Minutes dragged—each second stretching longer than the last.
Rhea's palm clasped tightly around her bow. Her finger hooked the string, her eyes fixed on the entrance, and her back pressed against the far corner of the room.
Her breath slow and deliberate—the tips of her fingers pulsed gently, matching the rushed beat of her heart.
Click.
The polished knob turned gently, catching light from the hanging gem.
Rhea caught her breath; her bow already halfway charged, and aimed at the door.
It slid open—stepping inside, the harpy froze as his eyes met Rhea's.
There she stood, latching onto the walls. Her long, black hair shimmered in the light, her bow partially drawn, and her blue eyes flickering with every move he made.
Click.
Sliding off the knob, his fingers dragged over his forehead, raking through his brown hair.
"Sit, would you?" His layered, spiked, purple-edged eyes held Rhea's gaze captive. "It's one thing to be a criminal, but it's another to be rude."
He set the paper and quill down on the desk—tugging his sleeve into place, smoothing the black vest, and flattening the embroidered collar.
Rhea lowered her bow slightly.
"Who are you?"
Her shoulders relaxed, but her gaze stayed sharp.
Skrrrrr.
The chair screeched against the hard floor.
Its wooden structure creaked under his weight; his legs crossed, elbow digging into the wooden armrest as his hand folded into a fist, holding the weight of his head.
"The name's Loric." His eyes glided down her frame, stopping abruptly at her wrist. "And where did you get that?"
They made eye contact once more.
"Tch," Rhea glared at him. "None of your business."
He sighed internally.
Why do I always get these stubborn, impudent, and annoying criminals to deal with.
His brows arched.
"And that bow."
An enhanced weapon—not the unreliable type you'd just buy somewhere, it's clearly custom-made.
"Where did you get it?"
His voice intensified, rumbling through the silence.
"What does it look like, dumbass?" Fully charged, Rhea aimed it directly at his forehead. "It's my Haphleon."
Loric chuckled; his palm covered his face as he slumped back in the chair.
This child really must be the most effective test of my tolerance. Then again, it's criminals like these who make the council spit gold coins at me.
He stood up, brows twitching as he met Rhea's annoyed gaze.
"Ignorance sure does live outside the borders of Nervaal like a wild beast, doesn't it."
He laughed, but it came out dry.
"What did you just say to—"
"Am I supposed to be intimidated by an enhanced bow with nothing to shoot?"
Loric's wings twitched slightly, pleased at her reaction.
Rhea clicked her tongue—gentle orange flames traced the bow's string from end to end.
Nothing to shoot? hm.
Her life-fog fluctuated gently under Loric's layered eyes. And there he saw it—a straight line of pure destructive Vhis forming slowly in-between the bow's frame, and its string of fire.
Then a flutter of flames.
Loric's brows furrowed, his eyes flickering between Rhea's and the bow.
He caught his breath; Wings flying open wildly as the violent wind claimed the room.
Delaying the arrow's formation.
Loric ducked under her aim—yet her bow followed with equal speed.
Another arrow burst alive, bright, fierce, and blue.
He grabbed her wrist, squeezing it tight. Her fingers loosened around the bow's frame.
Near-transparent chains materialized, wrapping firmly around her bow and coiling up her arm like vines.
What the—!
Rhea struggled—trying to pull away.
Looking down, the chains wrapped firmly around her legs.
Dilated, her pupils trembled.
A flicker appeared above her head. A faint flicker of blue, slowly forming a perfect halo.
But before its completion, her eyes snapped to Loric's.
His free hand slipped into his vest, pulling out a small tube—needle gleaming at the end.
Thud.
His hand slammed against her neck.
Rhea's eyes widened, feeling something sharp penetrating her flesh.
Struggling to pull away, flames flared from her palms—mixing orange with wild blue. Coating her hands completely.
Weakening, her body slumped against the wall; her legs gave way, and her vision blurred.
Stepping back, Loric avoided her flames.
"All that fire for what, huh?"
Orange and blue swayed in the reflection of his eyes, watching her flames leave as soon as they came.
"Such a pain." Loric stood over her, tidying his clothes and fixing his hair, throwing aside the tube—its clear liquid dripping from the needlepoint.
"You piece...of shi—" Rhea passed out.
Shadow danced around objects as the hanging gem spun slowly.
Loric scowled, exhaling in pure frustration.
"Now. Where did you get this?"
He bent down—his hands working around the watch, it loosened, as it slid from around her wrist.
Tick~tick~tick~tick.
Its hypnotising rhythm quietly filled the silence.
"An ornament."
Releasing her, he stood up, slipping it into his vest's pocket—watching his chains tighten around her body.
Clank.
A bundle of chain coiled around his hand.
Rattle~rattle~rattle~rattle
It slowly retracts, pulling Rhea's unconscious body along the hard ground as he walks over to the desk.
Grabbing the chain around her, he lifted her, setting her to sit—limp—her body leaned forward.
I swear. I need to be getting paid more for inconveniences like these.
He leaned against the desk, casting an annoyed gaze at Rhea.
Thud.
Rhea's forehead slammed against the desk.
Loric palmed his face, letting out a dragged, frustrated sigh.
You just had to ruin my night, didn't you, kid.
Pushing off from the desk, Loric made his way to the door.
Click.
Let's see just how much you're worth.
A small smirk escaped him, feeling the frame of the watch in his vest while closing the door behind him.
Deafening silence engulfed the room under the serene feeling of time passing.
"mmmh."
Rhea opened her eyes slowly—hazed and fogged, she blinked repeatedly. Feeling her forehead numb against the desk.
