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Aleena
🕑 Added 2022-09-30 10:00:08 +0000 UTCOver the next few days, Seth split his time between finishing the training of his students and checking out Pearl’s progress outside the capital. He also moved all the vials he took from Necros to Pearl’s place and filled his storage with food.
Iris has also discovered traces of destruction energy in the underground tunnels. Still, with Necros becoming active again and continuing his activity as if nothing had happened, she stopped investigating the incident.
<Aleena is heading for the academy to request a meeting with host after finishing all the books.>
A notification made Seth pause his spatial storage organizing as he opened his eyes. Looking at Maya, who was cultivating nearby, he didn’t disturb her and teleported out of his room before walking towards the academy gates.
When he reached there, he found Aleena in a somewhat heated conversation with the guards. Fallen returning to the academy to beg for a second chance was quite common, so this scene could be seen from time to time at the gates.
“Let her in; she’s telling the truth.”, said Seth from the academy’s gate, attracting the attention of the guards and Aleena.
The guards bowed respectfully to Seth and moved to the side to let Aleena pass. She still thanked the guards with a bow before moving past them, heading for the gate where Seth was waiting.
She lifted her head while walking forward with a mixed look. She stepped through those same gates long ago as a teen full of hopes and dreams. The next time she walked through them was when she left the academy; all those hopes and dreams were gone, replaced with only disappointment.
Now, she was back here, a feeble hope rekindled by the books Seth left with her. When she reached Seth, she bowed slightly and opened her mouth to speak, but Seth interrupted her.
“Let’s go to my classroom first.” Seth knew Iris would sometimes monitor the academy using her air source, and he didn’t want her to listen in.
Aleena nodded and walked after Seth, heading towards his building. She kept looking around, feeling nostalgic about seeing the familiar courtyard and structures of the academy.
When they reached Seth’s building, she looked surprised and asked: “Is this new? This place was not here when I was a student.”
“It is indeed.”, replied Seth with a smile before opening the locked entrance door. “It’s my place. Come inside.”
The girls were all at the dormitory, studying, so only Seth and Aleena were inside the classroom. Not even Henrietta was there today. She shared a room with Lisa at the dormitory since she didn’t want to return to the castle.
Ever since they started planning their departure, they only went to class in the morning to keep up appearances. In the afternoon, everyone would leave, just like the other students.
Once inside, Seth locked the door and walked up to his desk, but Aleena remained standing up.
Seeing Seth look up at her with a subtle smile, Aleena bowed again and said: “I apologize for seeking you out like this, Ascended Seth.”
“It’s fine. I was expecting you. Did you enjoy the books I left with you the last time?”
Aleena opened a small bag and placed the four books on the desk before asking: “Is it true what I read inside? Can one really ascend even after being past the required age? Even with a broken source clogging their heart?”
Seth nodded and moved the books to the side, pointing toward one of the desks for her to sit down.
“Of course. Why do you think I left those books with you? So, did you decide to try it?”
Aleena’s eyes reddened around the edges before she said in a sniffling tone: “I do, but are you sure it will work? I don’t want to have my hopes shattered again…”
“I know it will work, but what do you have to lose even if I couldn’t guarantee it? It’s either remaining locked inside that library, surrounded by books you’ve read hundreds of times, or stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a chance.”
Aleena nodded silently, her face already getting covered in tears.
“I can help you ascend, but I also have something to tell you first. I plan to leave the Oath Kingdom in a couple of days and head south to the Blood Kingdom.”
“Leaving? Blood Kingdom? Are you joining the war?” asked Aleena with a crestfallen look.
“No. I’m breaking ties with the academy and taking over Blood for myself. If you are serious about becoming an ascended, I’m sorry, but you will have to leave the capital and follow me south. I can’t stay here any longer.”
As soon as his words ended, Seth felt a trace of negative energy coming from Aleena. This left him somewhat surprised, not expecting her to get so mad about it. He wanted to tell her he would heal her anyway, but Aleena spoke first.
“But why? Why don’t you stay here?” asked Aleena, not understanding why an honorable ascended like Seth would choose to desert the kingdom and abandon the academy.
“It’s complicated.”, replied Seth with a sigh, noticing the negative energy only increasing. He was curious about what she was thinking, so he didn’t correct himself, waiting to see what she would say.
Aleena remained silent and lowered her head, going through all the books she had read on the history of Blood, trying to find a reason for Seth’s departure. After not coming up with anything, she exhaled a deep breath and said: “Nothing is holding me here, but I can’t simply leave my home and books for a sky I’m not even sure I can reach.”
“I wish you success in your endeavors, Ascended Seth.”
Once her words ended, Aleena turned around and headed for the door, cursing her stupidity in allowing herself to believe Seth’s words. She only realized the door was still locked when she pressed the door handle.
“Why is it so hard for you to take a chance and trust me?” asked Seth, not bothering to sit up to unlock the door.
Aleena clenched her fists and turned around, her face once more drenched in tears, but her eyes crystal clear, as she said: “Because you already broke my trust before it even had time to solidify. You come to my library, feed me sweet words, make me really trust that you can help me ascend, only for you to tell me I must first desert the kingdom.”
“Why didn’t you say this from the beginning? Why only now?”
“Or did you just want to take advantage of me? I heard rumors about you fooling around with the other teachers at the academy, words of your deeds long having spread throughout the city, but I refused to believe them.”
“What an idiot I’ve been, haven’t I ascended Seth?”
“A dumb commoner girl with exotic looks and already dying would make a great catch. Do you plan on taking me somewhere out of the city and have your way with me until my disease finally takes me or what?”
