「Encaged」
"A test subject for the elements of the world, Aisha lives in solitude, encased
within a glass cylinder, she is tortured over and over again...
But that won't last forever, when the rage finally overflows and she lets loose..."
6. 21. 2016
A fleeting smile within a lost memory. That's how Aisha would remember the past. A dream of the former times kept her sane. A dream of the bright sunlight, enchanting forests, and the lush green grass beneath her feet. But when her amethyst eyes fluttered open, everything changes. Her room is dark and gloomy, glass cylinders filled with liquid scattered the area. Chemicals, papers, and laboratory equipment were her everyday life.
"Good morning, KLN4773,"
The mage lifted her face, eyes adjusting to the familiar sight in front of her, Lady Mirai.
"When spoken to, you should answer." Lady Mirai hissed, her black eyes sharply glaring, "But I guess you shouldn't either way, after all, you're nothing but a test subject here at my lab."
Aisha couldn't even cough up a response, encased as she was within a test tube. All she could do was blink and stare blankly ahead, all of her emotions now void and nonexistent, except for one. Absolute hatred. She watched as the women turned around, her heels clicking against the marble floors.
"You have testing in about 10 minutes, I hope you're still awake by then." Lady Mirai glanced back once, a wicked smirk playing on lips, "Or you know what will happen to you."
With those words, she disappeared, letting the door slam shut behind her as if it was another start for a horror story. But this was far from a horror story, this was reality. This was Aisha's everyday life.
If only they would all disappear.
The mage let out a quiet strangled cry.
If only I could go back in time.
"So you're the newbie here, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Hmph, we'll start you off with sorting the test subjects then."
A small piece of paper with short descriptions was handed to the young male. Sharp cerulean eyes glanced over the paper quickly before an affirming nod was given. Lady Mirai waited patiently, her long black hair that was pulled into a ponytail swaying slightly.
"Never would've expected to get a new recruit here that fast, are you desperate for money Seiker?"
"Perhaps." Chung replied, his words being short and blunt.
His face remained stoic as he tucked the paper into his pants. An arrogant smirk crossed Mirai's face.
"Whatever, I won't ask about why you're here. But if you don't work hard, don't expect there to be light punishment. Now, follow me, I'll show you where our test subjects are."
As she walked off, the young male followed her quietly, his eyes scanning the area. As they entered a room, he could finally see what they were doing here. Dead animal corpses were kept preserved within glass cylinders. They lined the walls, each connected by wires and tubes that pumped green liquid into each tank. Scientists surrounded them, each holding a clipboard as they scribbled furiously on the paper. But that wasn't the worst of it. As Mirai lead him, they entered through another door and that's when Chung discovered various human subjects trapped inside a test tube. Their appearance was atrocious. The skin was half-rotten, practically a grey saggy lump of flesh at this point. Several of them had mutated parts, a mixture of animalistic features placed onto a human. As Chung continued to look at them, he could feel a sickening feeling beginning to swirl within his stomach. He pushed it down quickly, if Lady Mirai saw his disgust, he would be instantly fired.
"These are the subjects you will be sorting. Sort them into the correct Genus and Species according to their mutation. Got it?"
Chung nodded slowly, glancing over at Mirai before returning his gaze back to the human experiments.
"Well, I must go, I have a special test subject waiting to be tested on," Lady Mirai laughed heartlessly, turning around on her heels before walking off.
The Chaser waited until she had fully turned the corner before placing a hand on his thigh. The gun was there, hidden underneath a special fabric. He let out a low sigh before following after her, allowing his steps to become silent. It was time, time for him to set his plan in motion. Chung reached into his pocket, pulling out a small hearing device before putting it in his right ear. He switched it on, waiting patiently for it to connect. A small buzzing noise ensured and then a light voice came into hearing.
Connected. Connection: stable, security: green, danger: zero.
A quick smirk crossed the Chaser's fine features as he continued his sneaking, his steps quiet and light. This was a breeze, the hallways were only lit in the middle and on the sides laid testing tubes and glass cylinders. It was no problem to hide from view.
Eve speaking. What's the situation?
"I'm in. Currently following target, can you locate me?" Chung whispered, following after Mirai as she turned yet another corner.
