Bloodbath

"Don't you think it's weird, giving us a break on our third day of training? It's not even a holiday or anything."

"I dunno. Honestly, I feel like I'm wasting my time. These tests are so easy, it's just some light combat and walking."

"Yeah, honestly, what's he testing?"

"Our patience?"

Aisha resisted the urge to spit on the young adults as raucous laughter rung throughout the room. Despite the fact that she cared very little about their opinions, her anger still brimmed thinking of the physical and mental anguish she had gone through, literally fighting for her life in those damn trials - just for these kids to dismiss them as nothing more than a light exercise. Her fists clenched weakly, but eventually, she shook her head, biting her lip bitterly.

.

What was the point of judging these people when she was so worthless herself?

.

The thought was sobering. Aisha unclenched her hands, instead exerting her anger by pacing over to the nearest wall and sitting down, pulling her knees up to her chest. The movement pacified her slightly, as she wrapped her arms around herself, breathing in slowly and closing her eyes. If she focused hard enough, it almost felt like someone else was embracing her, their warm, brown hair falling over her arms...

.

But it seemed like the universe was unwilling to even grant her this small reprieve, hearing a shuffling beside her. Her ears twitched, and her head turned, insult primed before she even saw who it was.

.

But the words died on her lips as she frowned, recognizing the figure next to her. The blonde hair and soft eyes gave Aisha mixed feelings - the healer girl absolutely did not deserve Aisha's ire and scathing comments, but she felt like slinging them anyways.

.

Seeing her just made Aisha angry. Memories of being saved by the timid girl flashed through her mind, of the weakness she felt, and the humiliation that followed - being saved by this stuttering moron!

.

"So how was your day off?" The girl asked amicably.

.

"Why are you here? Go away."

.

At Aisha's unreasonably hostile response, the blonde girl was too stunned to even take offense. Instead a confused expression spread across her face, eyebrows furrowing as her expression grew concerned.

.

"Huh?"

.

"Why are you here?" Aisha repeating, blatantly omitting the hostile remark she had tacked onto the end of her previous retort. "What's your reason for wanting to do this?"

.

Despite being rudely interrupted, and being asked such a personal question, the girl held her smile and answered, leaning back on the wall as well.

.

"The sisters at my covenant sent me here to strengthen my magic."

"They couldn't do that themselves?" Aisha asked. "Did you sisters like you?"

.

There was a long, uncomfortable pause as what Aisha said sank in to the little girl.

.

"Um, I guess not." She said, unsure if she was answering Aisha's second question or not.

"You have no personal wish to be here?"

The girl bit her lip and tilted her head up slightly, thinking about her answer. After a few seconds, she turned back to Aisha, an unsure smile on her face.

"I want... I want to help people. Um... even though the other sisters at the temple don't like me, my sister... my actual sister... she's really sick... I want to help her. The others couldn't do anything, but... maybe if I learn something here, I can help her..."

"How did your sisters hear about this place?"

"I don't know. They just gave me a teleport crystal."

"Do you still have it?"

"Uh... yeah! Here it is!"

.

The priest girl fished into the folds of her dress, pulling out a large, glowing stone with a rune etched onto the side. Aisha turned it over, to what looked to be just a rough surface, but on closer inspection, thousands of tiny runes were packed together on the surface. While the crystal that her mistress used were small, crystalline, and broke on use, this one looked a bit more sturdy, fitting in the palm of her hand.

.

"It's gray." Aisha observed.

"Oh, it is? Weird. I guess it's still recharging."

.

"...What about the others? Have you talked to them? How did they get here?"

"Um... some of them were sent here by their parents."

"Some of them?" Aisha asked incredulously.

"All the ones that I've talked to. Why?"

.

Aisha didn't respond, thinking. The boys yesterday had also been sent to this place by their parents. All the people the stupid little priest girl talked to had been sent here by their parents.

.

("You have all been brought here to become stronger.")

("I want you to remember, why.")

.

Why what? Why they were brought here?.. No... That was stupid. The circumstances that brought them here were irrelevant. They were brought here to become stronger... Why they were here...

.

