Is that understood?'
Richard didn't answer the question and instead stared at the young master with an almost evil glare. He knew in his heart that she was just looking out for his wellbeing and that she was most likely right, but right now he didn't care. He wanted to know just what the hell was going on and how any of this was possible. Lillin seemed to realize that he wouldn't just take this lying down because she quickly cut off his plan before it could even form in his mind.
'Just to make sure, I would like your bracers please,' she said and held out her hand expectantly. 'This is an order form your master!' she insisted strongly when Richard didn't comply.
At first Richard was ready to just open up and attack the woman so he could get past her, but that thought scared him and he lost all the wind out of his sails instantly. It was that black light taking over his mind and body again and he was quickly coming to realize that he really wasn't capable of handling it on his own like he kept saying he could. If he was so willing to attack one of his own friends then he didn't deserve to be wearing those bracers in the first place.
'It's okay, Richard,' Daiya spoke and entwined her long and thin fingers with his and rubbed the back of his hand in a soothing manner. 'This is for the best, and it's just until morning. Okay?'
Richard looked sideways at his wife and sighed in defeat as his guilt began to overcome to dark power trying to take over his body. He placed both hands on Lillin's outstretched ones and let the gold metal liquefy and flow over his skin until it pooled in her palms in the shape of two large and rather heavy metal discs. This was a trick he had learned by tinkering with his first bracer, a way to ensure that May or anyone else couldn't take it from him forcibly and use it for their own benefit. Only he could control the metal completely and he wasn't even sure why.
'Thank you,' Lillin closed her hands around the discs and then walked over to the door. She opened it and stepped out in the hall before turning back to them. 'I'll be locking the door until dawn, so don't try to get out. Don't worry, I will have one of the other masters watch over you in case anyone else tries to attack during the night.'
With that, Lillin closed the door with a wave of her hand and a single Word of Power. A moment later Richard heard the large lock bolt into place and he and Daiya were effectively trapped in their own room. It felt a lot like being grounded when he was a kid, only this time he knew he was going to be let out in a few hours and he wouldn't have to sit alone in the dark and pray that someone brought him a glass of water. The added bonus of having Daiya there with him was pretty nice as well, and on any other occasion he would have taken this time to have a little fun. It was pretty apparent that neither of them were in the mood for that sort of frolicking though and instead they settled into bed after stoking the fire back to a healthy level, a task made much easier with the help of a fire user.
Richard got very little sleep that night and by the time the sun rose he had already been awake for two hours, just sitting by the fireplace and letting the warmth of the flames heat his bones. The one and only time he had tried to get to sleep had been marred by a new nightmare, one of him standing alone in that massive gap in the earth. The clouds of dust kicked up by the wind carried the scent of charred bodies and he could feel the power of the spell in his bones. He feared that if he tried to sleep again he would wake up to ash and dust and find himself standing in the middle of an apocalypse. He was really getting tired of all these horrifying dreams.
Daiya had tried to stay awake with him but they both found that it was impossible. She had eventually fallen asleep while nestled in his lap with her head on his shoulder, so he had slowly and quietly put her in the bed and covered her mostly naked body up. The sound of her even breathing and the heat of her skin had been a welcome comfort to him, but he just wanted some space to think clearly. A lot of things weren't making sense to him right now and he felt even more lost than he usually did. But there was also something else lurking on the edges of his consciousness. He couldn't really explain it but he felt a little more whole, like something inside him had been partially freed. He knew if he got the answers he was looking for he could feed that feeling and maybe uncover something even bigger. He needed to talk to May though, something he was actually a little afraid of.
For so long now he had considered her his enemy; someone who was no longer his friend or former one time lover. She had tried to kill Loki, nearly killed May, attacked him on more than one occasion, and acted like some crazy stalker a person would normally encounter in a movie. They had both evolved so much from their shared time on Earth and he no longer knew who she was. He did know one thing however, she couldn't be trusted. This was something he would have to overcome if he wanted the information he desperately desired though. She held the key and he had to pry it from her hands if it was the last thing he did. She alone knew who he had once been, who the real identity of that man was, and probably more. He needed to speak to her more than anything else.
