*POV pride*
I traversed deeper into the forest that had only a single road going through it. I had given an order to my spirits, if they see a fox, they must report to me first before doing anything. Yet there had been no reports.
*Sigh*
“I wonder why this is happening. Why won’t mother just take her home?” I thought out loud.
During my walk through the woods, I found nothing. Not even a single demon fox had shown up.
“If only I could reach the city faster somehow…” The sun has already reached its zenith, meaning it was the middle of the day or a little past it.
I stopped and took out a sandwich while looking at the map I had laid before me.
“Hmm… I am around here… Then the nearest settlement is…” I continued to look at the map only to see something that I missed earlier.
“Wait, Valentine is just along this road. Once I leave this forest, after a kilometer or two, I should see it.” I kept talking to myself whilst eating. I’m sure if mother, grandmother, or my teacher would’ve seen this, I would be dead the next minute.
“I better hurry then. I should make it to Valentine in two days if I am fast enough.”
*POV* Envy [it’s the same day as Pride’s just the next one from Envy’s POV]
The next day, I assumed, I got selected as the subject of torture again.
This time as I was being locked into place, he was putting extra work on securing my head this time.
“Don’t move, it will only make things more difficult and painful for you.” He told me.
I did as I was told, and when he finished, I couldn’t move my head. Not even a millimeter.
“Come here already! If you don’t, you won’t get your share!” He suddenly shouted, then a man came in. He looked to be twenty, had an eyepatch on his left eye, and wore a hood, which made it difficult for me to see the rest of his face. His coat was dirty. He kind of looked like a slave trader.
My eyes widened with fear.
“So she’s the one worthy of my power?” He spoke with a deep voice.
“Yeah, she’s basically a god at this point if I were to tell you.” The mad scientist spoke with a muffled tone of reverence and fear.
“I see. What’s her name?”
“She doesn’t have one.” That was an obvious lie.
“Ok, you better make this quick. Here’s your eye.”
He then took out a little jar with water and an eye in it, the eye had a black pupil and a faint white circle was glowing inside the iris.
“I will heal her nerves together so be quick.”
They came over to me and forcefully opened my left eyelid. Then the mad scientist took a knife and something that looked like a fork with only two teeth but was curved like a spoon. (Editor Note: A Spork?)
The scientist then promptly stabbed the spoon-fork thing which had the width of an eye just under my eye.
My mind was slowly going numb from the pain and my consciousness started to waver. Of course I was screaming from the agony.
Just a second later my eye was ripped out of my eye socket.
“Okay, time for part two.” The madman said to the man with the eyepatch.
He took the eye and carefully placed it inside my now empty eye socket. Then eyepatch man started chanting. (Ed. Note: new superhero confirmed)
“Ancient spirits, heal and soothe the pain.” He then touched my left eyelid.
When it ended, I was barely able to stay conscious.
“From tomorrow, I will come here to check on the state of her eye. If I detect anything abnormal within these five days, I will wipe this entire place out. Understood?” He spoke intimidatingly.
Madman unlocked my shackles and dragged me over to the cell. He just left me on the ground, not even bothering to lock the cell.
The next day, he locked me up at the same place as yesterday.
This time, the eyepatch man brought a red jewel the size of an eye.
“Is this the rumored treasure of the Issac house?” Madman asked with caution.
“Yes, if they notice I took it, I will be executed the next day and the Issac family would fall apart.
Anyway, this gem has the power of our founder. Do it quickly.”
“I sure will.”
Then he took a knife and cut into my chest in one swift movement and opened it up.
“Give me the jewel.”
Once he got a hold of it, he jammed it inside near my heart and took out his hand. It was all black from my blood.
“Do your thing.”
“Spirits, close all wounds.”
I was not in so much pain as last time. Eye surgery must’ve been the breaking point. Just lying on the table, I was able to feel my heart beating and the strange object slowly dissolving.
“Okay, you there. Foxie. Open your left eye for me to see.” I unconsciously was keeping it closed this whole time, probably because it didn’t feel like a real eye.
I opened it and couldn’t see anything with it. All I could perceive were colorful dots, some were bigger and some were smaller. Then I saw a string, or to be more accurate, a series of strings tying into a form of a person. All of this was on a black background because I wasn’t able to see any objects with it. It was really trippy having both of them opened at the same time, my head was starting to get fuzzy.
“Close your other eye and the dizziness will wear off.”
I did exactly that and the nauseousness faded away.
“Good. Let me explain. What you are seeing right now is mana. The essence used in magic or spirit sorcery. The string cluster you are most probably seeing is me. My mana can be seen by your eye. The best thing about your new eye is being able to see mana behind objects. Although I am unaware of the little power the gem possesses. Sorry for the pain caused, this was the last time.” The man spoke apologetically.
“Listen up madman. The others are your toys, you have permission to use them. But don’t you dare to lay a finger on her.”
“Yes, as per your orders. As long as I get what you promised.”
“Yes, you will get your audition with her highness if I am lucky enough to get one.”
Then eyepatch man picked me up and carried me back to the place, he placed me down on the ground where I used to be chained and spoke again.
“This will have been the last time you experienced pain.”
After those words, I fell asleep on the stone-cold floor.
