Chapter 55: The Owl

How I was able to meet Merlin, started with an ambush. 

            It was right before the sun had set, the sun dyed my surrounding red and orange. I was in wait for a carriage filled with sorcerers and those wrongly convicted. I hold on to my dagger tightly and feel its hard cold metal against my forehead. Before I knew it, it became a ritual whenever I came out like this. 

            Calm down, you've done this many times. 

            When the carriage was visible, I focused solely on it. [Earth, give my enemy no path to take] 

           The earth slightly shook, giving the horse a scare. Rocks arises from the ground surrounding the carriage, giving panic to the driver and horses. Just as they try to control the situation, I slip out from the trees and knocked out one of the driver. The guards that came to respond the situation was about to attack when the horses block their way and I had disappeared from their sight.  

             Little did they know I had sneak behind their back, and struck them unconscious. They were more that started to attack me, I turned a perfect 180 degree, I blocked one sword with the dagger and the other stop by grabbing the attacker's wrist. I parry the sword and twist the arm of my attacker. I dislocated his wrist in the process and kick him toward his comrade. I took his sword away and stab the two together by the shoulder. 

             The horses were still in uproar. I came to them and sooth them with a touch filled with mana. The horse realized my intention and calmed down from a few moments. I looked around and thought that there were something off. There was only one driver and three guards. No matter how you look at it it's too little. 

            "It couldn't be...."

            In response to my thoughts, the carriage was kicked open and soldiers surrounded me. I see, it was a trap. "So this is the rumored witch who's been causing trouble. I always wondered what kind of person it would be, but to think it was a little girl like you, our officer surely has fallen." 

           "Don't call me 'little girl' I'm 16 years old!!" I slap the horse and had it run away through the gaps of the rocks. I took the sword in my hand, and ready my stance. There were 15 trained soldier surrounding me, all arms with silver weapons. Quite a pinch I was in. 

            "I'll show you why your soldier had fallen, [Earth Burst]" at their feet, the earth jumps at them as if it had explode. Those who react fast enough had stab the ground with their weapons, hindering my spell. "You idiots, don't use your weapons!" Looks like only the commander is the smart one around. With that one second gap that they put to lay down their weapons instead of dodging, I gave them a taste of how it felt like having your head going to explode. 

            [Wind, scream!]

            A high pitch sound explode I arrange next to their ear. If I had to compare, it would be as horrible as nails screeching on a chalkboard. Hearing that next to your ear surely will suffocate anyone's mind. In that time, there were chances I could take to runaway, but instead, I rushed toward the commander-like person. That guy will surely get in my way if I tried running away. Take out the head and the body won't move is what Master always remind me. 

            "Do you think it'll be that easy Witch!" He aimed his sword at me, and I was about to parry it when an arrow hits my arm and stuck into it. I glanced at my side, there was a shadow of a man hiding inside the carriage, aiming at me from the gaps. I fumbled down trying to dodge the sword attack at the last minute, but he was able to graze my upper arm in the end. 

           I flip the carriage away with another wind spell without giving myself in with the pain. I turn my attention back to my opponent and found myself gazing at the tip of his sword. His men were already up and stood around me and him as the center. "This will be as far as you go" 

            "Do you think so? Because luck usually ran in my way." 

            "Trying to act tough? No matter, once we've tied you to the stake, you would think how lucky you could be free from this world." 

             I bit my lip unwillingly as I desperately thought how to escape. I still have my magic stone at the small bag hanging on my waist. As long as they haven't took that, I can still make it out. "You, strip her belongings!" The commander ordered. I count the distance and time until he was close enough for me to make a grab at him and use him as hostage. 

            Just when he's in the right place, I turned toward him but then I gasped at the sight in front of me. The man's face went blue and he was grasping his neck as if strangling himself. Soon, the others followed and they all were grabbing their neck and chest. I soon realized the peculiar flow of mana coming out of them, it was a simple spell that controls the flow of air, but someone had used it to take out the air in their lungs, leaving them nothing to breath. 

            Their eyes rolled behind and fluids were coming out of their mouth. I channeled my own mana and disrupt the spell, canceling them in the process.

