5 An Inquisitive Rescue

The winds that enveloped Anura vanished soon after her Father had collapsed dead. Her fall was abrupt, but Anura was unconscious to the point where she was unaware of her surroundings.

Heavy footsteps brushed on the grass as they made their way towards an unconscious girl. The man kneeled onto one knee, looking at the girl up and down. Her fancy clothing was muddy and torn in multiple places. He brought his hand to her chin, pulling her face towards him to get a better look.

"It's a noble's child…" he muttered. "Why is she in the woods?"

The sound of the man's heavy breath awoke her, and Anura's eyes began to open. The image in front of her was blurred and barely visible. She furrowed her brows, confused and helpless.

"Little girl, why are you sleeping in the woods?" the man asked, kindly. He put the back of his hand on her forehead to check for fever, but she was okay.

Anura reached her hand out towards the unknown figure in front of her. As she moved, pain jolted through her body. Her head pounded, and she felt sudden nausea. On instinct, she groaned and touched her temple with her palm.

"Are you alright?" The man asked another question.

A man's voice. Is this... Papa? Anura's eyes looked directly at him. She couldn't see who it was since her vision was blurred, and her head hurt, but his presence made her feel safe.

Anura smiled. "Papa, I'm hurting," she said, with her eyebrows furrowed.

When Anura called the unknown man Papa, he didn't flinch. Instead, he picked up the girl in his arms and started carrying her away.

"Papa," Anura muttered, desperate, "help me." Her breath was heavy, as if it was hard to even speak.

"Shhh… Papa will bring you home," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Anura nodded, only to have pain strike through her again. She couldn't move, it hurt too much. Her headache pounded as if daggers stabbed through her one by one in a never-ending cycle. She leaned her head on the man's chest, falling into his comfort. Then she closed her eyes as her delicate body shook with endless pain.

"So, how did you…" the man began, but Anura didn't hear the rest of what he said. She couldn't answer either. For she fell into a slumber in his arms.

The sound of a faint buzz tingled in Anura's ears. The light cold touch of a palm brushed her forehead, and finally, the feeling of relief raced through her veins. The weight of fallen boulders was lifted from Anura, and the pain was gone.

"How is she?" spoke a man's voice. He sounded like a young gentleman, probably around his 20s.

"She'll be fine. A little more rest and some warm water will do it," replied an old rusted feminine voice.

Who are you? Anura thought. She wanted to open her eyes, but for some unknown reason, her body refused to move.

The cold rush finally sufficed, and Anura was left with the comfort of sleeping on clouds. The pain had suddenly vanished.

"Thank you, madam. Let me escort you on your way out," said the man.

Anura waited for the woman's response but was met only with the low scrapping of a chair being pulled on the floor. As the two people in the room stood up, Anura anticipated their departure from the room.

She wanted to try moving without those strangers noticing. Who knows who they are and where they took her?

First, Anura wanted to try to turn onto her side. She had been laying on her back for so long, her butt probably got sleep paralysis.

Move! Turn! Flip!

Anura tried to command her body, but her attempts were ineffective.

Why can't I move? Am I in a coma?

Anura continued her futile attempts to move though she eventually gave up in frustration. In her time of defeat, she couldn't even sigh.

"So, you're awake," spoke a voice.

By the sounds of it, it was a young boy. Clearly, he hadn't reached puberty yet as his voice was quite high pitched. Well, for a male.

Anura hadn't known there was anyone else left in the room, and her thoughts halted unexpectedly. For a split second, she was so surprised she couldn't even think.

How could this boy know she was awake? A telepathic?!

He chuckled. "Your lip twitched. I'm not a mind reader."

How..?!

"I simply guess what you're thinking based on the situation and your movements," the boy answers promptly to her question.

Shoes clacked on the floor as he made his way closer to the bed where Anura lay. "You aren't one to control your emotions..."

What the hell, Anura thought. This dude is so creepy. Pray to the lords above and the church of Apotheosis that he spares my life.

"Well, I guess I should explain why you are immobile," he begins, "Your body is in a state of fatigue and shock. A member of our wonderful team found you sick in the middle of the woods on Mount. Ephesus. You suffered from a head injury and severe internal bleeding."

As he spoke, Anura recalled the battle, the battle that her Mother and her Father were killed in. Vivid visions of her family being shot down and tortured protruded into her mind. The deaths of Anura's family members struck her little heart with unbearable pain.

These people must have saved her after that battle and brought her here. She must thank them when she's better.

She wondered... Are any of the Somas still alive? There has to be someone... anyone. The Somas were a powerful noble family, fighting beside the king back since the ancient years. Now they were gone, just like that? That shouldn't be how it ends!

