20 Arrival

Dropping the staff upon Aurelia's face, Zireael's pale expression grew ashen, revealing blood vessels upon his skin. Unable to even move, or think he fell into a deep slumber surrounded by darkness while a cold sweat slowly began slipping from the young boy's body.

Shivering uncontrollably, the entire carriage began to glimmer with a silver light. "Life signature fading, implementing Plan AX1." Said Anima

Covering the young boy with silver mist, a blade suddenly appeared from thin air, shimmering with cold intent under the bright-lit skies. Suddenly the blade quickly shot towards the young lord-like a beam of light heading for his defenseless head. Sensing the chilling touch of lady death upon his neck Zireaels icy eyes shot open when the blade came to a halt a centimeter from his head.

"Do we have any Ravens Glass?" He weakly questioned bearly able to find the strength to open his mouth.

"Yes, Governor Cor had it sent to your estate a few months back." Anima reminded the young master, far too weak even to move. " It has already been converted into insense for the young master."

"Burn three of them," Lord Blackwater commanded, not daring to return back to sleep once more. "It will seem I will not be able to have a good nap for a few months."

Turning towards the dark insense burning, a warm aura flowed into the young boy's soul to calm his nerves.

"Lord Blackwater, based upon the state of your soul, it will take twenty Raven Glass or something of equal value to stabilize your condition. That is all we have."

Hearing the discomforting news, Zireael sighed, "Where do these Raven Glass grow?" He weakly asked.

"Within the Hallow Marshes a few days from The Lake of Reflection just outside the village of Yrinas. If the Master travels there alone, it should take a few minutes or seconds depending on how he feels." Said Anima bringing a smile to Zireael.

"We will send Aurelia... if she fails, I fall into madness once more, and everyone dies; if she succeeds well, it will be experienced." Whispered Zireael, "but that is assuming I need to use my power again."

" Would the Lord like to brand Aurelia with my nanotech? This will allow her access to the library of spells held within the Zero mainframe, and it would give her a map that could not be stolen or destroyed."

"yes, please do. Now be silent. I need to focus." whispered Zireael closing his eyes entering a meditative state. Hovering off the ground, Lord Blackwater slowly took a deep breath filled with the insense of Raven Glass burning by his side.

Slowly the seconds began to slip away, allowing the sun to fade from the heavens, bringing the glimmering moon upon the land. With a gentle breeze flowing across the carriage, Talia's eyelids began to tremble, slowly rising to the view of the moon.

"What..." Covering her mouth, Talia stared at her master in deep meditation while her master hovered off the carriage. Gulping down, Innis slowly arose beside her, gazing silently towards Lord Blackwater.

"What happened?" whispered Innis, looking at Aurelia gripping a rather evil-looking staff within her hands.

"Don't know, Lord Zireael did something, and we fainted before we even knew what happened," Talia answered, feeling the carriage come to a quick halt. Turning to her lord still in the air meditating, she slowly exited the carriage alongside Innis.

Gazing upon the large village known as Yrinas covered in light, Talia smiled, "looks like we made it! Shall we wake Aurelia and explore?"

"What of lord Zireael?" Asked Innis scrunching her brow. "Should we not protect him?"

"That's why I came with my carriage, "stated Zireael in a weak manner as the last bit of Insense faded away like ash. "if offers protection from virtually everything. Anyway, wake Aurelia. I have bad news for you all."

Bowing towards her master in a matter of seconds, a dozy Aurelia was ruthlessly torn away from her dreams. Slowly memories of what happened flashed inside her mind, shattering her drowsy appearance.

"Aurelia did it... AURELIA DID IT!!!!" She screaked as Zireael smirked.

"You sure did, but since that staff was too powerful, I sealed it and used a power I had oped not to use so soon. All of you are in danger right now." Zireael explained, watching everyone but Aurelia pale, "I need some Ravens Glass, but I am far too lazy to grab it myself."

"I can get it, your grace," Innis offered without much thought. "While Rare in number Ravens Glass was well within my scope of knowledge.

"Nope, I want Aurelia to get it. She was the one who put me in this state."

"Aurelia did nothing... But now Aurelia knows Dumb Dumb is weak; Aurelia can definitely win!" Shouted the young girl with a cunning smile.

"First of I am still just as strong, and Ravens Glass is just used to calm the soul of men and women. It has nothing to do with being weak physically but rather mentally. I will train you how to cast spells for a few days, but the rest is up to you. Whether I go rabid like a dog and kill everyone, rest upon your hands." Said Zireael stepping out of his carriage with a lazy hue.

Staring at everyone, Aurelia quickly grew quiet. Watching the pale faces of Innis and Talia, the young girl no more than three felt an enormous pressure upon her heart. It was completely unfair to ask this of her, but Zireael felt she needed something like this. A challenge and a goal, even if temporary, to make something of herself.

"Talia, go with Aurelia ahead. I wish to speak with Innis for a second," stated Zireael, watching Talia take Aurelia by the hand leading her into the village ahead.

"Go sneak away a little later tonight when everyone sleeps and find me some Ravens Glass. I am sure the nobles of this village have some. Use my name, if you must, but get those herbs by any means."

Opening her eyes in astonishment, Innis gasped, "This is a trial for Aurelia. You just want to see how she will do on her own."

"Yeah, I could easily find some Raven Glass, but why not let her experience some growth. Sure this is a lot of pressure, but it's an incentive to grow.

"And if she breaks?" Questioned Innis in a cold undertone. How many had she seen involved in similar circumstances crack under the pressure of the responsibility? Hundreds? Thousands? How could she let Aurelia fall like them?

"From his? Come now, she drowned and walked away without so much as a second thought, her father sold her, and she still walks and talks with confidence. She is a strong girl; I think she will make it. There is a reason I picked her. Do not always look at her as a three-year-old. She is so much more than that."