Their reason for wanting to become stronger? She could think of no other possibility. She thought to her classmates' laughter. They weren't taking this seriously...

.

A loud crack sounded, as Xelos appeared in the middle of the room. She was startled. He had always appeared without sound, before.

.

What was happening? A break, those words... Everything that happened so far was very deliberate. He had not given them that day off for no reason. Was it.. to find that reason for becoming stronger?

.

Xelos spoke in his deep voice.

"Today we will be sparring. You-"

"Alright sparring! Let me go first! This has been so boring!"

Aisha wheeled around to face the boy who had spoken. It was Leo! The stupid boy had raised his hand, and without even waiting for Xelos's confirmation, had strolled up to him, grinning. He looked back at Aisha and the priest girl and winked awkwardly. Aisha physically winced as he turned his back to the man who he had just challenged to a fight.

.

He was going to die.

.

Xelos did not bother finishing his sentence after Leo had interrupted him, instead moving to a more open space in the center of the room. The boy took that as an invitation to also move into the center of the room, stretching his neck and shifting his weight from side to side excitedly.

For a while, there was only silence, as everybody in the room stared at the two in the center of the room, waiting to see how the fight would turn out. Xelos just stared impassively, as usual, but the nervousness on Leo's face was palpable.

.

The boy finally lost his patience and stopped, breathing heavily, as he stretched his arms out in an open position. His hands began to glow a bright yellow, as Aisha could visibly see the air around him start to rush around him like a storm.

.

"He's charging up for a big attack!" The priest girl said excitedly, next to her.

.

Aisha felt the wind pressure emit outwards from Leo, her face being physically pressed back into the wall by the force. She looked around and saw that the other students in the class were also being pushed back, glowing barriers attempting to shield them from the force.

Leo brought his hands back into his chest, now glowing an intense bright light that covered his entire body, distorting the shape of his body.

.

Aisha was surprised. She thought that he was all bluster, but it looked like the kid actually was pretty powerful.

With a deafening roar, hundred of beads of yellow light began to fly out from his hand like bullets from a machine gun. The room was filled with a blinding light, as each magical bullet, about as big as a melon, flew out of his hands. Aisha could actually hear the sound of each bullet impacting its target, a loud whizzing noise, as mana burst like shrapnel on Xelos's body. The storm of magic was seemingly never ending, as the loud sound of spellcasting filled the room. The students wowed and cheered. He was a very powerful mage.

Aisha squinted to look at Xelos, as he withstood the onslaught of yellow magic. She couldn't make out his shape, as his body was blocked by bright yellow lights.. but she thought she could see a flash of red, here and there.

.

(The kid sure is strong. How long is he going to last?)

.

It had been a few seconds, and the barrage of yellow magic continued to fill the room. The loud magic continued to fire, but Aisha's ears picked up another noise, almost inaudible.

(Footsteps...)

The boy turned his head to look at the rest of the applauding students, excited to see his classmates' reaction to his arcane prowess.

A gloved fingertip at his temple was the last sensation he felt, before dying.

The golden magic stopped, as a black beam drove it's way through the boy's skull without a sound. Revealed was Xelos, his hand outstretched at the boy's temple. He did not have a scratch on his body.

.

Aisha's classmates were silent, shocked at the sight. The silence of the room was broken, when Xelos kicked aside the dead body and spoke.

"Who wants to be next, to... spar."

.

Aisha's eyes instantly locked onto Laika, Leo's brother, as the blonde boy's body fell, his lifeless face landing at his brother's feet. She saw the emotions rush through his head, from fearful, to angry, and then...

"Ha... ha ha ha... g-good illusion!" The red-haired boy stuttered, "You have a funny way of making these tests!"

"Wanna be next?"

Aisha saw the boy step back fearfully, before his eyes locked onto the corpse of his brother. His fists clenched, and Aisha saw the boy shake in anger, as he too began to charge up an attack. He clenched his hand, mana starting to draw into his hand from his stomach like a vacuum. The hand began to glow a dangerous red, before the appendage lit up in flame, heat radiating through the sterile training room.

.

