Noble Blood

The sky's starry lights seemed to have all but been snuffed since he was last released, and the hall's lights had gone along with them. It did not feel long before Joseph, escorted by the guard, reached his cell, guided through the gloom by a single lantern. 

In the dead of night, where every other cell was dark, and gloomy, as though mixed with a miasma of groaning filth and despair, his cell stood a lone beacon, the only one emitting a light.

Though so dim he could barely make out the inside, compared to all else, it was like a lighthouse to a ship lost at sea. 

The guard, looking as tired as the worn-out key in his hand, unlocked the door and nodded a silent goodbye, leaving Joseph alone to enter as he inspected from a distance.

'Are they not asleep?' Peering into the dim interior, Joseph felt a ripple of unease. 

He layed eyes upon absolutely nothing.

'Hmmm…' His sixth sense was tingling.

It had not even been two days since his transmigration, yet even he could tell there was something off about the cell— an anomaly not present before…

He inhaled deeply, bracing himself as he nudged the door open. But, the moment he stepped inside, the door clanged shut behind him, sealing his fate. Instantly, he found himself under attack—

"ZEPHYYYRRR!!!" 

He heard a loud scream from his left, and an entity lunged towards him. He had no time to think. His reflexes took over, and he side-stepped immediately…

Ever so narrowly, it missed, its sharp hands grazing his skin… the shadow was so fast it nearly caught him, yet he could had no luxury for relief before—

"OW OW OW!! What was that for, Zephyr!?" That was when he finally recognized the voice, and his vision began slowly adjusting to the slim light. 

It was then he saw who had pounced at him, sprawled and pouting on the ground. 

"Skylar?"

Indeed, it was the same redhead girl assisting him in the mines.

"That really hurt!! Ahhh!!! What did you do that for!?" He noticed tears beginning to well up in her eyes, and with a sigh, he knelt down towards her, reaching out his hand. 

"Just don't sneak up on me like that again…"

Joseph's hand met Skylar's, her grip surprisingly firm despite the evident pain. But as he gently pulled her up, her expression morphed from pouting to something more… mischievous. 

That was when, using an astounding amount of force, she pulled him to the ground instead, within the folds of her embrace. 

"Hehehe! I always get what I want you see!"

"Hey hey! Calm down," Joseph's drowsy eyes went wide, finding himself suffocating within the arms of this once quiet, reserved girl. 

Struggle as he may, there seemed to be no escape…

'How is she so strong!?'

It took him all he had, plus whatever subtle methods of Ki at his disposal before he finally broke free.

"Why the ambush!?" Zephyr panted, screaming in a whisper.

"Huh?" She whimpered, "Am I not allowed to give my savior a hug? I'm so happy you're okay! Are you hurt anywhere!? Oh Twenty-Two! Your left hand!" She looked down towards his left wooden hand that had a cloth wrapping. "Let me take a look at it!"

She went down to grab it, only for Joseph to swipe his hands away.

"I'd really rather you not. The injury is very minor, and I didn't feel a thing…" He whispered.

"Really!?"

"Yes, my slave mark doesn't allow me to lie…"

"Okay! Then—"

"BOTH OF YOU! QUIET DOWN!!" That was when a scream so hushed yet so loud rang in their ears… Weak yet utterly commanding.

Stiff as a board, Skylar stopped and looked back at the source of the voice— Arthur's face of annoyance was even more extenuated by the flickering torch from where he sat.

"S—sorry… I guess I got a little too carried away…" Her voice lowered several decibels, scratching her head and taking a seat around the torch where the other four sat— All in the cell but Samsara, who sat as usual solitary in her own corner. 

"My deepest apology… I did try my best to keep my voice down…" Joseph walked up towards the group and bowed, not before catching a glimpse of Rayah.

What was it he saw? Anger, frustration? Perhaps some apprehension? Her skin was white as moonlight yet It was so dim he could barely perceive it.