Yes, I can locate you. You're currently walking into extremely restricted area. It's heavily guarded Chung, be careful.
"Oh perfect." He muttered as he hid among a large glass cylinder as Lady Mirai stopped in front of a massive steel door.
Chung carefully peeked over and looked it up and down, taking note of the letters 'KLN4773' carved onto it. There was also symbols that seemed to represent the elements, fire, water, nature, wind, light, dark, and lightning. The male watched as she pulled out a small card, hovering it in front of the door.
Click!
The door beeped once, twice, before slowly opening. Instantly, Chung sneaked up behind, pulling out his gun and aiming at Mirai's head.
"Wha-!?" Mirai stood still, tensed as she felt the cool metal touch her head.
"Walk." Chung ordered sharply, threateningly pushing the gun closer.
Mirai started walking, her fear evident within her heavy steps.
Chung, if you continue any farther, they'll be guards.
"Well, I can't say I didn't expect this to happen." Mirai laughed nervously, placing her hands up, "However I'm surprised you were able to follow me without being picked up by security cameras and lasers."
"I have a pretty smart friend helping me out. She happened to take care of them for me." Chung chuckled lightly.
"Oho? So, what's your goal?"
"I'm looking for someone. A test subject that came here around three years ago, her name is Aisha."
Lady Mirai stiffened as Chung spoke Aisha's name and the Chaser didn't miss the small change.
"Aisha? Never heard of it. Are you sure your friend came here three years ago? Our lab in Atlas started exactly three years ago, you know?"
Mirai felt cerulean eyes that burned icily into her back, sending chills running up and down her spine. Sweat started to trickle down her forehead as she tried to remain calm. Suddenly the gun was droved closer to her skin.
"I'm not playing games. If you don't answer honestly, I'll shoot."
Mirai could practically hear the venom drip off his tone and she felt her mouth dry up. She swallowed and forced herself to stay calm. It didn't seem like he had realized it but she had a small trick up her sleeves.
"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you where she is! Just don't shoot…"
Chung narrowed his eyes and shoved her forward. He kept his aim steady and refused to lower the gun.
"Take the route with the least amount of guards."
A sickening scream ripped through the air, slicing through the silence before fading away. Aisha dropped to her hands and knees, sweat dripping off her body as she panted heavily.
"Alright, amplify the lightning to level three."
The mage snapped her head up, watching as the scientist clad in white nodded before pressing another button. A strike of lightning came slamming down, erupting another scream from the fragile female. She felt it course through her body, slipping through the same injury marks that stained her skin for the past years.
Stop…
"It seems like she's finally starting to collect the lightning particles. This is good, this is the final element before she becomes the perfect human weapon."
I'm not a weapon…
"The perfect weapon! One that utilizes the elements of fire, water, nature, light, dark, and lightning! Can you believe it? How far we have come! She'll become a destructive force that could control the world! And we'll be the ones holding her…"
I can't handle this anymore…
"It took me sixteen years to create this lab and to find the absolute vessel! And finally, after three years of non-stop experiments and testing, I am so close to being in power!" The male that was talking faced Aisha with a maniacal grin, "You dear, will become the world's symbol of chaos!"
He chuckled quietly, the laugh soon turning into one of a pyscho. The mage could only watch from behind a glass screen, anger flaring into her body. She sat up weakly, her arms shaking from uncontrollable rage and despair. All those years of torture and testing… Aisha would never let it go to waste. The scientist watched her with a grin as she looked up, the smile fading as soon as he caught her amethyst eyes glowing dangerously.
"It won't go the way you want it to."
"Hey."
"What…?" Mirai asked cautiously as they turned down another hall.
"We've been walking for a pretty long time," Chung stated cooly, pausing in his steps, "Are you trying to stall time?"
At this, the female stiffened and shook her head, "Aisha is one of our most precious testing subjects, it's only natural that we keep her deeper within the lab."
When the word, 'testing subjects' fell from Mirai's lips, the Chaser's cerulean eyes narrowed. His grip tightened on the gun and his blood lust was almost clear but he quickly held it in. He pushed the gun forward, the action telling the scientist to continue on. Dumb boy… you're going to regret placing that gun at my head. As Lady Mirai walked, her glance flitted towards the tiles on the floor. She stepped on them naturally, hiding the fact that she was actually typing out a code towards the main control center. It was only a few more rooms till they would reach Aisha's old testing chambers. One that would hold a definite surprise to the male.
