Chapter 114: Mindstorm
Kael exhaled slowly, turning his gaze toward Eska, who was crying silently. Tears streamed down her cheeks, though she made no sound. Of course, learning something like that would shatter anyone. To find out that someone precious to you had planned the very tragedy that destroyed you, to realize that every pain you suffered came from the hands of a friend. How could anyone feel in such a moment?
He would not know. Nor did he care.
However, he still didn't trust the other woman, not even a little. How could he, when she was speaking in half-truths and keeping everything to herself as though she feared the truth more than death itself? There were too many questions forming inside his mind, twisting together one after another, and even though he had asked before, she never truly answered anything. She made some plan or whatever it was, but how exactly did she know he would be here?
She could not have been so foolish as to make a gamble on something this crucial when she had prepared everything with such precision. He was certain of it. There was something missing… no, perhaps someone missing. That person she served, the one called the Queen, wouldn't she also be connected to all of this? If she had been, then maybe certain things would begin to make sense. But still, there were too many pieces that didn't fit together. He could not understand anything, not clearly at least, and there was only one way to know the truth.
Eska had been silent for a long moment before she finally turned her gaze toward Effie, and though her lips trembled, she didn't reply to any of it. Instead, she turned toward Kael and slowly stood, her eyes glistening with tears that fell down her cheeks as she spoke, her voice trembling but sharp, "Kill… her. I can't hear a single word out of her mouth anymore, I can't take it either. I wish I could do the honour with my own hands. But… but I am unable to do that. No, I don't have the courage to do that."
With that, she turned away from Effie, wiping her tears roughly from her face as she walked off without another glance. She didn't even look back at them once.
But Kael could tell that she was struggling with herself, fighting with an emotion that refused to calm. She had no feeling left to give, no forgiveness that could bloom again. Maybe that was what betrayal truly felt like, to look at someone who once mattered and feel nothing but the hollow ache of disappointment and grief. Yes, that must have been betrayal, wasn't it?
Kael swung his sword lightly, the edge hovering close to her throat. Before ending it, he spoke, his tone steady, "Tell me… who's that Queen of yours? Was she the one behind all your plans? Is she here? You mentioned she was watching you, didn't you? I'm asking you again, how exactly did she know I would be here? I need an answer."
Effie studied him for a long moment, her gaze distant and unreadable, and though she remained silent at first, her lips finally parted, and with a broken voice she shouted, "Eska… I… never… been… able to… sleep with him. So, he's… still all yours."
The words felt meaningless, completely detached from what he had asked, and the more he looked at her, the more he felt his anger rise again. That feeling... it was too familiar, too similar to something buried deep inside him. He didn't kill her right away. Instead, he struck her frozen chest with a devastating kick, sending cracks through the ice that held her body.
He still needed answers, and there were countless ways to get them, because after all, he was a healer and one of the best one at that.
The ice shattered entirely, and her body was thrown into the air before crashing into a nearby tree. Blood spilled from her mouth as she coughed violently, and now that the freezing spell was gone, the blood that had been held inside her began to pour freely like a fountain from her wounds. It was clear she was going to die at any moment.
If he allowed her to die, then everything would end right here. But he wasn't going to.
He stepped forward and appeared in front of her, pressing his glowing hand against her abdomen where his sword had pierced through earlier. The glow from his palm spread, and soon the bleeding stopped, though the wound itself did not completely close. He waited silently for her to catch her breath before saying in a low voice, "Hey, bitch… answer my questions."
Effie was quiet for a moment before replying in a calm tone, "I don't need to tell you about her… you'll find out soon enough." She inhaled slowly, her voice weakening, "Although… there's something I can tell you that will answer all of your questions."
Kael tilted his head slightly, an eyebrow lifting behind his mask. "What is it?"
Effie stayed silent for a while, then finally said, "She can see… wherever she wants. Nothing can escape her gaze. In fact, she's watching us right now."
He blinked, confused. What did she mean by that?
Kael stared at her carefully before asking, "What nonsense are you talking about? Wait… don't tell me she's hiding somewhere out there watching us. Is that what you mean?"
Effie shook her head slowly, her eyes dimming, "No… you're wrong about her. If you can believe my words, then I guess… you don't need me to give you answers."
Kael allowed the words to settle inside his mind. If that Queen could truly see wherever she wanted, then it explained many things. It explained how Effie knew where he was, and how she predicted his arrival. But was that kind of ability even possible? Could someone truly see everything, anywhere they wished? He had heard of people possessing strange abilities, some beyond imagination, but nothing like this. The very idea seemed impossible, unnatural even. But, she sounded too calm to be lying. Still, there was no way to be sure.
Only one way remained... to bring pain. Pain revealed truths no one could hide.
Kael said nothing more. He lifted his arm and adjusted his wrist so that the tip of Arwyn's sword was aimed directly at her wound. Then, in a single motion, he tried to thrust it in deeper.
