The Red Soul

Chapter Seventeen

They were halfway through the city when Ragnos and some of the black-cloaked guards appeared from several streets. With the raising of his scythe, the silver-haired Fae ordered the guards to line up next to Myris and the others. With Ragnos in the lead, they led Myris and the others back to the ominous castle in the middle of the city.

Myris could still not see the faces of the guards next to her, but she knew their eyes were all focused on one thing- one person: Elyos.

With an expressionless face, the man full of grace and power walked in great strides almost ahead of Ragnos, completely ignoring the guards. He did not seem impressed by their small muster.

Smug that they had managed to convince Elyos, Viera and Fyrian followed. The latter sneered at Ragnos, who growled low. However, he immediately fell silent when Elyos cast him a sideways glance. A combination of fear and awe flickered in Ragnos' eyes before he returned to his task.

Unlike yesterday, the city was full of noise. Curtains were pushed aside and doors opened. Creatures came out and stared wide-eyed at the passers-by. Some grinned viciously or looked at Myris, Fyrian and Viera with contempt, but most eyes were turned to Elyos. And none of those who were present dared to cast a bad look at him. The majority even looked at the Fae with the same dark reverence as Ragnos.

In the centre of the city, all kinds of creatures had gathered in front of the castle. However, the atmosphere was not warm and joyful as in Evario. It was mixed with fear, aggression and admiration, the last one only directed to Elyos.

The gate was opened with a signal from Ragnos. He stepped aside to let them pass, even bowed to Elyos, who rolled his eyes. Then he followed them, pushing Fyrian' with the hilt of his scythe to make him move faster. Fyrian wanted to turn around but Viera grabbed his arm and shook her head.

The grey throne room was still a gloomy space, everything barely coloured and all attendees dressed in dark colours or entirely black, but there was a clear exception: Elyos stood out brightly in his white, yellow and orange attire, along with his glittering jewellery. He had become the centre of the room. All attention was focused on him.

Elyos himself, on the other hand, was not impressed by it. Myris relaxed a little at the thought that Elyos indeed knew what he was doing, just as Viera had assured her.

"Welcome back Elyos," Diva said sweetly. She had put on a dress with an ice blue top and a shiny silver skirt, making her too, stand out from the crowd. She got up and walked over to dark-skinned Fae. The way they faced each other... it was as if the moon and sun were about to collide in the darkness of space. But where Diva almost leaned in to kiss Elyos, Elyos looked at her as if he was eager to squeeze the air from her lungs and stepped away. As soon as the moon came, the sun went away.

It did not stop Diva and the woman moved closer to Elyos again. She had seductively wrapped her arms around him from behind, laying her chin on his shoulder. "I knew you were coming."

"I do not see a reason for enthusiasm when you gain nothing with it." Elyos casually pushed her away, not forgetting to wipe his hand on his cloak.

Fyrian chuckled at the action, causing Diva to turn her attention to him. Her cold look changed when she saw Myris' hand holding his. With graceful steps and a smile that did not bode well, she sat back on the throne. "Since you have united me and Elyos, I will grant you my favour."

Everyone was silent when Ragnos walked towards her with something in his hands. When he handed her the object, Diva held it up. It was a black key.

Myris assumed that Fyrian would be happy to see the object, but was surprised when his face showed anything but happiness as he stared at the key. "What is this Diva? Where is the case?"

"The case is not here," Diva grinned. "I put it away for safekeeping."

"Then where did you put it?"

She did not answer, but her smirk was enough for Fyrian to curse and the people of her court to gasp. All of them seemed utterly shocked by what she had done, all of them knowing what she meant without saying a single word. Even Elyos attention was grabbed by her, something Diva did not miss.

Myris looked questioningly at Fyrian and Viera, but before they could say anything, Diva was ahead of them. "You look confused from Myris. Did they not tell you about the case?"

Just like her own smirk did not need the assistance of words, Myris' silence told Diva enough. Satisfied, Diva crossed her legs and put her hand on her chin. "They do not tell you much, do they, Myris? Do they trust you so little or are you just not important enough?"

Fyrian released Myris' hand and stood between them. "That's enough Diva. You have seen Elyos as you wanted. Now give us the key so we can leave."

His reaction made the woman hum with pleasure before she leaned over and looked at him. "Leaving... that's all you're thinking about, isn't it, Fyrian?"

With bared teeth and narrowed eyes, he growled softly, warningly. His reaction only made Myris more confused. More concerned. Something Dive seemed to like.

