Chapter 44: Anticipation.

The carriages stop after a long day ride, between the ride Neya hasn't even once spoken to her mother after the slap despite the fact that they're riding in the same carriages. The door to carriage opens revealing the darkness of night outside the carriage, and the knight that's opening the door.

"My queen, we have arrived," The knight bows his heads.

Queen Lucilla, steps out from the carriage with elegant and great posture. The way she moves, it gave her an air of superiority above others.

"My queen the artifact is ready to test," Another elf wearing a long jacket and slick black hair walk toward them.

"Magister Virkian, prep the child for the test run," Lucilla said then start to head the fortress gate.

Neya steps out the carriage, and the first thing she saw is the large stone fortress in front of her hidden by the thick trees that encircle it. There are tons of knights heavily armed at the front gate and on the wall. They're patrolling and checking the perimeter to guard the fortress from enemies.

While her eyes are gazing at the fortress, a sudden hand grab both of her arms, and force her to walk forward. Their touch causes a sudden fear of being touch coming back to her, making her feel nausea and headache.

"Let me go!!" She screams as her heart panic.

"Let me go!!" She screams again.

"Someone silences her, please," Lucilla order.

A knight hit the hilt of his sword on her forehead, knocking Neya unconscious. Everything is a blur just before she loses consciousness, but before she truly falls to darkness.

She whispers his name, "Nesto..."

*

From a distance, Nesto could see the light from the hidden fortress that's the caster mentions, he sneaks toward it in the cover of darkness. When he arrived at the edge of the forest between the fortress and the trees line. Nesto examines the stone fortress itself to find a way in, but there were too many knights patrolling it the fortress wall and gate.

He sees two dim light approaching from both side of his position, and the sound of armor clashing together determine that it is the knights that are patrolling the ground. Just before he could find a way to avoid the patrol, a hand sneak on to his shoulder causing him to swing his wooden staff to the source. But he stops when he sees the Woodfolk boy with a finger on his lips with an intention to tell Nesto to stay quiet.

He points upward at the tree branch and starts to climb up the trees. Nesto follows him and climbs after him. When both of them reach up to a strong branch to hide in, Nesto looks down at the patrol. He watches the knights walk past the tree that both of them are in.

It was dark, but Nesto notice the terrible burn scar on the half of the boy's face because he never saw him without a wooden mask, yet he chooses to ignore it because it wasn't a good time to bring it up.

After the knights walk past the tree, Nesto asks the questions first. "Why are you here?"

"See her. Taken. Follow." Vel answers.

"Is there anyone with you?" Nesto ask.

"Alone. Neya. Not allowed. Anyone." Vel answers.

"Do you know where they're taking her?" Nesto ask.

"Up. Large tower. The middle one. Can't reach. Many elves." Vel answers.

"We need to get up there before they start hurting her," Nesto said.

"Questions. How?" Vel asks as he looks toward the knight that's guarding the front gate and the knights patrolling the fortress wall.

"We need to cause a distraction to pull the Knights attention over here, then we climb the wall on the other side to get in," Nesto said.

"Me. Distraction. You, bring Neya home," Vel said as he took out a small sack from his back pocket.

"Are you sure? If they find you, they won't show mercy," Nesto ask.

"Yes. Neya wants to go home. You. The one needs to do it." Vel said as he shows a toothy smile.

"Go," he said.

The butler was surprised by boy decisions, he had nothing to gain from rescuing Neya, but he willing to put himself in danger to get her home. This boy shows bravery and kindness. A human like him is rare even in this world despite the fact he probably gains that horrible burn scar from an elf, yet he still willing to save an elf.

Nesto places a hand on the boy's shoulder, Vel's body perks up, but slowly calm down. "Just be careful. When you're done distracting them, just get back home. I don't want to lose anyone anymore."

"No problem. See you back home." Vel said.

