Kaelys snapped her eyes open, instantly noticing the gigantic trees looming over her collapsed form. She could feel rocks and broken branches under her body and she marveled for a few seconds at the beauty of the sun rays through the foliage.
She shook her head, sitting up and looking around.
“Where are we?”
‘I don’t know’
‘Beats me’
“So helping,” she drawled, getting back to her feet.
She wasn’t supposed to be in a forest, of all things. There wasn’t any around the asylum, she knew that. So, the question was: how the hell did she end up there, wherever ‘there’ was?
‘You should find some new clothes first’
‘And get rid of that blood too’
Looking down at herself, she realized without much care that the blue robe she had been forced to wear while in the hellhole was ripped at some places, blood splattered all over her from head to toes.
She shrugged, rubbing her wrists.
“Whatever.”
----------------------------------------
After an hour of walking, Kaelys grew awfully tired. She hadn’t eaten anything in a while and certainly wasn’t used to walking long-distances or exercising in general.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if my muscles have deteriorated somewhat,” she mused.
After all, she spent her whole time sitting or lying on her back, restrained in one way or another. It’s not like she had the opportunity to keep in shape. But she kept on walking. No matter where she was, it still wasn’t far enough from the asylum.
“And I’m not going back,” she promised herself, staring straight ahead. “I’d rather die.”
----------------------------------------
The black-haired girl’s muscles were burning. Her feet bloody and sore from the road, the scars left by the electroconvulsive therapy aching…
Kaelys never felt happier.
She could take any pain coming her way. It was a small price for the freedom she just earned with the lives of her jailers.
“Before being sent there, I took freedom as given,” she recalled, her eyes lingering on the deep-green grass expending all around her. “I won’t make that mistake again. Only the strong can be free in this world, so strong I will be. No matter what.”
‘That’s the spirit!’
‘You still need to change, though. I can’t imagine what you look like with all that blood’
“It’s not like I’m not looking,” huffed the girl, annoyed. “There just doesn’t seem to be any sort of civilization anywhere! What am I supposed to wear, flower petals?”
A snort for only answer, she resumed to her walking. However, her peace and quiet merely lasted for three more minutes.
‘Someone’s coming!’
The girl tightened her grip on the bloody scalpel, which was hidden in her sleeve. She couldn’t afford to leave her only weapon behind, so she had resorted to keeping it.
Though, it wasn't like the nurse who lost it would miss it anyway. Corpses can’t feel many emotions, after all.
Turning around, knowing to try to run would only take more energy than she could afford to lose, she stood straight, ready to face anyone who was coming. She waited barely a few seconds, as large figures walked out of the forest she had just left. They made their way towards her position, apparently plainly aware of her presence.
“Bet they’ve been watching for a while too,” she grunted.
‘They popped up an hour ago or so’
‘And you didn’t say anything!?’
‘I forgot!’
Ignoring them, she concentrated on the group coming her way. There were twenty-one of them, all heavily armed, awfully big and apparently knowing what they were doing. She stood her ground, silent, as they finally stopped at exactly four meters and a half from her.
“Well, well, lookie here.” The closest one offered a toothless smile. “Lost, little girlie?”
“Yeah,” she nodded, calm. “Can you tell me where I am?”
He seemed taken aback for a second at her question, apparently not awaiting an actual answer, before shaking his head and grinning madly.
“You’re in Bosco, little lady,” he informed casually. “Near the border between here and the Fiore Kingdom.”
She tilted her head to the side.
“Bosco?” she repeated, obviously confused. “Fiore Kingdom? Never heard of those before. Ah well, no matter. Can you tell me in which direction is the nearest civilization? I kind of need to change my clothes.”
For a moment, the man stilled at the sight of the blood-covered gown, not having noticed beforehand her disheveled appearance –so much blood, but it doesn’t seem to be hers, what the hell!?-, before finding his calm once again.