Those Gwynerias, they lied! The Somas would never betray the royal family. Gwynerias... They're nothing but dirty liars...cheaters... greedy scavengers thirsting for the throne.

The House of Soma originated from a lowly commoner who was a stunning prodigy, rising to the top as commander and chief of Nova Kingdom's magic knights by the young age of 23. He became a dear friend of the king back in the old days.

After a torturous war with a kingdom desperate to take over the Kingdom of Nova, the great knight was granted his own noble house. He led Nova's army of knights to victory, paving the way to success and taking down dozens of enemy troops. All without ever scratching a single scar on his face. He and his wife began the legacy of the magnificent noble House of Soma.

But what came with a house originating from a commoner, came struggles none other faced. Granting a noble house was not a simple task. Creating a new noble house meant changing the organization of the kingdom and balance of statuses.

The Somas vowed to be loyal to the throne for the rest of their generations, and in return, they got support from the royals. The royals gave the Somas land, training, and even co-owned the Nova army. But if the Somas were to ever turn on the Royal House Crepitus, the Somas would vanish from the face of Aether.

Mother! Father! I'll avenge you! I'll bring back the House of Soma!

"Our healer, Madam Csilla, helped you recover and regain your original state by returning your body's structure before the damage and impacts were inflicted. You aren't fully healed yet, and Madam Csilla told me to prevent you from moving much, which can disrupt her magic and move your structure back into its damaged state. Her magic is also cooling and gives relief to patients who feel a lot of pain," the boy states.

That explains why she felt a chilling touch on my forehead. So it was Madam Csilla... Is she a noble? She seems powerful enough to be from the House Zvonimir.

"I have used my pressure and gravity magic to prevent you from moving. I assembled a sheer magic force atop the surface of your body, around every curve and inch of your skin, to block any movement. It's quite easy, considering you're a 3-foot tall little girl who's sickly."

Wow. But could this boy let me move my eyes and mouth so I can see and speak?

Suddenly, as if the boy was a genie from a bottle, he snaps his fingers. "I've kept you silent long enough. By snapping my fingers, I removed the force from your body temporally. You can open your eyes now. Speak if you'd like."

Anura's eyes flutter open. Finally, she could see her surroundings. One thing caught her eye, though, and it was the young boy staring down at her. Anura must not have heard him before, but he had sat down on a wooden chair on her bedside. He stared down at her while she gazed up at him.

He was gorgeous, even handsome if Anura would believe it. His fluffy blonde hair sat just above his brow, swooped to the side. On the right, it looked as if he had brushed the hair back behind his ear. His hair ended just about under his ear. His hair was long for a boy in Nova, knights would usually cut it short for training purposes. Unlike his, that was so feathery, and shining silk-like. Anura had the urge to touch it.

No! She had to keep her composure. She was a lady. Plus, boys are ew!

He also had baby cheeks and a cute nose, paired with a natural light rosy flush on top. His eyes were dazzling; they shimmered; they were azure blue—a deep blue like the ocean's depths.

His beauty and optics captivated Anura that she couldn't speak. But then he smiled.

He gazed down at Anura warmly. "Hello, I'm Kenmer," he said.

"Hel- hello," Anura stutters, stupidly, "I'm An—"

A loud knock sounds from the dark wood door causing Kenmer to look up.

"Come in," Kenmer says, sitting back onto his chair, watching the door.

Anura follows Kenmer's eyes to see a tall man walk in. He was shaggy and unkempt, with brown hair to his eyes. He wore a shabby black trench coat with black pants and a white turtleneck. He must be one of the adventurers a part of the 'Aislinn' team Kenmer mentioned. Judging from the sword at his left side and the metal plates on his knees and chest.

"The girl's awake," he says, walking beside Kenmer. "She's staring at me quite intently. You think she's alright?"

Anura frowns. "I'm fine, sir," she grumbles, sitting up.

He lets out a big laugh. "You were calling me Papa and hugging me quite tightly before, little one."

Heat rises up to Anura's cheeks, embarrassed at what she had done while she was unconscious.

"Well… I'm sorry!" she shouts, biting her lips.

"This is Jacob. He's the one who found you there in the mountains. You should thank him," Kenmer tells Anura.

Jacob smirks, reaching out his hand and patting Anura's head. "It's alright, little one. It should be the duty of an adventurer to help ya out."

"Thank… thank you…" Anura mutters, looking away.

Suddenly Jacob's face beams. "Oh my god, Kenmer! She's so adorable. Can we ask the team leader if we can keep her?"