Pulling herself upright, she slumped against the chair; her black hair flowed like a curtain around her face.
With a sharp flick of her head, her hair flew back over her shoulder.
Focused, her eyes trailed down her body—near-transparent links constricted around her.
"The hell?" Holding tightly against her squirming, the chains rattled. "Ngh... Shit!"
Scrambling around the room, her gaze landed on nothing of use, as the room only had a desk and two chairs under a dangling gem of light.
Taking a drag of air, she made a gap between the chains and her stomach, forcing her hands from her side.
Holding her breath, her palms faced the links—heat emerged, bleeding through the links.
But not a spark of fire came.
Exhaling sharply—her hands squeezed against the links—another drag of air.
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!!
She scanned the room again, but she's met with the same assessment.
Exhale.
Her face scrunched; her arm down to her wrists reddened to the tight locks of chains.
The room blurred through watery eyes; her breath came in short, uneven pulls.
I can't...
The increasing beat of her heart played like drums in her ears—strands of hair stuck to her forehead.
Flickers of flame fought above her head, failing ever so slightly to form.
Click.
Mumbling turned to coherent words as the door slid open.
"Keep treating me like some tool, and I'll just be forced to show you how easily I could make those wings spread—"
Loric froze; his brows arched, his fingers still curled around the knob—but his eyes lingered on the perfectly formed ring of destructive Vhis above Rhea's head.
Is that... a halo? No, she's human, right?
His eyes met hers, but they carried weight that settled in his chest.
A hybrid.
Flames flickered continuously, but the ring never completed.
"Get these chains off me, or I'll pluck every one of your pretty little feathers myself—"
"You're obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed, but are you that oblivious to your situation?"
Slam!
Sound bounced from the walls after the door closed.
The chains loosened.
Why isn't she afraid, intimidated, or even worried—she's at best a hybrid, right?
His steps hitched, each hesitantly confident.
"I'm not getting paid enough to tolerate your nonsense." He stood across the table, glancing at the paper—a deep breath followed. "Where are you coming from?"
"That has nothing to do with you." Rhea scowled.
"Well, our scouts didn't only find the damage you and your companion are suspected of causing to the Withered Forest, but deeper into the forests of the far south, a village lay waste."
Rhea's face relaxed, but tears welled up in her eyes.
Internally, he read the reports on the paper once more—making eye contact as he finished.
"The village of Greymoore, flattened structures with the surrounding forestry damaged by flames."
He read, looking up at Rhea—the flickering flames above her head now volatile, and wild, failing to be absolute.
"You're suspected of vandalism on sacred ground and mass genocide."
Silence settled beneath the hanging gem, interrupted by the scribbling of Loric's quill.
Gone silent, huh? That tells me more than any confession would—
"He did it..." A faint whisper escaped. "Your 'oh so graceful prince'..."
"What?" The quill hovered over the paper.
"I'm gonna kill him." The imperfect halo flared momentarily. "I swear it...Sorphel."
A chill ran up Loric's spine—his heart leaped at the mere mention of Sorphel's name.
The halo above her head formed, perfectly for a moment, but erupted fiercely—blue and orange flames fought to exist through the reflection of Loric's eyes.
His head went heavy with anxiety; stumbling from the chair, their eyes locked.
Loric's breath hitched. His chains faded like dust in the wind, yet Rhea didn't move an inch.
Rhea's teary gaze froze him; her blue eyes drilled holes through his soul, like a lion watching a lamb stare back, but quivering from the anchor holding its core.
My chains!—
"Would you look at that birdy—your medicine ran its course."
Her halo went perfect as her tone dropped.
Tier four?! No, Aether-sense is lying?! No, that's not how it works—
SKREEE.
Rhea stood abruptly as the chair slid back against the gritty floor.
"Y'know, I killed a man with a slab of rock, too." The desk charred from the heat emanating from her balled fists. "As deformed as he may be, I'm almost certain you found his remains."
The gift hunter!—
"His face caved in, the rock fitting perfectly, even with its rigid surface."
Goosebumps rose like a wave on Loric's body, trailing up to his neck like electricity.
She has to be a mix-breed... but even so, I can't risk being wrong.
Loric bowed, swallowing his pride after a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. We were unaware of your race initially, and your possible involvement with—"
"Where is Daichi..." Rhea looked down at him, closing the gap between them.
Her feet stopped at the edge of Loric's gaze.
Daichi? Daichi... Daichi. Oh! The guy Vaera's interrogating!
"He's in the room down the hall... I could take you to—"
"Go and get him, and bring the harpy he's with."
"Blood is easy to clean from stone," huh, we'll see how that adds up.
"I'm not sure I'm able to do that. Under the council's guidelines, I can't interrupt an interrogation—"
Rhea grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking his head up to look her in the eyes. The skin on his neck went red from the heat of her free hand, threatening to grab it.
"Don't force me to make you the next addition to my fog."
Using his hair, she threw him at the door—Loric caught himself after stumbling.
"I apologize...I'll be on my way."
Click.
The door swung open, urgency masked with competence.
Click.
GASP!!
Loric's heart raced as the door shut.
I'M NOT GETTING PAID ENOUGH FOR THIS! A HIGH WITNESS?! SERIOUSLY?
Storming off down the hall, he lost all care for his attire; his hair disheveled, and his clothes creased.
Vaera...are you stupid?! How do you even—UGH!!!
His wings twitched, while his hand raked through his hair, grabbing it as he stopped by a door.
I'm not getting killed for this!