When the door was finally unlocked it was Louise who walked into the room with a large tray piled high with food and drinks that had been brought up from the kitchens. The smell of cooked food and the sound of Louise's feet pattering across the stone floor woke Daiya up and at first she seemed lost as she found herself in the bed instead of waking up on Richard's lap like she had been during most of the night.
'I didn't know what you liked... so I brought everything,' Louise beamed at Richard and placed the food down on the small table next to his seat. He could tell she was looking for some kind of recognition from him and he really wanted to provide it, but it just wasn't in him in that moment. Thankfully Daiya realized this dilemma and she quickly picked up the slack he left by remaining silent.
'Thank you, sweetie,' the sleepy woman smiled and patted on an open spot on the bed. Louise smiled big once more and jumped onto the bed next to Daiya with a light squeal. 'It's been a rough night so we really appreciate this.'
'So you two really did get attacked last night?'
'Sadly yes, but no one can beat Richard and I when we are together so we're okay,' Daiya smiled. He knew she was trying to brighten the whole ordeal up but she honestly couldn't have been more wrong with her statement; they had barely gotten away with their lives last night.
'Hey, Louise... did anyone tell you if we were allowed to leave the room yet?' Richard decided to ask. The food sitting next to him remained untouched, but not from a lack of hunger. He was actually starving but he knew if he tried to force anything into his stomach right now it probably wouldn't agree with him.
Louise looked away from Daiya and caught the serious look in Richards eye, turning instantly from the small child she could be around he and his wife and into the strong and smart Daughter of Earth that she really was. 'Master Lillin said once you have eaten your fill you are to meet her and Lady Aura down in the council chamber. I was also supposed to tell you that the person who attacked you last night is being held in the basement cell but you are not to go and see them right now. You won't be able to get in anyways.'
'Why not?' Richard asked before Daiya could say anything. He wasn't sure if she was going to ask the same thing or agree with the decision to keep him away from May right now.
'The door has been locked with a powerful spell that can only be undone by the one who cast it, or so Master Lillin says. So once you're done eating you can go and meet with your Master.'
Richard stood up from his seat and walked over to where Daiya and Louise sat in the bed together, the older woman covering up her body as much as possible with the small child sitting on the covers. He placed a gentle hand on Louise's head and patted her gently like an obedient dog, not really sure what else he should do to thank her for bringing him the message. She didn't seem to mind the gesture though and purred under the action slightly.
'You should really eat, Richard,' Daiya said softly but he quickly shook his head.
'I'm not that hungry and I think you are in the same boat as me.'
Daiya opened her mouth as if she wanted to argue the point but she quickly shut it a second later and nodded in agreement. After everything that had happened on the battlefield and the fight between Richard and May that had got Daiya caught right in the middle of it, his wife had become a part of everything. He was sure she wanted answers to what was going on just as much as him and there was also the possibility of May knowing something about how Richard can gain control of his magic once again.
They both dressed quickly, ignoring the fact that a small girl was sitting in the room trying to avoid looking at them. Richard did end up picking up a piece of buttered bread but found that he couldn't take more than a few nibbles from it. Louise was more than happy to finish it off for him though and he wondered if she had eaten breakfast yet. Usually she would be in the middle of her meditation training, but with everything that was going on it looked like the days lessons had been cancelled. It was no wonder she seemed so happy, it was like a snow day for her.
Louise led Richard and Daiya down to the large room with the long table and throne like chair he had been in a few days before. It seemed everyone else who was living at the castle was already gathered there and they had taken their seats along the table, each master sitting in the larger and more luxurious chairs that denoted their standing while the students sat in the smaller chairs right next to them. Aura stood next to the table by the chair that was meant for the Master of Arcane and Richard felt a little sad when he saw this; it was because of him that she would never get a chance to sit at the table ever.
'Did you get much rest?' Aura asked as they walked into the room and she had a genuine look of concern on her face.
'I got enough,' was all he replied with and then moved around the table until he was standing next to his adoptive mother. Daiya stood on his other side while Louise sat down next to her master at the table, her feet barely touching the ground and nothing but her head visible above the table. It looked a little comical actually, this small girl with her feet swinging back and forth as she smiled at everyone in a happy manner and was oblivious to the mood of the room.
