Chapter 355: On Both's Will

Tiathe lifted Ned's left arm as she bore her eyes to the markings under his wrist. Unable to believe what she was seeing, she pulled the end of Ned's sleeve. Her eyes widened in amazement and confused manners. She opened her mouth trying to say something but closed it after she realized her words were lacking value.

Ned could barely make a portrait of Tiathe's shocked face in his mind with his vision blackening. He got no strength left to at least pull his hand off Tiathe's grip. But the light under his wrist proved to him that he was still awake, but Ned felt it won't be for long. He could hear muffled noises behind him, Claurette it might be, perhaps, the other candidates. But Ned smirked and slowly shook his head. Why would they care about him, after all these, they would soon be enemies again.

Ned tried to move his other hand, trying to feel his body, trying to learn what had become of him after the minotaur's grasp was too powerful even for him. If Ned weighs Minron's strength he would be double against the guulvorg he battled a few days ago. Perhaps, he was the same strength that of Gazul in his full form, the first Lord he met and created himself. All of his strength came from the wood elf alone. Ned smiled, blood started to leak off the gaps of his teeth, and off his mouth.

"To think he was just a slave," Ned said, barely a whisper.

In his vision was his body in full red, he could barely keep up with the breaking static under his display, and he could barely respond to ICE's relentless acquisition of him.

Given the chance, Ned wanted to just lie down and have a rest.

I deserve it, he thought.

Ned knelt on both knees after Tiathe killed and take Minron's grip locking his body. Ned lifted his right hand, trying to look for the Krisalix sword. No matter how he commanded his body to move, his mind wouldn't let him be as if saying 'you had enough. Now rest'.

Thanks, but no thanks, Ned thought contradicting himself. Wait, what am I doing again? Why would Tiathe kill the minotaur? Why? Did she just realize that she was just a piece of this game?

No, no. Ned shook his head. She was a slave, and no matter what she does, she won't have a will of her own as long as the collar was locked on her neck. Then why? What was it that she said?

Muffled voices and broken guttural voices Ned heard around him. He could barely feel a warm sensation brushing his left arm. It was soft like cotton he felt. But warm.

Ned squinted his eyes as he turned to his left and saw Tiathe covering her mouth in shock.

What was it the said? Ned thought. Trying to separate the noises around him and ICE's metallic, soft, and caring voice echoing inside his head.

At the tip of Ned's eyes, he saw a bright light surging off his left arm. He was trying to stay awake, and juggling with his mind was the least he could do.

The Mark? He thought asking himself. "The Mark?" He said eventually, and like a bulb lighting over his head, his eyes barely widened remembering what Tiathe had said a while ago. "The Mark of the Knight."

Although half-awake, Ned heard whistles hovering over him. Unintelligible voices shouting on either his sides. Ned wanted to take a look, but as soon as he moved, he felt needles pricking his skin and down to every fiber of his muscles. He nearly laughed at the state he was in.

Tiathe let go of his hand while Ned roughly saw her conjuring spells.

"T-that's enough," Ned whispered and hoped that the slave was able to hear him. "Y-you don't have to fight. S-stop."

Ned barely registered voices around while he was trying to look up to Tiathe, who, for some reason, was fighting both the Kruka-toas and the candidates? The other candidates. They seemed to be new candidates. But there's more… people wearing plain and black hoods were surrounding Tiathe. She was trying to hurt the newcomers but it seemed that she was unable to do.

It was at this moment that Ned saw Tiathe's eyes jumping in fear as she stared at him while the group—four of them, might be six as Ned was unable to saw them with his other eye now half-open—were subduing her on the ground. Pushing her by the shoulder.

The last thing Ned saw before his eyes dimmed was Tiathe screaming as she grabbed and pulled the collar off her neck and conjured terra magic.

Ned's eyes went dimmed and black was all he could see. He then fell unconscious.

—

Ned woke up with his body wrapped in grass (more like seaweed as he felt the cold on his chest, and stomach, and legs).

Without the seaweed crafted to look like a thin cloth, he was naked, but he was clean.

"ICE," Ned said that went out as a whisper, he could barely open his mouth. By mouth, Ned felt his lips were cracked as though he was devoid of water for a week.

[You are awake, Ned.]

