Cold droplets of water seeped from the cave ceiling, striking the stone floor below with a rhythmic sense of hopelessness. Yet despite that chill, the air inside was filled with a dry, oppressive heat that burned the throat.
Raizen lay upon the stone cot in the corner, breathing heavily as though trapped inside a furnace created by his own body.
The proud, arrogant man who had stood tall within the temple was gone. In his place remained only a shadow crushed beneath the weight of a raging fever. His pulse hammered so violently that every beat of his carotid artery was visible to the naked eye. His body temperature had risen to such an extreme that faint wisps of steam rose from his soaked shirt as the fabric repeatedly dried and stiffened against his skin. His lips were cracked from dehydration, and his cheeks were scorched crimson by the heat.
Aella stood at the head of the cot, motionless as a statue.
Her white cloak hung like a pale streak in the cave's dim light. She raised her left hand and hovered it a few inches above Raizen's burning forehead, which felt more like glowing embers than flesh.
As her fingers curled slightly, the stagnant air within the cave shifted direction.
A gentle, continuous current of cool wind seeped from her fingertips, flowing over Raizen's temples in an effort to lower the terrifying heat consuming his body and soothe the fever scorching his mind. The breeze stirred his damp crimson hair while Raizen weakly turned his head to the side beneath the crushing exhaustion brought on by the fever.
Aella watched him.
Her silver eyes, those silver eyes, were deep wells of thought. Watching Raizen slowly wither away seemed to stretch time itself. Possibilities, answers they hoped to obtain from the Master, and the sacrifices she might be forced to make collided endlessly within her mind.
But her face...
Her face remained completely expressionless.
Not a single furrowed brow, not the slightest tremble of her lips.
The immense fear and helplessness within her were hidden behind a marble mask so flawless that anyone looking at her would assume she was utterly devoid of emotion. Only the faint, nearly imperceptible trembling of the fingers controlling the wind betrayed the storm raging beneath the surface.
Through bloodshot eyes clouded by fever, Raizen managed to turn his gaze toward her. When he spoke, his voice was cracked and dry like scorched earth.
Raizen:
"Do you... still think it'll work?"
Aella never stopped moving her fingers. The artificial breeze continued to caress his burning skin.
Her voice was as flat and emotionless as her expression.
Aella:
"This heat is melting you from the inside, Raizen. My wind can't stop it completely... but it can keep you from losing consciousness."
Her eyes drifted to the red gemstone ring trembling on his finger before returning to his exhausted face.
Aella:
"You have to endure, my love. Hold on until we get the answers that old man can give us..."
Her voice softened into a whisper. For the first time, it almost sounded like a plea.
"I'll save you. We're so close."
She placed a hand upon his shoulder and gently stroked it in comfort. A faint, sorrowful smile appeared on her face, visible only to him.
Yet the moment she turned away and began walking, that smile vanished as though it had never existed. With calm, confident steps she ventured deeper into the cave.
With each stride, her long hair rose and danced lightly upon an invisible breeze.
At last she stopped before a set of iron bars hidden within the darkness, her silver eyes meeting the calm gaze of the old man beyond them.
The man had been imprisoned.
Yet neither fear nor despair lingered upon him.
Seated cross-legged upon the ground, he carried himself with the unwavering composure of a sage clad in wisdom rather than chains, patiently awaiting whatever fate might come.
Aella stepped closer to the bars.
Aella:
"Forgive our sudden arrival, Guardian. We had no wish to disturb your order, but we find ourselves in need of your assistance."
Her voice echoed through the cave with crystalline clarity.
Calm, measured, and precise.
She chose every word carefully, offering reassurance without surrendering authority.
The old man slowly rose to his feet. Rusted chains groaned and rattled as they tightened around his waist, restricting his movement.
Ignoring the metallic cries of his restraints, he took a deep breath and studied the young woman.
Master:
"You are nothing like your companion."
His voice was calm.
"He is arrogant. You, however, possess at least a fragment of virtue."
His chest rose with a heavy sigh.
"You stand much closer to finding the right path than he ever will."
A cold, enigmatic smile touched Aella's lips. She brushed her platinum hair behind her ear with effortless grace, revealing a diamond-studded wind-shaped earring that gleamed dangerously in the torchlight.
Aella:
"We walk our own path, Guardian. Whether it is right or wrong... is of no concern to us."
The Master tilted his head slightly.
His gaze lingered upon the Wind Jewel adorning her ear before settling on the marble mask she wore so perfectly. He knew she was no arrogant conqueror.
She was a strategist hiding desperation beneath elegance.
Master:
"Then tell me," he said, his voice resonating through the prison chamber, "what is it you seek from me within this dim cave and beneath these chains?"
"If your path differs so greatly from mine, how can the mind of an old man possibly serve as a bridge to your goal?"
Aella placed her hand against the cold iron bars. The faint smile disappeared entirely.
