39 Burn (2/2)

”What is this place?”

Her groggy voice spread into the unrecognizable environment, bouncing around as it pleased.

As she continued to turn around, two figures appeared before her.

The first one was some sort of elf, while the other was a familiar boy. Now, however, in a regular size and without any horns.

She wanted to say something, but felt a type of restraint keeping her from talking.

Looking down at her neck, there was a black choker which ran itself from the windpipe, and all the way around to the tip of her spine.

While desperately plucking on the black line with her ichy fingers, a deep feminin yet masculine tone caught her attention.

”Mabye you regained some of your intelligence back. However, only getting these two will not make me retract my previous statement.”

After the yellow haired demi human spoke, she heard the familiar voice of Marss enter her ears.

”Doesn't matter. This woman is sure to have some sort of intelligence network we can exploit. That is, if you haven't already turn it to ash.”

Jenkins smiled while looking at the fearful girl sitting before him. Turning around and preparing to leave, yet not before muttering one last thing before disappearing.

”Good job Michael.”

Hearing this, Michael smiled a little as he watched Lissanna sitting obediently on the floor.

”You don't have to be scared, Lissanna darling. 'You can speak now'.”

Hearing his command, she felt the choker loosen up, releasing her voice.

Too terrified to lash out at him, she just silently ask while keeping her distance.

”What do you want from me...?”

Michael smile became even more terrific as he gave her a single command before turning around. Following after Jenkins's footsteps.

”Well, 'You will, from now on, be my eyes and ears. You will gather any and all intelligence I ask you for, and disobeying means instant death'.”

He rubbed his palm against the sharp chin. Thinking about something more.

”And also, 'You will never betray me, and all underlings under you will be given the same [Slave Choker] you are currently wearing'.”

”If you find any information which may be useful in the future, all is to be given to me. Are we clear?”

Hearing him finish talking, the choker around her neck brunt into the skin, and she helplessly nodded at him while choosing to accept her new faith.

Seeing it work, he thdn threw a set of similar choker onto the floor, then leaving it with her alone in the dark.

...

”Four days since I last was here eh?”

Michael was currently entering the castle shaped academy once more. When he entered through the gate, several of the guards there nodded at him. Had his reputation as one of the vice principals apprentices spread?

'Jenkins said to postpone the original plan by a couple days so that I can spend time learning, but...'

While walking through the old brick halls, he slightly frowned each time he thought about what Jenkins ment.

'Doesn't matter now. He is a special guy, really..”

As he came closer to where his dorm was, a figure suddenly appeared in the corner of his eyes.

After fully seeing who it was, a familiar frame belonging to a half elf with brown hair entered his sight. This was Caleen, the top apprentices under the vice principal.

Seeing that he recognized her, made a splendid smile blossom on her face. And although Caleen would usually be considered scary or bossy at times, she was rather charming when expressing happiness, as it would shine of her sharp facial features like sunlight.

”It's good to see that you're back, Marss!”

”Thank you, Senior apprenti..”

”Caleen works!”

”Caleen then. Was there a reason for you to show up here, or....?”

Hearin what he said, she snapped out of the jolly fantasy clouding her mind. Proceeding to report what she came for.

”Yes. Teacher was very satisfied with how you handled the wendigo and wants to host a small banquet for you initiation.”

Michael froze up after hearing this. Blankly starring at her for a while.

”Now that you are here, we will hold it in two days. Don't forget to wear something nice, and that you may bring two guests.”

After finishing, the half elf walked away. Leaving him standing there.

'It would be rude not to go, and I bet Jenkins would make quite the show. Also...”

He went to door leading to his room and poured some energy into it.

The mechanism unlocked itself, allowing him entry.

When the door closed again, he saw a familiar woman sleeping on his bed.

She had green skin and sharp nails, but even with all these weird looks, she was still shorter than his human sized form.

Nemesis, who slept as peacefully as a flower, was suddenly woken up by the sound of the door.

Feeling a little tired and startled, she looked towards Michael who was silently smiling at her waking figure.

”Sorry for the disturbance.”

Fully recognizing that it was him, she also smiled back. Happy for his return.

”You don't have to think about it! Welcome back.”

As she stood up, Michael noticed that she now wore some regular clothes, similar to the ones the townsmen haf. All in all, consisting of s simple shirt and some pants.

Feeling his gaze travel to her new attire, she immediately answered.

”That damn el...I mean, sir Jenkins gave me these.”

Michael did not break his smile when hearing her unfinished first sentence, but inside he began to nervously chuckle.

'What was that?'

”Wonderful! However, we are getting you something fancier tomorrow. So bear with it for now.”

She seemed a little stunned by what he said, making her eyes almost pop out of her small head.

But before she could ask what he meant by that, Michael once more began to speak.

”Yes, and I almost forgot!”

[Familiar status displayed]

[Level:20/20 Max]

[Name: Nemesis][Race: Hobgoblin]

[Titles:Familiar of Michael]

”Let me evolve you first!”

Nemesis registered what he said, and her eyelids only further contracted. Fully absorbing every detail of the person standing there.

Her body soon became embroiled in a warm green light, and as the image of Michael slowly dissapeared from her vision, a determined glint appeared inside her eyes.

Sequences of how her tribe was constantly hunted down by different races played back to back. Eventually reaching the present day, where everyone except her had been brutally executed and tortured by some sort of black thunder storm.

Remebering that faithful day, a sweet yet old feminin voice spoke to her before dissipating. It was filled with the compassion of a guardian, yet the spitefulness of a tortured wolf.

”My daughter, you must avenge us.. You must avenge us..”

A tear fell down from within the light, and she found herself silently mumbling something while while her consciousness faded away.

”Mother....”

”I definitely will..”

And so the green sun took its first step towards the sky. The one who would one day bring drought and desolation upon those daring to go against it.