'So now that we have all gathered together, may I ask why neither I or Master Regina are allowed to see the prisoner?' the elderly Master of Earth asked in an annoyed manner. 'I would like to remind you, Master Lillin, that your guests are just that, guests in a place they would normally never be allowed to enter.'
'I understand your concern, but I am also not being kept up to date on this prisoner,' Lillin answered and Aura shifted uncomfortably next to Richard. 'I have also not been allowed to meet with this woman who somehow managed to sneak into the castle. Why is that, Aura?'
'I do apologize for that, but I fear the situation is far more complicated than you realize. I just ask that you trust me for the time being and over look this inconvenience for a little while longer. It really is not my information to give to you,' Aura answered in an even tone and she looked towards Richard as she finished speaking. He wasn't really sure what she meant but he had a pretty good idea.
'This is ridiculous,' Zya grumbled and no one was surprised that she was upset. If anyone was going to speak out it would definitely be her. 'This criminal invaded the private sanctuary of the Elemental Masters and we are not even allowed to question her? What farce is this? I think I speak for everyone when I say we are entitled to answers right now. Like how did she get in here? Why did she target this boy and his hotheaded wife? Why are we not allowed to question her? You owe us these answers and more!'
'Calm down, Zya,' Master Regina warned her young student but there was no real conviction in her voice. She was probably thinking everything that her apprentice had just said out loud.
'No, she's right,' Richard found himself saying before he had fully thought through what he was about to do, 'you all deserve the answers you are seeking. I'm sure you've realized that there's something not quite right about me.'
'Richard, stop!' Lillin hissed loudly and stood up from her spot near the bottom of the long table. She tossed him an angry glare but he ignored her and focused on his words instead.
'My form of magic that hasn't been seen in nearly two thousand years, the dark edge that magic carries, the fact that up until recently no one had ever heard of me or seen my magic despite the fact that I am the son of a member of the Elysian royal family, and the strange way I talk. You can't tell me that none of you have been questioning who I really am.'
'You do certainly raise some pressing questions, but I don't see what this has to do with the prisoner sitting down in the lower levels right now,' Master Rio pointed out and sat forward in her chair a little to get a better look at Richard with her aged eyes.
'It has everything to do with her,' Richard answered but was quickly interrupted by Aura who was now getting a little nervous.
'This isn't wise, Richard. Only a handful of people know the truth and it was meant to be kept that way,' she warned but Richard had already gone too far to stop.
'The people gathered in this room are considered the most powerful mage's on the continent, if they can't handle the true story than I doubt anyone will. And the truth is that I am not from this world... sort of.'
The reaction his statement got was pretty much what he would expect: Lillin and Aura groaned in defeat, Zya snorted loudly at the outlandish claim, and Master Rio and Regina looked at him like he had lost his mind. The only ones who didn't seem fazed by this information were Daiya and Louise. Louise mostly looked intrigued as she was too young to think that his claim was very improbable. It took a few moments for the hidden meaning in his statement to be found by the eldest Master in the room.
'What do you mean by sort of?' Master Rio asked skeptically and now Master Regina seemed to catch on as well.
'Two thousand years ago I apparently went by another name, one you are all familiar with: Roku.'
'That's rich!' Zya laughed loudly and she slammed her hands down on the table as her legs kicked out in a stupid manner as she over sold her fit of giggles. 'You honestly expect us to believe that you are some kind of immortal and the legendary Master of Light to boot?!'
'It's true,' Daiya spoke up and she took a step towards the table as she eyed the Daughter of Water with a look of contempt. 'Master Roku, the Master and Creator of Light Magic was the only one able to use its power and not a single person has been able to replicate it even to this day. Richard truly does come from another world, one called Earth. I have seen this place with my own eyes and it is beyond anything you can imagine.'
'They're not going to believe you,' Lillin sighed and sat back down in her seat, folding her hands on the table as she looked out over everyone gathered around her. 'If the former Wind and Lightning Masters hadn't kept a record of Roku and kept an eye out on the world in hopes of finding his reborn body, then I never would have believed that Richard truly is the reincarnation of the greatest mage to have ever lived. As for him coming from a different world, I myself find it difficult to believe.'
