Salvation

Interrupting his father with a concerned voice, Machia closed his eyes. What he saw caused him to reveal a look of amazement of his own. 

"Hah"

Machia laughed. In the presence of the Emperor, he had let his mask slip a second time. Rather than curse himself, though, he failed to hide a sheepish smile that forced itself onto his childish face.

The Emperor sent a questioning gaze towards Machia. Keenly noticing this, Machia explained.

"My ability allows me to scout things without my presence, your majesty. It seems a Blessed has awoken inside the sanctuary."

The king sent an accusatory glance at Machia for dispelling the nature of his abilities, but Machia simply shrugged it off. It was simply necessary. The king spoke up in a nervous tone.

"My Emperor it seems your desires can be granted right at this moment, I assure you my guards will bring the blessed here immedia-"

"They're dead. She killed them."

Machia announced this to the room with a stable tone. No one else matched this indifference, as everyone felt a tinge of foreboding build within them.

The first to succumb to this fearful impulse was the Emperor as he blurted out, "WHAT? explain yourself blessed!, it's supposed to take years for one to awaken to their abilities. How is that possible?"

Doing his best to hide his own amazement, Machia stared at the girl through his shadow steed as he prepared a response.

"Apologies, Your Majesty, but I'm unsure. Perhaps she is different. After waking, it appears a peasant attacked her out of fear. Amidst the commotion, the guards sought to apprehend her with force, but they died. It seems sending more guards will only increase casualties. If you would like, I will lead her here with my ability. You may then reason with her yourself. 

The Emperor looked around nervously after his outburst. He cleared his throat with a brief cough. 

"Right of course, I will control the situation you may bring her here blessed."

Machia commanded his shadow to approach the young girl. She stood outside the sanctuary with a curious, innocent gaze pointing towards the sky. Her long green hair was decorated by the sun, and despite the presence of two deceased corpses, the image held a striking beauty. The foal was skittish, frightened that the girl might attack, but he commanded his shadow to approach regardless.

She turned her attention to it, noticing its presence immediately. Not even a semblance of caution adorned her figure as she approached it with a clueless grin. She gently and gleefully reached out a hand to touch the creature, but before she could, his shadow backed up without being commanded.

The shadow blew out of its snout frustratedly and trotted away as if offended by her very nature. She watched it leave before turning to follow, innocently intrigued by the stubborn creature.

"Seems it worked, she'll be here soon."

The Emperor looked down at the blessed with relief. 

"Ah, good, you are quite capable. Very well, I will take my rightful seat whilst we wait."

Question marks went off in Machia's head. Before he could conclude the meaning behind his words, the man disappeared from sight. The purple-robed Emperor disappeared with a misty shimmer.

"I suppose this will do for now."

Turning to face the throne, Machia found the Emperor idly seated with a gloating expression. 

'So he's the type of foe who's difficult to kill.'

Machia shared a knowing look with the king as he kneeled beside him.

"Your majesty if you would like I can contain the blessed for you in order to demonstrate my loyalty."

The Emperor flicked his hands, displaying his lack of interest.

"Don't concern yourself, Dorris will apprehend the blessed... Yes, you, you giant baffoon! That means go outside and return with the girl, now!"

Clicking his fingers at the giant failed to urge him on any faster. Dorris sent the Emperor a disapproving look as he delicately turned around at his own pace. He was a stunning 14 feet of pure muscle. No human would mistake him for one of their own. He even towered over the other giant present in the grand hall. His head was hidden by a black rag with two thinly cut eyeholes, and he held a matte black axe, only adding to his already frightful appearance. He soon sauntered out of the room, closing the door behind him gently. 

A few moments later, Machia noticed a devious gleam in the king's eyes. Machia didn't need to ask about his intentions. His boorish, greedy gaze, which honed in the Emperor's lackadaisical posture, told him everything he needed to know. It seems the throne would be claimed right now.

Machia waited. He would strike alongside his father. It wasn't a good idea, but Machia knew full well his old man was no saint when it came to patience. It was already too late to deter him. Though Machia, too, believed he was following his own desires. 

"CRASHHHHHHH"

A gigantic hooded man flew through the stone hall with impeccable force. As if knocked out of an intense stupor, both Machia and the king turned around with dumbfounded faces only to find the flattened body of Dorris. 

The king had been prepared to oppose the Emperor till the end just a moment ago. The Emperor himself was equally horrified by the scene before them as he paled at the sight. Seeing his largest member rag-dolled through a wall so suddenly took a toll on the pitiful man. 

