Chapter 17: Lia’s thoughts

Tez’s POV

I looked down at her, weak, broken, but with a smile on her face. She had plunged that sword into the heart of this man like it was nothing at all.

She was crazy, I could see it in her eyes. A burning desire to burn the world lurked there, and I had somehow activated it. It was great, knowing that I could become her savior and sculpt her. That was all I needed.

She kept the sword in the heart of the man until he stopped breathing, and then she backed away. I saw realization form in her eyes, but she suppressed it and simply backed away.

I grabbed the sword and pulled it out, then I looked at Lia.

"Head on out with her, I’ll dispose the bodies."

Lia nodded and helped her to her feet. She headed toward the exit of the alley while I turned to face the two men that had been attacked by Lia and were still struggling. They had massive burn wounds on their bodies and were barely breathing at this point.

I walked up to them and stood beside them, eyes cold without emotion. I plunged my sword into their necks and killed them right there, watching the life leave their eyes, and when I was done, I gathered the bodies together and used my flames to burn them. Their bodies turned to ash in seconds, and I turned to leave.

This was only the first of what was to come.

The feeling of killing someone or something and getting stronger was intoxicating. The system allowed me to do that, get stronger over the deaths and pain of others, and I had to say, it was quite the system. Whoever stood in my way stood the chance to become fodder to my cause.

I got to the edge of the alley, and I turned back, looking into the pitch darkness where death lay. I smirked and turned away.

I saw Lia standing with the lady there. She was still a bit shaken. She had been through a lot, I could tell, her cut ears and her slim build.

I walked in front of her and spoke.

"You chose to live, now I’ll give you the chance to not only live but also thrive and look down on everyone that looked down on you." I smiled as I spoke. "What’s your name?" I asked.

She hesitated for a moment, as if trying to recall something.

"My mother, she called me Mira."

After that, we took her back to the inn. The old man was shocked to see us with someone else, but when he saw the wounds she carried, he reacted fast. I paid him to have her treated and help her into a cozy room, feed her, and if possible, get her some clothes to wear. He took the coins happily and was eager to work.

I turned my eyes to Mira.

"We have somewhere to be. He will handle everything and get you rested. We will be back soon, you don’t have to worry."

She was a bit hesitant, scared that we would leave her, but after a bit of assurance, she calmed down and we finally left.

[.....]

Lia’s POV:

I walked behind Tez, watching him ahead as he waded toward the sky palace. We had just come back from dropping Mira off, and now we had to go and do what we planned to do from the start.

I felt a bit off when I saw him in to walk and save Mira. It’s like a part of me told me that I would no longer be the main of his life, and it had only been a few days since I became his. My heart raced at the thought of this, but then I recalled, he saved me in the same way a few days back. Out of nowhere, he picked me and he changed everything for me.

It would be selfish to simply want him all to myself. I did want him to myself, but I cannot keep him to myself. His plans involve him building a massive team, and I know that he had already promised that we would be together forever as long as I gave it my all, and so I’ll give it my all.

’This power I have gained.’ I looked at my hand, a small golden flame formed on my palm. I let out a small smile. "I’ll use it to make sure I become the most useful person that he has no matter what."

"Did you say something?" He turned around and asked me, his piercing dark gaze locked onto me, and for some reason, I felt naked under his gaze, and it made me excited. Memories of the previous nights flashed in my mind.

"No, no, there is nothing," I said. He stared at me. I swallowed hard while looking at him. He turned away finally, and we kept walking.

"I’m not sure what to expect when we get into the sky palace. My life is pretty much in your hands, Lia. I’m trusting you," he said and then smiled at me. That smile, it did something to me. For some reason, I wanted to see more of that. I needed to see it.

His effect on me was something I was yet to even understand, but all I knew was that I only wanted to please him for now.

While I was distracted with my own thoughts, we arrived at the sky palace.