“Sure thing, girl.” He offered yet another grin, though this one was more… sinister. “How about you just come with us? We were heading there anyway. And you see? We’re even going to offer you some really nice bracelets to come with the five-star trip.”
She froze as another of the man dangled some heavy chains with a cackle.
As said many times before, Kaelys wasn’t stupid. She knew those men meant trouble, so she tried to get as much information as possible while gaining more time to come up with a plan. However, what she hadn’t thought to put in the equation was their rather unsavory occupation.
“Slavery, uh?” she wondered.
Her purple eyes dimmed, her childish face turned blank. At that very moment, the man who had conversed with her felt like running away and never coming back. He didn’t know why, or what exactly scared him, but he felt as if he would lose his very life if he antagonized her any further.
Before he could ponder over it any longer, though, one of his men came up from behind her and knocked her out before she could react. The chief let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding as her body slumped to the ground.
Well, whatever. In two days, she won’t be our problem anymore. Bet those eyes will sell pretty well too.
----------------------------------------
Kaelys woke up with a rather nasty headache, but she couldn’t care less at the moment. She was solely focused on the chains now binding her to the wooden carriage in which she had been caged.
“I was weak,” she muttered, wide-eyed. “My energy was lower than I thought, I overestimated my abilities and underestimated my opponents.”
‘You have to get out of here’
‘And fast too’
“I don’t want to go back,” she whispered, panic bubbling in her chest. “I just set myself free… I don’t want to be chained again… I don’t want to be trapped again… let me go… I don’t want to go back… let me go… let me go! Let me go, let me go, let me go!”
She started hitting the wooden bars, earning the attention of a few of the slavers, who merely mocked her attempts.
“Let me go!” She kept repeating voice turning into screeches. “I’m not going back! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!”
“Just shut up!” yelled back one of them, growing tired with her screams.
“Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!” she ignored him, hitting harder. “I’ll die before being caged again! I’m not going back! Let me go! Let me go!”
She hit and hit and hit, not caring about the bones that cracked or the blood that splattered on the wood. She pulled on the chains biting her sensible wrists, only damaging the skin in the process. She grew more and more restless, her screams becoming incomprehensible.
One of the men approached the carriage with the intention of knocking her out once more but, as soon as he reached her level, their eyes met. Time seemed to slow down as he stared in those purple orbs, which glinted with utter savagery. Fear slithered in his veins like a snake’s poison and he felt his skull being crushed from the inside. A silent scream escaped his lips as he collapsed, his head quite literally imploding.
There were horrified and disgusted exclamations from those who had witnessed, but none were quick enough to react.
“DIE!!!” snarled the teen, her order lingering like a dark prophecy.
So they died.
She stopped screaming as they all fell to the ground without a sound, all bodies missing their heads. The girl stared through the bars at the sudden silent massacre, unfazed, merely confused.
“What… just happened…?” she whispered, slowly coming back to her senses. “I killed them, I know I did… and yet how…”
‘That was nasty’
‘Are you kidding!? That was awesome!’
Footsteps broke the heavy silence and she instantly snapped her eyes to the source. It was yet another man, but he wasn’t like those slavers, the girl could easily tell by the imposing aura that followed him.
He was tall, extremely so, with silver hair that reached his shoulders, black lines tattooed on his face and dark skin. He had a staff with a skull in one hand and a weird marks over his chest and face. He eyed the scene for a moment, mild surprise in his dark orbs as he took in the bloody mess and the corpses lying around the carriage. Then, he spotted her. She watched him approach, unable to decide whether to fear him or not.
“Will he kill me?” she wondered quietly. “I doubt so… Wonder who he is, though”
He stopped before the wooden cage and she stared back at him, unflinching.
“Are you the one who did this?” he then asked, his voice even.
“Yes,” she admitted. “But I don’t know how. Who are you?”
He eyed her for a few more seconds, before the top of the carriage and some of the bars suddenly exploded, making her jump. She gaped at him.
“You—did you do this?” she asked in awe. “How’d you do it?”