"We're almost there," Mirai muttered, reaching into her pocket to slowly to pull out her mastercard.
She was careful, knowing that one wrong move could mark the end of her life. As Chung gazed over at the card within her hands, he soon found himself stopping in his tracks as Mirai paused at a door. The door was painted a dark grey, several chains and locks wrapping around it as if it was there to protect an important specimen. There were words on the door itself but it was slightly blurred out and too faded to be read.
"It's here." The female hovered the card over the door, multiple beeps sounding as several locks fell to the ground.
The Chaser stared at the words longer, his instincts telling him to try to read it. As each lock and chain fell to the ground, he was beginning to be able to see the letters.
K...L...N...4...7...7...3
His eyes widened at the message as the door busted open. In surprise, his reaction time slowed and before he could pull the trigger to the gun, Mirai had ducked and pushed him back with her back before running forward.
With a curse, Chung jumped back and dashed to the side, narrowly dodging hundreds of bullets that flew out the door momentarily.
"Get him!"
The male stood up, pulling out another gun and spinning them within his hands. As several men clad in a white mask and uniform appeared from the door, he shoot three bullets, accurately hitting them all in the head. The rest of enemies grabbed their dead colleagues corpse, using them as shields as they shot their own bullets. Chung dodged expertly, firing another hail of blue bullets before sprinting down another hall. He reached inside his pockets, pulling out a circular object before slamming it down on to the ground. This erupted an azure gas that quickly spread to the ceiling, effectively hiding him from enemy sight. Taking advantage of the confusion and panic, the Chaser pressed his communicator.
"Eve? I need help, send in reinforcements." He muttered lowly as he heard the connection click.
Understood. Rena and Raven are already inside, they're taking care of the guards and creating a diversion. While they are drawing the enemy away, find Aisha's room.
"Roger that." That wouldn't take too much time, he had already figured out the room name anyway. KLN4773.
"Don't you dare look at me like that, you vermin,"
Aisha watched silently as the male spat out the words with venom. Kaizer, the head leader and the founder of the Atlas lab. The man who had stripped her of everything she was: her identity and her freedom, taken, within a single night. Now, here she was, nothing but a human experiment who was labelled as KLN4773.
Kill them.
A wicked smile crossed her face, a terrifying glint mirroring off her eyes.
Give them what they deserve.
She began to laugh quietly, the silence that was in the air shattering as it soon turned into a cackle. She clutched her stomach, lowering her head as she cried out in laughter.
"Stop this behavior right now, KLN4773!"
But Kaizer's words went onto deaf ears, the mage only softening it into giggles. At this point, several other scientists were starting to get nervous, obviously shocked at the fact that the girl who had stayed quiet for three years was even making a sound. They stepped back, anxiously looking over at the leader for instructions.
"Teach her a lesson, amplify the lightning to the highest level," The leader growled.
The other scientists nodded and immediately rushed over to the control center, raising the lever and pushing a few buttons. Aisha watched dazedly as the bar that symbolized the lightning power raised, her laughter having already faded. She watched it go up, a single bar at a time. As it got closer and closer to the maximum level, a smile fell on to her small lips. She gazed upwards at her test tube, watching as tiny sparks started to cackle and appear around the generator.
Everything ends today.
Just as the lightning was released in a thunderous shock wave, a blue aura covered the mage. The lightning easily repelled off the shield, bouncing outwards and shattering the glass that kept the female encaged. Screams filled the air as the scientists ran backwards, fleeing behind tables and ducking as the glass flew outwards at incredible speed, piercing those who weren't fast enough to find safety. Kaizer managed to roll behind a thick, steel table, covering his head with his hands. He waited until the explosion slowly died out before fearfully peeking around. What met his eyes was a pair of hollow, amethyst ones.
"You…" He gaped, eyes widening as he backed up, his hands falling on to something warm and sticky.
He turned around and let out a terrified gasp as the face of his fellow scientist laid void, several pieces of glass sticking out of his back. His hands were soaked within a pile of blood that poured out from within the lifeless corpse. As small footsteps echoed within the room, he turned around violently, watching as Aisha walked closer until only a foot of distance remained between the two of them. Her expression was empty but her eyes held a swirl of anger and despair.