"Hey hey! Common now Arthur!" Gwyn laughed heartily with a beaming smile, smacking Arthur on the back several times. "Get that stick out your ass bro! They weren't that loud!" 

"Yes, they were… We don't want another incident happening…"

"Don't worry! Won't happen brother!" Gwyn laughed.

"Fine, then next time that giant comes, we're throwing you out to face him… Alone…" Arthur responded. 

"That guy? Arcane arts or not! I got him down easy! He'd be my victim!" Gywn puffed his chest with a chuckle.

"Why do I feel like I'm the only adult here…" Flynn groaned from his side.

"That's because you are like four years older than us you big oaf!" Gwyn laughed, while Arthur immediately retorted. "Don't lump me in with this idiot…" He shook his head. 

"Oh… That's right!" Skylar beamed brightly. " Next week, you'll be released, Flynn! Happy early sixteenth birthday!"

As they all conversed, Joseph managed to sneak a spot around the glowing torch where they all sat in a circle, a spot between Skylar and Arthur, Rayah sitting directly across. They all talked so casually, like they had known each other for several years. He sensed no animosity between them despite the words that seemed harsh on the surface. Their personalities were so different, yet somehow perfectly mix together. 

He had no idea what brought about this sudden conversation, he was certain they did no such thing the night before, and nor did he find the source of that eerie feeling still festering at the back of his mind. The only people left out of the fold of it all, who had yet to say a single word were himself, Rayah, and Samsara. 

Yet, Joseph was far from out of it, listening and observing intently every detail. 

"Yeah! That's right! We're gonna miss you Flynn! I can't believe you're already an adult! I can already see the receding hairline and the grey hairs from now." Gywn bantered. 

"Shut up child! You're just envious I'll be released before you…" Flynn retorted.

"Pleaaasssee! like I'd ever be envious of that. Me personally I'd be embarrassed I had to wait until the timer ran out until I'm released! I'm breaking myself out way before I'm a geezer like you!"

"Of course you are…" The sarcasm was palpable in Flynn's voice.

"Do you mind not saying that so loud?" Arthur added.

"HEYYyyyyy listen up guards!! I'm gonna start a riot! I'm gonna slip out! You're too weak to stop me!! Hahahahaha!!" Flynn declared, screaming with a hush.

"I swear… One of these days I'm gonna kill you…" Arthur massaged his temples. 

In that moment, finally… Rayah opened her mouth for the first time and spoke—

"You're all so pathetic… Especially you Arthur… So content living here like worms… So much for men of noble blood…"

"What are you trying to say…" Arthur's tone became more solemn, before Gywn immediately interjected in his usual tone. "Agreeeeed! This whole place is so… depressing… So… Are you joining me in the prison escape?"

"You're no better…I'm not delusional enough to think escape is an option…" She spoke to Gwyn's dismay, who let out an audible pout.

"Every second I spend in this cesspool the closer I feel to death… I am the youngest daughter of the Vendymion household… Not some… Slave…" She continued, clutching the tattered rags on her chest with shaky hands. "The more I have to listen to any more of this pathetic rambling, the harder I have to hold back the urge to rip you all to shreds… Particularly you… You one armed dreg…" She stared shaky daggers towards Joseph who then immediately looked away to avoid her gaze as he had no words to say. 

"Wow wow! Calm down… None of us are happy with what's happening… But it's life… All that one could do is endure with what they have, or fight for a solution… That's about it…" Flynn interjected, taking a solemn tone. 

"Says the failed swordsman!! The only reason you've been content staying here for so long is because you're too disgraced to ever show your face in front of your family again! You're all so content to stay here because you know you will never be anything more! All you lesser nobles make me sick… Mere commoners, deluded into thinking they're anything more than filthy dogs suckling on the crumbs left behind by us of true noble blood… To fool yourself that any semblance of talent or hard work can make up the difference in bloodline is blasphemous…"

"Hey! Come on Rayah!" Gwyn chuckled lightly, "Now's not the—"

"Silence…" Rayah's cold gaze swept across the group, her disdain palpable as she continued, her voice a venomous hiss. "You, Gwyn… You parade around with this sickening false bravado, but you're nothing but a fool, a jester in the court of life, unworthy of even the lowly title you cling to… You speak of escaping, but we all know the truth - you're trapped, not by these walls, but by your own mediocrity." 

