Chương 54: Savior

Inara knew she would die. It was inevitable. As the mallet came down, she faced a second of panic, and then it all went away. Every sound, every thought, every scream, every emotion faded until she felt something almost like relief. Finally, she would be free of the agony, of the slow torture she faced every day of her life. She would be free of the mocking and the constant walking on eggshells, always fearing when and where the next round of humiliation would come from.

She would go somewhere that was hopefully peaceful, or at least better than here. She closed her eyes and waited, praying for a swift death. She felt a breeze on her face, expecting the impact. Instead, she was flying. She had a brief thought that perhaps this was what dying felt like. Maybe she was already gone, and her soul had finally been freed from her feeble flesh, allowing her to soar like the swallows she would watch over the pond. Perhaps that was where she was now.

But when she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the afterlife. Instead, she was about ten feet above the ground, floating in front of a masked person with a sack slung over their shoulder. The person was about her height and her build. Female, she thought, although she didn't have much of a scent or discernible shape underneath the cloak. She did have long hair and feminine-looking eyes.

She was wearing a Raven mask that covered much of her face, but her eyes were startlingly blue as they rested on Inara for a second before she looked away. Inara followed her gaze to where it rested on the troll, who was ripping its mallet out of the crushed earth. The earth that would have been Inara. Or maybe it was her. Maybe her body was somewhere in the rubble, and her soul had been taken by the reaper already.

"Are you an angel?" she whispered to the girl, finally attracting her attention once again.

"No," she responded, and her tone was softer than Inara was expecting. She'd been expecting it to radiate with power, or to be harsh and commanding, or cold like Lady Draco's. But it was warm, if a bit flat.

"I wonder if I can suppress them without killing them," she said aloud, and Inara raised an eyebrow.

"Do you mean the trolls?" The girl nodded.

"Maybe a sleeping spell would work." She put a hand up, and Inara swallowed as she looked to the trolls who were now swarming Master Bromsley again. Her heart skipped a beat when one of them swung close to him, but then it suddenly froze and stumbled back as though disoriented.

"I guess not," her savior murmured with a sigh, putting her hand down. It took Inara a couple of blinking seconds to understand that the girl had cast a spell that had stunned the troll temporarily, though it was already recovering from the effect. Did she cast it wandless? Wordless? Incredible. That would make her at least a master herself, but she didn't sound like a master. She was far too young. She may be older than she appears.

"Why do you want to keep them alive?" Inara asked. And why did the girl speak as though she was capable of killing three trolls when the Master Bromsley was struggling to significantly wound even one of them? Sure, she had saved Inara's life, getting her out of danger with what appeared to be a flight spell that kept them suspended above the ground. But the trolls were incredibly hard to kill, much less subdue. The masked girl didn't answer her question, seeming deep in thought.

"I guess there's one thing I can try," she said, and as one of the trolls tried to smash the Master again, suddenly all three froze in the air. Master Bromsley froze too, glancing around him in confusion. His gaze eventually found them while the girl kept saying, seemingly talking to herself, "Yes, that might work." What might work? And how had she trapped the beasts so effortlessly? Inara had never seen anything like it–someone who could incapacitate trolls but also seemed opposed to killing them.

She marveled, but at the same time, she was anxious for what might happen after the trolls overpowered their rescuer and broke her bonds. She couldn't keep them there forever, and they seemed to have indefatigable strength. They would eventually be free. Then something more incredible began to happen. The trolls were straining against their invisible bidings, their muscles bulging, teeth gritting. Then they started to make strange choking noises as though they couldn't breathe.

They remained frozen in their awkward positions, and with each passing second, they got visibly weaker, their eyes drooping, the snarls reducing in volume and frequency. Then one by one, they slumped over and fell on the ground with explosive thuds as Master Bromsley jumped out of the way. Inara watched it happen with a horrified fascination. So did Master Bromsley. A moment of silence reigned, the empty destroyed market square less than ready to accept the anticlimactic resolution to the chaos.

Or maybe it was Inara and Master Bromsley who were struggling to accept it. Master Bromsley had been fighting the trolls for several minutes now and had kept them occupied in order to give the villagers time to escape and seek shelter. He'd used his powers to shield the villagers as they ran, and had also set a magical boundary that stung the trolls if they ever tried to escape, always driving them back to him.

