The World of Strife

I stared at the terrified girl hugging my torso like a desperate koala. A snort broke out of me as I struggled to swallow back my chuckles. — "I am not going to sacrifice you, stupid! Why would I save you just to kill you afterward?" — I smacked her head lightly out of sheer frustration, which immediately prompted the lass to let me go and crawl away in a burst of panic.

"B-b-b-but! You are a blood mage!" — The startled lass said in her defence. She was forced to stop her retreat when her back hit against a nearby rock, lying next to the rock slide we had just rolled down recently. — "Blood mages are supposed to..." — Her expression contorted in momentary confusion, then she added anyway. — "I don't know... they are evil!"

I rolled my eyes, sitting up at last and leaning against a rock beside me. — "Yes... You probably shouldn't trust most blood mages, but I am not going to hurt you! Look, I swear on the lives of my grandchildren that I am not going to sacrifice you. I consider you my friend after all!"

Camilla stiffened. Her green eyes glared holes inside me as she shouted quite frustratedly. — "What grandchildren! You don't even have children to begin with! Do you take me for a fool?"

My mouth fell open, suddenly realizing that she was right... She wouldn't know about my family from my previous life.

I lifted my arms in defence, trying to placate the girl's rising emotions.

"I, ugh... You are right, of course. Look, I am sorry... it's just... I didn't realize blood magic was such a big deal when I learned about it... I only understood it recently when Aria educated me on the matter. I didn't want to scare you, and I am not going to hurt you!"

Camilla looked baffled. — "How could you not know that?" — She seemed sceptical, but at least less terrified. We were getting somewhere, I suppose.

"That's complicated... all things considered, the fact that we are alive and free is because I learned how to use it. Without that, we would have been enslaved by that witch!" — I said, while shaking my head, watching the weakly flickering light my staff provided. My mana must be on its last legs...

Camilla seemed scandalous. — "Complicated?" — She said in a disbelieving voice. — "Your head is complicated!" — She practically snarled at me, her previous meekness quickly turning into anger. I blinked, wondering if telling her all that was a good idea. — "You scared me out of my skin! I thought you would suck my life out, then skin me alive! Sweet gods!" — She flopped on her back, letting herself slide down until just her head was propped up by the rock. She was lying there motionless while staring up into the darkness that surrounded us. As the terror and fear started to leave her body, she seemed to lose all her energy. Not that I was any different.

I felt a spark of annoyance hearing her accusing words. Why would knowing blood magic automatically make me evil? Even with all those ominous whispers I kept hearing, I could easily suppress my initial bloodlust with a little bit of willpower. It's not like I lose my mind invoking this magic. It was easier to control my urges the second time compared to the first.

I looked at Camilla, who was lying limply on the stone ground, much like I did.

"Look..." — I sighed. — "Can you... I don't know, forgive me? I can't unlearn blood magic, but I already promised Aria not to use it more than necessary, and I am not going to lie to her. Gods up and all, she almost cut off my head the first time she learned about my more unorthodox magic... and I didn't even use it that time."

Camilla raised her head slightly, staring at me in utter disbelief. — "Are you saying that Aria knows about this?"

I nodded, which seemed to confuse the other girl even more as she stated. — "I struggle to believe that. How come she didn't kill you? Did you brainwash her or something?"

I shook my head, surprised by Camilla's audacity. — "With a knife to my throat? No, Camilla, I didn't brainwash her... I... umm... asked her to let me live." — I told her, reluctantly, looking aside in my discomfort from recalling the traumatic memory.

Camilla looked at me like I was a fool. — "You... asked her? Are we talking about the same woman? Ariawyn, you know, pointy ears and a big bad bitch, ready to chase you to hell and back while slapping you to oblivion?"

I laughed at that. An honest, relieved laughter broke out of me, which quickly filled the darkness, easing some of the tension lingering between us. — "Come now... she is not that bad." — I said while struggling to hold back my bubbling laughter.

Camilla allowed a tiny smile to grace her lips, seeing my reaction. — "I don't know, it's just I find it hard to believe that you simply asked her and it worked."

My cheeks flushed red as I was forced to once again recall that pitiful memory, squirming in my place while looking at my feet. — "Fine..." — I sighed. — "I... might have cried a bit, and pleaded ignorance about it... which is essentially true! Since I didn't know that it was such a big deal!"

Camilla stared at me, her eyes narrowing in consideration. She shook her head and said in a demanding voice. — "Here you go again! I can't fathom how you would not know such a thing! You are a witch, for God's sake, Selora! You are supposed to know about these things! It's like claiming to be a chef without knowing how to cook, it doesn't make sense!" — She shouted in frustration, making me flinch in the process.