Anura was taken back. No one had ever called her cute or adorable other than her family members. She was usually around stuck up nobles who looked down on her and only said mean things.

Light sparkles in Kenmer's eye and an evil grin spread across his face. "Yes, let's ask my father."

Anura thought for a bit. She didn't really have anywhere to go after her home was destroyed and her family's brutal death. Maybe she could stay here for a while until she had the strength to go back.

"Um!" Anura shouts, catching the attention of Kenmer and Jacob, who turns to stare at her. "Well… I don't really have any family… so… if you guys did let me stay, then that would be great."

The two men look at her with dismay, obviously surprised at her request.

"Little one, me and Kenmer were only joking. You're adorable and all, but we can't just kidnap a little girl," Jacob says, shaking his head.

"But—," Anura begins only to be cut off by Kenmer's cough.

"Are you a runaway? Is that why you were in the woods?" Kenmer asks, crossing his arms. His brow was raised, judging Anura internally.

"No, I—"

"Stop being gullible. We only saved you. You should go back. We don't need a noble family tailing us everywhere we go demanding us to give their daughter back." Jacob stares sharply at Anura. His gaze towards her changed; it was almost frightening.

"How do you know?"

"Isn't it obvious? By the way, you're dressed, any citizen of Nova would know. Only the renowned noble houses could be dressed so luxuriously," Jacob responds. "Little girl, you should go home."

Anura turns to Kenmer for reassurance, but he shakes his head.

"Please… I have nowhere to go!" Anura exclaims, her eyes beginning to water. "I don't know if the kingdom has announced it yet, but there was an accident. My home is gone. My people… they're dead. They left me, and if I go back, I don't know where I'll belong."

Jacob snorts. "There's no way an entire noble house could be eliminated that easily. There's someone, and you're going back."

"No!" Anura cries. "Please, I beg of you. I'll join your team. I'll change my identity. I just need a home for now."

"As I see it, you have no mana channels. You'd be useless in a battle. A little girl as weak as you wouldn't be able to even lift a small dagger," Kenmer points out. "Madam Csillia even scanned twice. It was so funny seeing her astonished expression!"

Damn, thought Anura. These people know nothing. But they're right… Anura was weak. She had no magic or strength. No talents or unique abilities.

Anura grits her teeth. "But… I can try; I'll be a magic knight!"

"A magic knight without magic?" Jacob scoffs. "Little girl, it's in the name. 'Magic' knight."

"Then help me," Anura mumbles.

"What?" Jacob couldn't hear the words that came out of Anura's mouth

"THEN HELP ME!" Anura shouts. She'd had enough of no one ever believing in her, calling her useless and shameful. She knew she was. She knew she was weak.

There was a long silence in the room. Kenmer and Jacob looked to each other, while Anura gripped her bed sheets.

Breaking the tension, Jacob groans. "Let's discuss this at the adventurers guild."

"What?" Anura pauses, taken back. Why? The Adventurer's Guild, where had Anura heard of that term before?

Oh right! Anura realized it was where her mother was employed before falling in love with Anura's father and marrying into the Somas.

The Adventurer's Guild existed in nearly all kingdoms and they allowed magically talented commoners to do jobs that powerless people couldn't do.

Some adventurers were even employed by nobles for certain tasks. The Adventurer's Guild was also the main source of magic knights as the nobles of various kingdoms liked recruiting and sponsoring famous adventurers. This happened with Anura's mom.

"Can you walk?" asked Jacob, turning towards Anura.

"I kept her under my gravity magic for a couple of hours, her limbs are probably fried…" replied Kenmar as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh right...okay, I'm going to check if there are any lost child alerts in the guild," Jacob states, nodding to himself. "Your father and the rest of the team should already be there, keep the girl company for now."

As Jacob left the room, Kenmar lumbered over to a stool at the side of the bed. Holding his hand up again, Kenmar reactivated his Gravity magic.

"Whaa-" cried Anura as she slammed back down.

"Madam Cisillia told me to keep you still. Now sleep or something!"

She didn't want to sleep! But she couldn't say anything since Kenmer's magic had already silenced her.

Hmph! When she gets stronger, she'll make him pay!

As Anura's weariness overtook her again, she gradually fell asleep but she couldn't help but hear Kenmar grumbling.

"Just because I'm the kid they leave me with this liability. Just wait till I'm old enough to join you guys on quests."

What?! She wasn't a liability. Anura, frustrated, ran heated thoughts through her head aimed at Kenmer.

But soon the world faded around her and she drifted off to complete darkness.