She then turned her scornful eyes to Arthur. "Arthur Valentine... You remember, don't you, my dear? Oh how miserable you and your family must be that our marriage was broken off… The Valentines once deemed worthy to stand beside the Vendymion lineage, now a mere shadow of former glory. I thank the Arcana gods every day… Your family's decline in wealth and status was truly a blessing in disguise. I shudder at the thought of once being betrothed to such... filth…"

Her lips curled into a bitter smirk as she turned to Skylar. "And oh, Skylar… think I forgot about you… you slum rat? Your very presence sickens me. To think you now sit among even these lessers, let alone myself pretending to be more than the gutter-born urchin you are. You can dress a rat in silks, but it remains a rat! You seem so happy in a place like this… I guess it makes sense for a low-born scum like you… But unlike you, I do not belong here…"

All sat silent as Rayah's words hung heavy in the air, a tangible cloud of tension enveloping the cell. The harsh reality of their situation was laid bare, unfiltered and unapologetic. To Joseph, their faces of begrudging silence signified a sense of truth within her words. There was a battle unseen, yet Joseph saw through it all.

But that was when—

"So what's your point?" Skylar's voice, muttered yet sharp, cut through the tension like a knife. Her eyes, though soft, held a defiance that contrasted sharply with Rayah's malice. "What is so wrong about trying to make the best of the life you were given? What sin is there in lofty aspirations?"

The cell fell into a deafening silence, broken only by the flicker of the torch.

"What's my point?" Rayah repeated, the condescension dripping from each syllable. "My point, dear urchin, is that you should recognize true greatness once you see it! This prison seems to have deluded you into thinking that we're equals! Hahaha, no! You think you're better! You should have realized that the only form of escape is through me, yet your pride made you too blind to see it! All wallow in this pitiful existence, clinging to fantasies of grandeur, while I—"

"While you what, Rayah?" Arthur interjected, his voice steady yet tinged with an edge. "Sit here, just like us, trapped in the same cell, under the same sky, breathing the same air, shitting in the same damn bucket? You talk of bloodlines and status, yet here we are, equals in our chains. You're no more powerful than the rest of us… With these anklets, we're all no better than dregs. So how is it that you're our key to escape?"

"How else?!" Her smirk turned to sudden laughter. "The Vandymion household is no doubt already out there searching for me! It will not be long before this entire prison is turned to rubble! Oh dear Arthur, I implore you to please repeat those exact words when you're soon face to face with my father! Same with you rat! As well as the rest of you! I'm sure he'd be happy to hear all about the disrespect you've uttered!"

"Disrespect!?" Skylar's voice raised ever so slightly. "What made you so mad all of a sudden? We didn't say anything about you… We didn't disrespect you at all…"

"That is all the disrespect that is needed! The very fact you dare speak back to me is the height of disrespect! I'll—"

"Calm down Rayah…" Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "If I ever met your father again, I'd be glad to tell him… But to tell you the truth, I doubt they will ever come…"

"AND WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT!? HOW DARE YOU—"

"Quiet… before I come there to discipline you myself…"

"Y—you…" Unconsciously, her voice lowered. 

"Arcane arts or not… We both know you've never beaten me in a fight… and you never will…"

"Hmph…" She scoffed. "You know nothing of my recent training… If I had my Arcane Spirits you'd be nothing…I'll make you soon regret this…" She took a slight pause before she redirected her attention from the now unconcerned Arthur towards someone else. 