"I am," Ned answered and was trying to pull his body off the ground. He didn't even move an inch. Ned gritted his teeth feeling his body in pain. "Tell me what happened? And how long was I asleep?"

[I wanted to.]

[But she should explain it to you.]

She? Ned thought, turning his head left and right, scanning the surrounding he was in. Yet, he didn't find her

Ned was, to his surprise, inside a giant tree. A hollow was made so that he could be fitted inside the tree. To his right was a smooth surface and wall of the tree, it was nearly shining with the light seeping through the holes, also crafted above them. To his right was the same wall, old brown and a smell of mint and vanilla was whiffing through the air. Ned frowned, why vanilla and mint? He asked himself. But was soon halted after seeing the Silk Road folded neatly beside him. Beside the Silk Road was the leather pouch.

Ned reached for the leather pouch, it was only a hand length so he was able to reach for it. Once he did, he could barely keep a smile in defeat. The Storing orb was gone; his Storing orb. Ned shook his head and sighed. For now, he thought. Find out where am I, and why am I here?

Ned remembered the incident in the encampment as though it was a long time ago, he could barely recall what had happened there.

ICE, he thought which was directed to his system. What happened in the encampment? Maybe that you could tell me. Ned pleaded with his voice then squinted his eyes after a light reflected over him from the holes. He could barely keep his eyes open.

[The wood elf fought with her minions and other candidates as well.]

Why? Ned thought silver eyebrows wrinkled in frustration. Why would she do it?

[You could ask her yourself. Look above you.]

Ned looked above him in his prone position. It was Tiathe, sitting cross-legged, she was covered in leaves and Ned suspected that she conjured them but wondered why would she do it? She sat with her back against the wall of the tree. Now that Ned was able to look inside the hollow of the tree, he was surprised yet again to learn that there was no door nor windows.

Ned rolled over, gritting his teeth while the wrap of grasses fell on his side, showing him naked. He then reached for the Silk Road and wore them hastily. But it took a full minute for the Silk Road to fully fit on his body and transformed into a black jacket and with matching pants. Ned looked for something to tie his hair, now longer and obstructing his vision, but he couldn't find one.

As he was about to turn around, a vine slithered out on one of the holes and collected the thread of his silver hair and carefully tied behind him, locking them in a pony.

Ned turned around to see Tiathe. She was still sitting with her hand raised that he used to conjure the vine.

The vine snapped after the end part was tied on Ned's hair. Ned then moved closer to Tiathe and once he does, he sat beside her feeling no hostility she exudes while he pressed his side, just under his chest, and scowled from the pain.

"Why?" He asked in his most soothing voice. Now that he was closer, Ned saw a white mark on her neck. It was so white like the clouds of a bright and sunny day. The mark resembled the collar she wore before. Ned remembered it when she pulled the collar off her neck, breaking it. It was forbidden, a taboo she should not have done. But, why?

Her eyes fell on Ned. She was different, like a whole new person. Her pure brown eyes were full of love, and care, and… life. She was almost perfect for a wood elf with the leaves covering her body. Perfect, almost, if only she got her ears. Ned was unable to look at the remains of what her captors did. Ned supposed she was just as innocent as any other kid before she was turned into a slave.

"Why?" Ned said once more.

"You don't need to feel sorry," Tiathe said after both their eyes locked. She then blinked and let her eyes fell on Ned's left arm. She held it once again, and Ned felt the warmth—once again. "You have one of the 14 Marks."

For some reason, Tiathe held Ned's face. Her long fingers brushed Ned by the face then to his lips.

Ned couldn't move. Not that he could, but he simply won't. His eyes locked on Tiathe's eyes still thinking about all the hardship she has been through.

She knew about the Mark, Ned thought. But still unable to move. It was the Mark. All this time, she knew—

Her long and smooth fingers went under Ned's neck and he felt the warmest touch he had never felt before. Her face pink under her tanned skin after she leaned closer to Ned. Too close Ned could feel her body and her steaming breath.

The Mark, Ned thought and grabbed Tiathe by the shoulder and pushed her.

But Tiathe swiped Ned's hand off her shoulder and closed the remaining gap between them.

She kissed Ned.

The leaves on her body fell one by one on the ground which was followed by the holes on the hollow tree closing until darkness engulfed the two.