Trapped by the mind

Machia stared at the limp body he clutched tightly under his arm. The setting in front of him was simply too daunting. Building up his strength, he raised his head. 

The hilly plains that accompanied his view were unnatural. Thick dirt tracks dug into the distant hills, forever scarring them. More outstanding was the strange, inexplicable, flat surface that lay alone amidst the hills.

Machia closed his eyes. A light rumbling entered his ears.

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Following in the wake of the two women, Machia had closed the distance. In a rare instance of reflection, he had begun to feel embarrassed for maintaining such a secure range from idiots. Now involved in the conversation, he listened to the two women bicker impatiently.

"Teacher, I've been meaning to ask, why are you so strong? I get that you can use a sword well, but still, I'm sure you're not human.

"Amelia, it's not nice to question people's humanity, you know? Well, I guess an idiot like you wouldn't know any better. Regardless, it's none of your business."

"Who are you calling an idiot? I was just asking."

Amelia turned to Helena with an expression of boding agitation. She pushed her head towards Helena in a challenging manner, which caused the knight to sigh and avoid her gaze. Machia also found himself curious, which spurred him to join the conversation. 

"I'd like to know too Helena."

Helena sent him an intrigued look and a teasing smile. "Well, I suppose if Machia's the one asking I don't mind."

Helena's jesting tone caused the blessed girl to furrow her brows and send a direct look of jealous distrust towards Machia. 

"Why do you always treat him as your favourite when he's so boring."

Helena responded with a judging stare that she shared with Machia. 

"Machia's been taking on all the work you were supposed to help with for months whilst you get accustomed to controlling your powers. He even helps you with regular sword training despite being so busy. You should thank him, but anyway, enough about all that. Surely, we're far enough now, so go hurry up and do that thing you brought us out here for. Quit wasting our time already.

"Huff"

With a distasteful sigh, the Blessed turned around. However, an uncharacteristic smile lit up her face soon afterwards.

"Well, I guess, I do owe you for this one, Machia. As unpleasant as it was, I think talking with you helped me realize how to use my ability. So thanks."

Helena tilted her head cautiously as she looked to Machia for answers. Noticing her gaze caused Machia to groan as he was reminded of their previous gruelling conversation, but he couldn't help but smile a little at the same time. 

With the brightest of smiles, one that continued to widen, Amelia announced her discovery gleefully. 

"Machia was telling me about some quote from his favourite book. He was just going on and on about strength and fear and all sorts. But, that's when it hit me. Until now, even though I could use my ability, it could hardly hurt even a fly like him."

With a kind smile, she dismissed the demeaning nature of her words and raised her hand towards the distant hills. Her green eyes lit up in awe at the plain but dazzling green planes around her. 

"That's when I realized, what if I do the exact opposite of what he's telling me. That's when it clicked. If I can just think about that feeling, it's all about that feeling."

Machia was disgruntled by the cruel prattling of his fellow blessed. But a rising sensation began to build within him. Her attitude, more than ever, reminded him of that day. Until now, she had receded control to authority, at least a little since being defeated by Helena. But right now, she felt... different. Something profound tugged at him from within.

A swirl of energy surrounded the girl; an absolute aura of emerald green light slowly wrapped around her figure. Its eerie quiet pulsing surprised Machia, the application of her ability. It was far beyond what it had been until now.

"And then, I think, uh, wait, Machia, now what?

Machia listened to her ramble with curiosity. He did his best to hold back a laugh as she insecurely requested his aid. Hoping to share his snide amusement with Helena, he turned around only to find her gone. 

"Huh, where?"

Turning back just in time, he heard one last thing. 

"How about-"

Silence. 

The world rumbled in complete silence. Everything shook. A barrage of seemingly nothing at all descended upon the hilltops in front of the blessed two. Through some supernatural force, the hilltops were bisected, cleaved and cast into the air without a sound. There, they enigmatically levitated, at least for a moment, in stiff serenity. 

But after this momentary requite, they descended. 