'You must understand this,' Master Rio added. 'What you are claiming is impossible. How can we take the word of some young man when he has no real proof.'
'If you won't take his word for it, then will you take the word of a former Elemental Master?' Aura asked and then took a step forward. She reached into a pocket on her leather pants and tossed a small ring onto the table. 'This ring is a lost focus that once belonged to the Master of Fire and a companion of Roku, Master Monica. It holds her family's mark and the sigil of the Fire Master that had been lost when she disappeared ages ago.'
Master Regina picked the ring up gently and held it in front of her eyes, a surprised and shocked look painting her face. 'How did you find this? Master Monica was considered the strongest fire mage in history and this ring supposedly vanished with her.'
'I found the ring in the possession of the woman we have locked up in the basement. She is also from the same world that Richard hails from and goes by a different name, but it is only a cover. When Richard told me of her true identity I could hardly believe it myself, but now I have all the proof I need. She is a powerful fire mage that only Richard can fight evenly with, she is the only other human capable of riding a dragon along with Richard, she had this ring on her and it only acknowledges the blood of her family, and she was able to infiltrate Castle Islan without setting off any alarms and during a night with no moon. The woman downstairs is Master Monica, the Lady of Dragons.'
'You've seen her ride a dragon?' Master Rio asked and Aura nodded.
'I have seen this as well, at the battle where Richard lost control,' Daiya added and once more Zya snorted with laughter.
'Try the ring and see if it works for you as a focus,' Aura offered and Master Regina slowly moved it towards her finger. 'The sigil and family crest are proof enough that this ring is as I say it is. It is one of a few legendary focuses that only work for a single person. If you need more proof you can also try using Richard's bracers as well. They work the same way.'
Regina placed the ring on her finger and held it into the air, closing her eyes and uttering a short incantation that Richard recognized as a low level arcane spell that create an orb of arcane power. As the words left her mouth everyone watched as the ring remained dark and nothing happened, a sign that the ring did not recognize her as its owner. After a few moments the Master of Water and Ice lowered her hand and looked at the ring intently as her brow creased in confusion.
'And this woman we have as a captive used this ring to cast a spell?' the woman asked and now it was Richard's turn to speak again.
'She cast some sort of fire spell that took the form of a man who could speak and move like normal.'
'It's a high level spell that I'm not even familiar with. It might have been a spell she herself created that was lost when she vanished from this world,' Daiya explained. If she didn't know what kind of fire spell it was than Richard was sure that it must have been something created by May. As far as he was concerned, Daiya was the second strongest fire mage in the world.
Silence took over as Richard, Daiya, and Aura waited for everyone to soak up the information that had just been dumped on them all at once. It was asking a lot for them to believe every little thing they had just been told, but there was no other way around it. Richard really didn't know how or even if this would change things, but he really didn't care anymore. From the moment he met Aura and the former Queen he had been hiding who and what he really was, and he was honestly getting sick of it. Who knew, maybe this would improve things in some way.
'If what you claim is true, then we have made a grave mistake by imprisoning Master Monica in the dungeons,' Master Regina sighed and she didn't sound very convinced. 'We should release her and ask her personally if your allegations are true. As unbelievable as they are.'
'That would be unwise,' Richard said through gritted teeth as he tried to remain calm. He knew his rings were starting to glow black and if he didn't get his emotions under control he would be forcibly removed from the room.
'Master Monica, or May as she goes by now, is far too dangerous to let wander around unsupervised. Do not forget that she attacked Richard and Daiya last night, and this isn't the first time. On a number of occasions she assaulted them and even forcibly sent Richard back to his own world. Also, it was through her actions that Richard lost control during the battle and ended up succumbing to his magic.'
'I agree with Lady Aura,' Master Rio said loudly and stood up from her seat, her bones creaking from the effort on her old body, 'we must not underestimate the Lady of Dragons, if that is who she truly is. We must question her and learn the truth from the source, about who she is and why she tried to kill young Richard. We must learn these truths before we decide what to do with her. Are there any who oppose this idea?'
No one spoke for a moment, but Richard knew that someone had a problem with it, and eventually Zya stood up from her seat and kicked it away from the back of her legs in a rough manner. 'I still believe this is some ploy by the Masters of Fire and Arcane in an attempt to take Castle Islan back, so I must oppose this route.'
