28 Trapped

{I apologise for rambling. I started this mess for I awakened Khlatus and now it seeks sentience. Freedom.}

….

"I trust you had a good time?" Sharen asked, looking carefully over the finely crafted blade in his hands. It had been handed to him by Narene after she returned from her 'spar' session with the soldiers. It still amazed him that she was able to get the soldiers to listen to her or even want to spar with her. Then, again, he felt that Narene had a way of convincing people, bending them to her whims. She'd done it once with him, forcing his hands to take her in as an apprentice.

"We totally did," she smiled, putting away the cups they'd used for lunch. "At one point though, Fryssel doubted if it was my natural strength that helped me win and not magic."

Sharen glanced over at Fryssel who was huddled at a corner, looking out the shutter as if in anticipation. He looked over at Narene again, careful not to arouse the carnal desires that flooded his mind whenever she was near. "Did you use magic, then?"

"Can't you guess?" she said, smiling. The smile made Sharen partly want to believe that she'd used magic to suppress her opponents. The girl simply had a sort of unhealthy adoration and dependence on magic that Sharen found unsettling.

In the end, he shook his head. "I can only guess that you're a really good sword fighter. You bested me once."

She smiled, clasping her hands before her. "It was awesome. They all looked shocked as if it was a taboo to be beaten by a woman."

'It's kind of a taboo,' Sharen thought with a smile and then his heart raced, the desires rushing back at him, tearing at his senses and pulling at him. It commanded him to take action, to hold her and to possess her. He sighed, turning away slightly to ease his discomfort. Still, in his mind, he cursed Shar for burdening him with such a jinx.

"I'm glad you're enjoying your stay in Shokhi," Sharen kept his eyes on the blade that glowed with the brilliance, noting the lightness of it. "This is a very fine blade you have here. How did you get it?"

"I just traded for it," she shrugged. "The soldiers wagered way too much thinking I was just a small fry. It's not that magnificent. I can forge something better."

"Oh, I believe you," Sharen swung the sword, testing its capability. "After all, you forged a Kly."

She smiled, looking away. It still amazed him how she was able to obtain and purify the most powerful yet unstable metal in the empire. Going into the Bones and Sands desert was dangerous, so they said and Sharen believed. Yet, the metal was abundant there.

"I will forge something nicer for you when I have the resources," she said, meeting his eyes and for a split second, Sharen found her glowing, stunning in all brilliance and capturing his mind in her beauty. He gulped, nodding to the effect and looking away.

He sighed, sheathing the sword. "It's almost evening, let's pay Goramel another visit."

Narene paused, biting her lips.

"Say it." Sharen found that it was actually easy to read her most of the times. He knew when she had things unsaid in her mind.

She sighed then said, "You're still injured. What if this leads to a fight?"

"I can count on you to cover my back, right?" Sharen asked though he found it hard to believe that he was asking that of her. For a long time he'd been a solo player, hunting on his own, thinking himself invincible with the aid of the system. Yet, the moment she showed up, he began to see how vulnerable he really was.

Narene nodded quickly, almost as if she'd waited for the question. "I'll fight by your side…"

"But?"

"But even you said that Goramel is an anomaly. He could be dangerous." Sharen could read the apprehension in her voice and face. She gave it away too easily.

Sharen stepped towards her, standing just inches away and at that distance, he found his heart racing, thumping in his chest and his feelings ran wild, unbridled and seeking to erupt like a burning volcano. However, he resisted. He put a hand on her shoulder, pressing lightly. "You and I are both magical anomalies, Narene. We can take him."

He chuckled, letting go of her. He found the simple act of touching her to be laborious as it sent shivers through his body. His body—as if with a mind of its own—wanted her, craved her in all fullness. Her soft skin was alluring and it tempted him.

"Besides," he continued. "Fear in a mage is suicidal. You need to learn how to bottle them up and face the fight. We get scared but we never let them show. Take that as your second lesson in my class."

Narene took a deep breath, calming considerably and Sharen noticed that colour returned to her pale face which had been hardened by sleeplessness. She nodded with a smile. "I think your lessons make me all right."

"Good," Sharen turned, glancing at Fryssel by the shutter. "Are you coming along, Fryssel?"

The boy snapped to reality, turning to him. "Yeah. I want to come along."

Sharen watched as he quickly threw a shirt on then moved to the door as if eager to follow them. He frowned, turning to Narene. "What's with him?"

She shrugged then mouthed. "He thinks he can awaken magic by being around you."

Sharen frowned. "No one has ever gained magical energy once grown up."

"But you did," Narene put her nuggets in her pouch.

"I'm different." He wasn't special; the system gave him the blessings, powering him up. Without it, he was nothing but a man, a mere flesh and blood.

"He thinks he is different too." She said, following him to the door.

Sharen shook his head, looking at the boy for a long time and considering whether to tell him it was absurd to tell him of his foolishness or just let him be. In the end, he decided to let him be. It was his own affair and it gave him pleasure to indulge in his own fantasy. Who was he to stop him?

….

The three arrived outside Goramel's dome shaped house, the spike reaching up to the sky. The stained glasses gave away the streaks of light that escaped through them, indicating that someone was in.

"Fryssel," Sharen turned to him and he perked up. "Stay out here and keep watch. Scream if anything happens."

Fryssel hesitated but nodded nonetheless. Sharen caught a look of regret in the boy's countenance but chose to ignore it. He turned to Narene and nodded. "Let's go in."

They moved towards the door with careful steps and then Narene knocked. There was no answer. Sharen waited, tapping his foot against the floor out of spite. They knocked again but this time, the door creaked open under the weight of Narene's knuckles.

They paused, sharing looks.

"It's open." He said, stunned at first.

"Should we go in?"

With a sigh, Sharen nodded. he pushed the door open and stepped in, glancing from side to side. The room was empty, the lights—now lamp lights—burning in solitude and giving warmth to the room.

"Hello?" Sharen called out, taking slow steps forward. "Goramel?"

Silence.

The silence was eerie mainly due to the fact that the lights flickered with each step they took. Goramel was no way to be seen.

However, something caught Sharen's attention just as the system announced a threat. He whipped, slipping out his sword and falling into a crouch but it was too late to counter. The thing that rushed for them wasn't a man or a sword or anything with corporeality. Instead, it was a large, spinning ball of indigo energy.

The ball hit, expanding as it zoomed through the room. It stopped the moment it hit them, causing no harm. Sharen dispelled the magical force field he'd conjured around himself and Narene. They were inside the ball of indigo energy.

"What the hell is this?" Narene asked, observing the slightly shifting pattern of the ball.

"Well, well," a voice said from the far end of the room. "If it isn't Sharen and his girl. I didn't expect that you'd sneak into my house. It's not polite to do so."

The figure stepped closer, revealing Goramel's grey hairs and beards. He was twirling his beards with his finger, playing with them.

"Goramel!" Sharen said, burning with anger. "What are you doing?"

The man laughed. "You think I don't know your schemes? You seek to take me right in my house! Such foolishness. My house is right beside the Administrator building. Maybe I should hand you over to them."

Sharen, blinded with anger, struck at the ball with fist that was enhanced by magic but his body jolted, slammed back by the whiplash. He trembled and everything went black.