Eventful Alleyway

Down the dark streets with alchemical factories lined up on each side, a red-headed girl could be seen running with tears in her eyes. Her steps were swift but her breathing was heavy, and without a lamp on her, she stumbled blindly in the darkness. Even the stars and moon that she relied on to guide her had been obscured by dark clouds looming overhead.

Her name was Aileen Snowe, a second-year battlemage apprentice. However, despite being selected by a respected master battlemage, she was incredibly lacking in any talent for combat. This led to speculations as to whether or not she had pulled a few strings to get to where she was, which then led to growing grievances against her and what was perceived as preferential treatment. As a result, she was ostracized by many of her peers.

It would have been fine if she had shown some actual talent. In this city, power was respected, regardless of where one had obtained them. Sadly, Aileen had none to show, leaving her in a miserable state of being in a coveted position yet none of the power to protect herself from those who covet it. The only saving grace was that her master doted on her greatly and protected her from much of the harshness that brewed over the years within this city.

Unfortunately for Aileen, by the orders of the Circle of Mages, her master was sent on a mission outside of the city and was unable to bring her along, leaving Aileen to fend for herself.

Eventually, as Aileen run about blindly down the dark street, she stumbled into a stack of barrels. They were empty, to what little good fortune she had left, but the barrels were knocked over and she herself tumbled to the ground. When she got up, she found herself turned around, unable to tell where she came from and where she was going.

Soon, however, the area began to brighten. From around a corner, there was light. It was light from several brightstone lamps, and by the light, shadows were cast. Attracted by the sound of barrels crashing to the ground, seven shadows rapidly approached.

Frightened by the approaching figures, Aileen ducked into the nearest alleyway, hoping to throw off her pursuers. Yet, tried as she might to escape into the darkness, she eventually ran face first into a wall.

So quickly she ran, her nose was flattened and bones were broken. Blood flowed from her nostrils as pain soon followed, hitting her face with a burning sensation.

Perhaps having heard the loud thud that resulted from the collision, the seven individuals ran after the sound, traveling down the same alleyway and eventually finding Aileen cowering in a corner of the dead end.

"Not sure if I've ever seen a battlemage as pathetic as you before," said the young man leading the other six, an apprentice with a terrible bruise on the side of his face.

"Are you sure? Your face says otherwise," the other apprentice, apparently older, retorted. "It looked like she hit you pretty hard."

"Shut up!" shouted the apprentice in the lead. "I let my guard down last time. It's not happening again."

Moments ago, they've managed to catch Aileen. However, Aileen retaliated, striking the apprentice that caught her in the face. The apprentice struck was in so much pain at the time, he let out a blood-curdling cry and curled up into a ball. A bone or two must have been broken by that one strike and many teeth were lost. It wasn't until someone gave him some painkillers that he was able to stand again. Once up, he insisted on chasing after Aileen despite his injuries, his heart burning with a vengeance.

"Well, what's a battlemage apprentice loitering around here for?" the leading apprentice began to ask. "Are you here for our formulas? Or maybe you're after our rare ingredients in storage?"

But Aileen said nothing. Her lips were sealed.

"Why don't you say something!? You looking down on us 'cause we're alchemists!? Is that it!?"

Getting more furious by the second, the leading apprentice signaled the others with a jut of his chin, having them move in on Aileen.

"If you're not going to answer the question, we'll just have to search you and find out for ourselves what you're after. Is that what you prefer?"

Again, Aileen only stared them down even while tears flowed from her eyes. She was clearly in distress, but she still wouldn't say anything. At the same time, none of the alchemist apprentices dared to get within her reach, fearing the same strike that struck down their fellow apprentice earlier.

At the moment, it would appear that they've arrived at a stalemate.

Then, breaking this very stalemate, a screech from the sky followed by the sound of fluttering wings, caught the attention of both Aileen and the alchemist apprentices.

From the dark, an owl descended, swooping over the apprentices and landing on the shoulder of a hooded figure by the mouth of the alleyway. Though the said figure had her face obscured by a hood, a crystalline horn stuck out, making her rather conspicuous. Upon closer inspection of the owl, it too had a crystal horn embedded in its head.

"Is there trouble?" called out the hooded figure, the one called Salome, an apprentice that had made a habit of poking their nose where it ought not to be.

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End of Chapter 89

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