Transcendence?

***Jamaian Union, Atten, Slave Market***

This place is detestable! All these people with their creepy masks. What did I do to end up in this world? Even my life before being a slave wasn't the best.

I was born into the house of Jasmine and while my parents clearly cared for me, they still forced a horrible training regime onto me. The family consisted of my father and my mother. Then there were my little brother and Liandra, my little sister.

At my tenth birthday the world taught me the reason for my merciless training.

The night was dark when they came and tried to murder everyone. Assassins! They got my youngest brother in his sleep and my mother was heavily wounded. I was fortunate that one of the maids stumbled upon one of the assassins. She paid with her life but the commotion woke me up.

I managed to hide with my little sister until help arrived.

And although we could save my mother. My brother was already dead. Even though all the training, I love my family. Loosing the younger brother I always cared for was a hard blow to me.

I should be able to get over all this. So much experience in different lifes. I have an immortal soul after all! There are more than a thousand lifetimes in my memory. I experienced bad situations manifold! My fate in this world still tore at my heart.

They said that the Assassins most likely came from the house of Arenzien. They are mortal enemies of my parents and assassination attempts aren't out of question.

My parents always urged me to take a groom from a powerful house to ensure our position. I always refused.

Then the world decided to play another trick on me. I had graduated from the Arcane Academy. I thought it could only go upwards from there. But not too long ago our estate was attacked out of nowhere. Hundreds of warriors charged at our mansion. My father told me to take my little sister and run.

It was a warlike situation an everything fell into disarray and chaos.

I did as I was told, but we got caught. It was a Jamaian raiding party of five hundred warriors with horses and carriages. Apparently they penetrated deep into Mislow territory to make noble prisoners.

I blamed myself since then for being too weak! And an idiot! Maybe things would have been different if I did as my parents had told me.

A few days later while sitting in a carriage behind the bars of a cage it dawned onto me. We were going to be slaves. There were others, but we were kept separate. They realized that we belonged to a magic bloodline. That's why they attacked our estate in the first place.

After a week they threw another little girl into our carriage. She was even younger than my little sister and crying all the time. It took me a day to get a name from her. Violetta Arenzien! I had to fight the impulse to strangle her right then and there.

But a small child and a crybaby couldn't possibly be made responsible for the actions of her parents. This became even clearer as she told me about the intense and horrible training by her educators.

After a two months long journey we ended up in Atten, the biggest slave-market in the Jamaian Union. Apparently we were intended to be sold to the richest of the rich.

That's how I came to be on this podium. I hoped that someone would buy all three of us together. Somehow I came to feel responsible for the little crybaby Vio.

The entire exchange between the two creepy fellows with their laughing masks took less than two minutes. My feelings changed between hope and despair as I feared to be torn apart from my little sister.

Then the quarrel between the two monsters evolved into a duel. Apparently the Jamaian Union is very lenient in the handling of conflicts between its citizens.

The fellow with the white mask brutally murdered the golden mask. He didn't use any flashy spells like the golden one. But he still showed unbelievable skill.

While invoking wind magic for protection on his right, he cast arcane magic on his left. Both were the simplest spells in existence. But to cast them at the same time during a fight for life and death takes incredible skill.

I didn't realize what was going on until golden mask fell backwards and blood sprayed everywhere. He had blocked my view until that moment.

Then I watch in horror at White-mask's wounded arm. His right arm is just a fleshy something! But White-mask doesn't scream or topple over in pain which would be normal. He just watches his arm with... curiosity? Then the skin starts to grow! Is he using high level healing magic on himself!?

How old is he? For someone to cast this spell without incantation! It took me a few lifetimes to learn something like that!

The room is completely silent until White-mask points at me and my little sister with a damn beating heart in his hand!

“~Bring them. They are mine.~”

Two slavers grab me from each side and I am brought before White-mask. I try to resist the rude treatment and one of the Slavers hits me. I feel blood running down my cheek. Fuck this bracelet! I can't use any magic! Whenever I try to draw mana from within, it disperses and is sucked away!