Only sharp seriousness remained.
Aella:
"You are not our enemy... at least not for now."
Her voice was as soft as a night breeze and just as cold.
"We have no intention of harming you."
She paused.
"Provided you agree to help us."
A bitter smile touched the old man's lips. For a brief moment, he looked past her into the darkness where Raizen struggled against the inferno consuming his body.
He had sensed the hidden panic within her eyes.
He had felt the suffocating heat hanging in the air.
Master:
"I'm not sure what kind of help you require, young lady. You already seem quite experienced when it comes to magic."
Aella laughed softly. The sound carried no warmth. It resembled the cracking of frozen branches beneath a winter wind.
Cold.
Merciless.
Her marble mask never shifted.
Aella:
"Of course. My grandfather was a master sorcerer."
A faint smile appeared.
"To be honest, I owe even this enchanted cave to him."
For the first time, the old man's calm demeanor faltered. Confusion creased his brow as he listened.
He had always suspected why the temple had been attacked and why he had been brought here, but he wanted to hear the truth directly from her lips.
Aella withdrew her hand from the bars and straightened her posture. Her silver eyes gleamed like those of a predator locking onto its prey.
Aella:
"Let's get straight to the point."
She raised one eyebrow and continued in that unsettling half-playful tone.
Aella:
"I want to decipher the language of the enchanted book. I want to understand the meaning behind those idiotic riddles. Their essence."
Her words lingered within the damp prison air. The Master paused, weighing her statement carefully.
His gray brows drew together. For the first time, genuine confusion surfaced in his eyes.
Which book was she referring to?
The ancient volume kept within the temple?
Or the other book, lost for centuries?
He could not tell.
Without another word, Aella pulled a thick, ancient tome from within her white cloak. The moment the old man saw the faded blue leather cover reflecting the torchlight, his eyes widened in astonishment.
The tranquility that had endured within him for decades shattered completely.
Master:
"The Ancient Book..."
His voice echoed like a whisper through the cold stone prison. His gaze remained fixed upon the blue cover.
Aella opened the heavy tome with practiced certainty. Ancient pages rustled softly as she flipped through them. Moments later, finding the passage she sought, she lifted an eyebrow in quiet triumph.
Aella:
"We don't have much time."
She looked directly at him.
"Let's begin with the most important subject; The Goddesses."
The old man let out a short, amused chuckle.
Not out of joy, but disbelief.
Master:
"You're reaching far beyond your grasp, young lady. Not everyone can read the Ancient Books."
Rather than answering, Aella snapped the book shut in a single decisive motion. The sharp sound echoed throughout the prison.
She placed the tome upon a nearby wooden table and fixed her gaze upon him once more.
Aella:
"I know."
Her voice was unwavering.
"That's why you're here, Guardian of Balance."
The Master slowly nodded. Then he lowered his gaze and spoke without looking directly at her.
Master:
"I understand. But unfortunately..."
"You've brought the wrong person."
Aella's brow instantly furrowed. For the first time, her marble-like composure cracked.
Aella:
"What is that supposed to mean?"
The Master inhaled deeply.
Master:
"It means I am not a Guardian of Balance."
He lifted his head.
"But I am every bit as knowledgeable as one."
Aella glanced around tensely. The shadows of the cave suddenly felt oppressive.
Then she looked toward the darkness where Raizen still fought to remain conscious, steam rising faintly from his burning body.
The fear she had hidden so carefully surfaced briefly in her silver eyes.
Time was running out.
When she turned back to the bars, her voice was as sharp as an icicle.
Aella:
"I'm not interested in your games, old man. You won't deceive me that easily."
Master:
"I am not playing games."
For the first time, he met her gaze directly. His voice carried absolute conviction.
"I can help you."
He paused.
"But on one condition."
Aella immediately stepped closer, closing the distance between them.
The old man delivered his demand like a hammer striking stone.
Master:
"You will surrender the Jewels to me."
Aella remained silent for a short while upon the old man's demand. It was something she had anticipated, yet she was surprised nonetheless.
The diamond-encrusted earring in her ear gleamed faintly. After seconds of silence, the woman finally brought her hand to her ear, removed the earring, and held it in her palm.
Aella:
"What a pity... I am grieved that we could not reach an agreement."
She closed her palm; the Master watched her, trying to make sense of her actions. The woman placed the earring onto the book and straightened her posture as much as possible.
"I gave you a chance to compromise, but you preferred to waste my time with mind games."
The woman took a few steps back.
Aella:
"In this enchanted cave, you cannot make your voice heard to anyone, and no one but me can cast magic. I dictate the conditions here, dearest Master."
The woman extended her palm as if to grasp something in the air, then twisted her wrist and clenched her hand. A violent wave of purple magic struck the Master. A faint smile appeared on the woman's face.
Aella:
"I do hope you can keep your sanity..."