The Crimson Magister Chapter 3: V1-C3: Aftermath

Read chapter 3 of The Crimson Magister by Okram on NovelPedia.

Aqua stared at the aftermath of the bloody battle from a great height. When she had arrived, it was all but over, and the monster that had slaughtered the attackers turned back into the blessed child she had detected. She crossed her legs in the air while she contemplated her next move. Aqua studied the souls below. The humans’ blessings were chains, frail yet present. The elven knight’s blessing was different. It was as bright as the moon and equally as strong. It was a beacon in the sea of stars. That made it worse. Even if the light did not bind her soul directly, it still marked her as chosen by the divine. A proper blessing, much like those given to exterminators. Aqua’s first instinct was to put the woman out of her misery. Then she stopped herself. She, too, had once stood a hair’s breadth from becoming a god’s slave. Questions first. Purging later. What also made her curious was that the woman’s blessing had turned her into a horrible monstrosity: an Argus. Most blessings merely granted power without reshaping the body, yet this woman’s was different. Aqua didn’t have any doubts in her mind; if anything, this individual was worthy of her attention. The white-haired woman had the potential to be either her first enemy or a kindred spirit. She dispelled her flaming wings and divine visage, taking the form of the younger elven woman she once had been. Her halo became a circlet, its ruby set at the center of her brow. Then she opened a portal to the surface. Stepping through the portal, Aqua found herself on the ground beside the former Argus. She gently placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder, trying not to startle her. But it did not work as the woman took a defensive stance immediately. It was clear the woman was afraid; she didn’t even know who she was or where she came from. Aqua raised both of her hands in surrender before speaking loudly. "I am a friend, I assure you. There is no reason to be afraid of me," Aqua said calmly, and yet she knew this wouldn’t be enough to convince the knight. The woman’s hand shot toward the sword lying beside her, and she forced herself into a defensive stance. Aqua sighed. "I’ll warn you once. You can try to fight me, but you won’t like how it ends." Before the warning could fully register, the warrior lunged toward Aqua. Her strikes were devoid of finesse. Aqua dodged slash after slash. The woman’s speed was impressive; even exhausted, she still fought fiercely. Each hack carried enough force to split trees, and every strike could have punched through thick castle walls. Her wounds reopened, yet they did not seem to slow her down. To Aqua’s eyes, the woman moved slowly. To a normal elf, or almost any species from Aqua’s old world, her speed would have been unavoidable. When every slash missed, the woman jumped back and forced power into her blade. Her fingers wrapped around the blade. A moment later, she charged back at Aqua, her attack much faster than before, yet still far too brutish. "Just power alone isn’t enough," Aqua said, casually grabbing the woman’s blade and throwing it aside. The warrior gasped as her life-force-enchanted blade was caught so easily. Still, she did not stop. "I am not done yet!" the warrior screamed, launching a barrage of punches at the red-haired elf in front of her. The knight’s fist connected with Aqua’s [Temporal Barrier]. The warrior’s hand split open, bone protruding beneath torn skin, yet she kept punching the monster in front of her. Aqua could see the question forming behind the woman’s exhausted eyes. She looked like an elf, but her power said otherwise. "Why would an elf help anyone from Red Dawn?" the knight kept mumbling to herself. Then she reached a grim conclusion. Her stance became more wobbly, and her hands shook. "Why would an elf work for Red Dawn? They are hostile to our kind!" she shouted, her arms shaking. It took everything she could muster to stand, yet she did not have the luxury of falling. "Why do you serve those who