Through the giant-sized gap in the wall stood a girl. With long green hair and an abstinent, idle stare, she examined the room. Through some strange impulse, she leapt. All the combatants raised their arms instinctively. Only to then watch the girl land on the defeated Dorris's stomach, causing him to groan. 

"Hahaha, serves you right you big bully."

Machia scowled at her audacious actions. 'She's a monster.'

Raising her head, she scanned the room silently but did not speak up; in fact, she looked even a little embarrassed in front of the large crowd. This continued until the girl let out a huff and casually jumped back down from the giant as she looked to leave with indifference. 

However, blocking her path was the female guard. She looked to the Emperor, awaiting his order. Recovering from his shock, he attempted to cover up his indecisiveness with laughter. 

"Haha, very impressive, blessed, but I'm afraid you won't be leaving until you apologise to Dorris."

The girl paused as she thought about what had been said, then switched to sizing up the knight before her. With a shrug and roll of her eyes, she reluctantly turned back towards the Emperor. 

"Fine, I'm sorry, Dorris."

The Emperor had his expectations defied once again as he reeled back, his face bright red. 

"NO, NO, HE IS DORRIS YOU FOOL. That one you threw through the dam wall is Dorris, not me."

She threw the Emperor a look of disinterest as she nonchalantly turned to leave once more.

"You have the makings of a fine warrior, girl. Helena, how about you give the brat a lesson."

As Helena stepped towards the seemingly innocent girl, the girl suddenly lunged with a cutthroat intensity and punch aimed at the knight's head. Helena weaved beside the girl's fist, but the blessed's other hand quickly followed suit. Helena avoided this blow, too, catching it with her hand after the range of motion and power ended.

Now, besides the blessed Helena's, closest arm rocketed forth as an elbow struck the young girl's chin ferociously.

As the girl reeled back from the devastating blow, Machia noticed she held only a passive annoyance. 

"Helena, draw your sword for godsakes! We have plenty of healers, you know. Besides you using your hands and not your sword, you might as well be as pathetic as any other human!"

The knight ignored the Emperor's insult but followed his command, sheaving her sword from its scabbard. This simple act alone sent tense shivers across the fighters present. Even her own allies flinched. Perhaps they'd never truly seen what she could do. It was now dreadfully clear to all who the power resided with. 

With chills down his spine, Machia arrogantly gazed at the stumbling girl, surely now that nonchalance of hers would dissipate.

It did not.

With a sigh, the girl defiantly raised her tiny childish fists at the woman without batting an eye. 

'How can she do that?'

Machia knew what it was like to be blessed, just an ignorant, powerless child. To be dropped into a world where you knew nothing and knew no purpose. Where only you alone were different, the sight of the fleeing men and the castle entered Machia's mind, reminding him of the solitude.

'So why, why does she still stand there?'

The king watched on from his position. He kept one eye on the Emperor and the other on the girl. Though he hid it better, the fear was still noticeable. Perhaps it was not just Helena that frightened him, but the Blessed also.

"I agree. It seems she's too foolish to understand submission, my Emperor. It will certainly require some extra attention to discipline this girl."

"Hoh, really? If it were that simple, you wouldn't be the problem child that you are dammed disciple! Your daughter's magic was always your only saving grace, don't bother speaking in my presence again! Helena, deal with it."

The woman didn't tear her gaze away from her target for even a moment. Instead, the dread that filled the room almost appeared to be harvested and concentrated in the sword the woman held. The atmosphere was strangled by her immense pressure. 

'What will you do fellow Blessed, will you die or will you fight until-'

"I give up."

"Huh" 

With a simple indifference, the girl laid her arms by her sides. 

To everyone else, it seemed like the smart choice, but Machia was devastated.

'She. Why? after starting a fight its only natural too finish it. Surrendering means you might die or even worse, how can she be so stupid. I don't.'

But the girl did not cower. It wasn't that she was ignorant or stupid. It was something else. Machia found himself staring at her small, weak, childish figure, unable to quite tear himself away. 

"Good, it seems you do possess some brains after all blessed. But that will not save you, to understand loyalty you must first understand suffering."

A single malevolent glance from the Emperor was all that was needed. 

In that brief instant, a splash of red scattered across the room. Machia watched with wide eyes as something fell beside his feet. With thick trepid anticipation, he turned to witness a lone severed limb as his eyes widened.