"The truth is, dear Myris, those so-called friends of yours, those High Souls, don't care about you at all. All they want is to get out of Olèrian. I'm assuming you know we've been imprisoned here for quite a long time? "

Myris nodded slowly. Indeed, Fyrian had said that they had been detained there for more than four hundred years.

Diva saw the recognition in her eyes and continued. "Then you know for sure about all those other stories. The beautiful stories that now tell words about Olèrian, about the High Souls. Tell me, did you really think there was a chance they wouldn't be true?"

This time, Myris swallowed. She had believed in those horrible stories for so long and had detested everyone else for so long, but they had shown her that they were not true. They had shown how beautiful Olèrian truly was. Then why had Fyrian and Viera become so stiff?

"Right... I see you're even more naive than I thought," Diva mused, her eyes twinkling. "Not that I am surprised. You are quite pathetic. You even burned your friends and their belongings. And you are supposed to be the High Red Soul? A weak and useless human who can't keep her magic under control? You are not even worthy of a single drop of magic. It's a disgrace that you have the same colour soul as me!"

Viera grabbed the hem of a seething Fyrian's shirt but took a step forward herself. "Do not say words you will regret later, Diva."

"Oh? I am not to worry about that. The same can be said to you anyway." Amused, she raised an eyebrow as she eyed Myris who had turned pale. "Like I said Myris, it would not be wise of you to forget the stories so easily, not when they have helped you all this time. Yet, you decided to ignore them and look where it got you. You fell right into their trap! They made you believe in their lies so that you would help them. But they should not be helped, because they are no better than what the stories say about them! They will use you until we are free again and then they will leave you as if you never existed. They are therefore Fae and you are nothing more than a human being. Your species means nothing to us. It may be hard what I say, but I am only helping you to open your eyes. The world doesn't hate them for nothing, does it?"

At once, Viera ran to Myris and grabbed her wrists, telling her not to believe Diva's words, but her thoughts were a blur. She did not want to cringe under Diva's words, but she could not deny that it hurt a lot. Elyos had said almost entirely the same before. It should not bother her anymore. She had been told those kinds of words so many times before anyway... not only by Diva and Elyos... it should not affect her anymore. But now that she was told it just when she thought she was doing better... she could not help but feel that it still pierced her heart.

Perhaps Diva was right. She was practising with her magic for days now, but there was almost no progress. Only more stuff went up and flames and her friend were only getting covered in more blisters because of her. The red light had also not appeared anymore, while they had tried to make it resurface multiple times.

Her eyes had widened when she had heard Diva mention that she had also one of the red soul's. If it was true, and she was looked down upon by her, would that also count for the other people that had also a red soul? Would they also be ashamed of her? Surely, anyone could be a better High Soul than she was.

That also counted for the others. It could not be true, right? They would never do something like that. All those stories she had heard all her life, just when she was renouncing them... they could not be true, right?"

Fyrian saw her doubts and stepped threateningly towards Diva. Immediately, Ragnos drew his scythe again, the other guards following him. Eyes started to glow and menacing noises rose. Everyone began to pull their weapons or c***k their knuckles, ready to attack in the name of their queen.

However, it went silent immediately when Elyos coughed.

It even made Myris look up from her thoughts and watch him. He had still this indifferent and unbothered demeanour. With a single glance, he made the others lower their weapons. Myris remembered what Fyrian had said, but even without Elyos eyes shining any brighter, not giving of a single glow, he radiated the most dominance throughout the throne room.

"You are speaking about the High Souls again in a contumelious manner, but you forgot I am one too."

"Maybe you're in their little group right now," Diva replied sweetly, and when Myris turned her head towards Diva, she realized that Elyos behaviour only made the woman's visible desire even worse. Her lips were curled in a lustful smile. "but you know what you really are and someday that will come back, and on that day, we'll see who you belong to."

Elyos stretched out his arm to the key, which she gave him without resistance. Without saying another word, the dark-skinned Fae turned around and started to walk out of the room.

Ragnos and some others stared incredulously at their queen for letting him leave so soon. He even wanted to go after Elyos to stop him, but Diva held up her hand as her eyes followed the male until the last second.

With one last deadly look at Diva, Viera followed, pulling an opposing Fyrian along.

Slowly Myris also went after them, but Diva's voice ringed in her ears one last time. "Keep the stories in the back of your mind, Myris. If you are going to get that case, you might just see how true they are."