Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn! 177 Confrontation

Xiloth. Captain of the Guard and third in command of the homestead.

"Xiloth! Who -- what, what do you think you are doing?! You've not only b.u.t.ted in to an official discussion with the Elder... You're not even showing the slightest respect to the leader of this homestead -- YOUR leader!" Barely able to contain her seething rage, Zera's eyes seemed to shoot icy cold darts at Xiloth who, unperturbed by her outburst, continued to walk in coolly.

The people within, the surrounding men of women of varied ages and positions made way for the sizable man to pa.s.s, watching with bated breaths, not daring to speak up as they antic.i.p.ated a forthcoming confrontation of the two young heads of the homestead.

The Captain of the Guard stopped when he reached the centre of the room, facing Zera who stood straight as a reed. The girl seemed to exude power and authority, a palpable yet insubstantial aura flowing out from her pores. An air of domination and primal strength oozed out of her every muscle and fibre, and if Lars' didn't know better, he would think that an ancient tyrant of the wild were standing there instead of the slim and beautiful warrior girl.

And faced with this show of power and might, Xiloth did not back down. However, his aura was not nearly as combative - as if though he were saying, "I'm not here to fight, but I'm not backing down either."

Lars gulped, a nearly imperceptible tremor running through his body. He could sense, feel, even TASTE the energies in the air.

Was this the way of power in this world? Something completely different, yet still carrying potent strength of it's own... If he could get out of this mess, maybe this could be his pathway to returning to that cave and going back to his own world... If only he could find a way past that... Creature... That *thing*, whatever it was... 

'I *have* to learn it... These energies that I can barely perceive but I can sense...'

But for the time being, he had other thoughts to care for.

'But first... I'll need to survive this debacle... Better be prepared to get out of the way of trouble, even if all I have is an injured, weakened regular physique...'

He sighed inwardly as he tensed up and prepared himself to run, drawing a glance of curiosity from the Cat-Divine Beast perched on his lap.

'S-sh*t! Calm down, Lars, calm down...' He forced himself to relax once more and kept his eyes fixed on Xiloth and Zera, breathing evenly and deeply once more. Then, seeing that he too was focused on Xiloth and Zera's impending impa.s.se, Mash'noth turned away from him again.

'This better not be bad news...' Lars sighed once again - internally, this time.

*****

While Lars had his own train of thoughts, Katya and Gatyon too were pensive.

'Xiloth Vander Meer...' Katya's thoughts flitted through her mind as she kept her eyes on the two, the tension continuing to rise in the air as the Lady stood still, awaiting Xiloth's explanation.

'I... I only hope he can talk the lady out of this...'

At the same time though, Gatyon's thoughts ran differently: 'Xiloth... Again and again, you think that just because you're childhood sweethearts with her, you can run rough shod over her honour? Again and again?! This time... This time...!' Gatyon gulped down a mouthful of saliva to steady his resolve as the thoughts came quickly.

'...This time I'll smash your face in so badly, you'll have to wear a mask all your life!'

While others still bore differing opinions.

'Captain! Show her who's boss! C'mon!'

'Yes! You have to think for the rest of us here, milady! You can't just sacrifice half her life just for a stranger - no matter how important he could be, how could you gamble on something just based on instinct, just based on a hunch! We need all our strength and ready warriors! How can you give up on us, our future, our homestead just for some random strangeling?!'

'...Good, as expected...' were the only thoughts going through Sir Kenneth's mind.

And yet, the young man and woman standing in the middle of room who had captured the thoughts and minds of all those around were oblivious to these things happening around them.

And yet again, Xiloth's next words subverted the expectations of everyone around him, shocking those around as he spoke.

"...You can't lose half your life. We'll do it together. How else will we grow old together...?"

Xiloth flashed Zera a smile in an attempt to be charming, but the effect was lost on the girl who couldn't understand what she had just heard.

"!!!!???" The recipient of those words was stunned into silence, her aura flaring up even higher, perhaps unconsciously.