He screamed and ran towards Xelos in his heavy armor, heavy chains and plates clinking. It was almost comical how much difficulty he had running in the armor, as it was far too large for him, probably at his own choice. Xelos just watched the boy as he stumbled about with the fire burning in his hand, his face red and panting from the exertion and the heat.

.

Eventually he made his way over, and he swung his fist wildly at the tall man, the raging fire in his hand already a pitiful ember. A metallic clang could be heard as his fist met Xelos's forehead, the red light dissipating. He got a good view of the man's dark, unfeeling eyes, the killer of his brother.

.

Aisha watched the black light pierce through the brother's head, his lifeless body falling right next to Leo's. She supposed it was kind of a poetic death.

.

She heard various screams and yells at her side, as the other boy's body was also tossed aside. It was kind of annoying.

.

"What are you doing!"

"What the fuck!"

"They're dead!"

"I don't want to die!"

"This can't be happening! It's not real!"

"W-wait! There's 20 of us!" Came a voice from her left.

It was that blonde boy, who gave the history lesson.

("17, now." Aisha corrected in her head.)

"There's no way he can take on all of us!"

Panicked agreement was heard, as the frightened students began to channel unstable magic Fireballs, ice shards, and lighting were thrown, along various multi-colored beams of light. The magic was thin, weakened by the fear and unsteady hearts of their casters.

Aisha observed Xelos closely, as she sat in a corner. Even though magic assaulted him from every angle, she could see the technique he used to protect himself. She followed a fireball, as it traveled from a shaky hand. It was stopped, about a foot from Xelos's body by a group of connected red hexagons that formed as it entered the range.

.

(He won't kill me. There would be no point in saving me and giving me all that stuff, if he was going to kill me here. He won't kill me. He won't kill me.) She thought. She pulled her legs up into her chest in a deathly tight grip, shaking slightly.

.

"Help me! *Hic!* Help me! p-p-pleaasseee help meeee!*Hic!*"

"I don't want to die here! I don't want to die! "I don't want to die!"

A crying, bloody girl clutched at Aisha's shoulders. It was the little priest girl. Her tears dripped onto her cross, her white clothes, and Aisha's bared shoulders.

.

(Even if I wanted to save you... what could I do?)

.

Eventually, the sound of magic quietened, as their casters fell to the ground, their heads pierced by the same black magic that had felled the others.

.

"I don't want to die... I don't want to die..." She cried softly, her voice hoarse.

.

There were only 3 students left. A white haired boy, the crying priest girl, and Aisha.

Xelos approached the white haired boy, who cast a feeble white bolt, blocked by the red shield. He backed up, his body feeling a wall. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see the fey girl, and the priest...

Aisha's dark red eyes stared into his, cold, calculating. They were the last thing he saw, before he fell to the same fate as the other students.

.

Aisha's eyes met black. The thought of her death entered her mind... The anguish on Lorian's face. She prayed to the wood, that she would live here.

Xelos stretched his arm towards Aisha, and a beam of blue energy shot from his hand...

.

The sound of crying stopped, as the priest girl was teleported away. Xelos stared into Aisha's eyes, but did not raise his hand.

.

.

"Why did you do that?"

"You could have stopped it."

"I don't owe them anything. And that doesn't answer my question."

"I have no use for unmotivated, unobservant students."

"..."

"..."

"You knew from the start that they would be like this. You chose only those who wouldn't be missed."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Why keep me alive?"

"There is hardly any point to teaching if I have no students."

"Not that. Why save me? Why do all of this?"

.

"When I found you, dying on the streets, you wanted to get stronger, yes? It's that desire. That is what you have over the rest."

"The last few days have been a test. If you had failed, I would have searched for another student."

.

"What about the day off?"

.

He stopped answering her questions.

"Tomorrow, we will be actually fighting. Be prepared."

Xelos made a vertical line with his hand. The space in front of him rippled and began to split apart, until eventually a tear larger than a human was formed. He stepped through it.

"You've got the rest of the day off."

.

Aisha watched the last of his black coattails disappear through the rift. For a minute, she sat there, breathing heavily. Deciding that she should leave before the space closed, she got up and walked through the rift after him, finding herself in that empty lot she was so familiar with.

