The Crimson Magister Chapter 5: V1-C5: Introductions

Read chapter 5 of The Crimson Magister by Okram on NovelPedia.

Aqua watched over Azure until dawn, making sure nothing approached her while she slept. Despite being a slave of divinity… No, Aqua. Questions first. Assumptions second. She slapped herself. Soon, Azure shifted against her lap. Aqua looked down just as the woman’s eyes shot open. By instinct, Azure rolled away and forced herself into a defensive stance. Azure stared at Aqua in pure confusion. For several long moments, neither of them spoke. The silence grew heavy until Aqua finally broke it. "As you can see, I was not an enemy," Aqua said, raising her hands and offering a gentle smile. The warrior’s eyes scrutinized Aqua, then dropped to her healed body before snapping back. "Why did you spare me? What do you want with me? I will not let you sell me to your masters!" Azure demanded, suspicion sharpening every word. Aqua sighed. She was already tired of being treated like an enemy. "It was not my intention to fight you. You attacked me first." The woman gazed at her as if she were the worst liar in the world. "I know you are working for the enemy, inquisitor!" Again with the inquisitor title. I have no idea what that even means, Aqua thought. Questions could wait. First, she had to clear the misunderstanding. A guard who failed her duty would often fall on her own sword. Yet Azure still stood before her, wounded, hostile, and alive. Perhaps that alone was worth something. Aqua could not blame her for being distrustful. Perhaps names would help. If they introduced themselves properly, the hostility might lessen. As she was deep in thought, she noticed the woman slowly trying to reach for any kind of weapon before stopping when Aqua’s gaze fell on her. Aqua crossed her arms as she shook her head before saying, "No, no, let's drop the hostility. I am not your enemy, you can trust me on that. Why not start with a proper introduction?" The warrior eyed her with suspicion before answering, "Why would I ever trust an inquisitor? You are the enemy of our kind, actually worse, you are a traitor to all of elven kind!" Even through suspicion and hostility, Azure was still talking instead of attacking. That, at least, was progress. So these inquisitors are something like the divine exterminators that hunted elves in my old world, Aqua thought. The realization saddened her. Being compared to them disgusted her. She needed to correct this misunderstanding quickly. Why was her kind always hunted? Different world, same trouble. Wherever gods touched mortal lives, ruin followed. Aqua shook her head before replying. "Use your head and draw your conclusion. If I were one of them, there would be no conversation to have. You’d be gone long before I had reason to heal you." As Azure checked her body, she realized the elf had told the truth. She was fully healed, but she still did not know who this woman was. The elf before her was dressed like someone wealthy. Her clothes were made from materials far finer than anything common soldiers could afford. No matter how much Azure wanted to trust her, suspicion still held her back. And yet, the young elf showed no hostility. Azure decided to give her the benefit of the doubt as she finally dropped her guard before declaring, "I am Azure Hallowshield, sworn shield of the royal family, captain of the royal guard, and the Martial Champion of the Elven Kingdom." Azure wondered whether she still deserved to call herself the shield, or even captain. She had lost that right when Sheira was taken. But if Aqua was willing to help her rescue the princess, this could be Azure’s final act as the shield. Azure gave a deep bow before letting the elf in front of her speak. So her name is Azure. Pretty name. And apparently, she is important. Aqua thought for a moment before speaking, "I'm Aqua, the Crimson Magister, but you can just call me Aqua." Aqua gave Azure a slight curtsey. "Crimson Magister, I have never heard of that title before, and certainly not in the elven Kingdom," Azure spoke with suspicion, but