Camilla, noticing my reaction, took a few deep breaths and toned down her anger before continuing.

"Selora... You said to me just now that you consider me a friend, right?" — I nodded meekly. Already having an inkling of where this argument was leading, and I didn't know how to answer it. — "If that is the case." — Camilla continued. — "Then why do you keep lying to me?"

I gulped dryly. A large knot was already forming in my throat, with a growing sense of queasiness.

I couldn't find my voice as I sensed Camilla's piercing eyes on me. Seeing that I wasn't saying anything, Camilla continued to put more pressure on me.

"Everybody with eyes could see that you were hiding something, Selora. We knew that you had many secrets, even without telling us that you were a white elf. It is even something to be expected from magic casters, if not exactly from one so young. However, being secretive and practicing blood magic while claiming that you didn't know it was dangerous is an entirely different matter! Are you taking me for a fool? I can't understand how Aria could accept such a blatant misdirection!" — She shouted at me.

I pulled my knees up, putting my arms around them in a defensive gesture, my mind blazing through any possible explanation, but finding nothing that could stand up in front of Camilla's scrutiny. My body and mind were failing me. I was completely spent in my current state, and I couldn't come up with a believable lie, not that I was any good with lies in general.

Sensing Camilla's judgmental stare, I was starting to break under the emotional pressure she kept placing on my shoulders.

"Uhm... I-I... but that is... the truth..." — I stuttered, struggling to get a hold on my words.

Camilla's eyes bored into me as she spoke in a somewhat softer voice. — "Explain it!"

My body shook, as my mouth opened then closed on itself, unable to speak the words. Tears were gathering in my eyes as I considered admitting to the unacceptable truth this world forced me to bear. I tried to tell her, I did, but I just couldn't will myself to do so. I knew instinctively that she wouldn't look at me the same way ever again.

I gulped and shook my head, numbly. The gesture made Camilla steel her expression once again.

I tightened my arms around my legs, bracing for the backlash. Even so, I felt relieved. It was better to be a blood mage than an old man in a young girl's body. Certain truths could not be so easily acknowledged.

Camilla didn't say a word for a long time after that. Nor did I. We just stayed there in complete silence, and I could feel the space between us widening with every passing second.

She eventually started to climb to her feet, then, with slow, determined steps, she moved to my side, reaching down and grasping my arms under my armpits, attempting to lift me up. I felt extremely confused and awkward in this turn of events. — "What are you doing?" — I questioned her.

Her voice was stubborn and filled with suppressed anger and a lot of hurt. — "What else!?" — She squawked in my ears, making me flinch as my ears twitched sharply. — "I am taking you into custody, you are a blood magic practitioner. It is part of my responsibility as an ex-adventurer and a current member of House Dimhollow." — She said in cold determination. — "You need to be punished for your deeds."

I blinked up at her, completely stupefied by her statement. My arms and legs felt like lead as my desperate eyes locked with Camilla's green ones. It took several seconds for the whole impact to register in my mind, but it eventually did. I shook off her arms and crawled away from her in the span of a few seconds. My anger-fuelled scream filled the dim cave. — "YOU CAN'T!"

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Camilla stared me down, seemingly accepting my reaction as something inevitable. She cut off my protest and advanced on me once again. — "Of course I can't, because you are going to kill me, right?" — She laughed hysterically. — "With a wave of your hand, you can force me to cut my own throat, yes? Maybe simply make me choke on my blood, it is a more elegant solution after all! Hah!"

She once again grabbed onto me, this time managing to pull me up to my feet as I was propped against the nearby rock wall.

"Why are you doing this?!" — I cried out in protest.

"I am simply taking a wayward blood mage into custody as I am supposed to. So, make up your mind, either kill me or come along obediently. I don't like to repeat myself." — She huffed. That stubborn determination flickered in her eyes once again.

The sight irritated me to no end. A jolt of anger passed through my veins. I did my best to will my body to stand on its own, with little success. With all my effort, I couldn't stand properly. I was tired, sick, and bruised all over my body from that fall. Blood magic couldn't heal my injuries any longer without an excess of blood in my vicinity. Not to mention that fall seemed to partially reopen my shoulder wound, I knew it from the burning pain and the fresh blood that seeped into my robes around that area.

My eyes were fixed on Camilla with an alarming intensity as another one of those eerie whispers appeared.