I am brought in front of him and forced to my knees. He presses his thumb onto my slave-ring to activate the magic system. The same happens for my sister. At least we are together. Maybe we will find a possibility to escape.

I hug my little sister while White-mask is counting a pile of platinum coins into the waiting hands of the slave-trader. So much money for two girls and me? I hope that keeps him from hurting us.

Short of the last coin, the White-mask stops and closes his pouch.

The slave-trader arches an eyebrow at him. “Sir? You missed the last coin!”

“The 'goods' were delivered in a damaged state.” He points at my bleeding cheek.

The slave-trader turns expressionless. “Then heal her! Something like that should be nothing to you after what you displayed here.”

White-mask stores his pouch away. “I paid a hundred platinum coins for that woman. Do you want to tell me that this scratch isn't equal to one platinum?”

The slave-trader's expression turns sour while he looks at the slaver who hit me earlier. I guess the bastard won't have a good time from now? But that slave-trader surely is a greedy bastard. To crave for that one last platinum coin after receiving a sum like that!

After washing his hands in a bowl which was brought by a slave, White-mask turns toward another masked guy and starts to whisper something. Two huge guards are towering behind them. Are they northmen? I never saw someone that big in this world before! But I heard stories about the people of Norfolk. Some of them are giants, towering at least two heads above anyone from the southern lands.

Suddenly I feel a warm hand on my face and realize that White-mask moved to my side and placed his hand on my cheek while I was looking for the guards. A warm feeling spreads in my cheek and the pain fades away.

Then White-mask takes Vio at her hand and gestures for his guards and us. “Follow.”

We are taken outside and I follow them with Liandra at my hand. I wont let her go!

The other white masked fellow joins us with a slave from the Nation of Mist. Then we are led across the slave market with fast and purposeful steps. Our new 'masters' didn't take off their masks like the others when they left the building.

The slavers around us are eyeing me with greedy expressions and I realize for the first time in a while that I am practically naked!

Bastards! If it wasn't for that slave-ring, I would start a massacre right here and now!

I adapted to this existence too fast! It has been less than two months since I got captured and most of the time was taken up by the journey to Atten.

After a while we arrive at a Gate! No seriously! Where will they take us? Is it even farther away from Mislow? I have to find out what happened to my parents!

One of the big burly guards taps my back to urge me forward while the masked men are paying the Gatekeeper. It probably wasn't meant harmful by the muscle brain but the impulse still propels me a step forward.

Then White-mask takes Vio onto his arm and carries her in his right while she is hugging his neck in order to not fall off.

He turns and reaches for Lia with his left. “No.” I hug my little sister. If we are separated now I don't know what to do!

“If you wish for her to freeze. Then so be it.” The White speaks while I see the scene behind the Gate switch towards a snowy town with wooden buildings. It's night-time on the other side. Just the moon provides enough light to guess the scene.

I let go of Liandra and White-mask takes her hand. I see a blue light encasing all three of them. An environmental protection spell.

White-mask turns and walks through the Gate, followed by his companion and the male slave. I follow too and behind me the guards.

COLD!

Fuck! Fuck! It's so cold! That bastard didn't protect me on purpose! Was it because I spoke up against him without being asked? I am trying to cover myself but the cold keeps draining the warmth from me!

I start to hop in order to protect my feet! It feels like they will freeze to the ground if I don't move for too long. White-mask just looks at me. Is that malicious joy? Bastard! Bastard! Fuck you!

“Sis!” Liandra calls out for me but White-mask holds her hand with an iron grip. Then he turns and starts to walk. The burly guards shove me forward and I follow.

At least there aren't many people on the streets. The few who come close enough to see my naked figure look away with disturbed expressions. This place seems to have more decency than Atten.

After a short walk, we arrive at a big estate. There are many guards like the ones behind me. White-mask leads us inside and we enter something like a reception office. A small petite woman is sitting at a desk and looking curiously towards us.

I am standing shivering and with chattering teeth within the office. My toes actually started to turn a little blue during the short walk and a burning sensation starts to spread from my feet.