But the sword never moved. It was as if the blade had frozen completely, not by ice but by something far greater, something that felt like time itself had been stopped. For a moment there was only silence.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he saw it... a faint glimpse of something holding his sword still. He couldn't make out its form, only the flow of a veil-like cloth, light and shimmering.
Then came the faint sound of a single droplet falling into water.
The next moment, he was flying in the air although he couldn't even guess what had happened to him exactly, everything happened too suddenly and his mind could not catch up with the moment. All he knew was that something, some unseen force, had pushed him with such power that he could barely understand what direction he was thrown in.
Soon, his back hit the ground and his body rolled once before he caught himself with his arm. A violent gust of wind rushed over him, carrying with it fine grains of sand mixed with sparks of ice that stung his skin.
The air howled as it passed him, brushing sharply against his skin, and the sand burned his eyes until he had no choice but to close them.
When the wind finally faded into silence, he slowly opened his eyes and blinked several times to regain focus. The world ahead seemed oddly still, but as his vision cleared, he felt something strange stir within him, something cold and uncertain.
There, standing not far from him, was a woman with her back turned. Her figure was draped in something that looked like both a gown and a cloak, its surface shimmering faintly beneath the dim light of the moon. It was deep midnight in color, the fabric flowing like water, and the air around her seemed to tremble faintly as if she were surrounded by something unseen.
Then she turned, and her movement was so slow and graceful that it almost looked unreal, as though the air itself was bending around her. He tried to see her face, but it was veiled by a thin, transparent black cloth that hid her completely. Even though the fabric was see-through, somehow it concealed everything, and he could not make out even the shape of her features.
Something about her felt terribly wrong. A strange unease settled in his chest the longer he looked. He did not even need to ask who she was. He knew she was...
Queen.
The veiled woman tilted her head ever so slightly, and her voice floated toward him, soft and melodious, almost soothing but unsettling in its calmness.
"Kael?"
He froze.
What?
How did she know his name?
Effie had told him that the Queen could see wherever she wished, that her eyes reached across distance and matter alike, but she never mentioned anything about her being able to hear. So how did she know him? Since when? And if she could hear and see, then what exactly was she?
He blinked once, and in that single blink, she vanished from where she stood. His heart lurched when he saw her again, only this time she was standing directly in front of him.
He didn't even get the chance to react before her hand reached toward his face, slender and pale beneath the flowing sleeve, and with a single motion she touched his mask and removed it as if it were nothing more than dust in the air. Then, in the same smooth gesture, she brushed back his hood, revealing his face completely. He had no idea how fast she moved, whether it was a second or less than that, but it felt unreal.
A cold breeze swept across him, brushing through his tousled brown hair that now hung loosely over his face.
"What is happening? How fast is she?" he thought, but even before he could finish that question in his mind, her face appeared before him again.
One moment she was standing still, and the next her veiled face was inches away from his, so close that he could feel her breath, light and cool.
Her head tilted slightly, and the black veil that covered her parted just enough for him to see what lay beneath. His eyes widened when he saw her lips... dark, glistening like liquid midnight sprinkled with grains of silver dust that shimmered faintly like stars caught on the edge of her mouth. Those lips were unreal, too beautiful, too perfect for a human face.
Something inside him stirred, deep and warm, spreading through his chest and down to his stomach. It was not fear nor confusion... it was something else, something that made his body feel both heavy and weak. He could not describe it, but it was strangely comforting, as if the warmth itself was calling to him.
And suddenly, Kael felt that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire life. He had met many beautiful women before, countless faces that could enchant any man, yet none of them compared to the woman standing before him. There was something divine about her, something that transcended beauty itself. She was captivating like the bloom of a rare flower, enchanting like an ancient spell whispered under the moonlight, dazzling like the fragrance of a midnight garden, graceful like a queen, and otherworldly in a way that his mind could not comprehend.
It felt as if by merely looking at her, a man's deepest desires would awaken and begin to bloom uncontrollably.
"What kind of nonsense is that?" his mind whispered faintly. "I haven't even seen her face. How could she be this beautiful? Is this some kind of illusion... a mind...?"
Before his thoughts could form clearly, her lips parted slightly, and he saw her tongue trace along them with a slow, graceful motion. The sight made his breath catch. It was so serene, so mesmerizing, that he found himself unable to look away.
For a brief moment, the only thought that existed inside him was the desire to touch her, to claim her lips with his own.
He wanted to kiss her.
Who wouldn't? Who could resist such beauty, such perfection so close to their face? He wouldn't have minded surrendering to it. He wouldn't have minded losing himself in that moment.
But then, just as his mind drowned in the warmth of that desire, something strange began to stir within him again. His chest tightened. His heart throbbed painfully.
Why was it so heavy?
Why did it hurt?
He wanted to move closer, but his body refused to move. Her lips hovered so close that a single breath could have bridged the distance between them, but his muscles would not obey. He wanted to kiss her, didn't he?
Then why was his heart aching so much?
Why was he trembling?
