I'll Do It

I hovered between sleep and waking, simply basking at how comfortable a large, soft bed could be, when a ding rang out through my hazy mind. The word WARNING appeared in bright red before my mind's eye.

As it faded, there was another ding and suddenly my mind was covered with so many warnings, I couldn't think.

The overlapping words blended together into a wall of red and I heard a male voice. The voice was smooth and rich like honey.

"Power begets power." It said. I shivered at the words. They sounded harmless but the tone made me uneasy like nails on a chalkboard. I vaguely felt the hair on the back of my neck rise.

The red haze began to form the shape of a room. A fuzzy outline of a person knelt before a radiant figure on a throne.

"Do you understand your orders?" The same male voice asked.

"Yes, Sire. Find the beneficiary and stoke the flames of madness." The kneeling figured answered.

"Good. Go." The radiant being said. The kneeling figure disappeared instantly.

Then the figure in the throne moved and I was struck by a piercing gold gaze. I felt fear spread through my body like a cold wind.

"Soon." The radiant being said.

Another explosion of warnings wracked my brain mind, covering the gaze and the room. The malice behind that final word was like a bared knife.

I jolted upright. My eyes flew open and I gripped my shirt. My heart pounded.

Hastily, gulping down air, I tried to calm myself as the red warnings faded.

I turned my head to the right, then left, but I was alone. There was no malicious person who would inspire such a dream. No one to give off such feelings of ill will.

Sighing, I let my hand fall to the bed. I was just on edge because of those dumb princes.

I turned my head to the left again. I had gained 7 levels so including the 12 STAT points I had gained for my quest, I had 54 STAT points to spend.

Looking at my STATs, I saw that all of them had improved on their own.

The displayed showed the following:

Kylara Adamare

NOVICE: Level 11

STATS:

Agility: 22 (+4)

Charisma: 18 (+2)

Intelligence: 20 (+1)

Magic: 30 (+5)

Strength: 18 (+3)

Wisdom: 20 (+4)

Stat points to spend: 54.

Rather than try to even out my STATS as I had done last time, I simply put 9 STAT points into each stat. If I was going to gain STAT points through training, it seemed pointless to even them out. I might as well increase my baseline.

Kylara Adamare

NOVICE: Level 11

STATS:

Agility: 31

Charisma: 27

Intelligence: 29

Magic: 39

Strength: 27

Wisdom: 29

Stat points to spend: 0.

Accept changes? Y or N.

I quickly accepted the changes. Then I looked at my skills.

Kylara Adamare

Novice: Level 11

SKILLS:

Slash lvl 8

Lightning Strike lvl 11

Crush lvl 7

Light Shield lvl 4

Freeze lvl 9

Chill lvl 4

Air Scythe lvl 7

Shadowbolt lvl 8

Water Barrier lvl 2

Tangling Vines lvl 3

Additional Skill lines unlock-able with study.

…

I smiled happily as I saw how much I'd approved.

The sounds of loud voices reached my ears.

"I'm going in!" a voice like Kane's shouted.

"She is resting." High Lord Volanti's cold voice countered.

As I got up to open the door, scuffling noises reached me. I frowned and opened the door.

High Lord Volanti was pushing Kane back from the door as Kane struggled to get passed him.

Kane looked, well, he looked bad. He had dark circles under his eyes. His hair was messy and tangled as were his dirt streaked clothes. He smelled like sweat and body odor as if he hadn't showered in days.

His eyes met mine and his expression turned soft. Whatever energy had been sustaining him seemed to flee and just like that he was on the floor.

I gazed down at him in silence. My expression was calm but inside I was in turmoil. I knew I should hate him and I was angry, but there was a small part of me, which was growing, that couldn't forget the happy times we'd had before. And now, he'd saved me, maybe more than once.

With a heavy sigh, I bent around High Lord Volanti and grabbed Kane's arm. I began dragging him into my bedroom. Even with my improved strength, he was heavy.

"He'll get sick if he sleeps on the floor." I said in response to High Lord Volanti's confused look. He frowned, but said nothing.

After struggling for several minutes, I at last managed to put Kane in my bed. I covered him up then looked at him for a long moment.

Turning away, I left the room and closed the door firmly.

High Lord Volanti sat in the armchair at the far end of my coffee table. His legs were crossed and his posture gave off a feel of relaxedness which his face did not.

"I think it is time we had a talk." He said. His tone was grave as he gestured for me to sit on the loveseat.

I felt my stomach drop and swallowed hard, but I did as he wanted.