“The same way you killed these men,” he simply answered. “Magic”
She blinked. Once. Twice. Then made a face.
“That was a stupid question,” she then stated, scrunching her nose. “You haven’t answered my other one, though.”
“My name is Brain,” he presented himself, imposing.
“Well, that’s a weird name” she replied under her breath. “His mother mustn’t have much imagination…”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
He twitched a little at that.
Does the brat think I can’t hear her?
“Free yourself,” he ordered, keeping his cool.
“Those are metal chains,” she raised her arms to show him the binding. “I’m physically not strong enough to break them.”
“You just crushed their skulls with your mind,” he remarked, gesturing to the headless corpses. “Surely you can crush mere metal chains. Or would you rather die here?”
She stiffened at that, before looking down at her restraints.
“How do I do it?” she muttered, pulling again. “What’d I do first… I just felt them crush under my will… is it the same? Must be…”
After a few seconds of mixed curses and remarks, the chains broke. She stared at her now freed wrists with wide eyes.
“I did it!” she practically squealed. “It really is magic!”
As she awed over her newfound abilities, Brain stared at her with unmasked interest. While the child didn’t seem exactly… err, stable, she had extremely strong powers. Her untamed potential could bring a lot to his future projects if guided firmly.
He had to be careful, though. She was a young girl with what seemed to be an extremely volatile mind -for not saying a few screws looses- and that meant an also extremely volatile power. She could kill him in the span of a second just like she did with the slavers if he tried to use force.
“What is your name, child?” he asked imperiously.
“Kaelys,” she instantly replied, looking back at him.
“And what do you want exactly, Kaelys?” he then inquired.
“Freedom.” She didn’t even hesitate. “I’m not being chained down again. And they won’t take my friends either!”
For a moment, he wondered about who those friends might be but decided that now wasn’t the time and just brushed it off as another abnormality.
“Do you have any family, Kaelys?”
“No.”
“Anyone to return to?”
“No. Why is he asking, does he wants to recruit me or something?” she mumbled.
“What would you say if I told you that there are many others like you here?” he ignored her comment.
At that, she stiffened and instantly recoiled away. “I’m not crazy!”
“I… never said you were.”
“You implied it!” she snapped. “I’m not stupid, you know! I’ve been tricked once, but it won’t happen again! I’m not going back! I’ll be strong so that way, I’ll always be free! No one will take my friends or my freedom away, no one!”
“You are still weak, even with that power of yours,” he remarked, hitting his staff to the ground to gain back her attention. “But if you come with me, you will learn to control it. You will be strong. You will be free. All I ask in return is your utmost loyalty.”
At that, she stopped blabbering whatever nonsense that came to her mind and straightened her spine, her purple eyes dimming slightly.
At that very moment, Brain was convinced he was facing another person.
“I understand your reasoning and agree with this course of action,” she stated ceremoniously. “I have nothing to go back to, no goal to strive for. All I want is my freedom, and to learn how to control these abilities of mine. If you can offer both, then I shall join you.”
“Then come,” he turned around, heading back in the direction he came from. “We have much to do.”
Without another word or even a glance behind, she jumped from the carriage, grabbed the scalpel that had fallen on the ground and followed him.
‘Are you sure it’s a good idea?’
‘I don’t like him’
“I’m not blind.” She matched her pace with his. “It is obvious he merely sees me as a tool. However, for a tool to work properly, you have to treat it accordingly, sharpen it and exploit it’s very potential for a maximum of efficiency. As long as he needs me, he won’t let me rust. And that’s all I need.”
----------------------------------------
They traveled for three days and three nights before crossing what he mentioned to be the border that had been mentioned by the slavers sooner in the week. Brain had been gracious enough to answer all of her questions, understanding she wasn’t from around here quite easily, and she did her best not to bother him too much. He had also gotten used to her quirks, like how she always slept in a sitting position, or how she always checked the water before drinking, or how she always spoke her mind.
