Brilda's Confliction

The first wave had past leaving both parties licking their wounds and preparing for the next attack. Brilda, who Melissa stunned with the temporal paralysis spell was taken as a prisoner and held in a prison at the council building. Two days had passed and she wouldn't eat or say anything, she just sat in the cold cell just next to Nicholas and Victor staring intently at the opposite wall almost like she was trying to cast some sort of spell with her mind as the enchanted cell made it impossible to use spells of any kind. The following day she was taken for interrogation in the interrogation room with her hands bound with spell nullification locks; Sarah was brought in to interrogate her as they taught it would be easier if she talked with someone of her kind.

"Hello Brilda, how are you?" Sarah asked trying her best to be polite so she could get any form of information from her. Brilda looked at Sarah for a moment and Spat on the floor.

"I'd rather die than talk to a traitor like you," Brilda said leaning into the table towards Sarah.

"I knew you'd say that, but you should know I'm not here to torture you; anything you say will be of your own volition and not because you were forced to Sarah said.

"Why do you side with them?" asked Brilda.

"Aside from the fact that Vermont is being irrational and wicked, they are kind and their humanity is beautiful; even though they commit various evil against their selves they're still a very fascinating race and also very fragile too and they're everything we're not," Sarah said.

"It seems you're becoming more like them than you are yourself," Brilda said.

"It's not so bad if I emulate their human qualities," Sarah said.

"What do you need me for?" Brilda asked.

"Information about the Demon Lord's next line of action," Sarah said.

"I don't know it but even if I did you know I won't divulge such information"

"I know" Sarah responded.

"Then why do you keep me alive?"

"Forgiveness and second chance are attributes that humans have and I also want to emulate," Sarah said after which she got up and left the room.

"Do you think it's still a good idea to keep her alive?" Mr. Deschampps asked Sarah.

"She'll talk, I can feel it," Sarah said. "Majority of them do not agree with the decision to attack this realm but unlike you humans, they live to follow orders". Before Sarah left for the school she asked the council chairman to allow her take Brilda back to the school after which he agreed; not like they could stop her if she wanted to forcefully do so but she just wanted to follow the order of things by asking permission first from the council chairman.

"Where are you taking me?" Brilda asked still cuffed with the locks.

"To experience what it means to live," Sarah said.

The pair arrived at the school and they headed for the cottage. On their way, Brilda noticed how all the students and teachers were staring at her but it wasn't because she was a demon mage but because she refused anyone touching her hair or giving her a change of clothes which made her look like a mad person; she was dirty and her clothes torn and stained with blood with her hair also looking scruffy like it hadn't been attended to in ages and her face looking dreadful but in all, she was surprised because nobody threw stones at her or attempted to attack her with spells neither did they laugh at her appearance, they all just stood watching as she and Sarah walked down into the path and out of sight towards the cottage.

"Why the look of surprise on your face?" Sarah asked.

"It's nothing" Brilda answered.

"I know what you're thinking," Sarah said. "Back in the demon realm they throw cabbages and stones at disgraced demons but it didn't happen here, it's beautiful isn't it".

"It just shows they're weak creatures," Brilda said.

"Of course, they're weak when compared to us or the Angel race, but compassion is what gives their humanity meaning," Sarah said. They got to the cottage and Sarah pointed Brilda to a seat in the living room, after she was seated Sarah undid the cuffs and the surge of magical energy began rushing into Brilda as she stretched her hands and lit it up readying a spell but she was surprised that Sarah wasn't scared or afraid that she just released a demon mage Inside her living room unguarded. It became even more terrifying to Brilda because Sarah had her back turned to her as she bent down to unlace her boots.

"Why didn't you do it?" asked Sarah smiling.

"Do what?" Brilda asked feigning ignorance.

"I knew you tried to strike me with a spell a couple of moments ago," Sarah said still smiling and focused on unlacing her left boot.

"Why didn't you guard yourself when you set me free?"

"I don't think I need to," Sarah said as she got up and turned to Brilda. "There's no need to act tough or strong before me, I understand the reason why you do what you do; it's all about the order but you can always stop following it once you realize it's wrong and can actively fight against it" she explained.

"So you'd trust me if I decided to switch sides?" asked Brilda.

"Of course, I would but you should also know that once I sense betrayal or you harm my children I will not hesitate to kill you," Sarah said whispering into her ears after which she pinched her cheek and gave her a broad smile. For a second Brilda was terrified because Sarah's voice was calm while she spoke but she felt the intensity in her voice; the aura Sarah also emitted when she whispered into her ears frightened her the most and she thought to herself;

"Who is this woman and how does she possess this much power". Truth be told Brilda was more scared of Sarah than she was of Egenon the war chief who always imposed his will on others with threats, beatings, harassment, and manipulation, and even though she'd only known Sarah for a couple of hours she knew that she was by far stronger than Egenon and one of the strongest sorceress she had ever seen.

Brilda lived in the cottage with Sarah and her family and even though it was peaceful and nobody seemed to question or judge her she did it herself. She was conflicted, she felt like she owed loyalty to the Demon Lord Vermont and the throne but at the same time, she also saw the love and kindness the humans had shown her despite being their prosecutor and she felt a strong sense of responsibility to fight for them something she never had all her life. Brilda was a B class adventurer, skilled with spells and strong in her own right; she possessed excellent leadership qualities and had vast knowledge on battle strategies the major reason she was recruited to the army but during all her adventures and missions she never felt the sense of responsibility she felt when she was around Peter and Alice or when Claire and Marie came to ask her questions about the demon realm and her adventures; it was almost like she was destined to help them out one way or the other and in her heart she promised herself on her dead daughters grave that she would see it through to the end and moreover neither the Demon Lord nor Egenon had anything on her; her family was killed in an attack from the witches of Melkia who raided her village when they heard that a child born on the night of a blood moon was in the village in the chase for immortality and her only daughter died due to a blood curse that runs in her family that specifically killed witches or wizards in the lineage leaving her with nothing to lose.

A week had passed since Brilda got to the school and to her it looked like a lifetime. The number of happy memories and friends she made during such a short time surprised her but even if she tried to be happy and live in the moment she knew that at any sudden point reality would come knocking and most of the children who looked happy would soon be without parents or would lose a friend and whatever the outcome would be she knew that the children were going to endure experiences that would scar them for the rest of their lives If they survived the onslaught. The thought scared her but it also fueled her determination to help them get through the situation the whole human world was in.

"Mrs. Brilda, why do you look sad?" Anthony a year 2 student asked.

"It's nothing my dear" Brilda said trying her best to hold back her tears. "Common child, go join the rest of the boys over there," she said after which she hurriedly left for the cottage crying.

"What's the matter Brilda?" Melissa asked.

"They're so young and innocent, they deserve none of this" Brilda said crying as she ran over to hug Melissa.

"It's ok B everything will be fine, but for now we have to do our best in protecting them," Melissa said. "Sarah just sent a mail from the council building; the portal has been reopened but it's just been like that since this morning".

"Then I guess it's time to meet some old friends," Brilda said as Melissa wiped the tears off her face.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Melissa asked.

"They're worth fighting for Mel," Brilda said and she left to her room.