CHAPTER 7

The next day, Aya was still asleep when a sudden commotion was heard outside her room. Aya furrowed her eyebrows and stirred in her bed. She was eventually awakened by the noise.

"What's going on?" Aya thought.

Aya's curiosity was quickly cut off by the knock on the door.

"Priestess! Priestess! Are you awake? Master Rune is calling you!"

Aya was alarmed by Winrar's fearful shouts. She immediately leaped from her bed and opened the door. "Winrar? What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

Winrar's nervous face and a fluff of red hair greeted her outside the door.

"Vio is here too?"

Aya met Vio's shy gaze behind Winrar. "That... Aya... someone got contracted with the Obsidian heart. Master Rune wanted you to go with him to stop the havoc."

Aya wondered why Vio was not looking at her directly and stuttering, so she casts a questioning look at Winrar.

"This is not appropriate, Priestess. Please allow me to help you prepare before going out." Winrar moved to cover Aya and softly push her back into the room.

Aya seemed to realized something and looked down at herself. She was wearing a white night dress that reach below her knees. The problem was that the dress was too thin, her underwear was vaguely visible.

"Nooo!!" Panic was painted across Aya's face as she slammed the door quite rudely. She then covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. "I'm an idiot."

Aya's embarrassment was only for a moment as Winrar urged her to make haste. She became preoccupied and quickly forgot about this incident.

Aya hurriedly boarded the carriage where Rune and Vio were waiting. "Rune, I heard that someone had the obsidian heart? I'm not confident that I would be of any help."

" No need to worry. I will be the one to restrain him. You only need to observe and learn." Rune stated calmly.

Looking at Rune's eyes that had no fluctuation like a motionless lake, Aya was greatly comforted. Now that her fear disappeared, there was only anticipation left.

Vio looked at Aya and thumped his chest with his fist. "Yes. Don't worry, Aya. I will protect you!"

Aya smiled at Vio's gesture and thanked him sofly.

When they arrived at the scene, Aya noticed a single man surrounded by knights. The man is so strong that he overwhelmed a group of knights with his bare hands.

"Is that the contractor? He has no magic nor weapon, how can he overpower the knights?"

Rune pointed his finger towards the man. "Observe carefully. This is a contractor of the obsidian heart. The veins in his forehead and arms are protruding. His eyes are pitch black, even the sclera. He could not speak nor think correctly and could only growl. His strength is also greatly increased. Only light can restrain the darkness, the knights can do no harm to him as they will be contracted if they injure or kill him."

"How can that be!?" Aya gasped. "What happened to him?"

"Obsidian heart is contracted when you are swallowed completely by your own darkness. It feeds on negative emotions and thoughts to get stronger. This man is a poor man with a sick wife. He was forced to steal for his family. He envied the rich and redirected his anger and desperation. The darkness took advantage of his heart and controlled him. It made him violent and murderous. If by chance he is killed, the darkness will be drawn out and contract the one closest to it and fuel its darkness."

Aya felt pity for the man and his family. "Then... what do we do now, Rune?"

"I do not have the light to purify him, but I can stop him temporarily. Stay behind Vio and don't move around." Rune then closed his eyes. His whole being exuded a white light. The light seemed to give a little warmth to his usual cold appearance. He raised his arms and chanted.

"Oh holy light!

The world is in need of your warmth.

Shackle the darkness to the earth.

Seal thou obsidian heart!"

Golden shackles made of light seemed to have sprout from the ground and restrained the man. He looked as if he is in pain. He screamed in agony as the shackles wrapped around him.

Aya covered her ears. She felt uncomfortable. The man screamed so painfully and this pain seemed to come from his soul. It made her own dark memories resurface. Aya turned pale and felt like throwing up.

When Aya almost could not stand it, she heard a gasped. She raised her eyes to look at the exhausted Rune. His forehead is full of sweat and his arm is shaking. Aya realized that restraining a contractor needed a large amount of mana.

Aya admired Rune even more and felt distress for his well-being. She unconsciously let go of her own worries and focused more on Rune. She vowed to herself that she will become stronger to help Rune in the future and lighten his burden.

It felt like it has been almost an hour when the contractor finally lost conciousness. Aya was relieved and whispered to herself, "Is it successful?"

Vio, who stood mightily like a shield in front of Aya, heard her voice clearly. "Master Rune could only seal the darkness inside the body. The contractor wont be able to wake up unless he is purified."

"I see... then I must get stronger soon... but, will the body be okay?"

Vio smiled soothingly at Aya. "The magic tower will be responsible in taking care of him."

Vio saw that Aya is still worried, so he wanted to pat her head. Aya, however, ran forward towards Rune.

Rune was tired and uncontrollably sat on the ground. His white robes was dirtied by the soil and dust.

Aya bent down and offered her handkerchief. "You were great, Rune. Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you. The Priestess of light will surely be greater than me in the future." Rune was grateful and smiled a little.

Rune's noble appearance was nowhere to be found at this moment. His hair is a bit unruly, his face is pale and sweaty... but to Aya, this weak and sickly appearance reminded her of Rune's heroic posture and warm light. Aya's heart is greatly stirred at this moment. She was in a daze and a blush slowly crept up her cheeks.

Looking at Aya and Rune's intimate exchange, Vio frowned. He felt that his heart was disturbed and he is not sure why.

Three hearts moved differently at this moment. No one knows how can this affect the future... but one can tell that these hearts will surely be entangled with each other.