Three days later, Aria had an interesting conversation with Onas.

  They’d been cleaning the windows of the manor when Onas suddenly spoke, “Did you hear the news, lass?”

  Aria tilted her head as she continued cleaning, “What news?”

  “Apparently the Champion is going to be heading into Ignis in two days.”

  Aria froze, “Really now?”

  “That’s right,” the older elf confirmed, “only this time he won’t just be limited to the First Circle. He’ll be going as far as the Second. He might even pass through here.”

  Aria closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “That would explain why that Adele has been having us clean so much lately. Here’s hoping the Champion does come by. I’m curious to get a look at him.”

  “Really? I didn’t think you’d be interested.”

  Were it any other hume, other than perhaps Athanasius, she wouldn’t care less. But the Champion? Towards him she felt anger, spite, and killing intent. But… there was also genuine curiosity as well.

  Her mother believed Aria herself had the potential to eventually counter the new Champion. It was for this reason, as well as the fact that this Champion would lead the army of the ashborn, that brought forth curiosity.

  It’d probably be good if I could get a look at my future adversary, Aria thought with a cold look in her eyes.

  “I hope you’re not planning on starting any trouble, young one,” Onas said with a frown of concern.

  She shook her head and said reassuringly, “Not anytime soon, so don’t worry about it.”

  The older elf sighed at that, “So you are planning something.”

  “Are you surprised?”

  Onas chuckled, “Not really. By now, I think I know you well enough to think otherwise.”

  She had to crack a small smile at that.

  ***

  The day the Champion was to enter into Ignis was a hectic one at Adele’s estate. Little did Aria realize how that day would alter the course of her life forever.

  She and the others were all rushing about to finish their tasks appointed to them by their owner. Adele seemed to be especially on edge. Given how important this day was, Aria wasn’t surprised.

  “Hop to it! Move it you Athanasius forsaken knife ears! I want my estate sparkling by the time you’re done. If I catch even a spec of dust, I will sell the lot of you back to the Dominion and personally ask them to put you all to work in the most dangerous areas they know of!!!” Adele screeched.

  For the first time in Aria’s duration here, Adele wielded a whip she put to use whenever she thought they were slacking. The scars on Aria’s back tingled whenever she saw that voiding thing. She’d managed to avoid getting whipped thus far, and she hoped that would remain true.

  They moved at a rapid pace, and she was both frustrated and ashamed to feel herself growing tired. She’d been unable to get any kind of training done in the entire time she’d been here. She’d thought about sneaking out at night to get some kind of exercise in. However, when she’d brought up the idea to Sana and Onas, they’d emphatically implored her not to.

  When she’d been about to argue with them, Onas had informed her that their collars here were adjusted so that they could only be a mere few yards away from the estate before the built in alarms went off. It was likely that Aria’s collar had already been adjusted to the same range. That, and Adele apparently enjoyed her nightly strolls, so the risk that Aria would get caught during the night was rather high.

  Being unable to do any form of physical training, combined with the work she did here being far less physically demanding than what she’d done before, meant that she’d quickly gotten out of shape. All she’d been able to do was do some light Ether training, and even then she had to be extremely careful not to get caught. Aria hadn’t even told Onas or Sana that she was an Etherean, and she hoped to keep them in the dark.

  She and the others were left a panting, tired mess by the time Adele was satisfied with how her estate looked. They were all lined up as the ashborn nodded approvingly at their work.

  “Not bad, tree huggers. I’m surprised at how little I’ve had to whip you all to get my estate this clean. Now, I’ve heard the Champion won’t be arriving in this section of the district for several hours, so you all have some time to rest. Well, all but one of you, that is. One of you will help me with a… personal matter to help me relax my frayed nerves. I need to be calm by the time the Champion makes his way here,” Adele said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  Aria gulped as she felt a bead of sweat roll down her neck. She didn’t like the way Adele had used the word, “personal.”

  The wicked hume looked around, regarding each of them.

  No… Aria realized with a spike of terror, she’s only looking at the women!

  Adele gazed at each elf woman she owned with an appraising eye. Each one whom her gaze landed on paled notably and broke out in cold sweat. And each one looked as though their knees had nearly given out in relief when she moved her disgusting, envious gaze away.

  Aria’s heart began to pound faster and faster as Adele gradually made her way to her. Her stomach sank when the hume’s gaze finally fell between her and Sana.

  She sensed the older elf go rigid as their “mistress” gazed back and forth between them.

  It felt like a voiding eternity before Adele finally smiled and placed a predatory hand on...

  Aria.

  She couldn’t stop her eyes from widening as she broke out in a cold sweat.

  “I choose you, young knife ears…” the hungry looking hume said with a grin of anticipation.

  No… no… no! Aria felt her body go rigid as her mind began to move a million miles an hour, I need to kill her! I won’t let her do as she wishes with me. Once we’re both alone, I’ll use the Ether within me and-

  What happened next stopped Aria’s thoughts cold.

