blends back into reality once more, the burning woman now joined by a man covered in countless shadows.
“I was curious to see his reaction. I do believe that he killed the girl and that she has light magic. I just don’t think that is the whole story.”
Raising a dark eyebrow the cloaked man leans against the broken table.
“And what is the whole story? You don’t seem to intend to kill the girl? she is a potential enemy if she has light magic.”
Smiling broadly at the man whose casual attitude is rather unbecoming of a servant, the woman clicks her blackened nails together.
“We don’t know the exact conditions for the lord's return. And our lord returned not long after that girl, who managed to survive in that dreaded forest while attaining Class 2, was put into a perfect place to reach all kinds of qualifications.”
That has the shadowed figure losing his composure.
“You can’t be serious?! You think that our lord would take the body of a child with light magic!”
The woman's smile broadens ever further at the man's outburst.
“What better way to prevent history from repeating itself? She did suddenly gain a new magic afterwards, one specialized in controlling constructs of mana. I think it is entirely possible.”
“Well, shit.”
Letting his body once again relax against the table, the man contemplates her theory.
“You realize that if that is true then letting her father go like that will result in a dangerous situation for her.”
“Well, I can’t be sure of my theory. So why not leave the kid with a little test? Fighting her father should force her to expose all the cards in her hand. Then we will know for sure if she is our lord.”
“And if she is?”
“Then we will have to hope she is not the type to hold a grudge.”
“I find such a situation unlikely.”
Shrugging at her servant’s dismayed attitude the woman simply ignores his comment and begins her own preparations.
Finding The Demon Lord and serving them is The Order’s top priority after all.