If aggravating at first, he then realized that it was quite helpful. That way, she couldn’t lie to him. While he knew she had pledged her loyalty to him, one could never be too careful. And, when he asked about those habits, she simply shifted in the strange, more mature personality of hers and answered:
“Humans are very, very ugly. They think they’re helping, but they just hurt more people in the end. That’s terrifying, isn’t it? Thinking you’re doing something good when really, you just making things worse.”
He didn’t really get it but soon came to the conclusion that she was schizophrenic. The friends she mentioned three days prior were obviously the voices in her head, and he could sometimes hear her converse with them.
Brain decided to let it be. It’s not like he was much saner either.
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(AN: Erza is currently 19 –physically-. So, I give Jellal 21 –physically, he would be 28 with the Seven Year Gap-. That would mean since the Oración Seis members left the tower around Erza’s age at that time –I’d say seven/eight years or so, they are more or less the same age as her. I guess nine or ten years passed between Erza’s escape. However, going back to a year before the canon story, that would mean they’re currently somewhere around 17-18-19 years old. The ages set in this story at this moment are these:
Cobra – 18
Midnight – 18
Angel – 17
Racer – 18
Hoteye – 20
Just for the sake of it: Erza – 17
And to make things clear: This is ONE YEAR before canon)
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A maroon-haired boy clicked his tongue in annoyance for the nth time in the past hour. Next to him, a gigantic purple snake rubbed her head against his leg in comfort, while a white-haired girl shot him an annoyed look, crossing her arms under her generous cleavage. In the corner, a very tall man was counting money while giggling to himself. Another boy with black hair was sitting on a floating carpet in one of the corners, sleeping soundly.
The first boy was about to click his tongue again when a blond-haired one appeared in the middle of the room with what could be none other than speed magic.
“He’s coming! And he’s not alone!”
That got everyone’s attention, saved for the one sleeping. The maroon-haired one gently petted his snake’s head, closing his eyes to concentrate better on what to hear. After a few seconds, he finally caught the oncoming steps of their leader, followed by much lighter ones.
He frowned, opening his eyes. He knew that the newbie was a girl, but couldn’t say much more, for he wasn’t able to hear her thoughts. That didn’t sit well with him.
He clicked his tongue again.
“Annoying,” he muttered.
----------------------------------------
Brain opened the door of the castle-like headquarters. He had informed his newest recruit of the basics, like the group under his command known as Oración Seis and their abilities in general. He mentioned their position in the Balam Alliance, their role as a Dark Guild and how exactly things would work out for her from now on.
He hadn’t told her about Nirvana yet. He still couldn’t trust her with that kind of information. She seemed to know he was holding some things back but didn’t really cared to call him out on him.
That was a good thing. Tools never questioned their master.
Everyone, he called through the telepathic link. Gather at once. We have a new member.
He glanced back at the girl next to him, who was eying the room in which they had entered with childish awe and slightly troubling suspicion.
And Angel, he added, recalling the kid’s attire. Bring a blanket.
----------------------------------------
After a few minutes, the five members of the Dark Guild gathered in the room, one of them still sleeping. The black-haired girl was sitting on a chair, posture straight and stiff, watching with suspicion as they all came in. She also had her bloodied scalpel in hands, her grip so tight her knuckles had turned white.
“From now on, Kaelys will be part of the Oración Seis” he then announced. “She uses Caster Magic. She awakened her magic a few days ago, though, which means she can’t control it yet. Seeing as it obeys her emotions, I would suggest not… provoking her. The men who made that mistake aren’t here to tell the tale anymore.”
All –again, saved for the one dozing off— eyed the blood covering the child. It was as if she had just bathed in the red liquid, and she didn’t even seem bothered by it.
None of them managed to doubt their leader’s words.
The dark-skinned man pointed his staff at the boy. “This is Racer.”
“Yo,” the blond-haired boy greeted.
“Hoteye.”
“Do you have money?”
“Angel.”
The white-haired girl simply nodded.
“Cobra.”
“Tche.”