Thousands of tons of dirt dived towards the ground. The cuts were so sharp that the hilltops remained entirely intact as they crashed into the ground. Before a cloud of dust could be kicked up in their wake, there was noise. Rocketing forth, a fierce rippling cry blasted the two Blessed. The attack had exceeded the speed of sound.

The noise violated Machia's eardrums. His childish ears were sensitive to the immense searing sound. The same went for the Blessed girl who crouched and clutched her ears, battling the pain with curiosity regarding the catastrophe she had just committed. 

The tremors of the ground shook the legs of both Blessed as the hilltops collided with the ground. The ensuing dust failed to match the noise's scale but managed to reach the feet of the duo.

Whilst the progenitor of the destruction appeared entirely stunned by her own display, Machia watched with a grin. 

"Woah"

The surroundings were left in a stagnant silence as Machia alone stood in awe at her mighty display. Gazing at the ravaged, upturned land, Machia sent an impressed gaze towards the Blessed girl.

"Amelia... that was awesome. How'd you do it?"

The girl's hands covered her ears, preventing his words from reaching. She then lowered one hand, looking at her outstretched palm studiously. Then she giggled. Her eyes possessed an ominous glimmer as her laugh divulged her manic, ecstatic feelings. Machia couldn't help but send a wry smile at Amelia's state, intrigued by her antics. 

"Woah."

After a while, Helena approached, mirroring Machia's thoughts perfectly. 

"Well, it's official. If you guys want to go beat the Emperor, you probably could.

Machia sent Helena a provocative, questioning stare. As far as he was concerned, Helena was totally loyal to the Emperor. As if understanding Machia's concern, Helena spoke up. 

"There wouldn't be much point in me fighting, you guys now. At least together. But forget I said anything. I'm more concerned about you, Machia. Shouldn't you be scared right now? Hell even I was terrified. That goes for her, too. This whole thing is going to start getting dangerous. What I mean is... it's just now that I have a child of my own. I've started to think..."

Now Machia sent her a real threatening gaze, unsure of what exactly she was suggesting. Helena seemed to flinch a little from his reaction as she looked away from him despondently.

"I've just been thinking. Every day now, you look just a little more... tired, you know? Machia, I'm worried about you, whatever 'duty' the king has you doing at night. Ask yourself, is it really worth it. Amelia herself has some scars, too... ones I may have been complicit in... the kingdom isn't even real so why..."

Helena was directionless with her words. All of a sudden, she'd started to question their treatment as Blessed. What was she getting at, and Why?

"Helena, what are you really saying? Tell me."

Looking back at Machia, spurred on by his words, she spoke bluntly. 

"Now that you're strong, I think you should run away. Together. Don't you realize you're basically slaves here? You don't owe those old assholes or this land anything.

Helena's tone was sombre. The undertones suggested a slight loathing even towards the Empire.

'Is she guilty? About what. Amelia's wounds back then, those were... her fault.'

Machia's face tightened. A certain image played within his mind as Amelia approached them. He started to take her words just a little more seriously.

"Don't be like that teacher, it doesn't suit you. None of that stuff was your fault. You're supposed to be praising me right now, remember?"

With seeming indifference, Amelia walked to Machia's side. Strands of long green hair blocked her face. Again, that time in the grand hall flashed into his head. Dyed with red blood, that haunting image relentlessly infiltrated his mind. 

Helena noticed his mortified gaze. He himself wasn't even aware of the kind of expression he was showcasing trapped inside his own mind. With a despondent, empty tone, Machia spoke whilst he stared at Amelia.

"Did you forget. I am a prince. I have duties to attend to."

Helena tore her gaze away from the boy, disheartened as she wordlessly walked away. Amelia chased after her as she tried to catch up, seemingly indifferent to Machia's attitude. Machia looked down at his feet and then at their departing figures.

'Ah right, I forgot, I'm only supposed to monitor them.'

That was the last day Machia saw Helena. It was not long after that Amelia, too, would leave, exiled to the King's army.