"As for you! Zephyr you useless slave!" As she spoke his name, Joseph froze stiff, looking into her icy gaze as she stood up and walked away from the group. "All you do is simply sit there as your mistress endures all of this? You're a handicapped dreg, not mute! Do you also now think you're better than me!?"

"No mistress… I wouldn't dare ever think that…" Joseph took a knee, yet it only seemed to make Rayah's frustration even worse…

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? Have I raised such an ill-mannered dog!? You dare mock me further!?"

"Mistress… I would truely—"

"Come here…"

"Mistress—"

"I COMMAND YOU TO COME HERE,"

The moment Rayah's command pierced through the air, a visceral, otherworldly force seemed to grip Joseph's very being. It was as if an invisible puppeteer had seized control of his limbs, manipulating him against his will, yet it was not the same as when the original Zephyr took control— he felt everything. The slave mark on his neck glowed ominously, a vivid, pulsating light that seemed to synchronize with the rhythm of his steady heartbeat.

He attempted to resist, yet he quickly found himself powerless, thus he completely abandoned the idea and simply complied with no further sign of oposition. He could feel it – an eerie, external compulsion pushing against his consciousness, urging, no, forcing his body to comply with every step.

His legs carried him forward, taking several peaks at her eyes before he found himself standing before her. Her gaze was cold, unforgiving, devoid of any compassion. She relished in the control she wielded, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. Though taller than him, he did not even shudder to look up at her visage, quickly taking a knee.

But that was when he felt something heavy slam on his face, as his entire body came crashing down under the weight of Rayah's foot. His jaw slammed on the ground with such intensity, that it may have even killed a bear if unprepared. 

"UNDER MY FOOT! This is where you belong!" She stomped on his skull, and Joseph felt his entire brain rattle with piercing pain, yet he did not scream. 

"What use is a dog who does not bark and attack when his master is defending!?" She stomped once again, yet Joseph made no sign of attempting to defend himself. 

Rayah's foot continued to mercilessly descend upon Joseph's skull. Her insults rained down, a cascade of scorn and disdain. With each impact, Joseph's world shook, his mind clouded with pain, but his voice remained silent.

"You are nothing but a disposable cur, after so long, have you learned nothing!?" Rayah's voice was a venomous hiss, dripping with malice. "How could you have regressed to be even worse than before?! How is that even possible!? This prison truely made you think you were my equal!? You are my equal?! Then show me! Where is your pride, your defiance? You disgust me!"

Her foot rose and fell repeatedly, the sound of it meeting his skull echoing in the cramped space of the cell as the others watched in a silence.

…

That was when suddenly, Rayah ceased her assault…

She glared down at Joseph, her expression twisted in disgust that abruptly curled into a grin as she withdrew her foot with an exaggerated sigh. 

"My feet... they ache from all this exertion, and still sore from the day's labor in the mines. It seems even in your worthlessness, you can be of some use… So I'll refrain from disposing of you just yet…"

Her command was clear, cold, and devoid of any trace of humanity. "Lick my feet, dog. Soothe the ache with your tongue. That's all you're good for, isn't it? Hahah… Or do you consider this a reward? Yes… Indeed, you should feel truly blessed…"

Joseph, still kneeling, could feel the heavy weight of her gaze upon him, the pressure of her will bearing down. The slave mark pulsed ominously, a silent reminder of the bond that held him in thrall. An inscrutable look on his hidden face, his body responded to her command, moving almost mechanically.

Yet this time seemed different…

For every inch forward, his head cogged a step back. The slave mark on his neck began glowing with overwhelming intensity. For a moment, it almost seemed like his head moved backwards even more than forward…

However…

Suddenly, all resistance stopped… Joseph leaned forward, extending his tongue towards her foot. It seemed he was powerless to resist. He could feel the eyes of the others upon him, their silent judgment like daggers in his back.

As Zephyr's tongue made contact with her foot, Rayah's laughter rang out, cruel and mocking. "Look at him, so eager to debase himself! Truly, a dog through and through!"