.

"Oh my god! you lived! How did you get out of there! Did he let you go!? W-we have to go tell somebody! My sisters, o-or the guards! They will help us!" A shrieking voice came from behind her, belonging to the priest girl. Why had he spared her?

Aisha turned around to face the girl. "Your sisters are not going to help us, and neither are the guards. They would not believe us, nor would they help us if they did."

"My sisters-"

"Your sisters sent to an unknown place to train with a killer instead of training you. Do you really think they would help you now?"

"N-no, my s-sisters... T-then, what do we do? All those people..."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice shook. Aisha was not eager to listen to her cry again. She was starting to understand why the priest girl's sisters would want to dump her in some death trap. She started to walk away.

"W-wait! Where are you going!"

"Home."

"You're just going to go home? After what happened?!"

"You should go home too. Nothing will result of staying here, crying. Don't tell the guards this place."

"Why not!?"

Her voice came out in a shrill, shriek that hurt Aisha's ears.

"You couldn't possibly be thinking-! About coming back here!???"

.

Aisha rolled her eyes and left the shocked girl behind, her legs splayed beneath her after they had lost all strength. She tried to get up, but the fear had shocked her body into unresponsiveness.

.

.

.

It was still early morning when Aisha got back to the house, the sun blazing above on the little house on the hill. She hadn't ever really thought a lot about it, but... looking at the house now, Aisha had so many questions. How did it get here? How did mistress come to start living in it? Who built it?

.

(Why am I asking all these questions now?)

She slumped down onto her butt, sliding down the front door to wrap her arms around her knees. Bringing her hands up to her face... they were shaking. And now that she noticed it, her entire body was shaking too.

.

(I-I... I could have died... Why does that scare me so much? I-I've... never wanted to live so badly before... I-I...)

Her thoughts were answered as the image of her lovely, beautiful mistress popped up in her mind, and that familiar burn in her chest returned.

.

(S-She loves me.) Aisha whimpered. (I-I I I have to-to live... I want to live with her. She makes me so happy...)

.

The door opened behind Aisha, and she fell ungracefully onto her back, flailing her arms and legs clumsily. Her head hit the floor, and she got a full view of her naked mistress, looking down at her with a confused look.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?"

.

Aisha turned red, embarrassed to be caught in her moment of reflection. "Uh... nothing."

Lorian put a hand on her hip, pushing her waist to the side saucily. "It's never nothing with you."

.

Aisha just burned hotly as she tried vainly to get back up onto her feet with her head trapped between her mistress's bare, smooth legs. After a bit of unsuccessful rolling around, she yelped as she was picked up by the waist, brought face to face with her lovely mistress in a princess carry. She blushed and turned away, as her mistress rubbed her cheeks together with Aisha, feeling the amazingly soft skin on her own.

.

"Come on, Aisha." She cooed lovingly. "It's cold outside."

"O o-ok mistress..." Aisha said quietly, resigning herself to her fate passively.

Lorian stared at the submissive, blushy look on Aisha's face and frowned. "...Is there something wrong?"

"N-no." Aisha whispered, turning her head away.

Lorian decided not to press the girl and brought her inside the house, shutting the door with her butt. She carried her all the way to the couch, where she sat down, setting Aisha down in her lap and carressing her cheek with a hand. She smiled as the girl leaned into her touch meekly, nuzzling into the warmth and amazingly soft hand.

.

Aisha finally turned to look hesitantly at her mistress, and her breath hitched as she saw a wandering hand approach the top of her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the inevitable rush of euphoria-

...

Nothing?

She opened her eyes to address her mistress, who smiled down at her affectionately. Emotions rushed through Aisha's head. A part of her didn't want pets, but a much larger part of her screamed out for her mistress's loving pets and scritches. Was she teasing her?

.

"Mmmmm..." Lorian mused, putting a finger to her lips. "I'm always petting you. I'm kind of jealous!"

"W-what?" Aisha blubbered, dreading what her unpredictable mistress was going to say next.