“And the one sleeping is Midnight. If you want to avoid any trouble, don’t wake him up.”
“They’ve got weird names, all of them…” mumbled the child under her breath. “What the hell kind of name is Hoteye? To think I’m the one who ended in the asylum…”
Cobra raised an eyebrow at that, having heard everything while the others simply gazed in curiosity as the new girl muttered to herself. Then, the child’s purple eyes met his. They stared at each other for barely a second, and the boy found himself unable to hear her thoughts or intentions once more.
Her soul was a completely different story, though. It was… broken, kind of. Like an old toy that was put back together again and again until the pieces couldn’t fully fit anymore. Her soul reminded him of a sad lullaby or a puppet whose strings had been cut and partially reattached.
Before he could delve any deeper, she looked away. Her mouth then parted agape, her thinned lips stretching into a childlike grin.
“Cute!”
Before any of them could react, she jumped from her seat and latched her arms around the purple snake’s body. After a heavy silence, the animal let out a soft hiss and placed her head onto the child’s shoulder, letting Kaelys pet her head.
“C- Cubellios!? What the hell!?” exclaimed Cobra, wide eyes.
His best friend simply moved closer to the girl, who laughed quietly. For a second, the boy was tempted to forcefully take her away but, as he took a step ahead, he froze, hearing something he hadn’t heard before.
‘It’s disgusting’
‘Are you kidding? That thing is awesome!’
“It’s a she,” scolded lightly Kaelys. “And she’s beautiful so shut it, you two.”
The maroon-haired mage sent a look at Brain.
The girl appears to be schizophrenic, his leader confirmed. I couldn’t get much out of her, though. She also appears to have some sort of personality disorder.
Cobra looked back to the girl, who was still petting Cubellios. She didn’t look like much at first, her pale complexion clashing with her black hair and her purples eyes were somewhat unusual, without much—he had those too, after all.
But the voices heard by schizophrenic people are merely hallucinations. He recalled one of his missions in which he faced a mage with the same illness. I wasn’t able to hear them then. However, I can hear those. Does it mean it’s simply a stronger case? Ugh, this’ll be a drag.
“Angel,” their leader called. “She’ll occupy the room across from yours from now on. Help her bath, and pass her some clothes for now. You two will go to the nearest village tomorrow to get what she needs.”
“Understood.”
Having heard Brain’s order, Kaelys let go of Cubellios to follow the older girl. She left, rubbing her wrists as the door closed behind her.
“Who exactly is she?” then asked Racer, voicing all’s thoughts.
Saved for Midnight's, of course. He was still sleeping.
“I found her three days ago,” informed Brain, sitting behind his desk. “She had been taken prisoner by the slaver group I was charged to take care of. I arrived just in time to see her magic awaken: Telekinesis.”
“Mere telekinesis can’t actually kill people,” Cobra replied, raising an eyebrow in mild wonder. “It consists of moving objects with the mind.”
“Hers can. She crushed their skulls, all at once,” replied Brain seriously. “She possesses an extremely unstable mind, which makes her dangerous. However, if she learns well, she will be a great asset for Oración Seis. Cobra?”
“I hear you,” sighed heavily the boy. “But do I really have too? I’d prefer to live another day.”
But at the glare of his leader, he gave in and let out an annoyed huff.
“If she becomes too much of a threat, then I will take care of her myself,” he then assured. “Until then, be aware that she could very well destroy you in the span of a second if she wanted to. That is all.”
“Right.”
----------------------------------------
Angel stood outside of the bathroom, waiting for the girl to come out clean. The teen didn’t seem bothered by her bloody appearance at all, merely happy at the idea of soaking in some hot water for the first time in a while, and it troubled the white-haired teenager more than she liked to admit.
She didn’t want me inside, Angel bit her lower lip. Distrusting, very much so. I got a glance at her wrists and arms too. Those scars… Could she come from the Tower too? No, Brain assured us they weren’t kidnapping children anymore.