He'd been willing to sacrifice himself for them, and now that he didn't have to, it was almost like he didn't know what to do with himself. Inara's heart still raced. She could not stop thinking about her near demise, and could not take her eyes off the monsters on the floor. Most of all, she couldn't believe her eyes that the three powerful beasts had fallen in a handful of seconds thanks to the newcomer. Perhaps Master Bromsley had probably tired them out with his spells and battling, but still...

Inara twisted her head to gape at the girl standing–floating–opposite her. That was another thing. She'd managed to knock the trolls out while still keeping both of them suspended in the air. Only now, as Inara stared at her openmouthed, did she lower them onto the ground. Inara's knees were still shaky, causing her to sway the second the girl released her hold. Her body accidentally fell into her savior's, and the girl had to catch her and set her upright, pulling away quickly.

Inara was battered with awe and fear, feeling the need to both run and prostrate herself before her. And when the girl's eyes scanned her, she felt incapable of movement, her very soul still for her regard. She waited to see what the masked girl would do next. Inara often associated power with cruelty. Logically, she knew that wasn't always the case, and she'd met a few people who were powerful yet kind.

However, she'd met more of them who were powerful and indifferent, and those who used their power to oppress the weak. She didn't want to be oppressed.

"I'm sorry," she immediately blurted out.

"For what?" The girl did not sound angry, but sounds could be deceiving.

"For falling on you." Inara hated her trembling voice, but it was better to give the apology before punishment. She got the sense that the girl didn't appreciate the touch, and she wondered if she would get struck for it.

"It's okay. You went through a traumatic event," the masked girl answered very matter-of-factly.

"It's normal for parts of your physiology to shut down, inducing tremors and instability." Inara swallowed.

"Yes. I was unstable."

"You should sit down."

"No, I'm fine."

"You're not."

"I am. I really am."

"Why are you lying?"

"I'm sorry," Inara said again, believing she'd irritated the girl who frowned at her hem.

"For what?"

"You keep staring at me. I assume that I offended you in some way."

"No. Your robe is torn."

"What?" This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"I'm staring at you because your robe is torn."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Do you enjoy apologizing?"

"No. Sorry." The girl paused, then reached behind her and plucked a gold coin from that sack and handed it to her.

"There. I believe the problem is partially my fault. It might have ripped off when I yanked you into the air."

"No!" Inara put her hands up, horrified.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I said partially."

"Not even that. And I can't take that from you after you already saved my life."

"Take it."

"No, I could never–""I don't have time. Quickly."

"Oh." There was enough command in her tone that Inara's hands shot forward almost against her will, and the girl dropped the gold coin on her palm. Another apology lingered on her tongue, but she didn't want to annoy her savior anymore, especially since she seemed to be showing such care toward her. But then her attention went to a loud grumble. A gasp of horror escaped her. The trolls were already waking up. Master Bromsley leapt into action, creating spears of fire and stabbing them repeatedly in the neck.

It hadn't killed them the first time he'd done it, but perhaps with sustained impact it would. The masked girl jerked, making Inara jump too.

"Why is he killing them? They are unconscious."

"They will be conscious soon," Inara explained, frantically lest the girl take out her anger on the Master.

"And this is the only way to ensure they don't attack us when they do." The girl paused.

"Are you certain?"

"I think so."

"They cannot be sent back to their realm, or chained for some time?"

"No." The girl sighed.

"I suppose I tried my best. What is your name?"

"Inara."

"Okay. Lady Inara–""Oh no, not lady." Inara blushed, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Just Inara."

"Just Inara, drink a wellness draught today. It will help with the shock and the trauma. Also, have a hearty meal with a lot of meat. You need more protein in your diet. You appear to have no muscle tone and are far too thin for your height. Your bones will be brittle."

"Oh." Once again, her instinct was to apologize, but she managed to swallow it and simply said, "Thank you."

"Madam," Master Bromsley called, as he held the spears in place, pinning the trolls down and waiting for them to stop breathing.

"I would like to know the name of the one who saved my life and that of my young charges." The masked girl opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. She shook her head. Suddenly, the carriage door flew open, and Lord Draco emerged from it. He scanned the environment, and his eyes zeroed in on their hero, the shock in his expression hidden behind a dark heat.

"I, too, would like to know the answer to that question," he said.

"Tell me your name and clan this instant." She ignored him entirely.