              "I don't know who you are, but you've gone too far, you could've killed them!" I called out toward the forest, not knowing where s/he could've hidden themselves. A gust of wind blew the leaves around, blocking my view, but I was sure I made eye contact with someone. Dressed in dark blue and his grey eyes were looking at me through his owl mask. He was already gone when I closed my eyes for a second and without waiting for the soldiers to wake up, I bail. 

#

"I'm back"

            I went inside the wooden cottage that I called home. The usual sight greeted me, from the gap if his room door, Master was fiddling with ingredients and chemical substances making who knows what. Lise was cooking dinner for the three of us, from the alluring smell, I could tell she was cooking beef stew. 

            "Did Adele came back earlier today as well?" 

             "Yes she did, even though stew is her favorite, I'm sure she felt bad not staying for dinner."

             "I'm sure she is, for now let's eat because I'm starving!" 

            I sat down beside the table and noticed Lise was looking at me with a worried expression. She was eyeing at my right arm, I had covered it with a cloth and since I was wearing a robe, I thought I hid it pretty well. "Are you still doing that, look you're injured!" She whispered.

            "Luckily it's nothing serious, besides you can't expect me to stop after going this far"

             "So you're saying you're going to keep lying to Master Rolex?" 

              "At least until a year later, that way he won't complained much once I'm an adult."

              Lise couldn't help but sigh at my reason, but should she be worried this much? I've been doing it for 3 years now and there was never a time I regret my action. 

             "Claudia, get over here!"

            I jumped for a moment hearing his voice all of a sudden, but immediately after calming my heart I rushed toward his side. "Master, what is it, do you need something?" 

             "As a matter of fact I do, go to the city and get these ingredients will you?" 

              "At this late of night, you want a girl taking care of your errands?"

              "The sun had just set and I didn't waste 6 years raising a weak girl so don't make excuses and go!"

             Without being able to talk back, I took the note he offered and went out to the usual market. By foot, it would take three days by foot reaching the city, but that's one of the good thing being a witch, distance is never a problem. 

             I went to the side of the cottage that has a drawing of a magic circle. I poured my mana in and the wall lost its feeling as the space around it distort. I went through it and appeared at a nearby hill where the city was visible on top. There were signs of light flickering, the bustling were gradually calming down as people went back to their home after a day's good work. 

              I arrived at the city while slipping through the guards. I walked carefully under the dark shadow of the night, not letting my presence known. I then turned to a corner where there was a dead end. I put mana on my hand to the brick wall and softly whispered, [We meet at dark]. 

           A faint light appeared at the wall which spread through the cracks, forming a pattern. I lost my footing from the earth that disappeared under me and I fell deep down. However, with a simple chant, I began to slowly float down. The dark scene in front of me soon changed to that of an underground alley, filled with bustling people as if it were day, small round lights floated everywhere in this place surrounded by most and rocks, and what calmed me down the most was the fact they were sorcerers like me. 

            That' why we call this the 'Night Alley' where sorcerers would usually buy tools and ingredients at the time where mortal would be asleep. 

            I look again at the list of ingredients Master had made me to buy. "Geh, what's with all the rare stuff? Do you think we have the money for all this, you stupid Master?" Somehow, I ended up getting mad at the list, since I've come this far, there's no harm buying what you could buy. 

            "Mister, I'll take these three kinds of herbs, including this breed of snake molt you have. Also, this cocoa as well"

             "Right away miss! You seen to be collecting some rare stuff, are you interested in some rare bones, it's the tusk of an elephant and you can't get this baby anywhere else. You should buy it while it is still in stock."

            "Thanks, though I'm interested, I don't need it that much."

             I was about to turned away to look for the next item when a flyer caught my interest. The flyer had the picture of a familiar owl drawn in mosaic, it was brown but it's eyelashes were a mixed of pink, blue and yellow, and its eyes were grey. Below it, was a map outskirt of the city and below the red dot indicating the place, it was written in bright red. 

            WE WILL RISE!

             There was a feeling in my heart that I shouldn't go there, but curiosity got the best of me. Not knowing my fate took an unimaginable turn.

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