Chapter 52: Reason for Being [Free]

"Do you know what this means, Allyria?" Kaius said.

The look on his face told her he was up to no good. 

Allyria shook her head in disbelief. There was no way it was true. Ever since she was a kid, nothing has ever happened as impossible as this. 

A few minutes ago, Allyria told Kaius about what happened in the lake - how all of the animals started to die, how the water boiled from the burning temperature and how her hand stung by the touch but there was not a single burn on her skin. She didn't want to disclose it to him especially after the incident but she felt the need to tell him now.

"Don't tell me that," she laughed at his ridiculousness, "No, it just can't... It's not happening."

"But it already did! You were meant to be..." he paused not knowing what to call it.

"Incender," she replied.

He nodded, "Yes that. You are an Incender, Allyria."

Allyria's forehead creased, "How could I be? You know mother and father. You know my siblings. They don't possess this kind of..." she glanced at her palms, "...magic. No one in the family does."

"Who knows? They might be like you but just haven't realized it yet," Kaius said. He spoke like he couldn't feel the pain anymore but for all she knew, Kaius was just trying to conceal it since he is a 'man'.

"Stop talking nonsense." she tore his eyes from him and directed it to his hand, "How is it?"

He followed her gaze, "Well, aside from the fact that I literally placed my hand in a thousand-degree-hot steel, no, it doesn't hurt at all," he said, the sarcasm obvious in his tone.

"Heh," Allyria responded, rolling her eyes. Sometimes talking to Kaius just doesn't make sense at all. She doesn't even know why she still tries so hard to have a decent conversation with him. But maybe he also felt that way with her. Well, she couldn't read his mind.

"We need ice cold water," she disregard his previous chatter, "And needles to drain it."

Kaius laughed and raised his palms in front of her as if trying to stop her, "Woah. No. You can't puncture my hand with anything. I won't let you." 

"You're a big man and you're afraid of needles? How poor of you, Prince Kaius," the sound in her voice was enough to tease him into shame.

Kaius' nose crinkled, "No one said I'm afraid. I just don't want an inexperienced princess to do the first aid for me." 

"Excuse me? I was seriously the one who saved your life when you arrived in Windamere."

"And you almost bruised me when you punched my shoulders."

"Because you were making fun of me!"

"Because it's funny to make fun of you."

"You're mean."

"You're meaner."

"Ha," she ended the conversation. His presence seemed to buzz around Allyria like a fly that she can never swat. "I'll be the one to call for help. Stay there and don't move an inch," she said and stood, walking towards the bars. She couldn't help but stare at the melted steel for seconds. For sure Federova would ask about it later and they would have to come up with a lame excuse. 

But Allyria paused to her feet when she noticed a tiny hole between the steel bars, light trying to pass through. It was as if the dungeon was made of paper and through the air, she poked a pencil right through it, making her see what was actually in the outside.

It gave the impression of a portal to a different space or dimension. She bent over, her brows furrowed as her curiosity heightened.

"What are you doing?" Kaius asked.

Allyria ignored him and took a peak in the hole. There wasn't much to see but she noticed a room made of wooden floors and walls. A carving of a deer head enclosed in a frame hung opposite to where she was and below it was a candle placed in a table, illuminating whatever was there to set alight. 

'What is this place?'

Allyria pulled away from the hole and turned to face Kaius, "You need to see this."

Kaius raised his chin, his eyes widened as if he just woke up from a daydream, "Why? What happened?"

She jerked her head to the direction of the hole and showed it to him, "Look."

"What is that thing?" he tripped over his tongue. Even she couldn't believe how a hole could appear into thin air. There wasn't anything like this earlier. Allyria remembered what she saw. Darkness enveloped the opposite side of the steel bars. She even rested her head on it and placed her hand on the steel…

The hole was in the same area where she melted the rod. 

But how? A lot has already happened in a day. It was too much information overload. Or was she just dreaming? She wasn't even sure anymore.

"Come check it out," she shoved her thoughts away and moved to the side to give him enough space.

Kaius got to his feet and paced towards where she was. He hesitated for several seconds but went on with it and looked through the hole. Allyria could hear a slight gasp coming from his mouth, "What in the world is this?" he asked as soon as he jerked back. 

Allyria shrugged, "Same question."

"There's something there," Kaius said, dumbfounded. 

"I know. It's weird. It just happened when I held onto the bars."

Allyria observed her surroundings. She straightened her back and walked around the small box dungeon. She tried to tap on the wall, floor and ceiling. They were real. They seemed real.

"Allyria," Kaius called, his face gave the slightest idea he was planning something she didn't want to know at all. 

"Can you melt the steel again?" 

Just as what she expected.

"I… I don't know if I can still do it."

"Try it, I'm sure you can do it again," he said like these words were supposed to motivate her but it was the complete opposite.

Doubt knocked on her mind. Allyria wasn't sure how she was able to do the thing she did earlier. She wasn't chanting any voodoo magic spells or doing any coordinated hand movements to form some symbol. In fact, she wasn't even doing anything. Just thinking, contemplating on her life at the castle, how she was always the least liked, the black sheep among the family.

And then she realized…

Rage.

Allyria ignited the fire within her because of it. Instead of holding it in, she unleashed the inferno into the world and destroyed whatever she held in the process.

Allyria gulped, looking up at this new and unfamiliar sight, slowly growing frightened at what it her magic might do. Her hands tremble as she reached towards the rods. Her body was hot and sweat started trickling down her neck. She gripped it tightly, channeling her thoughts to the physical world.

Her mother hated her. Her father loved her but treated her like garbage later on when she was no longer needed. They didn't listen. They chose to give up on her and hand her to someone she never chose to love in the first place.

They were selfish. They didn't care about her well-being. All they ever cared about was the kingdom. The kingdom and their greed.

She's been stuck in the forest for what now? Weeks? Months? And no one has ever come to save her. They must have even forgotten her already. They would be happy about it—one less thorn to the family.

Allyria didn't realize a tear already trickled down her face. She wiped it before Kaius could say anything and focused on the steel in front of her. Burn. Burn. Burn.

Her hands started to feel the sensation. Her body was on fire. She could feel the flames consuming her body, increasing in waves. It was deep within her skin, stinging and burning, almost as if her bones were being turned to dust. 

The pain takes over a portion of her brain. The emotions of loss—death, abandonment, betrayal, they all lead here.

She could feel the steel melting from her hand but she didn't flinch at the sight of it. It felt good, surreal, and free. Was this how Silas felt whenever he used his magic? If yes, she'd never want to stop anymore.

The melted steel dripped from her hand and into the ground. Leisurely, she slid it down to melt the lower parts of the bars. And she wasn't wrong. Just in the vacant space, another place appeared between the gaps of steel. It was the portal to their freedom.

The underground of the cottage smelled of warm scent, earth and… blood.

Allyria could smell blood just overhead. She pulled her hand from the steel. It was already enough for them to pass through.

She waved her hand into the open first just to make sure. When she was already certain, she motioned for Kaius, "Let's go."

Allyria took her first step. 

The floor beneath her was firm enough. 

She proceeded to the next one. 

And she is out.

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Written and edited by ephemery.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Allyria will hunt you down to the ends of Arde Terra and cast you out together with the Undying in the Islands of the Cursed. You've been warned.

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