"Are you deaf?" he called, making Master Bromsley glare at and snap.

"Quiet, you." Lord Draco turned to him slowly, in threat.

"You don't use that tone with me, Bromsley."

"I will use any sort of tone I want. You are foolishly demanding answers from the valiant hero who saved our lives."

"Oh, please, don't be dramatic. Just because you were too weak to handle three trolls doesn't mean the rest of us are."

"I didn't see you offering a helping hand."

"Did you need help from an adept, Master Bromsley?" Bromsley's face reddened again as Lord Draco turned to the strange girl.

"Tell me who you are." She shook her head. He tutted.

"That was not a suggestion."

"My identity is none of your business." As she spoke, Inara noticed she sounded different now. Lower and a little hoarser.

"Do you know who I am?"

"No, but I'm not interested in learning. You seem bothersome, and I must leave now."

"Bothersome?" Lord Draco gaped.

"Did you just call me bothersome?" She ignored him. She nodded once at Inara and then took to the skies once more.

"Wait!" Lord Draco said, and even Master Bromsley shouted for her to come back down, but she ignored them, flying away.

"I ordered you to wait, you insolent–!" Lord Draco whipped out his wand.

"[Call to Hand]!" Two seconds later, he was hit by a burst of air that struck him back into the carriage with enough force that it overturned. Lady Draco, still in the carriage, gave out a shrill scream. Her brother landed upside down, and his robes fell over his face quite unceremoniously. He cursed and sputtered as he got back to his feet. Laughter jumped onto Inara's lips, but she managed to hold back the urge, though she savored the first piece of joy she'd had in some time.

As she watched her hero fly away, she clutched the gold coin she'd been given to her chest, warmth unfurling in her heart. She also processed the past few minutes, which seemed to have fit enough events for a lifetime. She'd been ready to die. Death had come for her, and she'd made her peace with it, but it had not claimed her in the end. She wasn't sure how he felt about that yet, but she did know that something miraculous had just happened to her and a powerful angel had appeared before her.

And she now had a piece to remember her by. Inara wondered if they would ever meet again. She wanted to know who she was, to thank her for saving her life, to see her face just once. But she knew there was a slim chance of their paths crossing. Someone like that was meant for greater things, and Inara would likely only live with the memories.

"Thank you," she whispered in the air. For the first time in a long time, she was happy to be alive.

Arielle only realized belatedly that she'd made a grievous error. Her voice. She had not changed the sound of her voice because she had not thought she had to. Whether it was the bank teller or the jewel traders, she'd never planned on meeting any of these people as her real self, and she didn't think she would talk to anyone who might recognize her. But then she'd seen the Master and the boy in the student robes and understood that there was a chance he might be from her academy.

Even though the robes were not from Erynwall, he might be from an academy that Erynwall hosted interschool tournaments with. What if they met there, and he recognized her voice? Or what if the Master knew Elric? She couldn't let that happen. Luckily, only the girl had heard her real voice, the one whose robe she'd inadvertently damaged. So if anyone were to recognize Ari, it would be her. Could she coax her to keep it a secret by giving her some more gold? Ari sighed.

This scheme of hers was getting more and more complicated. System alerts interrupted her thought process. [Congratulations! You have killed a Level 610 Beast. Classification: Troll Type A. You have received 70 XP. Incorporate into your system?] [Congratulations! You have subdued a Level 620 Beast. Classification: Troll Type A. You have received 60 XP. Incorporate into your system?] [Congratulations! You have subdued a Level 640 Beast. Classification: Troll Type A. You have received 60 XP. Incorporate into your system?] [Congratulations! You have subdued a Level 640 Beast. Classification: Troll Type A. You have received 60 XP. Incorporate into your system?] NEW SPELL DETECTED Tier: Adept Experience Points: 3 Would you like to incorporate it into your Grimoire? *TOTAL SPELLS EXECUTED: [CROSS DISSOLVE] (+30) [AIR SLICE] (+22) That last part typically appeared after every fight, showing Arielle the points she'd gotten from using the spells that were in her Grimoire.

Everything else, though, had only happened once after she returned from Elfheim. When she got back to campus, Ari planned on asking about the mechanism behind her system screen and why it waited for her to be done with her battles to announce all her rewards. Also, how did the system know that she had fought and killed a troll? Was it observing her during every battle? Why did it not announce when she'd defeated a human? Perhaps because the power level difference was too insignificant to mention?