"Mmmm..." She teased, drawing out Aisha's held breath. "We've got so much time, and it's been quite the long day. I think... today you're going to pamper me!"

"W-WHAT!?" Aisha exploded, her face going scarlet. "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-ca-wuh-"

But her stammering fell on deaf ears, as Lorian was already getting up from the couch, rearranging their bodies so that Aisha was sitting on the couch upright. With a grin and a playful wink, she laid down on the couch sideways, resting her head on Aisha's lap and closing her eyes contently.

.

"Make me feel good." She said softly. "You can do whatever you want."

For a minute, Aisha just sat there, legs tingling from the feeling of her mistress's hair, and mouth agape, shocked. When she felt no movement from the girl, Lorian pouted, whispering another set of instructions.

"Start with my face." She said. "Massage it for me."

.

Aisha blushed, but an order was an order, and she hesitantly reached out a hand to touch her mistress's cheek. She whimpered as the woman sighed, reaching up and taking Aisha's hand in both of hers, and nuzzling the appendage affectionately.

.

At the shocked and vacant look on Aisha's face, Lorian giggled. "Sorry, sorry! I'll let you do what you want." She closed her eyes again. "You just feel soooo good."

.

Aisha blushed again, but after a while, she returned to rubbing her mistress's cheeks, marvelling at the smooth, almost buttery surface. Aisha was almost afraid that she would rub it off and smear it on her hands. They were just so... delicate... and... wonderful. She shifted uncomfortably as Lorian sighed happily, feeling... unworthy of touching such a goddess's skin.

.

"Alright. Now... pet me please!"

"W-wwhat?"

"Stroke my head for me. Pat it!"

Aisha whispered something unintelligibly as she reached a hand up to touch her mistress's head, and began to stroke down awkwardly.

As soon as her fingers felt the back of her head, Aisha's eyes widened. Lorian's hair was so soft and smooth, she couldn't help but run her fingers through it.

She marveled at the feeling of her silky hair. It flowed like water through her hands, the strands falling from in-between her fingers as if they had no weight at all. Aisha lifted up a few strands and for a while, just watched as they cascaded down her fingers as she tilted her hands.

Lorian smiled as Aisha played with her hair. She knew something was up with the girl when she had come home looking so strange. She was a little disappointed though, at how quickly Aisha figured out what she was doing, and retracted her hand in embarrassment.

.

"S-sorry mistress." She mumbled.

"Don't apologize." Lorian cooed. "You can touch me wherever you want."

Aisha gulped. "A-anywhere?"

"That's right." Lorian affirmed.

"A-ny-where-you-want." She whispered seductively, emphasizing every syllable.

She subtly pushed out her chest and rubbed her legs together, drawing Aisha's attention to the body parts. Lorian could practically see the temptation in her eyes, as her mouth opened slightly to pant over her mistress's body. Her hands physically shook, her face turned red, and her breaths sped up, matching Lorian's accelerated heartbeat, as the small girl moved closer.

Lorian smiled giddily as Aisha's hand moved down towards her breast, the girl's gaze locked onto the smooth, scantily clad globe... and touched her tummy.

.

(Aw, come on! ) Lorian whined internally. (Just take me! Just take me!)

But despite how disappointed Lorian was, she couldn't help but smile as the girl poked her tummy, slowly feeling the smooth skin that she had spent so many nights laying on top of. She giggled as Aisha's touches became more playful and confident, starting to press down into the meat of her body, tickling her slightly.

"H-hey!" She laughed. "S-stop that! That tickles!"

Aisha jumped back, retracting her finger as if it had been shocked by a live cable. "Ah! U-uh sorry."

"Wait no! I didn't mean it like that! I... ah... oh dammit, nevermind..."

.

She pouted and sighed, her fun over and the mood ruined. She reached up and kissed Aisha on the cheek, nuzzling her nose into Aisha's neck as she returned to a sitting position. Aisha wanted to jump off a cliff to avoid the embarrassing, burning, loving sensation in her chest.

"Thank you for that." Lorian mumbled. "I love you!"

.

Aisha couldn't take it anymore, the heat in her face starting to make her head light, and passed out, right into the loving lap of her mistress.