“Sarah. Prepare three rooms at my private quarters and clothing for them. They are not allowed to leave the estate under any circumstances.” White-mask starts to give orders to the woman called Sarah.

“Y... Yes!” She jumps out of her chair and gestures for us to follow. I stagger after her while my feet rebel with every step.

After Sarah led us deeper into the complex, she signals for Violetta and Liandra to enter two separate rooms and wait there. I take a look inside and both rooms are spacious with beds and writing tables.

The next room is for me and Sarah takes notice of my feet for the first time. “Oh my! I will immediately get some enchanted clothes for you! Did you walk here without an environmental protection spell!? No, come and take a warm bath first.” She grabs my hand and leads me towards a bathroom with a bathtub of hot water.

“Everything is enchanted here! The water is always warm. I will bring you some clothes!” Sarah runs off and leaves me alone in the bathroom.

“Well. I guess it could be worse.” I take another look around and stagger towards the bathtub.

As I sink my feet into the warm water, they start to burn like fire! Ah, how stupid! Never treat half frozen limps with warm water! But I don't care! A bath! A bath after two months of being sprayed with cold water! And no lecherous watching eyes! Tears well up in my eyes and I silently start to weep inside the water as the full weight of the last two months hammers down on me.

After half an hour Sarah shows up again with clothes. They are simple and without decorations. But they fit and offer protection against the weather. For the first time, I get a chance to talk to her.

“Where are we?”

Sarah blinks. “You are in Sarn. We are located in Norfolk, close to the coast. I need to lead you back to your room. I still have to take care of the little girls.”

I follow Sarah back towards my room. That's when I realize that there aren't enough people here. This is a big mansion! “Aren't there any other attendants here? Where is the rest of the nobles?”

“There are no attendants besides the guards and a few employees who come for cleaning duties from time to time. I don't live here either. And master was always alone since he came here. I don't know of any family.” -Sarah

I arch an eyebrow at that information. But Sarah seems to be truthful. After she led me back to my room, she leaves again to take care of the kids.

While I am alone I use the time to take a look around. Outside are some burly guards patrolling the area around the mansion. How many of them are there!? It will be hard to escape without magic.

There are some books in the room. The cupboards and lockets are all empty. I take one of the books and start reading. It's a cheap book about history. I sigh.

After an hour Sarah shows up again and leads me towards a staircase. “Up and the first room left. The master awaits you.” She turns to walk away and I follow her with my gaze.

“Aren't you coming too?” I call after her. I don't want to be alone with that White-mask fellow.

“My free time is overdue today! And I don't want to be too close to master. So I will go home. Have a nice day!” Sarah sounds like she just threw someone to the wolves and dashes off.

Without any better idea I walk up and enter the first room. It's a big and spacious living room with two sofas facing each other and a low desk between them. A warm fire is crackling in a corner to my left and I see snowflakes dancing outside the window.

My sister is facing towards me with her lips pressed together into a small white line. She always does that when she doesn't know how to act.

With their backs towards me are a guy who is patting Vio's head while reading a book to her. The white mask is on the desk between them.

Violetta turns around and looks at me. Her face is bright and happy. It's the first time I see her smiling. “Big sis, Celes! Look. It's brother! Brother saved us!” She hugs the arm of the man and smiles brightly at me.

Then the guy turns around with a smug grin on his face. It's that son of a bitch from the house of Arenzien! Dark hair, grey eyes and a sharp face which isn't exactly unpleasant to the eyes.

“YOU!” I step forward but a wave of pain stabs into my mind and I collapse to the ground. Liandra jumps up and runs towards me.

“No violence! Or I will do that.” -Ascathon

Another wave of pain starts to shoot through my mind and my body begins to spasm uncontrollably.

“Muahaha! Oh, I wished for that! This investment already paid off a thousand fold.” I look up and see a gloating grin on the bastards face.

“Brother! Don't be mean! Big sister always took care of me!” Violetta intervenes with her brother.

The expression of the bastard turns into a warm smile and he pats his sisters head again. “I am sorry. This sister and I have quite a bad history. But if you wish for it I won't hurt her as long as she doesn't do any harm.”

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