Or maybe because it wasn't a different species. Before she accepted anything, she pulled up her system screen, looking at her stats. Name: Arielle Blacksoil Age: 16 Tier: Apprentice (Level 20-100) Level: 51 Strength: 35 Constitution: 61 Agility: 60 Reflex: 45 Endurance: 70 Full Essence Capacity: 120 (High for Level) — CORE ESSENCE DISTRIBUTION — Calor – 20. 00% Vacu – 20. 01% Vitae – 19. 99% Massa – 20. 00% Luxa – 20. 00% Deviation Margin: ±0.

02% Equilibrium Index: 100% Final Lean: Luxa-Massa Quest Completed: 0 Experience Points to the next level: 550 XP + 52 Grimoire: [Warden Seal], [Warden Unseal], [Message Save], [Water Sound], [Quick Unscrew], [Soul Search], [Air Script], [Air Note], [Scent Breakdown], [Bound Mute], [Air Slice], [Spell Breaker], [Cross Dissolve]... Special Storage Items: None Hmm. The first sign of core imbalance. She would need to fix that and learn more Vitae spells.

She debated whether or not to incorporate all her newly accrued points from defeating the troll. She'd so far been very conservative with her incorporating spells, so as not to level up too fast. She couldn't earn experience points on unincorporated spells, so she didn't incorporate a lot. But Elric had told her that she could go faster now, and there was also something else to consider. The mage who killed the troll had pulled up her system screen. She'd felt him do it. So had the manager at the bank.

They all knew she was 'disguising herself' as a Level 51 apprentice mage. Therefore, it would be in her best interest to distance herself from that identity by gaining a level or two as fast as possible. Then she would ask Elric to teach her a spell to cloak her future level so that she would always show up as her previous level whenever she was hiding her identity, and they would think it was simply a part of her disguise.

But before she incorporated the points, she returned to the bank, wondering about her welcome. It was nothing as she expected. The second she landed on the steps, the doors were opened for her, and the bank manager stood there with a bright expression.

"Welcome back, my lady!" he said.

"We're so glad that you chose to return to do business with us. Please come in. Let's get that account open for you quickly."

"Oh," she smiled in relief.

"Thank you. Do I no longer need to confirm my identity?"

"No, of course not. It is clear to us why you have gone through great lengths to conceal it, and we do not want to jeopardize your hard work. A hero like yourself should be afforded the perks of anonymity. Now let me tell you of the different accounts and investment types that you can acquire with your fortune." After about thirty minutes of discussion, Arielle told him that she trusted him to make investments on her behalf and signed the documents to express that.

She went with the low-risk option, as she was risk-averse by nature, and he told her that her wealth would grow three to five percent per year. She was comfortable with that. Finally, after she was done, she went back to the temple to switch out of her disguise. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to linger as the town was coming back to life, and she didn't want to be around when the ministry officials arrived.

While in the temple, she finally incorporated the points to stop the repetitive alerts, and it got her to 852XP. She was sure she could finish that up tonight or tomorrow and get to level 52. Then she would give herself a few more weeks to get to 53. That should be good enough to distance herself from the girl in the raven mask. Before she left the temple, she checked if the coast was clear and saw that people were already out and about, discussing what had happened.

She didn't pay any attention to it, hurrying to the docks where the helmsman told her that he'd tried to search for her in the chaos, and had already transported some students back.

"Once the master had distracted the trolls, you should have headed straight for the docks," he said.

"And once it was over, you certainly should have reported here so I know you're okay." She took his scolding in stride, understanding that it came from a place of care.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," she responded. By the time she made it back to her room, Lyra was there, reading on her bed.

"Hey. Did you enjoy the festival?" Lyra asked without looking up.

"Not really," Ari said.

"But I finished my errands, so I'm happy with it."

"That's good." Arielle checked, and Elric still had not responded to her message. He must be busy. She wanted to wash up, but she was tired, so she lay in bed, closed her eyes, and yawned.

"Tired?" Lyra asked.

"A little."

"Did anything special happen?" Arielle didn't know how to answer that.

'Special' would depend on what had happened at the last festival, and if they'd had a troll attack then too. There had been a troll attack on the island before, and it was quite famous, so maybe this was all ordinary for them.

"No," she said.

"Nothing special."