Chapter 17: Calm.

"Wake up," Eilna voiced called to Nesto.

Nesto open his eyes, he felt the stone-cold street under her cheeks, his entire body felt numb from toe to head. Nesto remembers the Xintari he met earlier, the dagger that stabs him is coated with poison. Thank the goddess for the military training he receives that his body was able to fight against the poison and wake up in short time. Xintari usually coated their dagger with enough poison to kill a Wyvern.

Nesto places his hand on the stone-cold street and push himself upward to stand again. Nesto calms himself, so he won't lose control, he needs his mind to track down Neya. He then stumbles a couple steps before finally gaining his ability to walk again.

There are two ways to get out of the city, the gate and the sewers. Nesto turns his head to the closest entrance to the sewer and starts running in the direction of where his head is facing.

"I'm coming for you, Neya," Nesto mutters to himself.

*

In a dark alley near the canal, an elf inspector arrives at the sewers entrance with the Neya in his hands and a Xintari following him from behind. A large grin on his face, as he opens the gate to the sewers. 'He makes it' The elf inspector thought, but his thought was interrupted by a man calling out to him from behind.

"Let her go!" Nesto said.

The elf inspector turns to face the annoying insect behind him.

"I should have known someone close to the captain won't go down that easily," The elf inspector said.

"That's why I hired her, " the elf inspector turn to the Xintari.

Nesto looks at the Xintari woman standing at the elf inspector side, she readies the dagger in her hands. Nesto nod his head at the woman to show respect before speaking. The Xintari was amused by the man, she thought that this man kept surprising her with his action and if she would fight this man she would gamble her life.

"I don't want to fight you, please if you go. It would the utmost kindness you can show me," Nesto plead.

The Xintari woman stares at the man and then let out a smile before nodding her head to shows respect to the man. The Xintari woman mutters something then her entire body disappear. The elf inspector was confused by what happened.

"What did you do?!" The elf inspector shout.

"I plead to her and I will do the same thing to you. I'm pleading to you to let her go," Nesto said.

"Do you think I would let her go that easily?!" The elf inspector said.

"You don't know how much she worth, do you!?" The elf inspector said.

"If you do know, I bet even you would sell her to them," The elf inspector said.

"Please let her go," Nesto plead again.

"Didn't you hear me? I won't let her go!" The elf inspector said then he clicks his tongue.

Nesto heard many footsteps coming toward him from every side. He glances behind him, he saw many amounts of elf clad in leather armor and holding wooden clubs in their hands, surrounding him. Nesto focuses his sight on the elf inspector with Neya unconscious body in his arms.

"Please I don't want this thing to get ugly, just leave her behind and go," Nesto said.

"Stupid Human, do you think you alone can stand against us? You are beneath us and you will always be beneath us," The elf inspector mocked.

The elf inspector signals his men to attack with a nod of his head. Nesto dodges the first incoming club that was aimed for his head. He dodges again when another club swing at his back. Nesto kept dodging every attack that was aimed at him.

Nesto saw an opening to land a punch, he took it but when his fist was about to close on the elf face. The elf inspector has taken out a dagger and point it under Neya chin. Nesto stops his oncoming fist, he looks at the inspector's face, an arrogant grin on his face.

One of the inspector men took the chance to land a hit on Nesto back causing him to stumble forward. Nesto raised both of his hand to stop the incoming wooden club, but another swing surprised Nesto by hitting the back of his head. Nesto fall to his knee on the ground, one of the elf kick Nesto back causing him to drop onto both of his hand.

The elves surround Nesto kick him while he's on the ground. Nesto glances at Neya from afar, another kick hit the back of his head causing him to lay on the ground. Blood begins to drip down from Nesto head but his eyes still focus on Neya.

"Like I said, you are beneath us," The elf inspector mocked while all his men laugh.

"Now, I'm going to take her with me and maybe have some fun along the way," The elf inspector said.

"And you can't do anything about it," The elf inspector said.