Nesto drops down to the ground and makes his way to the opposite side of the stone fortress without giving himself away. Vel watches the man quickly made his way to the other side of the fortress wall. His gaze went to the small sack, then it turns into sadden gaze floating around the forest, what he's about to do is going to hurt the forest, and he wanted to apologize to it.

*

Neya's eyes slowly blink as she begins to wake up from the ominous chanting around her, she moves her arms and heard a rattling sound. She lifts her arms up to see, there was a metal cuff around her wrists. She sees the source of the rattling noise, a metal chain connected to cuff and the floor.

She looks around her and saw that she is surrounded by Magisters dressed in robes while chanting something. There is also a gold cube on a stone pedestal in front of her, the cube looks like a puzzle box made from interlocking gears and small parts of a machine.

Her gaze went to her mother that is standing on the balcony attached to the wall; her mother overlooks her own daughter from above. Her gaze is still the same as before, cold and distant.

"Why are you doing this?" Neya said aloud.

Her mother looks at her, still and quiet.

"Why won't you answer me?" Neya said aloud again, but this time she almost sounds like she is pleading to her mother.

"Why did you kill dad?!!" She said as her eyes begin to water up again.

"Why did you throw me away? I did nothing wrong, I always follow your rule, your words, your order, why cast me aside?" Neya said then a tear falls to the stone floor.

"Why won't you come back for me? The man you throw me to did so many terrible things to me, but I always believe that you will come back for me. Yet you didn't, why?" Neya said aloud while almost screaming.

"You're supposed to be my mother, why won't you love me? I-I... always love you even after you throw me away," Neya said again.

"Why won't you answer me?!!" This time she screams.

The cube glows a gold hue then the interlocking gears and small metal part start to move like it came alive on its own. Something is surfacing on top of the cube, it looks like a hand shape slot. The gears stop and reveal a glowing marble deep inside of it.

One of the Magisters speaks up. "The cube is ready."

"Magister—" A loud explosion can be heard outside of the fortress then it shakes the entire fortress wall, dust was falling down from the ceiling. Then the trembling stops and followed by a sound of a bell ringing loudly outside the room.

A knight barge into the room, "There is a fire at the front gate, we don't know where it comes from!!"

"Everybody, please evacuate—" The knight suddenly falls face first to the floor.

Behind the falling knight, stood a human with silver hair tied into a ponytail and wearing a cloak while holding a wooden staff in his hand. The magister all were shocked to see the infamous silver flame that's standing in the doorway and glaring at each one of them. The man gaze went to chains and metal cuff on his master wrist.

Anger almost consumed the man, but he simmers it down with a breath.

"Nesto..." Neya let out a smile of relieved when she saw the man.

Nesto twirls his wooden staff in his hand and dashes toward the close Magister to him. He knocks the elf out with a swing of his wooden staff to the magister head. The Magister beside the elf is starting to cast a spell, but Nesto took out a dagger and throw it at the elf thigh. Interrupting the elf chants, the Magister drops to the floor while screaming in pain.

Some of the Magisters run toward the other door in panic while a few of them weren't that lucky as Nesto knock them out by hitting them in the head. With just a couple hit the room is clear from the Magisters.

"Nesto, you came! I know you weren't dead," Neya said with excitement when she saw her butler, alive and well.

"Of course, I came," Nesto drops to his knee close to his master and embraces her with his arm.

"I-I know you will," Neya felt the warm embrace of her savior. It felt good to feel warm again, the last few days have been nothing but fear and numbness.

"Let get you home," Nesto said.

"I can't wait," Neya let out a smile of anticipation.

"Folmon, deal with the intruder," The queen order echoes in the room.

Nesto turns his head to the door and sees the same magic caster that murder Za. Well-armed and armor, he is ready to fight with a grin on his face. The elf takes out three daggers in his hand, and stare at the man near the elf girl.

"I told you that we will meet again, you had your chance and you won't get a second time," Folmon said.

