Chapter 283 - A Demonic Dilemma II (1/2)

Sheela's mood did not falter at the questioning. Her words, though hampered by a lack of language skills, still expressed as much passion as they could in their presentation. It was highly evident that there was a deep chip on her shoulder against the demons, and one likely ancestrally passed in nature considering the timeline of events.

Sheela had not been alive for the events of the Fourth Darkening, Li could figure, but the amount of emotion she drew on now was real and bright. Likely, consequences from that war marred her upbringing.

”Elders said because demons made us weak,” said Sheela.

”Ah, therein lies the dilemma,” said Asala as she raised a pale, claw tipped finger. ”Weak against what? Defeated demons? Not so. Elves. Elves drove thy people away from thy ancestral home.”

Asala pointed to Vilga. ”Thy people too, and that is why thou hast been a slave to the elvish arenas since youth.”

”But many of my elders killed,” said Sheela. ”Nadir stolen from us. Not by elf, but by demon.”

”Didst thou know personally of these fallen elders?” said Asala.

Sheela shook her head. ”But I feel their rage. In the blood they leave behind.”

”Ah, that is why the fires of passion doth stir so deeply and brightly within thee,” said Asala. ”The burden of blood magic. The blood that flows througheth our veins passes onto the next generation, but amongst thee, practitioners of the ancient art, that blood carries burden. Emotion. Anger. Vengeance.

Thou dost harbor grudges of a generation past. A young mind such as thee ought not deal with such burden, but tis' understandable. I shalt not say that the losses of thy people are to be trivialized. But tell me, when thou didst tell us the cause for thy adventuring, did thou not say it was for the Nadir?”

”Yes. What of it?” said Sheela. She did not understand a good chunk of the flowery language that Asala employed, but she could get the gist of it, and she honed in on the question she understood best.

”Then, once thou has the Nadir, what next?”

”I protect my people. My sister. Make sure we all free. Take fight to demons. Stop them from hurting ever again.”

”If there is one thing I can guarantee,” said Li. ”It is that I will not allow the demons to enslave a people or reduce them to cinders. Not now, not ever. That too is part of the order I envision, and I will use my full might to ensure it. You will not need to a lift a finger for that, nor would I want generational grudges to interfere in my judgements.”

”And thus, the dilemma arises, Sheela,” said Asala. ”Thou doth wish to protect thy people, hence thy search for the mighty Nadir, and yet, it shalt not be demons that bear down upon thee. It will be the elves as they hath done so for the past thirty years.

Thy passion is fierce. Thy will is bright. But much of it flows not to the right channels.”

”I find Nadir,” declared Sheela. ”I do that. If demon stop me, I fight them. Kill them.”