Chapter 174 - Claudia (1/2)
”Bad idea…” a voice echoed around the secluded room. Confused, the guards looked around to no avail, the noise had come from seemingly nowhere.
”What are you waiting for, get to it,” they urged on, saliva drooled, the one responsible turned ecstatic at the sight of blood and suffering. The knife dowsed in saltwater made contact.
*Bang,* he fell, blood splattered around the table. It partially hit the injured leg, Claudia watched in awe – her mind went numb; a reaction to keep what little sanity remained.
”WHO'S THERE!,” on guard, the inquisitors looked at one another, ”-what's happening?” questions went around till four shots ended the cacophony.
'Tharis is awesome, no longer is there a need to get the hands bloodied,' from the shadows, a figure walked. Blood flowed from the barred room into the hallway, all was dark and dim.
”Who's there?” partly awake, Claudia gathered what little strength remained and tucked on her chains. She wanted to get away, five people were killed without a second thought. Survival instinct took over, the killer was after her as well.
*Clop, clop,* the footsteps turned from audible to smothered, he who killed walked on the victim's blood. The splashes were heard without interference for the room had none present. The iron door screeched opened, in no way was the room fully secluded. A small opening with iron bars preventing escape was where he shot.
”Have you come to kill?” she said in a defiant tone, the will to live remained. Flash images of Axius kept her alive, she needed to be somewhere close to one as precious as her life.
”Yes,” the voice monotonous and cold, the figure walked in. The face was hidden by shadow until a faint ray of light revealed the identity. Like a ray of hope, the light at the end of the tunnel, he walked in with the eyes blank and devoid of emotions.
”I-it c-can't be,” her pointless struggle to be freed lessened, her wrist bled from friction and sharp edges of the shackles. The gun aimed at her head, her eyes closed, death had come to visit.
*Bang,* multiple gunshots later, the lady was unbound. ”I knew it,” she sighed, her eyes looked relieved, ”-you're Staxius, aren't you?” neither could she speak properly nor could she sit upright. All the fatigue and excruciating pain rushed; the limbs turned lifeless.
*Rare Scroll: Healing Magic,* her eyes shut, Staxius didn't care. The attention focused on treating the wounds. Most of the severe injuries were healed, though the treatment didn't stop – he moved to healing potions, which restored the rest pretty nicely. A few bruises were left here and there, but it was to be expected. 'The possibilities of healing magic is endless.' Never had he combined both healing scroll and potion together, it was a sort of experiment. 'Treating a severely wounded individual into one only bruised – more research is what awaits,' stood and waiting for her to wake, a feeling of uneasiness set in.
'My red-eye is throbbing, all the curses and markings grows warm, this presence.' Someone or something from a higher plain had entered the vicinity.
”It's t-the angel,” she coughed, ”-you need to g-getaway,” the voice seemed in a hurry.
”Too late for that now,” he replied coldly, the being was here. Peering through the opening that led outside atop the cell, blue eyes stared down. Impervious to the surrounding, the figure floated inside without care for walls or bars.
”Welcome to the holy land,” stood in the hall, the angel hovered with light emanating from the wings and halo.
”Am I to say thank you?” Staxius fired back with an unbothered tone, Claudia leaned on the wall behind. She tried to get away before Hamael could enter.
”Unbothered by an angel, you're quite interesting,” he vanished.
”That's not all of it, I'm quite fascinated actually,” without much effort, Staxius grabbed the angel's hand. The latter wanted to make a line straight for Claudia for she was the target.
That slight touch, both locked eyes and waited, ”-just who are you?” Hamael asked, a mere human matched his speed and managed to hold him back.
”No one particular, just a friend of that lady there,” the reply unimpressed, Hamael could not but returned to the prior location.
”Honestly, I care not for a fight,” he sighed, ”-let us continue this another time,” the wings flapped, the enormous presence vanished into the ceiling.
”Let's go,” without time wasted he dashed backward, *Ancient Magic: Teleportation,* Claudia in arms, they arrived safe and sound at Rosespire. 'That fight would have ended badly; that so-called angel isn't a being worth challenging. I don't know why the man backed out,' they stood atop a clocktower. Held like a princess, she hung over the edge, Staxius was lost in thought. '-for the first time since the Paladin, I sensed the same feeling of dread – the warning of death approaching.' Precognition to being defeated, the symbols throbbed.
”staxius…Staxius…STAXIUS,” the mind came back. ”I'm sorry,” he said casually. Her face teared up, the only thing separating her from falling was the princess carry. Subconsciously, he teleported into the commercial district. People stared at the duo, they watched intently, ”why are they looking at us?” still holding onto Claudia, he asked.
”Maybe because I'm nearly n.a.k.e.d,” she fired back with a hint of coyness.
”Ohh, I see,” they teleported again to the hotel, ”-we're hom…” using an extensive amount of mana at once triggered a safety mechanism. One of the curses activated, Staxius fell to the floor shortly after arriving; he fell into Avon's arms. The curse was one of limitation, a rare one that activated when the host grew too tired to continue – a safety switch.
”Should have expected as much,” Avon voiced loudly, Auic laid in the other room with Axius.
”Excuse me, but where are we?” barely able to stand, Claudia asked with her body knelt.
”Rest assured, this place is free of danger,” he smiled, the tone manlier than normal. ”-I presume you're Claudia Haggard?” the spirit carried the master to the closest bed.