7: A Promise to Return (2)

Niva couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him. "Why didn't they kill you?" she inquired.

"That would have been disadvantageous to them," Akio explained, his tone serious with a hint of anger. "Killing me wasn't their goal, the source of my power was. They wanted me chained down here and use me to empower themselves."

Niva nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She knew what it felt like to be betrayed and had been living with the desire for revenge for years. At least Akio was able to get instant revenge, she still had ways to go before she could avenge her parents.

"Alright Akio, I plan on leaving this valley. Given that we both don't have anywhere else to go, would you like to get out of here with me?" she asked, hoping that he would accept her proposal.

Akio looked at her intently, his eyes scanning her face as if searching for something. Finally, he spoke, "I wouldn't say no to that. However, now that I am free, there are a couple of things I need to check on. I'll be gone for a while, but I'll return," he finished, winking at her.

Niva felt a flutter in her stomach as she realized that Akio was flirting with her. She had never dealt with romantic advances and had no experience, but she couldn't deny that Akio was incredibly handsome and charming.

"If you have things to do and places to be, there's no need to return," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"Are you pushing me away already?" Akio asked, a playful glint in his eye.

"N-No... you're free to do what you want," Niva stammered, feeling her face heat up with embarrassment.

"I'll definitely be back, Niva. You and I are now more than acquaintances. I plan on doing more than being just a friend to you," Akio said, his voice low and seductive as he leaned in closer to her.

Niva's heart raced as she realized that Akio was definitely flirting with her. She tried to maintain a neutral expression, but she couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

"We'll leave first thing in the morning then," she said, trying to change the subject.

"Sure thing, Niva," Akio replied, his voice smooth like silk.

The next morning, Niva woke up to find Akio gone. She sighed, feeling a bit disappointed but not entirely surprised. After all, he had been trapped in here for who knows how long, and he must have had a lot to catch up on.

As Niva walked out of the cave, she noticed a folded piece of paper lying on the ground. She approached it and realized that it was a note from Akio.

"Thank you for freeing me," the note read. "I must leave now. I promise to return, so wait for me."

Niva felt a tinge of disappointment upon reading the note, but she understood that Akio had things to do. She also had her own plans to put into motion, and perhaps they would cross paths again in the future.

With a heavy heart, Niva left the cave and began her journey back to her village.

As Niva emerged from the abyss, she was eager to find out more about the events of the past few years and the current state of the Arcanum clan. As she wandered around the city, she couldn't help but notice how much it had changed since she was last here. Once a quiet countryside, it was now teeming with activity and energy, with stalls, new shops, and disciple mages filling the streets.

Niva noticed that she was attracting some unwanted attention, as she was walking around. She quickened her pace and headed deeper into the city. Soon, she found herself in a dark and dangerous part of the market, with stalls selling exotic animals, dark magic potions, and there were even slave traders.

Niva then looked for an information trade shop to find out more about the Arcanum clan. She noticed one and headed towards it. Just as she was about to enter, someone was thrown out through the door. Sensing the incoming movement, she quickly moved out of the way as a man landed on the ground with a thud.

All kinds of noises were coming from inside the shop - someone was crying, another was yelling, and others were laughing. Niva could see that the older man lying on the ground was covered in bruises, and his legs seemed broken.

"Please let my dad go," cried out a raspy voice from inside the shop.

Niva's heart thumped as she heard the boy's voice, reminding her of the night her parents died. She almost moved unconsciously to help the boy, but she could not foil her own plans, so she decided to keep watching from the sidelines.