Her eyes had completely lost their luster by the end of her words. She had her suspicions before coming here, lots of nobles having already tried to get their hands on her when she first arrived at the capital, but Aleena still wanted a chance at life, so in the end, she came, choosing to give herself a chance and trust Seth.
The power that came from ascension was not that important to her anymore. She just wanted to live more so that she may read more books. She knew she would be safe at the academy, but now Seth had asked her to join him on some journey south, so she knew he had tricked her.
Seth sighed and shook his head.
“Do I really look like a rapist or something? It’s even funnier that you’re not the first to accuse me of that.”
“Why would I even go through all the trouble if I just wanted to rape you? I admit I find you attractive, and, to be honest, who wouldn’t, but I also know you are not some dumb commoner, as you called yourself.” Said Seth before teleporting right in front of her, a foot away, not to give her a bad impression again.
The sudden teleportation startled Aleena, and she fell on her back, her eyes as round as saucers. Her jaw trembling slightly, she remembered a book Seth had given her long ago and muttered: “Space source.”
Seth smiled and extended a hand toward her. “I’m sorry I scared you, but you know what they say in literature, showing is better than telling.”
Aleena looked at his outstretched hand, her body growing cold as her mind worked through all the stories Seth had given her since they met. From her point of view, they were all works of fiction, talking about different worlds, gods, incredible powers, and concepts, but Seth’s simple display of space energy made her think of other possibilities.
‘Can they all be true?’
Aleena asked herself as she slowly lifted her trembling hand. Her heart felt gripped by an irresistible attraction. She wanted to see the worlds in those novels and live those stories herself. Her anxiety spiked, and her fingers paused slightly as they were just about to touch his, but after looking into his honest and straightforward eyes, she pushed forward and took his hand.
“Thank you for trusting me.”, said Seth, with the corner of his lips lifting into a small smile. “Let me show you something.”
Once his words ended, Aleena noticed the world around her blur. She witnessed the scenery change a couple of times before she found herself in an unknown forest.
Her heart sunk for a moment, but then her eyes landed on the giant airship in front of her. It didn’t look that much different from an ordinary wooden ship, except for its sails on the sides, resembling a giant pair of wings.
“Zephyr.”, muttered Aleena, pulling on Seth’s hand to sit up. She has read of such a machine in one of Seth’s books. A ship that flew in the air just as comfortably as it floated on the ocean. She could see some differences here and there, but she knew it was the same type of airship she had read about.
Seth smiled at her expression and said: “A cheap imitation, I’m afraid, but it should fly just the same. A third shell ascended should be able to keep her afloat for a long time by only controlling the movement of the air in the atmosphere.”
Aleena’s heartbeat increased once she heard Seth’s words, and she looked at him with gleaming eyes, forgetting everything about the fear she felt earlier: “Is everything in those books you gave me real?”
“Yes, and no. I plan on turning them into reality myself. Once I’m done, even Zhiry- The World above the Skies- would look like a backwater village compared to the one I’m going to build.”
Aleena turned to look back at the giant airship and nodded absentmindedly. She believed him now and was even getting excited. After analyzing the ship some more, she turned back towards Seth and said: “I’m in. No, I apologize for everything I said earlier, and please take me with you. I want to see it for myself. This world you’re going to build.”
Seth chuckled and looked towards her hand that was still clenching onto his. “It will still take time, but if you come with me, we’ll eventually get here. Also, I never said I wasn’t interested in you, so there is no need to apologize.”
Aleena followed his eyesight and quickly let go once she noticed she was still holding his hand. She blushed even fiercer once she processed the meaning behind his words.
“My Lord.” a sudden voice from the back broke her thoughts, and she turned to look who it came from. She found a man kneeling behind her, his eyes fixed on Seth.
Aleena looked at his features and recognized him as a noble from the Wrath Kingdom. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and her mind was completely overwhelmed. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, like why was there a noble of Wrath there, why was he kneeling to Seth, and so on, but she felt like she couldn’t even form a single world right now.
Seth nodded toward Sal and said: “Good to see you, Sal. Where is Pearl?”
“She’s resting, my Lord. One more day and the ship’s construction shall be over.”, replied Sal while standing up. He could see the blush on Aleena’s cheeks and saw them holding hands earlier, so he bowed towards her and said: “My Lady.”
Aleena quickly shook her hands in front of her body, wanting to clear the misunderstanding, but Seth didn’t let her as he said: “Alright. Leave us for now, Sal. Tell Pearl I’ll come by later to check on her progress.”
Sal bowed and took his queue to leave the two alone. Turning towards Aleena, Seth extended his hand again and said: “I need to leave now. Let me take you back inside the city.”
Aleena looked at his hand and blushed again before shaking her head. “Can I please stay here and have a look around Zephyr? I promise I won’t break anything.”
Seth chuckled and pointed towards a small wooden house in the distance. “Sure. That’s where one of my students and her family live. You can go stay with them once you get bored with the ship. I’ll come by to pick you up later.”
After Aleena nodded absentmindedly, Seth chuckled again and teleported back to the city.
Aleena watched the place where he disappeared and lowered her head. Her mind was again going through all the books Seth had given her, trying to find any clue about who Seth really was.
Eventually, she seemed to remember something and raised her head back up. Her eyes reddening again, she smiled as she walked towards the ship, a small mutter leaving her lips.
“God of Destruction…”
Comments
Christian Mordal
I quite like Aleena. Glad she is coming along to blood.
