Chapter Eighteen
1117 Words
“Why is she doing that?”
“Probably because she was plunging to her death and now, she is not?”
“I expected a little more…reserve? I mean, she is being a tad eerie don’t you think goblin?”
“Well, this is what happens when a human is allowed to roam our realm…What was your leader thinking?”
Rupert reserved his comments on the matter. When Tamara approached him to execute a mission he had obliged as any member of the Ninth Order would have. When you plead allegiance to a new leader, you have to obey their every order. When he had heard what the mission would entail and who his right hand would be, he had been perturbed. Rupert had never quite had anything against Tamara but he knew very well that some members of the Ninth Order did not see her as a fit leader. He just hoped Tamara’s latest stunt wouldn’t lead to a rift. The last thing magical creatures needed right now was division and with the vessel in human hands… Rupert swallowed, were humans aware of the power they possessed?
The vessel had the ability to destroy the realm and everything in it.
“So, how did it feel to be in the same place hoarding the very thing that could obliterate our existence?”
Rupert sighed, Shealyn was agitating his nerves.
“Don’t goblins have better things to do than scout the Temple’s walls for gold? Be gone you vile creature!”
Shealyn pouted dejectedly. Before turning to leave, she cast a nasty glance at the pathetic, quivering figure at the corner of the room. Rupert watched impatiently as Shealyn reluctantly dragged her feet towards the door.
“Any day now goblin!”
“You are not the boss of me-“
Rupert flung an empty chalice towards the goblin. She yelped before skedaddling away from the room. Once they were alone, he turned to examine the humanoid creature trembling aloof of him. She was stunning to say the least. A head of ginger hair, pale delicate skin, petite figure…Rupert had done a double take when he had seen her for the first time. Now the golden dress was in ruins, it was like she had been to war. He wondered what Daniel had done to her. Rupert was certain his twin sister’s malicious powers had been applied on the ginger beauty.
“What is your name?”
She froze. It was as if the question was foreign to her. Rupert watched in wonder as the girl resumed her earlier shivering stance. Had no one ever bothered to know her name?
Wretched humans.
“I am Rupert, a wizard of the Ninth Order…but you already knew that…”
“Why?”
Rupert angled his head curiously.
“Why, what?”
“Why abduct me? I am just a normal person…why?”
Rupert felt discomfort in his stomach. For some reason he could feel the girl’s pain. He approached the girl slowly, careful not to quail her. She had stopped trembling, now she was simply staring at him. He crouched to her level.
“Who hurt you?”
Rupert moved his hand to caress her face but she jerked her head backwards hitting the wall with a loud thud. She then proceeded to flinch in pain.
“Tell me where they are then…I have been known to inflict pain when need be…”
Rupert watched as the girl’s lips began quirking. Soon her shoulders began trembling and before Rupert could fathom what was happening, the enigmatic girl was laughing, the type of laughter where the hand slithers around your stomach to massage your hurting ribs. Rupert couldn’t pinpoint the last time he had experienced such…tranquility.
“You don’t know me…”
Rupert smiled.
“I am trying to…”
The girl calmed herself down, heaving comically as she swallowed subsequent snorts. Rupert found the girl entertaining.
Well, he was tired of playing with Guzman anyway.
“Nina…”
Rupert c****d his head, his face masked with genuine confusion.
“My name, it’s Nina…”
A minute trickled by as the two stared at each other with coy smiles playing on their lips.
“So, Nina…the reason why you are in this place is because our leader instructed us to get you…What we do not understand is how a mage can roam human grounds without any harm coming to them…But clearly you are not one which begs the question, why had they imprisoned you earlier?”
“How do you know I was imprisoned?”
“Well I was not sure but now I am…besides, the fresh abrasions marks on your wrists are a dead giveaway…”
“I am not from this time…I know it sounds crazy but-“
“You have travelled through time?”
Once again, the girl froze. Rupert was beginning to enjoy having this effect on her.
“This is a common occurrence here in the ummmh…”
“Magical realm?”
Nina sighed, Rupert could tell that all of this was overwhelming for her.
“Yes, that…I can’t believe this, magic actually exists!”
It was Rupert’s turn to laugh although his was a bit light as was his nature.
“It does, I thought you surviving a free fall would be solid proof…”
Rupert watched as the girl swallowed before averting her eyes back to him. It took all his will power for him not to touch her.
“When I saw those creatures I…I was beyond shocked. It was surreal, the fact that they had wings and that some could move as fast as lighting. Then you spoke and I lost my footing on the railing…”
“And what is it you were planning to do with these if I may ask?”
Nina angled her head to view the strewn knotted sheets across the floor, her cheeks flushed.
“Well ummmh-“
The door suddenly swung open. Nina watched as Rupert’s genial expression morphed into callousness.
“Guzman I am not in the mood-“
Nina let out a small screech as the behemoth at the door began approaching them. At the sound of the brief shriek, the massive creature stopped in his tracks.
“I didn’t know she was awake…Why didn’t you call me?”
“Why would I call you?”
Nina could have sliced the tension in the room with a knife. These two did not like each other at all.
“Because she is important to her Rupert…”
Rupert rolled his eyes before standing up from his crouching position.
“Is there anything in particular you wanted to tell me?”
Guzman peeled his eyes from the alarmed girl. Was Rupert actually taken with her?
“The young man is awake but there is something wrong with him…Tamara is afraid of the worst…”
Rupert ran his hand across his forehead. Tamara had every right to be afraid.
“If anything is to happen to that boy…”
“Humans will officially launch a war against us…The Sema kind of war…”
- Writer