"Don't worry Master, I will surely take you home," Nesto said as he stood up and take a few steps away from his master.

The elf opens a quick small hole in the air in front of him by whispering something into the air and throws all the dagger inside the hole. Three small holes appear around Nesto then came out three daggers that are heading for him. Nesto ducks down avoiding the three daggers that are coming for him, the daggers hit each other and fall to the floor.

He grabs the daggers and throws it toward the elf, but a hole appears in front of him and swallowing the three daggers. A hole appears above Nesto and came out the same three daggers that he throws earlier. Nesto rolls forward, avoiding the dagger, but another hole appears in front of where the daggers are heading.

The elf keeps on opening hole around Nesto, causing the dagger to target him non-stop. Nesto dashes away to avoid the non-stop incoming attack, but occasionally some of them tore through his cloak.

A dagger stuck on the cloak and piece the stone floor; Nesto breaks away from the cloak before another incoming dagger flies toward him. Frustration latches on to his heart because he can't use his full power if he uses it the elf would be dead.

"The only way to stop me is to kill me, and I know you won't" Folmon taunt.

He still has Eilna saber on his back, but he promises Neya that he won't kill anyone else. He looks at her master distress by watching the fight that is going on. He needs to do this.

I'm sorry Neya.

"I open the fourth gate, Clariem!" Nesto mutter the words, and he feels the boiling Mana that is coursing through his veins.

"Incernium!" Nesto said.

Small silver explosions appear around Nesto, stopping the incoming dagger momentum. Nesto took drop his wooden staff on the floor and took out his saber. Silver fire starts to envelop the blade while he glares at the elf.

"No, Nesto..." Neya whisper, she wanted to scream that he didn't have to do this, but deep down she knows that he had to or none of them is going out of here.

"Now we're talking. Let do this!" Folmon shout in excitement.

Nesto can see his mouth moving, slowly black mist rise from the elf feet up to his body, enveloping the elf while he took out two daggers with his hand. A hole appears on the floor, he steps into it with a grin and disappears into the hole.

A hole appears above him so sudden that's Nesto didn't manage to step away, but manage to block any attack from coming toward him with his blade. Surely enough, Folmon came out from the hole and his dagger meets with Nesto's blade. Nesto pushes the elf away with his saber and casts 'Incernium' at him.

The elf opens a hole redirecting the fireball away from him in a nick of time, then the same hole appears beside Nesto, causing him to take a step back. Near miss the fireball, the fireball hit the wall beside them and explode. Tossing both of them to the side; the explosion opens up a wall, revealing the two moon and the night sky on the other side.

Nesto stop rolling, and then he flings the fire on his blade toward the elf, the incoming fire was too fast for the elf, so he dodges it before he manages to open up a hole.

While he avoids the slash of fire, Nesto dash toward him with the blade pointed at the elf eye, the elf didn't notice it or even manage to avoid it before it was too late. Nesto slams his arm on the elf throat and pushes him up to the wall behind him.

Nesto felt the stinging pain as the black mist come to contact with his arm. He sees the fear on the elf eyes then he pulls back the sword to stab it through the elf eyes. He screams his anger out as he was about to stab the caster with the saber, but stop when he heard Neya screaming.

"Put down the saber and step away!!" A voice sounds like one of the panics Magisters.

Nesto drops his saber to the floor and steps away.

The caster let out a grin as he sees the man in front of him back away, he grabs both of the man shoulders and knees him in the gut. Nesto let out a grunt of pain while he drops to his knee. The caster then kicks him on the chin, forcing him to lay on his back. The caster presses his foot on the man neck, Nesto felt the black mist cause a stinging pain on his throat.

Nesto eyes fall to Neya; her cheek is bruised from a hit, her eyes begin to water as a sword point to her neck, and the fear with false bravery mix with guilt can be seen in her eyes.

"I'm sorry..." Neya whimper.