'As you are but a student you have no rights to voice your opinion on this matter, Zya,' Lillin said quickly and the other two masters nodded their agreement. 'If your teacher, Regina shares your same ideal than let her speak now.'
Master Regina looked from the young redheaded master towards her slightly older student, a thoughtful glint in her eyes as she tried to figure everything out. Richard was coming to realize that the Master of Water and Ice was a very intellectual and logical person and she would probably reserve judgment until she had all the facts available.
'I have no complaints,' she said after a while and Zya flashed her master an evil look before sitting back down in her seat. 'I agree that we must question the woman who is being called Master Monica and learn the truth for ourselves. However, I also agree with Lady Aura in her assessment that this woman is not to be trusted wandering our halls. Even if she is not the Lady of Dragons and she somehow managed to fool this ring into believing she was the only one who could wield it, then she is still far more powerful than anyone else here. For now, I suggest that she remain in her cell.'
'I second that,' Lillin added quickly and even Master Rio nodded, albeit reluctantly. 'Now that we have that settled, how should we do this?'
This was the moment Richard had been waiting for, even if it was a long shot. He quickly stepped up to the table and held his hand above his head like he was some small child asking to go to the bathroom in the middle of class. All eyes were instantly on him and he noticed the knowing look in Lillin's as she had undoubtedly guessed what he was going to ask for. He only hoped she was in a kind mood this morning.
'I'd like to speak with her first. I know you all have questions that you want to ask, but I hope you can understand how important it is for me to speak with her for a few moments before you try to get your answers out of her.'
'Absolutely out of the question!' Master Rio answered loudly and for a moment Richard was sure it had been Lillin to speak instead. 'If she is as dangerous as we believe she is, then it would not be wise to hand the one she was after last night like that.'
'I must agree with Master Rio's assessment,' Aura said from behind him and Richard could feel her concerned eyes on his back, 'it is far to reckless for you to go in there.'
'You would be going in there without either one of your focuses, Richard,' Lillin added but there was something in her voice that had him feeling a little hopeful. 'She has proven before that she is capable of wielding them so we can't give her the chance to getting her hands on one again. I also don't like the idea of you going in there alone.'
'What are you saying, Lillin?' Aura demanded angrily and she was quickly standing next to the younger woman. 'Are you honestly going to let Richard go in there and speak with her? Have you forgotten about what happened the last time they were face to face?'
'I have not forgotten, that would be impossible. But I believe that he is right, his questions are far more pressing than ours right now and as the one who was attacked, he has every right to face her once more. Besides, how can we ever expect him to control his more aggressive emotions if we don't let him face the one person who tipped the scales in the first place?'
'I understand where you are coming from, but what happens if he loses control again? Sending him in there on his own like that is too dangerous and I will not stand for it!'
'I won't be alone,' Richard said softly and took a deep breath as he forced his emotions down, 'Daiya will be coming with me. She has just as much right as I do to speak with her first, and she can keep an eye on things just in case. Right?' he asked and turned to his wife who looked like she was caught off guard slightly. She stood slightly behind him with her arms crossed over her chest and an almost frightened look in her eyes. And why wouldn't she be scared? May had tried to kill her once.
'Y... yes... I'll make sure Richard remains calm,' she answered slowly and he flashed her a thankful smile that she returned to the best of her ability.
Aura looked like she still had various other problems with what was being said, but she realized that if Richard wanted to grow then this was something he probably needed to do. The other Masters also remained silent and Richard took this as a good sign. Before anyone could change their minds he grabbed Daiya gently by the hand and led her from the room, heading towards the staircase that he hoped led down to the lower levels. He had no idea what he would learn or if he would be able to keep his cool, but there were a million different things he needed answers to and he had to take any risk to get them.
This story was taken from one these sites, check them out to find more sex stories:
https://www.consoletuner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20287
https://www.cooksongold.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11524&p=115713#post115713
https://www.copyrighted.com/website/5nZcdnNyrQpWWISa
https://www.copytechnet.com/forum/system-forums/newbie-check-in/175099-howdy