  Sana stepped forward, and, though clearly terrified, managed to muster up the courage to speak, “If I may, Mistress Adele, I can accompany you in her place…”

  Aria’s jaw dropped as she gave the older elf a look that screamed, “Are you mad?!”

  Sana merely gave her a resigned smile. There wasn’t a hint of regret in her eyes. She was fully willing to take her place, despite the fact that every elf woman that accompanied Adele to her room was never seen again.

  Before Aria could fully register Sana’s selfless act, Adele back handed the older elf so hard that she fell to the ground.

  “Sana!” Aria cried out as she instinctively moved to help her.

  Adele, however, shoved her aside with surprising force as she unfurled her whip and began to strike Sana as she lay on the ground. The elf cried out in pain, flinching and screaming as their cruel mistress whipped her in an increasingly intense frenzy.

  The ashborn was red in the face as she struck blow after blow, shrieking and hissing through gritted teeth, “I! Didn’t! Give! You! Permission! To! Speak! And I certainly! Didn’t! Ask! For you! Did I?!”

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  Adele finally stopped striking at Sana. She panted from exertion as she caught her breath. She pointed at the older elf, who lay on the ground with a bloodied and flayed back, “I’ll be selling you back to the Dominion once the day is done!”

  She looked around at her other slaves and shrieked, “Get this disobedient tree hugger out of my sight! Then await further orders!”

  It sickened Aria how quickly her fellow slaves cast down their gazes and did as commanded. As Sana was gently picked up by Onas and carried away, she saw them both look back at her. Onas gave her a look of pity, while Sana, as dazed and in pain as she was, gave her a look that said, “I’m sorry.”

  Sana had tried to take her place, despite the fact that being successful likely meant a fate worse than death.

  And though that selfless act had resulted in a cruel and merciless lashing, she looked sorry for me, Aria thought as she stood up shakily.

  She saw Adele fix her clothing before clearing her throat and commanding her, “Come. You will accompany me to my quarters.”

  The hume walked briskly down the hall, not even checking to see if Aria was following. No doubt she simply assumed she’d be as demure as the rest of her people. Though she hesitated for a moment, she walked quickly to catch up to Adele and follow her. Not because she feared disobeying her.

  No, she followed her “mistress” to her room because she’d come to a decision.

  Before the day was done, Aria was going to kill the wretched hume.

  ***

  I’m sorry, Mom… Aria thought as she tried to muster the courage and resolve to go through with killing Adele.

  This would be the first time she’d ever taken a hume’s life. Would she feel guilt? Remorse? Or would she feel a sense of exhilaration? Perhaps she’d feel nothing at all. She didn’t know which outcome she dreaded the most.

  Aria subtly began to breathe in Ether as she followed Adele through her manor. The vile creature was clearly looking forward to whatever perverse and nauseating plans she had for her, as evident by how quickly she walked.

  Relax… calm your mind… keep breathing in Ether. Fill your Capacity as much as possible, Aria thought to herself.

  She tried to think of an effective plan to kill the woman. The best thing would be to catch her off guard and try to end it in one strike. She didn’t much like the idea of ending the wretched thing’s life so quickly, however. Especially not after what she’d done to Sana.

  No, Aria wanted to make her suffer.

  With that in mind, she continued to follow Adele until she found a small space in between two bookshelves she could squeeze into. Once she was next to that space, she moved as silently as a feline on the hunt and squeezed in between the two shelves, pressing her shoulder against the wall.

  Then she waited, using her superior elven senses to keep track of the hume.

  Her footsteps had begun to grow faint when they suddenly stopped.

  About time she noticed, Aria thought impatiently as she heard heels clacking against the floor.

  Adele’s footsteps then began to grow louder as she stormed back in the direction she’d come from. The sound of her heeled feet hitting the floor were heavier and faster than before.

  Aria smiled, She’s angry. Good. That’ll make her stupid.

  A second later, she was proven right as the woman screeched out, “WHERE IN ATHANASIUS’S NAME ARE YOU, YOU VOIDING KNIFE EARS?! You DARE to try to mess with me?! ME?! Just you wait until I find you!!!”

  Aria readied herself to pounce the second Adele passed by where she was hidden.

  Adrenaline began to flow.

  Her skin flushed.

  Her body tensed.

  Her mouth began to dry.

  Her heart began to race.

  She readied the Ether within her Capacity.

  She saw Adele angrily storm past where she was hiding. She silently stepped out, and quickly burned Ether.

  She rapidly directed the resulting energy to her muscles, strengthening her physical capabilities. Then, she moved in a blur.

  Aria quickly and silently closed the distance on Adele. She threw out a kick to the side of the hume’s knee. A satisfying crack could be heard as she shattered the woman’s kneecap. She let out a scream of pain as she began to fall to her side.

  Aria caught her by the arm with one hand before using the palm of the other to snap her elbow.