Her beautiful cherry-like lips trembled ever so slightly, glistening beautifully against her contrasting tanned skin as she opened her mouth, trying to find the words to say, then closed her mouth again, speechless.

As her aura of power began to grow wilder, Lars could feel a heavy oppressive might bearing down on him. It was as if though his blood churned within him, as if though the earth itself were suppressing him and writhing under his feet. He felt as if though...

'This is... Her power...' His eyes flickered even as he struggled to breathe.

'Connection with the planet itself...? Cough, cough! This is... Too much... I...'

Lars began to gasp for air, his skin growing cold. He could feel that he was not the only one experiencing such a thing - even the warriors around him who could raise their own strength were struggling. Some began to topple over, others were already unconscious, lying on the floor.

"ZERA! SNAP OUT OF IT! DON'T ACT LIKE A TEENAGE GIRL!"

As the crowd began to fall to their knees under the overbearing power, a sharp cry rang out, snapping Zera out of her shock.

Surprised, she turned quickly to the source of the exclamation - Elder Mash'noth who was glaring at her like a delinquent child.

Glancing around embarra.s.sedly, Zera's gaze turned to one of remorse and then guilt as she hurriedly withdrew her powers, drawing gasps of breath from those who could not breathe, while others who were able to hold up under the suppression sighed with relief.

Just a little more and... They wouldn't need to wait for a goblin raid to be wiped out, their own Leader would unwittingly have done it all by herself!

* * * * *

Zera quickly moved with Xiloth, Katya, Gatyon and Sir Kenneth, alongside Xiloth's accompanying men, supporting the collapsed and unconscious and helping them to their feet.

Within less than a minute, they had helped even those outside Elder Mash'noth's hall who had also fallen unconscious - including onlookers and some random pa.s.sersby.

'It's good that no-one was hurt in that outburst...' Having made sure that everyone was alright, Zera heavy heart felt like a burden was lifted off her.

At least, one burden.

She cast her gaze around to look for Captain Xiloth, only to find that he was right behind her, looking at her calmly, eyes placed on hers. Expectant. Waiting.

"Zera...?" He smiled warmly.

And she looked away instantly.

This drew chuckles from those around. It was an open secret that the two liked each other. It was just that, ever since Zera's father fell to the Taint on the Night of Darkness...

At this time, Zera's heart thumped harder than ever before.

She had faced down creatures of the night, the twisted and turned ones of the Taint, beasts, demihumans, warriors of blood, demons even...

But her warrior's spirit that had kept her courageous in every encounter, her resolve that brought her to the front of every charge and the lead of every battle...

Where was it now when she needed it the most?!?

Eyelids fluttering, b.u.t.terflies in her, Zera fought tooth and nail against the instinct to run away from embarra.s.sment. She steeled herself, forcing herself to turn her body to face Xiloth--

And yet still found herself studying his oh-so-interesting boots. A bit faded, but otherwise well taken care of. And the very intriguing patterns of wooden flooring boards; I wonder what material they are--

"Ahem, well, maybe I'll just repeat myself then." Xiloth took a breath and began to speak. "You can't lose half your life. We'll do it together. How else will we grow--"

"STOP!!! You don't have to finish that sentence! Okay, okay!! I -- I'll -- We... Okay! Whatever!"

A fleeing girl, desperately escaping the (second) greatest crisis of her (teenage) life left behind a bemused, stunned young man, who wondered just what had gotten into the Imitable Warrior Princess.

"Uh! Wait, wait! Zera! What are you running away for!" It took him a moment to process it all before he snapped out of it, shouting at her distant back and running after her... Though he himself was not sure what he would say when he caught up to her.

Leaving the rest smiling happily, glad that their beloved leaders finally started to be open about their feelings.

"Well, at least open on one side... Teenagers... My oh my, my oh my..." Mash'noth purred, licking her paw, then pausing to give a look to Lars.

"And what is *your* story, my young dearie...? An outsider, ei...?"

Lars gulped, mind racing as he faced the sharp gaze of the little white kitty on his lap. The very dangerous, threatening, perceptive little white kitty.