-- Aaris - Pov --
What the hell? Whose voice was that?
I was looking around dumbfounded and then I looked at her, she was staring at me the whole time,
'Did you hear what I heard?'
"What are you talking about?" The voice rang in my head again, the sweet and subtle voice.
'Who is that?' I stood awestruck and raised my guard!
"Who are you talking to?" That girly voice gently said,
'Who are you? Where are you speaking from?' I shouted,
"But I am sitting right in front of you." I jerked with shock and looked at that elf, and she just raised her head to me.
'Did you speak in my head?' I crouched down glaring at her,
"Yes, I was me… my name is Cecelia Droxcoll, thank you for saving me, if it weren't for you all I would've been given up on life." As her voice was echoing in my mind and she frowned a little.
'I see, don't worry about that…' I didn't know how to react,
'ah! Yes! How did you find your keys?'
"Keys? Oh about that! As you know I am a dark elf, we have a special trait that enables us to feel the presence of the mana or aura if something is made from that mana, and aura is touched by us, that collar was attached to my neck so I was able to feel the keys with had the same spell encryption as the seal on my collar." Her voice was a bit squeaky but I think I got it,
'Wait….are you a mage?' I was quite stupefied,
Dark elves usually are tribal warriors using their skills and spells to fight, they don't study magic usually!
Moreover, they live isolated from other races and act hostile to them, despite all their creations, and will never let anyone race go alive if they encounter them.
"Well, it was kinda taught to us how to use that skill, I just described the way you understand, though I did learn some spells from humans."
'Okay then, also, can all dark elves use telepathy too?' This was running through my mind the entire time.
"Actually, I was taught this spell by someone, she taught me this spell when I wasn't able to talk, we dark elves have a shorter life span in comparison to the forest elves, but we have the greatest mana generation compared to most of the races, so I was able to learn the spell in no time, though I can't read minds, I am only able to say…" As soon as she finished talking she smiled.
'I see, well then let's save the other questions for later, and let's get out of here and meet Melvi and Zia.' I picked her on my back gently again.
"Is… Melvi okay?" She said,
``Wasn't when I was around, let's meet them…'
Then I recalled something.
***
While Aaris and Cecelia were getting out of there, Zia and Melvi were hiding together in the gateways of the warehouse.
"Are you okay now?" Zia had Melvi's head laid on her lap and she was finally calmed down.
"Hmm…" she calmly hummed her body was a bit colder and Zia was getting anxious with every second.
-- Melvi - PoV --
What should I do? What… What should I do?! I can't stop trembling! I saw him… I…
**
-- When they were in the auction house --
Zia and Rise both are fighting but here I am!
What am I doing? I can't even move my legs! Big sister Cecelia just what have you gone through?!
"Who are you?" A pair of black shoes appeared in front of me, I slowly lifted my gaze and saw his face,
'Diess...Diesswrin!' I lunged back in fear, he isn't human! Somebody Zia… Rise...save me!
"Where have I seen you?" He walked to me and pulled my hair,
"Aren't you human?" He glared at me, God please somebody help me, my voice isn't coming out of my throat, his hazel eyes… are just the same as his! Please somebody help me!
"Hmmm…tell me what should I do?" He threw me away and rubbed his chin glaring at me, suddenly he clapped.
"Oh! Does your relative or something is with us?"
'No!! Stay away! I beg you! Don't come near me!' My cries huffed out but it wasn't loud enough to go past him and reach others, he grinned at me with his dreadful gaze,
"Got you! Well if that's the case, I have a proposal for you…"
"Melvi...Melvi!" A sharp sound woke me up from that nightmare…
'Rise?' I opened my eyes and saw him standing in front of me, I tried to sit up and slowly rubbed my eyes…
"How are you now?" He sat down in front of me,
"I am fine...what about big sister Cecelia?!" I leaped at him and then I saw small hairs peeking from his side. I looked at her and it was big sister Cecilia…
'Sister...sister Cecelia!' I lunged into Rise and hugged her!
"Melvi! Melvi I am glad you are fine but those things! Those are…" Rise panicked and then I realized he was getting squeezed between us! I jumped back and sat down properly, Rise gently helped Cecelia to sit down close to me.
"I am glad you are fine! I wish I could see you all grown up?" This voice? It's the same as sister Cecelia but it is ringing in my ears…
'Sister Cecelia-' I cried out with remorse plunging my chest and she gently said in my head.
"Listen to me carefully, don't tell this to your friends now…."
****
Cecelia spoke to Melvi, while Zia was staring at Rise and an uninvited guest,
"Oye Rise, who is that creature standing beside you?" Zia pointed at the girl standing on his right, it was Jane.
"You bitch! My name is Jane! Who the fuck are you and who fuck is she? I knew it! This guy is also just like other men! Who are they? Tell me huh? Your harem?!" Jane started screaming and yanking Aaris with his collar in fuming anger.
"Ha? What the fuck is he saying? What the hell did you tell him? Do you have a death wish!" Zia unsheathed her sword and laid it on his shoulder.
"Listen to me...listen to me first!" Aaris slipped away from them and crossed his arms covered in sweat…
"This girl… her name is Jane and she was a baron here in this county, she knows about this kingdom and domain very well as well as she also spied on the Diesswrin, she has so much intel so I thought we could use-"
Jane disappeared from Aaris' sight and grabbed his throat, "what did you just say? You could USE me?
You fucking pest of the drainage! I knew you were just after my body!" She almost strangled him, after struggling Aaris slowly lifted his arm and gently grabbed her wrist and she leaped back, grabbing the part where touched and squirting at him.
'She must really hate me… look at her clenching her wrist as I tainted her…' Aaris was disappointed in his thoughts, "Jane, I was just saying that we could use her knowledge that's all! I wasn't thinking about hurting you at anything!" Aaris averted his eyes, sighing out.
"I...I see, well then I'll help you." She moved her gaze from both of them in a distraught tone but her mind,
'Kyaa…he touched me! What should I do? We shouldn't do that before marriage and he said he didn't want me to get hurt, was promoting me that he will protect me forever from now on? How… How bold! Calm down jane! Calm down, don't panic, we'll prepare for the marriage later!' She was flustered like a cherry, while everybody was thinking she was down because Aaris touched him.
"Okay then, so what should we do now? The night will fall in a few hours and we still have heard anything from the captain or that pervert." Zia looked over Aaris,
"We should get out of here first, I found a way to get out of this mountain, we'll get outside and hide in Jane shed house, and spend the night there, after that, we'll take Melvi and Cecelia out of here back in Copperlin and then-" Aaris was pointing his finger to his left when Melvi stood up abruptly and grabbed Aaris coat,
"Please don't leave me out! I promise I won't hold you back again, so don't send me back." She uttered with a confident smile back on her face.
"Melvi, I think you should-" Zia tapped on her shoulder but Melvi held her hand and squeezed it while pleading to her,
"Please, Zia! This quest is very important to me and believe me this time, I'll fight too! So please give me another chance!" Her gleaming smile and raised spirit persuaded Zia to nod in agreement.
Melvi turned to Aaris and Aaris sighed, "alright I'll allow it but if you still feel uncomfortable to continue the quest tell me, I'll send you back, we can't leave an important friend on our first quest after all." He smiled and turned his back to her.
"Thank you!" Melvi hugged Aaris from behind,
' and I am sorry....' But kept the guilt only to her heart.