  Another shriek of agony.

  Aria grinned savagely, though she didn’t even realize it.

  She quickly followed up with an elbow to Adele’s temple, fracturing her skull and disorientating her. Aria then yanked on her broken arm, and as the woman’s head swayed from the jerking motion, she gave another elbow strike, this time breaking her nose. A torrent of blood started to run down her face. She then elbowed her several times in the ribs, shattering them and no doubt causing internal damage to her organs and eliciting painful wretches and coughs.

  Aria then finally let Adele go, and as she fell to her side, she reared back her leg and kicked the woman’s back. Her Ether enhanced blow caused the hume to be sent flying into the air for a few feet before hitting the ground and rolling to a stop on her back. She coughed, blood flying from her mouth and coating her chin as she writhed on the ground. Her bloodied lips seemed to moving in some sort of murmur.

  A prayer to her false god to save her, no doubt, Aria sneered.

  She stalked up to the woman as she somehow mustered the energy and willpower to sit up, despite the suffering it no doubt caused her. Aria burned more Ether as she began to rear back her fist.

  This time, I’ll cave that vile face in.

  Aria threw her Ether enhanced punch towards Adele’s face.

  Her fist landed powerfully, a small burst of air blowing outward from the force of the impact.

  But it wasn’t the ashborn’s face that her punch made contact with.

  Aria’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  Adele had caught her punch in her uninjured hand, and was now snarling in rage as she clenched her fist so tightly that it actually hurt, despite Aria using Ether.

  No… there’s no way… Aria burned a bit more Ether and sent it to her eyes, enhancing them and allowing her to see the power and confirm her suspicions.

  An aura of orange color surrounded Adele. Proof that she was using Ether.

  The hume was an Etherean.

  Before Aria could fully register that fact, Adele suddenly pulled her in close and headbutt her hard enough to make her see stars. While she was dazed, the hume let go of her fist to punch her in the chest hard enough to knock the wind out of her and send her flying back several feet.

  This time, it was Aria’s turn to hit the ground and be sent rolling along the hallway. When she stopped rolling, she gasped desperately to regain the breath she’d lost. Her chest ached horribly, and she knew the bones there would have shattered had she not been enhancing herself with Ether. She got on her knees as she heard Adele speaking with a strained voice, “...and may Athanasius’s blessed flames burn away my wounds. Purifying Embers!”

  A healing Art?! Aria realized with widened eyes.

  Just as she suspected, flames ignited where she’d broken her bones, and her entire face also lit up in flames, making Adele appear like a terrifying, flaming ghoul.

  Adele screamed as her healing Art did its work. Aria’s Ether enhanced eyes saw a large portion of the Ether within Adele burn away and the aura around her weaken considerably. She saw the injuries she’d inflicted upon the woman seemingly burn away, and no doubt the broken bones were being mended as well, like a welder working on metal.

  The hume screamed in both fury and from lingering phantom pains as the flames died out. She shot to her feet, giving Aria the most murderous gaze she’d ever seen on a hume.

  “How dare you?! How DARE you?!” Adele’s face flushed a deep red out of sheer rage, “for every injury you inflicted upon me, I will slaughter a hundred of your kind!!! But only after I break your body, mind, and very soul into irreparable pieces! I will be sure to leave you with just enough sanity to comprehend the consequences your actions!”

  A maddening grin split her lips just then, “I will be sure to inform the Shadows that a wretched knife ears has somehow learned how to use Ether without permission. Perhaps I will be rewarded for catching and inflicting punishment on you myself, and finally be allowed to return to the First Circle!”

  Adele cackled with maddened glee at that.

  Aria finally managed to regain her breath as she stood on shaky feet and met Adele’s intense gaze with her own cold glare, “I will kill you before you have the chance.”

  Adele seemed amused by her threat.

  Aria charged towards the woman, and threw a punch at her. The hume, rather than catching her fist again, opted to block her Ether empowered blow.

  Healing as much damage as she did in one go burned through most of the Ether in her Capacity, Aria thought with a feeling of confidence, I can take her out!

  Adele responded to her punch with her own fast jab. Aria sidestepped the attack before dropping down swinging her leg around, sweeping the hume off her feet. When she fell to the ground, Aria got on top of her and began to throw punch after punch at her face. Most were blocked by Adele’s arms, but a few connected.

  Aria brought her hands up together and readied herself to bring them both down in a hammer blow. Just before the heavy attack landed, she felt the empowering and energizing effects of her Ether enhancement fade.

  The formerly forceful hammer blow thudded harmlessly against Adele’s arms.

  I’m out of Ether already?! Aria thought in a panic, these blasted collars! I forgot to keep an eye on my Capacity!

  The hume grinned as she sensed weakness. She jerked upwards, all but throwing Aria off. The woman then landed a powerful and heavy blow against Aria’s temple, and she instantly blacked out.

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