"Please…. Please no… I beg of you please, spare me! I'm sorry…! I never meant to do this to you… I- please spare me! Please…!" Kaizer cried out, tears now pouring out of his eyes as he backed up farther, bumping into the body behind him, "I'll give you whatever you want…! Freedom, money, power! Anything so please… spare me…!"
He waited in terror, his eyes unable to look away from Aisha's lavender orbs. A small smile tugged on her lips and she backed up slowly. Relief flooded his face as Kaizer let out a happy cry.
"Thank you so mu-!" His voice stopped short as something sharp pierced through his body.
Blood came splurting out of his mouth, falling on to the ground as he looked down slowly. A large piece of glass stuck out from within his stomach, blood seeping through his clothing. His eyes stared at the small hand gripping it tightly. Kaizer let out a low gasp, watching as Aisha ripped the glass out of his body and throwing it to the side nonchalantly. He felt his body growing cold, weakening before he was no longer able to support himself. The mage gazed at him emotionlessly, before turning away and stepping out of the door. She wasn't done just yet. It was time to test what she was able to do. The explosion from earlier had released a loud alarm, indicating that a dangerous subject was on the loose. It would only be a matter of time before guards swarmed the area.
Aisha felt light and free, unable to contain the grin that had made its way onto her face. As the footsteps became louder and louder, the atmosphere around her began to turn hot and heavy.
"Stop!"
The mage turned her head slightly, the grin falling off as several guards stood behind her, each holding a gun aimed at her head.
You're not going to take away my freedom…!
Suddenly, flames burst out of her body, licking and grabbing at the walls. Horridly, the guards stepped back but before they knew, the fire had reached out like a hand, snatching them and burning them into ash. Screams fell from their mouths as they aimed their gun and began shooting wildly. Each bullet reflected off Aisha's shield, instead repelling backwards and piercing through sharply. Amidst the chaos and destruction, the mage giggled lightly, turning it into a full-blown-out laugh that echoed off the walls.
A bullet shot past the male as he spun around, firing one himself which perfectly hit his target. Chung kept running, his steps quick and fast as he scanned the area. While he was fighting earlier, he had heard a large explosion from where the first gate he stood at with Mirai was. He knew it couldn't be Rena or Raven, the two having entered through another entrance that Eve had given them. Which could only mean one thing, Aisha. His breath came out hard and shallow as he hastened his pace, firing several bullets that took out the guards that stood in his way.
Almost there…
As the Chaser rounded the corner, his eyes widened at the sight before him. The walls were charred and burnt, the heavy smell of ashes filling the atmosphere. On the ground laid completely blackened corpses, the only thing left of them were their bones and broken weapons. However he didn't have time to take in the damage, following the path of the destruction as he continued on.
Aisha… I'm coming!
Screams of terror and pain filled the air as Chung dashed forward, the area soon turning from a burnt ruin to a frosty plain. Sharp ice particles covered the walls, guards frozen within them, their faces contorted to a frozen cry before their last moments. He could hear the cries becoming louder as he pushed forward, his legs burning from the momentum of his speed. Suddenly, the view of a petite girl with lilac hair came in to view, a long piece of ice within her hands. At her feet was a guard, pressed against the wall while begging for mercy.
It's…
"Aisha!" The Chaser cried out, his cerulean eyes widening as watched her raise the weapon.
The shout didn't faze her, rather it didn't seem to reach her, as the mage stared blankly ahead. Just as she brought her hand down to end a life, a bullet smashed into the ice, shattering it into small bits that fell harmlessly onto the guard. The guard let out a squeak, scrambling to his legs and crawling away from the female desperately. Aisha turned her head slowly, her amethyst eyes hollow and angry. The Chaser stood still, his gun raised as he panted breathlessly. Relief and guilt filled his heart as he gazed over her, taking in her long, silky violet hair and her scar-marked skin. He let out a sigh, a smile crawling into his lips as he lowered his gun. How much he had longed to see her for those past three years.
"Young Master, Chung? Where are you going? It's still very early!" Chung's maid, Electra, cried out as the male opened the door.