*POV* Pride
After two days of nonstop walking, only occasionally stopping to rest my legs,
I finally reached Valentine. I was at the gate waiting to check with the guards and pay the entry fee. Luckily, I had brought money with me.
When it was finally my time, the guard said to me.
“Welcome to Valentine, please show your identification or pay an entering fee.”
“I will pay.” I told him.
“The price is five silver suns for a day. You will get a card with a magical signature, once it expires you must come here to either extend your stay or leave the city.”
“Well then, I will be staying in this city for…”
‘I don’t know how much time I need to find Envy, I guess two days of no sleep should suffice.’
“I will stay for three days.”
“That would be fifteen silver suns.” The guard immediately answered.
I paid the price and received the card. It only had enough mana inside to keep it active for three days.
‘What a clever little scheme.’
I made my way through the gates and entered the city bustling with life.
‘This is going to be hard. But considering that she’s a demon fox and was arrested, she should be in the deepest part of the city.’
I went to the nearest stall that was selling local food. They were making soup.
“Excuse me, I would like one bowl.” I ordered.
“Right up. That will be eight silver suns.” A girl that would seem to be around fifteen or sixteen took the order. I placed a golden sun, worth a hundred silver suns, on the desk.
“Sorry, all I have are golden suns.” I smiled apologetically.
“Okay. I-I will get grandpa, please wait a minute or two.” She walked around the corner, presumably never having seen a golden sun, or it was worth too much.
After a minute she came back with a man that looked too young to be called grandpa.
“Are you the young man that paid with a golden sun?” He asked.
“Yes, or is there another customer I didn’t notice?” I answered with a smile.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have anywhere near enough money to give you enough change for a golden sun.” He spoke bluntly.
“Then let me put it like this.” I started and thought for a second.
‘I could ask for information regarding Envy.’
“I also wanted to ask for some information. Is that fine?”
“It’s fine then. Information ain’t cheap around these parts anyway.”
“Juna. Whip up the best bowl you possibly can. I will be talking with him for a bit.” He ordered her.
“So, what kind of information is this fine man looking for? I can see that your clothes are of good quality and your manners aren’t on the common side. You are probably a noble?”
“I am probably the closest of being wealthier than the average man. Has there been a guard escorting a demon fox in a cage?”
“If you are wealthier than the average man then what kind of men are average for you? Anyways, yes, there was an escort going through this street about five days ago in the night. But why are you looking for a demon fox?”
“I have a thing or two to discuss with the fox.” I faked anger.
“I see. Demon foxes are as vicious as they come. To be able to catch one is a feat.”
“Your bowl is ready!” Juna walked over and placed a bowl of soup in front of me.
“Well then, one last question. Is there a good inn nearby that you recommend?” I asked him.
“There is one that can actually accept golden suns. Follow this road and then you should see the name “Starry night”. They also have very good food.”
“Okay, thanks for the information.” I started to dig into the bowl.
“Thanks for the golden sun. This old man appreciates it.”
After finishing the bowl in record time, I thanked Juna and started looking for the inn.
‘Starry night. Starry night.’
‘Aha, this one.’
The inn in question was a building with two stories. It was painted in a dark blue color, really giving the feeling of a night. When I entered inside, the atmosphere was really calm and welcoming. I rang the bell on the table and waited a minute before ringing it again.
“Coming!” I heard the voice of a man.
“Hello, what would you like?” He asked.
“I would like to stay three days.”
“Understood, that will be fifteen silver suns.”
I took out the famous golden sun.
“Sorry, this is all I have. Are you able to accept it?”
“Yes, here’s your key and eighty-five silver suns.”
I took the remaining suns and turned to go to the second floor.
‘Room 3’ was written on the key. When I found the room I unlocked it, took off my shoes and then passed out on the bed.
When I awoke after sleeping for presumably ten hours, I opened the window and saw that it was the middle of the night. I carefully stepped out of the window onto the roof and made my way to the top. After taking a deep breath I started chanting slowly and quietly.
“Stars enshroud you, moon gives you power, the night is your hunting ground. Appear before me, Berchta.” Whilst summoning her, I imbued her with a single memory. A picture of Envy.
As the beady-eyed, hooked-nosed hag with stringy grey hair and disheveled clothing appeared. She looked over to me awaiting orders.
“The girl in your memory. Find her and bring her to this roof. Kill anyone that stands in your way. Doesn’t matter if it’s a kid or a woman. Slaughter everyone towards your goal, you can slaughter this whole town, bringing that girl alive is your task. I won’t allow failure. Once you’ve brought her to the roof, you must immediately report to me through the connection. I shall arrive here the next night.” I gave the order and she disappeared as if she vanished into air.
“Now just to wait for her return.” Suddenly I got another idea.
“Since I have more than enough mana left, I can do it.”
I started another chant.
“You who was tarnished by ancient civilizations, fire is your essence as the warmth of the sun is to others. Appear, fire Salamander. Evoux.”
A salamander with Black and yellow markings appeared.
“Follow Berchta and burn everyone she kills.” He left behind a small trail of fire and disappeared.
‘Now I can return to bed.’
I slipped back into my room through the window and jumped into my bed, then ducked under the sheets and fell asleep.