It could be done. You only need to will it. Her life would be a small price to fuel your ambition. A drop of blood in the sea that flows in your wake.

For a passing moment, I considered it. Then I was overwhelmed by shame as I crumbled against Camilla's hold, putting my arms around the startled human lass. — "It's... alright. I will go with you. Maybe... It's better that way... Just promise me that they will do it fast."

Camilla stiffened as she struggled to get a solid hold on me.

I sniffed, quite devastated to end up in such a situation. I was completely drained mentally, emotionally, and physically. There was no way I could escape Camilla without hurting her, which I promised not to do. I know it sounded stupid, but in such an emotional state, I felt compelled not to betray her expectations anymore.

"Well, it was good while it lasted." — I said silently.

Camilla's body went even stiffer as she heard my words. She groaned while slowly picking me up on her back. I numbly hooked my arms around her neck, awkwardly holding onto my staff, which was the sole source of light here. She grasped me under my thighs and lifted me off the ground, just to throw me a long, thoughtful look. — "So that's why..." — She said softly, but she quickly hardened her expression.

I ignored her antics, too consumed by my personal drama.

Camilla started to carry me back towards the dwarven city, which lay in the distance. It's flickering warm lights now, carrying the distant promise of death. A promise that came closer with every step Camilla took, carrying me on her back. I couldn't help but smile, surprised by the calmness that filled my body. A swift death wasn't much to gawk at, especially compared to slavery, torture, and rape. Besides all of that, I already knew what awaited beyond. I hoped that next time I could be a man again, while being a woman was cool in its own way, I was more used to the first one than the second.

With those thoughts in mind, I closed my eyes and finally let myself drift off to the world of dreams. To my absolute shock, this time I wasn't tortured by any night terrors. Ironically, it was the best sleep in my life since I came to this new world.

~oOo~

I didn't know how long I had slept, but when I woke up, I was lying in an unfamiliar bed. I slowly tried to sit up, the blanket sliding down my body with the motion. Various pains and aches sparked through my body, especially around my shoulder. I looked down, attempting to check the source of the pain, only to realize that my chest was bare and half-covered in numerous layers of ointments and bandages.

I slowly took in my battered body, just realizing how injured I truly was. My entire body pulsed with various echoes of pain. The slightest of movements caused a series of discomforts. Some were just numb echoes of pain, while others momentarily took away my breath.

My attention was pulled away from the pain as the sounds of a nearby argument reached my ears. I decided to listen in, if a bit hesitantly.

"You threatened her by taking her into custody?!" — Aria's voice echoed through the building, hot accusation rolling off her tongue.

"I was angry!" — Camilla's voice shattered the momentary silence a few seconds later. — "I didn't think it through in the heat of the moment, didn't realize what that implied until it was too late..."

"What were you thinking!?" — Aria demanded, leaving little space for Camilla to gather herself.

"I..." — Camilla faltered. Likely squirming in her place, until her voice sounded once again. — "She... she scared me to death... then expected me to trust her, without trusting me!" — She panted. — "What do you expect me to say? I felt betrayed and angry... You don't just realize that your close friend is a blood mage, then pass it off like nothing! Do you?"

"Even if that's true, what was your big plan with acting like a complete bitch!" — Aria shouted back. — "Playing with fire like a fool! What would you do if she actually attacked you? You would have been killed as easily as you said!"

Camilla snapped at that! — "I didn't have any plan!" — She screamed. — "Is that what you want to hear? I was overcome with anger, blinded by it! Do you even remember what that means? I am not several centuries old as you, I have feelings!"

Aria laughed at that, sarcasm radiating from her voice. — "Are you implying that I don't have feelings?" — She huffed, then continued. — "Your undignified attempts at dragging this discussion down into personal name-calling will not work on me, lass. Don't misdirect my question, what did you want to achieve with cornering her as such!"

Camilla grumbled aloud. — "You are doing it again! Whatever, I don't care! Fine, glare at me however you want! I just wanted her to feel what I felt! I thought that she would drain my blood when I first realized she was a blood mage. That bitch of a dark elf said so as well. I thought I was a goner, then it turns out she wasn't planning to do that. I just wanted to teach her a lesson, never actually intended to turn her in! People already know that I am her friend, with my ongoing reputation already in the mud, they would likely kill me too, and write me off as collateral.

"Stupid girl!" — Aria's disbelieving voice echoed through the walls.

"Hey! Don't think you are in any position to lecture me about this. I heard that you almost cut off her head! Not that I would expect anything less from a Virdithas!" — Camilla's snappy tone bounced back.

