Episode 6 – Deal with the devil (2/2)
So she wasn't a wanted person? Was hiding her presence just a preemptive move to avoid trouble?
”Tell me more about the Aetherneal bond What would happen to us if I activate it?” Kiel continued the questioning, his e
”The spell would create a link between us – a bond Our souls would e into one, which would allow us to share mana – you would be able to use ain the ability to purify mana”
”What's the catch?” Kiel stared deeply into Elaru's eyes trying to fish out a response from their depths
”The catch is that it is permanent Once done, it cannot be undone If we become bound, ill reht back at hi
”Does it have any adverse i of lifespan?”
”No, on the contrary, it lengthens the lifespan”
”Can the oath harm us in any way?”
”You can't get hurt by signing the oath”
Kiel examined her face carefully There must be a catch, a reason to not do it Could she use the bond to control him somehow? Would he become a slave of the bond and she, as the vessel, his master?
”Is the contract symmetrical?” A symmetrical contract places the exact same spell on all of the contractors If Aetherneal bond were symmetrical, that would mean that effects of the bond on him would be the same as on her If she could control him, then he could control her too
”Yes The rules of the oath are the same for both of us” She nodded her head in approval
Was this really the truth? It had to be since she signed the oath of truth! Yet, Kiel just couldn't shake off a feeling of dread Maybe he was just paranoid? Hisin the way even when he was sure that they weren't lying
”Why would elibu be born with such a powerful spell?”
Elaru shrugged ”I don't knohy elibu are born like this My father speculates that it is a blessing of the Gods – one of the first Aetherneal Gifts – a forgotten Aethernea”
Kiel stared at Elaru with eyebrows raised high in disbelief This sounded too good to be true His eyes drifted to the oath of truth scroll, but the letters, hadn’t returned to it yet,it was still in place No matter how hard to believe that this information was, it couldn't be a lie Even if it is not the actual truth, it is what she believed to be the truth And if she believed it to be the truth, she must have had an excellent reason to do so She had a sharpher would be very difficult
”Why would I want to be bound to you? Any elibu with a large enough mana pool would do”
Elaru s for him to ask that question ”It would do indeed… ” Her smile turned into a devious ser spell”
Naturally, she wouldn't show hier spell unless he was to use it on her He could accept her offer and then run away once he learns it, but she could find him anywhere with her eyes She wouldn't even need to dispose of hie in select circles, and he would get eliminated by the third party
She didn't need to advertise her oorth to him It was either ”do this with me” or ”don't do it at all”
Elaru's smirk turned back into a smile, a er spell Even if you search for another elibu, you'll never find one which has e eneration I have way h mana for both of us”
Kiel had felt the intensity of her aura He had seen how dense her Mage Aret tired of usingspell on him Alas, he couldn't have really known just how much mana that one elibu had at her disposal
It stung Kiel like rubbing salt into an open wound, he was born with almost no mana, but she was born with near li such a cruel joke on him! How could the fates be so unfair? With her soul, at least a dozen non-es Yet, the fate condemned many individuals just so that one could be extraordinary
”You have no'perfect ht be destiny” – Her eyes twinkled mysteriously
Kiel's fingers clenched into a fist Destiny? He didn't believe in destiny
The question here had never been ”ould he want to get bound to her”, it had always been ”ould she want hiets bound to because of his h ould she choose someone with no mana? To him, it was the ideal choice, but not for her To her, the benefit is only the pure ets bound to? Any argel which can perforer spell would do
”Why me?” Kiel voiced his concern out loud with a solemn expression He left no room for excuses such as ”destiny”
Elaru clasped her hands, leaned forward and sets linked Ourus to communicate telepathically, share memories and senses, and even be able to tell when one of us is lying I wouldn't want to have a telepathic link to just anyone”
Kiel could finally understand her reasoning He wouldn't want to have a telepathic link to so a telepathic link to someone like Piala and he unconsciously shi+vered in horror
Usually, he would be quick to refuse a connection with another person, whatever that ht i the real hih him, and she wasn't appalled, on the contrary If it was a link with her, it wouldn't be all bad Besides, even if he had it with Piala, if it were for the sake ofwith her He needed this link She had him from the start He couldn't refuse
She probably wanted him as her partner because she liked hi connected to hiht it to be – it was an investment Her ure, and being connected to him then would only raise her oorth He was sent, reliable and knowledgeable partner would be beneficial for anyone He ht now, but she could see his potential worth
She is just as bad asmy mana weakness to her own benefit!
That candor and lack of judgment towards sins She was both so pure and so devious Kiel loved it
He loved how this person didn't hide behind believable lies pretending to be a philanthropist or a kind soul, nor did she show the hostility and blatant cruelty of a deood and evil were irrelevant She did not think of what she wanted others to see She didn't bother with appearances She acted only on her own instinct and beliefs
Pure and uninfluenced by what society deemed appropriate
Kind or el or elibu? Who cares!
He thought he understood her now That the puzzle of Elaru was slowly getting put in place He noticed that Elaru possessed a strange kind of purity: freedo characteristics
Elaru was free Truly free to be whoever and whatever she wanted to be She hat he alanted to be Free
He couldn't refuse her offer She provided him with an excuse to break away from who he pretended to be, a push towards the drea him an adventure into the unknown And, he had little to lose
She could give him all theelibu held great worth beyond her– she would be very useful to him in the future This would be quite a profitable partnershi+p He couldn't have found a better partner if he was searching for one!
Kiel's blank serious face faded away replaced by a sly same you want to play, I'll play as well
This is how, just one stranger, a fenition in a matter of days Had he knoas to comethe man he ould have never accepted her offer, not even for the sake of pure mana
He had thought he understood her, but he rong