Was he crying?
Why were his eyes burning?
Tears rolled down his cheeks before he even realized it, falling silently between them. He didn't understand why.
Why was he crying?
Who was he crying for?
It wasn't sorrow... no, it wasn't sorrow at all. It was anger, deep and burning.
But why was he angry?
Why did he feel such rage toward her, this beautiful, perfect woman before him?
Something was wrong. He could feel it, deep in his bones. Something inside him was breaking apart, and though he could not yet name it, he knew it wasn't love, it wasn't desire. It was something else entirely.
Suddenly, a strange wrathful voice resounded in his mind, creating a sharp, pulsating headache that made him clutch his head in confusion and disbelief.
[Ah, what an amazing sight to behold! I cannot help but laugh. So, dear brother-in-law, since you are already kissing her lips, why not simply jump on her, hold her tightly in an embrace, undress her, savour her completely and, uh, do not forget to aim perfectly. A kiss alone would never be enough, would it? But I thought you had manhood. Certainly, a little kiss would never satisfy you. Why am I even bothering to create a harem for you, only the gods know. Just jump at her already. Do it quickly. Time is running out.]
This voice?
Why did it feel so familiar?
Who was she?
Brother-in-law?
That would mean she was his sister-in-law.
Sister-in-law?
Serelina?
That brat.
[Oh, now you remember me. Gracious goodness, welcome to the waking world, dreamer Kael. Now, would you please shut the hell up with your thoughts? I feel like vomiting just by hearing them. I never knew you were this weak when it comes to women. I am truly disappointed in you. You have ruined all of my plans. How am I supposed to invite women to join your harem when you act like this?]
So that was it. A mind attack?
[Yes and no. Yes, because it connects through the mind. No, because it somehow awakens the deepest desires of a man. So, I am not entirely sure what exactly this is.]
Kael responded within his thoughts.
[I see. By the way, thank you for waking me up, brat.]
His mind fell into silence again. She did not reply, and it no longer mattered. What mattered now was the truth that he had been caught in another mind attack, and this time it had tried to make him betray Seraphina. But no, he would not. He would never.
He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again and glanced at the woman's lips. Disgust rose in his chest, and for a moment he wanted to spit at her, yet he restrained himself and quickly crawled several steps back.
The veiled woman turned her face toward him, and with a slow and graceful motion, she stood up, letting out a soft sigh that felt as though it had been carved from ice.
Now that his senses had returned, Kael could feel the immense pressure radiating from her presence. He could sense her power, vast and unrestrained, pressing upon him like an invisible storm. But what consumed him more than fear was fury, a burning anger that coiled deep inside him. She had done something unforgivable. She had tried to twist his mind and almost made him betray Seraphina. He could never forget that, not even if he tried. The only thing he desired at that moment was to kill her. He wanted to end her right there. He needed to.
And then, a melodious but commanding voice echoed within his mind again.
[Calm down, brother-in-law. Do not move. Do not move a single finger. Stay completely still. It is fine to feel hatred, but you could never touch her, let alone defeat her. You can feel her mana, can't you?]
Kael froze completely. Rage still boiled through his veins, yet even through that fire he could feel the tremendous mana surrounding her, the kind that twisted the very air.
The voice spoke again, this time with a more serious tone.
[She is an Archmage... no, she is an Archwitch. Be careful.]
Kael replied quietly in his mind.
[What is an Archwitch?]
The voice lingered for a moment before replying, softer yet edged with disbelief.
[You don't know? Well, I suppose you never heard of them since you never attended an academy. You might know them as S-ranked Mages who have conquered all seven steps after fully saturating their cores. They are beings of immense power. But tell me... what did you do to anger someone like her?]
Kael answered immediately.
[I don't know.]
[...?]
His eyes remained fixed on the woman as she walked away from him, her steps gliding over the frozen ground. She knelt before Effie, lifted her battered body gently into her arms, and then walked toward him again. When she stopped in front of him, her voice was as calm and melodic as ever, yet filled with a weight that could crush mountains.
"I am fascinated by you, Kael. Who would have thought that the weakest adventurer of Velhart is actually an assassin? I certainly did not expect such a twist. But here is a piece of advice for you... stay away from my people. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable. I am letting you live this time."
As her words ended, the air around her began to shimmer. The ice at her feet swirled and twisted, forming a whirlpool of shards and mist, and in a single blink, she was gone.
The frozen ground started to melt rapidly, water spreading across the earth in rippling streams. Kael rose to his feet, still staring at the spot where she had stood.
Her words echoed in his mind again.
"I am letting you live this time."
What did that mean?
It meant he was alive only because she wanted him to be. She had spared him not out of mercy but out of pity.
Why?
He did not know, and perhaps it did not matter anymore. What mattered was the truth he had avoided for far too long, the truth he should have realized earlier but refused to accept.
He clenched his fists and his teeth, his voice trembling as it escaped his lips.
"I have... I have become weak."
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(Chapter Ended)