"I'm going to hang out with Aisha," The Chaser grinned as he stepped out the door, turning back once before closing it, "Don't tell Father, okay?"
"Young Master Chung!"
Chung smiled as he closed the door to the Hamelian Palace, easily hiding from the view of the guards that stood around the castle. He sneaked around the back, heading to the usual meet-up place with quick steps. As he walked, he spotted the familiar beautiful garden, a well-maintained one that held a variety of flowers and herbs. He stepped onto the stone path, entering through the arch as he glanced around. His heart swelled when he noticed a certain mage sitting among the grass, reading a book. Her twin-tails swayed lightly with the wind as she flipped through another page, a faint smile present on her lips.
"Hey," At the sound of his voice, Aisha turned around, her smile becoming more evident as she gazed at him.
"Chung!"
"Morning, already reading?" The male questioned as he plopped down beside her, laying down and putting his hands behind his head.
"Well yeah, the magician exam is today you know?" The mage scoffed as she closed her book, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
"You know you're going to ace the exam, I don't know why you're still studying," Chung chuckled lightly as she pouted.
"It's not like it's a bad thing to be a little more cautious,"
"True."
"You know, you didn't have to wake up so early just to see me of…"
"Hm? This isn't that early," He murmured softly, grinning at the female.
The conversation ended quietly, the two gazing upwards at the sky as a breeze brushed past them. Aisha looked at the clouds in silence, her mouth slightly parted. Everything felt odd to her today and she couldn't seem to brush off a tingling sensation that bugged her from the back of her mind. She sighed, leaning her head down to stare at the novel, Elements of the World. Despite knowing that she would most definitely ace the exam to become a full-fledged Elemental Master, something felt truly wrong. Aisha glimpsed over at Chung, his eyes now closed and a peaceful expression evident from his smile.
"Asleep, huh?" Well, it was 3 o'clock in the morning.
'I can't bother him with this, it's probably me being nervous or something…' With a smile, she reached out and brushed the Chaser's bangs to the side, the male leaning into her touch. Aisha laughed lightly, pulling her hands away and standing up silently.
"Well, I'm off,"
"Exam starts in ten minutes… I can do this!" Aisha mumbled to herself, waiting nervously in a row filled with other magicians.
She glanced around uneasily, noting several highly known mages standing nearby her. She was part of the High Mages, a group of extremely talented magicians that could control and manipulate the elements to a certain point. They were the only mages in the whole Elrios continent to be able to do this feat, which separated them as powerful leaders and fighters.
"We will now begin the test in order for you all to become an Elemental Master. Remember, this is a highly dangerous exam and only four to five have ever passed each year. We have several skilled healers here if one of you were to get injured during this test, so please rest assured. Do not underestimate each element or that will be your death."
At this a murmur started from the crowd, some nervously asking if they should back out.
"The exam isn't quite what you may think it is, simply use Mana Shield and try to tolerate each element we send at you. Elemental Masters must be able to handle every element, so doing this shall build your tolerance and making you less likely to be killed by your own magic. Now, may the first group step up?"
Reluctantly, the first row trudged forward, each with their hood pulled back as they stood upon a stage with an elemental mark. The Elemental Council also stepped forward, them being the top Elemental Masters in this world. Aisha watched in awe, only having heard of their great achievements. Meeting them in person was a highly honorable thing here in Hamel. The high mages raised their wand and soon enough, a dusty blue shield covered each and everyone of them. The examiner nodded in approval before opening his mouth.
"Fire!" At this, a burst of flames erupted from the stage that the mages stood on.
The fire attack was so sudden that the high mages screamed in fear as it burned underneath them, their shield breaking in a split second. The Council instantly stopped the flames, the healers rushing forward as the blaze died out quickly.
"You must not lose your composure during this test or your shield will break! Stay focused! First group, zero passers, ten failures!"
The failures were helped off the stage as the second group waited fearfully for their turn, Aisha being in the last group. The mage swallowed dryly, watching as the second group stepped forward onto the stage. The key to passing was to stay calm and maintain a strong shield. The female closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before releasing slowly. As her heartbeat steadied, she opened her eyes, gazing silently as the test started. The second group seemed to be doing better, having already passed the fire part and were now on the ice. She watched as several mages dropped out, instantly being teleported out of the stage before the ice could reach them. She stared in amazement at the last girl, who stood calmly, her shield pulsing lightly with a beautiful hue of blue.