"This is twice now that you've experience Magic Exhaustion since you've been here." He said. "I would like to know why and how this is happening. I was unaware you had a System."

I licked my lips, "Well, I got one just recently."

"Last Tuesday?" The High Lord pressed. I nodded. "How? You were found in your rooms at noon and you did not go out that morning." I opened my mouth to tell him that I'd brought it with me, but his eyes narrowed. "Do not lie to me. I will be able to tell."

I closed my mouth then nodded to myself. Looking him directly in the eyes, I told him of getting lost in the ruins and finding the huge System crystal. He nodded for me to continue and seemed to believe me.

When I finished, High Lord Volanti jumped to his feet and strode to the window. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked out over the gardens.

"And what happened two days ago?" He asked in a cold voice.

I blinked. "Two days-"

The High Lord cut me off, "You've been asleep for a day and a half." I let out a short, sharp breath. "Why did you go to the Training Grounds."

"I wanted to level up, but I needed someone to go with me." I said slowly.

"The next time you go-"

"I won't need to ask Prince Blaize. I am level 11 now. I can go by myself." I smiled happily at the thought.

The High Lord turned and fixed me with a hard glare, "The next time you go, you will inform me before you leave. And when you get back. And you will NOT go alone!" I shrunk down on myself in the face of his obvious anger.

I didn't have anyone to go with me, I thought with a pout.

***

Glade glared at his father as his chest heaved up and down, "I will not claim that Cow. There are other females with magic. There are other females with assets. Sure, they didn't trick you, but then again, I don't believe that is much of a qualifier for a mate."

"Although I do not feel ready to claim anyone, I will comprise and do it because you are telling me to, but I will not claim that Cow!" Glade's voice shook. His father had been acting as if he were bewitched ever since that Cow had arrived. Glade was not sure what his father would do, now that he'd flat out refused.

High Lord Volanti's left eyebrow twitched. Then he turned to Brook and smiled.

"My dearest daughter, since your brother refuses to be dutiful, you will bear the consequences."

"What?" Glade exclaimed. The High Lord turned merciless eyes on him.

"Either you agree to do this, or I will sign your beloved sister's mating agreement tonight and she will be claimed before the week is out."

Glade's face paled, "But it's only been a week! She doesn't know anyone here! How could yo-"

High Lord Volanti smiled sadly at his daughter, "I am sorry, Brook, but I will not give way on this."

Glade looked at his sister's tearful expression and felt an icy fist grab his heart.

"To Prince Blaize?" She asked softly. Glade knew she idolized Prince Blaize and thought of him as her white knight.

High Lord Volanti shook his head, "No my dear. I will sign your agreement with the person who's made me the best offer to date, Trunk Lord Solathian."

Glade watched the color drain from his sister's face as she let out a breath that was half a sob and recoiled. Her right arm wrapped around her middle as her left hand covered her mouth.

"Stop it, Father!" Glade snapped, "There is no need to threaten Brook. Look how much you've scared her. You will never see her mated to a murdering, lying, Night Elf."

High Lord Volanti turned his eyes on Glade. They were cold and angry.

"I will do what I said. Lord Solathian has made quite an excellent offer for Brook. There is no reason-"

"No reason? He is a Night Elf. He will take her back to that country of degenerates and the gods only know what will happen to her then! How could you, as her father, allow that. If Mother were here-"

"Do not speak of my mate!" High Lord Volanti shouted jumping to his feet. "It is because your cowardice that she died before I could save her! And now it is because of your idiocy that I will have to break my vow to her! Because you can't do one thing!" Glade's face flushed and he hung his head in shame.

He'd known. He'd known all along that his father blamed him for his mate's death. His father had had four sons, but only one mate. She had been the irreplaceable one and yet when the bandits had come upon them, Glade had hidden behind his mother's skirts.

His father had tried to hide his disgust with him, but there were times when Glade would catch glimpses of it. Now, he'd said it though.

Glad stared at his own clenched fists. They were shaking.

"-can do what you want." His father said dismissively.

"I'll do it." Glade whispered. His father blinked at him, then lifted an eyebrow.

"What?"

Glade's jaw clenched, "I'll do it. I'll claim that C-Lady Adamare." He said loudly.

He couldn't protect his mother, but he would protect his sister at all costs to himself.

Brook ran to him and threw her arms around him. She sobbed quietly into his shoulder. Glade patted her back as he tried to get his throat to loosen.

His eyes met his father's and he felt hatred for him for the first time in his life.