There was a moment of heavy pause, then Aria's voice appeared, distorted with regret. — "I know! I thought she would attack me the moment she noticed my presence, and that I overheard her words. That would have been the reasonable reaction in the given situation."

Camilla couldn't quite argue with that logic, as another heavy pause went by before she spoke up again.

"Come to think of it, how did you find me here? This is a barely known inn on the opposite side of the city. Only local adventurers who need to disappear for a while know of this place." — Camilla questioned.

There was the sound of movement, something metallic was placed over a table before Aria's voice appeared. — "This is an enchanted necklace, capable of finding the one whose blood is stored within."

There was another long and heavy pause before Camilla's derisive snort filled the room next to my own. — "You come here to lecture me, while you took her blood in that thing? Does she even know about it?"

Aria grumbled, a bit of frustration leaking into her words. — "Yes, she does. She offered it up willingly, after a bit of persuasion." — The woman whetted her throat, seemingly uncomfortable with admitting such.

"You are the worst." — Camilla's voice sounded in disbelief this time. — "Did you even consider the possibility that someone might steal it, or you lose it by chance? If that dark elf witch had realized that thing was in your possession... You would have sealed Selora's fate as a sexslave." — Aria's protest was cut off. — "Oh, and don't even try to tell me you could have defeated that bitch. I shudder to think about it. The raw power that woman held could topple cities. For God's sake, she tossed around Selora like a rag doll, and she is one of the most talented witches I have ever seen. Not even mention the fact that she used blood magic against her, and we barely survived."

After a short pause, Aria admitted so. — "You are right. That woman would have killed me easily." — Her words darkened considerably as she added. — "I have heard of her. From the way you described her, there is no doubt, you have met the Master of the Black Tower, also known as the Terror of the North. She is equivalent to one of the great elven archmages. The fact that you have survived is already a testament to Selora's ability and how dangerous blood magic can be. That was the reason why I wanted to make sure she didn't slip away at any given moment. Even so, I admit that there were certain holes in my foresight regarding this matter. I have never considered that someone besides me would want to hunt down a blood mage so willingly."

"Is she even a blood mage?" — Camilla's hesitant voice appeared. — "She doesn't act anything like that, like, what blood mage would so easily resign to her fate? I never even considered her coming with me without a fight, which I would have lost even in those circumstances."

Aria reacted quickly to that question. — "You have seen her power, you have felt it. There is no other explanation, not to mention she hardly denied it after being caught."

"But, why? Is she suicidal?" — Camilla questioned.

"Would she plead for her life if she were?" — Aria answered flatly, then added another possibility in a solemn tone. — "She is just a young girl, barely not a child..."

Camilla snorted. — "You elves, and your self-imposed blindness towards your children's deeds! Seriously, Aria, she is a hundred years old. How could you treat her as a clueless kid!"

"I suppose you are right..." — Aria admitted reluctantly.

"I just don't understand." — Camilla sighed. — "I can hardly fault her for not sharing her secrets with us after the way we kept treating her." — She stated. — "For fucks sake, I don't even know why she keeps up with our presence, well, besides your neckless of course."

Aria grumbled at that. — "Says the one who just threatened her to give her over to the executioner."

Camilla sputtered. — "Well, I didn't think it through, as I said!" — She protested.

To which Aria practically exploded. — "Well, I didn't, either!" — She hit the table in her burst of anger, as the sounds of flying tableware filled the other room.

"Ah!" — I squeaked as my body shuddered in startled surprise. I was too absorbed in the conversation, and the sudden sound took me off guard.

There was a heavy tension in the room next to mine. Before I knew, two pairs of feet rushed towards the door connecting the two rooms as the two women burst in, practically toppling over each other.

I blinked rapidly as I stared at them just as they stared back at me. There was an awkward pause, then I remembered my chest was essentially naked besides the bandages, which only covered the left one. I quickly reached down, pulling the blanket up to cover myself.

This only seemed to elongate the uncomfortable silence in the room as the three of us continued to eye each other warily.

"Uhm... I.. didn't overhear anything... Ah, you can go on... I won't try to run away..." — I paused as I felt out the rest of my body and added hesitantly. — "Definitely not without my clothes..."

There was a soft chuckle coming from Aria as the woman added with an amused shake of her head. — "She is impossible."

Camilla snorted beside her and added. — "That she is." — She paused for a second, then started again.

"Look, I am..." — Her words accidentally interlocking with Aria's own. The two women exchanged a heated look, then corrected themselves and finished together. — "We are sorry."