"Nature!" Suddenly, the frosty stage turned into one of violent roots and rocks.
They whirled around the last contestant but she remained still, her hand outstretched with her wand.
"Lightning!" The final element was called, several strikes flashing downwards, slamming straight onto the shield.
A shockwave flew outwards from the force, Aisha moving her arms in front to protect herself from the powerful wave. She squinted her eyes, glancing over to the last mage on the stage. She seemed to be struggling, her face now scrunched and concentrated from her early stoic expression. Suddenly, the lightning vanished and the winds died down. Pulling her arms back, the mage looked towards the stage, finding that the female was still standing, her shield slightly cracked.
"Second group, nine failures and one passer, Noah!" A cheer erupted from the second group as Noah dropped her shield, panting heavily as a grin flew across her face.
She beamed as the Elemental Masters stepped forward, handing over a robe that symbolized the title of an official Elemental Master. She thanked them and stepped off the stage, healers momentarily rushing over to find any injuries that might have been given due to the strain of the elements.
"Alright, last group step forward!" The examiner called out.
Aisha inhaled deeply, preparing herself as she trudged forward with the rest of her group. As she walked up upon the stage, the mage placed her wand sideways in front of her. She closed her eyes, imagining the familiar mana shield that had saved her life countless times. When she opened them, her amethyst orbs peered at the azure hue that had wrapped itself around her body. Before she could begin to concentrate on strengthening her defense, the examiner had already started the test.
"Fire!"
Quickly, the atmosphere turned hot, sweat already beginning to appear on Aisha's skin. The flames licked at her shield, wrapping around it like twisted vines. From her earlier observation, they only allowed each element to stay for a mere ten seconds. With that in mind, she hardened her resolve, her shield becoming stronger and more vibrant in color.
"Ice!"
A frosty plain instantly replaced the burning stage, freezing upwards slowly. To her side, Aisha could hear her colleagues cry out as their shield broke, the ice wrapping onto their legs. She closed her eyes, ignoring the sounds and focusing on keeping her shield constant and powerful.
"Nature!"
The cold dissipated, leaving behind several vines and rocks that whipped against her shield harshly. The mage winced as she felt one hit particularly hard, slightly cracking her mana shield. She instantly replaced the crack with another layer of mana, concentrating on mending the damage.
"Lightning!"
A small relieved sigh escaped her mouth as the whipping stopped. However she wasn't prepared for the powerful strike of lightning to come right after. With a gasp, she growled and placed both her hands on the wand, closing her eyes as she felt it cackle and crawl along her shield like a snake. She bit her lip lightly, her grip tightening on the weapon. Within ten seconds, the strikes had vanished, letting Aisha slump to her knees as her shield shattered.
"Third group, nine failures, one passer, Aisha!"
Dazed from the magic, she couldn't quite understand what she had just heard until a robe was presented before her. Amethyst eyes widened as she gazed at the symbol on the cloak, a giant smile crossing her lips. She looked up and was met with gentle and proud smiles from the Council members.
"Congratulations,"
Gratefully, Aisha took the robe, slipping into it as she admired the beautiful violet color. She thanked them and practically skipped off the stage, almost falling onto one of the healers as they bombarded her with questions.
"Are you okay? Do you feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous? Is your mana low, do you need to recharge?"
She quickly stated a no to all of them, her happiness overshadowing the discomfort she had felt earlier. 'I have to tell Chung!' She thought to herself, beaming at her accomplishment. Just as she started to run back towards the Hamelian Castle, a piercing scream ripped through the air. Halting, she whipped around, her eyes widening at the sight before her. A large tree was beginning to grow from the stage, it's roots rising from the ground and slamming back down to create tremors that sent the high mages flying upward. She gasped as she saw the Council members being picked up from the branches of the tree, each slamming their wand down and muttering an incantation.
"Our magic isn't working!" One of them cried as they struggled against the immensive power of the tree.
"Aisha!" The Elemental Master turned her head, locating the source to find, Noah, who had passed earlier running towards her, "Help me freeze the tree!"