The door creaked open, and the black-haired girl poked her head outside.
“Do you have some less revealing clothes?” she asked plainly. “I don’t want to look like a slut. Plus, it’s kind of cold.”
Angel’s eye twitched at the slut remark, but she decided to let it slide and shook her head, taking out a folded piece of clothing.
“I can pass you my cloak until we buy what you need tomorrow,” she however proposed.
“Thanks,” nodded the newbie. “Geez, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing her outfits. I’d say she looks like a prostitute but she’s beautiful enough to fit in well and back it up, so I guess I just won’t comment on it.”
“You just did, brat,” Angel’s eye twitched again, though slightly flattered.
Kaelys didn’t answer, simply putting on the cloak the white-haired teen had just handed to her, before coming out. Then, they made their way to what would be her room.
“She’s acting kind of bitchy, but that’s just a mask, I can tell,” muttered the girl.
“Cut it out, will you?” snapped Angel, not looking back.
“She must have been hurt a lot when she was younger too,” pursued Kaelys, unaware of the growing unease of the older girl. “Guess the others are like that too. Do they come from the same place? I can’t tell if they’re friends or not…”
“Cut it out, I said!” exclaimed the white-haired mage, spinning around. “You’re giving me the creeps! You sound crazy!”
“I’m not crazy!” instantly snapped back the girl, backing away.
At the sudden venom in her voice, Angel recoiled slightly, remembering Brain’s warning about not provoking her.
“I’m not crazy!” insisted Kaelys, despair, and disdain in her voice. “Don’t say it! Don’t say I’m crazy! I’m not, you hear me!?”
Angel’s throat constricted over itself and her eyes widened as she felt unable to breathe. Grasping her throat to get rid of the invisible hand practically strangling her. Her breath hitched as black spots danced before her eyes.
“Enough!”
Air filled her lungs once more and she dropped to the floor, gasping. Kaelys stared at her, blinking in wonder as Cobra ran to them.
“Oops.” She looked down at her hands in wonder. “Guess I really need to learn, uh? I should probably apologize, but apologizing when you’re not sorry resumes to lying… Guess I won’t apologize, then.”
“Angel, you okay?” Cobra glanced her way.
The white-haired teen simply nodded quickly, her throat still aching slightly. Cubellios approached the child, rubbing her head against the girl’s hip.
“Just follow me,” then grunted the maroon-haired boy, walking ahead. “Angel, get some rest.”
“R- right…”
Kaelys waved, before running to catch up with the boy. As they headed for her room, he couldn’t help but inquire further. Even though he had heard everything, he couldn’t really understand, unable to hear her thoughts.
“Why did you lose control?”
“She called me crazy,” the girl scowled, then looked away. “But I’m not. They’re real, you know? They’re my friends. I’m not crazy if they’re real, right?”
“Obviously.” He ran his fingers through his hair, searching for the right words. “But look. Here, we’re not all that sane either. Being crazy isn’t a bad thing, okay? Don’t take it so personally.”
‘He’s got a point’
‘With names like theirs, of course they’d end up with a few screws looses’
“Don’t be mean,” chided the girl.
“Yeah, shut it,” added Cobra.
The thirteen-year-old's step faltered, and she shot him a wide-eyed look.
“Y- you heard them!?”
“I can hear a lot of things.” He was seriously starting to regret his decision of guiding her himself. “That’s one of my Magics.”
“So you know they’re real, right?” she insisted, her voice growing somewhat hysterical. “You hear them too, so you know I’m not crazy, right!?”
“Whatever.”
He was not going into this. He already got a headache because he would be the one in charge of her training, no need to worsen it with her questions.
Plus, it’s not like she’ll last long anyway. Losing control on the first day like that… Brain won’t keep her for much longer if she keeps that pace.
He glanced back at Kaelys, who was now talking quietly to Cubellios. She seemed more at ease with the snake than himself or the others, that was for sure.
Guess there’s more to her than a broken soul, uh? Sheesh, what a pain.