The elf inspector dagger pokes Neya skin and a trickle of blood drip down the blade. At that moment something snaps in Nesto, rage begins to build up inside him, but it's masked by the calmness outward appearance that Nesto project.

"I open the first gate 'Firio'," Nesto mutters to himself.

A hot burning liquid suddenly flows in Nesto vein, spreading through his body. He used his breath to counteract the pain of the burning liquid flowing through his veins. His push his upper body to stand while the elves kicking him. He brings the palm his hand in front of himself and mutter.

"Incernium."

A small silver fireball ignites and hovers on top of his palm. The elves all back away when they saw the fireball float upward, their eyes filled with disbelief and shocked. Before they could warn each other, Nesto let the fireball explode.

The elves scream as they were pushed back by the explosion, throwing them far away from Nesto. Even the elf inspector was caught by the blast, he accidentally drops Neya unconscious body to the ground and gets thrown back by the explosion.

"What just happen!!" One of the elves shouted while he tries to get up.

Smoke and dust rise above the alley, blocking the sight of everyone in there. One of the elves that are laying on the ground let out a grunt when Nesto reach for his neck and break it.

"Find and kill him!" The elf inspector shout.

Another elf lets out a choking noise when Nesto blocks his incoming club and jab his neck with his hand. Nesto dash to another elf, punch his gut and breaking his neck. His grab the elf wooden club and hit the other elf beside him; breaking the club in half. The elf inspector looks into the smoke and debris trying to spot Nesto.

Nesto mutters "Incernium."

A silver fireball appears in the smoke and dust; casting Nesto shadow. The other elves saw the fireball and quickly back away.

"Silver flame, I thought he was a myth," One of the elves said.

"I'm not fighting him, let get out of here!" another elf said as he took off from the alley.

The rest follow, leaving only the elf inspector behind. The inspector looks at Neya and clicks his tongue before he heads to the sewer entrance, but before he could escape. Nesto throws the fireball toward the entrance. The entrance explodes and collapses after the fireball hit. The blast sent the inspector flying, crashing into one of the walls in the alley.

Nesto steps out from smoke and dust; revealing himself. Blood dripping down his face. Not one emotion showed on his face, just absolute calmness. He let go of the broken club and walk toward the inspector. Nesto glances at Neya unconscious body, the feeling of guilt rise in his heart.

"Wait!" The elf inspector pleads while Nesto grabs his collar, lifting him up.

The elf inspector takes out his other dagger and stabs Nesto in his arm. Nesto pays no heed to the pain, he kept on staring into the elf inspector eyes. The elf inspector lets go of the dagger hilt and the look of terror appear on his face when he saw Nesto eyes.

Nesto eyes were cold, there was no sympathy or compassion.

"Pl-please let me go, I promise I won't go after the girl anymore," The elf inspector plead.

Nesto pulls out the dagger and throws it away. He pulls back his fist and hit the elf inspector in the face; breaking his nose. The elf inspector scream in pain as blood drip from his mouth. Nesto hit again, forcing the elf to stop screaming.

"Don't, I can tell you who hired me!" Nesto didn't care for his word. He kept punching the elf inspector face.

"P-Please stop!" The elf inspector plead.

There was no more mercy to give, Nesto kept on punching the elf inspector face even if his body stops moving. Nesto heard a hundred footstep and metal armor hitting each other. Nesto turns his head and saw the royal knight aiming their spears at me while surrounding him.

He looks at the elf inspector face, the only thing that is left of what was once his face was no more, only a bloody mess of blood and muscle. Nesto let go of the collar, letting the dead elf in his hand fall to the ground.

"Place your hand behind your head!" The knight orders.

Nesto follows the order, he places his both of his hand behind his head. The knight slowly walks up to Nesto and handcuff his wrist together.

"You are coming with us!" The knight orders.

"The elf girl still alive, Sir," another knight said.

Nesto glances at Neya, the knight squats down beside her while checking her breath.

"Bring her with us," the knight said.

"The rest of you clean up this mess," the knight order.