Noah stopped in front of her and the lilac-haired female nodded, the two standing side by side. Both raised their wands, a light wind picking up around them. Aisha started to murmur a spell, her voice coming out light and holy.
"Blizzard!" With a cry from the new Elemental Masters, a hail of ice started to fall from the skies.
They pierced the tree, deliberately missing the victims that were held within its hold. Each attack froze parts of the sapling, the ice crawling upwards and sealing its movement. Soon enough, the tree was completely frozen.
"Well well… this is quite a promising sight!"
Aisha went rigid as she heard a raspy voice from behind, the sound making her skin crawl. She whipped her head around, her violet eyes filled with fear. She locked her sight with a male, his hair a dark green and his eyes the color of death itself. In his hands, he held a tiny, white gun.
"You two might just make it…" The male murmured lowly, laughing as Aisha and Noah narrowed their eyes and held their wand out threateningly.
"My name is Kaizer and I'm here to collect a valuable human specimen."
That was three years ago, a story told to Chung when he later came only to find the exam site destroyed and ruined. The nature element that went beserk had injured several of the Council members, leaving them unable to save Aisha and Noah from being taken. Back then, the Chaser couldn't believe it, he had yelled at them angrily, unable to contain the amount of rage that come bursting out of his body. But all they could was look down with a sad and remorseful expression. After that incident, the male had sent out hundreds of searches, but all of them failed to locate the two females. During the third year of his search, he had found a clue. He had met with a small gang of fighters known as the El Search Party, a famous and strong party that was searching for the mad scientist Kaizer who had stolen a large El shard from Ruben. Chung had asked to join and accepted every condition they asked of him. He easily passed their tests and now here he stood, in front of the same girl he had been looking for, for the past years.
"Aisha…" He murmured quietly, waiting cautiously as the lilac-haired female turned to look at him, "Do you remember me…?"
The mage was silent, her expression hollow and void. She lifted her hand slowly and the Chaser's eyes widened as a ice formed onto her fingers. She fired them off her fingertips, Chung swiftly dodging and hiding behind a frozen corpse. Cursing under his breath, the male gritted his teeth, regret filling into his heart until it ached. He slowly glanced out from behind the corpse, a pained expression on his face.
"What did they do to you…?" He whispered, gazing at her emotionless face as she took a step forward.
He stepped outwards, where she could see him perfectly, before dropping his guns. He wouldn't harm her. He would never harm her. Chung smiled gently, his gaze turning tender before taking slow strides towards her. He didn't stop when he saw her backing up, fear and anger now evident on her face. Aisha raised her hand, flames bursting out of her palm as she threw it at him, the fire rolling in to a ball. The fireball missed by several feet though, the male not even flinching as it flew passed him.
"No… No… Stay back…!" The Elemental Master cried out, backing up even farther till she hit the icy wall behind her.
She gazed at him in fear, placing her arms in front of her protectively. Icy magic started to spin around her fingers, tiny particles freezing on to her skin. Her amethyst orbs widened as the male pulled her into a hug. Her body tensed up as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and pressing his face against her shoulder. Her hands rested upon his chest lightly, but she couldn't seem to find the energy to push him away.
"I'm sorry…" Chung sighed, tightening his hold on the mage's body, "I'm so sorry…"
As soon as those words fell from his lips, Aisha felt tears well up in her eyes. Her grip on his shirt tightened as the tears slipped down her rosy cheeks. After three grueling years of holding everything in, she felt it all spill out so easily. Her defenses dropped around him so quickly and all she could was cry and pull at his shirt. The Chaser wove his hand into her hair, feeling all his burdens dissipate as he held her. She was so frail and so weak... But at the same time so strong and so confident. Stroking the mage's soft hair, he murmured the words she longed to hear for three years, softly into her ear.
"Let's go home."
Classes:
Aisha (Elemental Master), Age 18
Chung (Deadly Chaser), Age 18
A/N:
Hello! A one-shot to symbolize my return! And it's a Chung x Aisha one lol
My main pairing with Chung is with Eve but I have a small spot for Chaisha in my heart :D
Depending on my mood (laziness /shot) I might write an epilogue explaining any missing details in this along with sweets moments with Chaisha~
Thanks for reading and please review !